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Aviation History
1926
1926 - 0923.PDF
DECEMBER 2, 1926 TAYLOR GOLD MEDALLIST DINED ON November 19 the Institution of Aeronautical Engineers held a dinner at Kettner's Restaurant in honour of Capt. W. H. Sayers for the purpose of presenting him with the Taylor Gold Medal for the best paper read during the session 1925-26. This medal is being presented each year by Capt. G. A. Taylor, F.R.A.S., F.R.G.S., M.I.Ae.E., a member of the Australasian branch of the Institution, and is to be awarded at the discretion of the council to the member who submits or reads the most valuable paper during the session. The first award of the medal has been made to Capt. Sayers for his paper on " The Modern Theory of Aerofoils and its Application to Aeroplane Design," read on June 8, 1926. This paper has just been published in Minutes of Proceedings No. 20 of the Institution. At the dinner, Mr. R. J . Parrott was in the chair and made the presentation, ably supported by Dr. Thurston, Mr. Hulbert, and Capt. Lamplugh. In making the presentation, Mr. Parrott said that the best thanks of the Institution were due to Capt. Taylor for his generosity in giving this gold medal, which would serve as a common bond between the Institution at home and the branch in Australia. Concerning the paper for which the first award had been made, he felt sure this would prove a valuable addition to what had already been written on the subject. Capt. Sayers, in responding, said he was very sensible of the great honour that had been conferred upon him. He felt that it should really have been he who should have given a dinner to the Institution, since in compiling the paper he had used the Institution for his own purposes. He hoped that when members had had time to study the paper they would feel that the award was justified. Dr. Thurston, in proposing the toast of " The Institution of Aeronautical Engineers," recalled that the Institution was " a Society for the encouragement, development, and protec- tion of the profession of aeronautical engineering," and drew attention to the great heritage into which the aero- nautical engineer had come. He paid a tribute to the early pioneers of flying, notably to Mr. A. V. Roe, head of that great and honoured company which was represented that evening by Mr. Parrott. Dr. Thurston concluded by paying a warm tribute to Mr. Hulbert for his valuable work as acting Honorary Secretary, to which Mr. Hulbert replied that it was more nerve-racking to have to reply to Dr. Thurston's eulogies than to go with a man on his first solo flight. Refer- ring to the Institution, Mr. Hulbert said it wanted many more members. He did not advocate indiscriminate canvas- sing, but he hoped all those present would lose no oppor- tunity of bringing home to their friends the advantages of joining the Institution. Capt. Lamplugh, in proposing the toast of the Chairman, said Mr. Parrott was one of the ruling spirits of probably the most famous aircraft works of all. Concerning Capt. Sayers and the award of the Taylor Gold Medal, he felt that the paper was worth not only this, but a Schneider Cup complete. The more serious part of the evening having thus con- cluded, the guests gave a demonstration of the qualities of their under-carriages to the tune of the Kettner Dance Band. A REALLY USEFUL MICROMETER WE recently had the opportunity of inspecting a micrometer designed on entirely original lines which should, we think, fill a long-felt want in all branches of engineering where work is done both in Engrlish and metric measurements. It frequently happens that a job entails the reading of measure- ments in inches for one part, while in another these arc in millimetres. Hitherto, the worker has had to possess two separate micrometers, one reading in inches and the other in millimetres, or else has referred to tables of equivalents, or resorted to lengthy calculations—all of which are bother- some methods, where errors and confusion frequently creep in. With the micrometer referred to above all these troubles are banished in a simple, effective and ingenious manner, for this micrometer gives at a glance a dual reading, both in inches and in millimetres. It must be mentioned at the outset that this direct reading of micrometer indications to English and metric standards of measurements on the same instruments, is not accomplished by combining the two scales—English-metric—on the same datum or reading line, as this is obviously a most unsatisfactory procedure, not only as regards producing such a scale with accuracy, but in reading it also. The Madison-St. Gervais " Metr-Inch " micrometer accom- plishes the dual reading in a very ingenious and accurate method, as follows (see also accompanying sketch). In addition to the ordinary calibrated datum line scribed horizontally on the micrometer sleeve, there is another calibrated "helical line scribed round the sleeve above it. The former is the inch scale and the latter is the metric scale. Two calibrated rings are provided on the revolving thimble, the front one of which is divided in radial lines so us to coincide with the horizontal or inch scale, whilst the other is divided in tangential lines, to coincide with the helical or metric scale. In this way it is impossible for there to be any confusion between the' two readings, which, furthermore, are easily read. A locking arrangement is, of course, also provided. Although a French invention, this micrometer is British made, the workmanship and finish being of the best. It has, we understand, been favourably commented upon by the War Office, Admiralty, Air Ministry, and Dockyards. One of these micrometers was tested by the National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, and by them was passed as Grade 1, the report on the test stating that, calibrated for progressive error at 0-1-in. intervals over the 1-in. run of scale, the errors at 62° F. were found to be within 0-0001 in. and 0-003 mm. on the two scales. The periodic erroi was investigated over complete revolutions at three positions along the screws, and in each case the errors found were within 0-00005 in. and 0-002 mm. When the faces of the A COMBINATION INCH-METRIC MICROMETER : The above sketch shows a useful micrometer, the Madison-St. Gervais " Metr-Inch," which gives simul- taneous readings in both English and metric measure- ments. The enlarged view shows the arrangement of the dual scales—0 to 1 in. micrometer are in contact the zeros of the two scales are correct to 0-0001 in. and 0-002 mm. respectively. This micrometer should, therefore, form a valuable part of the equipment of every aircraft or engine factory, not only on the score of saving time, but money, for we understand that the price of this micrometer is only slightly more than the average price of an ordinary micrometer, Further particulars regarding the " Metr-Inch " micro- meter may be obtained from Messrs. Madison-St. Gervais, 26-27, St.'Stephen's House, Westminster, S.W.I. A Kiel-Thames Air Service ? Canal and the mouth of the River Thames. This line,£iel-Thame r Servic canal ana tne moutn oi tne j-uver inamo. j.m» ime, ACCORDING to our contemporary Airways, Kiel Canal and which is scheduled to start next spring, will be operated the Thames may shortly be linked by a regular air service. by twin-engined 1,400 h.p. Dornier flying-boats, providing It is stated that plans have already been prepared by the accommodation for twenty-one passengers in two separate German authorities for a flying-boat service between the Kiel cabins. 795
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