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Speeding-up Salvage of Disabled Vehicles.

24th November 1925
Page 14
Page 14, 24th November 1925 — Speeding-up Salvage of Disabled Vehicles.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

IT seems to be an accepted fact in Isom quartere that with a constantly increasing number of motor vehicles in use the number of road accidents in which they are involved must inevitably become greater. This may be a faulty method of reasoning and one not generally supported by the facts, although figures which have been issued certainly show that accidents in some areas are on the increase. We are not now concerned with suggestions for reducing the extent of road casualties, but since it appears that collisions and the like must occur, one must give attention to appliances which can be speedily brought into use to remove disabled vehicles that are not able to proceed under their own power.

it is the garage owner or service agent who usually lends his aid in such matters, and special types of appliance adapted to commercial vehicles are often brought into use for dealing with tasks of this kind. The wreckage crane illustrated on this page is a case in point. This is an appliance patented and manufactured by Mr. George Reed, 45, Bromley Common, Kent, which possesses several interesting features in design.

In our picture the crane is shown adapted to a 2-ton Thornyeroft service lorry, and it can be used for lifting a disabled vehicle on to it or for towing or carrying the vehicle behind. As a matter of fact, the crane is so constructed and arranged that it is possible to lift one machine on to the floorboards of the service lorry and to tow or carry another at the rear.

The crane comprises an inverted Ti or bow-shaped jib, which is provided at its lower ends with two downwardly extending members forming hooks at the extreme ends. The jib is bolted or otherwise secured to a transverse member fastened to the rear of the service lorry. This jib has a range of movement in both forward and backward directions, and can be laid flat on the lorry, thus enabling the latter to be used for other purposes, and, therefore, extending its value.

The two blocks and tackle at the front are used for lifting the front part of a disabled vehicle and the two blocks at the rear are carried to the back wheels of the car. At this point a 11iron is passed round the back of the chassis and by raising the front and employing the rear blocks and tackle the wrecked or damaged car automatically passes on to the service lorry. When unloading the procedure is, of course, reversed.

In order to carry another car on the back of the 16rry a 13-iron is passed through the dumb-irons and the vehicle then raised by means of the blocks and tackle, the Ti-iron being allowed to rest In the hooks fixed at the bottom of the jib. By this means the car being dealt with is firmly attached to the jib of the wreckage crane. Another U-iron is passed through the back wheels of the car or, for that matter, any suitable part, the back wheels then being raised from the ground, thus suspending the second car in the air. If the second car be not entirely disabled it can be attached to the lorry by means of the hooks and towed on two wheels; it is immaterial whether it be front or rear wheels.

The crane is built to a standard size, which is for dealing with open-type touring cars, but larger jibs can be supplied. The price of the appliance, including chain blocks and three wire ropes, is £70.

Although primarily designed for salving damaged cars, the Reed wreckage crane can be employed for loading mid 7inloading new cars without even damaging the paintwork. It should be of much value in the former connection, for it enables one or two men to deal with a disabled car, or cars, in a very short space of time.

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