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Aviation History
1928
1928 - 1167.PDF
DECEMBER 20, 1928 designer merely drew something which looked easy on paper,and then simply left it to Reynolds to solve the manufacturing difficulties—which they appear to have done in the mostconvincing manner. While much might be written about the production oftubing for road vehicles, it is with the manufacture of special aircraft tubing that we are here concerned, and as it happens,this type of tube is also very much more difficult and therefore more interesting. The Reynolds factory at Hay Hall, Tyseley, was erected during the war under the direction of the Air Ministry for the production of aircraft tubing, on which class of tubing Reynolds had no less than three works engaged. After the war, the other works were concentrated at Tyseley, where the firm now has an area of about nine acres and works equipped with the most up-to-date plant for the manufacture of weldless steel tubing of the very highest quality. It was through the new Tyseley works that we recently had the pleasure to wander with Mr. Austyn Reynolds, the firm's Technical Director, as our guide, and the views which accompany these notes illustrate but a few corners of the very extensive works. In the space available, we cannot hope to give a comprehensive review of all the vast activities of the firm, but if we confine ourselves to some of the work on aircraft tubing, we shall at least have dealt with what is industries have been producing less, these figures give a good indication of the extent to which tubular construction has developed during the last two years. It goes without saying that this great expansion of the aircraft side of the Reynolds' works has necessitated the installation of a great deal of new equipment, and increased warehouse accommodation for stocking the more usual sizes of tube to all specifications under the best conditions. The increasing demand for aircraft tubing also meant installing a special heat-treatment plant of up-to-date design, and increased accommodation for inspection and testing. But realising the great future which metal aircraft construction undoubtedly has, the Reynolds Tube Company has not hesitated to lay down the necessary plant, so that now the firm is in a position to supply at short notice all the more standard sizes and specifications. In the colonies also, an increasing amount of business is expected, and agents and stockists have been appointed so that colonial constructors may obtain their supplies with a minimum of delay. It might be mentioned in this connection that Reynolds' agents in Australia are the Larking Aircraft Supply Co., Ltd., while in Canada, F. Bacon & Co., Ltd., of Montreal are the agents. Perhaps one of the most difficult, and for that reason one of the most interesting, examples of metal aircraft work of recent times is provided by the rigid airship R.I01, in which JLJLU im•••»••••»» IN THE REYNOLDS AIRCRAFT TUBE DEPARTMENT : Above, the special heat treatment furnace which is heated by town gas, and the temperature of which can be controlled within 5 deg. C. along the entire 20-ft. length of furnace. Below, two views in the new aircraft tube shop. undoubtedly the most difficult branch, and our readers may take it for granted that if this exacting work can be success- fully undertaken by the Reynolds Tube Co., Ltd., the simpler claso of work is not likely to present any difficulties. Plain circular section tubes have been used for a number of years in aircraft construction, as have now also such simple sections as oval and " streamline." Of recent years, however, other forms have been demanded, and much more important still, steels of a very different specification are required, which, in the very nature of things, are much more difficult to manipulate. Steel tubes which " started life " as circular sections, have now successfully been turned into special sections, such as flat-sided or square tubes with rounded corners, kidney-shaped sections for cowling rings, tubes forming sections resembling an open double figure-of- eight, " D " sections, and so on. Square sections with sharp corners are also manufactured, and all these various sections are obtainable in a wide range of gauges, and in various classes of steel. As an instance of the way in which the Reynolds Tube Company has developed its aircraft section, it may be men- tioned that two years ago, aircraft tubing constituted but 5 per cent, of the'firm's total output. During the last three months, this percentage has risen to 40. As there is no reason to suppose that the cycle, motor cycle and motor-car a. good deal of solid-drawn nickel chrome steel tube has been used. Some aeroplane constructors are now using similar tubing for highly-stressed parts, and a few words concerning it may, therefore, be of interest. In the R.101 these tubes are used chiefly as the base members of the longitudinals, and in the largest si^es for the fin and rudder posts. The sizes used range from 1 in. by 14 gauge to 2f in. by 20 gauge, there being many intermediate sizes, of which the greater portion are 2J in. by 21 gauge. The smaller and thicker tubes call for no special comment, as the manufacture and heat treatment presented no parti- cular difficulties. The sizes of most interest are the 2J-in. by 21 gauge, and the 2J-in. by 20 gauge, these being the thinnest solid-drawn tubes used in such sizes. The actual manufacturing processes employed were similar to those in normal use by the Reynolds Tube Co., although the intermediate heat treatment between drawing called for special attention in the case of the nickel chrome steel. The tubes were drawn on solid bars and not, as is more usually the case, over a fixed plug. This method was found to permit of a greater reduction at each " pass " without fear of fracture, since the friction on the inside of the tube was reduced to a minimum. The hardening and tempering of these tubes presented manv difficulties, not least because themost difficult of all, i.e., 1073
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