European Lorry Firms to "Go to the Wall "
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QINCE only 10 of Europe's 30 heavy lorry makers produce more than 4,000 vehicles a year some of them will disappear or merge in the next few years. said Monsieur Thouin, director of Berliet, at the opening of a new research and development centre by the company at Saint-Priest, near Lyon.
Even though Berliet, at 15,000 vehicles per year, was among the better-placed, it needed to reduce prices and improve service to maintain its position, he said.
The new 20m. NF (lint.) establishment has a staff of 30 senior engineers and 400 other technical and general staff. Engines ranging from 100 to 1,000 horsepower can be tested here in temperatures down to —50°C. Among laboratories are those for metallurgy, chemistry and raw material testing. A test track of two kilometres' rough terrain is included.
Giant Refuse-collector A NEW dual-purpose continuous-load ing compressing refuse collector, of 50-cu.-yd. capacity, will make its appearance on November 12 at the Public Works Exhibition, Olympia. This is the Ramilles, which has light-alloy bodywork by Glover, Webb and Liversidge, Ltd., mounted on a Karrier chassis of 13-ft. 6-in wheelbase. The design provides for this unit being used with normal bins or large containers, whilst the covered bins of enclosed systems can also be employed. An adaptation of the Zoller dustless'shutter will shortly be available for incorporation in the Ramifies.
On being placed in the hopper the refuse falls on to a radiused floor, from which it is moved up and forward into the main section of the body by a constant-angle compressing plate that is powered by a hydraulic ram and controlled by guides.
The crew cab is a seven-seater. Located inside are the controls for the compressor ram and for the twin-ram end-tipping gear. The selector gear has settings for loading, body tipping and return; the pump engagement gear is interconnected with the throttle so as to restrict any tendency to the use of unnecessarily high pump speeds.