Leyland Motors, Limited.
Page 19
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E•xhibit :—One Latest Pattern 5.-ton Steam Wagon.
The Leyland steanwagons have long been famous for their reliable and lasting qualities, and or the practical nature of their design. The Leyland boiler has always been a very efficient one and the company has worked steadily to increase its " tube " life. The vertical fire tube; can be easily cleaned when the top half of the outer shell is removed, and tt is feature of the boiler, which makes the operation of cleaning a very easy cne, is, perhaps, one of the chief reason.> why they have given satisfaction in th hands of careless or inexperienced drivers. How satisfactory this boiler -las proved itself may be judged from the fact that its design has remained practically unaltered since the company competed in the Liverpool trials of toot, and in which the Leyland won the highest award, viz., a gold medal. The vertical fire tubes, however, which were originally made of steel, are now made with a copper sleeve which surrounds the old steel tube. The object of these copper sleeves is to prevent the corrosion which is continually taking place with all-steel tubes at and above the water line, whilst the faults of the allcopper tube—particularly its internal scoring and cutting through by gritty particles from the fuel—are overcome. The joints with the tube plates should also last longer.
The boiler feed is maintained by means of a plunger pump which is driven off the second-motion shaft by means of an eccentric ; it is, therefore, delivering water to the boiler all the time that the engine is running. An auxiliary feed pump is also fitted, for use when the engine is not running, or for occasional use when the boiler needs a considerable amount of water.
The Leyland engine is of the compound type, and all its working parts, together with the second-motion shaft, the change-speed gear, and gear-changing mechanism, are completely enclosed within one large casing. There is a reducing gear between the crankshaft and the second-motion shaft, and, between the latter shaft and the differential-gear shaft, there are two sets of spur gears, either of which may be used as re quired. The ordinary slide valves are operated from the connecting rod by a series of links ; this construction is known as Joy's valve gear, and its employment obviates the necessity for any eccentrics on the crankshaft. We reproduce a diagram showing the application of this gear to a Leyland engine.
One of the new things which this company has recently introduced is a " non-skid " for attachment to the wheel of any steam or petrol wagon. We illustrated this device in our issues of the t3th and 20th February last, when dealing with the Manchester show, at which exhibition the device was first introduced to the public. The company is now prepared to fit them to any make of steam or petrol. wagon. Leyland Motors, Limited, was formerly known as the Lancashire Steam Motor Company, Limited, and its works are at Leyland, in Lancashire. The wagon which is exhibited by this company has been sold to the Rhondda Valley Breweries Company, Limited, of Pontypridd, and it is a repeat order from that South Wales cornpany.