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Building Bodies for Easy Maintenance

24th February 1950
Page 47
Page 47, 24th February 1950 — Building Bodies for Easy Maintenance
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Keywords : Metalworking, Rivet

F4XPER1ENCE in the h o in e market and in various countries overseas has led to the introduction, by Saunders Engineering and Shipyard, Ltd., Beatimaris. Anglesey, North Wales, of a design of all-metal, riveted bddywork for public service vehicles, to be called Saunders Rivaloy.

The first bodies to be produced to the nevi; design are for Leyland 35-seater buses for Crosville Motor Services, Ltd. Similar constructional principles will be , employed in a particularly attractiVe 31-seater coach body which will shortly be available for the Commer Avenger chassis, in addition. 56-seater full-height doubledeckers will be produced, using the same methods.

Ample Spacing

Dimensions of the Crosville vehicles are 27 ft. 6 ins. by 7 ft. 6 ins. by 9 ft. 6 ins. overall. Near-side seats are spaced at 271-in. intervals, whilst those on the off side are spaced at 28-in. intervals.

The body structure is based on alloy pillars linked by steel floor, seat and waist rails. Steel interior panels which take the working stresses are riveted in, exterior panelling being of 18-gauge aluminium. The interior panels are of 20-gauge steel sheet, fixed in bay lengths to pillars, floor, seat and waist rails to form a rigid body side. Exterior panelling is also carried out in bay sections with lapping panels.

Exterior roof panelling is of 18-gauge aluminium alloy, the inner lining being of 20-gauge half-hard, aluminium riveted to the alloy roof-sticks. The

alloy cant-rails .ire continuous. Crossbearers connected to the pillars by steel brackets are formed by steel channels fixed back to hack.

Maintenance is claimed to be much simpler in the Rivaloy design. To assist operators, the tools supplied include a special kit which provides all the necessary equipment for removing rivets, .locating blind holes and re-riveting panels. Chobert rivets are employed and extensive tests have been carried out which demonstrate that, with the thick pillar sections used, hundreds of removal and replacement operations can be completed without fear of any -loosening taking place.

Every part employed has a sectional number 'and as each detail is toolmanufactured and jig-assembled, every one is interchangeable: Sub-assemblies and complete units can also he exchanged.

At the Beaumaris works, special attention is given to the question of protective treatments. All light-alloy structural parts are anodized or chemically etched and primed, steel parts are BOnderized and primed, flooring and longitudinal timbers are treated with Permasan, and contact surfaces are treated with barium chromate or zinc chromate. Before being aluminium-painted, all metal below the flooring and all internal surfaces below the waist line are coated with Carbolastic.

Special care has been taken to achieve a finely moulded finish to the window openings inside the saloon. The framing is formed of aluminium pressings in a slender curved section. These can be finished by stoveenamelling or covered in Res inc which has been pre-shaped in the upholstery shops by attachment to wooden blocks. Simplastic glazing is employed and the principal side windows have sliding panels.

Basically similar in construction is the Saunders double-decker already mentioned. Overall it is 25 ft. 101 ins, long, 7 ft. 6 ins, wide and 14 ft. 6 ins. high. in this case, the complete body consists of jig-built main units which arc assembled to form two major sections, the lower saloon and the upper saloon. The former is lifted from its jig on to the chassisand the upper saloon is then placed in position before the final interior finishing and painting take place.

Modern Coach Body

Now nearing completion at the Saunders plant is a new design for the Cornmer Avenger, which will be available either as a coach or as a light bus. Overall dimensions are 27 ft. 4i; ins. by 7 ft. 6 ins by 9 ft. 7 ins. Gangway height is 6 ft. 3 ins.

A full-fronted cab is necessitated by the manufacturer's frontal styling, but the steeply sloping windscreen is recessed beneath the fore peak of the roof. The space over the front axle to the left of the driver is devoted to pas sengers' luggage. A rear boot with spare wheel stowage is also provided. Immediately behind the near-side front wheel is the jack-knife entrance door: the emergency exit is on the off side.

Luxury-type coach seats with Dunlopillo and Hairlok upholstery interiors are provided for 31 passengers, all facing forward. Where extra comfort is desired, such as on long-distance services, adjustable-type coach seats in single and twin units can be fitted, giving spacious accommodation for 20 passengers.

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