A REMARKABLE PUBLICITY MOTOR VEHICLE.
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Independent 12 h.p. Petrol Motor-generator Set. Illuminated Signs with 20 Sets of Flashes and Six Current Circuits. An Automatic Tell-tale.
pROBABLY the most striking publicity van which has yet been seen was recently put on the road by the Ardath Tobacco Co., Ltd., Worship Street, London, E.C., the proprietors of the well-known State Express cigarettes. This vehicle marks the development of an idea which we have been consistently advocating, and it will be remembered. that an article published by us in our issue of April 26th last, entitled " How Peregrinating Publicity Attracts," the value was pointed out, not only of the mobile 'advertisement, but also of illuminated signs. In the Ardath vehicle the very fullest advantage has been taken of this system of advertising,. and it may be said to anticipate years of advancement at a single bound.
This is not the first time that the manufacturers of State Express cigarettes have shown Itheir forethought. and enterprise. Almost before 'motor vehicles had become a reliable means of transport, they put on the road their well-remembered "Crystal Palace "—an elaborate glass structure on wheels, which proclaimed the merits of their cigarettes from every angle, and embodied the, then, latest methods of illumination. This vehicle, in its peregrinations through the British Isles and Europe, was perhaps the first to bring before the public eye the possibilities of advertising by motor.
Whilst wireless telegraphy was still in its infancy, the company erected an installation on a motor vehicle specially built for the purpose ; this installation purported to communicate with the company's headquarters in the cPutre of the city. The chassis utilized on the vehicle we are about to describe is a 3-4 ton A.E.C. with a polished aluminium radiator and well-tapered bonnet, the appearance of the chassis being improved by the addition of aluminium wheel discs.
The body, which was made by E. and H. Hora, Ltd., Peckham, was designed in the drawing offices of the Ardath Palace of Industry, and its designing included the wonderful colour and lighting schemes. The body has most graceful lines, and although it is of considerable size and rather longer than usual, its elegance is such that the size does not detract from its beauty. A particular feature of the body is the roof, which is domed and also forms an unbroken curve from immediately above the radiator to the extreme rear. The long panelled sides form a fitting background for the illuminated signs and ovals. The colour scheme is mauve with green headings, and additional features are the fine sweep from the bottom of the front illuminated sign round the driver's cab and up to the windscreen, the domed wings and the aluminium-covered runnjng boards. Running the entire length of the body along the top panel at each side is a, huge sign advertising "State Express Cigarettes," made up of thousands of little glass hull's-eyes, each of which gives the effect of a complete electric lamp when illuminated from within.The front and' rear of the vehicle are also provided with similar signs running their whole width, so that from whatever angle or distance the vehicle meets the eye, the words "State Express" can be read.
At the centre of each side and at the rear is a glazed oval opening, behind which is mounted a screen making special topical announcements. Apparatus is at present in course of construction which will enable these announcements to be changed constantly, like a cinematograph. .
We have not yet referred to the wonderful lighting effects which are obtained. The long sign at the near side flashes white and green alternately, and that at the off side blue and green. So far as the panels are concerned, there is a wonderful kaleidoscopic effect which is obtained by the use of lamps of nine distinct colours in each oval. The signs at the front and back are also made to flash, that at the back flashing red. and blue.
To those users who have thought of installing illuminated advertisements on their vehicles, run from their own lighting acts, the fact that this vehicle is equipped with a complete generating outfit consisting of a 12 .h.p. Austin engine and 100 ampere dynamo will come as something of a shock.
The interior of the machine, in the centre of which the generating set is positioned, presents the appearance of an electric power station, and the plant is of sufficient capacity to light a small street of houaes. In order to evacuate the hot air and any fumes which might be engendered by fitting this machinery in a comparatively confined space, an extraction trunk carrying at its bottom a large motor-propelled highpressure fan is provided, this also assisting in cooling the engine by sucking air through the radiator. To assist the draught, the door and partitions behind the driver's seat are slatted.
A great amount of ingenuity has been displayed in the manufacture and fitting up: of the lighting equip. ment, and it will surprise many to know that the whole work was done in the Ardath workshops, and in one of their workrooms they have a complete, fullsize reproduction of the vehicle as it finally appeared on the road ; this was.. modelled even before.; the specifications were drawn up. Inside the vehicle is a main switchboard having one large switch and tivo local switches for controlling the off-side sign ; there are also an ammeter, a voltmeter, and a rheostat controlling the dynamo. At the other side of the body is a subsidiary board controlling the
near-side sign and regulating the speed of the highpressure ventilating fan, as well as controlling the various other lights. There is also an accumulator charging resistance for obtaining current direct from the dynamo.
The accumulators actuate low-power motors operating the special switches for the kaleidoscopic illumination of the ovals. In addition to these motors there are nine thermostatic, double-contact switches. Each switch consists of a small heating coil which causes a strip of metal to expand and to break contact on one circuit and complete it on another ; when this happens the coil is cut out and the metal strip, in cooling, breaks the iiew circuitand re-makes the old, thus giving a double flash with different colours. For the long side signs there is an electromechanical flashing device consisting of a number of segmental pieces all fixed to a single shaft rotated by ' a small electric motor_ Contact is made between the segments and spring fingers, and arcing or sparking is entirely prevented by a special device patented by the company.
In all there are 20 sets of flashes with a, slight lag .between each, and split up into six circuits, no that a number of fuses can be used; and failure of one does not involve failure of all. "Irafront of the driver is a " tell-tale " containing a number of lamps corresponding to the circuits controlling the whole of the lighting in the vehicle. This...showsaat-onee if any circuit as at fault. The side ancl end signs are contained in semicircular, enclosed, iron reflectors, whilst the lamps and motors for the oval signs are contained in boxes.
To prevent danger from fire, everything inflammable, including the woodwork, has been thoroughly impregnated with fire-resisting fluid.
The van has been appropriately called " Piccadilly Circus on Wheels," and when one ponders on the huge rentals and upkeep of the elaborate advertising 'signs in this and other centres of London (incidentally, all in fixed positions) one appreciates the big step forward that the State Express people have made in producing such an elaborate advertisement in mobile form, and one which quite overshadows the advantages of the most expensive fixed positions. [We understand that the company will make an announcement in connection with this vehicle in a two-page coloured inset in our next issue.—En.}