Increasing Loading Efficiency in
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BAKERS' and CONFECTK
"ERS' VANS
LARGE boxvans for the delivery of bread and confectionery to shops have a separate compartment for each main division of the load. The front part of the loading portion, which is for bread, has one or two shelves, or the loaves are arranged on sliding trays in a similar manner to the pastry, which is carried at the rear, except that the angle-iron runners are more widely spaced.
If the front and side-loading portion of the van has doors, these are made narrow, in order to reduce their overhang of the footpath when open. Any obstruction which may be caused is minimized by fastening . them back against the sides of the body.
Roller Shutters Widely Used.
Many bakers' vans have roller shutters both at the sides and back. If it be considered that the shutter coiled at the top of the opening occupies too much space, it is mounted so that it may travel under the roof without coiling. The spring roller, to which the shutter is attached by webs, may be mounted on the front bulkhead, or in such a position that there is sufficient length for the shutter to extend fully.
A shutter moving under the roof does not prevent the secure fixing of the tray-runner assembly because it is fastened to each side of the body. Where the intermediate uprights cannot be secured to the roof ribs, the assembly is made rigid by n22 cross-members of flat, mild steel, which are riveted under the runners. Moreover, by mounting the spring roller as close as possible to the back of the van, there is space in front of the roller for full-height stanchions, which are bolted to the hoopsticks.
When there are angle-iron runners for trays, the height of the bottom row on each side is determined
by the wheel-arch. With an overall width of 6 ft. 6 ins, and the body divided for three tiers of trays, the inner face of the wheel-arch is in about the middle of the side tier, If, however, the wheel-arch be squared up'. on the inside and extended inwards so as to occupy the full width of the tier, also forward to the front of the body, a useful platform is pro
vided on which empty trays may be stood edgewise.
The baker's van for house-to-house delivery is equipped with shelves and trays, so that the roundsman's time is saved by a well-arranged and easily accessible load.
With the smallest vans, access to the load is afforded either by means of a rear door or shutter, or from behind the driver's seat if there be no partition. For somewhat larger vans some kind of side opening should be provided, in order that any part of the load may be easily reached.
As the wheel-arches determinethe position and width of any full-height opening, it is more convenient to restrict such an opening to that part of the body above the waist line. At this point a wide opening may give access to a shelf, which is supported by the wheel-arch enclosures. This Shelf is not the full length of the body, but extends only as far back as the wheel-arch.
Instead of being on the same level throughout it is stepped up in front, so that more height is available for a compartment which has a pair of sliding trays. This has a door below the waist. The back opening is for any load carried on the floor, which extends under the shelf to the partition of the pastry compartmeht.
As it is usually considered that side openings save time, the whole of the side of the loading portion may be
designed for direct access. There is a shelf across the body, on top of the wheel-arches, which extends from the front of them to the back of the body. In front of the wheel-arches the floor is at its normal level and close to the chassis.
This front and full-length compartment is separated from the rear one by a slatted partition. Both compartments have roller shutters and are divided by a slatted shelf, which is mounted above the centre, so that the greater headroom is below it.
The lower part of each compartment has a side board to keep the load in position. This board stands immediately behind the line of the shutter and is removable to facilitate cleaning. A similar protecting fillet may be fitted to the upper shelf.
In order that no space shall be wasted, there are two trays under the rear shelf which slide on the floor between the inner faces of the wheelarches. A hinged flap gives access
to the trays, above which the back of the body is fixed. At the top there is a pair of windows with ventilating louvres above them.
The types of van described may be varied by fitting runners for trays in the front compartment for either the full height or only below the waist. The rear part may have the usual back door and a central shelf or one or more pairs of trays.
Sliding trays are suitable for carrying not only pastry and bread, but tea and other goods in packets. A tray which has sides increasing in depth towards the back is useful for carrying a wide range of sizes of package.
• A baker's sidecar has a rear portion which is about 3 ft. high and 3 ft. long, with a central shelf protected by a flap hinged at the top and supported, when open, on a pair of jointed stays. The lower part of the body has another flap, which is hinged about 9 ins, above floor level. There is a fixed panel at the bottom which not only keeps the load in place, but reduces the size of the tailboard, which may rest on this panel, clear of the ground.
The front of the sidecar is half the height of the rear portion, and has a lid, hinged on the off side.