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THE PROS AND CONS 'RANSPORT BY TRAILER.

31st July 1928, Page 52
31st July 1928
Page 52
Page 53
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Page 52, 31st July 1928 — THE PROS AND CONS 'RANSPORT BY TRAILER.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Making More Effective Use of the Power 1 Costs. A Re y Hauling Loads. Reducing Ton-mileage A Trailer Products.

HOW to make the most efficient use of a power unit so that the maximum quantity of goods can be carried at the minimum cost is a problem which continually confronts the user of motor vehicles, whether he be carrying his own goods or acting as a

general haulier. So far as vehicles themselves are concerned, the experience of the makers can usually be relied upon. The buyer is hardly likely to find that his vehicle is either under-engined or over-engined, but in nearly every instance the engine has a Considerable reserve of power and the question is how best to make use of this reserve. The ill-advised—and amongst them we are afraid that we can number quite a large proportion of hauliers—adopt the policy of constantly overloading their vehicles. Certainly modern chassis are designed with a fairly large factor of safety, and it may be that an occasional overload, providing it be not carried to ex cess, would have no deleterious effects, but even if the engine be quite capable of pro pelling the vehicle satisfactorily under such conditions, no chassis should be asked continually to carry much more than the capacity claimed for it by its makers.

A comparatively recent scheme is to transform a vehicle into a rigid-frame six wheeler, usually by the provision of a third axle, which does not drive but serves to carry a portion of the load. Some such conversions have proved, and are proving, highly satisfactory, but they present the disadvantage that, unless special ar rangements have been made, they may render void the guarantee of the chassis builders. They are, In some instances, somewhat expensive and the products are yehicles which, if they are to be run efficiently, must carry something approaching their new load capacities.

For certain classes of work, where the articles to be carried are particularly bulky or where full loads can generally be obtained, these converted vehicles may well prove most valnable means for transport. On the other hand, there is the user or haulier who may have to cope with a large variety of goods of all shapes, sizes and weights, and to him, perhaps, the best solution of the problem is the trailer. The em ployment of the trailer presents many advantages and few disadvantages and it may he as well if we put these Into some sort of order. The advantages are as follow :— (a) The carrying capacity of the outfit is between 75 per cent. and 100 per cent. greater than that of the vehicle alone.

(b) If the loads .do not justify the use of the whole Outfit, the vehicle can be employed separately.

(c) To avoid terminal delays, the vehicle can be employed in conjunction with a number of trailers, usually up to three.

(d) The capital cost of a vehicle and trailer or trailers is considerably less than either that of a much

larger vehicle capable of carrying the same load or of two vehicles which would equal the capacity of the vehicle and trailer outfit.

(e) A trailer can often be pushed into shallow bays or other confined spaces and left for loading or unloading.

(f) In the case of breakdown--possible with a vehicle, but unlikely in the case of a trailer—the latter can be employed with another vehicle, or the former used for hauling another trailer, i.e., nearly half the load capacity remains available—which would not be the case if a breakdown occurred with a single vehicle designed to carry the whole load. .

(g) Modern trailers are designed and built on the same lines as chassis. They can be run at comparatively high speeds and have a high factor of reliability.

(h) The vehicle alone may not be suited to specific purposes, but can be employed with trailers designed for these.

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order given, we do not think at the maintenance cost should be raised to any considerable extent, unless the towing vehicle be not one of first-class design and make, or unless the vehicle be continually operating ilk exceedingly hilly country. On ordinary roads, the extra stresses involved are not inordinately great and should be well within the capacity of the vehicle. It must not be expected that the outfit will be quite so economical on fuel and oil as the vehicle alone, but for an increased capacity of something like 75 per cent., we should not considerthat the consumption need be more than 25 per cent, greater and the increase is often much less.

In respect of speed, we must, of course, consider the question of the law, which, in theory, limits the speed to 5 m.p.h., but, as is the case with the 20 m.p.h. limit for private cars, this is more 'honoured in the breach than in the observance," and with modern vehicles, often running on pneumatic tyres, the limiting to this speed is manifestly absurd. However, it cannot be gainsaid that there must be some reduction, apart from the matter of legal restrictions. A vehicle drawing a trailer cannot be expected to climb hills with the same expedition as the vehicle alone.

Providing that a vehicle and trailer are not run at excessive speeds, the safety should be comparable with that of the vehicle alone. It is, of course, difficult to guard against accidents, such as those caused by children, and even occasionally adults, riding on the drawbar ;. but fortunately, this is a practice which is becoming less favoured.

Improvements have also been made in the brakes provided on trailers aid the means supplied on the vehicle for operating them. In certain types where tractors are employed, the over-running of the trailer automatically applies the brake, examples_ of these are the Lath l and the Eccles..

Trailers are being employed for an increasingly large number of purposes and there are special types— such as the Eagle—described in our issue dated July 24th—which can deal satisfactorily with immense loads. Many other types of considerable interest will be found in the following commentary on the many trailer products.

The maker of a most comprehensive series of trailers is R. A. Dyson and Co., Ltd., 76-80, Grafton Street, Liverpool, S. This company has had an experience of more than 80 years in the vehiclebuilding industry, and the trailers made by it bear the stamp of knowledgeable design, which is chiefly reflected in their simplicity. For instance, in the ordinary patterns the chassis frame is in one piece of steel, as is the fore-carriage. Every part is made to gauge and standardized spares are always available. The load capacities range from 30 cwt. to 40 tons, and there is no doubt that the company can build examples of even greater capacity if desired. One transport company--Pickfords, Limited—runs over 200 trailers of this make, many equipped with pneumatic tyres. There are special low-loading models, cabledrum carriers, tanks, trailers and trailer conversion attachments, machinery carriers, refuse collectors, hopper trailers and that particularly efficient haulage unit, the Dyson-Larkhall, which, combined with the Fordson or International tractor. makes a 10-ton outfit, at a remarkably low capital cost, running seven miles to the gallon. We may mention that Enots or Tecalemi,. greasers are now provided as standard for all lubricating points on Dyson trailers.

Another well-known trailer maker is the Eagle Engineering Co., Ltd., Eagle Works, Warwick. We have already referred to its latest product—the 30-ton model with two four-wheeled bogies—which has been built to the order of Norman E. Box, and described in our issue dated July 24th but, apart from this, the company has specialized for some years in the production of special two-wheeled trailers for Fordson and similar tractors. There are also four-wheeled models with allsteel chassis, internal-expanding brakes, etc., and other modern features; and four-wheeled trailers with a lowloading line, designed particularly for the Fordson.

Atkinson Walker Wagons Ltd., Preston, England, has had considerable successes with the production of 10-ton four-wheeled trailers for use in Liverpool but, in addition to these, trailers with capacities down to 1 ton are constructed as end, side or three-way tippers, or with ordinary bodies. A feature of the platforms used on this make of trailer is that the steel cross-bearers, ifitehed with oak, upon which the boards are secured, are mounted within the channels of the frame side and end members so that the boards are protected by these channels and do not require separate cope irons. Particular attention has also been given to the matter of braking.

Carrimore Six Wheelers Ltd., Carrimore Works, High Road, Great North Road, North Finchley, London, N.12, has built a very large number of twowheeled trailers for use in conjunction with tractors. Some of these trailers are also equipped with an auxiliary front wheel, so that they can stand or be manceuvred separately from the tractor. Recent products are 5-ton models designed for refuse collection, some of these being equipped with hydraulicallyoperated end-tipping gear, worked from a special type of pump on the International tractors with which they are used. Where required, trailers• with un

usually small wheels, to give an exceptionally low loading height, can be supplied.

Fodens Limited, Elworth Works, Sandbach, has built a particularly fine 10-ton trailer for use with its

latest steam tractor. The axles are made of three per cent, nickel-chrome steel and the. vheels are of cast steel. A novelty is the employment of powerful internalt-expanding brakes acting on the front wheels. Provision is made at the rear for similar brakes to be employed there if required. The frame is constructed of 6-in. by 3-in, channel section steel. Another recent innovation is the hydraulic three-way tipping trailer, made in various sizes from 4-ton to 12-ton capacity. The tipping is effected by means of a double-acting water pump fixed at the front and worked by hand levers. One or two men can operate the pump and the body can be tipped in a minute and a half. The wheels are mounted on Timken roller bearings and band brakes act on the front wheels. A point is that the hydraulic cylinder and the pump are standard components of the Foden wagOn.

Trailers suitable for high-speed work are made by Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies, Ltd., Orwell Works, Ipswich. They are built in three standard load capacities-3 ton, 4.ton and 5 ton, respectively. Their frames are made of rolled channel steel and the turntable has special bolster plates which relieve the perchbolt of all shearing stresses. Contensated contracting

band brakes are provided. A special pneumatictyrecl model is now being built; this has grease-gun lubrication throughout and can be supplied in the same load capacities as the model just described.

r All-steel turn-table-type trailers are built by Richard Garrett and Sons, Ltd., Aldwych House, Aldwych, London, W.C.2, That which we illustrate is equipped with a platform body and a special bolster attachment for carrying long Lengths of timber. The chief features in the construction are lightness in weight and the use of pressed-steel wheels equipped with Timken roller bearings.

Another steam-wagon manufacturing company which has built trailers, particularly for use with its own vehicles, is the Sentinel Wagop Works Ltd., Shrewsbury; although, of course, these trailers

can be supplied for other makes of vehicle. The chief types built are the platform, the three-way tipper (which should prove particularly useful for loads such as road stone, refuse, etc.), a large capacity 10-ton model and a 4-6-ton type for carrying boxed loads.

The types of trailer built by G. Scamineli and Nephew, Ltd., Spitalfields, London, E.1, include a particularly interesting reversible model which may be towed from each end and so avoids the need for turning it round. This model has two turn-tables and two drawbars, the one not in use being fixed to a suitable pin on the under carriage and functioning as a radius rod. Standard types are also built: they are equipped with internal-expanding brakes, stout steel axles and caststeel wheels.

Tuke and Bell, Ltd., Carlton Engineering Works, Lichfield, is a company known particularly for its excellent types of refuse-collecting trailer, designed for use with tractors such as the Fordson or International. Particular features are the low-loading line, automatic coupling between tractor and trailer and the simple end-tipping gear.

The H.B. patent tipping trailer is of an unusual pattern and is constructed by Sheffield Steel Products Limited, Templeborough, Sheffield. The chief point about this type—which has two wheels only and is intended to be used with light road tractors—is that tipping is effected automatically by the traCtor; for this purpose, the drawbar is arranged to telescope and, being linked with the front of the body, raises this as the telescoping occurs. It is made In four sizes, to carry three, four, five or six cubic yards or tons, as the case may be. Where considerable lengths have to

be handled, the trailer can easily be converted into a bolster wagon.

H. C. Bauly, Ltd., 131-133, Bow Road, London, E.3, specializes in the construction of four-wheeled trailers of practically any desired load capacity, and with bodies to suit all trades. They are built up on allsteel chassis, with cast-steel wheels, and the drawbars are sprung. The wheels can be provided with either phosphor-bronze bushes or roller bearings.

Our readers will be well acquainted with the trailers, marketed by the Harrow Industrial Company. Ltd., 40, the Arches, District Railway, South Harrow, Middlesex. The four-wheeled models embody a particularly interesting form of coil springing which has been described in this journal on several occasions. Several H.I.C. watering-tank trailers have been built recently and supplied to an East African municipality. The tank holds 830 gallons and the sprinkler gear can be operated by the driver from the seat of the tractor, the levers, however, being fitted to the front of the trailer chassis. The forward portion of the elliptical tank on each is mounted on a special spring holster arranged to take up the twisting motion when travelling on uneven surfaces. What is known as the Harrow two-wheeled, end-tipping trailer is supplied in capacities ranging from 3i tons to 10 tons.

A number of light useful types of pneumatic-tyred trailer for haulage by light commercial vehicles or private cars, is built by Eccles Motor Caravans, Ltd., Hazelwell Lane, Pershore Road. Stirchley, Birmingham, and by Electromobile Ltd., of Otley, Yorks.


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