First Seddon Electric Tractor Shown
Page 52
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
THE first public showing of a proto
type battery-electric tractor unit manufactured by Seddon Diesel Vehicles, Ltd., was scheduled to take place on Wednesday during the Institute of Public Cleansing conference at Brighton, as forecast in The Commercial Motor last week.
The new vehicle has been produced for Westminster City Council as the forerunner of possible replacements for Electricars three-wheeled electric horses, which have been in service since 1937. The tractor draws a semi-trailer carrying Eagle Compressmore refuse-collection bodywork.
Electric power derived from the vehicle batteries is used also to operate the hydraulic compression and tipping gear fitted to the semi-trailer. The existing electric vehicles are used for nocturnal and early-morning refuse collection, when the noise of an internal-combustion engine would not be acceptable.
For the prototype Seddon tractor only the chassis and cab were produced by the manufacturers, the traction equipment having been fitted in Westminster's own workshops. The chassis has a low frame obtained by the use of 7.50-16-in. tyres and inverted .semi-elliptic leaf springs.
Channel-section side members with four bolted cross-members make up the frame, on which is mounted Scammell automatic coupling gear. The coupling connections include electrical contacts for the semi-trailer electro-hydraulic system.
The electric motor is fitted beneath the floor of the six-seat crew cab and is powered from D.P. 88v. 405-amp.-hr. batteries. Foot-operated B.T.H. controller gear provides five forward speeds through time-controlled relays by means of a capacitor device.
A single-piece propeller shaft takes the drive through a reduction gear to the fully floating hypoid rear axle. The rearaxle ratio is 5.57 to 1 and with the reduction gear an overall ratio of 9 to I is obtained. The brakes are hydraulically operated, with two leading shoes at each wheel.
The tractor has an 8-ft. 1-in, wheelbase and complete with batteries weighs 4 tons 1 cwt. Up to 8 tons of refuse can be carried by the semi-trailer, which, unladen. weighs 4 tons 7 cwt. The prototype was supplied through Halls (Finchley), Ltd.