A LARGE-CAPACITY STREET WATERING WAGON.
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The Latest Leyland Production With a Number of Interesting Features,
THOSE municipal authorities which are faced with the problem of keeping clean many miles of roads which carry considerable traffic of all descrip-tions. generally find that the most effective manner in which the daily accumulation of grease, dust and other debris can be quickly removed is by the employment of the mechanically propelled street sprinkling and washing machine.From the point of view of correct sanitation, upon wfach the health of the nation is largely dependent, it is essential that germ-laden matter should be washed away with the utmost expedition, and the motor vehicle has given evidence of its suitability and efficiency for the work.
The difficulty on municipal work of this description is that of being able beadily to obtain replenishments of water, for, although the tanks on sprinkling and watering vehicles usually have a capacity up to 1;000 gallons, this amount of water is quickly discharged if a number of nozzles are at work. It is simple enough, we know, to obtain refills of water from roadside hydrants, but in rural areas and on main roads leading out of busy centres this is not
-always possible. Moreover, the reduetion in the number of halts which have to be made for this purpose enables the
period of the effective use of the machine to be increased.
One of the largest street sprinkling and washing wagons now in use is that which is illustrated on this page. It is the production of Leyland Motors, Ltd., and for the purpose Of carrying the 2,000-gallon rectangular tank which is used, the company's standard 10-ton forward-dash model ,is utilized. The capacious tank is stiffened internally with baffle plates, which are disposed travversely, but apart from the size of the tank the vehicle also possesses one or two other features which are deserving of mention.
Two Leyland-type sprinklers are located ahead of the radiator, .and, as a. result of the capacity of the pump, they are able effectively to discharge a spread of water of more than 60 ft.. in total width. The pump is a Rees-R-oturbo unit, and it is capable of delivering 7,000 gallons of water per hour. It is located amidships in the chassis and is positively driven from the front end of the gearbox.
The functions of the pump are to give a good pressute to the out-flowing water, whether it be front front sprinklers or rear flushers, whilst it can be used for filling the tank, although this operation can also be effected from the ordinary street hydrant by using a short length of hose, carried on several brackets at the rear of the vehicle, and connecting it to the man-hole in the roof of the tank.
Another interesting detail of the water supply apparatus is the design of the four Warwick flushing nozzles at the rear. These are of the ordinary fish-tail pattern, but they are universally jointed sO that the flow of water from them can be so directed that, all four nozzles are .discharging in one direction, or two to each side of the vehicle. These nozzles are controlled in pairs from the driver's cab, from which the front :sprinklers are also regulated. It will, of course, be clearly appreciated that the supply of water to the sprinkler and flushing beads can be cut off from either side according to requirements. This feature enables the vehicle to be used in narrow roads as well as in wide thoroughfares, although its use in such circumstances would entail the need for a journey -in each direction in order to permit the full width of the,road. to be thoroughly covered.
The various uses to which the machine can be put are clearly shown in the illustrations of the vehicle on this page. This particular"appliance has just been delivered to the municipal authorities of Dublin.