A Practicable Five-cwt. Delivery Van.
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Description of a Small Model for Which There is an Undoubted Demand.
In the course of a number of business conversations, in which we have engaged during the past few months, we have been struck by the demand, which has been voiced by practical users in various trades, for a commercial-motor model which shall satisfactorily rank between the three-wheel parcelcar—to give it its new name —and the 10-cwt. machine, which is really own brother to the small types of taxicab chassis. The fivecwt. model has undoubtedly been wanted for some while past. Within the writer's knowledge there has been, until recently, but one, or at the most two, examples of commercially-built machines. Of course, there has been no lack of suggestions, on the part of pleasure-car builders, to employ one or other of their lightly-constructed, high-speed, yet low-engined, designs, but from the practical point of view such adaptations are almost invariably failures.
A "Tweeny" Model.
We therefore welcome the intention of Belsize Motors, Ltd., to push the sale of its little 10-12 h.p. industrial model, the first example of which saw the light at the last Manchester Show. .A true five-cwt. model must possess the runabout properties of the parcelear, as
well as stowage capacity considerably in excess of that which it is possible to secure on the average three-wheeler. It must, on occasion, be capable of carrying an extra man, and it must have a good turn of speed even when loaded to its full capacity. In spite of comparatively light duties which such a vehicle is called upon to perform, there must be no stinting of engine power, and the changespeed and engine-control must afford considerable range of variation.
Broadly speaking, these are the principal requirements which have been kept before the designers of the Belsize commercial " baby," and it is therefore with a sense that the new machine fills an undoubted want that we are pleased to be able to afford our readers a certain amount of detailed description of this interesting little 10-12 h.p. model.
A Compact and Mechanical Design.
The power plant—to use an American term for want of a better—is singularly compact and self-contained on the Belsize fivecwt. chassis. The more readily to be able to demonstrate this characteristic of the design, we have, on page 447, reproduced the general arrangement, most of it in section, of the whole of the principal mechanical features of the chassis. Our readers will best understand the dominant notes of the design by an examination of the reproduction of this useful drawing. It will be seen that a four cylinder engine, of considerable stroke and with good length of connecting rod, carries, bolted to the rear end of its crankcase, a further casing, which houses the whole of the clutch mechanism, as well as the change-speed gearbox in too. Thence the drive is by means of a simple form of worm gear ; this is also shown in the drawing which we reproduce.
To consider the engine details for a moment, we may remark that the whole of the cylinders are cast in one, with a separate top, the combustion chambers together forming a separate casting which is bolted to the top of the cylinders, with a suitable jointing between the combustion space and the water jacket. The inlet and exhaust valves are all operated from one side of the engine by one camshaft, the general arrangement of other details conforming to modern engine practice.
Carefully-thought-out Lubrication.
Lubrication is a feature to which much attention has evidently been paid. Overflow troughs, supplied by means of a small pump drawing oil from a sump, form constantlevel baths into which these scoops on the big-ends dip at every revolution with unfailing uniformity. The camshaft is, following very recent practice, chain-driven from a small sprocket carried on the crankshaft. Plenty of head room for the water outlet from the top of the cylinders to the top of the radiator is a feature of the cylinder-head casting. The radiator is fan-cooled, the latter unit being belt-driven in the usual way from the crankshaft. We have already indicated the enclosed nature of the clutch and gearbox design. The casing which houses these two important units is bolted to the engine casing proper. Located over the top of the clutch is a large inspection door, which is held in position by a few set Screws.
Components Easily Dismounted. The clutch itself is of the inverted metal-to-metal cone type, with an internal thrust spring, the external clutch member being bolted at its rim through a distance piece to the outside of the flywheel. The clutch-operating mechanism is of the simplest possible kind. The gearbox has three forward speeds and a reverse, the two mainshafts being superimposed. The third speed is direct. The mounting of the whole of the gearbox inside the main casing is perhaps the most taking feature of this interesting little chassis, and our line illustration shows clearly how this is effected. The gearbox proper is housed inside the external easing, and is located therein on machined strips. This arrangement renders it possible, if it be found necessary so to do, to withdraw the whole of the change speed gear mechanism en bloc, and to put it back into position without any trouble whatever as to location and lining up, amost important feature from the standpoint of those who have machines to maintain and to operate.
Axles and Brakes.
There is little to remark concerning the final worm drive, the back axle of this type being quite in accordance with normal design. Ample thrust ball bearings are provided where necessary. The differential gear appears to have been designed with a view to the securing of ample bearing areas and cross sections, and this part of the gear again should afford no trouble in operation.
Of brakes, there is an external band brake acting on the mainshaft behind the gearbox, as well as one of the internal-expanding type operating in drums on the back road wheels. For other more or less standard
details we cannot do better than refer our readers to the little booklet concerning this model which is issued by Belsize Motors, Ltd.
Summarizing the principal mechanical features of this little machine, we find that the fourcylinder engine is constructed with a 69 znin, bore and a piston-stroke of 130 mm. The gearbox is of the three-speedand-reverse sliding-gear type, and the clutch an inverted metal-tometal cone. The water-cooling is thermo-syphon, and the ignition is by Bosch magneto. The wheels are fitted, at option, with Continental, Dunlop or Michelin pneumatics of 800 tnrn. by 85 mm. The wheelbase is 8 ft., the track 4 ft. 3 in., the overall length 11 ft. 3 in., and the overall width 5 ft. 3 in. The whole machine, complete with ordinary box-van body, side and tail lamps and tool kit, is marketed at £215. It is as well to remember that. the Belsize Co. is also using this model for commercial-vehicle travellers' requirements, a suitable seat, with hood and windscreen, being backed by an amplesized box body, fitted up to the special requirements of commercial travellers.
The outstanding feature of this model is undoubtedly the care which has been taken to ensure the ready dismantling of all the important parts. The whole of the clutch gear can be lifted with the minimum of trouble, and the engine and the gear can be dissociated from the rest of the chassis with equal facility.
For Tradesmen and Commercials.
There is no doubt in our mind whatever that this new model will receive as considerable a welcome from small users particularly, and especially, we suggest, from drapers and other such traders, as have the well-known larger cab and van chassis produced at the Belsize works. We have no hesitation in recommending those of our readers who are looking for a small machine of this type to give the little Belsize careful attention. It will repay examination.