AN ELECTRIC TRUCK BY A NEW BUILDER.
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Further Details of an Interesting Model of Excellent Design and Strong Construction.
T0 THOSE who are interested in the
progress of electric vehicles and industrial trucks, the example of the latter exhibited at the Royal Show by Joseph Booth and Bros., Ltd., Union Foundry Engineering Works, Rodley, near Leeds, must have proved a great attraction.
The well-built and well-designed truck there shown has a capacity of 2 tens, a wheelbase of 5 ft., and a track of 2 ft. 4 ins., whilst the height of the loading platform is 2 ft. The frame is exceedingly strong. It is made in one piece of 4-in. by 2in, rolled-steel channel, bent at the corners to a 6-in, radius, with the ends meeting at, the front and there secured by welding and the addition of riveted fishplates. There are also two
cross-members of 3-in, by channel, with longitudinal members stretching from each cros.s-member to the end of the ,frame at its particular side, all the joints being securely gusseted and hot-riveted. The front axle is of H section and the wheels are dished in order to give centrepoint steering. Ball bearings are used for the hubs, and the wheels pivot about large vertical trunnions cast solid with the stub axles and operating in phosphorbronze bushes, a hall-thrust bearing being also provided for each.
The rear axle is of the full floating type, with a heavy cast-steel case enclosing a differential of the four-pinion bevel type, and the final drive, which is by an overhead worm meshing with a worm wheel of phosphor-bronze alloy.
A single motor specially designed for battery service, series-wound, reversible, and of the four-pole, four-brush type is utilized for the drive. This motor is capable of giving 21 hp. continuously, or 4 h.p. at one-hour rating, this on 40 volts and without raising the temperature more than 60 degrees C. above that of the atmosphere. It is mounted in a very accessible position immediately
behind the front axle, and is connected to the driving axle by a long cardan shaft with a star-type universal at the rear end and a sliding plunger at the front end, so that free action of the springs and radius rod is permitted. The driver's platform is at the front of the truck, the driver normally facing forward. Under this platform is the controller, this being operated by the driver's left hand by means of a handle provided with a leather grip. Special fixing arrangements permit this controller to be removed for inspection or repair in a few seconds. It is of the drum type, totally enclosed, and with hinged spring-controlled fingers. It gives three speeds in each direction and is provided with a magnetic blow-out. Easy detachable units are utilized for the resistance. They are of the unbreakable grid type manufactured by the Electru-MeChanical Brake Co.
The brake is of the external-contracting type lined with Ferodo ; normally it is on, and is interlocked with a quick. actingswitch, embodied in the controller, which cuts off the current fume
diately before the brake is applied. When the truck is in use the brake is kept off by means of a cam. It operates on a. drum bolted to the worm shaft immediatelyin front of the rear axle. Current is provided by a 29-cell Ironclad Exicle battery of 161 ampehour capacity, but other accumulators can be provided if required.
Special semi-elliptic springs, providea with auxiliary coil shock-absorbing springs at their ends, are provided all round.
We have not yet referred to the steerin,g. This is of the tiller type with a leather grip. Under the driver's platform is a deeptoned alarm gong.
The sales department of the company is in the hands of Mr. W. Delap Goslett, 126-128, Hamilton House, Bishopsgate, London, E.C. 2, and, apart from the machine which is described, the cornpatsy .alse make 10-cwt. and 1-ton platform trucks, trucks with special elevating gear, steerable tractors, and electric rail locomotives from 5-ton tip to 50-ton capacity.