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Aviation History
1910
1910 - 0392.PDF
(/ST] not show the latest arrangement that has been adopted though it indicates roughly the general principle employed. The back portion, which carries the rings, is turned from the solid out of vanadium steel, and being machined accurately inside and out, a uniform thickness can be ensured; while the front portion is a steel casting, through which, as well as through the back portion, the gudgeon-pin is made to pass. It will, of course, be realised that the opposing cylinders are fixed slightly out of line with one another, and also that the connecting-rods are slightly out of centre with the pistons as regards the big-ends. In this way, very little overhang is caused to exist, and the con necting-rods are rendered quite independent of each other upon each crank-shaft. The cylinders have a bore of 4^ ins. by a stroke of 4| ins., and the engine is intended to run at a normal speed of about 1,500 revs, per min. At that speed, its output is about 40 to 45 b.h.p., which practically means MAY 21, 1910. that it develops one horse-power for each 5^ lbs. of total weight. Its total weight, equipped as shown in our photograph i.e., without its exhaust-pipes or its complete water-connections, but complete with its fly-wheel, magneto, and all the other parts visible in those illustra tions), is 250 lbs. Of this, 27 lbs. represents the rela tively large fly-wheel, which is built up with a steel rim and two ^-inch steel discs. This first engine has recently undergone its initial bench tests at the Willesden works of the Iris Motor Co. (Messrs. Legros and Knowles), where it has been built for Mr. de Havilland. Our photographs were, in fact, taken immediately after these first tests had been conducted, and when it had proved that it had a considerable future before it for aeroplane work. Sufficient has already been said to indicate its main characteristics in all respects, but in conclusion we might remark that various minor details to which we have not specifically referred are easily discernible from our photographs and drawings. AN AEROPLANE SHED THAT FITS THE MACHINE. MOST aeroplane sheds are of the simple rectangular form, but the Aerial Manufacturing Co. have adopted a type of construction that saves, so they claim, about two-thirds of the roof area employed in the orthodox shaped building, and about half the price te the Plan, front and side elevations of the A.M.Co.'s shed. purchaser in consequence. The Aerial Manu facturing Co.'s hangar is designed to fit the machine, the particular form of construction illustrated herewith being obviously adapted to a machine that has a long tail. An interesting feature of the design is that the rear portion of the building, which covers the tail, is mounted on rails, so that it can be moved bodily backwards, and the machine is then drawn out from behind after opening the folding doors that protect the wings of the flyer. There are also doors in the front of the building, and a pair of large doors- immediately in the centre of the front wall, which is constructed with a recess to facilitate the running of the propeller while the machine is under cover. On the subject of the apparent utility of the spare room in an ordinary rectangular shed, for workshop purposes, the Aerial Manufacturing Co. claim that this practice is detrimental to the fabric of the machine, and that the workshop should always be kept separate from the hangar proper. CRANK-SHAFTS FOR PETROL ENGINES. BUILDERS of high-speed petrol engines of every kind, whether for automobile work or for the propulsion of aerial craft, are inevitably unanimous in regarding the crank-shaft as being the most important single component part of any engine of this character. A considerable amount of general interest therefore attaches to the latest Ambrose Shardlow and Co. catalogue, of which a copy has been sent us by Messrs. Barron and Bithell, of Birmingham, for therein are contained full particulars of all the various types of crank-shaft, the construction of which constitutes so large a section of this Sheffield firm's output. Any of the highest grades of steel, such as chrome-vanadium or nickel-chrome, can be obtained from them, either as rough forgings or in finished form ; and apart from the special plant for the scientific heat treatment of the steels, a full equipment of up-to-date machine tools has been installed expressly for crank-shaft work. All and every customary type, from those having a single throw up to those for six-cylinder engines, are turned out regularly, while comparatively lately hollow shafts for flight engines have been added to the standard models. 390
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