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and
arceliczrs.
It has been our pleasure, on several previous occasions, to place before our readers interesting developments concerning the production of the Girling parcelcar, and no doubt many are already familiar with the constructional features of this remarkable little industrial unit. As it is our intention, however, in this series, to keep readers well posted with all types of ma.ehines which are " winning their spurs" in the light-van movement., we shall, herewith, proceed fully to describe the latest Girling model, for which reason one of our represeatatives recently paid a visit to the Londen offices of the New Ciiling Commercial Motors, Ltd., ;36, Long Acre, W.0.
A Well-designed Water-cooled Engine.
For some considerable while this maker has utilized the water-cooled class of engine of the single-cylieder type ; it is capable of developing 6 h.p. when running normally, the bore and stroke, respectively, icing 95 mm. and 95 mm. The inlet and exhaust valves, which are
in have adjustable tappets, so that any wear of those parts can readily he taken up when occasion demands.
One of ,the photographs we herewith reproduce showsa full section of a .cylinder casting. The idea of including this-is to demonstrate the ample-sized water jackets which are embodied in the structure ; it will be seen that the water space is quite free from projections and water traps likely to interfere with satisfactory cooling ; the extra-long jacket is also a feature,
Water is circulated by means of a gear-pump positively driven through a chain engaging with a chain wheel keyed en to the end of the crankshaft. The pump is in a very accessible position, and any adjustments which are found necessary to this component can readily be undertaken, as, for instance, when repacking the gland. The crankshaft revolves on Skcfko ball bearings, which, we noticed, are of very large diameter. The camshaft., located at right angles to that of the crankshaft, is driven through a pair of skew gears, a feature here being the provision of a ball thrust ring as well as journal bearings to the shaft. The Lubrication System is Particularly Good.
We direct our readers' particular attention to the unique lubrication system incorporated in this model, the chief aim of the designer being to ensure a constant, but not excessive, supply of lubricant to the bearings under all conditions of working. This is attained by fitting two spring-loaded plunger pumps inside the crank casing. The plungers of these are actuated by extensions of the inlet and exhaust cams, and, as the engine is run fling, a supply of oil is pumped from the oil sump to ducts, which supply lubricant to the main bearings. Oil, then, at a pre-.determined level, overflows back into the bottom of the baserrha.mber, and whatever the varying speed of the engine, only just a sufficient supply is circulated, so that there is no danger of a foul engine through excessive oil circulation. One pint of oil lasts the engine three days. The power unit is mounted transversely in the frame and located to the 'driver's left. It is substantially housed in a mild-steel rectangular frame, or cube, which is well braced so that but little vibration is transmitted to the chassis. To facilitate the easy starting up of the engine a half-compression device is fitted which can be actuated by the driver when he is at the starting handle, A Senspray carburetter is provided as standard on all models. This accessory is fitted forward of the engine and is quite get-at-able when the heel-board is removed.
For effecting the ignition, a Bosch high-tension magneto is utilized, and here do we find that part:cular attention has been given for effecting the easy removal of this important accessory for clean ing pur i
poses—it s merely necessary to unscrew one nut and swing over a clamp, when the magneto can be instantly removed. This maker does not favour a chaindriven magneto, and the drive is by means of a dog-clutch mounted on an extension of the e.a.mshaft. The primary reason for this is that a driver not cu I rtit with the ignition period and wiring can take away the magneto and replace it without in any way interfering with the timing.
There are No Springs in the Girling Friction Drive.
Friction drive has, of course, always been associated with this maker's machines, and this present model is no exception ; the many inaehiaes which have been turned Dint from the Bedford works incorporating this drive, and which are affording excellent service under all arduous conditions of working, testify as to the general satisfaction and efficiency of working which this form of power transmission provides for parcelears. A feature of the Gidiag drive, and one which is i mportatit from the Constructional point of view, is that the key-shaft on which the.leatherfaced member is fitted is so mounter] that it is kept absolutely parallel with the driving disc, not only for all forward speeds but for the reverse as well.
There is a pedal provided for engaging the friction wheel, and it is operated by the driver's right foot, whilst for disengaging the wheel there is another pedal, actuated by the driver's left foot, this also puts on the. candan-shaft brake.
No springs whatever are utilized HY the designers to keep the leather wheel up to the disc, the slight pressure of the driver's foot being only necessary to ensure this. This is an important consideration, for, should the driver momentarily lose control, the mere action of taking his foot off the pedal brings the car to a standstill.
Particular care has been taken to ensure that no lubrication can foul the face of the friction-disc, and a siK:.eial form of oil retainer is mounted on the crankshaft at the point where it leaves the crank chaaiber. in the unlikely event, however, of oil's creeping on to the disc a deep V groove is machined on to the circumference of the flywheel disc for the purpose of throwing any lubrication off before it can reach the face.
The Leather-faced Friction Member Affords Long Service.
It is quite possible to remove the friction-driven wheel arid to renew the leather within the space of one hour. The length of service which the leather affords in the ordinary course of running is 7000 miles, although there are cases, we were informed, in which it has held out for 10,000 miles. Five forward speeds are available, and the correet lateral positions of the friction wheel, in order to obtain the respective ratios, are controlled by a small hand lever located just to the right of the driver. When it is required to stop or start the ear, it is not necessary to manipulate the beforementioned lever. The top speed of the vehicle is 24 m.p.h.
From the friction-driven member, power is transmitted through a propeller shaft to a bevel-gear set mounted on the rear wheel.
The forward end of the propeller shaft is provided with a universal joint.; a sound constructional feature embodied in this portion of the chassis is the provision of a very substantial torque tube which serves also to enclose the propeller shaft. The front end of the tube is brazed into a very stiff head lug which has two projecting arms engaging with links, capable of swinging on their prospective mountings, so that universal movement is provided for the propelles-shaft and also the torque-member, consequently there is no tendency of the back wheel to "roll." The rear end of the tube bolts up to a stout malleable-cast-iron casing which encloses the bevel gears.
Rear-wheel Brake is Enclosed.
Suitably bolted to the crownbevel-wheel, and therefore wholly enclosed, is a malleable-cast-iron brake-drum, which comprises an additional foot-controlled brake and which is operated by means of internally-expanding shoes. This brake, of course, is independent of the eardan-shaft brake, and is controlled by a third pedal situated to the driver's right_ Quite an interesting feature of the Gilding is the main suspension, and a patent covers what will be at once admitted as a very unique system. The front end of the machine is mounted on two inverted transverse springs of exceptional lngth, one of which reaches practically to the hub of each of the front road wheels. Not,withstanding this, a large amount of lock is possible ; the swivels are canted and the point of contact of each tire on the road practically coincides with the centre of the swivel pin. One of the photographs in our composite illustration clearly depicts this ingenious method of suspension and linking up of the steering levers The Rear Suspension is Unique.
None the less interesting is the rear suspension, and this takes the form of the cantilever method. Two large-sized lain mated springs are anchored, at their forward ends, to a stiff wood frame, which, by the way, is of oak and of good stout. section, and the rear ends of these springs are mounted on the spindle of the rear road wheel. The particular point which we emphasize here is the means provided to enable the driver readily to take down the back wheel when it is found necessary to fit a new tire or perhaps to examine the bevel gears in the final drive. To effect this, the car is jacked up at its tear end, a cup-shaped lug being bolted to the rear transverse member for the purpose of accommodating a jack.
As soon as the screw of the jack is turned sufficiently to lift the chassis the .bottom plate of the nearside spring,which is provided with a. projecting pad or lug, releases itself from the nut which locks the rear wheel in position, the spring can then be immediately swung out of the way. Upon unscrewing this nut, the wheel can be taken away without interfering with any other portion of the suspension. This is a feature which will appeal to many.
The steering of the Grilling is effected by means of the tiller type of hand lever, and upon actuating this ;ourselves we found that it is quite easy to manceuvre the
machine very quickly, the front wheels answered immediately to every movement of the tiller.
Twin Tires can be Fitted to the Rear-wheel.
We would especially draw our readers' attention to the fitting of twin tires on the rear wheel, these are provided at a slight additional extra cost. It has been found iii practice that the fitting of duplex tires entirely does away with any tendency for skidding on a greasy road surface. We are informed that during the recent spell of wet, weather thorough tests in this direction were carried out. All the cars turned out of the Bedford works for the showrooms i•v ere driven up to town fitted with these twin tires, and, notwithstanding that a considerable portion of the journey is over roads which have tram tracks, it was found that on no single occasion did any machine show signs of skidding. The machines were manoeuvred in every conceivable manner to aggravate this tendency. Each of the road wheels is interchangeable ; this applies also to the twin tire component, and in the unlikely event of the latter's becoming punctured, the single spare may be substituted until a repair can be effected.
The Girling people, of course, make their own bodies and are in a pcsition to supply any particular type to suit individual requirements, and a speciality with this manufacture is that any style of body supplied is interchangeable. The machines are built to carry useful loads up to 5 cwt. in addition to two people. The capacity of the box type of body is 35 cubic ft. The wheelbase of the standard model is 7 ft. 3 ins, and the track 4 ft. 8 ins. The road wheels, which are of the tubular pressed-steel type, accomnuirdate 650 rinn. by 65 mm. tires.