FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1953
1953 - 1583.PDF
4 December 1953 737 THE INDUSTRY H. G. Nelson Joins Canadian Marconi Board F OLLOWING a recent meeting of the directors of the Canadian Marconi Company, Mr. Stuart M. Finlayson (president) announced that Mr. H. G. Nelson had been asked to join the Board of the Canadian company. Mr. Henry George Nelson, M.A. (Cantab), M.Inst.C.E., M.I.Mech.E., M.I.E.E., is deputy managing director of the English Electric Co., Ltd., and a director of Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Co., Ltd., the English Electric Valve Co., Ltd., and a number of other companies. He was, for two years, Outside Lec turer at Cambridge University's mechanical science tripos course on industrial management, and is active in trade associations. In addition to his distinguished academic career, he has served apprenticeships in France and Switzerland. He was for seven years managing director of D. Napier and Son, Ltd. English Electric recently acquired controlling interest in the Canadian Marconi Company, and Mr. Nelson's appointment will assist in furthering liaison between these two organizations. A New Alloy Steel Y^HAT would appear to be an important new metallurgical " development with gas-turbine applications is indicated in an announcement made last week by die United Steel Companies, Limited. In brief, the group's research department has evolved a new steel combining a tensile strength of 40 tons/sq in with favourable welding characteristics attributable to low carbon- content. The new material, which has been named Fortiweld, is also stated to possess good properties at 450-500 deg C, in which range it can withstand service stresses between two and three times diose permissible for mild steel. It has already been successfully employed in the construction of gas-turbine welded- sheet-metal assemblies. Recalling the "accidental" discovery of stainless steels by a metallurgist studying gun-barrel erosion during the 1914-18 war, the conception of Fortiweld was in some degree fortuitous. Describing the events that led up to it. United Steels say that during investigations of weldable steels their research department had produced many experimental materials, only to find confirma tion that additions of the more commonly used alloys produced steels which, when they showed satisfactory mechanical pro perties, were generally difficult to weld. Anodier problem, and one which did not seem to have any connection wim this subject, was being studied at the same time. In an endeavour to improve die steel used in power-station steam pipes, experiments were made to determine the effects of a relatively little-used element, boron (which forms one of the main constituents of borax) on the properties of low-carbon molyb denum steel. Mr. W. E. Bardgett, research manager, discovered that, when molybdenum and boron were present in certain pro portions, ths yield-point of a low carbon steel was doubled with out any necessity for heat treatment. As litde as an ounce of borcn, when added to a ton of steel containing 0.40 per cent of molybdenum, was sufficient to produce mis pronounced and important improvement in strength. From mis result as a start ing-point the new material was developed. The Dowty Year T HOUGH the aircraft side of the Dowty organization—whose -•- annual general meeting was held at Cheltenham last week— has been affected to some extent by cuts in certain aircraft pro grammes, the output of aircraft equipment has reached a new high level. This news was contained in the statement by the chairman, Mr. G. H. Dowty, circulated in advance of the meet ing. The chairman also announced that a new factory for the reconditioning of the company's aircraft products had been opened at Tewkesbury, Glos, and went on to mention that Dowty components were increasingly being used in aircraft of overseas design—so much so mat export business during die past year was equivalent to 20 per cent of home sales. Of associate companies abroad, Mr. Dowty said die Australian business had completed a profitable year's trading, and a small plant had been built outside Sydney; the activities of the Canadian company had been expanded by acquisition of the new factory at Ajax, Ontario; and favourable results had been reported from American concerns making Dowty Products under licence. Of omer companies in die group, there had been good pro gress by, among others, Dowty Seals, Ltd.—whose turnover had doubled—and Dowty Fuel Systems, Ltd. Group profits were announced at £875,983—an increase of £315,972 over the previous year's figure—but taxation at £582,796 would require an additional £246,598. IN BRIEF The London office of Armstrong Siddeley Motors, Ltd., has been moved to Ormonde House, 26-27 St. James's Street, London, S.W.I (Whitehall 7134). * * * Chamberlain Industries, Ltd., have appointed Electricals, Ltd., 14 Claremont Place, Newcasde-upon-Tyne, 2, as main distributors of dieir "Staffa" engineering equipment. AIR. R. A. SMITH has joined I.V. Pressure Controllers, Ltd., of Cran- ford, Middlesex, where he will be concerned with design and develop ment of control valves and associated equipment for use in guided missiles. For the past seven years he has been engaged on research work at the R.A.E. Rocket Propulsion Depart ment, Westcott. He is a Fellow of the British Interplanetary Society and a member of its Council. F. J. Edwards, Ltd., 359-361 Euston Road, London, N.W.I, have issued an illustrated 52-page catalogue of their new and used machine tools in over 60 categories. * * * From Radiovisor Parent, Ltd., 1 Stanhope Street, London, N.W.I, come details of photo-electric equipment which, though primarily designed for the protection of personnel against dangerous electrical apparatus, is equally applicable to the guarding of machinery in general. The Bristol branch of British Insulated Callender's Cables, Ltd., is now at 7-9 Barton Street; die telephone number (Bristol 23453-4) remains unchanged. * * * Birmid Industries, Ltd., announce a group profit, after all charges, of £550,987 (last year, £961,234); U.K. taxation takes £1,055,055. * * * Users of Hiduminium and Magnuminium alloys will find much practical information in a booklet of machining notes for these materials, issued by High Duty Alloys, Ltd., Slough, Bucks. * * • "Silicone rubber in industry" is the theme of an exhibition to be held by Midland Silicones, Ltd., at 19 Upper Brook Street, London, W.l from December 2nd to 10th (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.). * * * Welhwrdiy, Ltd., of Lymington, Hants, announce the estab lishment of area offices; in London, Mr. S. Amos is available at 2 Caxton Street, S.W.I (Abbey 5579), and in Birmingham Mr. G. M. C. Hawke is at 36 Cannon Street (Midland 0570). * * * In order to give potential customers an opportunity to try new equipment in their own premises, the Atlas Diesel Co., Ltd., Beresford Avenue, Wembley, has put into service a demonstra tion van for carrying their range of engineers' tools to factories all over Great Britain. * * * In order to make available, as rapidly as possible, figures determined since die last edition of their data book on The Nimonic Alloys, Henry Wiggin and Co., Ltd. (Birmingham, 16) have issued a supplementary leaflet. Torsion properties of Nimonic 80A and Nimonic 90 have now been determined over the range 20-1,000 deg C, and more complete fatigue figures are available. Short-time creep tests on Nimonic 95 are included and new tables summarize recommended heat-treatments and acceptance creep-tests.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
