[2] After WW1, the company moved away from commercial vehicles into production of a motor add-on for bicycles, plus they were involved in innovations in washing machines and conveyor belt systems, and then into automation in the glassware industry.
In all these areas they protected their innovative designs with numerous patents, and these reveal a name change for the company circa 1939 to Sheppee Motor and Engineering Co Ltd.
Two vehicles supplied to Natal in 1910 were described in Commercial Motor magazine, where it was claimed that a burst tube could be replaced in 30 minutes.
[4] These wagons had twin cylinder double acting engines driving a countershaft via spur gears, which together with the differential were contained within the crankcase.
With net 3 tons load it was claimed on give-and-take roads in Yorkshire the fuel consumption was 0.25 gallons of paraffin per mile.
[5] Further details of the 3-ton Sheppee steam wagon revealed that the production vehicle used a twin-cylinder double acting engine with "mushroom" valves.
[8][9] Sheppee also sold complete bicycles (for ladies and gents), tricycles, invalid-tricycles and Chater-Lea tandems fitted with the Cykelaid.
[11] The following is taken from Grace's Guide: In production the complete power unit was carried on a special front fork, with the 104 cc two-stroke engine on the left with its main-shaft run through the wheel spindle to a flywheel.
The firm offered a package of wheel, engine unit and front fork or the choice of complete ladies' or gents' machines.
Presumably, when buying the front fork unit to convert an existing bicycle, one was also expected to fit an additional rear brake to the machine.
It would, therefore, be inadvisable to allow the engine to run for a long period with the clutch disengaged, since this would cut off the supply of oil to the crankshaft.
Late that year modifications were made and the machine appeared as the New Cykelaid with simplified ignition and a pump system in place of petroil lubrication.
[12] It began to manufacture various products, including washing machines and conveyor belts - both areas in which it held patents.
Glassware handling proved to be the success story that Colonel Francis Sheppee had been searching for, and this catapulted the business forwards.