Skeleton Luton Vans Carry Cabs
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OVER a number of years Briggs Motor Bodies, Ltd., Dagenham. has supplied cabs to Commer Cars, Ltd., Luton, for that concern's commercial vehicles. The latest addition to the Briggs fleet is a Commer-Hands tractortrailer outfit, which, in an accompanying illustration, is shown delivering II cabs to the Luton factory. It combines the factors of dependability, low wind-resistance, and efficient loading facilities.
Points of special interest include, a superstructure designed by the Briggs concern and fabricated from siraight steel tubes, incorporating the principles of aircraft design. By this method, vertical and horizontal planes are braced at nodal points, and the flexure under load is low at all speeds up to 40 m.p.h. Both .decks are covered by corrugated aluminium-alloy sheets, the top deck being left open in the middle, with catwalks along both sides. When loading, the operator can push a cab along the central track with one hand, and secure it in position by means of a skid and hook bolts fitted with quick-release nuts. A light tubular-steel ladder at the rear provides access to the top deck, and safety chains are fitted a the rear end. The trailer was specially designed by Hands (Letchworth), Ltd., and incorporates a light chassis having a maxi
mum of torsional stiffness. Principal dimensions of the trailer are: Overall length, 32 ft. 11 ins.; overall width, 7 ft. 6 ins.; height, 13 ft. l0ii; ins. Well known for its reliability, the Commer Q4 tractor unit is now available on a to-ft wheelbase for articulated vehicles with normal turntable attachment. In this case, fitted with a Perkins P6 4ail engine, the tractor is ideally suited Tor its task, further vehicles of this, type are soon to be added to the fleet.