A Redesigned Stevens Three-wheeler
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THE Stevens three-wheeled commercial vehicle has recently been redesigned and now has a shaft-drive transmission system. Its power unit is not altered and the general arrange ment of the chassis, .apart from the transmission, is the same as in the previous model.
A sturdy three-speed gearbox forms a unit with the engine and clutch, the mainshaft being now arranged fore and aft, of course, instead of across the chassis. A housing for the clutch is combined with half of the crankcase, but the clutch itself is not directly attached to the engine shaft.
Between those two components there is a shock absorber of generous dimen-sitars ; it is of the rubber-cushion type. Attached to the main shaft by a taper joint and key is a member with three radial vanes on its face. Mating with this is another member with three similar vanes,, and six rubber blocks separate the two sets of three vanes.
On the reverse side of the second member there is a single dry-plate clutch of conventional design. Behind that again is the gearbox, which provides three forward ratios and a reverse. Combined with it is a kickstarter, and the gear lever is mounted directly on the top of the box.
Hardy flexible couplings are fitted to each end of the propeller shaft. A steel. banjo-type rear axle houses spiralbevel gears and differential mechanism. All three wire wheels are detachable and interchangeable, the tyre size being 27 ins. by 4.00 ins
An alteration is to be noted in the method of brake operation. As before, the rear brakes are controlled by foot, and the front shoes by hand, but the lever for the latter now has no ratchet. For parking purposes the rear brakes can be locked " on " by pulling out a small knob on the dashboard.
In the ordinary way, this knob is not withdrawn and the brake pedal rises so soon as the driver's foot pressure is released. To park the vehicle the pedal is depressed and the knob pulled out. The pedal is then locked on. When that is done, neither pressure on the pedal nor any tinkering with the knob will release the brakes. To do so, both the pedal and the knob must be pressed at the same tithe.
Features which are not changed include the steering and front suspension, as well as the power unit., A front fork of the motorcycle type is employed and the steering is by a cartype wheel coupled to the fork stem by two roller chains in. parallel.
At the rear, the chassis is now completely sprung. Two half-elliptic
springs are interposed between the axle and the chassis frame. The chassis frame is built of channel-section steel with cross-members of similar form riveted to it and reinforced by gusset plates at the joints. A large-diameter tube acts as a stay between the steering head and the central cross-member.
It is worth emphasizing that the
single-cylindered engine is watercooled. It has side "valves and a detachable head. The bore and stroke dimensions are 84 mm. and 106 mm. respectively and the capacity is 588 c.c. This new Stevens chassis is available with either a van or a truck body. In the former case the pay-load is 8 cwt. and the body has a capacity of 91 cubic ft., with a maximum length of 5 ft. 6 ins. The internal width and height are 4 ft. 5 ins. and 3 ft. 9 ins. respectively, whilst the doors at the back measure 3 It. 8 ins. wide.
Like the van, the truck can carry loads up to 8 cwt. It has a hinged tailboarcl., and the dimensions of the goods space are 4 ft. 3 ins, long by 4 ft. 5 ins. wide. The sides are 1 ft. 7-i-ins. high.
For each model the price is 89
guineas. A spare wheel and tyre is listed at A3 extra.