The Birmingham Show.
Page 15
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The third annual motor show was opened, at Bingley Hail, on Friday last, by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, the Chairman being Mr. Hamilton Barnsley, Managing Director of The Lancliester Engine Company. There was evidence of considerable improvement on the earlier efforts of the organisers, and the exhibition proved well worthy of a visit : it closes on Saturday.
MR. C. L. WELLS, of Dawley Brook Cottage, Kingswinford, shows a 6-ton Sentinel steam wagon, made by Alley and MacLellan, Limited (No. 119); it is capable of taking to-tons, with a trailer, and is the standard type, with single chain drive to the main axle.
MANN'S PATENT STEAM (7ART AND WAGON CO., LTD., of Pepper Road Works, Hunslet, Leeds, shows a standard s-ton steam wagon (No. 392); this is fitted with the makers' compoundhorizontal engine, in oil bath, locomotive boiler, and usual gear drive.
MESSRS. WOOD AND COMPANY, of 3, New Street, Birmingham, show a ton standard standard Sr. PANCRAS steam wagon (No. zo), fitted with soli.p. engine, and capable of dealing with a total net load of 8-tons, divided between wagon and trailer. The engine is completely enclosed, and runs in oil, but it is perfectly accessible, for adjustments, without removing any of the load from the body. The St. Pancras patent, vertical, radial, return-tube boiler, evaporating 1,000 lb. of water per hour, with short tubes completely submerged, is employed, this being arranged, within and without, for easy cleaning. The patent, rocking fore-carriage, which allows a three-point suspension on the road, should, also, be examined.
The Newey-Aster 12-h.p. delivery van is shown by THE NE.''EY MOTORCAR CO., LTD., of Station Street, Birmingham. The frame is of pressed steel, on the latest model, fitted with the best springs obtainable. The engine is of the Aster type, fitted with mechanically_ operated valves; it has a Longuemare carburetter, with the Aster automatic attachment. The change-speed gear provides three ratios forward, and a reverse, all actuated by one lever, there being direct drive, from the engine to the back axle, on the top speed, when the secondary shaft remains stationary' with all gears out of mesh. The drive to the rear axle is by bevel pinion and wheel, with large ball bearings, and the propeller shaft has specially-designed universal joints. The front axle is forged steel of a well-known and tried quality; the steering gear is the latest approved design, enclosed in a dustproof case ; the friction clutch and flywheel are constructed so as to avoid all end-thrust on the bearings of the motor or gear ; the brakes, of which three are fitted, are all metal-tometal, with a direct pull, and very effective ; the radiator is of the flat-tube type, with combination water tank, and the air current is induced by a large fan operated from the engine ; lubrication is from a drip-feed reservoir, fitted on
the dashboard ; ignition is by wipe contact, with an induction coil and accumulator, properly protected front the weather ; the pneumatic tires are 8romm. by 90nun. on the driving wheels, and 800mm. by 83mm. on the front wheels. This van is priced at j:,300, and the box body has been executed, in an excellent manner, by Messrs. Buchanan, of Birmingham.
An interesting exhibit, is that of the CENTRAL MOTOR CO., LTD., of Priory Road, Aston, which shows I wo of Moore's patent motor wheels, designed lur omnibus and steam-wagon work. These wheels, which can be supplied at £60 per pair, are intended to supersede the present rubber tires on omnibuses, and to obviate the troubles connnon to them. The wheel itself is built with a steel hub, turned and bushed, and has cast-steel, wrought-steel, or other suitable spokes and slippers. The inner tire is surrounded by pneumatic or solid-rubber cushions, of buffer quality, and the slippers are easily changed in the event of any one of them becoming damaged. The slippers yield to all unequal angles of roadways, stones, and other like obstructions, thus taking the undue strain off the axle of the car, and doing away with the unpleasant concussion, or vibration, usually experienced when runningover such obstructions. Up to the present, these wheels have not been used on steam wagons, but a pair has been tried, for some hundreds of miles, on a London motorbus.
Ci.s.aoxs, SlARSIIAi.i. AND CAREER LTD., of Hunslet Road, Leeds, exhibits samples of " Lustrogen " aluminium paint, suitable for use on motor engines, exhaust boxes, silencers, and any other parts exposed to the action of the weather, mud, etc.
SEYMOUR HUMPHREYS AND CO., LTD., of Corporation Street, Birmingham, shows a model of the " Certus " emergency slipper brake, which is at present in embryo, the idea being a skid-iron, supported on a movable arm, and
operated, by a hsver, front the driver's footplate. By pulling the lever, the slipper is allowed to come under the contact surface of the wheel, when the wheel mounts the slipper, and is, then, held up by means of a chain. It is proposed to produce this emergency skid at the price of j,:s per wheel, but, up to the present, the designers have not got the device beyond the model stage.
THE DUNLOP PNEUMATIC TYRE CO., LTD., is catalogued as showing Dunlop solid motor tires for motorbuses, delivery vans, lorries, and all types of commercial vehicles ; but, unfortunately, these heavy tires were not shown on thc stand on Saturday last.
An interesting exhibit, bearing more especially upon the cost of tires for commercial and pleasure vehicles, is made by THE ELASTES CO., LTD., of 79 and 8o, York Stree:, Westminster, S.W. This company shows sections of inner tubes filled with Elastes : (a) before use in a cover ; and (b) after having run 4.800 miles on a heavy, high-speed car. Worn-down outer covers, showing the extent to which it is possible to wear covers when used over Elastes-filled tubes, are added. The peculiar qualities of this material will be appreciated, when it is stated that, on a car weighing nearly three tons, one Elastes filling has had the life of at least four outer covers; and the same Elastes filling is still running. The covers of the tires last longer ; there is the same resilience, and no reduction of speed, whilst the extra weight is fully compensated by doing away with spare tires, quickchange wheels, rubber outfits, pumps, jack, etc., where used before. Moreover, for use with travellers' vehicles, the owner need have no hesitation in driving his own car, since tire troubles will not come upon him suddenly. If the cover is cut, it is only necessary to cover the outer tire with a gaiter, when the car can be driven to its destination. Elastes may go a long way to encourage further purchases of the economical commercial motor for travellers.