A NEW THREE-WHEELED PARCELCAR.
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A French Production with Many Novel Features.
MOST PEOPLE are familiar with the ordinary type of three-wheeled parcelcar, of which there are many examples on the road, but a three-wheeler in which the front wheel is driven 'las not been in iiogue since the tine of the Phanomobile, except for certain types which use electrical means of propulsion.
A new-comer from Erance. but which it is proposed to rognutaeture in large quantities in England, is the Trident parcelcar, for which _Federated Exporters, Ltd., of 11, Haymarket,, S.W. 1, are the sole concessionnaires.
The Trident has many interesting and -novel points. The chief novelty lies in the arrangement of the engine and gearbox. The former is, situated at the left of the front wheel, with its crankshaft along the centre line of the wheel. An extension from the crankshaft runs through the hub of the wheel to the three-speed-and-reverse gearbox which is situated at the right of the front wheel. The diagram, which we reproduce, gives a good idea of-the_general position of the parts, and it will be seen that the wholc driving mechanism forms a very el:impact unit.
A clutch is incorporated with the gear
box, and the drive is taken by a primary shaft whith runs on 'bearings on the crankshaft extension. A secondary shaft is situated below the primary, and the drive on all gears is taken through a small bevel pinion to a vertical shaft, which has a bevel gear at each end. The gear on the top of this shaft meshes With. a crown wheel -bolted to the front wheel.
The construction is such that the front wheel may be turned in either direction for steering witliont effecting the drive, as it merely turns round the .wertioal bevel-gear shaft.
With certain of the experimental models too little lock was allowed for, but this fault has now ...been rectified., The magneto is situated on the top of the gearbox easing, and is driven by means of pinions from the end of the crankshaft extension.
The engine is. a two-cylinder of about 8 h.p., and the 'big-end works on the same crankpin, so that even firing periods are obtained. We are assured by Federated Exporters, Ltd., that, in spite
of the difficulty of balancing this type of engine, the vibration is very slight and is more than compensated far by the even torque obtained.
The front wheel is provided with twin tyres, which s.hould greatly assist in reducing tyre wear. .
Another point of great interest in the design lies in the springing, which is of
the cantilever type. The springs are
• pivoted at their centres, one end of each being firmly attached to the.front wheel component or the rear axle as the case may be, and the other connected by links to a centrally-pivoted rocking arm, one of which is situated at each side of the chassis. Supplementary coil springs are attached to the ends of these arms ; by this means the whole springing is interconnected, and a load on the front set of springs is partly taken up by the rear springs. A feature of the arrangement is that the springs for the front wheel are not inswept in any way, and the wheel is thus allowed to take considerable lateral inclinations. The construction of the joints allows far the removal of a spring from the body for the purpose of changing tyres on the driving wheel.
The engine is started by means of a lever carrying a toothed sector, which engages with a small pinion on an exten-, don of the engine crankshaft.
The whole driving mechanism is enclosed by a bonnet, the sides of which are bulged out to clear the ends of the engine and gearbox, thus giving the' vehicle a somewhat curious appearance, although being essentially practical.