Francis B. Welch and Co

1886.

1887. Vacuum pump for a pneumatic despatch system, from Engineering 1887/01/07

Francis B Welch & Co of Atlantic Works, City Road, Manchester

1885 Steam-driven vertical air compressor/vacuum pump for pneumatic dispatch system at the offices of the Manchester Guardian.

1886 Description, engraving, and sectional arrangement drawing of an unusual air-compressing and exhausting engine constructed for the Manchester Guardian Office. Single vertical cylinder 16 in. in diameter by 24 in. stroke. Two air cylinders each 15 in. in diameter. The piston-rod of the steam cylinder is attached to a guided banjo frame, to which is attached the pair of piston-rods of the air cylinders. The flywheel was 6 ft. in diameter and weighed 4 tons 2 cwt., a heavy flywheel being necessary to give steady motion at the moderate speed at which the engine ran, the maximum speed being 50 rpm.. See 1886 engraving. This shows the outboard bearing for the crankshaft housed in the wall behind the flywheel. This would have been unsatisfactory, with no access for lubrication and maintenance.

1886 Slater's Directory of Manchester & Salford, 1886, lists Francis B. Welch as engineers and contractors, electrical engineers, agents, designers & constructors of special machinery for home and export: Office: Manchester Chambers, 46 Market Street; Works: Atlantic Works, City Road, Hulme. Entries in the directories show that the company were agents for a number of prominent UK manufacturers.

1887 Description and engravings of a vacuum pump for a pneumatic despatch system connecting the offices of the Manchester Courier and Manchester Sporting Chronicle with the Post Office.

1890 Advert: 'On Thursday next.— To Close an Estate.— To Engineers, Machinists' Tool Makers, Brokers, and others.
GEORGE SAXTON is in receipt of instructions from the executors of the late Mr. F. B. Welch (trading as Messrs. Francis B. Welch and Co.) TO SELL BY PIECEMEAL AUCTION, Thursday next, December 18, commencing at eleven o'clock, the whole of the ENGINEERING PLANT and EFFECTS in connection with the Atlantic Works, City-road, Manchester ; comprising 5-h.p. vertical engine and 10-h.p, loco-multitubular boiler, both Marshall, Sons, and Co., Gainsborough; turned and polished Shafting, with hangers, pedestals, brasses, and Rodgers's wrought iron pulleys; double-geared 6ft. radial drill, by Campbell and Hunter; upright drill, by Kendal and Gent; slide, surfacing, and; screw-cutting gap lathe, 12in. centres, 27ft. bed, with rest and two faceplates, by Earnshaw and Co.; slide, surfacing, and screw-cutting gap lathe, 9in. centres, 12ft. bed, with compound slide rest and three faceplates, F. and J. Butterfield and Co.; slide, surfacing, and screw-cutting gap lathe, 7in. centres, 10ft. bed, with compound slide rest and two faceplates, by Cunliffe and Croom; slide and screw-cutting lathe with double spindle, 7in. centres, 10ft. bed, with compound slide rest and faceplate, by Kendal and Gent ; slide and screw cutting lathe, 6in. centres, 6ft. bed, with ccmpound slide rest and two faceplates, by W. Muir and Co.; lathe, 5in. centres, 5ft. bed, for treadle or power ; double-geared wheel gap lathe to take work up 6ft. diameter, with compound side rest on stand, by F. B. Welch and Co.; 12in.-stroke improved slotting machine, with double compound table, W. Muir and Co.; self-acting planing machine, to plane 8ft. by 3ft. by 3ft. 3in., Earnshaw and Co.; 10in.-stroke shaping machine with parallel vice, by Cunliffe and Croom ; milling machine, by Kendal and Gent; screwing machine, by Maiden; pattern-maker's lathe, 12in. centres, 10ft. bed, with three faceplates ; emery wheel and gear; steel and iron turning and cutting tools, vices, hydraulic jacks, cramps, boring heads and bars, mandrills, files, and other tools ; stock of steel and iron bars, wrought and cast pulleys, bolts, nuts, washers, gauges, valves, stocks, and dies, brass and iron castings, general engineering stock, office and store room fittings ; smith's hearth with double tuynres, Welch-Baker's blower and piping, anvil, swage block, slake trough, jib crane, general smiths' tools ; Climax crusher to grind fine all kinds of materials, one 4ft. and two 6ft. Welch-Baker's blowers, two 50-gallons and two 25-gallons Welch's patent perfect stirrers. Maxim-Weston dynamoto drive 60 16-candle power lamps, Gulcher dynamo to drive 3 3,000-candle power lamps, 2 15 cwt. hydraulic lifts and pumps, 15 cwt. pillar crane, 15 cwt. Avery's weighing machine, double-geared crab, 2 grindstones, simplex fire extincteur, 6 Weston's blocks and lifting chains, handcart, ladders, utensils, together with a large quantity of brass, wrought and cast iron scrap. The whole of the new and valuable Patterns, comprising set for pneumatic engine, 16in. and 15in. cylinders, 2ft. stroke, per engine supplied to the Guardian set for pneumatic engine 6in. and 8in. cylinders, 12in stroke, supplied to Manchester, Leeds, and Sheffield newspaper offices; two sets for vertical engines, 6in. cylinder, 8in stroke, and 4in. cylinder, 6in. stroke ; set for vertical engine 14in. cylinder, 14in. stroke; set for Climax crusher, set for coke crusher, set for smith's hearth, three sets for Welch-Baker's blowers, 1 1/2ft, 4ft., and 6ft.; set for wood planing machine; patterns for Gaskell's patent antifriction valve; patterns for cylinders, headstocks, driving gear, and propellers for Welch's patent perfect stirrers'; patterns wall boxes, pedestals, hangers, steps, well brackets, rope, chain, and other pulleys, flange couplings, &c. All the gas and water fittings throughout the premises. May be publicly viewed Tuesday and Wednesday next, from 10 till five o'clock. Intending purchasers may inspect the above Monday next by order, obtained from the offices of Messrs. F. B. Welch and Co., Manchester Chambers, 46a, Market-street; or the Auctioneer, Lincoln Chambers, 18, South King-street, both in Manchester. For catalogues (now ready), apply to the Auctioneer, above. The WORKS BE LET.'

Note that Atlantic Works was previously occupied by George Richards and Co, machine makers , and subsequently occupied by Meldrum Brothers

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