New High-capacity Car Transporter
Page 48
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
A HIGH-CAPACITY car transporter PA has just been built by Carrimore Six Wheelers, Ltd., London, N.12, to the special order of Masterways, Coventry. The vehicle is being supplied through Smithy Garage, Coventry. The outfit consists of an A.E.C. Mercury and a fourwheeled drawbar trailer, each section having capacity for four medium-sized cars or two medium and one large car.
It is particularly easy to load and unload, as each section has a hydraulically operated upper deck embodying the Carrimore patented parallel linkage. Thus the operation of each section is the same as that of the more familiar Carrimore articulated transporters.
The A.E.C. motive unit is the Mercury 3GM4RA I7-ft. 3-in.-wheelbase chassis, powered by an AV. 470 112-b.h.p. oil engine. Equipment includes an Eaton two-speed axle, Ashanco electrically operated exhaust brake, Tecalemit automatic chassis lubrication, Westinghouse air brakes and front-axle dampers, Michelin D.20 tyres are fitted and the A.E.C., which has an overall length of 29 ft. 24 in., weighs 7 tons 6.1 cwt. unladen and ready for the road.
A double-row ball-bearing turntable is used on the trailer, and Clayton Dewandre two-line break-away airpressure actuation of the Girling twoleading-shoe brakes is incorporated. Fully equipped the trailer weighs 4 tons 14 cwt. and is fitted with Michelin C.20 tyres. It is 22 ft long and the drawbar centres are 8 ft. 6 in., the overall length of the complete unit being 59 ft. 3 in.
Power for the actuating rams is provided by an Edbro hydraulic pump, mounted on the right-hand side of the gearbox. The controls for both sets of rams are located on the right of the towing vehicle, immediately behind the cab. Quickfastening couplings are used in the hoses between the prime mover and trailer. For moving cars on and off the A.E.C. two-piece ramps are provided, and the rear halves of these ramps are employed when loading or unloading the trailer.
Cars of up to 6 ft. 14 in. overall width can be carried on each section. Assuming a typical payload of two Humber Hawks and four Hillman Minxes, the outfit would operate at a gross train weight of approximately 204 tons. The manufacturers expect a market for this type of transporter in countries overseas, where long-distance car deliveries are frequently made and where high capacity is of prime importance.