A New Halley Colonial Model.
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First-published Details of an Interesting Six-ton Machine which has been Specially Designed for Colonial Conditions by the Yoker Constructor.
In common with other manufacturers of industrial vehicles, Halley's Industrial Motors, Ltd., of Yoker, Glasgow, has, during the past year, been constantly asked by various Colonial agents to supply a lorry of special type which should embody characteristics of a nature which should suit it particularly for up-country Colonial conditions. Most of all, Halley's Australian agents have been insistent in this respect, and as a result, it was eventually decided to experiment in this direction. After exhaustive tests, a promising-looking model has been evolved, and through the courtesy of the company a representative of this journal has been afforded an opportunity of inspecting the first of these new L-type machines, as they are to be called, before it was dispatched to the Antipodes in charge of Mr. Russell.
Its principal characteristics, as will be gathered from careful inspection of the drawing which is reproduced as a full-page illustration herewith, include an unusually high underneath clearance, the un doubted ability to negotiate the roughest of ground, and a carefully contrived winding gear. All these features have been combined with a general sturdiness of design which should augur well for the life of the chassis under the most exacting service conditions.
The frame is of heavy-section rolled channel steel, with parallel side members. It is set at a height of about 3 ft. 9 in. from the ground. This naturally has the result of ensuring an exceptionally good clearance. below the power and transmission units, but is also ensures that many usually awkward but yet. important adjustments can be easily effected. In particular, this affects the engine-lubricating pump, the test cock to the crank chamber, brake adjustments, and fittings of that type. The rear wheels are 5 ft. in diameter. and their steel treads have 12-in. faces, which can be fitted with studs if desired, for negotiating soft ground. The front wheels are 3 ft. 10 in. in diameter by 6 in. in width, and these are, like the hind wheels, of the steel-plate disc type.
The frame has a three-point suspension on the aides ; one of our smaller illustrations herewith gives a capital idea of the pivot arrangement which has been adopted in front. Half-elliptic springs, of the usual Halley type, with their ends supported on slipper blocks attached to the underside of the frame members, are embodied for the rear suspension. The final drive is by chain, and the exceptionally heavy radius rods have the unusual feature of their respective adjustments coupled by a cross shaft, which is provided with bevel gears, an arrangement which enables both rods to be lengthened or shortened simultaneously, and by the same amount.
Our full-page drawing shows that strong chain cases are provided. In order to prevent any strains being thrown on these components when the back axle is tilted, and also to ensure that tight joints are maintained at the sprocket ends of the cases, these latter are mountedi
on special spherical bracket pieces, which eliminate all stresses due to such twisting. The front suspension, to which we have already referred,is obviously designed to give a maximum range of movement to the front axle. As a matter of fact, one of the front road wheels may be raised to a height 16 in. greater than the other, without in any way affecting the level of the main frame. This arrangement is obtained, of course, by a centrallypivoted front axle ; this central attachment permits of vertical displacement, however. True vertical movement of the axle is ensured by horn plates, whilst the transverse, inverted, laminated spring bears on slides, and is itself free to rock on a fixed central pivot.
As would be expected, all parts of the axles, as well as the whole of the steering mechanism, are of .exceptionally massive construction. An unusually large radiator, of the honeycomb type, is mounted in the conventional position in front of the engine, which latter is of the sixcylinder type, with bores of 5 in., and an engine stroke of 51 in. It is stated to develop 75 b.h.p. at normal revolutions. The engine itself, as a matter of fact, is almost identical with that type which is employed in connection with the Halley fire-engine, though it is stiffened in certain respects. The company's standard six-ton gearbox has been used ; this gives four speeds by means of dog clutches. Within the hubs of the rear road wheels are epicyclic reducing gears giving a, four-to-one reduction. The differential can be locked whenever lack of adhesion under one or other of the wheels necessitates it, while the withdrawal of pins in the rear hubs allows the drums, which are mounted on the wheel centres. to lie freed from the wheels. All
four speeds, as well as the reverse, for which provision is made in the gearbox, can be used for winding, as it is found to be very convenient to use the reverse for hauling, and the top speed for paying out or lowering.
There are brake blocks for the wheel treads : these are carried on a cross bar, and are brought into operation by a wire rope wound on to a drum by a. worm and wheel. The foot brake acts as usual on the gearshaft, and the four-to-one reduction in the back wheels renders this extremely powerful. The petrol tank holds 25 gallons of
liquid fuel, and there is a cylindrical water tank, which has a capacity of 50 gallons, at the rear of the chassis. This is provided in order to ensure, not only an extra supply of water for the radiator if necessary, but also, in case of emergency, water for the men in charge of the wagon when operating in exceptionally dry country. The wheel base is 15 ft., and the track is 6 ft. 2 in. The overall plan dimensions are 20 ft. by 8 ft. The body space behind the driver's seat is 14 ft. long by 7 ft. 6 in. wide. The chassis weighs about six tons, and the lorry is designed to carry a six-ton load and to haul if necessary a further two tons on a trailer where the road conditions admit. The minimum ground clearance is 18 in. beneath the chain cases, but under the rear 'axle and all the other mechanism there is a minimum clearance of 27 in.
We are informed that the preliminary tests which have been carried out by the makers with this new machine have more than satisfied them as to its capacity for hard work under extreme Colonial conditions. If the vehicle fulfils certain Australian tests, a series of these machines will be put in hand.