Caledon Commercial Vehicles.
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A Full Range of Models; Chain Drive for Commercial Work, Worm and Wheel as Final Transmission on Passenger Machines. Simplicity and Accessibility.
Following our usual custom of presenting, for the benefit of our readers, first-hand particulars of all new models, we SOIne months ago (an the 1Sth February last, to be precise), gave brief advance particulars of Caledon commercial vehicles. These are made in four principal types, distinguished by the letters B. C. D, and E. In the first three the final drive is by side chains, and in the last, which is intended more particularly as a chassis for char-a,bancs work, a worm and wheel is adopted. B, C and D are for net loads, exclusive of body and driver, of 3, 312 and 4 tons respectively. They are all fitted with four-speed-and-reverse gearboxes, with self-contained gate change, and large inspection doors.
No Chassis Available for Us.
Since the publication of our first brief reference to these chassis, we have been on the alert for further particulars so that we could describe it in the usual manner, with illustrations, and with any criticism which we might deem needful after personal inspection. Owing, however, to the great demand for Caledon chassis, due in part to the inability of older makers to supply, and also to a considerable extent, no doubt, to the very good value offered, we have never been able to get hold of a chassis ; no sooner has one been completed than the purchaser takes it over. By a little bit of special manceuvring, however, we were able, during a recent-weekend, to capture one which was being delivered through Einmans, of Fitzalan Street, Kennington. This was D type, for a net load of four tons, and accurately described as a 95 cwt. chassis.
A "Designed" Chassis. Clean Lines.
We were at once struck by the obvious simplicity of its design and construction. One is inclined to say immediately on viewing the chassis, "Here is a machine that has been designed." On a closer examination it would appear that, whilst in other things it is the equal of the majority of chassis of the first rank that we have had the pleasure of examining, accessibility has been made a special feature. This is so with large units like the gearbox and cross-shafts. The former is three-point suspended from three bolts in cress-members of the frame a,nd can be removed, complete with the change-speed lever and operating mechanism, without disturbing the bodywork. The cross-shafts, by a special arrangement (to which we shall refer later), are removable, leaving the differential and main-drive bevels also get-at-able merely by the taking away of four special retaining bolts. The attribute of handiness is also noticable when attention is directed to those portions which must be accessible from time to time for occasional adjustments and what are called running repairs. Particularly must reference be made in this respect to the brake adjustments and to the linings of the brake shoes.
Ornamental and Useful.
In external appearance, too, this machine gives the lie at once to the assumption that because a motor vehicle is for utility it cannot be in any sense ornamental. The radiator and bonnet, as one of our illustrations shows, are artistic to a degree beyond the usual. The lines of the bonnet itself merge into those of the special sheet steel dash, which in itself is a unique feature, in the best 'streamline fashion.
Dorman Subsidy-type Engine.
Dealing with the chassis specification in detail, it should be pointed out that the engine is the by now well-known Dorman sub sidy type, a four-cylinder, of 120 mm. by 140 mm. bore and stroke respectively. The valves are all situated along the near side, fitted with adjustable tappets, and covered by quickly-removable covers. On the same side, and low down on the crankcase platform, is placed the high-tension magneto. On the off side the carburetter is placed. The water circulation is on the thertno-syphon principle, and cooling is assisted by means of a . well-designed aluminium fan, belt driven from the engine in the usual way. As showing the striving after simplicity and the reduction in the number of parts employed, attention is drawn to the fact that the fan bracket also does duty as an oil filler.
The lubrication is forced to all main and connecting-rod bearings through a drilled crankshaft. 'Ile cylinder walls and gudgeon pins are lubricated by means of surphis oil thrown off from the big ends. All the oil used is pumped through a filter which can be easily detached and as easily replaced, and this operation can be, performed whilst the engine is running.
So far as exterior appearance goes the engine is remarkably clean looking. As showing attention to the finer points of design it should be noted that the exhaust pipe has fins formed on it so as to assist in cooling the exhaust gases, and the lower half of the crankcase is similarly treated with a view to rendering the lubricating oil as cool as may be. The radiator is of the standard design, with vertical tubes and cast top and bottom headers. As we have already remarked, it has a pleasing and distinctive appearance. It is carried _NOM the main frame in trunnions, beink held in a yertical position by means of the flat top of the bonnet.
Cone Clutch. Compact Fourspeed Gearbox.
Our old and well tried friend the fibre-lined cone clutch is utilized to transmit the power from engine to gearbox. We understand that on the first one or two of these chassis a little difficulty was experienced with this component, owing to the clutch lining being rather thin. This has now been corrected with satisfactory re.sults. The gearbox is a remarkably compact unit and we do not remember 'previously to have seen one so short and yet nevertheless providing four speeds and a reverse. It should be pointed n40 out that strength has not been sacrificed in order to gain this special feature of compactness. The gears are stiff and although not particularly wide they should be well capable of taking the load which it is intended they should carry. The suspension of this unit as we have already remarked is by means of three bolts from cross members of the frame. It carries, bolted to the lower half, the operating mechanism and the gate, thus avoiding any possibility of stress due to variations in relative positions of side frame and box and also providing that very excellent feature of accessibility, whereby, after the removal of the three suspension bolts, the whole unit can be taken away from the chassis.
Very Accessible Countershaft Gear.
A special feature of this box is that the reverse shaft remains idlo during the time the gears are in mesh.. Between gearbox and countershaft a cardan shaft is used having universal joints of a special type, the component parts being praetica,113, an external and internal gear wheel, of the same number of teeth. The countershaft casing is built up very much on the same lines as a bevel-driven rear axle. As our illustration shows, the casing itself is of neat design and is provided at the rear with a large hemispherical cover. By removing this, and after withdrawing the two cross shafts, it is possible to take out for examination or repair the whole of the bevel driving geai and differential gear. Reference to our illustrations and drawings will show this accessibility very clearly. It should also be noted that the chain sprockets are so made that the centre line of the chain pull is directly over the ball bearings and that there is actually no overhang whatever. The drive to rear wheels is by the usual type of roller chain. The chain wheels at the rear are
bolted to the brake drums carried by the rear road wheels.
The Brakes.
The position of the foot-brake drum is unusual. This is placed on the bevel pinion shaft just in front of the cross-shalt casing. The brake shoes are of the locomotive type, both of them swinging on. pivots in the centre of levers, themselves carried from a substantial cross member. The latter, therefore, takes all the braking
strain. The advantage of placing thefoot-brake drum in this . position is that there is no unusual stress thrown on the joint of the cardan shaft. The drum is a large one and of good width. The brake operating mechanism is particularly simple and one of our illustrations serves to show the very accessible means of adjustment which are provided. The same features of simplicity and accessibility
are also observable when one comes to consider the hand-brake. This operates in the first plaQe on the countershaft and then through a pair of levers. directly an to the internal-expanding shoes which are placed in the drums of the rear road wheels. No compensating gear is provided. The point of
view taken with regard to this feature is that any compensation should take place within the drums themselves and that if it is not made there it is to a considerable extent useless and might even prove harmful.. The company is not i-ilone in this -opinion, at least oneold-established maker of first rank agrees.
Steering. Road Wheels.
The steering gear is of worm and sector type operating in the usual manner through ball-jointed coupling rods on to Ackermann type steering on the front axle. The road wheels are cast-steel and have tubular spokes. They run on floating bushes which are made of the same dimensions as those stipulated for in the War Office subsidy specification. The tiros fitted on this particular machine are 120 mm. wide for 771 mm. rims (old size 930 mm. by 120 ram.) single tires on the front and twin on the rear wheels.
Engine Contrnl. Users' Experiences.
The engine control is by means of a lever on the steering wheel, no accelerator is provided and the ignition is advanced and retarded through the medium of a long lever working in a quadrant attached to the dashboard. Users of Commer Cars will be quite familiar with this tyne of control. The hand control takes effect on the carburetter through the medium of a pair of bevel wheels. This, of course, entirely _eliminates any coupling levers, operating rods, or anything
of the sort and makes for the simplicity which we have before referred to as being a particular feature-of the chassis. The frame, a pressed-steel one, struck us as being, if anything a shade on the light side. It is, however, we understand, of a high-grade steel and we are informed that there are several machines carrying more than the stipulated load that have given and are giving, very good service. Amongst others we might refer to one carrying a thousandgallon tank wagon for the Union Petroleum Products Co. Ltd. This -has by now run some thousands of miles, and carries an exceptionally heavy body, which, together with the petrol, will bring the total load carried to considerably above the rated capacity of the -chassis. (An illustration depicting this wagon appeared in our last issue.)
Obtainable From—
The manufacturer of these machines is Scottish Commercial Cars Co., Ltd., Duke Street, Glasgow. We have no hesitation whatever in recommending harassed users, of whom there are many, still lacking the necessary facilities for transport of their goods to get in touch with the company, or with the London representative, Mr. Rinman, Fitzalan Street, Kennington Road. The chassis price witn tires ranges from £710 in the ease of the three-tonner to p770 for the passenger type wormdriven machine.
The Werm-driven Passenger Chassis.
Some brief references to the worm-driven model will probably be of interest to prospective char-isbanes and bus owners. In general, and with the sole exception of the final drive, this is on the same lines as the machine which we have just described. The engine is the same ; tne pressed-steel fraine is-very similar in construction ; the radiathr and the front part of the chassis, so far back as the gearbox, are identical. In this machine, however, the foot-brake drum is carried in the more usual position, immediately behind the gearbox. The method of operating this brake, and the admirable and accessible means of adjustment, are identical with those to be found on the chain-driven chassis and already described in the course of this article. The brake drum partly surrounds a universal joint of the block and trunnion type. This is the front joint of a propeller shaft of the usual construction, which transmits the drive to the overtype worm-driven, fullfloating rear axle. The feature of accessibility is again evident in the design of this component, which is arranged so that the axle shaft, differential gear, and worm and wheel, can be readily removed for inspection without dismounting either-the axle or the road wheels