A New Industrial Truck
Page 67
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with an Oil-cooled Engine
The Maker of B.E.V. Battery-electric Vehicles Enters the Market with a 1-ton Petrol-engined Machine.
IN the issue of The Commercial Motor dated August 20th we made the first announcement that Wingrove and Rogers, Ltd., of Liverpool and London, is engaged in the production of an industrial truck of one-ton capacity, equipped with a petrol engine. The company has for many years manufactured battery-electric vehicles at its works at Mill Lane, Old Swan, Liverpool. Whilst it holds the opinion that an electric machine is in many ways the• most suitable type for short haulage in industrial surroundings, it realizes that the petrol-engined truck is cheaper in first cost and can be used where there are no facilities for charging batteries.
This point is of considerable importance to proprietors of factories situated in rural areas where the supplies of electriC current have to be generated in the works, and there is often no adequate surplus to meet the needs of transport trucks.
This new machine will make its
debut before the public at the Shipping, Engineering and Machinery Exhibition at Olympia, which opens on September 12th. In certain respects it follows the lines of the Little Giant electric machine. Mild-steel channel members comprise the frame, which gives an available loading space of 4 ft. 6 ins. by 3 ft. 1 in. The front or driven wheels are sprung, spiral springs being used in dashpots; the rear wheels are mounted on an axle with semi-elliptic suspension; steering is effected through the rear wheels. Solid rubber tyres are fitted, the dimensions being 16 ins. by 3 ins. Double-row ball bearings are used for the road wheels. The speed which can be obtained is between 5 m.p.h. and 6 m.p.h.
An Enclosed Engine.
Power is supplied by a 350 c.c. oilcooled engine of the single-cylindered type ; overhead valves are employed. The engine is mounted above the chassis, at the control end, and is pro-. tected by a steel-plate 'housing with ven tilating apertures. Above it is the petrol tank with an external filler. Transmission is by roller chain to a countershaft which is of novel construction. This embodies a clutch and reverse gear, and is supported upon brackets below the chassis frame. Final drive is also by chain.
, The driver stands upon a platform at the front of the vehicle and has a pedal for brake operation. The steering handle works in a vertical plane, whilst a corresponding lever is used to operate both clutch and reverse gear. On this last-named, lever is carried a thumb control for the engine throttle ; this is the only control which differs from the company's electric models. Internal-expanding brakes are used ; these are " on " until the driver removes his foot from the plateytype pedal.
At the time of going to press the price of this machine had not been fixed, but we understand that it will be at a competitive level.
Those who are not familiar with the oil-cooled engine will, upon investigation, find that it is particularly accessible and that it can work in a position where air currents are not able to be regulated sufficiently well to make an air-cooled unit a practical proposition. The cylinder head is detachable, and the barrel also ran be withdrawn from above. The removable sump permits access to the connecting rod and big-end bearing. The engine is a well-tried unit.