THE PA
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s SHOW THIS year interest at the Paris Salon, which opened on October 1 and closes next Sunday, is somewhat divided, the unsettled state of affairs of the country resulting in almost as much discussion on politics as on motor vehicles.
On the commercial side there are, as usual, no British exhibits, but the Gardner oil engine, built under licence by several concerns, is almost sweeping , the field of the power unit, following its highly successful performance in operation since making its first appearance in France little more than a year ago. At the same time, it is not without competition, both in the light and heavy classes, particularly the latter.
One of our most interesting experiences in Paris was a 'run of several miles in traffic on a Hanomag car equipped with a small six-cylindered engine of the same make. This is a German product, with a bore and stroke of 74 mm. and 95 mm. respectively, giving 50 b.h.p. at 3,500 r.p.m. It has an electric hot-spot device for vaporizing the oil to facilitate starting from cold. The engine of the vehicle in which we travelled ran immediately the button was pushed. It gave a slight and pleasant purr, with no sign of Diesel knock and no odour whatever inside. When idling in traffic there was a slight vibration, but no noise, and the smoothness of running was equal to a high-class petrol engine, whilst the acceleration was excellent. The consumption is approximately 12 litres of gas oil per 100 kiloms., and the price (in Germany) 5,875 R.M., or, at 13 R.M. to the 2, about 2450 for the complete saloon car. It can achieve 110 k.p.h.
(69 m.p.h.) with four passengers. While on the subject of oil engines, we may mention others of interest There is, for instance, the Somua, built under Hesselman licence. It is of the direct-injection type with com paratively low compression, and ignition by spark. It is started by
injection of a small quantity of petrol into the air intake, whilst the oil injection is performed by an H.M.C. pump made in Sweden. The engine shown is in a 10-ton chassis.
The L.M., a French make built by Cornpagnie Linoise de Mote urs under
Junkers licence, is employed by several French constructors. It is
much ,the same as in former years, except that in some examples a mild amount of supercharging is obtained by a fan driven from the crankshaft. The Unic employs an engine built under Mercedes-Benz patents, with the usual ante-chamber. Berliet has a new type with what is known as multiple turbulence. It is constructed under Ricardo patents.
The latest Peugeot, which has heater plugs, has steel-cup antechambers, it develops 50 b.h.p. at 3,000 r.p.m., and is of 2,300 c.c. The C.L.M. pump is employed, and the
idling is governed by oil pressure, two small pinions in the pump regulator forcing oil against a little piston. The device is extremely compact.
The Deutz system is utilized by De Dion, whilst Chenard Walcker also constructs under Ricardo licence, the latter engine developing 80 b.h.p. at 2,000 r.p.m. Willeme also makes use
of the Deutz principle, whilst the Panhard and Levassor concern uses both its own familiar sleeve-valve type, which is exceptionally clean in design, and the Gardner. Delahaye also builds under Gardner licence, the example staged having four cylinders ; in addition, it shows a sixcylindered 8k-litre engine of its own make.
The gas producer, as was indicated a week or two ago in a letter from our Paris correspondent, is not so conspicuous
as in former years. We found examples. on a few vehicles, but others were mainly showi as models or by drawings.
Amongst the latter was the Latil, which is a dry type, using anthracite, coke, charcoal or a mixture of these. From the large producer the gas passes through cooling pipes to a cylinder of the same size as the producer and equipped with dust baffles and an elaborate filter of the cloth type.
Perhaps one of the most inte..esting complete vehicles for alternative fuel is a Lath l bus equipped to run on methane. There are 13 cylinders of small diameter mounted on the roof and covered in except at the ends. The chief interest concerning them is that they are constructed of Alumag and are said to held the gas under a pressure of 200 kilos. per sq. cm. It is claimed that this vehicle will run 350 kiloms. on one charge. It has a pressure-reducing valve in a box at the left of the cab.
Next in interest is a Somua trolleybus with a single Westinghouse motor mounted amidships and two sets of batteries at the rear. At one side, just behind the rear wheels, is a motor-dynamo set, and at the other side a motor-driven compressor for the brakes. The axle is of the double-reduction type with a dropped centre, arid the suspension is most elaborate, the upper spring leaves bearing on curved steel blocks bolted to the frame channels, thus giving variable effective length, on the principle adopted some years ago by the Bristol concern.
On many vehicles the gear-change connections are still, to our mind, over-complicated, particularly where fpre ard control is employed. For example, the big Somua oiler has three rods leading to triple centrally fukrumed levers connected to three further rods passing to the gearbox.
In the Diamond-T chassis, allowande for loading is made by setting half the number of leaves on the back springs at a different camber, so that they come into action only when the weight is applied. The hand brake operates through two segmental shoes compressing between them a ventilated disc mounted on the transmission.
This idea is also utilized. on the Citroen, whilst the Chenard-Walcker has an electro-dynamic brake which
permits the descent of 10-per-cent. gradients without using the mechanical brakes. Incidentally, this chassis has a lockable free wheel.
Nearly all the heavier vehicles of various naakes have some form of brake booster. The Berliet has a Rollstype servo in which a clutch plate driven by the gearbox engages with a casing, which tends to rotate and exert a pull on the brake connections. This type is used on other chassis in different forms, as in the Panhard, in which we noticed that one brake rod actually touched a side of the clutch member, and would undoubtedly cause chatter.
In the Bernard a clutch connects with two Lockheed pumps, one for the front brakes and the other for those at the rear.
On the Saurer there is a combination of the Dewandre servo with a Lockheed pump. The layout includes an interesting arrangement for operating the same rear shoes by hand. At each side a single rod ends in two connections 'to bellcrank levers mounted on the brake-shoe carriers ; one arm of each lever is connected to the Lockheed Cylinder, and the other to the aforementioned connections. Part of this device is shown by a sketch.
tinic retains the differential-leverage device for the foot brake. in this, the pull on the point of application on the brake rods is, in pffect, brought nearer to the pivot
Of a lever which is separately mounted behind the brake pedal, so that the leverage increases as the travel: decreases The windlass-type hand brake with ratchet wheel and pawls is to be seen in increasing numbers. Generally, it winds up a chain connected either to a rod or steel ribbon, as on the Laffiy, Bernard. Renault, etc. '
French designers appear to be very fond of employing cable fat brake connections, either for the whole length or in conjunction with rbds. In the Delahaye and one or two others, the end portions of the cable pass through flexible tubes on which lubricators are mounted.
Many of the heavier chassis have the rear springs shackled at each end, and a long radius and torque tube ending at the gearbox, with triangulated stays to the axle ends. On the Renault 10-cwt. chassis there is a single cross-spring at the rear.
Double-reduction axles are very popular, and the type originally designed for low-level vehicles is now to be found
on quite a number of chassis. It is dropped in the centre and the shafts carry the drive to spur pinions meshing with larger pinions in line with the wheels.
One of the bigger Renaults has a bevel gear in the upper part of the centre pot with a second reduction by spur gears below, whilst the Bernet has a secondary reduction amidships. This is driven by an overhead worm so that the rear cardan shaft is dropped to a lower level. In conjunction with the gearbox it affords eight forward speeds ; the final drive is through a double-reduction axle.
A forward-control model of the Delahaye resembles that shown last year. The drive to the back axle is offset to a considerable degree, and the gearbox is set over at an angle to bring the line of the change-speed operating rod past the centre line of the chassis.
The mechanical horse and trailer shown by Chenard-Walcker closely resemble the British type. The front wheel of the horse
can be turned through practically 90 degrees. The chassis embodies a somewhat curious feature in the form of a large-diameter central cross-tube, which carries a hand brake and trailerrelease levers, etc. Presumably, this tube is intended also to strengthen the frame, but about three-quarters of the area of each end projects above the side member. Plates are welded to the tube and bolted to the frame. There may be some special reason for the arrangement, but it will not appeal to the British designer,
The " SemiLtrailer by Lagache and Glazmann has hydraulic legs at the front which can be dropped to support the trailer when away from its tractor.
AS. is usual, a large number of exhibits—mainly complete vehicles—is staged in the basement. Here there is a very fine coach body built by Grange Freres on a Panhard. The front of this is illustrated. The narrow, curved radiator shell, wide wings and elaborate bumper are most striking.
A -Fillet seini-trailer has four wheels in line "On two rocking axles mounted on 4 pair of cross springs one at each side of the wheels, which bear at their ends on massive cast-steel tubular members, each of which carries the axle for a pair of wheels. Mounted at the front end of each of these tubular members is a large enclosed vacuum-operated diaphragm which controls the brakes.
A Swedish vehicle, the Skoda 10-tonner, rather intrigued us by its extraordinarily massive appearance, the effect of which was somewhat detracted from by a long propeller shaft only 1f in. in diameter.
One of the best-equipped vehicles is a Renault service van for dealing with oil-engine pumps, etc. Arrangements are made for driving the pumps from the engine of the chassis, so that they can be thoroughly tested. There is also special equipment for testing injectors, a supply of compressed air for cleaning injectors and pumping tyres, a complete oxy-acetylene welding outfit (the bottles of which are mounted in a frame having extension arms to facilitate carrying), a small forge, pneumatic drills and grinders, small tools of almost very descrip tion, and a removable runway with lifting tackle for dealing with heavy units. Not far away is a fine Delahaye with a Magirus all-steel turntable ladder.
. The electric vehicle does not appear to be making great progress and we found only one example, the familiar Soya This has a motor in the back-axle casing with an epicyClic reduction gear in each wheel, and a small differential at one "side. Another Sovel, a smaller type, has the motor under the driver, and transmission by propeller shaft. The batteries are all carried within the frame, there being four boxes arranged longitudinally; and one crosswise at the rear. It is obviously intended that they shall not often be removed.
Electrical equipment ,closely resembles British construction, but some of the distributors appeared to us to be of unusually small dimensions. We did not observe any use made of a magneto. On one Unic model there is a simple junction box on the front cross-member and under the engine bonnet. From here three connections pass to the front and tail lamps.
One of the outstanding cross-country vehicles on view is the Lailly tractor, which was also shown last year. It has .six wheels, all driven, those at the rear being on half axles hinged to a substantial central frame member running longitudinally. A double cordon drive 'from the gearbox serves to convey the power to all four back wheels. Another interesting six-wheeler is the LorraineDietrich built under Tatra licence, and having a tubular backbone, permitting a large amount of wheel movement without risk of fouling the frame. Outriggers are provided for attaching
the body.
On one light Latil model we noted that the cylinder heads were of cast aluminium.
On thisoccasion we have dealt mainly with points on the various chassis, considerations of space preventing many references to coachwork, but this is steadily improving in quality and style, and in many respects resembles English practice; metal is now widely used for frames and panelling.