Foden Introduces New Chassis Type
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C"PRISING the range of established goods-vehkle -type's is a variety of wheel and tyre arrangements, Each serves its own particular purpose and represents a natural process of evolution. For example, the rigid sixwheeler, in its original form for carrying the maximum gross weight of 19 tons, has twin tyres on the four bogie wheels and singles on the front. From this there developed a-Machine taking an intermediate position between that and the maximum-legal-load four-wheeler having the samearrangement of six wheels, but single tyres on one of -the bogie axles.
Now, to the credit of Fodens, Ltd., Elworth Works, Sandbach, goes the introduction of a " rigid eight," having single tyres on either the third or fourth 'axle, and presumably for gross weights of between 19 and 22 tons. .This company has recently taken out a patent covering this layout (specification No. 525,824), in which it is stated that the object is to provide a vehicle having a heavy loadcarrying capacity for a minimum weight, with good driving qualities. According to conventional practice, the• four front wheels serve for steering purposes, whilst the drive may be by either the third or fourth axle carrying twin pneumatics. Supporting the single-tyred trailing wheels is a pair of stub axles on arms shackled to the ends of the semi-elliptic rear springs, the arrangement being such that the ratio of load of driving wheel to trailing wheel on each side is 2 to 1 respectively. An accompanying drawing shows the arrange ment, it is of note that, when considered in plan, the trailing wheels track on lines midway between. the tyres of the driving wheels.