Ingenious Features of the
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LATEST CURTIS HORSEBOXES
THE• designing of, a horsebox body for mounting upon a motor chassis calls for a long experience and nowIedge of horses and an infinite care s to detail. In this journal we have ealt with good features for this class f vehicle as they have been introduced, rid a recent visit made by us to the mrks of the National Motor Horse Box ct., Ltd., Curtis Buildings, Park Royal, .ondon. N.W.10, was interesting in that : enabled all the outstanding points of le latest products of this well-known Jmpany to be considered together.
In the main, the company builds three utilities of horsebox; the Super vehicles ormally embody special Morris-Comtercial Viceroy or Commer chassis, De ante models incorporate the MorrisMromercial Leader horsebox chassis, ffiilst National and Popular types are a Baieo-extended Ford chassis, exqit the Popular (patent) two-horse rile, for which a standard Ford unit of 3.-ft. 1-in, wheelbase is employed. In rery case particular modification of th.e ?ringing is necessary according to the ass of work anticipated.
The directors of the companyare tvalry officers of life-long experience ith horses, and they have been able to itroduce practical ideas of their own. All the standard models have timber • ainework, and moat of them are 042 panelled in aluminium. The first thing that One notices about them is the generous interior headroom, this being vital to the safety of nervous animals, as well as for ventilation. Particularly when a horse is entering the vehicle and has its fore feet at the 'top of the ramp is be likely to throw back his bead, and it is important that he should not hit the roof in so doing. Similarly, the partitions are extremely high, so that there is no possibility of an animal getting his legs over them. The stalls, whilst being long enough 'even to acconimodate shire stallions, are not so long as to give the occupants a chance of kicking out with force, and the panelling adjacent to the animals' hind legs is reinforced by steel plate. • An essential feature kir the quick arrangement of hinged partitions is that the bolts should act instantly, and to this end all but the cheapest Curtis horseboxes have spring-loaded bolts of large diameter with rounded ends. So that a vehicle may be used as a loose box and yet carry its partition ready for employment if required, alternate bolt holes are provided on the near side.
Even the partition between the stalls and the groom's compartment can, by undoing two fly nuts at the top, be lifted out of the vehicle, and the head partition may be removed separately by lifting off its hinges.
Instead of hard breast bars, the company fits wide straps of canvas belting, and these have a patent quick-release fastening which, by the pressure of a trigger, permits them to be freed instantly, even when under tension.
In •case of animals being eXcitecl by the sight of passing scenery, light plywood shields may be lowered from the • roof. • •
With regard to the ramp, which is of the •spring-balaneed type, it is remarkable .that, whilst built .te .resist • any strain that might be imposed upon it, it can, • nevertheless, he handled -with ease by one man. A special feature of the locking for the ramps of Curtis horseboxes is that the long, vertical bolts have,CamIshapedeiads,•these serving the dual purpose of ensuring engagement and pre
venting rattle. . . • " In the Popular two-horse model it is aoticeable bow, to redtice weight and cost, everything except necessities has been eliminated and yet no necessity is omitted. Coconut padding is used in these horseboxes as in the De Luxe type, whilst stuffed rot-proof sailcloth padding is employed for the Super models.
The Curtis three-horse box, of which a fine example, shown on the previous page, was supplied two seasons ago to H.R.H. Princess Mary, has the corn
pony's patented layout by which, whilst employing only a side ramp, the three animals are loaded or unloaded with ease, the central stall having its manger at the forward end.
Another interesting model is that designed for two horses or three ponies. In this case the animals stand abreast facing rearward, and the two partitions can, by manipulation of the spring
loaded bolts, Which act as hinges, be moved to positions nearer the centre when two large horses are carried..
The company's hound vans, which are equipped for use as flesh carts, have become very popular. When, to avoid wheel-arches, a high floor is fitted, the objection of a steep ramp is eliminated by an ingenious patented arrangement of using a ramp that is deeper when in the vertical position than the depth of the body, and raising the upper end when in the oblique position, by the sliding of dowels in vertical slots below the filmlevel.
Under the driver's seat is accommodated a winch, the two detachable handles of which are fitted one at each side of the body, and to this winch is attached about 60 ft. of steel cable which can be used for dragging carcases up the ramp. Detachable planks provide a smooth surface for the ramp when used for this purpose, and a roller permanently fixed at the top of it eases the load on to the van floor.
The side grids of the hound vans have hinged weather panels which can be raised inwards to the roof on the leeward side should the weather be bad, and the grids arc ingeniously contrived so that, in the unlikely event of it being' necessary to use them as emergency exits for the hounds, the opening outwards of the grids automatically releases the weather panels should these be raised.