THE BERLIN SHOW
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Continuing Our Report of the International Motor Show at Berlin, We Describe Further Interesting Tendencies and Exhibits, the Latter Including Many Light Vans and a Number of New Chassis
LIGHT vans appear to be in great favour in Germany —at least, judging by the variety shown. There were several models of the Bansa-Lloyd Goliath, a machine which is fairly well known in England. They vary in capacity from 10 cwt. to one ton ; some have three wheels, others four wheels. One in the former category has a one-cylindered, two-stroke engine inclined nearly to the horizontal and arranged under the seat, with propellershaft drive to a neat vertical banjo axle. The frame is dropped at the front, and the front steel-disc wheel is carried by a single curved arm, which permits ample manceu
vrability. .
The new 1-ton Atlas model has a vertical, two-cylindeied, two-stroke engine of 600 c.c., developing 18 b.h.p., mounted under a bonnet with a normal-type radiator at the front.
A 15-cwt. Van Chassis of Novel Design.
In the 15-cwt. class there is the Zundapp with a horizontally opposed, two-cylindered, four4troke, water-cooled unit of 500 c.c., in the normal position. The narrow channel frame is strengthened by a 44-in.-diameter tube carried on raised cross-members, and through this passes the propeller shaft. There are no axles, but double cross springs at front and rear. The drive is taken from a differential carried on the frame, thence by cardan shafts to the rear wheels. Features are roller-bearing big-ends and a three-speed gearbox forming a unit with the engine. The 0-DRex was shown in three-wheeled and fourwheeled forms. The latter is a 1-tonner with a vertical, two-cylinderecl, two-stroke air-cooled engine under the bonnet, cooling being assisted by a blower carried in the front of the crankcase and leading air through a duct to the cylinder fins. A circular flat dynamotor is mounted at the front. Driving is effected by the front wheels, which are carried on two cross-springs, with the cardan shafts between them.
Another well-known type is the Rollfix, with capacities ranging from 4 cwt. to 8 cwt., all constructed as three1336
wheelers. One type has front-wheel drive, and the rear wheels are mounted on pivoted half axles with coil-spring suspension. The heavier models have the two-cylindered. two-stroke, 400 c.c. engine mounted behind the rear wheels and driving forward to a gearbox and differential unit carried on the frame. The wheels are on double cross-springs, and the cardan driving shafts are carried between them.
The Standard four-wheeler has a one-cylindered, twostroke motor of 200 c.c., but, in this case, there is a fourspeed-and-reverse gearbox, the engine-gearbox unit being mounted at the back, and there is double cardan drive to rear wheels carried on double cross-springs. Another 1-tonner is the Framo with a two-cylinclered, two-stroke, 600 c.c., water-cooled engine of D.K.W. make, with a Bosch dynamotor. The gearbox gives four speeds, and the drive is through a propeller shaft to a differential. There was also a 7-cwt. model with a D.K.W. one-cyliudered, two-stroke engine and four-speed gearbox.
We must give credit to M. A. McEvoy, Ltd., Leaper Street Works, Derby, for exhibiting a Zoller compressor, which, although invented by a Swiss, was developed technically and commercially in England, and examples staged were manufactured by the above company in its new
Derby works. McEvoy-Pomeroy special compressor, oil pumps and pressure controls were also exhibited, and Mr. Laurence Pomeroy, Junr., was in attendance.
Another Ante-chamber Oil Engine.
Amongst the many oil engines we noted the Haelble. The maker has been producing oil engines since 1908, but this is a late type of clean design, and having .six cylinders, with a 125 mm. bore and 180 mm. stroke, giving 135 b.h.p. at 1,400 r.p.m. The ante-chamber, system is employed. The same maker showed a powerful oil-engined tractor on pneumatics.
Quite a number of new chassis was to be found, several designed according to the new axle-weight regulations, others for passenger work with specially low frames—so low, in some cases, that they would not conform to British regulations. All Mercedes-Benz coaches are now dropped at the rear to provide more accommodation for the carrying of baggage.
The new Krupp 6i-tonner has a 120 b.h.p., four-cylindered oil engine built under Junkers licence. It has a five-speed Aphon gearbox and Knorr-Lockheed four-wheel brakes. It is claitned that this vehicle has a speed of 70 Idioms. per hour, and it is designed especially for the new roads. Apart from considerable engine overhang at the front, the chassis follows what may be termed conventional British design, although the incorporation of a doublereduction gear in the rear axle permits a comparatively low frame height without arching. It is stated that this vehicle, hauling a 6i-ton trailer, will transport a payload of 13 tons.
More Fast Oil-engined Chassis.
There is also a new Henschel. 61-tonner, and a 31-4tanner with worm drive. A six-cylindered HenschelLanova oil engine developing 95 b.h.p. at 2,200 r.p.m. is employed; it gives a vehicle speed of 60 kiloms per hour. On the six-wheeled Henschel we noted a neat power takeoff mounted at the top of the gearbox and driving a windlass carried on the frame side member, the drive being through a double fabric joint and spur-reduction gearing.
Amongst German designers the double-reduction rear axle is most popular. It is seen, for instance, on the
Voniag 6i-tonner. The Mercedes-Benz is, of course, a famous example, but, in this case, the second reduction is by spur gearing in the hubs.
Ie. the M.A.N. range is a new 2i-ton, high-speed lorry chassis with a 60-65 b.h.p. oil engine having four cylinders. It has a low-built frame entirely without rivets, the longi tudinal and cross-members being electrically welded. For passenger work this machine is supplied With a longer wheelbase. Here, again, the double-reduction axle is utilized, it being of what we term the dual type, with a banjo weight-carrying member.
Another interesting product is the 110 b.h.p. engine specially designed for running on compressed gas or in conjunction with a suction-gas producer. A 5-ton lorry equipped with this unit was exhibited by the German State Railways. Another point regarding this vehicle was that a Bosch compressed-air brake was incorporated.
On the stand of Karl Schmidt we inspected pistons which had been running in a M.A.N. oil engine for 260,000 kiloms., without renewal; they showed Only ordinary wear.
Of the coaches not already mentioned, perhaps the most interesting was the Ludewig Aero, with its seats arranged in herringbone fashion; this was illustrated in The Commercial Motor a short time ago. It was mounted on an Opel-Blitz chassis. One of the main features of the bodywork is that it has an elastic connection between it and the chassis, whilst the seats are mounted, on the frame proper. A portion of the roof is sunk to carry luggage, and the space thus afforded is covered, access to it being gained by stepSup the..curved hack of the body; which has tail fins, presumably to give stability at speed.
Lindner showed a two-side rolling tipper with sprockets meshing with racks carried on the chassis; the sprockets are for hand operation. The Christoph trailer has an automatic brake which comes into action when the towbar is dropped. This maker also had on view a two-side tipper, hand operated through racks and pinions.
Gather Waggon Fabrik had a wind-up brake for trailers, much on the lines of our Neate. This concern showed a four-wheeled steering trailer, and an automatic brake coupling in which the sprung plunger was damped by friction fabric shoes adjustable for pressure.
We noted on a Vomag bus chassis two small hand wheels for adjusting the brakes. These were carried at the side of the frame and connected to worm gears rotating nuts on the brake rods, the connection being by flexible cables.
On a coach shown by the .Uerdingen concern the curved windows at the front beside the windscreen were made of
a new flexible " glass " known as Plexiglas, which., We were informed, is a vegetable product. It is so clear that optical lenses can be made from it. We saw some glasses which had been in use for a year and still had the appearance of ordinary lenses. The great fault with almost all these products is that they naturally cannot have such a hard surface as ordinary glass, and are, therefore, more
liable to scratch if rubbed while grit is present. The maker is Rohm and Haas A.G., Darmstadt, Germany.
Headlamps in the Wings.
A feature of many German passenger vehicles is the fitting of the headlights into the wings. The appearance is somewhat striking, but from the practical aspect this scheme does not appear to us to be very satisfactory.
The Knorr compressed-air braking system is utilized extensively, there being a decrease in the number of vacuum servos.
Tractors are exhibited in great variety, but to the English engineer some of them appear somewhat complicated and unsuitable for long exposure to the effects of dirt and weather. Chain tracks are popular. The Lanz and the Hanomag, both. with oil engines, are thus equipped. Several of the tractors employ solid tyres, but others have giant pneumatics. • A light steel trailer with a Grade patent punt-type body, the triangulated front of which gives exceptional strength, was shown by lierdingen.