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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0214.PDF
212 FLIGHT, 13 February 1953 THE INDUSTRY Timed Vibrations T WO new instruments for, respectively, locating and measuring vibrations have recently been announced by Davis, Wynn and Andrews, Ltd., of Vittoria House, Cheltenham. One of them, the D.W.A. hand-held vibrograph, is shown in the accompanying photograph, which well illustrates its compact size. The instru ment contains two spools, one of which is driven by a small electric motor and draws a strip of red waxed paper from the other. The probe is connected to a stylus which marks a trace on this paper by removing some of the wax coating. This leaves a thin red line which is an accurate eight-times magnification of the movement of the probe as the latter is lightly hand-held against the vibrating body. A time-scale is clearly required in order to make the recording of such an instrument complete, and this is supplied by a second stylus which marks a trace along the base of the paper. This trace is a straight line interrupted by a blip at one- (or two-) second intervals; the stylus is operated by a solenoid, which normally receives regularly spaced electrical impulses from the D.W.A. time- base unit—the second new instrument. The vibrograph contains 20ft of waxed paper per spool, which is sufficient for approximately 20 recordings at the paper speed of rather over 3ft/sec. At the end of each recording, identification markings can be made on the paper through the window aperture, using any sharp-pointed object such as a pencil. The instrument is set in motion by a conveniently-placed thumb knob. An advantage claimed in com parison with photographic recorders is that results are immediately available. Vibration amplitude and frequency can be calculated readily from the trace. The time-base unit is of similar size to the Vibrograph. It operates from a 12-volt supply, and emits pulses of the same voltage. B.T.H. Appointment CROM the British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd., comes the *• announcement that the manager of their aero and auto equip ment sales department, Mr. Edmund Sayers, has retired after 20 years in that post and a total of 48 years in the service of the company. Aircraft magnetos, generators and other electrical equipment first came within his province during World War I, and since he became manager of the department in 1932 he has been particularly well-known and esteemed in the industry. He was selected to re- Mr. £. Sayers Mr. V. A. Higgs present British accessory manufacturers when a party of aircraft executives visited establishments in America and Canada in 1951; also, he has served as deputy chairman of S.B.A.C. accessories committee and as a member of the Society's council and of its sales and export committee. Mr. Sayers is succeeded by Mr. V. A. Higgs, B.Sc. (Hons.) A.M.I.E.E., A.M.A.I.E.E., A.F.R.Ae.S., who has been assistant manager of aero and auto equipment sales since March, 1951. Mr. Higgs received his practical training as a B.T.H. apprentice in 1928-34, and his theoretical training at Northampton Engineering College, London University. For the period of World War II he served as a senior technical officer at M.A.P. The D.W.A. hand-held vibrograph, described at left, is particularly small and neat in design. The recording strip can be seen in the window. IN BRIEF A REVISED instruction-manual for the Cirrus Major has been published by Blackburn and General Aircraft, Ltd., of Brough, East Yorks. It may be obtained from them on application —at a considerably reduced rate in the case of licensed ground engineers, provided the applicant's licence number is quoted. * * * All the aircraft models used in the film The Net, reviewed in our pages a fortnight ago, were made for J. Arthur Rank Produc tions by Shawcraft Models, of Iver, Bucks. * * * Mr. B. C. Fleming-Williams, director of research, A. C. Cossor, Ltd., and Mr. K. E. Harris, research manager, recently left this country by air on a two-month visit to the U.S.A. and Canada. They are contacting subsidiary companies and generally keeping in touch with current electronic developments in the New World. * * * In their monthly newsletter, John Laing and Son, Ltd., con tractors, report that a £31x1 contract "for airfield construction in Bedfordshire" is now three-quarters completed. Runway con struction began in January, 1952. Some three months later work began on another airfield site, in Warwickshire, and there is now a spirit of friendly rivalry between the Laing teams at the two projects. * * * From Howard Clayton-Wright, Ltd., Wellesbourne, Warwick shire, comes a leaflet describing their rubber "O" rings, widely used as seals for both static and moving joints. These rings are "custom-built" for particular applications, and the order-form poses three questions : "What fluids or gases must the rings be proof against? What minimum and maximum temperatures? What is the duration of these extremes ?" * * * Inclined endless-belt conveyors provide an efficient means of loading luggage and freight into aircraft and on to coach roofs, though they are used more extensively on the Continent than in this country. The smaller of two new general-purpose industrial conveyors by the Auto-Truck Sales side of R. A. Lister and Co., Ltd., Dursley, Glos., would appear to be suitable for such duties; the 16ft type can be elevated to 12ft, and the 24ft type to 18ft. A 2b h.p. petrol engine provides the power. * * * Sharpies Centrifuges, Ltd., of- Tower House, Woodchester, Stroud, Glos., announce the retirement of their chairman, Mr. W. J. Murray. He will retain his seat on the board and will be succeeded by the present managing director, Mr. A. H. Keable, M.I.Mech.E., M.I.Chem.E. Mr. G. P. Balfour, B.Sc., A.C.G.I., A.M.I.Chem.E., will fill the vacancy created by Mr. Keable's appointment. Mr. G. J. Keady, president of The Sharpies Corporation, Philadelphia, has joined the British board. * * * The London agents of the Italian Breda concern state that two subsidiaries, Breda Ellettro-Meccanica & Locomotive, and Breda Siderurgica, have been registered with the Aeronautical Inspec tion Directorate as approved suppliers, and have aircraft-con struction capacity available for firms seeking Continental assist ance. Since the war Breda have designed and flown two civil transports, the BZ.308 and BP.471. The agents are the Central Engineering Co., Ltd., Colquhoun House, 27-37 Broadwick Street, London, W.i.
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