Getting There in Winter.
Page 8
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Description of the Latest Portable Track-trough to Prevent Sinking In.
To get there, or to stick in the mud, is a problem for not a few home users, whose vehicles have to traverse short lengths of soft and yielding ground, _whilst it is a problem which daily, and even hourly, concerns the officers and men of the A.S.C.,
at the Front.
Demanded by a County Fire Brigade.
THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR, during the early months of the year 1912, drew attention in several issues, by text accompanied with illustrations, to the practice of the Lanark County Fire Brigade in equipping each of its motor fire-engines with a nest of track-troughs. The construction of the troughs to which we then refferred differed in certain respects from that which we now proceed to describe, and we regard the newer model, by reason of several novel features which are embodied in its construction, and particularly because of the arrangements for coupling the several lengths together, as being the better. The Bartle track-trough is now being manufactured by the makers of the War-Office subsidy hooks, Messrs. James Bartle and Co., of the Western Ironworks, Lancaster Road, Notting Hill, W.
Why Wanted and Where Useful.
We were afforded an opportunity, towards the end of last week, to witness a demonstration of the efficacious manner in which these new track-troughs can be rapidly brought into use for a variety of purposes associated with the running of heavy lorries under unfavourable ground conditions. It is very often necessary, both in peace and war service, to be able to get a loaded lorry out of the way—to move it over a few feet or a few yards of soft ground—in order that other vehicles may be provided with a fairway. The intervening strip of unpaved, muddy or marshy ground cannot be " bridged" without some extra provision. The intensity of load per unit of tread is much too high with an unladen lorry, let alone when the vehicle is carrying three tons or more of useful load. The wheels fail to obtain a grip, and they more or less quickly bury themselves in the ground to axle depth. The Bartle track-trough is designed to eliminate this disconcerting occurrence. Our illustrations on the next page will serve to make it amply clear how this result is accomplished.
How Made and How Used.
It will be noted that each track-trough is of mild steel plate, the thickness of the plate being in., whilst the width is about 15 ins., and the length F. ft. Approximately 6 sq. ft. of net bearing surface is provided by each length of the Bartle track-trough, and this excellent area is available in place of tht usual small number of square inches which have to bear the imposed load and the driving stresses when the wheel makes direct contact with the ground. It is only in very boggy, waterlogged or marshy ground of exceptional character that the area of distribution is likely to be too little to support a weight of three tons per wheel or per track-trough section.
Unique Construction for Keeping Sections Together.
A special feature, and one which overcomes practical difficulties of use which are associated with the employment of wooden sleepers or disconnected lengths of metal plate, is the fitting by Messrs. Bartle of handles, at one end of a section, which serve the purpose of eyes for the hooks at the adjoining end of the next section. Anybody who has had to deal with the handling of heavy lorries on soft ground, and to endeavour to run them upon blocks of wood or
024 other material of any thickness, and above all to keep such " plateway ' from lifting or moving, will at once realize the value of these hooks and eyes. It is the intention of the makers to attach a short length of chain with a ring at the end to each of the handles or eyes, so that :a section may be quickly recovered from the surface into which it has been depressed under load.
Sufficient Adhesion to Climb 1 in 5.
Our illustrations show that diagonal, half-round cross-bars are riveted to the running face of each trough, and we can personally testify to their effectiveness in preventing the skidding of a rubber-tired vehicle on a gradient as steep as 1 in 5. The strength of each section, whilst avoiding undue weight, is sufficient to avoid buckling under load, and these Bartle track-troughs may be safely used for a vehicle to cross an open cutting or culvert of small width— say, a maximum gap of 2 ft.
Price of a Set is £7.
It only remains to be added that each section is priced at 22, complete with handles, hooks and chains (the chains are not included in our illustrations), or 27 the set of four. The troughs nest One inside the other for conveyance, and the weight of each section is about 90 lb. We consider that a number of these track-troughs might with advantage be forwarded without delay to the Mechanical Transport Columns in France and Belgium.
Given hard ground or a firm sub-crust, the difficulties are readily surmountable, so long as surface adhesion remains sufficient. It is when running over, and even more when at rest on, unbottoreed mud or turf that the existence of a remedy to hand is invaluable. These track-troughs may be slung below platforms by means of the lifting chains and rings.