CUSHION TYRES ON HEAVY LORRIES.
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rinHE PRACTICE of equipping com
mercial vehicles with air-cushion tyres is rapidly growing, not only on the lightest of delivery vans, on which they have achieved a considerable measure of success, but also on vehicles built to carry heavy loads.
The Maudslay lorry, which is shown in an illustration on this page, is one of several vehicles belonging to the Gateshead Corporation which are fitted with tyres of this description made by Henley's Tyre and Rubber Co., Ltd., 20-22, Christopher Street, Finsbury Square, London, E.C.2. This particular municipal machine is used for the con veyance of ashes and clinker, and is often called upon to carry loads well in excessof four tons.
The negotiation of the many difficult gradients in the locality of Gateshead by the vehicles owned by the corporation has given the authorities much concern, due to the fact. that slipping has occurred, but we are told that, since the vehicles have been fitted with Henley cushion tyres, this difficulty has been overcome.
The design of the tread of the Henley air-cushion tyre is such that it gives adequate adhesion, and by securing a good grip of the road surface, reduces the possibility of skidding to a minimum. Moreover, the • bugbear of pneumatic-tyre users--that of punctures, with its attendant delays—is obviated. It will be noted that the Maudslay vehicle which we illustrate is fitted with a snow-plough, which is suspended at an angle from the chassis frame members between the front and rear wheels. The weight of the plough is approximately 3 cwt. Apart from air-cushion tyres for heavy vehicles, the Henley Tyre and Rubber Co., Ltd., are also supplying such equipment on Hayes rims for oneton Fords, and these enable a conversion from pneumatic tyres to be made without alterations to the existing wheels.