Dennis Brothers, Limited.
Page 18
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Exhibit : -10-cwt. Chassis ; 15-cwt. Mail Van ; 30-cwt. Van ; 20-seated Char-a-bancs; Two-ton Polished Chassis ; Three-ton Tilt Van, and a Four-ton Lorry.
Most convincing proof of the satisfactory performance in actual service pf the vehicles manufactured by Dennis Brothers, Ltd., is furnished by the fact that in almost every case the machines staged by the company this year are actual repeat orders from customers who already have a large number of similar machines in their service.
The worm-gear-driven back axle, as fitted • by the Guildford Company, has justified its adoption for commercial vehicles, in spite of the considerable criticism such a course undoubtedly evoked a few years back from many engineers. Sufficient proof of the suitability of this type of final drive, from a mechanical point of view, is the fact that in several cases lately no appreciable wear has been found in the gear when dismantledft
a ..er 20,000 miles' hard service on 3-ton machines. Its advantages from the point of view of silence are self-evident.
Two new types of chassis are -now being standardised by Dennis Brothers, Ltd., one being the single-cylinder, tocwt. van, and the other a much cheaper and simpler design of 30-cwt. machine.
The new single-cylinder design has a oh.p. Aster engine, of the latest model with tosmm. bore and i4omm. stroke. The two mechanically-operated valves are placed side by side, at the front of the engine, and are actuated by a short camshaft, driven by worm gear .from another lay shaft lying directly over the front end of the crankshaft. The water circulation, in our opinion, could well have been arranged, in this case, on the thermo-syphon system, but, in the present modH, it is positively controlkd by a small toothed-wheel pump of the usual pattern : all refinements will be reduced to a minimum on the standardised engine. A high-tension Bosch, 19o4-type magneto will be fitted, and the engine will be controlled by a simple throttle device. For a small and cheap machine, it is gratifying to find such care bestowed on engine lubrication as is evidenced in this model, a small camoperated oil pump constantly sucking the oil from the crank chamber and forcing it into the main bearings. The whole engine is a very accessible and sound piece of work, and, providing unfair duty is not demanded of it, should prove suitable for this particular class of machine.
A very stiff frame carries a standard, three-speed, straight-through gear box, with a direct t..p speed. A single, central radius rod locates the Dennis wormdriven back axle, which is of the well known standard type. A reduction of 6 to i is provided for van work, and of 5 to i for cab purposes. The worm gear is carried on hall bearings throughout, but the road wheels run on plain bearings. Stout, cast-iron, internal, expanding, enclosed brakes of simple construction are operated by the hand lever, and a loco.-pattern shoe brake on the countershaft is controlled by the foot pedal. The clutch is of the simple, leather-faced, cone description, and no adjustment is provided. A stoutly-constructed tubular front axle, tied between the swivels, is a noticeable feature of the sturdy little chassis. With Continental pneumatics Stomm. by oomm. on the front, and De Nevers 32inch by 31-inch solids on the hind wheels, the chassis sells at ,626o. As indicated above, with the object of providing a cheap and simplified alternative to the existing standard, fourcylinder type of 3o-cwt. van, the Dennis Company is introducing a 30-cwt. chassis, fitted with a two-cylinder, 20h.p. engine of its own make. The chassis. price of this modified type is 17420. When comparing this • figure with the ;6525 which it is nocessary.to charge. for the four-cylinder standard type, there is no doubt that the new
machine will appeal to many to whom first cost is the primary consideration. To attain this reduction in price, a number of modifications have been made, chief of which, in addition to the new engine, are the substitution of cast-iron for gun-metal in the gear box and engine cases, the fitting of a cheaper albeit a more efficient type of radiator, and slight alterations to the brakes. The adoption in this type of a floating wheel-bush is again an improvement, which also makes for cheaper construction. The latest system of engine lubrication is noteworthy for its completeness. A small, gear. driven double pump is provided to force the oil from the sump to the oil reservoir, and then again to pump it through all the engine bearings, the second pump being fed by gravity from the reservoir. By this means, the combined effects of splash and forced lubrication are retained. The new radiator is composed of a number of horizontal gilled tubes : the ends of the tubes arc expanded into stout brass plates, fitted with cast-aluminium, removable covers containing the necessary divisions to put the tubes in series. The casting connecting the top of these two headers forms the tank into which the delivery from the engine takes place. This class of radiator is efficient, inexpensive, and extremely easy to clean and repair. The suspension link for attachment to the frame can be seen in the accompanying sketch. It is interesting to note that the loco—type of brake shoe is now being adopted by Dennis Brothers, Ltd., on its later models. Of the other exhibits on Stand 61, the well-finished polished chassis sold to Maple?, for 2-ton pantechnicon work, the 15-cwt. mail van, the 20-seated char-à-bancs, the 3-ton Carter, Paterson van, and the 4-ton 4oh.p. lorry for Russia, aTe excellent examples of a well-chosen range of commercial motor vehicles of all capacities. Their chief features have now been standardised for some time, and are already well known. Dennis Brothers, Ltd., whose works, by the way, are fully occupied with current orders, claims the special attention of possible purchasers, because the company is the oldest maker in England; and because its products are of British construction throughout.