A NOVEL TYPE OF PANTECHNICON BODY.
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Built on Engineering Principles and Incorporating a Sleeping Compartment.
AFEW weeks ago we described an interesting body of the insulated type designed and built by Messrs. Fyall and Shearman, Carysfort Road, Stoke Newington, London, N.16.
They have now produced another body, this time of the pantechnicon type, which also incorporates certain novel features. It is their claim that the bodies built by them are designed on engineering principles, rather than on what may be termed conventional bodybuilding practice.
In this ease along each side of the body are two :1.i-in. by /36-in. full-length runners of mild steel which serve to stiffen the whole construction and also act as bearers for the body extension forming the upper part of the cab, this extension having a length of 5 ft. 9 ins., a height of 4 ft. 4i ins., and a width of 7 ft.
The cantilever construction thus obtained enables the carrying of loads weighing up to 15 cwt. in the extension, whilst the size of this portion of the body permits the accommodation of several men for sleeping purposes, and to permit their entry or exit when the remainder of the body is loaded to its full height a special door is provided at the near side, access being facilitated by steps on the near side of the cat and a vertical rail at the side of the door opposite to its hinges. Further to add to the comfort of any occupants there is a small window at the off side.
The interior of the rest of the body is
chiefly notable for the longitudinal arrangement of the floorboards, which are in one length, so that furniture and other articles pushed along the floor cannot catch. Similarly there is a lack of other projections which might cause obstruction, the inner irons used for reinforcing the sides being covered with leather.
The floorboards of the sleeping compartment rest on angle-iron supports of great strength. The roof is slightly domed and close-boarded with fin, material, whilst 1-in, boards spaced out are used for the tilt sides. To give acyeas to the interior from the driver's seat there is a large sliding door in the partition.
Situated at the centre of the top of the windscreen is a rubber cushion on which the front projecting portion of the body pivots. A further rubber cushion extends the whale length of the top of the screen ; this rests on an angle iron, and the screen is not secured to the roof except by spring brackets of a similar type to those described in connection with the insulated meat-van body referred to previously. At the rear of the body is a stout box built of sheet iron in one piece and containing a short ladder which facilitates loading and unloading.