1925-11-14 — Page 11

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH,

THE MOTOR BUS OF THE FUTURE.·

LATEST TYPE BUILT FOR COMPORT AND ROAD SAVING.

Awaiting the ultimate in motor bus and motor truck design, en- gineers are trying to develop a practical sort of six-wheel and eight-wheel vehiele.

The most advanced step in this direction was described recently to members of the Society of Auto- motive Engineers by A. F. Masury, vice president and chief engineer' of the International Motor Com- pany of New York.

It is still of the six-wheel type, although the eight-wheel bus hasi already seen actual service, The lutter, however, is still in its ex- perimental stage.

Six-wheel busses and trucks aren't new. They were first tried out as long ago as 1909. But they haven't gained as much attention as they have to-day.

The reason is the urgent demand of traffic for some solution to its increasing congestion. One, of- fered by the big bus and truck manufacturers, is the six-wheeler,' the eight-wheeler and ultimately perhaps the larger caterpillar tractor model of a specd equal to the present bus and truck.

Easy for Passengers.

The latest type of six-wheel chassis and a model right- wheeler.. Lower picture shows him the rightarheeler is steered, with both frat sets of wheels acting in union.

"MOTORING SUPPLEMENT.

tion to riders that ordinary walk-1 within reasonable limits and es- "The principal reason for the ing gives. The seats are on rub-pecially that the weight on the increasing popularity of the six-ber foundation and are made in Irvada can be distributed over as wheel and eight-wheel motor ve-one piece'so that bodies move with great a road area as possible. hicles," says Masury, "is the de-them, mand from a critical riding public

for riding comfort."

Less Road Wear.

The length of the six-wheel bus Yet there is another big reason is 35 feet, from tip to tip. The The kind designed by Masury for the six and eight-wheel bus imean wheelbase is 266 inches. and his engineers is said to afford fund truck, from the viewpoint of Yes there has been no difficulty in the greatest comfort and ease in highway and engineers and city jman-ruvering long distance riding than that planners. Tound in any earlier bus.

narrow

these vehicles through

and zrowded Masury's explanation is that streets. They steer easily and Thirty blocks of rubber are used more wheels must be put into ser-hey are well controlled by means for supports, anchors and spring vice if greater loads are desired, of a compensating or "servo" shackles to help furnish the sensa-'so that axle loads may be kept brake mechanism.

A DAIMLER

**

THIRTY FOR THE QUEEN OF SPAIN

The car illustrated is a Daimler "Thirty" Chassis with coachwork by Messrs. Hooper & Co. (Coachbuilders; Ltd.

The Limousine body, 'specially designed and built by Messrs. Hooper, is painted Royal Bluo with gold lines, and the interior is finished with gilt and ivory fittings in exactly the same manner as the one supplied on a 30 H. P. Daimler chassis in 1919.

It may be interesting to note that the war in fitted with Triplox glass throughout,

A NOVEL INSTALLATION.

FOUR-WHEEL DRIVING.

POSSIBILITIES OF INCREASED POWER AND BRAKING,

By Albert L. Clough, In The Scotsman.

The greater number of 1926 models exhibited at the Motor Show, London, are fitted with four wheel brakes. In 1924 balloon tyres were the new fit. ment; in 1925 four, wheel brakes. What may we look forward to for 19257

Now that braking with all four wheels has become an accepted practice engineers are beginning to consider the possibility of going alil further and applying the driving power through all four! wheels, instead of through thei rear wheels only.

Four-wheel driving has long

been I recognised method of commercial vehicle propulsion. Now it is being argued that if four-wheel driving is a good thing for lorries why should it not be advantageous for passenger ears?

Every motorist has at sonte time found himself with his ear. "stuck" in sand, mud. or snow, and has realised that if his engine power could be positively applied to front as well as rear wheels, his car would in all probability pull through the bad going with. out difficulty. Now that trans- portation by car is depended upon

in all season by so large a part of the public, it must be made as nearly as possible proof against interruption of even the most Four- adverse road conditions. wheel driving seems the solution. Skidding Reduced!.

With all four wheels driving the front part of the load as well as its roar portion is pulled and not pushed over road irregulari- ties, a saving in powar being ef fected through eliminution of the inefficient pushing action of con- ventional front wheels, which merely support and guide. All wheels roll under their own power. With correct design, there would be no differential action that could cause one wheel to slip and prevent tractive effort being transmitted to the rond. A single transmission brake' would apply its retarding effect to all four wheels simultaneously, as they

are all mechanically nected together.

Skidding tendency would be reduced for the reason that all wheels would be positively rotat- ed. Side-slip occurs with wheels that have stopped turning. not with those that are rolling uor- mally.

con-

Each of the four final drives to the wheels would be under much less severe stress than the two inal drives of the conventional- car, especially since the entire propulsive force would be re- duced by the more advantageous application of power to the road. Tyre-wear of front and renz wheels would be equalised, andj its total amount reduced.

Substitution of a live axle for! the conventional solid front axle, the provision of an intermediate' transmission element between the change-speed gear and the final drive mechanisms and of the driv ing connections to the front axle comprise the additions! parts re- quired. The resulting complies tion does not appear prohibitive. Are Bumpers Coming? Must bumpers come? This question also is being asked as the result of the general installe- tion of four wheel brakes,

The chief objection of motorist in this country to bumpers is that they are ugly. It is also argue that they are an American iden pure and simple. The general trend of thought runs in this way -"Drivers of heavy American cars on erowded American roads may need bumpers. In this country nothing of the kind is needed."

It seems, however, that the time is not far distant when we shall not be able to speak of "crowded roads" as though ther were purely an American pro-

blem.

A correspondent in an English motoring journal points out that three occasions at least arise when bumpers are invaluably.

tons, on the one hand, and on the made by the" Ailsa Craig Motor Those occasions are when the car other the diminutive motor boats Co., Ltd., of Chiswick, London, is is left unattended in a garage, one sees chasing along rivers, being installed as af auxiliary for when the car in front in a traffic about barbours and around the use in the event of the main en-hold-up begins to reverse or allp coast, then one begins to realise gine breaking down. It is es back, and when the car in front MINIATURE MARINE MOTOR the enormous advance in this timated that this little motor, has f.w.b.-a handicap that can

The applications of the motor modern science.

which only standa 10 in. above not be ignored by those with engine to marine purposes is of A novel application of one of the engine bearers, will, under brakes on the rear wheels only. comparatively recent date." cer- the very latest small petrol motors such circumstances, enable the The difference in brake effec tainly well within the half will be of more than passing In-bost to reach port against any tiveness in the cars forming a century. Its progresa, like itu terest to users of boats. This is reasonable wind and tide. It is a line was always great. Recently sister movement in the air, le being made in connection with a unique example of so many an it has become greater because of somewhat startling, if perhaps 30-foot cabin cruiser at Bristol.jengine being used as a stand-by, the presence of numbers of cars Ican apertoruler. Think of the The engine, an Ailsa Craig "Pup," and is testimony to the strength with four-wheel brakes which can huge off-driven motor ships of 4-6 h.p. horizontal opposed and reliability of the Ailsa Craig be stopped nearly twice an short to-day, displacing 10,000 and more twin-cylinder unit, designed and "Pa

as two-wheel brake cane."

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14,

BRITAIN LEADS IN CAR VALUE

The New

MORRIS

REGISTERED TRADE MARX

Programme

REDUCED PRICES

F

BETTER CARS

OR the season commencing September 1st, 1925, MORRIS MOTORS, LTD., who make more and better cars than any other British manufacturer, announce the following important improvements in their cars :-

1. The provision of four-wheel brakes on 11.9 b.p. Morris-

Cowley models

The fitting of reinforced balloon tyres on all models.

3. The provision of dipping headlamps on Morris-Oxford en-s

4. Thermostatle control of engine cooling on Morris.

Oxford models,

L

5. Important detall intprovements, especially in the coach-

work of all models.

Additional to these items none of the features that have made Morris Cars so overwhelmingly superior during the past twelve months has been omitted. Instead, still better cars are being offered at still lower prices

buy British

and be Proud of it.

The new Morris-Cowley Two-seater. Fines! maforing value in the world. Complete with four wheel brakes, Lucur 12-volt fighting and starting equipment, balloon tyres, Gabriel Rebound Snubbers, spring gaiters and full equipment. has no competitor in its

class ut the price at which it is now affered ~

Bar and pas therò models either at our showrooms or the showrooms of our Authorised Sub-Dealers mentioned Male 1

THE HONGKONG HOTEL GARAGE.

(THE HONGKONG & SHANGHAI HOTELS LTD.

Show Room-Phone C. 4759

Garage

Phone C. 4602

The fittest survive!

The fittest survive! Neither men nor machines, if they are unfit, can long withstand the crushing strain of an exac'ing existence.. Buick Valve-in-Head motor cars are built on principles that were established when the motor car industry started, and that these cars survived without change in their fundamentals is convincing proof that they are constructed on basic principles that are correct. In the making of Buicks there has been no yearly shifting from one set of engineering and manufacturing principles to an entirely different set. The Buick Valve-in Head principle was right in the beginning, and it has been right ever since. Each passing year finds this great principle more firmly and securely established in the estimation of the motoring public.

The Valve-in-Head principle is the great reason for the survival of Buic & motor cars. If this principle had not been correct, Buick, too, would have found it necessary to jump from one kind of engine to another in a ceaseless effort to find something that would stand the grilling work a motor car is called upon to do. The Buick has survived every test that more than a million and a quarter users could devise in the most exacting conditions of worldwide service. There could be no better proof that Buick is the fittest among motor cars,

!

BUICK

VALVE-IN-HEAD MOTOR CARS

Please call or Telephone C. 1036.

HONGKONG & KOWLOON TAXICAB CO., LTD.

& 35 Des Vœux Road Central.