A Striking Van with Loud-speaker Equipment
Page 48
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Brief Particulars of an Interesting Vehicle which Carries a Useful Range of Loud speaking Apparatus
A RATHER striking body has re
cently been specially built by Kent Motors and Coachworks. Ltd., 89, Broad Street, Canterbury, and it is mounted on a Chevrolet chassis which has been extended by 3 ft. to enable a body of large she to be accommodated. The vehicle has been supplied to meet the requirements of Mr. J. Fullagar, and it is, in reality, a mobile loud-speaking equipment.
The walls of the body are built of a new pressed-wood material, known as Masonite, which can be procured in very large sheets, thus dispensing with beading, which would be necessary with smaller sheets, and enabling a clean and uninterrupted space for wording display.
The interior is arranged in three compartments, that at the front housing the amplifier, batteries, double turn table, records, etc. A large. sliding door above this section gives access to the roof, which has been constructed so that it can be used as a platform from which public addresses can be made.
The central compartment serves as a soundproof studio, and is equipped with. a desk, from which announcements can be made, whilst the other compartment carries the necessary field equipment, speakers, etc. A separate lighting system is employed for, illuminating the interior.
The amplifying equipment is of the /334 latest type, embodying four stages of amplification, utilizing six special valves. When working four speakers in the open country, music and speech can, we are told, be Clearly heard at a distance of 1-2 miles, and sufficient cable is carried on drums so that the 10 speakers can be distributed over an area of a quarter of a mile. A pilot speaker is carried in the van and this gives the operator control over the speakers which may be some distance away.
Parlophone records are used exclusively, and a selection can be made from over 200 records, which are normally carried. The new van supersedes a standard 20-cwt. model, which was found to be too small to carry the latest amplifying equipment.