1913 Institution of Mechanical Engineers: Visits to Works
Note: This is a sub-section of 1913 Institution of Mechanical Engineers
Visits to Works (Excursions) in the Cambridge and Ipswich area
British Portland Cement Manufacturers
SAXON AND NORMAN CEMENT WORKS, NEAR CAMBRIDGE.
British Portland Cement Manufacturers
These works, belonging to the British Portland Cement Manufacturers, Ltd., are situated about 1.75 miles from the market place at Cambridge. The raw material used is taken from the quarry close to the works, and exists to a depth of 50 feet, consisting of a chalky material which contains from 15 to 25 per cent. of clayey matter. All the chemical constituents necessary for the manufacture are found in the quarry, and no material has to be imported.
The materials in the quarry vary considerably in the proportion of carbonate of lime at different points, and therefore, ill order to obtain the correct mixture, the various working " faces " are analysed daily by the works' chemists, who instruct the quarrymen as to the quantities to be excavated from each part of the quarry, so that when the raw material enters the factory, it is approximately of the proper composition to make high-grade Portland cement, and ready for the further process of mixing to correct standards.
Drying.—In the Saxon Works the wagons containing the raw material are hauled by a rope winding-gear to a power-driven lift alongside the drying tower. The drying process is a continuous one, the wet material being filled in at the top of the tower cone, and drawn out at the base of the "funnel "; it is then conveyed in tram-wagons to the grinding mills. In the equipment of the adjacent Norman Works, the more modern rotary drying drums are used.
Raw Meal Grinding.—The fine grinding of the raw material is of the utmost importance as affecting the quality of the resultant cement. The fineness of the material when it leaves the grinding mills is such that no residue is left on a sieve having 5,800 meshes per square inch. The raw materials are then carefully mixed.
Chemistry.—A staff of chemists is employed continuously in testing and analysing the raw materials before the prepared chalk (75 per cent.) and clay (25 per cent.) mixture is allowed to pass to the kilns for burning.
Mixing.—The mixers are of special construction, designed to obtain a thorough mixture of the powder. A screw-conveyor takes the material as it leaves the elevator from the grinding mills, and delivers it into whichever hopper is being filled. It is then again tested to ensure a uniform product.
Burning.—The mixture is next conveyed to the kiln houses for corning. At the Saxon Works the material is burned in blocks by continuous shaft kilns; but the rotary kiln — of which five are installed at the Norman Works — is the most modern system.
Clinker Grinding.—The next process is to reduce the burned or clinkered material to powder, to enable it to combine with water, and set and harden. The crushed material is first passed through a machine known as a ball-mill, which reduces it to particles of inch diameter downwards. These ball-mills consist of a large drum or cylindrical chamber revolving on a central steel shaft and partially filled with very hard steel balls of varying sizes. As the drum revolves, these balls roll round inside it, and crush the clinker by their action of falling one upon another.
The final reduction or " flouring " is effected by means of tube mills, which perform their work on a very similar principle. The average fineness of the cement as it leaves the tube mill is about 15 per cent. on a sieve having 32,400 holes per square inch, and the amount of "flour" in the finished product is about 60 per cent. At the Norman Works, "Griffin" mills are used for clinker grinding.
Cement Stores.—As the cement leaves the grinding mills it is elevated to a spiral conveyor, which carries it to the adjoining warehouse, in which accommodation has been provided for storing upwards of 4,000 tons in bins at the Saxon Works and 15,000 tons at the Norman Works.
Loading House.—The cement is here elevated from the stores conveyor into hoppers over automatic weighing-machines, and at this point it is handled for the first time since the raw material was loaded into trucks at the quarry. There is direct siding communication with the Great Eastern Railway.
The number of men employed at these works and at the adjacent Norman Works is about 300. Both these factories were erected under the supervision of Mr. A. C. Davis, one of the managing directors of the British Portland Cement Manufacturers, Ltd.
Cambridge Scientific Instrument Co
THE CAMBRIDGE SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENT CO., CAMBRIDGE.
Cambridge Scientific Instrument Co
The Cambridge Scientific Instrument Company was formed with Mr. Horace Darwin, F.R.S., as chairman in 1895, from an older private firm, and factory buildings were erected the same year on a new site at Cambridge, just off the Chesterton Road opposite Jesus Lock. Additions were made a few years ago, and last year a large new shop was built with the most advanced type of saw-tooth roof with large glass area. The east and south sides of the new building are only semi-permanent to allow of additional bays being added as required. The framework is covered on the inside with asbestos board; and Grinnell sprinklers have been installed throughout the works.
The whole of the machinery is driven from electric motors taking direct current at 400 volts from the power station about a quarter of a mile away on the opposite bank of the River Cam. The works consist of a double-story building containing stores and packing-room below, and offices above; the original shop A, a newer shop B, and the last addition, shop C, also the testing shop, and other smaller rooms.
Shop A contains the older machine-tools. Shop B contains vertical and horizontal milling machines, besides small lathes and a high-speed drill of the company's own make. In shop C are collected over half a dozen turret-lathes of various makes and sizes. Part of this shop is partitioned of as the drawing office, and another part as the grinding shop.
Over 160 employees are engaged. Female labour is not employed in the shops. The working week consists of 53.5 hours.
The products of the company are extremely varied. A speciality is made of designing and making new instruments for all the special requirements of commercial and scientific research work. For example, a whole series of instruments were designed for the Committee investigating explosions of coal dust in mines. Recently a 4-metre and a 24-metre comparator have been delivered to the Indian Government.
The company issues catalogues of the following: Platinum resistance pyrometers, thermo-couple pyrometers, radiation pyrometers, all indicating or recording. Electrical instruments, galvanometers, electrometers, Duddell oscillographs for use up to 50,000 volts and accessory apparatus, and Duddell's thermo-electric instruments. Physical instruments, physiological instruments, cardiographic apparatus, microtomes, Meker's burners, H. and M. thermometers and thermographs, CO2 recorders, extensometers, and many other leaflets describing special instruments. From this an idea of the varied output is obtained.
Perhaps the most interesting novelty is the cardiographic apparatus. This apparatus takes a photographic record of the electric current generated by the action of the muscles of the heart. From these records a diagnosis is secured of the patient's heart. The Einthoven string galvanometer used for this work has a single silvered glass fibre 0.002 mm. diameter in the inductance field of a powerful electro-magnet having a narrow air-gap. When a current flows through the string, the latter moves across the field. The fibre is illuminated with an arc lamp and its image is projected on to the sensitive plate or film of the recording camera, the image of the fibre being magnified 600 times. A deflection of the shadow of 1 cm. is then obtained when a current of about 1 micro-ampere flows through the galvanometer. The important features of this galvanometer are its extremely short period (about 0.01 second), its great sensitivity, and its freedom from inductance and capacity . Other accessory apparatus used includes a switchboard, arranged at the side of the table carrying the galvanometer, controlling all the operations, and time-markers which automatically rule lines on the photographic records at equal intervals of time.
The main product of the company, however, is apparatus for temperature measurement; almost every variety of temperature- measuring apparatus is manufactured, and the company is the sole maker of the Wry radiation pyrometers for Great Britain and the Colonies. The thread recorder for thermo-couples and the Callendar recorder for resistance pyrometers have now been manufactured for many years.
The bi-meter CO2 recorder is interesting on account of its extreme simplicity. No glass or rubber tubing is used in its construction, and the moving parts are very few, consisting only of the rotors of two rotary wet gas-meters and gearing connecting the same with the recording pen. A simple water-aspirator draws the gases from the flue continuously through the two meters in series. The gas after passing the first meter passes through an absorption chamber where the CO2 is absorbed, and the residue only passes through the second meter. Differential gear connects the meters with the pen, which thus shows the CO2 per unit- volume on a 24-hour record. A cooler ensures that the gas is at the same temperature when passing through either meter.
Several instruments are made for the testing of materials. The Cambridge extensometer is a simple form of instrument reading to 0.001 mm. or to 0.002 per cent. of the length of a 2-inch standard test-piece. The instrument reads directly on a micrometer screw, no microscope or other optical arrangement being used: the adjustment is determined by a mechanical device of a flat spring vibrating across the hardened point of a steel cone.
An impact testing-machine (a modified form of that designed by Dr. Stanton of the National Physical Laboratory) is made for giving continuous blows until fracture, to a test-piece supported between two anvils. The test-piece is turned over through 180') between each blow, but is held at rest while it is subjected to the blows. The machine stops when the test-piece breaks, and the number of blows is recorded on a counter.
University Engineering Laboratory, Cambridge
UNIVERSITY ENGINEERING LABORATORY, CAMBRIDGE.
The Engineering School at Cambridge in its present form dates from 1890, when Mr. J. A. Ewing (now Sir Alfred Ewing, and Director of Naval Education) was appointed Professor in succession to Professor James Stuart. Professor Stuart had instituted the mechanical workshops some years previously, and had given lectures on various branches of Applied Mechanics, in which subject it was possible to obtain the ordinary B.A. degree.
Under Professor Ewing's guidance a laboratory was built on similar lines to those which were then in existence at the University College, London, Owens College, and elsewhere. The buildings were erected mainly by public subscription on a site provided by the University, and they included the wing at the south end, where the entrance and offices are situated, and the engine room. The old building of the Perse Grammar School (now forming part of the engine-room) was incorporated in this first laboratory. At the same time engineering was made an honours school of the University and the Mechanical Sciences Tripos was instituted.
The Engineering Department has grown steadily since its foundation, and is now one of the most important schools of its kind in this country. There are normally about 250 students working at Engineering, of whom about 170 are reading for the Honours Degree. About 40 men graduate in Honours every year. The staff consists of the Professor, two University lecturers, three University demonstrators, and about a dozen other demonstrators and lecturers, most of whom are attached to one or other of the Colleges, and, in addition to their duties at the Laboratory, are engaged in supervising the work of individual students. The Honours Course takes three years, the first of which is devoted by many students to the study of Mathematics and Theoretical Mechanics.
The subjects of the Mechanical Sciences Tripos are Applied Mechanics (including Hydraulics), Heat and Heat- Engines, Theory of Structures, and Electricity. The policy of the Engineering Department is to give a good general scientific education equal as a mental training to the other Honours Courses of the University, and useful to a student whether he becomes an engineer or not.
Though the majority of those who graduate in the Mechanical Sciences Tripos of course become engineers, a considerable number enter other professions or take up commercial life. In its general character the teaching does not differ materially from that found in other Institutions of the same kind in this country, but the amount of specialization, permitted is probably rather less than usual, and perhaps more importance is attached than in some other engineering schools to the acquisition of a sound knowledge of scientific principles as contrasted with a knowledge of technical detail. On leaving Cambridge most of the students become apprentices in works for a year or two before taking responsible positions, though a few get their practical training before entering the University.
The increase in the number of Engineering students has necessitated additions to the buildings and equipment from time to time. In 1899 a new wing, the gift of the widow and children of the late Dr. John Hopkinson, was added on the north side; a large drawing office was built in 1903, and a number of rooms in the older adjacent buildings, which had been vacated by other scientific departments moving into new quarters, were assigned to Engineering.
In the same year Professor Ewing retired to take up the position of Director of Naval Education, and was succeeded by the present Professor (Bertram Hopkinson, F.R.S., Messier).
In 1912 the new Laboratory at the north end of the range of buildings in Free School Lane was built, and the whole of the electrical plant was transferred thither, a considerable increase in the engine-room accommodation being thereby made possible.
The total floor space of the Laboratory and workshops, exclusive of offices and class rooms, is about 30,000 square feet, and this accommodation is found to be just about sufficient for the number of students now using the department.
The equipment of the Laboratory includes about a dozen gas-engines and steam-engines, three 5-ton and one 50-ton testing-machines, complete equipment for the study of hydraulics, and a large number of dynamos and other electrical machines. The machinery is for the most part on a small scale, and there is a considerable variety.
Many of the machines are the gifts of manufacturers, among whom should be mentioned:— Messrs. Mather and Platt, Messrs. Dick, Kerr and Co., The British Westinghouse Co., Messrs. Siemens Bros. and Co., and Messrs. Babcock and Wilcox. The department is also indebted to a number of private individuals for financial assistance towards buildings or equipment, the most recent being Mr. A. F. Yarrow, who has presented a Diesel engine and dynamo which will be completed at the end of the current year.
Ordinarily about eight or ten students are working at research in the Laboratory, most of whom are Graduates of other Universities in this country or the Colonies, or Associates of the Royal College of Science. The researches now in progress are concerned chiefly with internal-combustion engines and with the mechanical and magnetic properties of steel.
The following apparatus will be shown at work during the visit of the Institution:-
- (1.) Optical Indicators.
- (2.) Hopkinson-Thring Torsion Meter for measuring the power transmitted by a shaft. This is the same instrument as that now used for measuring the shaft horse-power in the Royal Navy.
- (3.) Explosion vessel, showing the effect of turbulence in accelerating'the ignition of a gaseous mixture.
- (4.) A High-Speed Fatigue Tester, giving 7,000 alternations of direct stress per minute.
- (5.) 40 h.p. gas-engine without water-jacket, cooled by internal injection.
- (6.) Apparatus for magnetic tests in very strong fields.
- (7.) Apparatus for measuring the pressure developed in the impact of a bullet or in the detonation of gun-cotton.
University Press, Cambridge
UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE
Cambridge University Press
The University Press dates from 1520, when John Siberch, a printer from Rhineland, set up a press for printing University matter. Some eight books are recorded as having been printed by him during two years—among them a medical text-book, Linacre's translation of Galen de Temperamentis, claiming to be the first book printed in England containing Greek characters. Not very much was done between this date and 1655, when a printing house was built in Silver Street, opposite to the present building. In the days of William III under Dr. Bentley, then Master of Trinity, considerable additions were made. New presses were set up, new types imported, and many books of permanent value were produced.
The stone building fronting Trumpington Street was erected by the University, in memory of Pitt, in 1831-3. Behind this frontage, which is used partly as an office for the University Registrary, partly as a store room for printed sheets, is a grass- covered square surrounded by offices and work-rooms.
On the ground floor of the north side facing on to Silver Street is the principal Machine Room. Here are some of the latest machines, including Quad Royal and Quad Demy Perfectors, having two cylinders and printing both sides of the sheet at one time; it is on these machines that most of the Bible printing is done. Here are also two revolution presses, single-cylinder machines, and some of them fitted with paper-feeding attachments, making the work practically automatic.
Behind the Machine Room is a Blacksmiths' Shop, where most of the repairs, etc., are done. The power plant, consisting of two gas-engines with their own producers, and two steam-engines, all driving dynamos, supplies the motive power and the electric light throughout the establishment. The Foundry is above the Machine Room, and comprises a stereotyping department, an electro-moulding room, and finishing room. Next to the Foundry come the Store Rooms, where all kinds of types are kept, each separate fount being carefully labelled and catalogued.
There are seven Composing Rooms, some on the first and some on the second floor, where oil varieties of languages are set up, including such tongues as Armenian, Amharic, Persian, Hausa, and Syriac.
Finally, there is the Warehouse. Into this department are brought daily, from the adjoining Machine Room, the finished signatures which are counted and stacked until complete copies have been worked oft' and are ready to be sent to London for binding.
The Observatory, Cambridge
THE OBSERVATORY, CAMBRIDGE.
The Observatory is situated on the Madingley Road, about a mile and a third from Great Saint Mary's Church. The Madingley Road starts from the western outskirts of the town at a point where Northampton Street meets the Queen's Road, commonly referred to as the Backs of the Colleges. At the corner of the road is the Westminster Theological College of the Presbyterian Church in England. The entrance of the Observatory stands on the north side of the Madingley Road, about two-thirds of a mile from this paint.
The main building of the Observatory was built in 1824 on the rising ground lying to the west of the town. The exact site was chosen so that the transit instrument should be placed in the same meridian as the tower of Grantchester Church, which stands to the south at a distance of about 2i miles. A brass frame fixed on the tower provided a meridian mark, on which in the early days the transit instrument could from time to time be pointed. The use of this mark has long since been discontinued, having been obviated by employment of collimators close to the building.
The principal instrument in the interior of the main building is the Meridian Circle, mounted in 1870 during the directorship of Professor Adams. The object glass, of aperture 8 inches and focal length 9 feet, was made by Cooke and Sons, the rest of the work by Troughton and Simms. The observations, from which the catalogue of stars in the zone lying between 25° and 30° north declination was prepared, were made with this instrument. The work was undertaken by the Cambridge Observatory in conformity with the co-operative plan inaugurated by the Astronomische Gesellschaft.
In the grounds, south-west of the main building, is the Northumberland Equatorial, given by the Duke of Northumberland, then High Steward of the University, in 1835. Tile object glass, made by Cauchoix, has an aperture of 11.5 inches, and a focal length of 19.3 feet. The mounting is of the English form, which enables the observer to follow a star from rising to setting without any interruption at the meridian. It was constructed under the supervision of George Biddell Airy, M.A., then Plumian Professor, who subsequently set up instruments in the same general form at Liverpool and Greenwich.
Between the main building and the Northumberland dome is stretched the aerial of a wireless telegraphy installation, recently set up for receiving the time signals from the Eiffel Tower and from Norddeich.
In an adjoining building (red brick) a telescope, specially adapted to photographic work and known as the Sheepshanks Telescope, was erected in 1899. The object glass (photovisual) consisting of three lenses, with an aperture of 12.5 inches and focal length of 19.3 feet, is achromatised as well for the photographic as for the visual rays, and was made by Mr. Dennis Taylor, of Messrs. Cooke and Sons.
The mounting is of novel design and was made by Sir Howard Grubb. The tube of the telescope is not straight, but consists of two parts connected by an elbow joint, at which a plane mirror is placed to reflect the light from the object glass to the eye-piece. The eye-piece end of the tube points downwards in a direction constantly parallel to tile earth's axis, and serves as the polar axis about which the whole instrument rotates as an equatorial, driven by an electrically controlled driving clock. The other part of the tube carries the object glass, and can be inclined at any angle to the polar axis, whilst the plane mirror at the junction of the two parts of the tube takes up automatically the position suitable for reflecting the light to the eye-piece. The observer can thus see any celestial object through the instrument without changing his position; he is only debarred from seeing objects close to the pole. This instrument is used for celestial photography, in particular for determining stellar parallax by photographic methods, and was used by Mr. A. R. Hinks in his observations of the planet Eros for determining the solar parallax.
Close to the Northumberland Dome is the Newall Telescope, which was presented to the University in 1890 by the late Mr. R. S. Newall with a view to its being used for the development of the study of stellar physics. Tile instrument was constructed about 1869 and was the first of the large refractors of modern days; it has an aperture of 25 inches and a focal length of 29 feet.
The disks for the object glass were cast by Messrs. Chance, of Birmingham, in 1862, and they were worked by Messrs. Cooke and Sons, of York. The mounting, which is of the German form, was made by the last-named firm. The instrument is used chiefly in spectroscopic researches, in particular for the determination of the velocity of stars in the line of sight.
To the south of the Sheepshanks building lies the Huggins Dome and the Astrophysical Building. The Huggins Telescopes were presented to the University in 1908 by the Royal Society. The equipment, which had been used and developed by the late Sir William Huggins since 1871 in his astrophysical researches, consists of a refractor, with an aperture of 15 incises, and a reflector, with an aperture of 18 inches, mounted on a single polar axis. These instruments are used in spectroscopic researches.
The McClean Solar Instruments are arranged in buildings connected with the Newall Dome. They were erected in 1908 and consist of a double coelostat, with mirrors 16 inches in diameter for providing a fixed horizontal beam of sunlight which is converged by a lens of long focus (60 feet) to form a 6.5-inch image of the sun upon the slit of a powerful spectrograph. The coelostat and lens he to the south of the Newall Dome, and the spectrograph to the north of it; and the beam of light passes through the dome, which thus provides a covered way protected from direct sunlight. These instruments are used for the study of the spectra of sunspots, etc., and for determining the law of rotation of the sun.
The three last-named instruments constitute the equipment of the astrophysical department. In the present year the responsibility of carrying on the work of the Solar Physics Observatory has been entrusted to the charge of the University. The work of the astrophysical department will in future be fused with that of the Solar Physics Observatory. The new buildings required for this work, which was taken over in April last, are partly completed and partly in process of erection.
A Laboratory, with working rooms for the staff, has been built on the west side of the astrophysical building. It contains spectroscopic, photometric and other apparatus for experimental research.
The Spectroheliograph, for the study of the sun's surface and of solar prominences by photometric methods in monochromatic light, is being erected in buildings to the south of the Huggins Dome.
The 36-inch reflector will be mounted in a dome which is being erected to the south of the Newall Dome.
Power Station and Tramways Depot, Ipswich
CORPORATION ELECTRIC POWER STATION AND TRAMWAYS DEPOT, IPSWICH.
Ipswich Tramways and Ipswich Power Station
The electric lighting and power supply of the town, as well as the supply for working the tramways, is obtained from a Power Station situated in Constantine Road, close to the main railway station. The Tramway Depot is situated alongside the Power Station, the offices of the two undertakings being combined, and the whole being under the management of Mr. Frank Ayton, who also acts as the engineer.
The Power Station contains plant for continuous-current supply totalling 3,500 kw., consisting of two 1,000-kw. turbo-generators, the turbines being of Messrs. Willans and Robinson's latest combined impulse and reaction type, working with steam at 160 lb. pressure and 500° F. in temperature. Each turbine runs at a speed of 2,700 revolutions per minute, and is coupled is tandem to two Siemens 500-kw. dynamos. Each dynamo is arranged so that, by means of a change-over switch, it can be used, either as a shunt machine for working upon the ordinary lighting and power supply, or as a compound machine on the traction supply. The lighting and power supply is given at a pressure of 460/230 volts from 3-wire mains, but arrangements are now being made to supplement this by an alternating current three-phase supply at 3,000 volts, 50 periodicity, stepped down to 400/230 volts on 4-wire distributing mains.
Both turbines exhaust into their own condensers, a vacuum of 28.5 inches being maintained, there being a plentiful supply of circulating water from the River Gipping — the main tributary of the Orwell. Leblanc air and water-extraction pumps and a Rees-Roturbo self-regulating circulating water-pump, each set driven from one motor, are provided for each condenser.
The remaining 1,500 kw. of plant in the Engine Room consists of Reavell high-speed enclosed splash lubrication engines coupled to dynamos made by the A.E.G. of Berlin. There are two two-crank double dynamo 48-kw. balancer sets, two three-crank 120-kw. 460/520 volt sets, three three-crank sets, each of 225-kw. 460/550 volts which may be used either for traction or lighting, and a 500-kw. three-crank set which also can be employed for the double purpose.
The main switchboard is placed on a gallery overlooking the engine room, and is of considerable length. The greater part was built by the A.E.G. Co., to the design of Messrs. Kennedy and Jenkin, who were the consulting engineers for the original scheme. The pressure on the outer conductors of the 3-wire system of distributing mains, as well as the proper balancing of the voltage on either side of the middle wire, is controlled automatically by an installation of Taylor-Scotson voltage regulators. One regulator controls the dynamos working at above 460 volts pressure and which are, therefore, connected to the outers of the 3-wire system. These dynamos are separately excited by the storage battery in series with a small motor-driven booster provided with differentially shunt-wound fields.
The two parts of this field-winding are alternately short-circuited — some 150 times a minute — by means of spring contacts upon an oscillating arm of the regulator, working against contacts upon a second oscillating arm — the comparatively slow movement one way or the other of this second arm being controlled through a solenoid acting against the tension of a spring, the winding of the solenoid being continuously energized by the pressure at some one of the several feeding-points upon the system of distributing mains in the town. At normal voltage, this arm is kept steady in a horizontal position so that the other arm, oscillating quickly beneath it, short-circuits each part of the dynamo exciting circuit booster field-winding for the same time- interval. As a result, no pressure is induced in the armature of the booster, if it happens that the dynamo field-rheostats have been set, so that the dynamos give the pressure necessary to maintain normal pressure at the feeding-point with the voltage of the storage battery alone acting upon their field-windings.
Any alteration of pressure at the feeding-point, due to variation in consumers' demands, results in the main arm, controlled by the solenoid and spring, being displaced from the horizontal one way or the other. Consequently, one winding of the booster field is short-circuited for a longer time-interval than the other, which latter thus preponderates in its power of inducing a magnetic flux in the poles of the booster, resulting in a voltage either in opposition to or in series with the battery being induced in the main dynamo exciting circuit. This, in turn, alters the pressure of the main dynamos and restores the voltage at the feeding-point to the normal figure.
The second regulator and its booster work in a similar manner, in compensating for the drop in the middle wire feeder mused by any out-of-balance current flowing to or from the Power Station. Steam is provided by five boilers of the marine dryback type, each having a normal steaming capacity of 11,500 lb. per hour, and one marine-type Babcock boiler which has a normal rating of 18,000 lb. of steam per hour. Each dryback marine; boiler is 14 feet 6 inches long by 11 feet in diameter, and is provided with Crosthwaite forced-draught furnaces for hand-firing.
The Babcock boiler is provided with the latest type of chain-grate stoker. The feed-pumps are three in number, and are of Messrs. Weir's standard marine type. The Babcock boiler is fitted with a superheater of their own design. A Sugden superheater is fitted to one of the dryback boilers, but this year arrangements have been made to fit all the remaining boilers with this apparatus. The usual type of economizer is in use. The make-up feed is softened — there being two plants for this purpose, the largest of 1,500 gallons per hour capacity. A Patterson oil-eliminating plant is fitted over the feed-tank in the boiler-house to deal with the hot-well discharge from the reciprocating plant condenser.
The undertaking supplies power to a number of factories, including the lawn-mower works of Messrs. Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies, the works of Messrs. E. R. and F. Turner, as well as those of Messrs. Reavell and Co. Power is also supplied for working the Admiralty Wireless Telegraph Station which is alongside the Power Station.
The Tramways Depot includes a car-shed capable of housing a total of about forty cars, of which the Corporation at present possesses thirty-six. A Machine and Fitting Shop, together with a Smith's Shop and a Woodworking and Coachbuilding Shop, are provided for dealing with the repairs of both the tramways system and the power station.
The tramways system is laid to a gauge of 3 feet 6 inches and covers 10.8 miles of route. The greater portion of this is laid as single line with passing places. The rails employed are of the usual girder section which, when new, weigh 90 lb. to the yard. Points and crossings are of manganese steel. The original track was laid with joints of the "Dicker" type, in which the outer fish-plate is raised to the level of the table of the rail, a portion of the latter being cut away at the joint for this purpose. These joints have not proved satisfactory and are being gradually cut out, ordinary butt-joints and fish-plates being substituted in the short piece of rail which is inserted to take the place of the original joint.
Cranfield Brothers
MESSRS. CRANFIELD BROTHERS, FLOUR MILLS, IPSWICH.
Cranfield Brothers
These mills are situated upon the western extremity of the north side of Ipswich Dock, and consist of two separate plants, with a large range of warehouses and silos for grain storage. The original mill was erected in 1884, and was one of the earliest mills upon the roller system. The warehouses and other buildings followed, and in 1906 a new mill was erected, the machinery in the first mill being completely scrapped and the building turned into a warehouse.
The capacity of this mill is thirty sacks per hour; another mill was erected in 1911 with a capacity of eighteen sacks per hour. The engines, 460 and 360 i.h.p., are by Messrs. Cole, Marchent and Morley, of Bradford; the two 30 feet by 8 feet Lancashire Boilers by Messrs. Ruston, Proctor and Co., of Lincoln, and the Flour Milling Machinery by Messrs. E. R. and F. Turner, of Ipswich.
William Pretty and Sons
MESSRS. WILLIAM PRETTY AND SONS, CORSET MANUFACTURERS, IPSWICH.
William Pretty and Sons
This factory, which is situated in Tower Ramparts, Ipswich, was established nearly 100 years ago, and now gives employment to over 1,000 hands. At the time of the commencement of the enterprise, corsets were largely cut to measure, and no attempt had been made to standardize the garment so that it could be sold to the wearer in the same way as boots and shoes. Now, however, corsets are sent from Ipswich to every part of the civilized world. The factory is arranged on most up-to-date lines from the point of view of manufacture. Great regard is also paid to hygiene and the welfare of the workers, and the machinery employed is of the latest type.
Taking the work of the factory in the routine in which the goods are made, the Designing Department is seen first. Designing has now become a very important part of the process of production. A study of human anatomy has become essential, in order that the influence of the corset upon the body should be hygienic and beneficial. In the multitude of figures which have to be dealt with, there are many diversities of build and height which must be studied in order to give a correct fit and a fashionable outline. The production of these shapes is entrusted to the care of a designer, under whose supervision the embryo of the new corset is produced.
From this department the designs are passed into the Cutting Room, where the elements of the corset are cut by band-saws, a dozen pieces at a time. It may be said that previous to this cutting process, which is performed by men, the cloth is tested on a special testing-machine, upon which it is subjected to a strain of at least 300 lb. both as to warp and weft, before it is permitted to be used in the building of any garment which leaves the factory.
From the Cutting Room the corset goes on to the Machine Rooms, where the various pieces are sewn together with machines driven by electricity, which are capable of producing a varying number of stitches at one time. From the sewing machine the garment passes on to the boners. Here the supports are slipped into the pockets which the machinists have left ready for them, and the garment becomes, except for trimmings and finishing, practically a finished product.
Afterwards the corset is trimmed and ironed, suspenders are added, and other little details such as budding and stopping are all performed. This firm also makes the "Oktis" shields, and here again various interesting processes may be observed.
A Dining Room is provided for the workers, in which good and sustaining food can be obtained for a maximum of 2d. per meal, which is largely taken advantage of. Amongst the workers of the factory are a large number of married women who have children. The latter are taken care of in the Creche, which is presided over by a matron who is assisted by various nurses, and here every day forty or fifty children enjoy the advantages of careful and healthful supervision. They are properly fed, and are given good exercise in the garden.
The firm also provides bath rooms for their workers, and they take a great interest in the sport of the staff, subsidizing clubs devoted to cricket, tennis, bowls, etc. In addition to the factory at Ipswich, Messrs. Pretty and Sons have a number of factories in smaller country towns.
Ransomes and Rapier
MESSRS. RANSOMES AND RAPIER, WATERSIDE WORKS, IPSWICH.
Ransomes and Rapier
This business was first established at Ipswich in 1868 to take over the manufacture of railway plant and materials from the firm of Ransomes, Head and May, and at the present time the freehold comprises nearly 14 acres and employment is found for nearly 700 hands. The works communicate direct with the Great Eastern Railway and the adjacent wharves on the River Orwell.
The productions of the Waterside Works consist principally of contractors' plant, all kinds of cranes, operated either by hand, electric, steam or oil motors, railway plant and accessories for the permanent way, turntables, traversers, hydraulic buffer-stops, switches and crossings, water-cranes, tanks, steel bridges, lock- and dock-gates, and electric capstans. The Company are also the sole makers of the "Stoney" sluice-gates, the "Ransome" concrete mixers, and the "R. & R." absorption refrigerating machines.
Power Station.—The works are driven entirely by electric power generated on the premises, the supply being at 230 volts d.c. The boiler equipment consists of three boilers, two of which are of the single-ended wet-back marine type, 8 feet 9 inches diameter by 10 feet long, while the third is a "Paxman Economic," 8 feet 9 inches diameter by 14 feet 0 inches long. Steam is delivered at a pressure of 150 lb. to the square inch. An economizer of 120 tubes is provided, and also an induced-draught fan, driven by a variable- speed motor for assisting the boilers at the peak loads.
The Engine Room contains two direct-coupled generating sets, each having an output of 125 kw., one direct-coupled set of 250 kw. output, two air-compressors of capacities of 300 and 800 cubic' feet of free air delivered at 100 lb. pressure. There is also an electric motor-driven set for generating the various types of currents required for testing cranes before delivery. The engines exhaust into a surface condenser, previous to which the steam is passed through an oil separator. A 3-ton overhead travelling-crane serves for repairs.
Woodworking Shop.—This shop measures 75 feet by 75 feet and is divided into two bays, one of which serves for the pattern makers and the other for the carpenters. Here will be found circular and band saws, thicknessing and planing machines, a universal woodworking machine of Messrs. Wadkin's make, lathes, sandpapering machine, etc. In the tower adjoining this shop are stored the various smaller patterns and those regularly in use, the larger one being stored in the pattern store, adjoining which is the timber drying shed.
[See plan of layout of the works on image]
Moulding Shop.—This building measures 180 feet by 75 feet and is served with a 25-ton overhead electric travelling-crane down the centre, while four of the main columns arc fitted with 6-ton electric revolving pillar cranes and two with 30-cwt. hand-cranes. Two cupolas are provided at one end of the Foundry, one capable of melting 4 tons and the other 6 tons of iron per hour; above these is the charging stage, and an electric hoist is fitted for the pig and coke. Ample provision has been made for core ovens and drying stores. The Brass Foundry and Trimming Shop adjoin the main building.
Smiths' Shop.—This measures 131 feet by 80 feet and contains twenty-two fires; there are three steam-hammers of 25, 15 and 5 cwt. respectively. It will be noticed that the fires are connected to the various hammers by an overhead runway, fitted with turntables. There is also an Acme bolt-heading machine, for bolts being made on the works.
Girder Department.—This department comprises three bays, first that in which the plates are flattened, set out and planed to size; this bay measures 250 feet by 48 feet, and the end of the shop opens out so that the 10-ton overhead crane can travel out to the stock-yard, where the plates are unloaded and stored. The total length of crane gantry is 438 feet.
The second bay is utilized for straightening and sawing rolled sections and bars, and measures 140 feet by 54 feet. Here again the shop end opens out so that the 10-ton crane can travel out to the stock-yard, where the sections, etc., are stored, the total length of crane gantry in this bay being 550 feet. The hydraulic presses are supplied with water at a pressure of 1 ton per square Well from duplicate automatic pumps in the pump-house.
The third bay is used for plating up, drilling and riveting, and measures 340 feet by 76 feet. This bay is served with a 20-ton overhead crane, and is arranged with radial drilling machines for drilling girder work when plated up. Also a set of flange-plate drilling-machines and several riveting cranes, each complete with its own oil-furnace for heating the rivets. There are several single-rail cranes for the platers' use.
Machine Shop.—This shop is 302 feet long by 70 feet wide, divided into two bays of 35 feet span. A 10-ton electric crane travels the length of one bay, while a 5-ton overhead hand-crane serves the other. The light tools are grouped together in the side bay, which is equipped with two 15-cwt. hand-cranes. There are seven machines at work gear-cutting, including spur, bevel and worm- cutting machines. The larger planing machine in the long bay takes work 8 feet by 8 feet by 25 feet long, and is fitted with the "Lancashire" drive.
At the south end of this shop is a largo boring and turning mill, which is for use principally on the bed-plates of cranes, and this has a capacity of 15 feet 4 inches diameter by 4 feet 6 inches deep. There is also a 7-foot 6-inch "Asquith" radial drilling machine in this bay and various planing and boring machines.
The east side bay contains the small tools, capstan lathes, and special lathes for bolt-turning. At the north end are the tool shop and stores, while the west bay is used principally for shaft- turning.
Fitting and Erecting Shops.—The Fitting Shop measures 100 feet by 76 feet, and is served by a 7-ton overhead electric crane. Small fitting jobs are carried on in this shop; also setting out and drilling.
The Erecting Shop, 125 feet by 45 feet, has a 25-ton overhead electric crane. There is a large boring machine here with a capacity of 14 feet by 14 feet, which is used principally for boring crane sides, etc., when assembled. Adjoining are the Grindery and Screwing Shops.
The Yard which adjoins the Erecting and Fitting shops is equipped with testing blocks and tracks of various gauges for the erection and testing of the larger productions of the firm, and is served with several steam travelling jib- and derrick-cranes.
Packing Shop.—The packing and painting is all carried on under cover, and this shop measures 131 feet by 64 feet and contains a 121-ton overhead electric crane. The materials are cleaned, scraped, painted and packed here, and loaded direct into the railway trucks or taken out on to the quay for loading into barges. A special roller-pathway turning machine is fitted up in this shop for turning the roller paths of large cranes, and this will machine up to 35 feet diameter. Adjoining this shop are the Electricians' Shop, Rope and Tackle Stores, and Paint Stores.
General Stores.—Ample provision is made for unloading and storing the smaller goods. This department measures 96 feet by 60 feet.
Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies
MESSRS. RANSOMES, SIMS AND JEFFERIES, ORWELL WORKS, IPSWICH.
Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies
The history of these works dates from 1789, when Robert Ransome, the founder of the firm, originally started his foundry in Ipswich. Robert Ransome was born in 1753, and belonged to a well-known Quaker family. His first business was as an ironmonger in Norwich, with a small brass foundry, to which was afterwards added an iron foundry and the manufacture of ploughs.
In 1789 he removed to Ipswich, and in 1806 brought out the well-known chilled plough-share, which laid the foundation of the future greatness of the firm. In the early years of the nineteenth century he was joined by his sons, James and Robert, and enjoyed also the services of William Cubitt, afterwards Sir William Cubitt, and President of the Institution of Civil Engineers. The firm became important founders, and were among the first to build cast-iron bridges, Stoke Bridge, Ipswich, put up in 1819, being one of their early undertakings.
In 1846 the manufacturing business was transferred to the present premises at the Orwell Works on the dockside, and during the great time of railway construction the firm were among the most prominent makers of railway material. Their most famous products, apart from bridges, were chilled railway-crossings, railway chairs, and keys and trenails, made by a process of their own, which were turned out in enormous quantities. During the height of the great railway boom, a ballast wagon per hour of railway material was turned out from their workshops, besides tons of chairs and thousands of fastenings. This activity as regards railway material was quickly followed by a great development of their agricultural machinery business.
[See plan of works in associated image]
At Bristol in 1843 they showed a self-moving engine capable of travelling at the rate of four or five miles per hour, whilst in 1871 four road steamers were built for passenger service for the Indian Government, the then Lieut. Crompton (now Col. Crompton, R.E., C.B.) being associated with their manufacture on behalf of the Government. It was the "Ravee," one of these engines, which in October 1871 made the journey from Ipswich to Edinburgh and back (a total distance of 850 miles) at an average speed of 6.9 miles per hour running time. On the last day of the run an average speed of 9.59 miles per hour was obtained, and occasionally a maximum of 15 to 20 miles per hour.
The road wheels of these steamers were fitted with heavy india-rubber tyres. In the years 1856-7, a large amount of work was carried out for the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, amongst which was the Great Equatorial Instrument which was constructed under Professor Airy, the Astronomer Royal, afterwards Sir George Biddell Airy, K.C.B., F.R.S.
The first steam plough was manufactured in 1856 for Mr. John Fowler at their Works. They were among the earliest pioneers in the introduction of thrashing machines worked by steam, and steam- engines of the portable class; they also had a leading share in perfecting the principal standard English agricultural implements, including the plough, the horse-rake, the cultivator, and the harrow. They were among the pioneers in the manufacture of portable engines for foreign countries where coal is scarce, for firing with straw, and for thrashing machines fitted with apparatus for chopping and bruising the straw as fodder for cattle in hot countries.
The business was turned into a limited liability company in 1884, and from the small beginning in Norwich, when half-a-dozen men would represent the entire staff, the works now extend over 30 acres, employing upwards of 3,000 men.
The main Engineering Works have a quay frontage on the Ipswich Dock of 800 feet, and, with the Thrashing Machine Works, extend across two streets. The Plough Works and the Lawn Mower Works are both entirely separate and self-contained.
In 1869 their railway business was transferred to the Waterside Works of Messrs. Ransomes and Rapier, in Ipswich, this firm being originally formed for this purpose by the late Mr. J. Allen Ransom, the late Mr. Robert J. Ransome, and the late Mr. Richard C. Rapier.
The manufacture of their food-preparing machines was taken over by Messrs. Hunt and Co., of Earls Colne, in 1871. This throwing oft of portions of the business has been necessary to allow for the expansion of the main articles of manufacture, and the Company's operations extend to every country in the world.
The General Offices are in John Street. The Drawing Offices and the Pattern Makers' Shop are on the first floor of this block of buildings. Proceeding through the main entrance, the departments are reached in the following order:-
Erecting and Testing Shops.—Traction engines, road locomotives, simple and compound, small tractors, single and double cylinder portable engines, compound portable engines, horizontal and vertical compound and single cylinder stationary engines, stone corn mills, in various stages of erecting, testing and finishing. Electric and power overhead travelling-cranes. Pneumatic drills. Dryback boilers with superheaters, and locomotive boiler supplying steam for testing stationary engines, testing cylinders and other castings, heating offices and shops. Water-softening plant.
Turnery.—Heavy Tool Bay. Special lathes and flywheel turning, one of special design with four tools in operation at once. Large double planing machine, 12 feet by 12 feet by 6 feet, screw-driven, and reversed by means of electro-magnetic clutch. Crank-turning lathes, with special apparatus for turning crank-pins. Double boring-machines and various radial drills. On one side below the gallery are various light lathes and machine-tools by the leading makers; special nut machines, including a double nut-shaper. On the western side is a drilling bay, with modern drilling machines of the latest types, including a double machine for drilling both ends of connecting-rods at once.
Tool Shop adjoins the Stores for finished engine parts. Tool room with gauges. Brinell hardness testing-machine, tensile testing-machine, hardening furnace with automatic pyrometer lathes and grinding machines.
Main Machine Shop, wherein are grouped, according to their various classes, milling machines of the latest types, various turret and capstan lathes, chucking and combination lathes. Boring machines for various purposes, one of special design, boring and facing the two sides of a cylinder at one operation. Planing machines with pneumatic drive and also electro-magnetic clutches for reversing. Radial drilling machines, including the latest type of machine with universal tilting table on one side and fixed tables on two other sides, specially laid out for cylinder drilling. Also a special plant for circular milling eccentric sheaves and straps, and for lapping the one to the other to ensure a perfect wearing surface. Various grinding machines, amongst others a special surface grinder with dust exhauster fitted to it; also a machine for grinding piston- rings, both on the edges and on the periphery.
Rough Castings Stores.—Pass General Stores for receipt of goods, finished stock, etc., and Forwarding Department on the right. Enter—
Power Station.—Direct-current generators, electric ventilating fan, mercurial gauge for water-works, switchboard. Through Power Plant Yard to—
Castings Stores, and to—
General Foundry.—Sand-mixing machines; six cupolas, the largest 5 feet diameter; overhead stage and special iron and coke lift. Storage of materials. Brass Foundry. Two large core- ovens. Cylinder castings; heavy moulding bay; two power traversing-cranes. General castings of every description by hydraulic and other machine-moulding processes and by hand. Machine for testing the transverse strength and deflection of cast- iron bars. Hand- and power-driven travelling-cranes.
Drop Forging Shop.—Drop hammers, clipping machines, furnaces. Examples of drop forgings; blast-fan electrically driven.
Smiths' Shop.—Double and single smiths' fires, special furnaces, hand forging, hydraulic forging presses, steam and pneumatic and other power hammers, bolt-making machines, tar-burning furnace, bull dozers, shearing machines, clipping and punching machines. Bar Iron Stores.
Boiler Shop.—Plate furnaces, hydraulic presses and flanging machines, plate rolls, shearing machines, plate-edge planing machines, air-compressor, multiple drilling machines, hydraulic riveting machines and cranes, electric overhead travelling-cranes, portable hydraulic riveters; pneumatic caulking and tapping. Plate Stores.
Cross John Street to main entrance for—
Wood Department.—Stock of logs ready for band saw. On the right, stock of angle-rings for wheels. Wheel and Tyre Shops.—Furnaces for wheel tyres, lathes, drills , hydraulic riveters. Oxy-Acetylene Welding Plant.
Saw Mill.—Horizontal log band saw, saw-sharpening machines band saw, circular saws, exhausting plant, electric cross-cut saw.
Power.—Lancashire and locomotive type boilers fired with sawmill refuse. Collis,: and long-stroke steam-engines driving sawmill, converting mill and machine shop. Water-softening plant.
Across Road, Timber Yards and Machinery Warehouses.
Thrashing-Machine Stores for finished parts. At S.E. corner is— Water Supply.—The firm's private water-supply consists of an artesian well 150 feet deep, electrically driven three-throw ram pumps, controlled by automatic float switch; overhead storage tank of 18,000 gallons capacity.
Return through Thrashing-Machine Parts Stores to
Thrashing-Machine Department.—Enter carpenters' shop; frames and parts of thrashing machines.
Converting Mill.—Planing machines, boring machines, tenoning machine, mortising machines, shaping machines, sand-papering machines. Band saws and circular saws. Exhausting plant for sawdust and shavings to boiler-house. Fans and electric motor for driving same.
Machine Shop.—Drilling machines, tool shop, milling machines, combination turret-lathes, multiple drilling machines, boring machines, crank-lathes.
Sheet-Iron Shop.—Shearing machines, bending machines, presses, beading machines, sheet-iron parts thrashers and tea machinery.
Fitters' Shop.—Overhead runway. Drums, cranks, and other metal parts of thrashers.
Stores, for iron fittings.
Erecting and Testing Shop.—Erecting thrashers. Finishing, adjusting and testing. Electric motors for testing. Painting and packing.
The firm's Plough Works, where ploughs of every description and field implements are in course of manufacture from the castings and forgings (made at the Orwell Works) to the finished article, are situated in Cliff Road, about a quarter of a mile from the main factory.
The Lawn Mower Works are situated at about the same distance from the Orwell Works in Waterworks Street. The complete manufacture of all kinds of lawn mowers is carried on at this establishment, which is equipped with its own Foundry, Machine, Erecting and Testing Shops, Paint Shop, Stores, Warehouses, etc.
Reavell and Co
MESSRS. REAVELL AND CO., RANELAGH WORKS, IPSWICH.
Reavell and Co
These works were established in 1898 by the Company, of which Mr. William Reavell (Member) is the managing director, and are situated on a very favourable site between the river, railway, and the road, and are quite adjacent to the Ipswich railway station.
Established originally for the construction of high-speed steam-engines, this firm rapidly developed the design and manufacture of the "Reavell" quadruplex compressor, which has formed for many years its principal product. The compressors were originally constructed for supplying compressed-air for pneumatic-tool work, but are now used in practically all classes of work in which compressed-air is required.
The various types which are made include low-pressure machines supplied without any valves at all, and arranged for blowing and similar purposes, up to three-stage machines for working at pressures of 1,200-1,500 lb. per square inch for supplying air for Diesel engines. Large numbers of these latter machines are now constructed at these works. The quadruplex principle has been so standardized that machines of one-stage, two-stage and three-stage types have many parts which are entirely common to one another, so as to facilitate as far as possible the production of interchangeable parts in large numbers. The majority of the machines are driven by electric motors, either by direct coupling or gears, but large numbers are also supplied of the belt-driven type.
The works are now three or four times the extent of those originally laid down, but it is interesting to record that the original construction, which was designed especially with the idea of allowing for extension on preconceived lines, has been adhered to with each increase of the works, so that the original symmetry of form is still preserved. The frontage adjacent to the street is occupied by the offices and stores, drawing office and pattern shop, while the different bays of the works are so designed as to allow of the machining and fitting operations to be performed in their proper sequence and in the most economical manner. The lay-out of the shops is such that all materials on leaving the machines have to pass through an inspecting stage before they are allowed to go into the erecting shop for assembling.
The Erecting Shop, Test Shop, and Despatching Departments are arranged in proper sequence, so that the various products can be passed through from raw materials to finished articles in the most systematic way. A Foundry has recently been added, and though not large, is of the most modern construction, and the lighting arrangements, especially for both natural and artificial light, have been most carefully thought out.
In addition to the compressors already referred to, the steam-engines for which the works were originally constructed are still being made in considerable numbers, while a new department has been also added for the construction of four-cycle paraffin-oil engines. The machine-tools are driven by line shafting, all arranged for independent sectional motor driving by motors of standard size, and the power supply to the works is duplicated, consisting as it does of steam-engines of the company's own manufacture, which are used for driving dynamos for power and lighting, and also a service for light, power and testing purposes from the adjacent power station belonging to the town.
The number of men employed is about 400.
W. H. Allen and Co
MESSRS. W. H. ALLEN, SON AND CO., QUEEN'S ENGINEERING WORKS, BEDFORD.
W. H. Allen and Co
This business was founded in 1880 by Mr. W. H. Allen (the Chairman of the Company) at York Street Works, Lambeth, London, and was originally engaged in the manufacture of centrifugal pumps for low and medium lifts, steam-engines and centrifugal fans. At an early period the firm took up the commercial development of dynamo machines, and successfully carried out some of the first important electrical installations in the Navy and the Mercantile Marine. Since that time the manufacture of special auxiliary machinery for the British Admiralty, as well as for foreign navies and the leading mercantile marine, has formed a Large and important section of the business of the company.
In the year 1894, owing to the steady expansion of their business and the inadequacy of the premises in Lambeth, Messrs. Allen, having secured a good site of about 12 acres in Bedford adjoining the Midland Railway Company's main line to the north, removed the whole of their business to that town. The subsequent history of the works is one of steady development, and the extensive and well-lighted buildings of the factory now cover a large proportion of the ground originally purchased in 1894.
At the present time the company is engaged in the design and manufacture of high-speed steam-engines of the enclosed forced- lubrication type, steam-turbines of the multiple-stage impulse type, . centrifugal pumps and multiple-stage turbine pumps, turbo-boiler feed-pumps, centrifugal fans for ventilating purposes and for forced and induced draught, complete condensing equipments, high-speed enclosed oil-engines, direct-current electrical machinery and controllers, etc.
The various offices for the directors, the secretary, and engineering department, as well as the drawing and commercial offices, are situated in a well-lighted block of picturesque buildings at the southern end of the site, and are completely separated from the workshops by an open space, thus avoiding practically all noise in the offices from the works. The various departments of the works are housed in large and lofty single-story buildings, for the most part of steel construction with north light, the roofing being of slate, timbered and felted, and glazed with wired glass, the floors being composed mainly of wood blocks with tram rails interconnecting every department.
The main Power Generating Plant is at the south-east corner of the site, and consists primarily of two of Messrs. Allen's high-speed enclosed steam-engines and dynamos and an "Allen" steam-turbine and turbo-dynamo combined with condensing equipment. These are all supplied with steam at about 220 lb. per square inch with 100° F. superheat. The surface condensing plant for the steam- engines is placed in a pit behind the boilers, and the cooling-water for both condensers is passed through a cooling-tower adjacent to the power-house. In addition to the power generated by the steam-plant mentioned above, in a separate house adjoining the boiler-house are two rotary converters arranged to run in parallel with the steam-generators and supplying power from the Bedford Corporation mains, the supply being 2,220 volts, single-phase, sixty periods.
Throughout the works the current is transmitted by a two-wire system at 250 volts, the smaller machine-tools being driven through belting from line shafting, each line being driven by an electric motor, while the larger machines are each provided with a separate motor, starter, and regulator.
Smiths' Shop.—This consists of a single bay, 35 feet wide and 200 feet long. Adjacent to it are the stores for the various kinds of steel, coal and coke, and the boiler-house. The flues are placed below the floor, and the gases are withdrawn from all the hearths by means of an induced-draught fan. Blast air is provided from a positive blower. There are three steam-hammers, the largest 20 cwt., and one electrically-driven pneumatic hammer for the manufacture of bolts and small forgings. This department is largely devoted to the production of forgings in steel, including crankshafts, connecting-rods, pump and dynamo spindles, etc. A section is given up to plate metal work, such as the construction of centrifugal fans, for which there is an installation of pneumatic tools, etc.
Pattern Shop.—The main part of this shop covers an area about 120 feet by 50 feet, and is equipped with an excellent instalment of wood-working machinery, including a core-cutting machine, planing machines, lathes, band saw, wood-grinding machines. The dust from the machines as well as shavings, etc., are removed by a dust-collector-fan through galvanized steel tubing.
The shop is heated in winter by steam-heaters. The large saw-mill and planer are housed in a separate building close to the timber stores, thus removing the most noisy and dust-making processes from the pattern-shop.
Iron Foundry.—This consists of two bays, each 30 feet wide and 350 feet in length. In addition there are smaller sections adjoining the eastern side containing the various appliances for sand and loam mixing, stores, etc. On the same side are also the two cupolas which are operated from one charging floor, the raw pig and scrap, coke, etc., being conveyed from the stores by a trolly and electric hoist.
A variety of methods of moulding are in use. A complete equipment of moulding machines is installed, including three "Shockless Jarring Machines" and two pressure machines, also several hand machines for small work. The shop is provided with four electrical travelling-cranes, two in each bay.
Brass Foundry.—This is divided into three bays, 30 feet wide and 100 feet long, where castings of all sizes up to about 3 tons are made in various alloys. The greater part of the castings are made in gun-metal to the Admiralty specification, while extensive work is done in special high-tension bronzes, also white-metal, for bearings, etc. For the larger castings there is a reverberatory furnace with a capacity of 3 to 4 tons, and for smaller castings there are four tilting furnaces. The excellent arrangement of producer-fired core-ovens permits of exceedingly uniform heating and easy regulation. Three electric-travellers provide ample lifting power for the heaviest work.
The fettling and dressing of the castings is carried out in a section at the northern end of each foundry, and the work is completed by sand-blasting, for which operation a very complete apparatus is provided, the air-compressors being motor driven.
Machine Shops.—This fine plant is divided into five sections, comprising the heavy, medium, and light machines, the milling department and the automatic machines, and occupies five bays of 30 feet width each, and about 150 feet length. The heaviest machines are served by three electric travelling-cranes, and there are several hand-travellers for the smaller machines. Among the heavier machines may be mentioned five planers with electrical reversing gear, large vertical boring mills, crankshaft centre lathes, and among the medium and smaller machines may be noted all-gear centre and chuck lathes, vertical boring mills, milling machines, etc. In the automatic shop are machines of the automatic and semi-automatic type. Attention is also called to the exceptionally interesting installation of drilling machines and grinding machinery.
Fitting and Erecting Shop.—The final assembling of steam- engines, turbines, (pumps, condensers, oil engines, etc., is carried out in this shop, and occupies two bays each 40 feet wide, and respectively 110 feet and 150 feet long. Lifting power is provided by electrical travelling cranes and numerous small jibs swung upon the standards which support the cranes and roof.
Electrical Shops.—The construction of dynamo machines, and electrical motors, starters and controllers, is carried out in two shops, the dynamo shop consisting of a building of two bays 30 feet wide and about 100 feet long. Here will be noticed the various processes of construction, including commutator making, armature winding, and the assembling of the machines. The controller department is housed separately, and is entirely occupied with the manufacture of electrical switches, starting and controlling gear, resistances, also dynamo brush gear. A new dynamo shop has recently been erected, and contains at present very complete arrangements for the testing of all kinds of electrical gear. This shop is also provided with two electrical travelling-cranes.
Tool Room.—This department occupies a central position on the works site and is given up to the manufacture of special tools, milling cutters, gauges, and the maintenance of the works tool plant. The equipment includes lathes and universal milling machines, also special grinding machinery for various tools, such as milling cutters, drills, band saws, etc., and engraving machines. There is a fine set of standard cylindrical gauges, both internal and external, surface plates, etc., also a standard set of screw-gauges for reference only, and a 4-foot measuring machine fitted with a rule which has been carefully standardized and checked by the National Physical Laboratory. At the south end of this shop are situated the tool and gauge stores, which contain an exceptionally fine equipment of internal and external limit-gauges for use in the works.
General Stores.—This large and well-lighted bay contains stock parts for all standard machinery as well as the various parts of the work in progress for orders in hand. At one end are the shop- drawings stores, and at the other is a 30-ton single-lever testing machine with autographic recorder, and adapted for tests in tension, compression, bending, torsion, etc. Here all the material is collected and no part is allowed to pass into the factory until the tests are satisfactorily carried out in the presence of the various inspectors.
Testing Department.—The exceptional provision made by the company for the testing of practically all their manufactures calls for special attention. The testing department proper is housed in a single bay, 30 feet wide by about 130 feet long. In addition, there is a large boiler plant, consisting of a battery of five Babcock and Wilcox land-type boilers with superheaters, one having a full-load capacity of 20,000 lb. per hour, and four with a capacity each of 6,000 lb. per hour. The first mentioned is fitted with a special type of superheater damper by which the amount of the superheat can be varied as desired, and the draught is of the French induced type, cold air being injected upwards through the throat in the chimney by means of a steam-turbine driven fan of Messrs. Allen's own make. The four smaller boilers are provided with a single induced-draught fan in the flue driven by one of Messrs. Allen's small enclosed engines.
The feed-water is treated in a softening plant and oil eliminator, and the feed-pumps are three in number, one being a steam-turbine driven feed-pump by Messrs. Allen. An independently-fired superheater by Messrs. Babcock and Wilcox is also installed. All the boilers are hand-fired with Welsh steam coal, a method which experience has proved to be the most satisfactory under the conditions, when continual rapid fluctuations in load have to be dealt with.
In the Testing Department proper are arranged various steaming beds for the temporary fixing of steam-engines and dynamos, and the steam. and exhaust mains are carried along the entire length of the bay. A surface condensing plant is also specially adapted for the accurate measurement of steam consumptions. The engine and dynamo testing outfit also comprises Crosby indicators, Hopkinson's optical indicator, hydraulic dynamometer, and the usual standard electrical instruments, potentiometer, etc. Large resistances are also provided to take up the load.
For the testing of centrifugal pumps a large covered-in tank, with a capacity of about 28,000 gallons, is situated at the southern end of the bay, in conjunction with which is a very complete equipment of four Venturi meters and gauges, the largest having a diameter of 32 inches, thus enabling accurate tests to be carried out on the larger pumps. Attention is also called to the arrangements for the testing of centrifugal fans, including the special air trunk, also differential draught-gauge.
Metallurgical Laboratory.—This department carries out special investigations into the properties of all kinds of materials, as well as a large amount of important work on iron, steel and alloys in connection with both foundries and the smithy. It contains a complete equipment of furnaces, balances, and a fine micro- metallurgical outfit by Zeiss for the microscopic examination of metals and alloys and also for the photographic recording of these observations.
Works Institute.—For the comfort of the men Mr. W. H. Allen built and equipped this building in commemoration of the twenty- fifth birthday of the company. It comprises a large hall--with an up-to-date kitchen—which is used in the day for dining and in the evening for social meetings.
There is also a library as well as billiard, reading, smoking and games rooms. Adjacent to the Institute are the tennis and bowling clubs connected with the works. The number of men employed is about 1,200.
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