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PASSENGER TRAVEL NEWS.

27th July 1926, Page 23
27th July 1926
Page 23
Page 23, 27th July 1926 — PASSENGER TRAVEL NEWS.
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The Latest Doings and Developments in the Bus and Coach World.

A NEW ALL-WEATHER FIEAD.

A Brief Description of a Patent Design which Possesses the Merits of Simplicity and Ease of Operation.

TLIOSE who are observant will have noticed that, in proportion to the volume of passenger-carrying vehicles in use this season, the number of saloon coaches in regular commission is much greater than in past years. This feature does not imply that the opentype of vehicle, which is merely protected by a collapsable hood, is obsolete, but it does suggest thatrin a country where the climate is distinctly variable, the road traveller is quick to appreciate the merits of all-weather equipment.

A few years ago the term saloon coach was only applied to the vehicle with a Permanent top, but nowadays it has assumed a wider significance and embraces that class of vehicle which has drop windows and a bead covering which can be readily removed in fine weather. Such a coach is really a happy mean between the open type and that with a fixed top, and can be said to possess most of the advantages of each without having the disadvantages peculiar to either of them. Therein lies the reason for much of the popularity of the all-weather saloon coach, which bas won its way into favour with' the travelling public and the coach owner.

There are several makes and types of all-weather head on the market, some of which have given proof of their efficiency and are in considerable use. ()thers there are which, whilst being of sound design, are somewhat difficult to manipulate when it is desired to lower the hood.

The fundamental requirements of anall-weather head are simple construction,' easy control and quick manipulation, and these would appear to be met in the Patent design which has recently been introduced by the Motor and Accessories Co., 40, Waterford Road, Walham Green, London, S.W.6. The nature of this company's invention is the arrangement of an upper frame in conjunction with adjustable lights and an extending hood, and an idea of the form which it takes can be ascertained from the accompanying illustrations.

When not required the upper frame can be lowered into the sides of the body and is completely hidden, the use of specially constructed metal body pillars making this possible. Each pillar has two sections, a front and a back, the fernier being arranged to take fixed guides for the sliding lights and the latter to form a receptacle into which the upper frame disappears when not required. The pillars film form the support and fixtures for the inside and outside panels of the body.

The inside vertical members of the moving frame are constructed of Hsection, whilst those on the outside are of channel section. The vertical members are connected at the top by a horizontal member which, when the frame is raised, forms a guide and support for the hoop sticks carrying the hood covering and, when lowered, forms the garnish rail along the top edge of each side of the body, thus effectively concealing the , lights and frame and preventing the ingress of dust and water.

The raising and lowering of the frames •

is made an easy matter by the use of specially shaped balancing levers at each end ; their construction is shown in a detail picture reproduced on this page. These levers also serve as locking devices when the, frame is in the up or down positions and, furthermore, act as stays when it is raised.

We have now dealt with the side frames, and it remains to be shown how the hood coveringsuperates in conjunction with them. The hoop sticks are disposed at intervals along the top rails, to which they are fixed by a simple clamping device. The covering is not taken over an ordinary hoop stick at the rear, but is attached to the top front edge of the shaped metal portion, which is arranged to fall so that its bottom edge follows the contour of the body. The curLain, which runs across the back of the body, is attached to this bottom edge and to the body itself. The hood straps are tensioned over a cross-rod above the aluminium cowl, which is fixed above the windscreen.

When the metal portion is folded back it conceals the back curtain and forms • a receptacle for the accommodation of the hood and the hoop sticks. , The latter are readily removed by loosening the clamps which hold them to the side rails, when they can be lifted one at a time by one man and placed at the rear.

The body of the coach which we illustrate is a 20-sea.ter, and it is built on the light system of steel construction, in which the Motor and Accessories Co. are specialists. We have described this method on several occasions in the past, and a body built on these lines is claimed to give increased strength and durability as compared with a body built wholly or largely of wood. Moreover, it ensures a great saving of weight.

The body we inspected is a typical specimen of the company's products, and has been built for Pioneer Luxury Coaches, of Portsmouth. Such a body complete with all-weather head as described sells at £385.

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Locations: Portsmouth, London

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