Battery-electric Industrial Tractor
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ANEW battery electric industrial tractor has been introduced by Wessex Industries (Poole) Ltd., Dolphin Works, West Street, Poole, Dorset. Known as the Wrigley model E.1000, the tractor will pull trailers weighing up to 10 tons over a level surface.
The chassis is of all steel welded construction and the body is of heavy steel plate with a full-width steel front bumper. Semi-elliptic leaf springs are fitted at front and rear and the brakes at all four wheels are hydraulically operated. A mechanical hand parking brake is fitted and to cater for an emergency there is a deadman " pedal for the driver's left foot.
A pedal-operated four-stage controller with a manually operated electrical forward and reverse lever give a maximum light-running speed on the level of 6-7 m.p.h., or 3-4 m.p.h. with the full 10-ton load. A 48-V d.c., totally enclosed series-wound traction motor drives
directly through a short propeller shaft with two Layrub universal joints to a double reduction axle.
Power is provided by two Exide-Ironclad batteries which each consist of 12 cells, Mae TLF17, and have a capacity of 432 a.h. at the five-hour rate. Journeys of up to 20 miles are possible between charges, but if longer runs are contemplated, Exide-Ironclad batteries of 486 or 540 a.h. capacity can be fitted.
Overall dimensions of the Wrigley E.1000 are 7 ft. 6 in. long by 3 ft. 6 in. wide by 4 ft. 9 in. high to the rim of the steering wheel and the wheelbase is 3 ft. 1 in. Clearance under the rear axle is 4.5 in. and approximate weight including batteries is 45 cwt. Drawbar pull is 3,000 lb. momentarily or 500 lb. continuously.