The New Charron Two-Cylinder Cab Chassis.
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It was to be anticipated that those responsible for the successful management of the General Motor Cab Company, Limited, the London United Motor Cab Company, Limited, and the
Provincial lotor Cab Company, Limited, would, before long, add to their rapidly-increasing fleets a small motorcab model suitable for London service which would be the product. of Charron, Limited. The Pullman single-deck motorbuses, which are a speCial Charron 2-ton model, and which are run bv the General Motor Cab Company, in the West End, have given every satisfaction to their owners. This company also owns something like eighty, 18h.p., Charron, private " Iandaulettes de luxe," which are stabled at the Brixton Garage, and all these luxuriously-equipped machines are almost constantly engaged in private-hire work, at some 4:5 per day of 12 hours or 20 guineas per week of seven days for town use. hurther use of the Charron vehicles has been made on a very large stede by the Provincial Motor Cab Company, Limited, which is rapidly inaugurating services of its t8h.p. public-service..landaulets in a number of previnciat chies througho.it the counlry. Confidenee in the productions of Charron, Lhnited, has Therefore, helped the directors of the General Motor Cab Company, Limited, to a decision to place a large order fp:two-cylinder cabs with the English agent.
The first example of the new small model has been delivered recently at Brixton, and we have now been favoured with particulars of the chassis by the London Motor Garage Coin
Limited, of Wardour Street, London, which is the sole English agent for the Charron vehicles.
The engine, which we illustrate on this page, has two cylinders cast in one piece; it has a bore of 8onun. and a piston-stroke of 12001111. The normal engine speed is Soor.p.m. and the maker's rating is 8-to horse-power. The valves, which are, of course, mechanically-operated, are all placed on one side, and they are operated by a camshaft, which has the cams machined out of the scud. An interesting feature of the cylinder casting, which is of particu
larly clean design, is the fact that radiating ribs are cast on to the top and front of the valve chest. The water circulation is effected through supply and delivery pipes of ample size, and the Renault position has been adopted for the radiator. The circulation entirel • depends for its efficiency on therm°. syphon principles and the radiator is built up of a battery of gihed tubes mid of a surplus water tank The ignition is by means of a Simms-Bosch hightension magneto, and this is neatly disposed in an accessible position immediately in front of the engine over the starting-handle bracket. The two sparking plugs are located directly over the line of the valves, and the wiring, es may be seen from the illustrations tsee also page 13611), is of the simplest possible description.
The carburetter, which is fitted to the two-cylinder engine, is of a simple and ingenious pattern. The ordinary float chamber and jet is employed and this component is fitted low down at the side of the crank chamber; a plain, vertical, copper, induction pipe with a bell mouth fits over the jet, and variable carburation is secured by the provision of three automatic air inlets of different sizes in a casting, which is situated at the top of the induction pipe. Lubrication of the engine is secured by a geardriven pump, which is driven off the end of the camshaft inside the crankcase. The oil is pumped through a single sight-feed lubricator Oil the dash.
The transmission arrangements embody a leather-faced cone clutch, a gearbox which contains three forward speeds and a reverse, and a live axle with a tubular extension, which acts as a torque bar. An unusual feature of the gearbox is the fact that the primary shaft is mounted in plain bearings, whilst the secendary shaft is carried in ball bearings.
The chassis has the usual pressedsteel frame, the front of which is inswept to enable the large lock necessary on cab work to be secured. Metal-tometal expanding segmental brakes, a:1 of which are interchangeable, are fitted on the countershaft and on the rear wheels. Other details are much in accortlan:e, with standard practice. The chassis weighs about 16 cwt., and the body space provided is 5 feet 8 in:hes in length, and this permits the provision of ample luggage-carrying space.