A MULTIPLE-OPERATION ROAD MAKER.
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An Interesting Swedish Appliance Which Can Undertake a Number of Operations, Including Stone Crushing and Road Rolling.
AN accompanying illustration depicts an interesting combined motor road roller and atone crusher which has recently been introduced by the Aktiebolag june-Verken, of Bankeryd, Sweden. The machine, which is known as the Via and is the design of Mr. C. Aberg, a well-known Swedish engineer, is ,claimed to effect considerable economies in road-making and maintenance work, by reason of the fact that it is not necessary to set up and maintain separate stone-crushing plant, for the stone is crushed on the spot instead of having to be transported over more or less long distances.
The motive power is supplied by a vertical four-cylinder water-cooled engine rated at 26 h.p. It is equipped with magneto ignition, pump-actuated water and oil circulation and a compound carburetter which provides for starting on petrol and normal running on paraffin.
The engine, the speed of which can be varied between 400 r.p.m. and 1,200 r.p.m., is set, together with the radiator, on the rear off side of the channel steel frame. The crankghaft is parallel with the axles and is connected through a plate clutch to a gearbox giving two forward and reverse speeds of 1/ m.p.h. and 21 m.p.h. respectively, one for rolling and one for travelling purposes.
From the gearbox the power is trans
mitted to the rear roller through a train of cast-steel gearwheels provided with iron plate guards. An additional set of reduction gears is provided for use when engaged in simultaneous stone-crushing and road-rolling, this giving minimum and maximum speeds of 65 ft. and 130 ft. per hour.
A brake of sufficient power to hold the roller on the steepest gradient is mounted on one of the intermediary shafts within tire gearbox. The steering is effected by a vertical hand-wheel, which is connected through worm and spur gearing to a horizontal gear ring within which the front roller is suitably mounted. The steering gear is stated to be self-locking, so as to prevent the leading roller being deflected out of its course by stones or rough. ground, whilst, to facilitate the steering, the turning path of the roller is provided with a ball race. The axle of the rear roller runs in trunnion bearings directly mounted on the frame.
The stone-crusher, which is driven from the engine by belt off an 11-in. pulley, has a capacity of from 4 to 8 cubic yards per hour. Fitted below the crusher is a crushed-stone spreader, which can be adjusted to any desired height above the ground and at different angles.
The engine, rollers and other parts of the machine are all entirely enclosed, the various doors and covers being so arranged that they can be securely locked, thus enabling the machine to be safely left at nights without the need for an attendant being present, The weight of the combined machine ready for use is about 10 tons-3i tons for the crusher and 63; tons for the roller —so that it is not too heavy to allow it to be driven across the average mainroad bridge. For the final rolling work, when a ,heavier pressure is desired, the weight can be brought up to 12 tons by filling the rollers with water and loading the machine with stone or sand.
One advantage claimed for the Via machine is its low centre of gravity, for this feature enables the outer edges of cambered roads to be rolled without risks of overturning. It is also claimed that by using a single pilot roller and a driving roller—the latter being of a greater width than the pilot—the rolling of the outside edges of roads is facilitated. The low centre of gravity also reduces the labour involved in feeding the crusher.
The roller dimensions are as follow: pilot roller, diameter, 3 ft. 111 ins., width, 2 ft. 7 ins.; driving roller, diameter, 4 ft. 6i ins., width, 4 ft. 3 in The overall dimensions of the machine are: length, 22 ft.: width, .6 ft. 7 ins., and height, 5 ft. 7 ins. The June Co. also makes a machine on similar lines, but without the crusher.