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LIGHT-ALLOY SEMI-TRAILER TANKERS FOR AUSTRIA

28th February 1964
Page 26
Page 26, 28th February 1964 — LIGHT-ALLOY SEMI-TRAILER TANKERS FOR AUSTRIA
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ROME five or six years ago the B.P. 1--/ Co. of Vienna, Austria, operated a number of rigid and articulated vehicles with aluminium tanks, but discontinued their use because of repeated fractures of the tank-mounting members. It is the more noteworthy, therefore, that the company has ordered five Miles chassisless light-alloy tank semi-trailers from Gloster Equipment Ltd., Hucelecote, Gloucester, and that technicians of the company are confident that the outfits will withstand continuous operation on the relatively bad road surfaces of that country.

In an opening address at a function last week at which the first of the vehicles was demonstrated, Mr. A. E. Martin, a director of G.E.L., reported that later in the year Miles tanks will be equipped with -running gear and auxiliaries in Austria by the Danubia company of Vienna, the G.E.L. agents; he stated his confidence that this would increase their overseas market potential, notably in the

Near East. Danubia will undertake the servicing and repair of tankers in Austria.

The tankers arc said to be the first of their type to be exported by a U.K. concern to a country in the European Free Trade Area. The function was attended by Mr. M. Paul Michl, a senior official of the Austrian Ministry of Transport.

Based on B.T.C. Four-in-Line running gear, the tanker has four compartments with a total rated capacity, less 5 per cent, of 20,000 litres (4,400 gal.) of petroleum spirit having a maximum specific gravity of 0-755, the saving in weight provided by the use of light alloy giving an increase in payload of 3,000 litres.

Following normal G.E.L. practice, the tank is of the maximum-section type welded throughout by the shielded-arc process, the specification of the alloy being BS.1470/NS.6. The tank is stressed to withstand a loading of 8 tons/sq. in. which allows for a loading condition of 6g vertically, I-5g longitudinally and 2g transversely. To cater for rough road sur faces in Austria the underplate has been increased in thickness to 116 (0.1875) in„ the standard material being 8 gauge. The tank is 28-4 ft. long, 7-5 ft. wide and 4.5 ft. high overall. Semperit 9.00-20 tyres are fitted.

In Austria the tanker will be hauled by a Steyr tractive unit powered by a 145 b.h.p. diesel engine' and fitted with a 10-speed transmission. The chassis of this vehicle is equipped with a fifth-wheel coupling located 18 in. ahead of the driving axle and weight distribution of the laden outfit will be: front axle 4-5 tons, driving axle 8.5 tons and semitrailer axle 10 tons.

To meet Austrian regulations the compartments are fume-vented to the bulk supply tank when loading, which reduces the fire risk and provides an appreciable saving in fuel. A flowmeter is employed in the gravity-discharge system, the outlet pipes being grouped together in a dispensing cabinet on the right of the vehicle. Other tank details include ladder, walkway and hose tubes of light alloy, a full-width rear bumper and a fully weatherproofed electrical-coupling adaptor.

In Austria the B.T.C. running gear offers no payload advantage over a straight axle, the official rating for both types being 10 tons, but it is claimed by G.E.L. technicians that the stability afforded by the B.T.C. gear on rough roads is particularly advantageous in Austria and they point out that it also offers the advantage of an increase in the number of brake drums from two to four.


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