A NEW MAKER'S INITIAL CHASSIS EFFORT.
Page 50
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A Sixcylindered Engine the Chief Feature of the Design.
A NEW motor lorry by a new maker is somewhat of a novelty in these days, but the South Lincolnshire Engineering Co., Ltd., of Spalding, is a concern which has had considerable experience in general engineering and has a thorough knowledge of motorvehicle maintenance and overhauling. It has now pnodeced the Eadon 40-50-ewt. commercial vehicle, of which we are only able, because of pressure of apace, to give a brief description. Later on we hope to be able to make a test of the vehicle and then to deal with it much more fully.
The chief novel feature of the chassis is the employment of a six-cylindered monobloc engine with detachable head,
suspended at four points on brackets from the main frame, being insulated from the brackets by means of antivibration pads.
The bore of the cylinders is 82.5 mm.
and the stroke 117.47 mm. The nominal h.p. is 25i, but the engine will develop 261 h.p. at 1,000 r.p.m., and 49 h.p. at 2,000 r.p.m. A notable feature of this engine is the employment of a vibration damper at the front end, designed to deal with torsional vibrations of the crankshaft. The lubrication oil is fed by pressure (at about 12 to 15 lb. per sq. in. at an engine -peed .of 1,000
the pump being accessible without disturbing any other detail. The Sole' carburetter employed is fed through an Autovae from a 12-gallon tank located at the rear of the chassis. The water is circulated by a centrifugal pump and the current for the ignition is obtained from a battery kept fully charged by a dynamo.
The frame is of pressed steel, straight, deep in the channel and amply stayed, 'only bright bolts and nuts in reamered boles being employed.
The power is transmitted through a dry clutch of 17 plates, the clutch being so devised that a smooth start can always he ensured, the inner plates being primped and thus giving a gradual takebp, but firm contact is given with no chance of slipping when the pedal is entirely released. The clutch-withdrawal bearings are enclosed in thin Steel housings and are automatically lubricated from the gearbox.
The latter gives four forward speeds and a reverse, and the transmission from the gearbox is undertaken by a fabric coupled propeller shaft to a self-alignlug ball-bearing mounted on a stout cross-member, and thence by a tubular propeller shaft with an interchangeable roller universal joint at each end.
The rear axle is Ariven through an overhead worm, the worm wheel and differential are capable of being removed without detaching the axle from the frame, the final reduction being 71-1. Ample brakes are employed and springs of the highest quality and of ample length. Disc wheels, equipped with 34-in. by 7-in, pneumatic tyres, are fitted. The wheelbase is 12 ft. 6 ins., the ground clearance 10 ins, and the wheel track at the rear 5 ft.