An Interesting Mobile Plant.
Page 17
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Travelling Welding and Pneumatic 'Tool Workshop.
HEN THE _ MOUNTAIN 'would not go to arabomet, . the prophet pursued the logical step—he went to the mountain. A comparative state of affairs is being experienced in certain industrial circles such as those concerned with shipbuilding, owing to the pressure of work, abortage of labour and transportation.
ee few months age TillingStevens introduced a mobile are welder and workshop, which proved successful, and the utility of this unit has now been enhanced by the inclusion of a pneumatic tool outfit.
Special Dynamo and Motor.
This equipment provides a. means of conveying the whole of the apparatus and operators from the owner's door direct to the spot where the work is to be exectited, power for driving the pneumatic tools for the preparation and finishing of the work, and current tor one electric arc. The advantage. of having the entire equipment
mobile will, we are sure, prove Of interest nterest to Shipbuilders and repairers.
The Chassis is the • standard 40 h.p. Tilling-Stevens petrolelectric, fitted with speciallywound dynamo -and motor fur are welding purposes. Switch gear is arranged for diverting the current from the electric driving motor to the arc welding apparatus, the power being sinplied by the engine and dynamo combined unit which normally propels the chassis. At the back of the driver's cab folding doors give the driver access to the Welding control gear, enabling him to operate this from the seat. The interior of the car carries a locker seat extending for about half the length of the vehicle, a bench and vice with -provision underneath to accommodate the pneumatic hose and cable for weld-ing, Internal Arrangements.
The switch gear and. resistances for welding are fitted in the front portion of the 'body. The cables from this gear run down through the floor to terminals on either side of the body to which the welding leads can.be connected for running to the point where the are is required. The welding leads are in convenient thimbleuf lengths, and junction boxes are provided for the insulation 'and protection of thetemporary connections.
The aft-compressing plant is fitted behind the welding gear, and is capable of operating a No. 1 Boyer chipping hammer at a distance of 500 ft. from the vehicle. The Lacy-Hulbert air compressor delivers about -30 cubic feet of free air per minute at a pressure of 100 lb. Au automatic unloading device ie fitted which cuts the comPressor out of action when the pneumatic tools are not being used. The compressor is driven by a
h.p. Gardner petrol engine. .
Attention to Cooling.
Special attention has been given to the cooling of this plant, which is called upon to docontinuous work in a somewhat confused space. The engine is cooled by means of a radiator fitted at the back of the vehicle, a fan driven from the compressor drawing outer air through the radiator. The air-compressor
is cooled by means of water circulated by a pump round the compressorjaceets, the supply for which is carried in a tank slang underneath the floor of the body. An air receiver of ample capacity is suspended from the roof. Five hundre4 feet of armoured hose in 50-ft. lengths is supplied. In addition to the pneamatic chipping remitters, pneumatic riveting hammers, .drilling machines, grinders, arid blast apparatus and other pneumatic appliances and tools. can be driven by oomptessed air plant.
Welding Capacity.
The welding plant is suitable for welding N.S. plates from in. thick to 2 ins, thick and upwards, all descriptions of steel and iron forgings and castings. Uneaulkable places in boilers can be welded, corroded landing edges built ep, cracks in furnaces and flues made good, and so on. Boiler repairs can be exe(tilted to the satisfaction of Lloyd's, B.O.T. and irisurance companies'
inspectors. .
The mobileplant can be supplied with lorry type body or an additional equipment can be carried on the platform of chassis enabling two arcs to be supplied.
The possibilities of electric welding are not yet known or appreciated, but there is no doubt that in the course of the next few years electric welding will supersede a large number of manufacturing operations.
The installation illustrated herewith was built to the order of P. A_ Madd and Co., shiprepairers and electric . are welders, of South Shields.