AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

THE REVIVAL IN F NNER ENTERPRISE.

26th May 1925, Page 16
26th May 1925
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 16, 26th May 1925 — THE REVIVAL IN F NNER ENTERPRISE.
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

A New Chassis by a Well-known B.

Capable of I r, Designed for 4-ton Net Loads, and Heavy Duties.

WITH the virtual clearing of stocks of returned ex-service vehicles and with the growing need to replace 4-ton vehicles (which, since the war, have not been produced in very great numbers), the directors of the Vulcan Motor and Engineering Co. (1006), Ltd., have -decided that kie time has arrived for them to enter the heavy mmercial motor held with a 4-ton chassis. ',The 4-ton market is a consistently good one, for vehicles of that size can work most economically, providing a capacity which to a very large extent suits the needs of manufacturers and traders, being capable of being handled easily and having a good turn of speed. i'4The type is very suitable for transport in connection with building operations and with roadmaking, and ably fulfils the i•equirements of municipal undertakings. Hence the Vulcan Co. think that their new 4-tonner will prove a great success.

The Ubiquity of the 4-tonner.

The 4-ton vehicle may be considered as a useful mean between the really heavy class and that suitable for the carrying of 3-ton loads. There are many phases of transport where the 3-ton vehicle p slightly below the capacity which is desired and yet the user does not wish to go to the expense of kunning continuously a 5-ton model with, perhaps. rt ton or more less than its proper load. On the other hand, to overload a 3-tonner, as a user 'owning one Is often tempted to do when heavy' loads, particularly those which do not occupy much space, present themselves, is extremely deleterious, hnd it is In such circumstances that the 4-tonner is already proving its value. Unfortunately, the Market has not, until recently, been good except So far as ex-W.D. machines were concerned, for what is classified as the W.D. 3-tonner is, in actual 'practice, a 4-tonner, and it is certain that in the future there will be an increasing demand for a vehicle of the capacity with which we are dealing Although nothing has until now been said in the Press concerning the new chassis, there is nothing experimental or untried about it, for a certain number has been constructed and has already been subjected to prolonged tests, having travelled many thousands of miles in the course of actual 3erYice under various conditions. Every effort has been made to give it drastic treatment, and it is now being produced and issued with full ftdence.

The price of the chassis, with the equipment to he referred to later, is 1745, and it will be evident from the specification that a sturdy construction has been the aim of the designing department. The engine is a four-cylinder Dorman, 120 mm. B32 bore and 140 mm. stroke ; the cylinders are cast in pairs, and they have a total capacity of 6,326 c.c., the Treasury rating being 36 h.p..and the power developed at 1,000 r.p.m. 40 b.h.p. Large inspection doors to the crank-chamber are a feature, enabling the connecting rods and pistons to be removed without disturbing the cylinder, castings after the lower half of the crankcase has been detached. The engine is supported on a sub-frame by four short arms, which are cast on the crankcase. Oil for lubricating the engine is supplied under high pressure by a gear pump in the sump, the crankshaft being bored for the purpose and a pressure gauge connected with the system being mounted on the dash. The valves are disposed side by side on the left-hand side of the engine, and are entirely enclosed by covers, which are readily removable. The tappets are roller-ended and are capable of being readily adjusted, whilst the guides in which they work are also detachable. The camshaft runs on three bearings, and is lubricated from troughs fed with oil, which is thrown . up from the big-ends. A vertical Zenith carburetter is mounted on the off side of the engine. There-are provided two throttles—one for operation by the driver, the other being operated by the governor mechanism of the engine. Usually, the governor is adjusted to cut-out at 1,100 r.p.m., and it is so designed that the driver cannot tamper with it during a run. The magneto is driven in tandem with the water pump through a flexible coupling. Both components are mounted in a very accessible position on the near side of the engine. The radiator is built up of a gilled-tube block with detachable top, bottom and side units, and is mounted on trunnions, the cooling fan being driven from g forward extension of the shaft which drives the pump and magneto. The power is transmitted through a clutch of the adjustable cone type, a dutch stop being fitted to ensure easy changing of gears. From the clutch shaft the potver is taken through a short shaft, with a Hardy flexible joint at each end, to the gearbox, which is three-point suspended on two transverse tubular supports. The gears are of substantial size on suitable shafts mounted on ball and roller bearings in a cast-iron box. The gear lever operates in a gate mounted on the side-member of the frame. The gear ratios are as follow :—Fourth speed (direct), 7.33 to 1; third speed, 12.7 to 1; second speed, 21.1 to 1; first speed, 36.65 to 1; reverse, 31.9 to 1. At an engine speed of 1,000 r.p.m., the speed of the vehicle on the different gears is as follows :—Top speed, 16 m.p.h. ; third speed, 9.25 m.p.h. ; second speed, 5.57 m.p.h. ; first speed, 3.25 m.p.h.; reverse, 3.68 m.p.h.

From the gearbox the power is transmitted by an open shaft fitted with an enclosed cross-pintype universal joint at each end.

The rear axle consists of a one-piece banjo-type 40-ton steel stamping carrying the overhead worm, wormwheel and spur differential in a separate housing, and, as the axle is of the full-floating type, the worm, wheel and differential housing and the shafts can be easily removed without disturbing the axle casing. The axle-driving shafts are of heat-treated high-tensile alloy steel.

Ample Brake Power Provided.

Two independent braking systems are provided, the pedal operating contracting locomotive-type shoes on a drum behind the gearbox, whilst the lever operates expanding shoes in large-diameter drums on the rear wheels. The rear brakes are amply compensated, and provision is made in the case of each brake system for ease of adjustment and ready replacement of wearing parts.

Semi-elliptic springs are employed at the front and rear. They are of ample length and substantial width.

The front axle is of heavy I section 40-ton steel forging, in one piece, whilst the frame is of deepchannel section in pressed nickel-steel, having substantial cross-members, a sub-frame for the engine, and being reinforced in the central section by a steel plate riveted to the web of each member.

The steering gear is mounted on the frame, and consists of a four-life wheel and worm working in grease. The road wheels are steel discs running on floating bushes, and they are equipped with resilient tyres, 130 mm. for 850 mm. rim on the front wheels and 10-in, twin tyres for 850 mm. rim at the rear.

Throughout the chassis the Tecalemit system of lubrication is employed. The petrol tank is placed under the driver's seat and has a capacity of 25 gallons, the feed to the carburetter, therefore, being by gravity. The equipment consists of a bulb horn, a standard kit of tools, and oil side and tail lamps.

To give a few essential dimensions, the wheelbase ranges from 13 ft. 6 ins. to 15 ft. 6 ins., according to purchasers' requirements, although we are not sure whether the longer-wheelbase chassis sells at a higher price than that we have already quoted. The overall length of the chassis on the 134t. 6-in. wheelbase is 21 ft. 3 ins., whilst the overall width is 7 ft. 2 ins. From the back of the cab to the end of the chassis frame on the 13-ft. 6-in. wheelbase there is a platform length of 12 ft. 5 ins. The track Is 5 ft. 9 ins, at the front and 5 ft. 4 ins. at• the rear. There is a minimum ground clearance of 12 ins. throughout. The total weight of the chassis is 3 tons 3 cwt.

The news that the directors of the Vulcan Motor and Engineering Co., Ltd., have enlarged their sphere of action by the addition of the 4-tonner to their range of models will be of great interest to their agents. The range of models now includes the 20-25-cwt. chassis, lorry and van, the 30-cwt., the 2ton and the 4-ton chassis, lorry and tipping wagon, whilst, in, commercial passenger vehicles, it includes 16-seater and 20-seater coaches, 20-seater and 26-seater buses.

Tags

Organisations: US Federal Reserve

comments powered by Disqus