THE BODYWORK OF THE MOTOR COACH.
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How a Desire on the Part of the Holiday-maker or the Person of Leisure Can be Created by Good Appearance and Evidence of Comfort in the Body.
A TTRACTIVE appearance is an important asset with 1A -a coach, because, being attractive, it is more likely to create a desire to ride than would one which looks uncomfortable and is in want of repair. A bus may be of sterner aspect, since the passenger is usually travelling to save time and for business reasons, whereas with the coach it is a matter of choice and for pleasure and recreation. As the passenger is on pleasure bent, lie is inclined to look for those characteristics which are associated with the open touring car. This fact has been kept well in view by those concerned, and the tendency of coach design during the past few years has been to adapt the general design so that the leading features of the private car may be incorporated.
It is now easier to copy the general outline of the touring car, because the latest chassis are built, within an inch or two, as close to the ground as the smaller chais.' The bonnet is higher and wider at the dashboard and also more shapely than hitherto. The radiator, again, is designed as a unit which combines beauty with utility.
Varieties of Special Hoods.
Owing to the size of the coach body it is to be expected that one or two items, working quite satisfactorily on a private car, will require certain modifications before they can be adapted to a vehicle nearly half as wide again and of twice the length. The Cape-cart hood must be specially designed so that its extra bulk is well under control.. Various devices have been invented to this end. The hood cover only has to be rolled up and the sticks are folded behind each seat, as in the Bartle hood. Or the hood folds, sideways, as in the Karrier type, so that its length makes little difference to its ease of handling. Again, the cover may be supported by overhead cables and telescopic supports, or the hoop sticks are mounted on slides on each side of the body at the waist line, or higher at a level corresponding with the top line of the side curtains or window frames.
It may be gathered from the above that the most difficult problem which has to be surmounted is that of the length of the hood rather than its width. It would appear, therefore, that another way of attacking the problem lies in cutting down this dimension and protecting the remaining portion of the body by some other means.
One way of doing this is to build a saloon compartment at the rear, so that the hood has to protect only three or four rows of seats. But this composite type of vehicle, although in favour on the Continent, is not popular here. Another plan is to build a permanent structure in front. This idea is only applicable to the central gangway pattern of body, because as much length as possible is required between the dash and front door. This door is made the full height,' reaching to the bottom line of the hood cover. The upper part of the door is metal-framed and fitted with a drop or sliding window, the latter giving more scope in the general design of the body, besides being lighter atid cheaper to fit. Between the dash and this window is fitted another window, forming a side wing to the screen. If the roof from the dash to the back of the front door is fixed, then only the remaining portion of the body has to be provided with a hood. The junction between the two parts of the roof protection must be provided with a waterplate of generous size. It should be possible in this way to cut down the normal length of the hood by about one-third.
A Collapsable Front Portion.
This fixed front is open t� the objection that it is apt to disfigure an otherwise smart-looking coach. It is unlikely, however, that any serious objection would be made regarding the presence of the side screens at all times, as they form such an excellent protectiOn from a headwind, and, moreover, if mounted in neat metal frames, their prominence is reduced to a minimum. The real eyesore is the fixed-roof portion. This could then be made up in the same way as the other part ofi the hood—. that is, of strong waterproof twill, but, of course, on stump hoopsticks instead -of full-length ones. One hoopstick would be required to carry onehalf of the vvaterplate, another just above the forward edge of the door, and a third and _horizontal one fitted on the top of the screen. This piece of hood could be collapsed so as to form a bridge at the doorway, or, better still, carried forWard to the screen position and laid on top of it, a board or shallow trough being provided for its reception. The outline of this trough would be made to correspond with the sectional shape of the stump hoopstick so as it could be neatly accommodated.
TRAY MR, FIZONT CC HOOD WHEN DOWN FIXED .VFNDOW VEE SCREE
• of the hood into a tray above the screen.
The Value of Side Screens.
The continuation of the side screens beyond the door way to the rear is a feature .which is likely to become more popular in the future. It is also highly probable that the storm curtain or frame with celluloid window will give place to the glazed one. Either type is more useful if it can be adjusted and an drop into a casing made in the body side. The side window in a metal frame is of particular value, because, being strongly • made, neat in appearance, and retaining its trans parency indefinitely, it can he used repeatedly without becoming shabby. These side windows add much to the enjoyment of a coach trip when there is a strong side wind, and they give additional protection from the dust.
The central-gangway style of coach body lends itself more to detail improvements and refinements than the side-entrance pattern. Any weather protection scheme is made more simple and there is more scope for varying the seating arrangement. Then the central gangway coach allows for a greater degree of sociability between the passengers, there is the opportunity for changing seats, whilst conditions are easier for anyone in charge of the party.
The Beclawat All-weather Equipment.
set of fittings embodying the latest ideas in weather protection and body construction is that made by Beckett, Laycock and Watkinson, Ltd. In the article on bus body construction, given on other pages of this issue, it will be noted that stress is laid on the advantage of metal framework and the standardization of such parts. One of the most important features of the Beclawat fittings is the provision ofa set of perma nent side pillars of special aluminium a 110 y made to bolt to the floor framework and extending to the cant rail.
The pillars are also designed to carry t h e wooden elbow and garnish tails, inside panels and seat rails, as well as the members to which the window balances a n d bottom edges of the inside panels are attached. The fixed cant rail consists of a bronze tubular channel section, which provides' the slide for the roller attached to t h e foot at each side of the stump hood sticks of tubular steel.
The cant rail tube is slotted on the inside to provide a guide for a centre betiring of these rollers. The best way of bolting the feet ' of the side pillars to the bottom framing is to use 2i-in. by 2i-in. by Fin. T plate, which is let into the hardwood cross-bar or bearer. Loose face plates are arranged to be screwed to the inside of the metal pillars for holding the inSide panels and garnish rails in position. These plates are attached by metal thread screws which facilitate both attachment and removal.
The Balancing of the Windows.
The metal pillars are provided with the well-known Beclawat silent window channel to form runways for the windows. These windows are of the Beclawat Monolever type, having a pair of locks. The window regulator is designed with a special rack channel with square holes punched in an extending flange to take the plunger of the locks. This method holds the window positively in any required position, and prevents creeping owing to vibration. The windows are balanced by the Beclawat window lift and a top stiffening channel Is used independently of the cant rail.
The bottom channel of the window includes on the outer side a lip which is folded over at a sharp angle. This impinges on a rubber strip attached to the inside of the elbow by a brass strip, thus forming a watertight joint at any height the window may be adjusted.
Door Hinges Attached to Metal Pillar.
Metal pillars are also used for the doors. A feature of particular technical interest is that the door hinges are attached to these metal pillars, which should do much to prevent dropping of the doors, even after prolonged use. The equipment includes door handles and Jocks.
The outside panels are not fastened directly to the metal pillars, but wooden fillers or battens are used. These battens are quite 'simply made, as all the glass rani and window mechanism are confined to the inner metal framework, but at the door openings suitable bevels and rebates have, of course, to be made. The waist rail can be made of small pieces of timber equal to the width of the window, thereby economizing material.
A vee-shaped windscreen with Beclawat weathering is included as part of the standard equipment, but a straight one can be supplied if required-. Horizontally sliding windows can be fitted to the front doors instead of the drop pattern.
The cant rail is continued down to the waist at the rear, forming with the last side pillar the framework of a fixed light. Here the elbow is dropped four or five inches so as to provide a secure resting-place for the hood Sticks. -Owing to the arrangement of the metal framework, they lie within the overall dimension of the body. By continuing the cant rail, the sticks never have to leave this tube. The hoed material is arranged independently of the sticks, and can be folded or rolled up neatly at the rear.
The Beclawat all-weather coach equipment is suitable for 4, 5, 6 or 7 rows of seats, and any arrangement • of doors desired.
Transverse Strength of Side Entrance Body.
From the constructional point of view, each body has its constructional advantages. The side entrance pattern, although it is weakened by the several near-side door openings, is tied together transversely by the seat frames and heelboards, which run continuously from side to side.
With the central-gangway body the side pillars can be spaced out as required. As many as possible of these pillars are arranged opposite the end of a bottom cross-bar, so that an edge plate can be run down the side face of the pillar and along the corresponding fact of the cross-bar. This method of reinforcement can be adopted here and there on the side entrance body, but there is less need for it, as the two sides are directly connected by the seat structures.
In either pattern of body the back may be strengthened by an edge plate similar to that used for the able framing. In this instance, the plate runs down the edge of the back batten and along the longitudinal member or runner which is framed in immediately above the side-member of the chassis.
In the central-gangway body the waist rails help to stiffen the sides, so as to ensure the efficient working of the hood mechanism. The large continuous area of panelling again lends itself to economy in manufacture.
The Suspension of the Coach.
As the coach is designed for pleasure use, it is necessary that full attention should be paid to the suspension and mounting. The hind springs should be of ample length, and, if properly proportioned for the varying load, there is nothing better than the well-tried semi-elliptical spring. If it is considered that the chassis springs cannot take care of all variations of load, or -a body has to be mounted on a chaSsis which lacks the right kind of springs, then one may adopt a supplementary device. In this category there is the set of semi-elliptics of Messrs. Strachan and Brown, or the Holden low-pressure pneumatic device.
If any special mounting device be used, then full advantage should be taken of it by adopting the floating style of dash, that is, one having no direct connection between the dash and the bonnet arch. The floating dash prevents, to a certain extent, the body being strained by the unequal movements of the chassis. Its full value, however, is not obtained unless the body is mounted on a frame independently of the chassis, attached to it at one end only, and free to hinge at the other, as with the Daimler body frame. The floating dash is by no means novel for public service vehicles, since it may be seen occasionally fitted to buses which have been some years in service.
Upholstery.
The upholstery must be waterproof, as it is exposed to the weather, and there is not the same choice of material as with a bus. Still, the greater scope is considered by some not altogether an advantage, as the moquette class of stuff is more difficult to keep free from dust. The public, maybe, prefer the warmer material, which gives a firmer seating. The leather Merchant is able to satisfy this condition for the closed private ear with the soft finished furniture hides which have been so popular during the last two or three seasons. The rival claims of leather and its substitutes are perennial. If the substitute is used, then it should be of the best quality if full advantage is to be taken of its lower price. Carpet may be used to cover the back of the seats. This need not be of an expensive variety, and it has the advantage that it does not show marks so readily as a painted surface, and also gives the interior a more inviting appearance.