The Stamper Loading Truck.
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The need of the time in all branches of industry is undoubtedly economy. In most of them this will be truly found to lie along the lines of scientific organization, in root and branch, in general and in detail. In the case of transport, and more particularly that part of it which employs mechanical power, the organization, in respect of economy and speed of transference of goods, has advanced so far on the road to perfection, that investigation on new lines is necessary if a further advance is to be achieved. It will readily be admitted that the question of time lost during loading, and also that other uneconomical feature of vehicles returning from long journeys empty, are departments which in respect of economy leave something to be desired... It is with the former of these two failings of transport arrangements —and it must be pointed out that
these apply to all classes—that we are now dealing. It will be remembered that in our issue of the 1st of June we made brief reference to an invention of Mr. C. W. Stamper, of Dever Yard, Piccadilly, designed to economize the time spent in loading or unloading commercial vehicles.
The device takds the form of a low trolley so constructed that it will readily receive a detachable body from a chassis, whether that body be loaded or empty. For the most complete realization of the economies of the system, a minimum of four of these loading trucks are required with three interchangeable bodies for the chassis. There are two of the loading trucks at each end of a route which is being traversed by the motor vehicle, and they are utilized to store bodies which are being loaded or unloaded ; the motor being kept travelling continuously.
At the time of our previous reference we were only able to 'examine the drawings of 'the loading truck. Several of these' however, have been constructed, and we are now able to confirm our previous favourable impression, after actually seeing the device in use. The photographs which we reproduce on this page will. perhaps serve as well as anything to illustrate the mechanical features of the deviee.. The top of the track is on a level with the bed, laid on the chassis, upon which the interchangeable lorry body is placed. There are rollers on both the loading-truck framework and the bed. .By means of a hand winch, the lorry body tan, as we .saw, ill two or three Minutes be transferred to the standing truck. On. either truck, or lorry, the body is automatically and securely locked in position. A pull of a cord or wire rope serves to release it for removal. The work of hitching or unhitching the cable to the winch takes but a monaent, and,, further, owing to the ingenious design of the front end of the trolley, the back of the chassis automatically guides it se that.a.minimum of time is occupied in getting the two into position for the transference of the bodies. As stated earlier in. this article, vve anticipate that the removal of one body and the placing of a second one in position on the lorry should not occupy More than a quarter of an hour. As regards prices, the war-time figures are £75 fort. each loading truck, _and WI -for the winch and framework which attaches to the chassis.
SeveraLimportant.companies, we understand, •are, interested in this device, and the War Office also has expressed its approval of it. The examples we inspected were built by Bayleys, Ltd., of 42, Newington. Causeway, S.E.