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Aviation History
1955
1955 - 1454.PDF
564 FLIGHT THE INDUSTRY Production of Threaded Parts TT is the claim of L. H. Newton and Co., Ltd., that every•*• aircraft manufactured in this country incorporates their pro- ducts; and, certainly, examination of a list of their current cus-tomers goes far to support the contention. The products in question are bolts, nuts, screws, other threadedcomponents and various machined details, manufacture of which we were able to see during a recent visit to the company's mainfactory at Nechells, Birmingham 7. Bolts are produced by cold forging, plus various finishing operations, to such BritishStandards as A.25, A.30, A.59, A.60, A.102, and A.lll, and S.B.A.C. specifications such as AS.1248; screws are cold-forged toB.S. A.31-54 and similar specifications; and nuts are turned from bar stock to British Standards of which A.24, A.27, A.29, A.31-54,and A.58 are typical. Bolts, screws, studs and nuts in corrosion- resisting steels and light alloys are also produced. Apart from the machined details, which form an apparentlyinexhaustable variety of shapes and materials, Newton's know- ledge of thread-forming techniques (cutting, rolling or grinding)is so well founded that the company is sometimes called upon to perform difficult threading operations upon larger components.One example is the arrester hook for a well known type of Fleet Air Arm aircraft. The cold-forging method, as used for high-tensile-steel air-craft bolts, is an impressive (if noisy) one to witness. Using wire stock, the machine forms a head by the upsetting process,parts the bolt from the stock, trims the head to the required hexagon form and dimensions, and chamfers the shank-end. The blanks are next threaded, by cutting or rolling, and heat-treated; plating follows, usually with cadmium or zinc in the case of aircraft parts. These processes are subject to close control at all stages,beginning with a laboratory check of setting-up to ensure correct grain-flow during forging and ending with a final A.I.D.inspection. Turned aircraft bolts and screws are made in a wider rangeof materials than the cold-forged bolts, including as they do corrosion-resisting steels and light alloys. In all cases thematerial used is fully heat-treated before machining, which is performed on either capstan lathes or automatics in accordancewith the quantities required. Fully heat-treated material is also used for aircraft nuts, thethreads of which are cut on automatic machines by precision- ground high-speed-steel taps. Inspection is, again, rigorous. The Nechells works—one of the company's ten factories, whichemploy over 2,000 workers in all—gives the visitor the impression of being particularly successful in achieving its air of couplingquantity production with close quality-control. Mechanical handling, principally by overhead conveyors, is used to aconsiderable extent. The new weighbridge hangar at the A. and A.E.E., Boscombe Down, has folding doors—at each end of the structure—second in size only to those of the Bristol Brabazon hangar. Built by Esavian, Ltd., the doors measure 297ft wide by 67ft high, and the four 5 h.p. operating motors pick up their current from an oyerhead-wire system manufactured by British Insulated Callender's Cables, Ltd. Rear Admiral 1. S. Russell, U.S.N., of the U.S. Bureau of Aeronautics, visited Short Bros, and Harland recently. He is seen in this photo- graph with Rear Admiral Sir Matthew Slattery (right), the chairman, and S/L. W. J. Runciman (left), test pilot, after a flight in a Seamew. IN BRIEF The Olympus-Canberra which recently achieved the 65,876ftheight record was equipped with a comprehensive range of instru- ments made by Smiths Aircraft Instruments, Ltd., and Kelvin andHughes, Ltd. The igniter plugs were supplied by K.L.G. Sparking Plugs, Ltd. * * * The Decca Navigator Co., Ltd., announce the formation of apublicity department, to be controlled by Mr. Howard Capes. With offices at 1-3 Brixton Road, London, S.W.9, the depart-ment will control all publicity and advertising of the marine, air and survey branches of the company. * * * Birmid Industries, Ltd., Smethwick, give news of three newdirectorial appointments. Mr. J. W. Berry becomes joint managing director of Birmingham Aluminium Casting (1903)Co., Ltd., and Mr. G. A. Rider commercial director of that com- pany. Mr. H. Goodwin is appointed to joint managing directorof Birmetals, Ltd. * * * A particularly informative review of the nature and uses ofFibreglass-reinforced plastics has lately been published by Fibre- glass, Ltd., Ravenhead, St. Helens, Lanes. Apart from tabulateddata on the characteristics of the various materials, there are con- cise, lucid and clearly illustrated descriptions of various mouldingtechniques. * * * A new fueller, the "Cornwall," has been developed by theBritish Petroleum Co., Ltd., for the B.P. Aviation Service. The fueller can dispense either gasoline or kerosine fuels at up to500 gal/min, with delivery pressures of up to 50 lb/sq in. It has a bulk capacity of 3,400 gal, which can be increased to 5,900gal by addition of a trailer. Fine-particle filters are fitted. * * * Aluminium Laboratories, Ltd., of Banbury, announce thatMr. A. W. Brace has taken charge of surface-finishing activities in their chemical division. In 1948 Mr. Brace joined theAluminium Development Association, where he was primarily concerned with the development of techniques for driving largealuminium rivets; subsequently he specialized in surface-finish and production problems. * * * ..'•.. Two new directors have been appointed to the Board of Oldham and Son, Ltd., of Denton, Manchester. They are Messrs.Orlando Oldham and P. James Brocklehurst. Mr. Oldham, who is 28 years of age, served for three years in the Fleet Air Arm, spenta year in the Oldham works, then went to the Harvard Business School, where he graduated as a Master of Business Administra-tion. He subsequently worked in various departments at Denton. Mr. Brocklehurst, 32, who served in the Army and subsequentlyin the family firm of C. Brocklehurst and Son, was admitted a junior partner to Oldhams in 1949.
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