The Troy Trailer.
Page 16
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Interesting Development of a Device Previously Described.
The Troy Trailer on its first appearance in this country was described by us in our issue of 18th February, 1915. It is made in two styles and in sizes suitable for carrying any reasonable load from 30 cwt. upwards. Its outstanding characteristic is the embodiment in its construction of the Ackermann . steering for both front and rear wheels, and a special locking arrangement whereby either of the sets of steering may be locked in the central position. The. advantages of this arrangement are that when being pulledin . a forward direction, the trailer follows almost exactly the track of the tractor, and by locking the front steering gear and freeing that of the rear wheels the trailer may, with the assistance of a man or boy at the rear, be reversed into any desired position with ease.
One type is on steel wheels and is roughly made to conform very closely to what might be called agricultural requirements pure and simple. A special feature of the models which are on timber framing is the readiness with which the wheelbase may be altered to suit special requirements. A given trailer, for example, may be required by a farmer for carting at one time a heavy class of vegetable like potatoes or swedes, and for this purpose would require a wheelbase, perhaps, of about the normal; on ,the other hand, he might have need to transport logs or other material of unusual length, and for this purpose it is possible easily to lengthen the wheelbase to suit the altered Circumstances.
The other pattern of trailer is a
much more ambitious machine in.• every respect. It is built on heavyvehicle-chassis lines with a. channelsteel frame ; it is fitted with solid rubber tires. Roller bearings are fitted throughout, and the machine is designed so as to be capable of withstanding rough usage, and of exceeding speeds ordinarily admissible, or even as the law stands at present legal for trailers, without suffering marked depreciation. This latter characteristic has rendered it invaluable for war purposes, and we have evidence of its being employed to a considerable extent on both Fronts.
A disability of this machine as it was first introduced was the lack of brakes. This failing, of course, constituted a bar to its being em-, ployed for commercial purposes in this country. The Troy Trailer Construction Co., Ltd., the business premises of which are at 115, Carlton Vale, Maida Vale, London, N.17iT., was not, long in remedying this defect. Bearing in mind that motorcar-type steering-pivots are fitted to all four wheels and that experiences of front-wheel brakes on touring cars have not been in every case encouraging, it will readily be realized that the company in attempting to design suitable brakes was faced with a somewhat difficult proposition. The result of the company's efforts, however, as instanced on some trailers supplied to the order of the Daimler Co., Ltd., Coventry, is a commendable one. The photographs we reproduce are sufficient in themselves to illustrate the design of these brakes. No manipulation of the steering gear appears to affect their efficiency, and a noteworthy point is the simple type of compensating gear which is fitted.