1899 Motor Show (Cordingley)
Cordingley's Autocar and Motor Cycle Show at the Agricultural Hall, Islington held 3rd - 10th July 1899. [1]
After the al fresco exhibition (held at Richmond), promoted and held by the Automobile Club in the Old Deer Park at Richmond, we fancy the comparatively small, but nevertheless rapidly growing, section of the British public interested in horseless vehicles could have passed through the remainder of the year without a somewhat similar undertaking installed beneath the roof of the Agricultural Hall at Islington within a month.
Nevertheless, another exhibition opened there last Monday, the 3rd inst., for a fortnight's run, and only the promoters thereof will be able to tell at the close whether those who attended the Richmond function have come again to the Agricultural Hall, or whether the surplusage of the interested will provide to the show promoters a satisfactory totality.
The attendance on Monday and Tuesday last appeared to us to suggest the contrary. However, this at least allowed the visitor who entered the hall for the purpose of studying the cars and cycles there assembled to make his tour of inspection in comfort. Certainly, he could not complain of crowding. Nearly the whole of the centre of the hall, that is, the space clear of the inner rectangle of columns supporting the curved iron principals of the roof, is enclosed for the purpose of forming a fairly spacious arena, in which cars and cycles may be subjected to such trial spins as smooth wood pavement and a very slight fall can impose, and it is just the running of odd cars round this space that lends a little life to the scene.
The remainder of the floor is set apart for the exhibits, which, likewise, cannot be said to be overcrowded in any way. Except in two or three minor instances, novelty is conspicuous by its absence, and the same may be said of the presence of foreign exhibitors.
The honours of the show, so far as display and the number of exhibits are concerned, may be said to be shared by the Motor Manufacturing Co and the Automobile Association, although other firms, like the Electrical Undertakings Co, the Daimler Motor Co., Ltd., Hewetsons, Ltd., the Motor Carriage Supply Co, and the Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Co, have fine stands and a good set of exhibits.
In the arcade Messrs. C. W. Burton, Griffiths, and Co show a fine range of machine tools, to which the attention of those taking up, or about to take up, the manufacture of motors and cars is directed.
Competitions of various kinds are, we believe, to be conducted, but up to the time of our report leaving nothing but a new phase of the Balaclava ‘’melee’’ had taken place in the arena. In this show, three riders wearing the usual plumes and mounted on motor tricycles met three riders, likewise adorned, mounted on ordinary cycles, and in the conflict the motor men came off best, thanks to the superior celerity with which they wished here, there, and everywhere.
During Monday and Tuesday last the arena was made lively by the running of Farman et Cie.'s dainty little light car, the excellent driving of the Benz cars by Mr. Coles, of Hewetsons, Ltd., the ponderous but exact and certain circulation of the Lifu waggonette, and the rumblesome rounds of the Steam Bus Co.'s Daimler motor-driven bus.
Those interested in automobilism who failed to visit the Richmond show may in a measure make some amends by betaking themselves to Islington, and seeing what is there to be seen. Several stands awaited their exhibits at the moment of writing, but will doubtless receive their complement before the end of the week.
Below we give a report of the exhibits, and a critical description of such novelties as are shown.
Owing to the entire absence of numbers upon stands, and the curious arrangement of the catalogue, it was an exceedingly difficult matter to follow the exhibition with the catalogue - indeed, in order to do so one has to make three or four complete circuits of the building. Up to Tuesday evening, when we concluded our notes, many of the stands, including practically all those of the foreign exhibitors, were empty, some of them not even fitted up, and others were incomplete, but progress was being made towards completion, so that doubtless before the end of the week the show will be more complete than it is at present.
Upon entering the building in the arcade, one is struck by a great air of emptiness, there being only three exhibitors placed here, viz., a stand for the sale of the catalogues, a stand in the occupation of Messrs. Friswell and Co, with a large selection of autocar accessories, and an exhibit of machine tools by Messrs. C. W. Burton, Griffiths, and Co., Ludgate Square, E.C., who make an interesting exhibit of the engineering side of autocaring with a series of Garvin universal millers, screw machines, grinders, etc., together with examples of the Cincinnati screw-cutting lathe, and an assortment of small tools of a useful and interesting character. Those of our friends in the autocar manufacturing line who are desirous of adding to their plant will find this exhibit of some little interest.
Entering the building proper, we are faced by the exhibit of
THE MOTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD., 47, Holborn Viaduct, E.C., who occupy the largest space in the building with one entire end of the central arena, having backed their exhibits by a tall well-painted boarding, which, although it somewhat shuts out the light from them, sets them off to advantage.
The machines shown by this firm consist of one three-seated motette of the improved Bollee type, samples of their De Dion pattern motor tricycle, in which we notice that the motors are fitted both with electric and tube ignition, although the two ladies' machines which are shown are both fitted with tube, doubtless owing to the difficulty of finding a suitable place in which to carry the battery, and in addition to these the firm show Panhard type vehicles to the extent of two vans, one for the Ball-pointed Pens, and one waggonette, a dogcart, and an Iveagh phaeton, and in the outside building, where the cars which are allowed to run upon the track are stored, they have one of Mr. Iden's new Princess motor sociables, as shown at Richmond, but very much improved in point of the noisy of running, which on the machine there shown was decidedly apparent, whilst that now being run on the track every day is very much quieter. Altogether, the firm have the largest and best exhibit in the building. Opposite to them in the gallery will be found
THE AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION, LTD., 1, Prince's Road, Holland Park Avenue, W., who have the Gobron-Brillie Silent car running in the enclosure, and upon their stand examples of the Barriere tricycle, half a dozen trailers of various sizes and types for attachment thereto, a Lynx dogcart, Mors cars, both large and small, a Daimler van, and a Swan electric dogcart, this being the original machine with the swan-necked tubes in front built by the Elieson Lamina Accumulator Co, and recently purchased from them, and now shown fitted with Crowdus accumulators, and in addition to these, one novelty is introduced in the Khulstein-Vollmer tractor, which in general principle somewhat resembles the Pretot ‘’avant train’’ in so far as the motor and driving gear are all attached to and connected with the front wheels, which form a movable fore-carriage, and so act as both drivers and steerers, and enable an ordinary carriage body to be attached behind. The arrangement shown is fitted with a six horse-power twin-cylinder horizontal motor, with two speeds, obtained by belts and jockey pulleys, and a very well-fitted and complete turntable arrangement, which is not only firmer than anything we have seen before, but can be turned completely round.
F. C. BLAKE, Ravenscourt Works, Dalling Road, Hammersmith, W., is to be found just inside the door with a number of electrical ignition specialties, the principal feature of his exhibit being the coils, ignition plugs, etc., which he has been advertising in The Autocar for many months, and which are now very well known in the autocar world. Those who are not acquainted with it can see for themselves the brilliant flaming spark which is given. Mr. Blake is also intending to show a new light car to seat two, with an extra seat in front, and several detail novelties in its construction, but at the time of our visit it was not in position. We hope to refer to this in our next issue.
GLEW'S PATENT STEEL-SHIELDED RUBBER TYRE SYNDICATE, LTD., Valmar Road, Camberwell, S.E. Here we have a number of wooden carriage wheels fitted with the Glew tyre. In this the rubber tyre is held in a shallow channel, and covered by a steel shield formed continuously in one piece, the ends being joined together by a bolt, the whole arrangement thus providing a rubber bedding to the iron running tyre.
CROSSLEY BROS., LTD., Manchester and London, show examples of their gas and oil engines, now very well known, and needing no description or eulogy from us.
RALPH LUCAS, 24, Westcombe Terrace, Westcombe Hill, Blackheath, S.E., introduces us to what is probably the most interesting exhibit in the show in the way of novelty in the shape of a graduating change-speed gear. It has a very pretty action, though we fear it would fail when anything like the power required in autocar driving came to be transmitted through it.
The arrangement consists of two variable diameter pulleys, made with two discs in the faces of which a series of slides are cut, the slides holding pins which carry a latticework expanding ring, and are connected on their outsides by a series of double levers and springs. Two belts go around these wheels, and are each carried round a drum placed centrally between the two, and worked to and fro horizontally by a screw. When this wheel is moved in one direction it is thus shifted nearer to one wheel and drawn farther away from the other. As it approaches the wheel the belt is of course slackened, and the springs in the variable pulley draw out the arms, and expand the pulley automatically. On the other hand, as the belt wheel is forced away from the other pulley, a greater tension is placed upon the belt, which, acting against the springs, presses upon and contracts the size of the pulley.
THE MOSSBERG ROLLER BEARINGS, LTD., 6, Victoria Street, S.W. Here we have the same very interesting exhibit of roller bearings suitable for motor cars and the heaviest class of machinery which found a space and attracted so much interest at Richmond.
THE DAIMLER MOTOR CO., LTD., Coventry, have examples of the Marseilles phaeton, the Cranford waggonette, and the Universal sporting car, together with one specimen of the eleven horse-power coupled motor (four-cylinder), and, running upon the track, one of the new Critchley two-seated cars.
STIRLINGS MOTOR CARRIAGES, LTD., Hamilton, N.B., at the time of our final visit, had only just arrived, but they were putting in position examples of their Daimler - driven Stirling cars and mail phaeton, dogcart, family 'bus, and Brandon brougham pattern's, these all as shown at Richmond last week.
J. H. H. BERKELEY, Throgmorton House, Copthall Avenue, E.C. The Britannia electric bathchair which was shown at Richmond is located here.
F. KING AND CO., 62, St. Martin's Lane, W.C., have an exhibit of photographs, drawings, and autocar literature.
THE LIQUID FUEL ENGINEERING CO., 20, Abchurch Lane, E.C., whose exhibit occupies the end of the arena facing that of the Motor Manufacturing Co., have certainly one of the most striking and practical exhibits in the building. They show the steam waggonette which has accompanied the Automobile Club on several of its tours, and has done so much useful and practical work, the same steam 'bus for the Hyeres and Toulon passenger service which was shown at Richmond, and a Lifu steam lorry to carry loads of from four to five tons, fitted with removable side boards, and a twenty-five horse-power engine, and those interested in the wheel question can inspect the patent rubber-tyred steel-shielded wheel which they are now using.
F. JACKSON, 77, Oxford Street, W., a new exhibitor, has some novelties to show, and has been laying himself out especially to cater for the demand for a cheap car. He shows a front attachment converting a tricycle into a quad on the lines of several of the French constructors, the Oxford motor bicycle, a machine with a motor carried over the front wheel, which it drives with a chain, very much after the style of the Werner motocyclette, which machine it is probably an improvement upon, and the Oxford motor car, built either as a three or four-wheeler, at £90 and £95 respectively. This has several points of novelty. It is driven by a two and a quarter horse-power air-cooled engine somewhat of the De Dion type, but with spherical base chamber, and fitted with a new rotary valve and a new ignition. This latter starts the motor with an electric spark, and when the motor is running the current is turned off and ignition is made by a short length of platinum wire, which is rendered incandescent by the heat of one explosion, and retains sufficient heat to ignite the next charge. There are two speeds of four and fifteen miles per hour, obtained by two belts alternately tightened as required by a rocking gear, and the body is suspended free of the frame. The construction is simple and ingenious, but, of course, it has yet to stand the test of time.
BAYLEYS, LTD., 42, Newington Causeway, were late again, and did not make an appearance until Tuesday afternoon, when they brought in their steam lorry which ran in the trials at Richmond, and now fitted with a tip-waggon body.
SALSBURY AND SON, Long Acre, W.C., have a showcase of the Diets tubular petroleum lamp, as at Richmond, this being a very powerful lamp of twenty-five candle-power.
THE PENDLETON RUBBER CO., LTD., 63, Frederick Street, Edinburgh, have some carriage wheels fitted with the Woodlock patent tyres—solid rubber tyres, in which an alternately bent wire is embedded in the foot of the rubber, which, it is claimed, prevents the tyre cutting through at the edges or leaving the rim.
THE ALLIANCE MANUFACTURING CO., Holborn, E.C., show the Peerless puncture-locater and cyclists' tyre inflator as at Richmond.
LAWRENCE AND CO., LTD., 132, Latimer Road, W., make an exhibit of the Grouvelle-Arquembourg water-cooling tubes, these being tubes fitted with radiating, plates either of iron or aluminium, a system of construction which is very largely used in France, and is now becoming fairly common upon cars in this country. The work appears to be good.
SIMMS AND CO, 12, Norfolk Street, Strand, W.C. Here we have an exhibit of rims fitted with Simms's patent combined pneumatic tyres, with which we have already dealt in our description of the Richmond exhibition.
THE EVINOF SAFETY LOCK, NUT, AND BOLT CO., LTD., 94, Victoria Street, S.W.— A new lock-nut, which is claimed to be an absolute prevention of the loosening of nuts on bolts, is shown here. A jaw fitting two opposite sides of the nut is fitted with a central turnover pin, which is passed through a hole drilled through the end of the bolt when the nut is in position, an arrangement which, of course, must prevent any turning of the nut, though, we imagine it would equally prevent any adjustment which might be necessary through the lengthening of the bolt.
M. WILKINSON, Basinghall Street, E.C. An exhibit introducing a nozzle with wire gauze fitting for attachment to water tubes to prevent splashing.
COLLIER, 15, Walbrook, E.C. This exhibitor introduces a new tyre, termed the "Twin" motor tyre, in which we have the old idea of a solid tyre carried on the top of a pneumatic. The canvas sides holding the air chamber of the pneumatic section are drawn together in the rim by a system of a single wire, the opposing ends being crossed, and drawn tight when required. We do not think there is much in this for motor cars.
E. A. MCLACHLAN, 55, Brighton Road, Stoke Newington, S.E. This exhibitor shows a two-seated sociable motor tricycle, which he catalogues at £75 — a machine of simple construction, but with no attempt at finish, and driven by a heavy oil motor, a simple construction, adopting the usual plumber's lamp for starting the vaporisation of the oil, which then acts by direct suction. Two speeds are obtained by means of belts with jockey pulleys, and the weight of the car is given as three and a half hundredweight. An electric motor for fitting to launches or cars is also shown.
LE CARBONE, 36, Lime Street, E.C., occupy a small stand with an exhibit of the Sanspareil dry battery for the ignition action of motor cycles. The cells are claimed, with suitable coils, to last from three hundred to five hundred working hours. Carbon burners are also a specialty of the firm, which they claim to be the most successful yet offered, and are produced in the electric furnace under the Girard and Street patents. Samples of the Rossel coils and other electric specialties will be found here.
SHIPPEY BROS., 14, King Street, Cheapside, E.C., PERCY H. FROST-SMITH, 68, Coleman Street, E.C., and MACKENZIE AND Co., Walnut Street Walk, Kennington, S.E., appear to have combined their exhibits, as they are all grouped under the show sign of the latter firm. They show three electric cars on the Riker system, a dogcart, and two victorias, one being the identical vehicle which went through the Richmond hill-climbing and other trials, as recorded in a recent issue. The machines are finished in excellent style — in fact, the upholstering and carriage work is amongst the best we have seen in the trade, and, in addition to those machines which do not possess any novelty beyond those already well known in connection with them, the firm have a stand upon which a number of electrical requisites, motors, and materials are shown.
THE LONDON AUTOCAR CO., LTD., 182, Gray's Inn Road, W.C., exhibit an interesting collection of motor tricycles, quadricycles, and accessories, showing a new attachment to a tricycle by which, when the front wheel is removed, it can be readily converted into a quadricycle by the use of three belts only, the entire contrivance making up into a very perfect quadricycle; and in addition to these machines and accessories they have in the outer building for running round the enclosure one sample of the English-built Hurtu car, by Messrs. Marshall and Co., of Manchester, which we have already dealt with in our description of the Richmond exhibit.
J. W. AND T. CONNOLLY, 65, Wharfdale Road, King's Cross, N. Connolly's Ideal tyres are so welt known to our readers that they need no description. The firm show a number of wheels fitted with them, chiefly built to the order of Messrs. Hewetsons, and exhibit also sections of the various sizes of tyre which they fit, and in addition to these the Grant roller bearing axle may be seen — a construction which we have already described and illustrated in these columns, as well as the Potter roller brake for taking the rubbing friction off the rubber tyres, and altogether to those interested in the tyre question the exhibit will be found of much interest.
BROWN BROS., Great Eastern Street, E.C., make a very good exhibit, chiefly in the shape of motor tricycles and quadricycles, using chiefly the De Dion motor, and showing in addition Brampton's chains and chain wheels, cycle horns, dry batteries, tools, lamps, motors for fitting to tricycles, and general requisites for trade supply, making altogether a good and practical exhibit.
THE NORTH BRITISH RUBBER CO., LTD., Castle Mills, Edinburgh, occupy a handsome stand with a display of Clincher tyres. The firm's solid tyres are now well known in the trade, and samples of the different sizes and sections used are shown, as well as the cycle pneumatic tyres, and Clincher pneumatics for motor cycles. At the time of our visit the firm were expecting samples of their new motor carriage tyre, but they had not arrived.
THE JOEL ELECTRIC CARRIAGE, MOTOR, AND BATTERY SYNDICATE LTD.- Here we have a horse-drawn carriage in the rough, and a sample of the Joel patent elastic under-frame forming an independent support for motors, and examples of the Rosenthal batteries, for which, like many other makers, they claim least weight with greatest efficiency. At the time of our visit the exhibit was not complete, an electric carriage being promised before the close of the show.
THE MOTOR CARRIAGE SUPPLY CO., LTD., Donington House, Norfolk Street, W.C. The small Daimler lorry which took part in the Richmond trials, and examples of the waggonette, sporting car of German Daimler build, Simms's motor wheel, and quadricycle motor scout with Maxim gun, are found here, together with working models of Simms's patent magneto-electric ignition gear.
FARMAN ET CIE, of Paris, have several things on view, of the British rights of which they are endeavouring to dispose, notably an acetylene gas lamp of considerable power and simple construction, the Damas motor, somewhat on the De Dion principle, a front attachment to convert a tricycle into a quadricycle, and a fitting of what is practically the back of a De Dion tricycle to an upright steering socket and attachment to a trailing car, thus converting it into a front-driving, front-steering quadricycle sociable. This little car was running about in the arena a great deal, and attracted considerable attention.
THE ELECTRICAL UNDERTAKINGS, LTD., Aliller Street, Camden Town, N.W. This firm, which did so well at the Richmond trials, and whose machines we have dealt with in our report on the Automobile Club's exhibition, make the largest show of electric vehicles in the exhibition, showing four machines, although one was, unfortunately, placed hors de combat 00 Tuesday by reason of a tyre coming off on a too sharp turn on the track, which resulted in a buckled wheel and bent axle. The especial feature of the car is, of course, the use of the Leitner battery, which the firm claim to give a capacity equal to sixty or seventy miles running on average roads with only 500 lbs. weight, and they are just now particularly pleased with the results of their first appearance, not only by reason of their success at Richmond, but on account also of a run which was made on Wednesday week upon one of these machines from London to Brighton with a single charge, this being the first time such a feat has been accomplished in this country by an electric vehicle, they getting the batteries recharged in Brighton, and coming back the next day upon the fresh charge, making an average of twelve miles an hour for the journey.
For these batteries it is chimed that the highest degree of efficiency, combined with lightness, is obtained; indeed, they claim to get equal efficiency with something like half the weight of other batteries, and in point of lasting capacity show a car which they informed us has been in constant use for two years with but little battery attention.
SMITH, PARFREY, AND Co., Pimlico Wheel Works, 141, Buckingham Palace Road, S.W., show a collection of carriage wheels of various sizes fitted with rubber tyres. This firm is one of the largest wheel-building concerns in the kingdom, and supply several of the principal English autocar makers.
H. C. SLINGSBY, 30, Gray's Inn Road, W.C., shows in a number of sizes a patent truck for shop use, in which the wheels, running free upon a crossbar, are fitted at either end, thus enabling the trucks to be run both ways, and spun round upon their own centre if required.
THE DUNLOP PNEUMATIC TYRE CO., LTD., Coventry and London, occupy a handsome stand with samples of their well-known pneumatic tyres for cycles, motor cycles, and motor cars—the latter a branch of business for which they have considerably laid themselves out recently.
C. T. CROWDEN'S MOTOR WORKS, Leamington. On Tuesday afternoon Mr. Crowden staged a couple of very interesting exhibits, possessing several points of novelty, the first the Crowden steam brake, a machine of waggonette build, built by Mr. Crowden for experimental purposes, with a vertical tubular boiler carried in front, and a compound engine with link motion fitted underneath the driver's seat, and constructed with intercepting valve by which high-pressure steam can be used in the low-pressure cylinder for hill-climbing and starting, the other vehicle being a four-wheeled dogcart, with several novel constructional features, including a twin-cylinder horizontal motor with electric ignition, three speeds, reversing gear, and several detail features of novelty, including the steering gear, and both machines fitted with Crowden's patent wheels, which strike us as being somewhere about the best design for a motor car wheel we have seen.
THE LONDON STEAM OMNIBUS Co. have the Daimler petrol 'bus on view which has been running about the streets for some time, and to which we alluded in our description of the Richmond trials.
HEWETSONS, LTD., 8, Dean Street; W., with a collection of Benz Ideal and other carriages, including a brake and a two-cylinder dogcart, have as good and practical an exhibit as any exhibitor in the show, and the quiet running (forward) of the cars, which are being run within the enclosure, is constantly noted by the onlookers.
PENNINGTON AND BAINES, 5 and 6, Great Winchester Street, E.C., got into position on Tuesday evening with two of the new single-cylinder Pennington cars as shown at Richmond, and also with a number of parts, cylinders, pistons, piston heads, etc., intended for use on the larger cars, which, we understand, they now have in course of construction.
BRAMPTON BROS., Oliver Street Works, Birmingham, make a very neat and attractive exhibit of chains and chain wheels for motor carriages, and chains and saddles for motor cycles. These latter are large and roomy, with, plenty of spring support. Messrs. Brampton's chains are probably more largely used both at home and on the Continent upon motor cars than those of any other maker, certainly more than those of any other English maker.
THE STEAM CARRIAGE AND WAGGON CO., LTD., Homefield, Chiswick, S.W., show what they can do in the way of steam by one sample of a brewer's Thornycroft steam dray, built to the order of Messrs. Fuller and Co., Craven Brewery, Chiswick, to carry three tons, and capable of hauling a further two-ton load on a trailing vehicle. The construction of the Thornycroft steam waggon is already well known to our readers. We may note that they are now at work at their Basingstoke works in this department.
CARL OPPERMANN, 2, Wynyatt Street, Clerkenwell, E.C., on Tuesday had staged one electric Victoria, a handsomely constructed vehicle, with batteries carried in a box underneath the vehicle something after the manner of the Bersey cabs, though less obtrusively.
THE CROWDUS ACCUMULATOR SYNDICATE, LTD., Bridge Place, Eccleston Square, S.W. An exhibit of the Crowdus accumulator as at Richmond, and already described and illustrated in these columns.
FRISWELL, LTD., 18, Holborn Viaduct, E.C., make a good show with examples of the Benz cars in several types, De Dion tricycles, the little Elan, which they first introduced at Richmond, and a collection of accessories. The Elan in particular attracts much attention.
ALLARD AND CO., Earlsdon Works, Coventry, are one of the few English cycle-making firms who have gone fully into the construction of motor tricycles, of which they show three examples, the motors being fitted with both tube and electric ignition. The Allard motors follow the De Dion lines, and are of two horsepower, with 3in. bore and 3.5in. stroke. They show also motor castings, with which they are prepared to supply the trade. In general design and fitment the machines follow De Dion lines.
THE SOUTHERN MOTOR CAR AND CYCLE CO., 59, Parkstone Road, S.W., occupy a stand with a collection of accessories, spare parts, accumulators, and other such-like articles, and in cars exhibit one De Dion quadricycle and a Georges Richard car, a machine of French manufacture, following very much Benz lines, and in general appearance more nearly resembling the Hurtu.
ILIFFE, SONS & STURMEY LTD., Coventry, bring copies of this journal to the notice of the public, and occupy a stand with a collection of autocar publications, maps, etc., samples of transfers for autocar manufacturers' use, and other things of a like character.
MULLINER, 28, Brook Street, W., have one Benz Ideal car with body and upholstery fitted by this firm as a specimen of its work in carriage body building, and very good work it is too.
THE ANGLO-AMERICAN OIL CO., 22, Billiter Street, E.G., occupy a handsome stand with an exhibit of cases, cans, barrels, etc., showing the methods of handling Pratt's motor car spirit, and the interested autocarist can learn much upon this subject by an interview and inspection of the goods.
W. BETTIS, 48, Arthingworth Street, Stratford, E., taken with a fallacy. He shows an ordinary bicycle fitted with a wind fan in front, and driven by a shaft carried above the bottom tube of the frame, and gearing into a small gear wheel on the crank-axle. Although the pedals drive the fan the inventor seems to be under the impression that the fan drives the pedals when any speed has been obtained.
THE BRITISH MOTOR COUPE CO., 366 and 368, Huston Road, N.W., an offshoot of the British Motor Co, show two Cannstadt Daimler belt-driven carriages with the motor at the back, one built as a brougham and the other as a victoria. These carriages are very quiet and smooth in their running, and the company have now a number of them in use, and are arranging to hire them out with competent drivers to private individuals at reasonable rates by the day, week, month, or for longer periods, a venture which, if efficiently and energetically carried through, should prove a paying and popular one, and help along the movement considerably. We understand that all the cars the company possess are in constant demand.
LAWSON'S SAFETY MOTOR, 40, Holborn Viaduct, on the same stand, finds us with somewhat of a novelty, in the shape of a motor of the De Dion type built into the driving wheel of a bicycle, with the motor on one side of wheel, the flywheel on the other, and driving the wheel through a Crypto-geared hub. This construction is shown in various forms of combination, first fitted to lady's and gentleman's safety bicycles of the ordinary type, then fitted to the rear driving wheel of an Olympia tandem tricycle, and again with the wheel fitted in a fork, and used as the steering as well as the driving wheel of a carrier tricycle. One of the new Humber motor quadricycles, a very well built machine with excellent spring arrangement to the front seat, is also shown, as well as Mr. Jarrott's racing De Dion tricycle.
WILLIAM HOWARD, 13, Theobald's Road, W.C., introduces a new idea in tyres in the shape of a protected pneumatic for vehicles generally, in which a pneumatic tyre of strong construction is held between the hollowed rim and an external metal rim which fits over it, and takes the road wear, and is secured to the air tyre cover (leather) by screws.
NOE BOYER AND CO., Avenue de la Grande, Armee, Paris, on Tuesday evening Brought one Phebus motor quadricycle into the hall, a neatly built machine with a light air-cooled motor of the De Dion type.
MOTOR CAR EXHIBITION AT ISLINGTON. [2]
Following almost immediately upon the exhibition and road tests of motor vehicles inaugurated by the Automobile Club, an exhibition on very similar lines, and promoted by Messrs. Cordingley and Co., has been opened at the Agricultural Hall, Islington.
The promoters have succeeded in bringing together a numerous collection of vehicles, practically all of which, however, were on view at Richmond recently. At the time of our visit, unfortunately, a number of exhibitors, chiefly from France, had not arrived, owing, we understand, to the clashing of the show with some similar function in France.
As we alluded to most of the interesting features of the Richmond show, not much remains to be said on this occasion. We should, however, call attention to a distinctly original and ingenious form of variable-speed gearing which is shown in operation. Illustrations of this gear, representing a side elevation and plan, are given herewith.
As will he seen, it consists essentially of two pulleys automatically expanded by springs, each driving by belts on to an intermediate twin pulley, so that by shifting the position of the twin pulley, relatively to the two expanding pulleys, the one is allowed to expand while the other is forced to contract in diameter, so changing the ratio of their diameters, and giving a change of gear. This movement of the intermediate twin pulley can be obtained by a lever or screw as desired.
The first experiment in developing this idea, we are informed, was to make up a pulley in segments, which parted as the pulleys expanded. This, however, proved useless, us the belt made a great noise in striking these segments, one after the other, when the pulleys were run at high speeds. A way had then to be found to envelope this pulley with a ring which would give good belt service, and at the same time run silently. This was done by making up a ring of lattice work in steel, lazy-tongs fashion. This proved successful, as the strips on which the belt lay arranged themselves helically, so preventing the noise duo to the belt striking each segment separately. Then, in order to keep this ring in a perfect circle, and capable of being uniformly expanded and contracted from any point round the circle, by applying a pressure the ring is mounted on a series of supporting bars, which are controlled by a system of toggles, one end of which is fixed to a star plate free to revolve on the shaft of the pulley, and the other end is attached to the supporting bars, the ends of which slide in radial slots in plates fixed to the shaft on the two sides of lattice. These slots act both to take the drive of the belt and to complete the toggle action; thus by revolving the star plate relatively to the radially-slotted plate, the toggles slide the supporting bars up the radial slots, so expanding the pulley. This function is performed by six tangentially arranged springs. A further use of this gear is obtained for motor car work by placing spots on the driven pulley near the full extent of its range; thus the driven pulley reaches the limit of its expansion before the driving pulley has reached its minimum. The result of this is that as the driving pulley is finally being reduced down to its smallest diameter, the driven pulley reaches the stops, so ceasing to keep the belt tight, and performing the function of a friction clutch for starting and stopping, by allowing the bolt to slip freely over its surface. The full-size apparatus shown hits a range of speeds up to a ratio of four to one. The apparatus is the invention of Mr. Ralph Lucas, Upper Siebert-road, Westcombe Park, H.E.
The show remains open until July 15th; during this period a number of commercial efficiency trials will be carried out. With reference to electric vehicles tests are to be made and prizes offered for carriages, weighing under 1 ton for two passengers and under 1.5 ton for four persons respectively.
See also report Autocar 22nd July 1899[3]