A New 12-cwt. Milnes-Daimler Van.
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We were recently requested by Milnes-Daimler-Mercedes, Ltd., to take a trial run on a new light model which this company is placing on the market. Accordingly, then, the van put in an appearance on Thursday morning of last week, at Rosebery Avenue, and a member of our editorial staff took a short run on the van through the city traffic. A more conclusive and lengthy road test under load had perforce to be postponed until some tune in the near future. Nevertheless, it was possible to secure some idea of the liveliness of the engine and the ease of control and of gear-changing and of the efficiency of the brakes during a run into the " Pentonville hill country." The new Milnes-llaimler 12-cwt. machine is a model for which there exists considerable demand. We pointed out, in last week's issue, that an enormous market exists for the light van ; it is evident that this progressive company is in agreement with us.
Constructional Differences.
The machine is not. entirely unlike its bigger 25-cwt. brother, a detailed description of which we gave in our issue of 13th June, pp. 312313. Many of the well-known MilnesDaimler features are prominent in this new light chassis. It must not be supposed, however, that the 12ewt. model is merely a lighter design of one-tonner. The smaller van has an engine which differs considerably from the usual type fitted to this maker's commercial vehicles. It is of 12-15 h.p., with four cylinders cast in pairs, and having a bore and
stroke of 70 mm. by 120 mm., respectively. The same class of timing gear is adopted as on the larger model. This, it will be remembered, is centrally situated between the cylinders, and drives the oil and water pumps and also the magneto. This last has also been changed, and Eisemann self-advancing ignition is now usually fitted. The carburetter is slightly smaller than this maker's standard ; it is fitted with a device which throttles the gas and automatically regulates the mixture at all speeds, according to the claims of the maker. A single-cone clutch of large diameter marks another departure. This displaces the double-cone clutch which we have already fully described. The cool-' ing is pump-actuated, assisted by belt-driven fan and vaned flywheel. Four speeds and a reverse are fitted, and the final drive is by cardan shaft to bevel-driven live axle.
Brakes and Accessibility.
Two brakes are provided, one of which acts on the gearshaft and the other on the rear axle. The frame is upset at the rear, and ample semielliptical springs are fitted. Artillery wheels fitted with pneumatic tires 815 mm. by 105 mm. both hack and front, have been adopted. Th? overall length is 13 ft. 54 in., with a wheelbase of 9 ft. 04 in.
No other new departure of interest is noticeable on this light chassis. We may remark, however, that great attention has been paid throughout to detail, and the efforts to eliminate knife-edges, to lock securely all nuts and bolts, to render the lubrication a simple and effective process, and to make all the component parts easily accessible, are worthy of praise. The chassis price, with tires, is 2350.