Plate LI.SURFACE AND BORING LATHE.Larger image
Plate LI.
SURFACE AND BORING LATHE.
Larger image
The leading dimensions and the principal work done by the more important tools afford an idea of the extent of the equipment. There are several planing and slotting machines, one of which is shown in the engraving on Plate L., facing this page. There are two combined machines, to plane 21 ft. and to slot 18 ft., used inconnection with the condensers, cylinders, large bearing frames and sole-plates of engines, while two other smaller tools are devoted to finishing the castings for bed-plates and columns. For machining eccentric-rod ends, etc., there is a 24-in. slotter with a circular table. There are two high-speed planers with two tool-boxes on the cross-slide, which take in pieces 10 ft. by 5 ft. by 5 ft., and one to take work 12 ft. by 3 ft. by 3 ft.
In the driving of some of the heavier tools very good results have been attained by the application of a reversible motor, which in one case has dispensed with four belts, a pair of bevel wheels, and two countershafts, reducing enormously the frictional waste, and enabling higher speeds and quicker return strokes to be attained.[71]
For drilling work there are several large tools. Recently there has just been fitted a multiple machine which, while primarily intended for drilling the tube-holes in drums and water-pockets of Yarrow water-tube boilers, is also utilised in connection with ordinary machine work. This tool, of which an engraving is given on Plate L., facing page 108, was manufactured by Messrs. Campbells and Hunter, Limited, Leeds. It has a massive cross-slide carrying four saddles, movable by a powerful screw, driven by spur-gearing and friction-clutch, controlled from one of the saddles. The steel spindles are balanced, and have a special self-acting, variable, rack-feed motion, as well as a quick vertical motion by hand for rapidly adjusting the drill through the jig. Each spindle can be operated independently. The table has a sliding motion, directed by two straight screws coupled to the cross shaft and vertical shaft, and is carried by a straight bed with three bearing surfaces. This machine, which weighs 20 tons, is driven by a 30 brake-horse-power electric motor.
There are two vertical boring mills used for cylinderwork, one being capable of boring up to 120 in. in diameter, and the other to 94 in. in diameter. A combined boring and facing machine, with a table 4 ft. square, is usefully employed on propeller bosses, valve-chests, small cylinders, and built-up bed-plates, machine bearings, etc.
The installation of high-speed lathes is specially noteworthy. In one, the face-plate can take in 12 ft. in diameter, and, as the length of bed is 30 ft., it is useful for large surfacing work, as well as for turning crankshafts of the larger sizes. There are two 12-in. double-geared lathes for surfacing and screw cutting. These are self-acting, and the lengths of bed are 19 ft. and 12 ft. respectively. For turning piston and connecting rods, two screw-cutting lathes of 16-1/4-in. centres are in use, the length of the bed being 22-1/2 ft. These have each a triple-gear headstock, and a chuck 48 in. in diameter; with rack motion and slide-rest feeds. A 20-in. centre lathe, with a bed 28 ft. 6 in. long, is fitted with two saddles and four slide-rests for shaft liners, etc. Amongst others, there is a 27-in. centre lathe for shafting, the bed being 36 ft. long.
One of the lathes is illustrated on Plate LI., adjoining page 109. This is a 48-in. surfacing and boring lathe, by Messrs. John Lang and Sons, Limited, Johnstone. The two new features introduced are the variable speed drive and automatic speed-changing mechanism. The headstocks can be used for single or triple gear, and are so arranged that, even when running at the greatest speed, there is a reduction by gearing. With this arrangement the lathes have greater power when turning small diameters than when the belt is used driving direct to the main spindle. The spindles, which are hollow, with hexagonal turrets, are of crucible cast steel, and run in gun-metal bearings. By means of the speed-changing mechanism, the cutting speed of the tool is kept practically constant when surfacing. This means that any surface can be finished off in about one-half of the time takenby a lathe having the ordinary step-cone drive, where the workman will not change the position of the belt while surfacing. The self-acting feed-motions are positive.