• KEEPING BIG CITIES CLEAN.
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Street Sweeping and Watering by Motor Vehicle, with Particular Reference to the De -Dion Vehicle, 120 of Which Have Recently Been Put into Service in Paris.
TIM PROGRESSIVE cities of the world owe much of their presentday cleanliness to the motor vehicle, which has, in numerous caeca, entirely revolutionized the method of dealing with certain municipal matters. Take the ease of street sweeping and watering, a most important phase of municipal operation from a hygienic point of view. When the motor vehicle .was first utilized for this class of work, it was employed solely for sweeping, but it was soon realized, froin practical use, that the system was incomplete and .only partly efficient, andthat some additional means of watering was needed. This was necessary in order that the dirt •could be attenuated alternatively by a more intense spray, or a flow of water' so as to release the sticky mud from the road eurface.
One of the first concerns to pay special attention to the problem was the Be Dion Bonton Co., who, after extended tests and trials, solved the difficulty by fitting a large tank upon the vehicle from which a supply of water could be Used, either to distribute, in the form of a spray for the sweeper, or a canstant flush, to water the streets a by means of two special nozzles fitted in the front, at each side of the vehicle. By tide means, the water can be sprayed.. to almost any desired width, the exact width •being regulated by a lever suitably and conveniently arranged close to the driver's usual control gear.
Among the largest users of this class of machine are the municipal authorities of the City of Paris. They have recently pet into service 120 sweeping and watering machines of De Dion manufacture. • Before proceeding to a brief description of the sweeping and watering mechanism, we will briefly describe the construction of the chassis. The engine is of the fonr-cylinclered type, with cylinders cast in pairs, with a bore and stroke of 100 inns, and 140 mm., reepeetively.
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It develops 20 hp. at 1,200 r.p.m., the ,engine speed being governed at this number of revolutions. Ignition is by high-tension magneto, whilst carburation is effected by a Zenith accessory. Lubrication is under pressure by a pump fitted in the bottom half of the engine crankcase. Thermo-eyphonic circulation is employed for cooling, the fan being entirely en cl as ecl The clutch is of the Be Dion Benton type, with a central plate of compressed. Thermoid material. The gearbox provides four forward speeds and a reverse, direct drive being on top gear. At an engine speed of 1,200 r.p.m., direct drive gives 12 m.p.h., third speed 7 m.p.h., second speed 5 m.p.h., first speed 2 m.p.h., and reverse 2 m.p.h.
The rear axle is made up of stout tubas in. forged steel. The vehicle is fitted with two brakes acting independently. The 'hand lever brake, acting upon the rear wheels, is placed on the right-hand side of the driver. The rear band brakes are lined with Thermoid. The foot brake acts through the differential, the brake drum being fixed upon the secondary shaft front the gearbex, the drum and brake shees .being of castiron.
So far as the watering and sweeping mechanism is concerned, the water tank is constructed in sheet-iron, its capacity being 3,600 litres, approximately 770 gallons. On, the top of the tank is an orifice forming a chimney, through which the reservoir can be filled when .1:1.) city possesses a water distributing system
• under pressure. This orifice is hermetically closed by means of a cover and a leather joint, with an interior filter to prevent any impurities from penetrating to the inside of the tank. The water filler can be detached, thus leaving a manhole of 19 ins. by 16 ins., to enable the interior, of the tank to be cleaned.
The :spraying system is composed of two _perforated spouts situated in front of the steering wheels and, through these spouts, about 50 gallons of water can be distributed per minute, over a. road width of about .36 ft. To regulate the width of spray through the main spouts, the latter contain half-circular shutters which are governed from the driver's seat.. A centrifugal pump worked by the engine forces thewater at a suitable pressure through the distributing spouts. The sweeping broom is composed of a central axle with flanges at either extremity. Its length is 6 ft. 8 ins, and its diameter 24 ins.
A coupling cone communicates the movement to a eardan shaft practically parallel with the broom and, in turn, this drives an adjustable chain which drives the broom.
A lever is fitted on the left-hand side of the driver for controlling the movement of the broom.