The Gas Vans: A Critical Investigation - Holocaust Handbooks

306 SANTIAGO ALVAREZ, THE GAS VANS
Translation & Remarks
Imperial Security Main Office Berlin, the 27th of April 1942.
II D 3 a (9) Bo. 668/42-121.
1.) Reg.[istration]: under B.No. 1737/41, enter remark.
2.) Note:
Re.: Fast unloading device for the special vehicles.
The special vehicle’s coachworks have a length of 5800 mm
and a height of 1700mm. The net weight of the coachworks is 1600 kg
each, while the loading weight is 4500 kg.
Unloading is said to occur fast and as automatic as possible.
In order to achieve this, the coachwork or a second floor is to be made
tiltable. Unloading may also be achieved by means of an extractable
grate.
The below unloading options are to be assessed as to their
functionality.
a) Tilting mechanism for coachwork
For unloading the coachwork needs to be tilted by 30 – 35°. A
hydraulic tipper with 5 – 7 tons capacity is needed to lift the gross
weight (1600 + 4500 kg). It has a construction height of 650 mm and a
lifting height of 900 mm.
Mounting a tipper ought to be considered as inexpedient for
the following reasons:
The floor of the coachwork needs to be reinforced and
equipped with a tipper frame (loss of payload).
In order to save construction height, it would be more expedient
to mount twin tippers at the chassis girders. Such tippers are currently
unavailable. The hydraulic single pillar tipper mentioned above
has to be mounted on the reinforced traverse so high that it does not get
in contact with the vibrating cardan shaft. Due to this mounting and due
to adding the tipper frame, the coachwork will be lifted by at least 200
mm. However, lifting the vehicle coachwork is impermissible, because
this would exceed the railroad loading profile; except the interior space
is reduced [in height]. But the interior already loses 150 mm in headroom
due to the reinforcement of the floor.
Delivery time for the one pillar tippers is ½ to 1 year.