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AN AMERICAN IDEA FOR A COVERED TOE-DECK BUS.

19th February 1924
Page 23
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Page 23, 19th February 1924 — AN AMERICAN IDEA FOR A COVERED TOE-DECK BUS.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

An Unusual Form of Construction Avhich Provides Ample Protection for Passengers on the Upper Deck of a Motorbus.

MHE PROBLEM of satisfactorily pro tecting the passengers on the uppr deck of a motorbus is evidently proving quite as troublesome to the bus manufacturers of. the United States as it is to those in this country. One solution which has been reached over there has just been brought out in a recently published patent specification, and, even if it does not prove ass example which can be followed by British motorbue manufacturers, it is at least Instructive.

An outstanding feature of the problem. whirls this particular designer has had to solve has evidently been the necessity for keeping down the overall height of the bus; and, with a .view to that end, he has arranged that the covering shall be only tuffiesently high to protect a sitting passenger, an open central gangway being left for those entering or leaving the top-deck seats of the bus.

Apparently it has been the practice formerly to provide canvas .awnings of the same height, designed to be drawn across suitable metal framework, extending just to the inside edge of the seats. The latest design has evidently •been. evolved from this original plan,. and is an improvement in that permanent Con

tinuoue roof sections are provided, each of them extending inwardly from the outer upper deck walls of the vehicle, and terminating on a line with the inner ends of the seats, so that a longitudinal central passage between these seats is afforded between the inner edges of the permanent roof sections, which are about breast-high for the average passenger when standing.

-This top covering is arranged so as to give, in one 'guise, protection from the ,summer sun, and, in the other, protection against wind, rain, snow or sleet duringthe winter. • •

The arrangement of the seats is identical with that which is customary on buses used in this country ; that isto say, they are . in two lines, eaeh Seat beipg eapable of accommodating two passengers-. In line with the back of each seat is fixeda roof support,' similar in sh.ape.to an ordinary hood-stick, except that the OCSIICI'S are rather smaller as to the radius. This suPpert, which is of braes or aluminium tubing, extends from the inside edge of the seat, over it .and down to the upper edge of the short metal guard, such as usually surrounds the lower portion of the upper

deck. These supports are, as has been raid, about breast-high; the roof covering consists of wood slats extending lengthways along the bus, and covered with canvas, American cloth or other material of a similar nature.

The roof stops short on the inner side, at the commencement of the bend of the tubular support; that is to say, it does not quite extend -Co the level of the edge of the seat. At the outer side it is continued round the bend, and terminates just -below it. It will he noted that. the arrangements of the roof slats, and in particular the cessation of the covering at a point just short of the inner rail, facilitates entry to the seats, Mention should be made of the fact that there is a gauze shield extending round the bus, and closing the gap which -would 'otherwise exist between the top of the sheetrectal guard and the handrail, which is be a level with the top edge of the back 'of the seat. This provision is familiar to us on certain open-topped tramway. cars.

It is claimed that, as described above, the design affords ample protection during the summer months; for the winter, however, more complete cover is needed, and it takes the form, on the outside of the bus, of windowed curtains of Amenran clothcloth or similar material, secured by 'spring snap buttons (of the glove fastener type), and on the inside of similar curtains mounted on spring rollers pod capable. of being raised or lowered as desired, to give access to the seats. The outer curtains stretch in one piece rormi end to end of the bus, and afford rir) means of adjustment for ventilation reany, other purpose. The inner ones are arranged, one curtain to each seat. Other details, such as, for example. the provision of supplementary curtains to cover in the gauze shield, the arrangement of the windows and of the curtains "for the end seats will be apparent on reference to the accompanying illustrations.

.Express Buses for Paris.

It may be remembered that towards the end of last year we drew attention to the fact that the Paris Motor Omnibus Co. were about to introduce a number of, small pneumatic-tyred buses for use on regular services. Some of these buses have now been put. into definite commission, and -we are able to reproduce on this page illustrations showing a coin 240 pieta vehicle and certain details of the design.

To the best of our knowledge this is the first occasion on which front-entrance buses have been used on the streets of Paris, the type -which has usually been favoured being that in which a roomy platform was incorporated at the rear, the entrance to the bus being from the centre of the back panel and not from the side, as is the more or less conven tional practice. Visitors to Paris will not deplore the disappearance of '4.his form of construction, for some passengers, unaccustomed to alighting from a vehicle with a rear entrance, find it not unattended with certain risks.

The new front-entrance-type bus is under the control of one man, who acts as driver and conductor, passengers paying their fares as they enter the vehicle. The vehicles are built to accommodate 25 persons, and the disposition of the

seating is quite orthodox. It will be noted from our illustrations that the vehicle is fitted with pneumatic tyres. One class of passenger only will he carried on the new buses, and not first and second as has always been the rule in Paris.

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Locations: Paris

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