TRAILERS AT OLYMPIA.
Page 53
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1vr0 EXHIBITION of commercial 11 vehicles could be considered complete without examples of the trailer— that very useful means of increasing the load-carrying efficiency of the power Unit. Although not yet, used to a very great extent with the lighter classes of vehicles, its use is on the increase in conjunction 'with the heavier types of petrol and steam machines.
The modern trailer is vastly different from the older types with wood-built frames and cart-like wheels. In its general design it closely resembles the chassis of the towing vehicle without the engine and gear units. The braking has also received much attention and, in most cases, the brakes can be operated by a lever at the side of the trailer or by cable from the driver's seat. In at least one case, brakes operated on the Westinghouse system are employed. One of the best designed trailers is to be found on the Carrosserie Latymer stand. It is strongly built With channel-steel members, and, in fact, the whole construction is in steel, including the wheels. The fore-carriage has extra large steel plates to obviate rolling. They form complete circles, and are not merely segments, thus affording a large bearing area.
The springs are each shackled at one end, the other end sliding in slippers with renewable faces, but the life of these is so great that they should not require replacement under 10 years. The spring chairs and brake brackets are formed in one, no pieces being clipped
on. The -king-pin takes no shearing stresses, as there are ,special bolster blocks around the perch-pin bearing.
The brakes are of the internal-expanding metal-to-metal type, with dual control for operation from the side or by cable from the cab. A compensator is provided between the two sets of shoes. Ample provision for lubrication is made throughout the machine. H. C.ly, Ltd., show three trailers, one fitted with the Makrob rollover tipping mechanism with two steel containers of the contractor's type. The second trailer is of the ordinary hingesided type, and the third carries a flat platform body. The frames are built throughout of channel steel, and steel wheels are also employed. The axles are square and of ample section, and band brakes are employed on the rear wheels. The springs are firmly secured at one end and shackled at the other, and the turntable is provided With com plete wheel plates. Spring hooks are utilized on the drawbars.
The trailers shown by R. A. Dyson and Co., Ltd., are also of all-steel construction, with the exception that the channels are filled with .wood. The sliding ends of the springs are carried in dove-tailed slippers, • Dual control is provided for the band brakes, which are lined with Ferodo.
There is also a large Dyson trailer, built for carrying pantechnicon lift bodies. This is for Carter, Paterson and Co., and is fitted with a splinter bar and trace hooks so that it can be used in conjunction with horses in their yard.
A three-way tipping trailer is shown by the Eagle Engineering Co., Ltd., The body is rolled to the side by means of links attached to nuts riding on two cross-screws, which are rotated by a longitudinal rod and bevel gears; endtipping is by means of a vertical acrew, They aIso have on view a 3-tots all-steel trailer with enclosed internal-expanding brakes and steel disc. wheels.
One of the neatest of the small trailers is the Baico, in which Ford parts are employed. This has a carrying capacity of 15 cwt., and has Ackerman-steered front wheels, .operated by an extension of the drawbar. The price of this little unit is £48 with platform body.
The trailer which is shown on the F.W.D. stand -is of particular interest on account of the fact that it is equipped with a Westinghouse pressure brake. This brake is Controlled from the trailer, and the -arrangement is such that, in the event of the two vehicles becoming detached, either from accidental or other canse, the brakes immediately commence to take effect.
The steering mechanism is of the turntable type, and the wagon is a threeway tipper, having hydraulic tipping mechanism, power for which is, of course, provided on the tractor. and transmitted to the trailer through the medium of suitable flexible piping.
Amongst trailers qaarticular interest attaches to the Garrett, if only on account of its ingenious mechanism. Both axles embody Ackerman-type steering, coupled to the tow-bar attachment, which is duplicated at each end of the chassis, the two sets of mechanism being interconnected so that movement. of the tow-bar (which may be attached to either .end of the trailer) operates the steering gear of both axles, This arrangement is doubly .useful; besides• ensuring proper tracking of the trailer wheels with those of the tractor, it also greatly facilitates manceuvring when the trailer has to he backed. Independent brake gear is embodied, which takes effect on one set of wheels only, and it may be operated either from the towing vehicle or by means of a hand lever mounted on the trailer.