VAN BODIES to Suit the
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LAUNDRY TRADE
THE laundry trade is a large and progressive Industry in which transport plays an important part, because the linen has to be collected as well as delivered. When the journey consists of houseto-house calls direct from the laundry, the 1-ton or 25-cwt. van is usually employed.
Smaller units have sufficient capacity if the work has to be taken only to a receiving office, whilst, on the other hand, vans to carry 2 tons and upwards are necessary when collections are made from hotels, or from a liner at the docks.
Motors' Aid to Laundry Trade.
Mechanical transport has also helped the development of this trade, because many laundries do not rely only on local custom, but cater for business over a wide area, which necessitates long daily journeys.
Laundry is carried in baskets and hampers with and without waterproof linings, and in cardboard boxes. It is not possible to design a van to carry a definite number of standard-size hampers without loss of space, unless it is engaged on a limited class of work, such as the 2038 transport of the linen of an hotel to its own laundry..
In other instances, the washing is made up in paper parcels and often it goes to the laundry with the largest article forming the wrapper. It is necessary, therefore, that a delivery van used all the year round should provide adequate protection for the load.
The type of bodywork most in favor is the boarded tilt van with a pair of waterproof curtains above the tailboard. The partition behind the driver may be omitted, but it is considered that a van built in this style is not fully equipped. Access to the load from the front is easily achieved with a sliding door mounted behind the partition.
If the tailboard be utilized frequently for carrying part of the load, the back curtains are extended and have side wings, so that they fully protect hampers carried at this point. Other vans have half or full-height doors and a tailboard, or there is no tailboard but only doors, or a roller shutter at the rear.
Preventing Delays.
The-laundry van usually has sufficient headroom for the vanman to stand up inside it and sort the parcels, and thus prevent delay when making calls. Recent developments in the trade tend to encourage the multiplication of small packages and the modern van is built on lines similar to that of a travelling showroom, with a central gangway and nests of shelves on each side of it. The interior of the van is effectively lighted by means of the windows in a clerestory roof.
The van may have the upper panels in line with the lower ones, but a projecting rave at the waistline makes a convenient ledge for piling the load. The uprights of the side framework cannot be continuous when there is an overhanging rave, but any loss of strength thus created is comoensated by means of inside plates, which run from above the waist, continue at right angles over the rave and then down to the floor, where they are bolted to the bottom framework. The overhang. ing rave may be further supported by outside stays.
In view of the fact that the laundry van makes frequent calls, a low loading line saves much labour. A certain height of floor may be convenient for the loading bay of a large laundry, but there are no similar facilities en route.
Small-wheeled Vehicles.
If a particularly low floor be desired without the obstruction of wheel-arches, a chassis with small wheels may be selected. It is of interest to note that pneumatic tyres are now available with 23-in. or 25.4-in, actual diameter. These
tyres are of 5-in. section and are designed for a load of 11 cwt, per wheel.
A central gangway with side shelving has already been mentioned as a method of saving time with frequent calls. Another plan is to adopt some form of side loading. According to the position and height of the rear wheels in relation to the floor level and length 'of body, so side doors or shutters may be arranged to give access on each side of the body.
With a low floor and no wheelarches, the whole of the side of the loading portion may be divided into sections, each with its roller shutter and divided horizontally by one or two platforms or shelves. Whether the van be arranged for side loading or not, some shelving is always an advantage for the storage of the smaller parcels and to prevent crushing when the linen is not enclosed in a hamper.
Empty hampers are sometimes a problem, for which reason a boxvan with a roof rail is often specified as a means for solving this difficulty. There would appear to be scope for the introduction of collapsable hampers or boxes, so that they could be folded flat when empty.
Laundry vans may not be devoted entirely to the transport of linen, but the deliveries may be alternated
with dyeing and cleaning work. In other instances, the van may be required to carry other classes of goods if there be a slack mid-week period.
A general-purpose van may hate hinged or fixed sides with detachable hoops and a loose sheet, or the last named is supported on a centre ridge pole. A variation of the loose sheet is a fixed roof cover with side and back curtains. In fine weather the side curtains may be rolled up to light the interior of the vehicle.
Striking Colour Schemes.
Many laundry vans have striking colour schemes and attractive displays of writing, thus making good use of the vehicle as a travelling advertisement. The wording on the panels often includes a reminder of the care taken of the articles entrusted to the laundry.
It is, therefore, necessary that the vehicle itself should convey a similar message and not one of neglect. Laundering is also directly associated with cleanliness, so that the paintwork and writing display should be kept in first-class condition in order that the publicity value of the van shall have its full effect.