The Latest Mobile Printing Press
Page 44
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An Interesting Dodge Brothers Van which is Equipped with a Public-address Outfit. A Dual-purpose Vehicle
ABOUT the middle of 1929 the proprietors of The Star put into commission a mobile printing van; the principal function of this is to attend football matches, race meetings and other sports fixtures or popular public gatherings and, by reason of its equipment, tolpermit the composition and impression of stop-press news dealing with the event in question.
The vehicle concerned, a Dodge Brothers machine, supplied by Tomlinson (Marylebone), Ltd., 77, High Street, London, W.1, has proved so catisfactory that a further outfit has been put into service. It is identical with the former model in that it has a Dodge Brothers LER ehassis with a six-cylindered engine, but twin tyres are used on the rear wheels in place of the single equipment formerly specified.
The body has a clerestory roof to allow sufficient headroom for the operators and to ,provide amble ventilation. The staff consists of three men, one compositor, another man to operate the press, and the driver, who, in addition to his ordinary Job, attends to the running of the Petter engine which operates the press. In the event of work being required on this small engine, the drive for the press can be taken from a power take-off on the gearbox.
In addition to serving as a mobile press, the latest van—and it forerunner is now similarly equipped— carries a Marconiphone public address outfit. This may be employed to provide amusement by means of gramophone records, or thohuman voice may be broadcast through a microphone attached to the chest of the speaker. A cable reel is provided so that the announcer may more about within a reasonable distance of the van, thus seeing what is going on and being able to give a running commentary, if desired.
To supply current for this installation there is a separate dynamo. When there is sufficient long-distance running it is capable of keeping the batteries fully charged. When the vehicle is In the garage they are connected to a charging board, so that, in the event of only short runs being contemplated, an ample reserve of energy is provided and the special dynamo can give topping-up charges whenever possible.
Not only does this vehicle serve the public by giving it up-to-theminute news embodied in the latest edition delivered from the chief printing works, but it fulfils the purpose of being a useful publicity medium for the popular evening newspaper in question. Its very presence and the entertainment provide a powerful attraction to spectators at meetings.
On July 16th, 1929, we gave a description of the first van of this pair. The bodywork of the latest example is ''Similar to the model then described.