Speedier Coal Delivery
Page 65
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I-1 A NEW type' of coal lorry, aimed at cutting delivery schedules by up to 40 per cent., was demonstrated last week by Charrold, Ltd., Trinity Square, London, E.C.3. It was based on a . Dennis Pax 11-ft. 6-in, wheelbase chassis powered by a Perkins P6 oil SPECIALLY designed for arduous working conditions, the Hy-Mobil 45, a new mobile crane, is being manufactured by J. Darlington and Son (Engineers), Ltd., Harpurhey, Manchester. Mounted on an ex-W.D. Morris four-wheel-drive chassis, with Edbro-B. and E, twin hydraulic rams, the crane employs a goose-neck main jib pivoted at the rear and working in conjunction with a supporting jib, also pivoted at the rear.
Twin hydraulic rams raise the jibs and serve to distribute the load over the chassis frame. To relieve the front springs of the weight when under load, wedges have been fitted which make the front end solid when 2 in. of spring deflection have been taken up. Three lifting capacities are provided by altering the position of the hook: 45 cwt., 40 cwt. and 35 cwt., the respective lift heights being 17 ft. 3 in.: 17 ft. 10 in.; and 18 ft. 5 in.
Powered by a four-cylindered 3.5-litre petrol engine, the vehicle has a wheelbase of 8 ft. 3 in., with a turning-circle diameter of 52 ft. The gearbox has five forward speeds and reverse, front-wheel drive being optional in all but first and reverse, in which it is automatically engine. Developed from the company's conveyor bulk-delivery vehicle. the Autobagger, as the vehicle is known. is designed to reduce handling costs in providing direct delivery from bulkloading points to the customer.
The hopper body can carry up to 8 tons of coal and is provided with a longitudinal conveyor belt in the centre. This follows established Charrold practice, but the novel feature is the incorporation of a bag-weighing and lifting machine at the rear. Two bags of the same tare weight are provided. This avoids discrepancies in weighing, and permits of one setting on the weighing machine.
When making deliveries, one bag is placed on a special frame suspended from the arm of the weighing machine. Operation of the conveyor belt gradually fills the bag until the weighing machine indicates that the bag is carrying the correct weight.
When the correct amount of coal has been delivered, a further control can be operated to raise the bag to shoulder height. This is done by means of an arm which engages the top crosspiece of the bag frame and lifts it clear of the weighing machine. The action. of lifting the bag operates a counter which not only records the total number of deliveries made, but also has a trip
which can be zeroed to record individual deliveries.
Because of the cut-out incorporated to prevent a bag's being raised before it is properly charged, the customer is assured that the recorder indicates clearly the number of bagloads of fuel received and hence the total weight.
An advantage of the use of bags merely, to carry the coal from vehicle to bunker is that the bagging operation usually performed at the depot is eliminated, and some 2 hours are saved as about 8 tons of coal may be bulkloaded in 10 minutes.
Worm Reduction The conveyor belt is driven through a worm reduction by a hydraulic motor which is connected to a pump and power take-off on the gearbox. Controls for the belt and hydraulic bag lift are on the off side of the vehicle at the rear, and adjacent to these is a hand throttle for IIIIt1justment of the engine idling speed.
When the vehicle is in transit, the bags are Secured on a rack on the near side, whilst the bag frame is reversed, suspended from hooks provided, and kept in position by retaining springs. A spring-loaded flap may be lowered on to the conveyor belt to prevent spillage. Unladen weight of the vehicle is 3 tons 19 cwt. 2 qr.
It is understood that Charrold, Ltd., are now working on a project to develop the Autobagger for bulk delivery of other commodities such as cattle food, wheat, potatoes, carrots and chemicals.