The " Ailsa Craig" Motors.
Page 15
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We give two illustrations of an engine built by the Putney Motor Company, Limited, of Upper Richmond Road, Putney. This type has been specially designed for omnibus or delivery van purposes, and is the practical result of much thought and prolonged testing on the part of the manufacturers. The four cylinders, which are cast separately, have a stroke and bore of 6 inches and give out approximately 4oh.p. at 750 revolutions per minute. The pistons are light in weight, and are turned inside and outside, the gudgeon pins being fitted into steel lugs, which are bolted to the piston head. Each piston has four rings, and each annular channel is provided with a circular pin, against which the two ends of a ring abut. These small pins are spaced in such a manner that each one is go degrees forward of the one in the adjacent channel. By this means the joints in the rings can never work in a line with one another. Inlet and exhaust valves are mechanically operated from an overhead cam shaft, and this is revolved by means of a shaft working in conjunction with gear wheels and is driven froni the friint end of the crank shaft. The valves are all the
same size-4 inches in diameter—and are placed vertically in chambers which are easily detached from the cylinders by loosening two nuts. As the valves and the chambers are interchangeable, it is an easy matter to slip a new valve in at any time should this be necessary. The crank shaft is of high-tensile steel, forged from the solid and machined throughout; its diameter is zi inches, whilst the length of the crank pins and journals is 44 inches.
The commercial traveller's brougham which we illustrate was built by the Putney Motor Company, Limited, to the order of Messrs. S. and J. Watts, of Manchester, for the use of their London representative. The vehicle was supplied in 1903, and since that time it has run winter and summer for a period of over two years. It will be seen that the body portion of the vehicle is divided into two nearly equal portions, consisting of a cab in front and a roomy receptacle at the rear for the purpose of holding samples. Between 6cwt. and iocwt. of goods can be packed away on the various shelves. A twocylinder engine is employed, giving out 12thh.p. Beyond taking up the wear in the brasses and making the usual running adjustments, no repairs have been necessary, either to the engine itself or to the transmission gear. The company is now building a similar vehicle of the same type as the one shown, but having numerous minor improvements and fitted with a four-cylinder engine, having a stroke of 5 inches and a bore of 4 inches. The price complete is £43o. Two systems of ignition are fitted : either by accumulators and a coil, or by high-tension magneto ignition. There can be no question but that the expeditious transport of travellers and their samples in a
vehicle such as this must bring a large increase in orders to the firm who owns it. This company is making arrangements to manufacture engines suitable either for motorbuses, lorries, or delivery vans, in large quantities. The types at present turned out vary from 6h.p. to x5oh.p., the latter being used for marine work. A complete chassis fitted with a four-cylinder 3oh.p. engine can be supplied at £55o : this price does not include tyres. There are numerous vehicles on the roads at present which, while being in thoroughly good working order, are slightly under-powered, having been built some two or three years ago. In most cases, by the exchange of the present engine for one of a higher capacity, these vehicles could be brought thoroughly up to date, without any great expense. A smaller engine of the same type as the one shown above would be a most suitable one for this purpose. The company is prepared to give estimates for any type of vehicle, as arrangements have been made with a large firm of engineers to supply chassis to the purchaser's own design.