A Report on the Berlin. Motor Show.
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From Our Own Correspondent in Berlin.
Vehicles of the types which are dealt with fully in this journal are but sporadically represented at the Berlin Motor Show, which exhibition was opened by Prince Henry of Prussia last Thursday with the usual "Hoch slur den Kaiser." Still, the seeker will discover quite a large number of them in the course of his ramblings through the halls, although heavy lorries and omnibuses are not to be seen, the promoters of the show having excluded them on account of their bulkiness. One of the first. things to attract one's at tention in the concert hall are some cleverly-executed models of an electric set of vehicles belonging to a. Berlin fire-station. All models were made by the firemen themselves in their leisure hours. As most of your readers are doubtless aware, the day is not far distant when Bee lin's fire-stations will contain mechanical vehicles only, Commander Reichel having begun the re-organization two or three years ago. Further down this hall, on Gebbardt and Harhorn's stand. I noted a couple of electric "commercials,' each on three wheels. Harhorn is a clever young alectro-technician. whose neat little runabout found favour in the eyes of your special commissioner on his visit to Berlin some years back. Since then Harhorn has greatly improved his electromotor. His new type is a hubmotor with a direct drive to the roadwheel, and this is so constructed that both armature and magnethousing (here the road-wheel) rotate, but in opposite directions. He is now prepared to guarantee a working radius of over 60 miles. In the second hall, A. Fischer and Co. (Berlin) exhibit an elegant motor-. cab with Harhoen electromotors applied to the rear wheels, From Bavaria comes a box-van, turned (mt. by the Ansbach Co., who, having made a hit with big lorries, are now, shrewdly enough, producing delivery-vans as well. The " Brennabor " works, whose chassis sell in England as " Brennas," show, amongst other exhibits, a smart box-van, which has been sold to a firm of local cigarette-makers. This has a four-cylinder motor of 28 h.p. A roof extension, together with a window-screen possessing an adjustable upper half, protects the driver against unpleasant weather. In the Pliiinomen " group I noticed a little three-wheeler for transporting about 5 cwt. A " V " engine, mounted over the front wheel, and air-cooled, drives the vehicle. Radiation is assisted by two lateral fans attached to the walls of the combustion chambers. This type is on the market as the " Phiinomobil." Engineers on your side are, I believe, familiar with its general design. Ford's Paris representative has sent a box-van, with oval windows in the rear doors. Messrs. Loeb, of Charlottenburg. who are interested in I he Knight sleeve-valve engine—a working model is on a stand opposite—display a motorcab, driven, however, by a poppet-valve four-cylimier Loeb engine of 28 h.p. Like nearly all the cabs that are exhibited, this vehicle has a scuttle dashboard, roof-extension, and door panels on each side of the driver's comfortable seat : the interior suggests the voiture de luxe rather than
the public cab. As a matter of fact, Berliners are rapidly being spoiled—if they are not so already-by luxuriously appointed cabs. Benz-Gaggenan exhibits delivery vans and chassis. I send you photographs of two of these lorries. 1We have reproduced the two.—En.1 The lighter has a block-engine of
18 the heavier type is fitted with a motor developing 7 h.p. more, and with a bore of 90 mm. and a stroke of 140 mm. This second vehicle carries about a ton and a quarter. A demand has recently arisen for Small lorries equal to this maximum load. Another Benz-Gaggenau is a box-van, with walnut-grained panelling and raised brass lettering—a veritable little aristocrat in its way. One of five vehicles shown by the Nuremberg Fire-Extinguishing Apparatus and Machine Works is an electric ambulanee-carriage for two stretchers, one of which hangs by coil-springs -from the ceiling and the other rests on elliptical springs. Its internal fitments are adequate and fully upto-date. Close by, Heinrich Scheele (Aachen) exhibits an electric_ boxvan and a lorry for loads of a ton and a ton and a half respectively. Scheele was once represented in London, but his system of propulsion failed to catch on, so he confines his operations to Germany. A number of coach-builders exhibits motorcabs and vans on Opel chassis. For instance, Rudolf Franke (Berlin) shows a gorgeous landaulet cab, which has two extra seats of the folding variety inside, facing opposite directions. A peculiar feature of the scuttle dashboard—a feature also adopted by the " Oryx people for their light sporting car— are two cylindrical lamps forming an integral part of the dashboard. , Benz Sons (Ladenburg) exhibit a motorcab of 22 h.p., in addition to other vehicles. They use magneto ignition ; and all valves lie on one side, being actuated by camshaft from below. Mors have effected a decided scoop by securing an order for six 1-cwt. box-vans for the Berlin firm of Gustav Cords, silk mercers. One of the series is exhibited, and I forward a photograph of it. [This we reproduce. -En.] The engine develops about 16 h.p. Rubber firms have turned up in force. Louis Peter (with a. stand 4ecorated on impressively patriotic lines), Polack, the "Continental" and other home firms are at the -how as a matter of course SO. too. fkre Michelin, Dunlop, Kempshall. Jenatzy, and Palmer. Messrs. Palmer's stand is simply besifered by ercevds watching the machine for laying on the cords. Rudge's " detachables " and Step " snares" are also on view. The Machinen-und Armaturfabrik of Hochst exhibits several motors. amongst them three for freight. automobiles. A "Zyklonette" " vanlet " is on the Cyklon firm's stand. Its engine his over the front wheel, as in the case of the " 'Phiinomobil " mentioned above. Bfissing's name figures in the catalogue only in connection with a " Bussing " detachable rim, shod with an elastic tiring called " Pneumasticum." Makers of accessories occupy the galleries of both halls. Messrs. Bosch have a large space. and, besides their wonderful ignition apparatus, show some in contrivances for lubricating all kinds of machines. Neither N.A.G. nor Daimler-Marienfelde send commercial vehicles.