Body Constructional Features that Aid Commercial TraN ..11ers' Duties
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THE private four-door saloon is used by many commercial travellers who carry their , samples chiefly on the back seat, without any alteration to the body. Easy access to the goods is obtained either from behind the front seats, or through the doorway of the rear coraopartment. More space is provided if the rear cushion and its back squab be removed. Furthermore, if some arrangement of shelving be added the best use is made of the somewhat limited headroom.
Having allowed for the backward travel of the front sliding seats, a light metal framework is erected to support a mid-way shelf, which is level with the tops of the front seats and extends to the back of the saloon, just below the back light.
As the floor is usually higher under the rear cushion than at the doorway, this part of the body should be made level throughout, by the addition of a false floor.
Reaching the Rear Luggage Container from the Interior.
Many saloons have a rear luggage boot, or container, which is accessible from the inside of the body, as well as by means of the usual lid at the rear. With the rear cushion removed and the floor levelled, there is then a large area at the bottom of the car for boxes of samples, which will be accessible from the back or from each doorway.
For a large saloon, which is 2 ft. long behind the second doorway, the shelf may be confined to this part of the body, thus leaving a cross
• gangway free between the doors.
When the samples consist of drexs goods carried on hangers suspended from a rail, the heacifoom of the body
D36 should be the same as a hanging wardrobe, that is about 5 ft. This amount of headroom should be available at each side where the samples are hung. Then, with the rise of the roof to the centre, there will be extra headroom in the gangway, which will avoid inconvenience when standing.
A width of 21 ins, is allowed on each side for hanging the dresses, with te centre gangway 18 ins. wide. The body is then 5 ft. wide inside or about 5 ft. 4 ins. overall. At each side of the gangway there is a protecting board about 8 ins. deep ; as the back door is wider than the gangway, the rear ends of these boards are curved to meet the standing pillars at the doorway.
With regard to the general design of the body for carrying dress goods, it is built on the lines of a small Luton-type van. The space above the cab may be utilized for packages which may be carried flat, and is accessible from the inside. The partition behind the driving compartment may be fixed, or fitted with a sliding door. If natural lighting be required for examining the samples, windows may be inserted in the front of the Lutontype portion, at the upper parts of the sides of the body, in the front partition, or back door, whilst, in some instances, a clerestory roof may be found advantageous.
Where the Stylish Light Delivery Van is of Value.
Another type of vehicle used by the commercial traveller is similar to a stylish light delivery van, but with a window of opaque glass along each side of the loading portion. When the wheelbase is sufficiently long, a side door, in addition to that for reaching the front seats, facilitates access to the samples. This door, like the side window, is glazed with opaque glass, or it is panelled above the waist level.
With a second doorway and side light the opportunity is afforded for designing a body similar to that of a large six-light saloon. The appearance is enhanced by the mounting of streamline front wings and the paddle-boxing of the hind wheels. A body of this type may be fitted with shelves on one side, with a space on the other side for a row of hangers. Shelves or runners for sliding boxes may be set out according to the dimensions of the containers concerned.
Ways in Which the Shelving May be Arranged.
When there are side as well as back doors to the loading compartment, the shelving may be arranged to make the best use of the width of the doorway, and to reduce the obStritiction of the wheel-arch to a minimum.
As a rule, the second doorway is cut over the wheel-arch and thereis
less width available on the floor than above the top of the wheel-arch, , or at Waist level. A front compartment may be arranged corresponding with the cross gangway between the second doors. The wheel-arch is built up square on the inside and the length from the back of the front partition to the front of the wheel. arch enclosure decides the width which is available across the body at that level between the doors.
At the waist level there is a shelf which is the same width as the doorway at this point. The back door gives access to a centre gangway
with two shelves on each side. The lower shelf is level with the top of the wheel-arch enclosure. The front of these shelves may be supported on partitions of the same width, or on a rail or angle-iron bolted to the body pillars.
Constructional Details of the Travelling Showroom. . The travelling showroom has a display and storage showcase on „each side of a central gangway. The length available inside the body should nest be less than Oft. with a width of 6 ft. A useful design of showcase is about 18 ins, from front to back for the lower portiorrhich extends from the floor to a height of 30 ins. Above this level the 'case is decreased to about two-third a the width There is then a front ledge or shelf, about table or counter height, and if the greater part of this shelf be tree from the -obstruction of Opening doors, it is a handy place for displaying samples which are under .alsOussion.
The detail is varied acCording to the arrangement of Open' shelVing, cupboards with panelled Or glazed doors to hinge or slide, and a' few drawers for the smaller articles.
As the showroomis also an offi6e, a small writing desk is included; this is placed at the back of the drivingseat partition. The lowering of the writing flap revealq, the usual pigeonholes, and the: is a nano* pedestal of shelves on one side of the kneehole.
A Big Future for the Mobile Showroom.
The mobile showroom is aproved businessjbringer and it has a great future. Already vehicles of this type are being used for the display of such widely varied articles as confection
cry and furniture. They attract attention wherever they go and money and ingenuity are well spent in producing a design that affords maximum comfort and convenience to operators and customers.