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Aviation History
1955
1955 - 0462.PDF
462 FLIGHT, 8 April 1955 THE INDUSTRY To Facilitate Engine-handling IT will be recalled that in the issue of Flight for November 26th,1954, we described the Scoba "Engine Porter," to be made by Aerocontacts, Ltd., of Gatwick, Surrey. Now another typeof engine-handling equipment—which, like the "Porter," is of Canadian design—has been added to the company's range ofmaintenance equipment. Radial engines are usually crated with the airscrew shaft in thevertical position. Lifting the engine and turning it through 90 deg in order to install it in the aircraft or mount it on a work standnormally involves the use of two slings and lifting tackles, and a considerable expenditure of time and effort. The Scoba enginetilting sling, it is stated, makes this process a quick, one-man operation. The sling consists primarily of an I-section beam curved throughan arc of 90 deg. This beam is suspended from the hoist by means of an eye and a bracket provided with small wheels—ineffect a miniature trolley running along the upper flanges of the beam. At one end of the beam is a screw-on attachment to holdthe crankshaft nose; at the other is a small yoke carrying attach- ments for the crankcase eyebolts.With all attachment points secured, the engine can be lifted from its case and, on movement of the beam in relation to the hoistsuspension bracket, can be tilted through 90 deg down to the crankshaft-horizontal position. Furthermore, the trolley can belocked at one end of the beam and the crankshaft-nose attachment released, thus making it possible to swing the beam clear andpermit the nose to be offered-up to the Scoba "Engine Porter" maintenance stand. Appropriate attachments are available forparticular types of engine. Redifon Navigation Beacons TWO Redifon G.54 medium frequency locator beacons, sited oneat each end of the main instrument runway at London Airport, have now given trouble-free service for over four years. They arewell known to airline crews as "Oboe William" and "Oboe Easy." The company has since developed and produced three furthertypes of radio beacon, called G.40, G.91 and G.142. The first is a 500-Watt transmitter which can be remotely controlled from up tofive miles away. The G.91 has greater power (2.5 kW) and is suit- able for aviation or marine service. The last is a portable 80-Wattbeacon designed for economy of operation, and some examples are being carried in the trucks used by exploration parties of a large oilcompany in the Middle East, in order to help supply aircraft to find them. In B.E.A.'s engineering base: recharging the hydraulic accumulators of one of the Corporation's newest Viscounts, G-AMOM, "James Bruce." The control panel seen in the foreground is made for this duty by I.V. Pressure Controllers, Ltd.; the reducing valve regulates a 3j000 Ib/sq in input from zero to 7,800 Ib/sq in. Industrial Health and Safety AS part of its campaign for furthering industrial health and**• safety the Ministry of Labour has completely reorganized the former Industrial Museum at 97 Horseferry Road, London,S.W.I. On March 27th Sir Walter Monckton, Minister of Labour and National Service, formally renamed the museum the IndustrialHealth and Safety Centre. The only one of its kind in the country, the building holdsa permanent exhibition of methods and appliances for promoting safety, health and welfare in industry. It now houses an up-to-datecollection of exhibits, many of which are lent by manufacturers and can be demonstrated in use. In the field of health, theexhibits cover industrial diseases, protection for the respiratory system, both by the use of breathing apparatus and by suppressionof dust; first-aid equipment; protective clothing; efficient lighting and colour schemes; and various aspects of employee welfare. Exhibits under the heading of safety include machine fences;protective devices for electrical apparatus; practical interpretation of building regulations; and fire prevention.The centre is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily (Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 12 noon) and Inspectors of Factories are on duty toconduct parties of visitors (parties from factories, industrial associations, etc., should give advance notice of their visit). Alecture room is available for meetings and film shows. IN BRIEF Mr. Leonard G. Packham has been appointed to the Board ofG. C. Wakefield and Co., Ltd., whom he joined 30 years ago. * * * The sales division of the Aerograph Co., Ltd., has moved tonew offices at 47, Holborn Viaduct, London, E.C.1. The factory and head office remain at Lower Sydenham. * * * ."'•...".' Issued by the British American Optical Co., Ltd., 39 Hatton Garden, London, E.C.I, are catalogues of diamond-impregnated, metal-bonded tools and "Centriforce" abrasives. ; * * * ••••-.••• •- ••- Mr. L. Kearton Parker has joined Winston Electronics, Ltd.,as chief sales engineer. He was formerly with the Automatic Telephone Co., Ltd., and subsequently the Telephone Manufac-turing Co., Ltd. * * * The Northern Aluminium Company's Banbury works, wheretheir high-strength alloys for the aircraft industry are mainly produced, are now in process of extensive modernization. Thereorganized mills will include a new hot mill capable of rolling ingots of over a ton in weight. * * * Titanine, Ltd., report a profit, for the year ended December31st, 1954, after all charges but before taxation, of £74,706 (1953, £81,946). Taxation absorbs £45,029 (£46,880). At a recentBoard meeting a final dividend of 15 per cent plus a cash bonus of 10 per cent was declared. * * * Metal Industries, Ltd., have announced the formation of a newsubsidiary, Metind, Ltd. They are initially undertaking, in a new factory, work of a repetitive nature including manufacture andassembly of small sub-units required by other member companies of the group, mainly in the electrical and engineering divisions. The board consists of Messrs. K. N. Swash (chairman and manag-ing director), F. R. Livock and T. D. Turner. Head offices of Metal Industries, Ltd., are at Universal House, 60 BuckinghamPalace Road, London, S.W.I. Jenolite, Ltd., specialists in anti-corrosion and other indus-trial chemicals, have moved into larger London offices at 13-17 Rathbone Street, London, W.I. (Museum 5411). * * * ..••'••" Wickman, Ltd., machine tool manufacturers, of Coventry,announce that Mr. E. A. Hyde, M.I.I.A., has been appointed deputy managing director and Mr. W. V. Hodgson, M.I.P.E.,assistant managing director. * * * Wilson and Rodger, consulting engineers and designers ofWestern Avenue, London, W.5, announce that, following the retirement of Mr. A. C. Wilson, they have changed their nameto Rodger Setterington and Partners. Mr. D. W. Setterington has been a partner for the past eight years. The firm, whosepolicy will remain unchanged, were retained as consultants by B.E.A. for overhaul docks for Dakota, Elizabethan and Viscountaircraft, and they are at present working on a similar project for B.O.A.C.'s Britannias. * * * Cockshutt Farm Equipment, Ltd., has announced that it hasentered into an arrangement with the Aluminium Castings Co., Ltd., of Glasgow, whereby the latter company is taking over (onbehalf of its subsidiary company, Burnley Aircraft Products, Ltd.), the operations previously carried out by Cockshutt Aircraft, Ltd.,at Renfrew, Ontario. A new subsidiary of Aluminium Castings has been incorporated in Canada, assuming, from March 31st,responsibility for the operations at Renfrew. This work is to be extended to include reconditioning of gas-turbine components.
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