Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-26
TEST SEARCHLIGHT
ON MOTOR TRUCK
Unique Vehicle TO Take Part in
Maneuvers at Gettysburg
In July
AN ENGINE IN EACH WHEEL
Huge Car, Built for War Depart
ment, with Light, Weighs
1O,50O Pounds
AN ENGINE IN EACH WHEEL

A unique self-propelled vehicle which
Will take part in the maneuvers at
Gettysburg next month, when the
United States army and the national
guard organizations go into camp, VIII
be the monster couple-gear searchlight
motor truck, which will be in charge
of the engineering branch of the serv-
ice. This vehicle has been In service
for the last year at the Army En-
gineerlng school, washington bar
racks, under the supervision Of
Lieutenant w. II. Rose of the corps
of engineers. The weight of the truck,
with the searchlight mounted, Is 10,-
800 pounds. A trailer, carrying another
searchlight, is sometimes used The
army truck was designed for use un-
der the severest conditions of actual
war service. It is known as couple
gear" truck, taking it's name from the
transmission. and was built by the
Couple-Gear Freight Wheel company
of Grand Rapids, Mich.
The distinctive feature of the truck
is the electric motor In each wheel,
the power being applied direct to the
periphery of the wheel. This form OF
transmission is applicable to all self
propelled vehicles which have electric
ity as their motive power, but on ac-
count of its extremely high efficiency,
HAS DCtAi dpPiAC0 lAlho AoA AAACSSAJ ~
heavy motor trucks.
Each of the four wheels is driving
wheel, and all four wheels steer stimuli
taneously with one steering operation.
A knuckle-joi at each wheel enables
the truck to turn complete circle In
a space having a diameter little larger
than the length of the truck. The
wheel castings are dustproof and suf-
ficiently watertight to allow fording Of
streams.
The wheel and motor combination is
simple, but very effective. The motor
armature has pinion on either end,
one pinion pulling up on one side of
the Wheel the other pulling down at
the opposite side. and both working
at the periphery. An evener device
permits of compensating movement
and divides the force evenly between
the two pinions, regardless of any un-
equal wear or adjustments. Phoney
brake tests of the couple gear by the
United States bureau of standards
show over 81 per cent efficiency in
transmission of motor energy to the
wheel. at full load Of motor and with
gear reduction % to l. SO nearly
perfect is the transmission by this de-
vice that the pinions are made of soft
steel and require no oil.
Power Is supplied the motors from a
storage battery or by generator, oper-
ated In turn by gasoline engine. Inc
army truck is of the latter class, the
engine and generator being sufficient
ly powerful to supply current also for
two large searchlights.
The unusual efficiency of this army
truck is accounted for by the fact that
the mechanical losses, aside from
those of the engine, are nearly all
eliminated, while the electrical losses
common to most electrical trucks are
eliminated by the couple-gear trans
mission. Commercial trucks of this
type have been in use for several
years, long enough to demonstrate
their durability and reliability in serv-
ice. This truck makes hundred mile
trips over country roads, and on one
occasion was run twelve hours con-
tinuously. 1t readily runs over a ten
inch square log, climbs 25 per cent
grade, and may be operated over soft
ground.
The absence of sudden shocks in
starting or in changing from one speed
to another results in a saving In the
maintenance of the engine and other
parts of the machine. Each wheel has
q, band brake. The truck has a speed
capacity of sixteen miles an hour, and
operates equally we'll backward or for
ward.