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Aviation History
1931
1931 - 1110.PDF
FLIGHT, OCTOBER 16, 1931 HIGH AND MIGHTY: The birthplace of the blended oils. These 12,000-gall. tanks are but a few of those in the blending room. Here the oil loses its non-entity and becomes a specific grade such as Castrol XL or XXL as the case may be. Our artist gives a fine impression of the way these tanks tower round the walls, from them the barrels and drums are filled with the finished article for delivery to the consumer all over the world. Waketield's famous all over the world. In the early historyof the firm it was discovered that pure castor oil retained its lubricating properties under far higher temperaturesand far harder working conditions than the mineral oils of those days. This was because the molecules of thecastor oil have greater adhesive properties for metal sur- faces than have the molecules of mineral oils, and the filmof castor oil is thus harder to break down or displace than the mineral film. Unfortunately, the use of pure castoris attended, as many racing motorists and motor-cyclists know only too well, by several disadvantages, such asgumming up, making starting difficult. It was therefore tried as a blend with certain mineral oils, and was aninstant success. Thus, to-day, we get what might, roughly speaking, be called a castor oil sandwich with mineral oilas the jam. The castor oil does its trade by retaining the whole in the bearing better than the mineral alonewould do. But to return to our blending tanks. Here, after therequisite proportions have been measured in, steam coils heat up the oil, and air jets at the bottom of the tankmix it. Next comes a test in the laboratory, and if every- thing is pronounced up to standard the mixture goesthrough a filter—the bulk tanks also had niters for the oil going in and out—into a large 12,000 gall, vertical cylin-drical tank. There is a row of these tanks, standing like Colossii, round the wall, and the heating and mixingprocess is again carried on here. Once more comes the test in the laboratory, and then, if the sample is up tospecification, it is passed as ready for delivery. Now comes an interesting part of the proceedings to watch. Whether the oil is to be delivered in steel drums,wooden barrels or 1 gall, cans does not matter, the same thing happens ; and that " thing " is a Roberts fillingmachine—it ought to be called a Robot filling machine. It consists of a weighing machine with a pipe led tothe top of it, and finishing in an electrically controlled valve. The procedure is this: a barrel or drum is placedin position on the scales and a trigger pressed ; a stream of oil immediately goes into the filling hole, and as soonas the correct weight is in that barrel or drum the valve shuts by electricity. It is then rolled or pulled off, and anew one filled. Whatever oil it is, or whatever size the barrel, the right weight shuts the valve. Alongside themachines are ordinary scales, and every so often the man in charge weighs a barrel as a test, just to check the fillingmachine—but it never really needs it. These machines are in use in all sorts of different sizesthroughout the works. I saw them being used for big drums and for 1-oz. bottles! The amazing part is the droplessstream which comes from the jet ; the cut-off is clean and instantaneous ; you will never see a drop of oil spiltwhile filling at Hayes! Such is the tale of the lubricating oil. The last it seesof the works, assuming for the moment that it is a gallon can of XXL, is when a small boy, with a rapid twist ofan instrument in his hand, secures and locks a " press- cap " on the opening. The cans are then wrapped inbrown paper to preserve their pristine beauty, and packed in wooden boxes ; these boxes are sealed up, and a fleetof lorries—also usually painted in Castrol green—take them to our aerodromes. 1040
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