TESTING THE LATEST ORWELL ELECTRIC.
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Modifications Which Have Been Made in the New Design. Satisfactory Results Obtained During a Short Test Run, A Brief Description of the Chassis.
THE MAKERS of the Orwell battery electric vehicles, Ransomes. Sims and Jefferies, Ltd., of Orwell Works, Ipswich, recently afforded us an opportunity . for a short test run on one of their latest models, designed to carry loads of 30 cwt. excluding an ample allowance for the body. We were accompanied by Mr. Mossay, of Massa), and Co.; Ltd., 7, Princes Street, Westminster, London, S.W.1, the selling agents for Orwell vehicles.
The external appearance of the new vehicle closely resembles that. of its predecess Dr, and it is only after a careful
scrutiny that tho many • improvements which have been made in the design can be observed, and that they really ,are improvements was shown by the behaviour of the machine when on the road. The most obvious and important alterations are in the two driving motors, the brush gear of which is now very much more accessible, as will be seen by referring to the photographs of the old and new types which we reproduce for the sake of comparison. Apart from this, the motors have been altered in other respects with a view to obtaining greater efficiency ,and ,less current: consumption,
and the reduction gearing is now totally enclosed, and thus dust and waterproof ; previously the large reduction gearwheel of each motor was outside the casing, whilst now the countershaft runs in an oil bath.
The actual vehicle tested was One built for the Adelaide Electric Supply Co. and ordered by their consulting enginers, Messrs. Kincaid, Waller, Manville and Dawson. The route taken was through some of the narrow streets of Ipswich, and included, many corners, whilst outside the town several hills of 1 in 10 were encountered. The vehicle,
carrying a full load, of course, surmounted these quite easily, as was to be expected, dropping down to about 7 m.p.h. on the eteepest portions, and we only mention the fact to show that the test was a normal one and not made over a specially selected route on level roads. Incidentally, the weather conditions were by no means ideal, as there was a fairly strong cross-wind, and a fine rain had made the road surface somewhat sticky. The test was conducted with a view to obtaining the current consumption, maximum speed, average speed, and the distance which the vehicle would travel along a level road under its own motnentom, after cutting off the current, from a flying start. This last test was to demonstrate the free-running capabilities of the machine, which can be considered as haying remarkably little internal friction—an important point when one italises that every foot-pound of work expended in overcoming friction not only increases the cost of the current., but also reduces the mileage radius per charge.
The average-speed test was made over a distance of two miles in each diree. lion, which included several small bills, and it was carefully timed by a stopwatch. The outward two miles were covered in 6 minis. 37 secs., and the re turn in 6 mine. 51 sees., givipg an average speed of 17.82 m.p.h., which is considerably above that of the average electric vehicle. It is interesting to record that the maximum speed attained was 23 m.p.h., showing that the average figure was not obtained by unduly pushing the vehicle on down grades.
The free-running test proved very interesting and instructive, for the machine travelled 394 paces of approximately a yard before coming to a. standstill, and even then had ascended a slight incline at the end of its travel, and would, no doubt, have gone considerably farther if the road had been perfectly level.
The total length of the run proved to be 12.6 mike, and the current consumed, according to the calibrated meter supplied with the machine, 86 ampere-hours, which, with a total battery capacity of 295 ampere-hours, gives 43.2 miles per charge.
To those who are not familiar with this type of Orwell electric it may be of interest if we give a brief description. The frame is of pressed channel-section steel, tapered slightly to the front and provided with channel-section crassmembers and two angle-section members, which support the motors. Bolts are employed thrtiugbout in lieu of rivets, and at the front of the frame is a stout wooden buffer, which can easily be replared.in case of breakage. Semi-elliptic springs are used threugh out and these give, quite comfortable riding, even over bad roads.
The new wheels employed are consider Rely lighter than formerly. Each is pressed out of one piece of steel, which also forms the combined felloe and rim.
We have already referred to the two muter unite, which are positioned one at each side of the chassis. the final drive from them laeing through the
medium of open roller ehains. Each motor is 3 ri.h.p. or 9 max. h.p. The controller is of the Ellison drum type, situated under the driver's seat. It gives four forward-runnig speeds and one reverse, the controller being operated by a lever working in a gate-change quadrant and interlocked with a pedal connected with the drum of the rheostat. In order to prevent burning of the commutator segments, the operating lever cannot be moved until the electric circuit is broken. .
The battery is supported under the centre of the frame; and it consists of 40 1.M.V. 9 cells arranged on trays with patented device to facilitate removal. The new chassis can also he equipped to carry 2;e3-ten loads at 12 m.p.h.
The braking is very powerful. Two, of the internal-expanding type operating on enclosed steel drums attached to the rear wheels, are actuated by a lever-and pedal respectively, whilst the regenerative control gives a very strong brake, which has the advantage that it is not absorbing power.