The latest 8 h.p. Royal Ruby sidecar combination with totally enclosed drive and Sturmey-Archer three-speed gear.
(Left) Sidecar lugs at the head of frame. Note the cross projections which take shearing stresses. (Centre) The rear brake with parallel action. (Right) Method of padlocking the stand to prevent theft.
A neat method of attaching leaf springs to the sidecar chassis.
The Military Model with Additional Refinements.
THE Royal Ruby Cycle Co., of Manchester, have been engaged, like other motor cycle manufacturers, on munitions of war for the past two years or more, to the partial exclusion of their proper line of work. The transition of their new peace time programme is rapidly taking place, and regular production will shortly be assured.
The small two-stroke, well known in pre-war days, will continue to be produced as before. The larger model for heavy sidecar work will be a refined development of the military model, originally designed for use in Russia.
Substantial construction is its outstanding feature, and there are numerous special points in the design, including the eccentric movement provided to slide the gear box when making adjustments. Others are the triple front down tube; the interesting "silencing arrangement; the safety stay strengthening the gear box bracket and seat-pillar tube; the ample carrier and easy method of completely removing it with the mudguard; adjustable footboards; large under shields and side shields; and parallel action for the rear brake. All these details are fairly well known. Among the later refinements are the total enclosing of the chain drive, special design in sidecar lugs to avoid throwing the shearing stress on the bolts, and a neat addition to the rear stand whereby it can be padlocked in position to prevent the machine from being stolen.
Attractively Finished.
The Sturmey-Archer gear is to be embodied in future models. The familiar War Office drab green finish of the Russian models has been discontinued, and a more handsome appearance produced in black and red with gold lines. A spring frame model is in course of preparation, and extremely satisfactory results are being obtained from the experimental machines. No doubt this model will shortly find a regular place in the firm's programme.
We illustrate a new means of fixing the leaf springs to the sidecar chassis – a marked improvement on the usual U bolts.
Altogether the machine is a substantial and thoughtfully designed model.
The Motor Cycle January 16th, 1919. Page 75.
