1909 Institute of Metals: Visits to Works
Note: This is a sub-section of 1909 Institute of Metals
Volume I – p23 (November 12, 1908)
THE BIRMINGHAM ALUMINIUM CASTING (1903) COMPANY, LTD.
Those members who availed themselves of the opportunity of visiting the works of the Birmingham Aluminium Casting (1903) Company, Ltd., on November 12, were more than repaid for the time and trouble spent, as the foundries were certainly well worth a visit. These are situated in a peculiarly central position, and it seems strange that there should be foundries of this size within two minutes' walk of the Birmingham Town Hall and five minutes' walk from New Street and Snow Hill Stations.
The works comprise four foundries, the main one being a fine lofty shop lit with arc lamps, and having the latest, foundry appliances. The second foundry is also a big moulding shop containing seven furnaces, and the other two shops are used for the smaller work and for machine moulding.
There are also the usual dressing, polishing, pattern-making, and machining departments. The visitors, who had the opportunity of seeing all the processes of the manufacture of intricate aluminium castings, were impressed with the care that was taken to ensure the best results, both as regards material and workmanship. Great care is taken in the alloying of the aluminium, as this firm guarantees to make their aluminium castings from new metals without the admixture of scrap.
Frequent mechanical and physical tests are made to ensure absolute consistency. It is essential to the satisfactory working of this metal that it should be kept perfectly distinct from other metals, and for anybody to get the best results they should be specialists in aluminium, and have devoted long and careful attention to the alloying and working of the metal.
This firm, in the course of twelve months, handles hundreds of tons of aluminium, the greater bulk of which is for the automobile trade; but the consumers of aluminium appear to be daily increasing in other directions, notably in the general engineering and electrical industries. As a testimony to the importance that aluminium has assumed of late years, it is interesting to record that the Birmingham Aluminium Casting Company, Ltd., had the largest number of visitors from those members of the Institute of Metals who availed themselves of the opportunity of visiting works in this city on the occasion of the first meeting of the Institute.
THE BIRMINGHAM SMALL ARMS COMPANY, LTD., SMALL HEATH.
The party of members visiting the works of the Birmingham Small Arms Company was conveyed to Small Heath by a fleet of motor- cars kindly provided by the company. This factory was originally planned in 1861 for the weekly production by machinery of 500 to 600 muzzle-loading guns. Previous to that date the guns were chiefly made by hand. The works at the present time can readily produce 2000 of the latest Government pattern magazine Lee-Enfield short rifles per week.
In 1894 the company commenced the manufacture of cycle components known as the " B. S. A." These components are made in the same manner as rifle components on the " interchangeable system," and for some time they have been turned out at the rate of 2000 complete sets of components per week. The Small Heath Works visited by the members of the Institute last November has a floor space covered by workshops and offices of 14 acres. The more modern portion of the workshops are one-storey buildings, with roofs of the serrated or weaving-shed type (one slope glass). The smithy contains a number of ordinary steam stamping hammers and Ryder forging hammers for the production of accurate forgings for rifle, cycle, and motor-car components. The hardening shops are furnished with a large number of ovens heated by "Dowson" gas. The same plant also supplies gas for the gas-engines used for driving part of the machinery and six "Westinghouse" gas-engines for generating electricity for driving the machinery of a large part of the factory, and capable of developing, when all are working, 1090 kilowatts. For the smithy, driving part of the machinery, and shop warming, steam-power is provided of about 1600 horse-power. There is a large malleable iron foundry for castings of cycle, motor, and other components.
One of the most important departments is that for making and storing the numerous cutting tools, machine fixings, and working gauges necessary for the accurate production of a vast number of components on the interchangeable system. When it is considered that Os many instances the deviation allowed above or below the exact dimension is not more than 0.001 of an inch, and more deviation either way will cause the rejection of the component by the inspector, the necessity of extremely accurate working tools and gauges will be appreciated. The tool department, therefore, is very fully equipped with machine tools of precision by the best makers, and they are operated by highly skilled workmen.
The workshops contain over 5000 machines, the bulk of which are self-feeding and semi-automatic; whilst both cycle and gun departments have their own sets of automatic machines for screw-making and small components. Inspectors appointed by the War Office are continuously gauging and inspecting the rifle components on completion of or in process of manufacture, to ensure good work and interchangeability. The company's inspectors are similarly engaged in regard to cycle and motor components. The aim of the company is to produce the best quality of work only ; all other, although perhaps only slightly inaccurate, is at once destroyed. The same applies to the productions of their Sparkbrook Motor and Engineers' Small Tool Works and of their Redditch Works (late Eadie Manufacturing Company). The number of hands employed at the three works when working at full pressure is about 4500.
JAMES CARTLAND & SON, LTD.
Another of the works visited by the members of the Institute of Metals during their meeting at Birmingham were those of Messrs. James Cortland & Son, Ltd., one of the oldest established firms of this very old industry. The works are situated on Constitution Hill, Birmingham, and employ upwards of 500 hands. Electricity is the motive-power used over almost the whole of the works, which are thoroughly equipped with all modern appliances and machinery for the most up-to-date methods of production. Every attention has also been given to the comfort of the work-people ; especially in the casting and polishing shops, where the system of ventilation employed is very effective. Many representatives of various authorities, and factory inspectors, both English and foreign, have visited the works to inspect methods which have already been accorded universal approval. The important departments embracing designing, modelling, and pattern-making received special attention. Hero now designs are constantly being produced to meet the changing fashions in styles and decorations, and where exclusive work from architects' own designs is also carried out. In the lacquering department, which is a spacious hall lighted from the roof, the most scientific system is arranged for obtaining the best results and greatest expedition. The process of coating the finished work with a special preparation called capon, protects the articles so treated against the atmospheric influence of any climate. In. the metallurgical chemists' department a great variety of beautiful bronzes and finishes are produced. In the showrooms an endless variety of articles are exhibited, suitable for all purposes for builders, cabinetmakers, and ships' brass fittings ; also an important branch of art metal and furnishing goods for household decorative purposes, such as kerb suites, fire-screens, clocks, gongs, inkstands, mirrors, &c., many of which are of an elaborate design and high-class finish, varying in price to suit all tastes. In works of this size it is impossible to enumerate the various articles manufactured ; but if it is mentioned that Messrs. Cartland issue a large catalogue of some 700 pages, fully illustrated, it will convey some idea of the variety of the business.
EARLE, BOURNE & COMPANY, Ltd.
The firm of Earle, Bourne & Co., Ltd., Heath Street South, Spring Hill, Birmingham, was founded in 1874, and had works in New Summer Street. In 1879 larger works were taken in Hooper Street, and in 1888 a portion of the present works was purchased. Since then other pus-chases have been made, and at present they cover upwards of 3 acres, and give employment to 600 workpeople. The motive-power is steam and electricity, the latter being purchased from the Birmingham Corporation. Originally established for the manufacture of certain kinds of bedstead tubes, they have gradually added a variety of manufactures to meet the demand for other goods as they have arisen, and they now number among their manufacture the casting, rolling, and drawing of copper, brass, German-silver, Phosphor-bronze, &c., and these various metals in a wide range of qualities and kinds in sheet, tube, and wire. Some of the principal trades they cater for are the engineering, electrical, cartridge, German- silver, stamping, piercing, bedstead, brassfoundry, motor, shopfitting, and chandelier. The various shapes and sizes in shaped metals and tubes run into thousands, and probably they hold its this a unique position. Special attention has been given to high-class qualities. They are manufacturers of cased tubing (of which they are the largest producers), and also make a variety of tubes in steel.
The members of the Institute who visited the works of Earle, Bourne & Co., Ltd., in November were first shown the metal ware- house, where are stored various grades of copper, zinc, &c. The next department visited was that of casting, where the various processes of tube and strip casting were seen and explained ; in this both the ordinary square furnaces, and also two kinds of tilting furnaces of a capacity of 500 lbs. each are employed. They were next conducted to the rolling-mills, where the various processes of rolling from strips as received from the casting-shop were seen. The work in progress was very varied, being from 2 inches to 54 inches in width, and in brass, copper, German-silver, and other qualities. Seamless tube-mills were next visited, where brass and copper tubes as received from the casting department were shown in the various stages of breaking down, seconding, finishing, testing, &c. The next department visited was the brass tube-mills, which proved of considerable interest from the numerous sizes, shapes, and patterns which were exhibited. Tubes of decorative design in particular were much admired. A brief inspection of other departments terminated the visit.
ELKINGTON & COMPANY, LTD.
The manufactory of Messrs. Elkington & Co., Ltd., is situated in Newhall Street, Birmingham, just on the fringe of the district known as the Jewellers' quarter. The showroom, which was first seen by the visitors, is probably the largest in the country devoted to the display of silver and electroplate. Silver goods from thimbles to centrepieces, weighing thousands of ounces, are on view. Elkington plate for all purposes, and jewellery, clocks, and bronzes in profusion are arranged in the many cases of this modern treasure-house. Leaving the showroom the visitors were conducted to the artists' room, where they saw a small army of designers at work with pencil and modelling clay, creating the designs and models which were soon to take form in metal. It is by constant attention to this section of their business that Messrs. Elkington maintain their long-held reputation for artistic excellence. From the artists' room the tour of the workshops is made. The silver room is large, airy, well lighted, and arranged according to the best known principle of silversmiths' practice. Here sheet-silver, crude castings and wire strips are handed to the workmen, who deftly work these materials into the required shapes, and then hand them on to the chasers, embossers, and engravers, who decorate them. The shops where German-silver is made up as the basis for electroplate are similar to the one described above, but are naturally not so interesting.
The plating and gilding department is visited, and an excellent view of the processes is obtained from the galleries arranged round the walls of tide interesting room. A special engine drives three dynamos, used exclusively in generating the electric current needed to supply the many vats for depositing the silver, and to drive the lathes bearing the wire brushes which remove from the newly plated articles the " frost" or " bloom " with which it is covered when it is taken from the vats. Nearly one hundred women are employed in burnishing or hardening the silver-coated surfaces of electroplated articles, and the final process is a polishing with soft revolving slops. Casting and stamping are other processes carried on within the manufactory, but these need no description, being generally familiar.
Few records like that of the firm of Elkington are to be found. Established in 1830, its progress has never been checked. By the introduction of electroplating the firm benefited the country by founding a new industry, and by its constant encouragement of all that is best in Art, it has stimulated the artistic growth of the nation through a period in which Art has been waging an uphill warfare against the ascendancy of commercialism.
JOSEPH GILLOTT & SONS.
The Victoria Works, Graham Street, of the above firm were visited by members of the Institute of Metals. Here the manufacturing of steel pens was seen in all its different stages, commencing with the sheet steel, which is rolled preparatory to the cutting out of the " blanks." The blanks from the stamping machines are taken to the piercing room, where the little holes about the nib are cut out. Next there is a visit to the annealing room, where the pens are heated in a reverberatory furnace to a dull red-heat. Subsequent processes followed in detail by members included the marking, bending, hardening, tempering, and slitting of the pens ; the whole of the processes being highly interesting. Messrs. Gillott is one of the representative British firms of steel pen manufacturers, and one of the oldest in the trade, having been established in 1827.
MUNTZ's METAL COMPANY, LTD.
These works, which were visited by members, were established at French Walls, near Birmingham, in 1842, and were part of the original Soho Foundry, where James Watt developed and perfected his first steam-engine. Visiting the drawing department, members saw the 25-inch draw-bench, capable of dealing with tubes up to 9 inches in diameter. The rod-drawing mill was inspected ; also various large hydraulic draw-benches, and rolling-mills for rods. The shearing and pickling department in the sheet-mills was visited, as also were the plate-mills and the annealing furnace. In the aluminium foundry there were seen many castings in course of preparation, these including motor-car crank-cases, gear-boxes, and back-axle covers.
HENRY WIGGIN & COMPANY, LTD., WIGGIN STREET WORKS.
The firm Henry Wiggin A Co., Ltd., Birmingham, was established in 1835 for the refining of cobalt oxide and nickel. To this was successively added the rolling of German-silver sheets; drawing of German-silver and resistance wires; making of spoon and fork blanks; manufacture of cobalt preparations and salts, such as silicate, phosphate, chloride, sulphate, and nitrate of cobalt; and the different preparations of nickel, such as sulphate, chloride, carbonate, &c.; manufacture of red-lead for glass-making, of tin oxide, Sic.
The Wiggin Street Works were visited by twenty-five members of the Institute of Metals, and the following departments were inspected :-
1. The smelting of nickel and cobalt ores, nickel and cobalt speiss, and nickel matte in reverberatory furnaces, some of which are heated by coal, while others are erected on the regeneratory principle and heated by gas by Wilson gas-producers.
2. Grinding of the material under heavy edge-runners of 3 ton weight.
3. Calcining furnaces for the calcination of cobalt speiss and nickel mattes.
4. Departments for the refining, grinding, and washing of nickel oxide, and the preparation of the oxide to the shape required for the reduction into metal.
5. Furnaces for the reduction of nickel oxide into metal, heated by gas.
6. Department for the manufacture of nickel salts ; namely, sulphate of nickel and sulphate of nickel and ammonia for the nickel-plating industries. This department has at present a capacity of 3 tons per week of nickel salts.
7. German silver and nickel casting shops ; there are forty ordinary types of crucible furnaces at work, and there is also one Rousseau tilting furnace for 400-lb. crucibles.
8. The rolling-mill, which was erected in 1905. This is divided into three bays, the centre bay being the power-house, having a rolling-mill at each side.
The power-house contains two heavy compound horizontal engines, each of which drives one rolling-mill ; and it also contains one Belliss & Morcom engine, coupled with a Siemens electric generator of 300 kilowatts, the current being three-phase alternating. The generator drives the rolling-mill for wire bars and the slab-mill, which are in separate buildings, the former being driven by a 150 horse-power motor and the other by a 200 horse-power motor, rope-drive being adopted in both cases. All three rolling-mills are fitted with travelling cranes, and a special feature are the annealing muffles, built by Messrs. Gibbons Bros., Ltd., Dudley (patent No. 13614, 1905). Three of these are closed muffles, while one is an in-flame furnace. They are all worked by gas made from coke in a producer attached to each annealing furnace. Some advantages of these muffles are that they only require a very small chimney, about 12 feet to 15 feet high, and therefore can be placed anywhere regardless of the position of the chimney-stack, and that they are absolutely smokeless. The temperature of these muffles never varies; the fuel consumption is low, and the repairs are very insignificant.
9. The wire-mill built in 1907 and started in 1908. It is driven by fifteen separate motors; has a Bates and Peard water-sealed annealing muffle, and is worked on the most modern principle of wire drawing. The wire-mill covers two floors of 100 feet by 60 feet which are connected by an electric lift.
10. The laboratories are fitted specially with a view to the assaying of metals; nickel, cobalt, and copper being always estimated electrolytically. All resistance wires are tested for resistance, a Wheatstone bridge by Siemens having been laid down both for high and low resistances. Owing to the want of time it was impossible to inspect the other works; namely, at George Street, where the manufacture of blanks is carried on, and the Smethwick Works, where there are several reverberatory furnaces and cupolas for ore smelting, and where the works for the manufacture of glass-makers' red-lead and for tin oxide are situated.
THE WOLSELEY TOOL AND MOTOR CAR COMPANY, LTD.
A large number of members journeyed to Adderley Park by train to visit the works of the Wolseley Tool and Motor Car Company, Ltd.—the Automobile Branch Works of Messrs. Vickers, Sons & Maxim, Ltd.— which are situated at Adderley Park, Birmingham, covering a large area, and comprising departments sufficient to be able to turn out a finished automobile, complete with but few exceptions. The various departments in the West Works include drawing offices (" Standard," " Special," and " Jig "), pattern shop, foundry (iron, brass, aluminium, and alloys), a very large machine shop (with the necessary machines for the machining of all parts used), view-rooms (for the inspection of each part after each operation), drawing stores, jig and tool stores, rough stores (where the raw material, Sm., is received), finished stores (into which go all parts to await issue, in sets, to the erectors), erecting departments (where components are erected complete, i.e. engines, change-speed gear-boxes, front axles, back axles, steering gear, carburettors, &c.), coppersmiths, tinsmiths, case-hardening, and brass- and nickel-plating shops, experimental department mid engine-test room, the boiler-house and engine-room, and the general offices, purchasing department, sales department, and cost office. The East Works, situated on the other side of the road, include chassis erecting shop, chassis test shop (where the chassis have a severe test, in addition to the separate tests of the car's components), paint shop, and body shop, upholstering department, and finishing shop. The cars receive, approximately, twenty coats of paint, which ass in turn pumice-stoned off, and then several coats of varnish, all at constant temperature, winter a la I summer. The cars leave these shops complete with all fixtures, and go to the finished car-testing department before being put into the stock-room, where they are fitted with tool kits, lamps, horns, &c., to specification, and then despatched to clients. There is, in addition, the blacksmith's shop, power-home, and repair shop. There are about 1000 machines in the machine shop, and about 2400 employees at the Birmingham Works, including the night-shift. The normal steady output is 30 cars (of various types) per week, but during June and July 1908 298 cars were delivered, which constituted a record. The works are being greatly extended by the addition of the shops acquired from Messrs. Brown, Marshall & Co. (railway carriage and waggon works) in order to make arrangements for the removal of the Crayford Works to Birmingham.
Volume II – p24 (October 15, 1909)
BAXENDALE & COMPANY'S LEAD WORKS, TRAFFORD PARK
The party of the members who visited Messrs. Baxendale & Co.'s Lead Works had an excellent opportunity of seeing the most modern works of the kind in the country, well appointed for the particular kind of work, for the health of the men, and for the great facility of turning out a large production with a minimum amount of labour. At these works is manufactured blue lead of every kind for the building trade, in the way of sheets and pipes, and they have also a great reputation for the high quality of their chemical lead, as supplied for chemical and explosive works all over the country. A consignment of 50 tons was put on the railway, in the firm's siding, for a well-known firm of chemical works contractors, while the party was there. The firm has a great convenience in being able to get the raw material direct from the ship's side into their works from the Ship Canal. The party's attention was directed to the casting of a large block of lead weighing 12 tons in a plate 8 feet square and 7 inches thick. These castings are used for making sheet lead from 1 lb. to 60 lbs. per square foot. All expressed their interest in this, especially Professor Turner, who takes a special interest in the cooling and contraction of different metals. The members saw in the cooling process of this large block some strange phenomena in the shrinkage and the various and ever-changing bright colours until it solidified, when it was lifted on the rolling-mill by electrical power, and rolled down to 1 inch thick, 54 feet long by 8 feet wide, in the space of twelve minutes, ready to be cut in pieces suitable for making sheets. For this purpose there is attached to the mill-bench a powerful guillotine, which makes two clean and accurate cuts in one minute in an 8 feet wide by 1 inch thick sheet. After the first passage of the block through the mill, all the remainder of the process is done by the automatic arrangements on mill-bench, the sheets being doubled and redoubled according to the different strengths required. Eight sheets of 1.5 lb. lead, 30 feet by 8 feet wide, can be made at one operation. They are trimmed on two sides by cutters, and cut square at ends, leaving them perfectly parallel and square.
The next part of the works the party was taken to was the pipe-drawing. On one machine lead soil pipes were being drawn 6.5 inches in diameter and 1/8-inch thick in the sides, known in the trade as equal to 8 lb. sheet lead ; this was made in 20 feet lengths. Here again the firm have simple and effective contrivances for dealing with, and moving without damage, such fragile pipes. On another press, pipe was being made from a composition of tin and lead, 1/8-inch inside and 3/16-inch outside diameter. The other presses were making water pipes of many sizes and strengths, of which a largo and varied stock has to be kept. The party was then shown some 2.25-inch pneumatic tubes 28 feet long (in straight lengths), for laying in the streets to carry important messages from one building to another. The members seemed very interested in this, especially to see the internal part, which seemed more like the straight and smooth surface of the bore of a gun than a lead pipe. The manager showed some lead-encased tin pipe, with an internal coat of 1/16-inch solid tin metallically united to the lead. This is now used in all hospitals, sanatoriums, &c., on account of its freedom from any corrosion. The process of making this pipe is interesting, but could not very well be explained without a drawing. The ordinary tin-washed pipe is often used instead of this, but it is a very poor substitute. Among other curiosities which were noticed was a double pipe for syphons, and a casing of lead for a roof glazing bar, lead for lead-lights drawn by cold process, and a great many other sections of lead bars, lead wire, sash-weights, &c. The members of the party seemed much interested in the manner this particular metal was handled and manufactured by Baxendale & Co.
THE BRITISH WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC COMPANY, LTD.
The tall pile of buildings of the British Westinghouse Electric Company, Ltd., stands in the south-west corner of the ancient estate of the De Traffords, and covers nearly forty acres of land, whilst the grounds enclosed within the Westinghouse gates exceed 130 acres. Ten years ago, where now the well-known water-tower overshadows the Bridgewater Canal, there was hardly a trace of human activity. To-day nearly 4000 workmen are employed. It was in the beginning of the year 1901 that the task of building the future home of the British Westinghouse was commenced, the plans of the British and American works being practically the same. The cost of buildings and plant at Trafford Park exceeded £1,300,000. The transit facilities are considerable. Within a few hundred yards to the north of the buildings is the Manchester Ship Canal with its constant stream of craft passing to and fro. This is connected up to the Westinghouse by private tracks, upon which run the Company's own rolling stock. On the south and east sides the works are bounded by the old Bridgewater Canal, the first artificial waterway of its kind in England.
There are nine buildings in all, chief of them being the machine shop, the largest of its kind in the United Kingdom. It is almost 1000 feet long by 540 feet wide. It is very difficult to imagine from the mere measurements what this really means ; and it must be seen before its vastness can be appreciated. The gallery directly above is devoted to coil windings and insulation. An outstanding feature of the main shop is the great steel crane with a span of 90 feet, the work of Messrs. Craven Brothers. The machine, like all others at the Westinghouse, is worked by electricity. Huge alternators, motors, armatures, and other apparatus in all stages of manufacture are seen, presenting an appearance of confusion which, however, is more apparent than real. Everything is in its right place at the right time. Here more than. 1400 machine tools are in constant use, ranging from toy-like grinders to great boring mills. The brass and malleable iron foundry is devoted to the smaller details, but particularly interesting to the members of the Institute of Metals. Here are manufactured brush-holders, collecting gear terminals, Sze., for dynamos, arc-lamps, instruments, switches, and transformers. The iron foundry, the wood-working and pattern shop, were also full of interest to the visitors, as also were the gas-engine and turbine departments.
THE WORKS OF MESSRS. RICHARD JOHNSON & NEPHEW, LTD.
Some of the members of the Institute of Metals visited the works of Messrs. Richard Johnson & Nephew, Ltd.,. Bradford Iron Works, Manchester, which is their principal establishment, the other being situated at Ambergate, on the river Derwent, near Derby. Here was to be seen the complete process of both iron, steel, and copper wire drawing, the iron and steel being rolled on the premises from 2-inch billets to the wire rods, and the copper from bought rods, from which it was drawn to the smallest sizes. To the members of the Institute in the non-ferrous trades the greater part of what was to be seen was, perhaps, only of passing interest; still there was the copper wire drawing, and further, there was the hot process of galvanising, on a scale which is second to none in this country.
The firm of Messrs. Richard Johnson and Nephew, Ltd., was founded about the year 1773, and through many interesting stages of growth from the making of pin wire and pins it developed into the principal manufacture of iron wire for telegraph, cables, and fencing purposes ; and it is worthy of note that for every Atlantic telegraph cable which has been laid, from and including the first, this firm has supplied a large part of the wire. It was here that the invention of the continuous system of galvanising was brought out in 1860 ; and it was largely due to this process, coupled with the invention of the continuous system of rolling wire rods in unprecedentedly long lengths, that the major part of the telegraph wire business of the world was secured ; and from these works almost every Government in the world drew their early supplies for the first installations of their telegraph systems. The system of galvanising as seen by the visitors was practically the identical plant as laid out in the early sixties, and to-day is the only method adopted with success both in Europe and America for this class of work.
The continuous rod-rolling mill was also invented and brought to a practical issue at these works, the patents being taken out in 1862. By this method the increase of length of rods leaped from 30 lbs. to 100 lbs.; and rods have been rolled in these mills of 1 ton weight. This system of rolling has not grown much in this country, but in the United States of America great things have been done as to weight of pieces, output, and labour saving. One of the rolling-mills seen by the visitors has been running regularly since 1866, and to-day is doing good work. The barb wire department was very interesting from a manufacturing point of view ; and the beautifully designed automatic machine which was spinning Messrs. Johnson's world-renowned "Porcupine" barb wire amply repaid the time spent upon its inspection by the visitors. The copper wire department is an addition made in the last few years, and is a natural adjunct to the firm who have been so closely connected with the telegraph business. Much more could be said of these interesting works ; but the above will give a fair idea of what the visitors saw, and what was missed by those who were unable, owing to the excessively wet weather, to avail themselves of the opportunity.
ISAAC STOREY & SONS, LTD.
These works, covering an area of about 4000 square yards, are divided into foundry, plate metal working, and machining departments. They are the development of the original firm of Storey & Donaldson, established in 1837. At the present time the foundry department is, to a large extent, occupied in the preparation of the various alloys of copper, zinc, and tin, with manganese, iron, silicon, and phosphorus, which are now so largely used in modern brass foundry practice to produce castings of high tension and other special qualities. The alloys most extensively produced are those of manganese with copper, manganese and iron with copper, iron with copper and iron with zinc, phosphorus with copper and phosphorus with tin. All these alloys are produced and sold under the registered brand " Stella." Large and small castings in gun metal, yellow metal, and bronze, for the use of engineers, are made in this department, the maximum size for any single casting being about two tons weight. Bronze billets for forging into pe in p rods, spindles, and similar articles are also being regularly cast. In the plate metal working department copper and brass sheets are worked up into a great variety of forms for tans, vats, cylinders for use in the engineering, chemical, dyeing, and textile industries, and copper and brass tubes are formed into coils and connecting pipes in great variety of form and size. Several naval brass condenser shells, and the shells of evaporators for distilling plants for cruisers and destroyers, were in course of completion on the occasion of the visit of the members of the Institute. In the machinery departments, gun metal and brass cocks and valves of all descriptions are manufactured ; surface and jet condensing plants of all sizes, with pumping engines, and many types of air and circulating pumps, are designed and made, as well as a great variety of small engineering sundries. Boiler feed pumps, centrifugal pumps, and feed water regulators, are specialities of this department. The works throughout are driven and lighted by the firm's private power plant, and the arrangement of buildings, tests, and processes have been carefully thought out and modernised during the last decade.
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