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QUANTITY PRODUCTION OF SIX-WHEELERS.

19th August 1924
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Page 9, 19th August 1924 — QUANTITY PRODUCTION OF SIX-WHEELERS.
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An Important American Company Formed to Build and Market a Modified Edition of ak.•the Goodyear Rigid Multi-wheeled Chassis.

LAST WEEK we published in our news columns a paragraph regarding the for-illation of the Six Wheel Co., of Philadelphia, Mr. Charles M. Schwab

being the chairman. The objects of this company are the manufacturing and marketing of a new type of six-wheeled Chassis for buses and lorries which will be assembled partly from standard components and partly from units made in the company's shops, or built specially for them by other concerns.

The new chassis is to be built under licence granted by the Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Cu., and it will incorporate many of the features of the Goodyear six-wheeled bus, with which we dealkin extenso in The Commercial Motor about two years ago. Incidentally, the two gentlemen who were chiefly responsible for the original design have joined the new company as vice-president and production engineer respectively.

The primary consideration in the new i

design s to secure easy riding properties and at the same tune to obtain a vehicle which will be durable and easy of maintenance. The main features will include quickly detachable and replaceable parts, a frame of very stiff and stout construction, and, in the case of the bus a body which will, except for the roof, be almost entirely of steel and assembled from parts which can easily be replaced in case of damage.

To assist in the prevention of vibration, the power unit will be mounted on rubber blocks, and this, combined with the low loading line and pneumatic tyree, will assist in promoting the comfort of the passengers. So far as accessibility is concerned, it is claimed that by employing a special method of adjustment for tile axles these can be detached and rolled out from under the frame in 15 minutes.

The main frame has channel-steel side members, 9: ins. deep, and built of 1-in.

material. This frame is inswept towards the dash, and is kept rigid by a diagonal bracing formed of channelsteel members of the same material as that used for the side members, which are joined by plates at the centre, thus forming a box through which runs the

central portion of the propeller shaft. There is a channel-section cross-member just behind the gearbox, and heavy tubular cross-members at the front and back ends of the frame. The side members are jumped up S ins., over the two rear axles, and the width of the frame is such that it is unnecessary to provide cross-stays for the body. Rolling is reduced by increasing the width between the front-spring centres, which are carried outside the line of the front portions of the side members, instead of immediately underneath them, as is usually the case. This also assists in expediting the removal of the front axle. At, the front end the springs are carried on taper pins secured to the dumb-irons, whilst the shackles for the rear ends of the springs are mounted on pins passing through the frame side members and held by nuts. All the axles are of Timken make, and, of course, equipped with Timken roller bearings. The rear set consists of two underslung worm axles connected by a pair of flat, underslung springs, whils

the drive is carried through a pair of universal joints and a short shaft, which is also provided with a plunger joint.

Torque reactions are taken by a telescoping tubular torque member, which is mounted on vertical pivots at each end and filled with oil. This arrange merit is such that the two axles may be twisted relatively to each other without throwing stresses upon it.

One of the two rear wheels at either side may be raised several inches from the ground without lifting the other ; consequently, the point of chassis support in the centre of the connecting spring at that side is raised only half the total distance, as compared with the spring mounted directly on the axle. This is one of the most important factors in producing the ease of riding which is experienced with this type of vehicle.

All brakes on this vehicle act on the rear wheels, but as there are four of these the braking stresses are well dis

tributed. There are actually two sets of brakes, one operated by hand and the other by foot, and all the shoes are of the internal-expanding type acting on 16-in, drums, the brake linings beMg 31f ins. wide. These shoes are arranged in pairs in the duplex manner which is now familiar to those who know the

standard Timken product. The total area of braking surface is said to be 653 sq. ins., which is claimed to be onethird greater than that of any other bus operating in the States.

The brakes are equalized, and are arranged to be adjusted very easily by thumb nuts at a point, just under the -floorboards, close to the driver's seat. The brakes on each pair of drums at the same side of the chassis are connected in tandem, and are adjusted to be applied simultaneously. The wheels themselves are of the Michelin disc type, held by eight bolts, and shod with 32-in. by 6-in, pneumatic tyres, although 34-in. by 7-in. or 36 in. by 6-in. oversize tyres can be supplied when the road conditions are such as to necessitate greater ground clearance.

In view of the development of the balloon-type tyre, it is interesting to B27 note that sufficient clearance has been permitted in the wheel arches to permit the use of 40-in. by 8 in. tyres of this type, when they have been so developed as to be a commercial possibility. In the case of the bus there is a mounting at the back for two spare wheels, these resting in pockets at the end of the frame platform with brackets carried on the rear panels of the body. A six-cylinder Continental engine, -with 3R ins, bore and 5 ins, stroke is

employed as a power unit,. This develops 50 .b.h.p. at 1,400 r.p.m., with a maximum of 70 b.h.p. The drive from it is taken through a Brown-Lipe multiple-disc clutch, with alternate plates of friction material and steel (an unusual feature of this clutch is that the discs of friction material are not histened to the sides of the steel plates, as in ordinary practice, but are cut with teeth, which mesh with other teeth in the driving drum mounted on the flywheel) to a four-speed Brown-Lipe gearbox, mounted as a unit with the crankcase and clutch housing. It then passes through a three-piece propeller shaft to the first of the rear axles.

Reverting to the engine, we have already mentioned that this ie rubbercushioned. This is effected by mounting it on four cylindrical rubber blocks, which fit into sockets on the engine bearers and corresponding sockets in the frame brackets. These blocks have a shell of rubber and fabric, and an inner core of soft rubber. The chief reason for this construction ie that the outer shell assists in resisting the rotting action of oil. • Each core is hollow, thus permitting the holding-down bolt to pass through it, and a coil spring is fitted to each bolt under the frame so that this compresses the nut.

Three-point suspension is obtained by carrying the forward end of the engine

in a trunnion bearing on a cross-member. The saloon bus bodies designed so far have 10 seats facing forward to carry two persons each, a cross-seat for five passengers, and two single seats, making a total capacity of 27. These seats are very well sprung. Thera are actually two sets of springs, one above the other, and so arranged that the lower tier is stronger than the upper.

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Locations: Philadelphia

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