Side Tip Wagons
By Bill Strickland
Re the apparent interest in the "Mercury" in Hudson skips, enclosed are sketches and photos taken at Brockham about 10 years ago of a couple of the side tippers then being used there. Both bodies are identical, believed to be RUGGA type A, 27 cubic feet capacity, weight 820 lbs.
The bodies were originally 1/8" plate, the ends being flanged. This flange was 2" at the bottom with a taper up to a 21" radius at the top, making the inside 5" longer at the top. The flange lap is 2" and there are 24 rivets each end pitched at 3i" centres 1" from the edges. The bodies are carried on two formed angles, each with six rivets, and normally rest on the 4" flat portion, in the centre of which is a hole locating on a pin in the top face of the pedestals; the latches locate on a lug on the body in the centre and are arranged to release the
body away from the operator when lifted. The photos (A) and (B) shows this clearly regardless of the abuse (hardly improvements) this wagon has received.
The frames are basically similar, in that they are 4" x 2" channel with (almost) circular ends, with another channel to take the buffing strains - the whole assembly being tied together under the buffing plates. The short frame has a cross brace of angle with flattened ends riveted under the bottom web of the frame, while the braked chassis has a flat cross brace secured to the top web in order to clear the brake rigging, this being built up of flat bars with the cross beams sliding between plates riveted to the lower web as shown in photo (C).
The body "standards", or supports, are built up of two pedestals formed from hea\y plate, the back flange being riveted to a cross angle of 3" x 3" with the lower horizontal flange riveted direct to the frame, or on the braked chassis to a steel platform which also carries the brake screw pedestal. The top cross angle has a "set", in the centre of which is the pin which locates in the hole in the centre of the shaped angles on each end of the body. End stops ensure that the body does not join the load being tipped. Axle boxes are sprung with rubber blocks, whilst the wheels are 12" dia. with six holes.
The bodies were originally 1/8" plate, the ends being flanged. This flange was 2" at the bottom with a taper up to a 21" radius at the top, making the inside 5" longer at the top. The flange lap is 2" and there are 24 rivets each end pitched at 3i" centres 1" from the edges. The bodies are carried on two formed angles, each with six rivets, and normally rest on the 4" flat portion, in the centre of which is a hole locating on a pin in the top face of the pedestals; the latches locate on a lug on the body in the centre and are arranged to release the
body away from the operator when lifted. The photos (A) and (B) shows this clearly regardless of the abuse (hardly improvements) this wagon has received.
The frames are basically similar, in that they are 4" x 2" channel with (almost) circular ends, with another channel to take the buffing strains - the whole assembly being tied together under the buffing plates. The short frame has a cross brace of angle with flattened ends riveted under the bottom web of the frame, while the braked chassis has a flat cross brace secured to the top web in order to clear the brake rigging, this being built up of flat bars with the cross beams sliding between plates riveted to the lower web as shown in photo (C).
The body "standards", or supports, are built up of two pedestals formed from hea\y plate, the back flange being riveted to a cross angle of 3" x 3" with the lower horizontal flange riveted direct to the frame, or on the braked chassis to a steel platform which also carries the brake screw pedestal. The top cross angle has a "set", in the centre of which is the pin which locates in the hole in the centre of the shaped angles on each end of the body. End stops ensure that the body does not join the load being tipped. Axle boxes are sprung with rubber blocks, whilst the wheels are 12" dia. with six holes.
Drawing and photographs copyright Bill Strickland.