Utility Motors in France.
Page 15
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Some important changes have been nade in the iyoy Darracq taxicabs. Vith ;he exception of a red ietion of
ore froin 65 to 75 the eninc remains practically as last year. )n the new models, the lubricator is a )ubrulle, positively driven off the end of he camshaft, and having two sight aids, one to the forward end, the other a the rear end of the crankcase.
Radical changes have been made in le transmission ; the gearbox on the ..ar axle, which was a distinguishing -attire of the first Darracq taxicabs, as now he-en abandoned in favour of ne in the usual position immediately ehind the clutch. As last year, the agine is mounted on a sub frame, but le sub frame is now carried very much taller rearwards, and supports not aly the power unit but the whole of the lechanism. Three speeds and a re.a-se ;ire provided, with a " straight!rough ' type of gear, whereas, on last year's models, there were three speens iviir selective, or gate-type, change. Th, shifting mechanism is situated in the base of the gearbox ; all the control ronnerlions, however, are on the outsidt• . The changes arc made on what is popularly lIlO\VIm its the " selffinding " principle, I he longitudinal shaft tel %,-11:ch the gear-shifting fork moves having live notches, to corre
spond with five gear posilions, and a stud, opera led by a light spring, automatically slops the sleeve as each position is reached.
One of the most important of the changes in the design is the housing of the clutch spring within the forward part of the gearbox, and the connecting of the latter with the clutch by means of a shm-1 universally-jointed shaft (as shown in one of our illustrations herewith). A short cross shaft is hinged at the forward end of the gearbox, and from this shaft hang two short levers,
the lower ends of which. levers Lear on the face of a cylindrical housing which
contains the clutch spring. A third lever stands up on the same shaft, and it is connected to the clutch pedal (as shown in the rear top view of the chassis, page 19y). The final drive is by propeller shaft with universal joint at 'MAI end, differential gear, and encased live axle to the road wheels. A stout torsion rod is carried from the differential housing to a bearing on the rtetriitost cross member of the frame. There have been some detail changes on the brakes, which are now of much larger diameter and operated by longer levers. Wheel base, track, and body carrying,-spacr remain as before.
We reproduced, in our issue of the 241h September, a photograph of the new Darracq cab engine, with the Renault type of bonnet that has now been adopted hy A. Darracq and Company, Limited, for its taxicabs.