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OPINIONS FROM OTHERS. .

22nd May 1923, Page 31
22nd May 1923
Page 31
Page 31, 22nd May 1923 — OPINIONS FROM OTHERS. .
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

The Editor invites correspondence on all subjects cormeeted with the use of commercial Motors. Letters should be on one side of the paper only and typewritten by preference. The right of abbreviation is reserved, and no responsibility tor views expressed is accepted.

Light Vans with Big Engines.

The Editor, TUE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.

• [21731 Sir,—Your comments in the issue of The Commercial Motor for May 8th regarding the dearth of motor vans of high power-weight ratios are very interesting. What I am wondering is whether something that fills the bill is not found in either our " Austin Twelve " or " Austin Twenty " chassis, both of which are sold for commercial purposes, one at £380 and the other at £500.

The capacity of the " Austin Twenty" van is 15, cwt., and, as you are probably aware, the accelerating powers of both these engines are very great, whilst their reliability is genetaily known.—Yours faithfully, For THE AUSTIN.MOTOR CO., LTD.,

Longbriclge Works, near Birmingham.

The Design of the Tractor Lorry.

The Editor, THE GOWN/BRUTAL MOTOR.

BURGESS GARBUTT.

[2174] Sir,—In reply to the letter from Mr. C. F. Cleaver, on page 416 of The commercial Motor of May 15th, regarding the turntable on tractor-lorries, quite .agree that if the turntable he placed in front of the middle axle there would be less side drag on that axle, but there would then be a side drag on the. front axle, which would affect the steering.

Also, I think Mr. Cleaver is wrong about the " cutting-jn " angle of the third axle, for, according to my calculation, this is increased when the turntable is in front of the middle axle.

The accompanying sketches illustrate the positions of the wheels and axles on two tractor-lorries with equal wheelbases, turning at equal centre radii ; Fig. 1 shows the turntable over the middle axle, and Fig. 2 the turntable in front.

rhe side drag in Fig. 1 acts on the middle axle only, whereas in Fig. 2 it acts on both front and middle axles in the inverse ratio of a-b and c-d.

The " cutting-in " angle (A) is greater in Fig. 2 than in Fig. Further, the side width required for turning (S) is greater in Fig. 2 than Fig. 1. My reasons for stating that the correct position for the ,turntable is over the middle axle are as follow : I.—There is no side drag on the front wheels, consequently the steering is under proper control, which, as I pointed out in the article, is an important point.

• 2.—Less width is required when turning ; this 118 important for congested.traffie and narrow turnings. a—More exact control of the movements of the trailer, which is, therefore easier to manipulate, especially when backing.—Vours faithfully, HEPH2ESTET.

A Clutch at Each End of the Gearbox.

The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR; [2175]. Sir,—On page '475 of the -issue of The Commercial Motor for May 8th you give an illustrated description of a device which you state is the patent . of Mr. Saxon, of Blackpool, which provides for the introduction of a second clutch with the object of bringing the gearwheels to a standstill in order to facilitate changing gears. One of our members asks us to advise you that our technical department investigated and arranged for a provisional protection to be taken out in April, 1922, for a mechanism of this description,, the patent specification being No, 10,072/22, so that it would seem that Mr. Saxon's idea. has been anticipated.—Yours faithfully,

THE AITTOCRAFT BOARD,

J. MORSE SCOTT, Controller.

Countering Railway Rate Reductions.

The Editor, THECOMMERCIAL MOTOR.

[2176] Sir,—In your last issue I noted a letter written by Mr. D. S. Capper, in which he championed the trailer against the tractor-lorry. He mentions, as the second of what he terms the two-fold advantage of the vehicle and trailer over the tractor-lorry, that, if there is no return load, the trailer can be left and the lorry alone brought back. Surely this would, in most instances, be quite impossible, Particularly in the case of a vehicle which had to cover large areas.—Yours faithfully, , TRACTOR-LORRY.

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Organisations: AITTOCRAFT BOARD
Locations: AUSTIN, Birmingham

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