Front-wheel Brakes for Heavy Loads.
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IN GIVING publicity in last week's issue to the views of Dr. T. Blackwood Murray on the question of four-wheel brakes, we felt that there must be other prominent designers and manufacturers who, looking a long way ahead, would hesitate to ally themselves with the writer of those views. Braking on all four wheels has unquestionably captured the field in respect to the private motorcar, and, whilst that does not mean that what is an advance in one sphere must necessarily be employed in another, it does necessitate a full consideration of all the claims to advantages which are put forward and of any possible disadvantages, so that the esituation can be carefully weighed.
As has already been asserted in our columns, there are material advantages attaching to braking on all four wheels, and it would seem to be of immediate importance that the system should be made applicable to such vehicles as motor coaches and light vans which are always driven at well above the legal limit. A speed of 25 miles an hour is no unusual attainment for a motor coach, and it will not be disputed that there have been some appalling accidents with these vehicles, in nearly all cases aggravated by poor or defective brakes. • The motor coach is essentially a type of vehicle that is regularly and constantly taken into hilly country, because that is where' the finest scenery is to be sought. Light vans usually operate in crowded urban districts, where the reckless pedestrian abounds. Hence, in these two categories, the employment of the most effective brake system known should be regarded as the right and proper course—as the only course, in fact.
In the case of the commercial goods vehicle, the argument advanced against the adoption of fourwheel braking is that the cost of the alteration would be a handicap to manufacturers, but we think that a great deal has yet to be done in the way of educating the average user of a commercial motor. He needsto learn that anything which increases public safety and which conduces to a rapid and certain delivery of Na goods by preventing such roadside delays as arise from mishaps goes to cheap-en the cost of transport, and to outweigh the small extra charge in the accounts in respect of a slightly higher capital outlay.
In the prevention of side-slip alone front-wheel brakes earn their cost easily in one year, and if this evil of slipping could be eliminated it would be found that insurance premiums could be reduced. This question of side-slipping was not dealt with Dr. Murray in his article, whilst he definitely omitted reference to the transfer of load from one axle to another owing to gradient and acceleration ; but, in our opinion, it ought not to be so eliminated, because, on a dangerous gradient. which any coach driver would negotiate on bottom gear, a very large proportion of the weight is pitched on to the front axle and removed from the rear axle. It is in such circumstances that the effectiveness of front-wheel brakes is shown and proved to beindispensable.
Narratives of the Commercial Motor Industry.
HEN the whole nation is concentrating all . its efforts upon the great task of revivifying its trade and of drawing the attention of the buying world to the excellence of its products, it is in every sense appropriate to tell something of our island story, to show what we claim to be, how we have developed, what is our experience and what are our qualifications for the business which we have in kand. There is a wonderful story in connection with the commercial motor vehicle and of its makers. We, as a nation, are the pioneers of the " heavy " svehicle—heavy only in comparison with the privately owned car, but not too heavy for its purpose—and have every reason to be proud of the accomplishments of the products of our commercial motor factories. ' In order that something of this story may be made known to those who are this year visiting our shores and know little about us, and may also be brought to the minds of those who have known it and, perthance, have forgotten most of it, we are gathering together a number of interesting and entertaining facts concerning the leading manufacturers in the industry, and we propose to present them as occasion offers. The first of the series appears in other pages of this issue.
Securing a Full Life for the Next Cup.
ALL WHO listened to the remarks of Mrs. Frank 0. Wethered, presiding at that peculiarly intimate and friendly gathering at which The Commercial Motor Challenge Cup passed for good into the hands of the winners at the last London parade of the Commercial Motor Users Association, must have felt that, in transmitting Col. Stevens's opinion that his company should not again enter for an appearance competition but should retire on their laurels, her heart was not in the suggestion. And, frankly, we.say that neither is ours. We think that a competition loses half its attractiveness and its value if the scratch man or team be absent. Whoever may win has the uncomfortable feeling that he has won on mere sufferance, and, moreover, thinks that he has been deprived of an opportunity for showing that he is, after all, the better man. He would like, if it were not an unsportsmanlike thing, to say that the non-entrant has retired only just-hi time. Any way, he would rather be beaten by a better man than take a prize to which he feels that he might not be strictly entitled. What has happened in recent years is a sudden raising of the standard of cleanliness and of appearance due to care and attention. We believe that the driver who knows that his vehicle will be entered for next year's parade takes far more care of it, keeps it in better condition and encourages his mate to do more in the same direction than would otherwise have been considered reasonable. Messrs. Wethereds are responsible for this new high standard, and that the example has not been wasted is shown by the fact that, whereas in 1923 their two teams were nlaced first and second, in the 1924 competition three other teams separated them and relegated the second Wethered team to fifth place. This goes to show that the task of beating them is not an impossible one. We hope that the next cup will be definitely regarded as a permanent challenge trophy, for we think that there is a glamour about a trophy which has a large number of names upon it. Another suggestion which has been made is that a winner should stand down in the next competition, but this would not effect any great advantage beyond the prolongation of the probable life of the cup. The best assurance of a long life for a trophy is to extend the field and to secure a large number of entries. And this-will have the further advantage of spreading broadcast the doctrine of vehicle cleanliness, of careful driving ,and of regard for bodywork, all of which make for greater efficiency and lower maintenance costs.
Extending the Scope of the Petrol Vehicle.
IT IS surprising for how long a need may be apparent and yet very little appear to be done to meet it. Until comparatively recently this has been the case in the commercial vehicle industry, particularly with regard to the development of a machine permitting moderate speeds combined with a large ratio of platform area to overall length, a comparatively short wheelbase giving good manceuvrability, the capacity for carrying goods at a low cost per ton-mile and requiring only a small expenditure of effort in loading and unloading. The makers of electric vehicles did what they could to meet these requirements by the production of small battery electric trucks but these, although useful in certain spheres of activity, had a very limited scope, partly because of their low speed and partly because the mileage radius was strictly limited. Just over a year ago a certain new petrol vehicle was placed on the market, which certainly appears to meet many of the requirements to which we have referred, whilst, in addition, it is simple and almost " foolproof." This vehicle appears likely to achieve a very considerable measure of success; in fact, it has already established a satisfactory reputation in many classes of work. . This proves that there is always a market awaiting any new type of vehicle which will meet specific needs. . In our opinion, far too muelk effort is usually expended in the endeavour to modify existing designs in order. that certain types of vehicle' may cover a much greater field than is legitimately theirs, and it appears better in certain instances to form an entirely new conception of what is wanted instead of rigidly adhering to certain practices, because they have reached a venerable age. As an example of another opening for the development of a special type of vehicle, we recently received an inquiry for a machine suitable for conveying heavy loads for short distances at low rates of speed, as, for instance, in transferring them from one part of a works to another, or from a works to an adjoining station or dock. In the particular instance we quota. the vehicle was required to handle loads of from 10 tons to 15 tons at about walking 'pace on the level and on very easy gradients,so that an engine of compara tively small power would be required. Such a vehicle could not, of course, be legally employed upon the road, but it would certainly appeal to concerns manufacturing parts too heavy to be carried on any ordinary form of mechanically propelled vehicle. ,