The 8 h.p. Royal Ruby, a machine which is completely sprung, including the sidecar chassis and which is sold with a very extensive equipment.
An effort to provide adequate weather protection is made on the 1921 model Royal Ruby. 8in. car-type guards, a large undershield, and an Easting screen are filled as standard.
Adjustable spring suspension of the Royal Ruby sidecar wheel. The action of the wheel-supporting frame is guided by the special housing at the back of the chassis.
The front spring housing plates form a rigid connection between the fork crown and the head clip. The Royal Ruby method of spring adjustment is shown.
Simple springs of the sidecar body. The enlarged detail shows the lug and shouldered nut which allows the body to be instantly removed.
On the rear spring housing plate an extension is formed to carry the Lucas switch-box in a neat and unobtrusive manner.
Detail Improvements on the 8 h.p. Royal Ruby Spring Frame Machine.
ALTHOUGH the 8 h.p. Royal Ruby machine was on view at the last Olympia Show, deliveries during the past year have been more or less confined to rigid framed models.
The spring frame design, however, with its adjustable insulation on the well-known Royal Ruby laminated spring system, has been submitted to searching tests, and now that the makers are installed in their splendid new factory at Altrincham, near Manchester, it will be put into production on a large scale, with certain detail modifications. Moreover, with Hugh Gibson actively connected with the Royal Ruby name, we shall no doubt see these machines taking a leading place in the competition world.
Probably the Royal Ruby passenger machine will be one of the most completely equipped machines on the market, since it will be supplied with the Lucas Magdyno outfit, a spare wheel, and an Easting windscreen, while, in addition to the usual kit of tools, a jack will be included which greatly facilitates wheel changing.
Car Type Mudguards.
One noticeable feature is the ample arrangement for mudguarding; 8in. dome section guards are used on all three wheels, and these are all readily detachable in case of necessity. In addition, there is a large underscreen, which extends beneath the long adjustable footboards, and in front protects the Magdyno. During the general efforts to render the machine weatherproof, the transmission has not been overlooked, for the chains are protected in ample cases, which are easily removable. This, of course, is another amongst the growing number of British machines which combine a spring frame with complete chain guarding.
In general specification the machine remains unaltered. The power unit is an 8 h.p. J.A.P., with Amac carburetter and T.B. magneto or Lucas Magdyno. When the latter is fitted, the switch box, instead of being mounted in the tank, as is usually done, is carried on an extension of the rear spring housing plate below the saddle and on the near side of the frame; being thus between the machine and sidecar, it is unobtrusive, and so offers no temptation to tamperers.
The sidecar body is of the flat-bottomed variety, and is mounted on the spring wheel chassis on simple leaf springs in such a way that it can be easily detached by undoing four nuts, or swung forward out of the way, to facilitate any attention which the transmission may necessitate.
As before mentioned, an Easting screen is a standard fitment on the body, while at the back, as a separate unit attached to the chassis, is a large luggage grid and petrol can carrier. Immediately behind the body, but secured to the chassis, is the main portion of the spare wheel carrier, which supports the extra 28x3in. wheel and tyre. It will be seen that, although the grid and wheel carrier have the advantage of the chassis springing, they do not impose any extra load on the springing of the body, which therefore can be arranged for a normal load.
Details of the machine are made clear in the illustrations, and it remains to add that the finish is most attractive, being carried out in the characteristic Royal Ruby scheme of red and black with gold lining.
The Motor Cycle November 25th, 1920. pp 646, 647
