AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

PASSENGER TRAVEL NEWS.

6th January 1925, Page 22
6th January 1925
Page 22
Page 23
Page 22, 6th January 1925 — PASSENGER TRAVEL NEWS.
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

The Latest Doings and Developments in the Bus and Coach World.

A BUS WITH OFFSET TRANSMISSION.

Details of an Interesting Vehicle, Developed by the Yellow Coach Manufacturing Co., of Chicago, Which Embodies Many Unusual Features, and Gives a Remarkably Low Floor.

TNCREASING attention is being paid lin this country to the development of vehicles of the low-load-line type, not only for goods-carrying, but also for the transport of passengers. In the latter direction London may be said to have given a lead to the world, for the placing on its streets by the London General Omnibus Co., Ltd., of the N.S.type bus has shown what can be done in this direction, but other countries are not slow in following our example, although in their cases the problem is often tackled from a different aspect. In America, for instance, the Yellow Coach Manufacturing Co. have recently designed and built a new and most interesting type of chassis known as the Model Y. This presents so many unusual features that it is certainly 'worthy of description.

To .begin with, it lies a six-cylinder sleeve-valve engine of 41 ins, bore and 51: ins. stroke. This engine is mounted on what would in England be the near side of the chassis, and the short longitudinal member which supports it at the inner side is also made to serve as the exhaust pipe. This ilea of utilizing chassis members for other than normal purposes is carried out still further, for the exhaus% pipe communicates with a tubular cross-member of large diameter, which itself acts as the silencer.

The whole drive is offset in the frame in line with the engine crankshaft. The long propeller shaft is divided in its centre, where a bearing, supported by g. cross-member, is provided. The vertical double-banjo-type rear axle is offset even• more than the propeller shaft, this being rendered possible bY a special arrangement of the gearing.

Owing to the position of the axle casing in relation to the body, it is possible to have a very low chassis without the disadvantage of a high floor over the axle, for sufficient space is given by an extended wheel arch to allow plenty of clearance between the axle casing and the body, whilst the arrangement of the seating is such that one of the seats comes immediately over this extended wheel arch and practically conceals it.

Offsetting the engine and drive in this manner naturally throws a greater proportion of the weight to one side, and to compensate in some degree for this, the battery, spare wheel and petrol tank are carried at the other side, the battery actually being situated at the side of the engine, where access to it can easily be obtained by lifting the

bonnet. •

On cambered roads the extra weight is also balanced to some degree by the additional weight thrown on the kerb side of the vehicle ; of course, in countries where the rule of the road necessitates vehicles keeping to the left, the offsetting would, preferably, be carried out at the other side of the vehicle.

Another advantage of this unusual layout is that it is possible to use a central longitudinal beam for supporting the middle of the body floor. Another point is that the controls can be artanged on the gearbox, and yet be easily accessible for the driver, and it Is claimed that additional space is provided for entrance and exit.

The chassis embodies a new air-brake tlystem, the compressor for which is sircooled and driven off the front end of the crankshaft. Braking is effected through all four wheels.

It will be remembered by our readers that in our issue for December 23rd we published a long paragraph under the heading "Wheels of Industry,"

• dealing with the purchase of two of these chassis by the London General Omnibus Co., Ltd., in which we gave a few details of the chassis and pointed ' out that the only reason for the purchase of these was the necessity for keeping fully cognizant with foreign • design.

;4 We are indebted to our American eon.temporaries, Motor Age and Motor rvav,sport, for some of the details and illustrations contained in this article. I One of the drawings shows the complete layout of the air-brake control system and the situation of the tank.

Tags

Locations: Chicago, London

comments powered by Disqus