SUBSIDY APPROVED FOR ANOTHER' CHASSIS
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Page 11
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Details of The Latest Vulcan Built to W.D. Specification No. 11,with a Gross Carrying Capacity of 50 ewt OFIPICIAL notification has now been received by the Vulcan Motor mid Engineering Co. (1906), Ltd.,of Southpert, that their V.W.O.-type lorry; built to W.D. Specification No.11, has passed the neeessary-tests and been declared by the War Department as eligible for ee
rolment under the subsidy scheme.
The chassis is built to carry a net load of 2 tons and a gross load of 50 ewt,, and the main dimensions are
'follow "—Length overall, 17ft.. 2i ins.; width overall, 9 ft. 2 ins.; 'wheelbase, 11 ft. 5 ins.; track, front, 4 ft. 10 ins.; rear, 4 ft. 8 ins.; minimum ground clearance, 11 ins. ; turning circle r.h., 45 ft. diameter, 1.1i., 44 ft. diameter ; chassis weight, 34/ cwt.; height to top of frame when laden, 2 ft. 7 ins.-; length from driver's seat to back of frame, 9 ft. 1 in.
it is claimed that this vehicle gives a mileage of 13 per gallon and, complete with oil lamps, jack and tools, the price is £525. This includes Dunlop resilient tyres, bet the following can be supplied as extras: Dunlop pneumatic tyres, 34 ins. by 7 ins, all round, £50; N.A.P. tyres and disc wheels (twins at the rear), £35; N.A.P. tyres pressed on standard spokedwheels, £30; Dunlop cord tyres, 895 mm. by 135 mm., twins at the rear, and including spare wheel, etc., £35; mechanical pump, £12 108. Of course, only such deviation as is approved by the War Office can be permitted.
We will now give a. brief description of the chassis and its units. To begin with, as a whole it is a fine, sturdylooking job, yet: is by no means heavy for its carrying capacity, as is showu by the weights to which we have just referred. This effect has been obtained by dispensing wherever possible with superfluous metal as, for instance, in certain of the cross-members, in which much of the metal in the web is cut away.
The power unit is a four-cylinder monobloc, giving a cubic capacity of 3,965 c.c. The R.A.C. rating is 22.4 h.p., and it develops 28.8 blip, at 1,000 r.p.m. and 39 b.h.p. at 1,400 r.p.m., showing a steady rise of the power curve. The cylinder head is de tachalge and provision for ease of maintenatiee is @Iowa by the four lugs which can be used for lifting purposes. The cylinder block is fastened to the alitminima crankcase by means of the ntaiebearing bolts, Which are extended through the case, so that practically no stresses are thtown on the aluniinitun. The valves are 3 per cent, nickel steel, of 2-in. throat diameter, operated by silent roller tappets of large diameter. an-I working in a dosed chamber filled with oil mist from the crankcase.
The crankshaft is a 40-ton steel stamping with a double-thrust washer. and the crankpins are hollow for pressure feed to the big-ends.
Anunusual feature is the provison of pistons made of aluminium alloy in which the gudgeon pins, which are of 1-in, diameter, are so arranged that, in the event of their working' loose, they cannot score the cylinder walls. The connecting rod and main bearings consist of branze shells and white-metal liners. They may be readily inspected by removing the bottom half of the crankcase.
A Renold silent chain is employed for driving the camshaft and magneto and it is arranged as a triangulated drive from the crankshaft pinion. Provision is made for adjusting it externally for wear and stretch by means of a jockey pulley running on large-diametv ball bearings. The fixing of this pulley is such that the chain drive is not die turbed when the timing cover is removed.
A combined filler and breather of ample size is placed in an accessible' position at the near side of the timing cover, and there is also a breather on the top part of the upper half of the crankcase.
The Zenith carburetter is secured direct to the cylinders at the off side, a duct passing between the centre cylinders to the inlet manifold at the near side, this manifold being combined with that for the exhaust to give a hot-spot effect.
The cast-aluminium fan is threebladed and is driven by a linked belt. The fan blades form a true helix, providing a powerful blast, whilst an ex. tension of the fan spindle drives the water pump, the gland being accessible and provided with an easy means cf adjnstment.
To facilitate timing, the various settings are distinctly marked on the castiron flywheel and set to a fixed point.
Lubrication is by the pressure system, the oil being circulated through a submerged pump of the gear type driven by skew gears from the camshaft. The oil is first forced through a filter to the main bearings, being parried by steel pipes. Thence it passes through holes drilled in the crankcase and crankshaft to the big-ends, camshaft bearings and chain drive. An accessible suction filter is so arranged in the sump that it may be withdrawn for cleaning purposes without losing the main body of oil. The pressure filter is situated at the near side of the crankcase, and its gauze may easily be removed for cleaning.
At this side also is fitted an oil-level indicator of the dip-stick type.
Ignition is effected by a Simms instrument driven by a Simms coupling, and it is accessibly mounted at the off side of the cylinder block /well free of the steering.
Easily adjustable external coil springs are employed for the Ferodo-faced clutch cone, and a clutch stop facilitates gear changing.
.Between the clutch and gearbbx is a flexible fabric joint so designed that the clutch may be withdrawn without dismantling the engine or gearbox. The last-named is an aluminium casting suspended at three points from two arched cross-members, the front support being adjustable for alignment. Thus both the engine and this unit are free from the effects of frame distortion.
At an engine speed of 1,000 r.p.m., the road speeds on the respective ratios arc: Top, 7 to 1, 141 m.p.h.; third, 11.9 to 1, SIm.p.h.; second, :18.34 to 1, .31 m.p.h.; first,' 31.22 to. 1, n m.p.h.; reverse, 40 to 1, 24 m.p.h.
The gear teeth are of the stub type, the pinions being mounted on shafts of large diameter running on ball bearings. The change-speed lever is mounted on an extension of the gearbox so that it cannot bind. There is an oil-level cock at the side of the case and a breather on the filler cover.
From the gearbox the power is conveyed through a cardan shaft with Spicer-type joints, completely enclosed and lubricated by soft grease.
An overhead worm is employed for the full-floating axle, the casing of which consists of a one-piece 40-ton pot-type 'steel stamping.
Shafts made of 100-ton steel convey the drive to the road wheels, which are mounted on hubs running on largediameter roller bearings. Incidentally, the front wheels run on ball bearings.
The wheels are of the steel-disc type for either pneumatic or solid tyres, and are, of course, built to the War Department specification.
The springs, both at the front and rear, are long and wide and designed to give excellent riding comfort.
The steering consists of a casehardened worm and a bronze wheel, and ball joints are fitted throughout.
The axle is of the reversed Elliott type and the track rod is carried in front.
Three per cent. nickel-steel is employed for the frame, the side members of which are Zi ins, deep and inswept at the front. This frame is specially strengthened at the rear end for the W.D.-type spring drawbar.
Mounted at the rear of the dash is a 13-gallon petrol tank which feeds by gravity and is provided with a two-way cock, by which 2/ gallons are retained as a reserve whed the cock is in the normal position, which reserve can be released as desired.
'We have not yet alluded to the radiator. This is of the gilled-tube type, having a capacity of eight gallons. Means are provided. for fitting a threeply board at the front of the radiator to regulate the cooling effect so that this can be kept almost constant, whatever be the temperature of the atmosphere.
In general appearance it resembles the unit used on other Vulcan commercial chassis. A stout guard assists in obviating damage in case of collision.
Careful attention has been paid to the matter of braking. Both sets of shoes are of the internal-expanding type, Ferodo-faced, and operating in largediatereter drums on the rear wheels, They can easily be removed for inspection or repair, a poiut which does not always receive its due measure of consideration.