Thornycroft. ,
Page 40
Page 41
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
John I. Thvrnycrott and Co., Ltd., Basingstoke.
Stand No. 58.
TFIE lour exhibits which .Messrs. John J. Thornyeroft and Co., Ltd., are staging on Stand Ne. 58 at the forthcoming Show will comprise an interesting selection of utility vehicles.
One example of each type of chassis made by this concern, viz., 2 ton, 3 ton, 4 ton, and 5 ton, equipped for various purposes, will be on view.
The brewer's lorry, fitted with stanchions and chains, has been built to the order of Messrs. Ind, Coope.
The chassis is the 2 ton BT type, which has centrally fitted change speed and hand brake levers, and a specially flexible three-point suspension arrangement for the engine and gearbox.
Another example of this type of chassis, fitted with a char-ii-banes body, will be found on the stand of Jas. Bartle and Co., Ltd. Of great interest to municipal authorities will .be the combined cesspool emptier and watering cart, mounted on the 3 ton J type chassis, which gained such an excellent reputation in war ser vice. The interesting feature of this
vehicle',.is the simplicity of the arrangements whereby it can be made to serve the two purposes, and, in addition, can by the removing of the tank and the substitution of a body, be used as an ordinary tipping lorry, as the makers' hydraulic tipping mechanism is fitted to the chassis.
As a tank wagon, the double purpose Is achieved by the provision of front and rear sprinklers, and the fitting of a combined vacuum pump and air compressor. It is thuspossible by means of a changeover valve, to exhaust the tank for cesspool emptying or tank-filling purposes, and to expel the water from it, by air pressure, for road sprinkling. The tank would, of course, he cleaned between the two operations. The pump is chain driven from a countershaftcarried in ball bearings, which is itself chain driven from a sprocket just aft of the clutch-shaft coupling.. There isea ,ballfloat shut-off valve inside the tank, and the large' discharge door at the rear end is counterpoised. A useful fitting he the winch and jib, which, mounted on one side of the tank, enables the suction hose to be lifted easily.
The large box van which will be shown on this stand is mounted on the Q type 5 ton chassis, fitted with the same 40 h.p. engine as the chassis just referred to. The body has been built at the Basingstoke works of the company, side doors are fitted to the driver's Beat, and a glass windscreen. This very roomy body is strongly constructed in every way. The chassis, also, is very sturdily built to carry the heavy loads for which it is .intended, and is provided with very efficient brakes. A feature of interest in connection with the foot' brake is the method *hereby the gearbox Casing, at the rear end of which this brake is carried, is relieved of most of the stresses of brake shoe anchorage. The frame side members though light are exceptionally deep and strong and of pressed steel. The rear brakes are of the expanding ;type, with exceptionally large diameter .drums. The rear axle is of the overhead worm drive type, so designed that the 'differential can be removed, if necessary, Tor [inspection purposes without taking the load off the rear wh61.5: The latter are now of the cast-steel type, the pressed steel wheels, so familiar on Thornycroft vehicles during the war period, having been superseded. The front wheels on this model are dished appreciably to admit of the .employment of pivotal-type steering, and thus to reduce the exertion of steering to a. iminimum.
The body of the saloon bus has been built by Battles onan X type 3 ton chassis of 15 ft. 6 ins, wheelbase, provided with nickel-plated fittings. ',fins is a very, suitable chassis for bus' work, and is fitted -with a 40 hp. engine, similar to that of the Q and 3 types chassis.