Clarkson, Limited.
Page 14
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Exhibit :—One Double-deck Omnibus, and One Three-ton Van.
The handsomely-fitted body of the passenger vehicle is by the Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company, Limited. A refinement is the fitting of a dynamo, driven off the lay shaft from the differential gear, which also rotates the fan behind the condenser: a current for lighting purposes is provided at a pressure of zo volts. We observe that there are fewer leaves in the back springs, which previously were rather too stiff, and that the Hans Renold silent type of chain is fitted in place of the roller type. The general design of the engine is unchanged, but two additional bearings are provided for the crankshaft. Joy's valve gear is still used, but of stouter build, to avoid springing. The slide valves are circular. Further, particular attention has been paid to the retention of oil in the engine casing, certain parts being fitted with rings, and others with sling rings, whilst, elsewhere, cavities in the side of the casing are provided with pipes that lead any oil back again to the interior. We understand that, whereas the oil consumption used to be as much as gallon per day of 110 miles, the system now shown can work on •i gallon per 1,000 miles.
Plain bearings are fitted in the steering gear, in place of ball bearings for the end thrust of the screw. The lever mechanism of the locomotive-type brake on the differential shaft has been redesigned, so as to give additional clearance underneath, and to facilitate ad justment, but the drums are unchanged. The back-wheel brakes, of the internalexpansion type, with a single shoe, are as before.
The boiler is Clarkson's latest water. tube type, of the multi-coil variety, but with short and simple coils. Every pre. caution has been taken to render access to the interior a simple matter, by the lifting of the top cover. The pressure gauge is painted green, over the graduations from 200 lb. to 300 lb. on the square inch, and the driver is told that the needle will keep over this space unless something is wrong. As a matter of fact, pressure seldom falls below 210 lb. The feed is regulated automatically by the change in the level of the water, by a thermostat, which is placed out
side the boiler and which controls the water by-pass. The pump is driven off the differential shaft, which is geared at one-third the r.p.m. of the engine, and there is no donkey pump. A stand-by hand pump is fitted, for the purpose of filling the boiler once .a week, after washing out, and for emergency use. The thermostat is arranged to increase the feed when descending a hill, and to decrease it when ascending, thus making steaming steady and uniform. The burner is of Clarkson's usuat type, entirely shielded by a curved plate beneath : the burner feed is now governed by the steam pressure, at two. points, where the fuel is gaseous. The other exhibit is a three-ton van, on a similar chassis, built to the order • of Lever Brothers, Limited, of Port Sunlight, and the company's system of automatic lubrication is also shown. upon the stand. The action may be watched upon two engines, which are fitted with glass slides.
The reduction between the engine and the road wheels is in two steps, the ratio between the crank and differentiat shafts being three to one, and that between the chain wheels about 2.4• to one. The longer wheel base, which has now been increased to 12 feet 511inches,. should reduce the tendency to side-slip, whilst the lowering of the driver's seat by four inches, although this seat is still above the generator, gives the vehicle a better general appearance ; a canopy now protects the driver.