BRITISH INDUSTRY.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 697, 6 January 1922, Page 6

BRITISH INDUSTRY.

WELDING BY CLOCKWORK, j i In shipbuilding and in many en- j gineering operations, it is necessary j to fix brass studs and other small | parts to iron plates. This operation ; is usually performed,' by drilling, holes in Ithe plate, each hole beingdrilled separately. By means of a most ingenious .invention recently perfected by a British firm, the process is carried out in a few seconds by electric welding. The working of the machine is almost entirely, automatic from the moment '.the stud is placed 1 in position. Each size of stud requires a different time for welding it to the plats, and the machine can be set to give exactly the period required to make a perfect weld. The tests whi'ch have been made proved ■that the machine is able to weld 120 brass studs within an hour. It might be thought tha’t welding does not give such a film arrangement as screwing the situd into a hole in the plate, but when the welded ss4 is hammered the brass will break before the weld yields. Another advantage of the machine is that work can be satisfactorily carried out by semi-skilled labour. NEW DEVICE FOR CRANE OPER- , ATION. In the operation of lai’ge cranes used in building construction or for dock work it is generally necessary to have two men engaged, one working the controlleds, and the other

, stationed at some convenient, point i to signal to the first. With che aid

of a device invented in Great Britain it is possible to dispense with

onq of these men. The device consists of a portable electric controller which can be slung over a man s shoulder and can be supported by means of a long pointed leg. This controller is connected by means of a strong flexible cabel with special controlled gear operating the crane motors. The user has merely to press certain buttons on the controller to make the crane go through all its usual evolutions. Thus tire operator can stand at any point convenient for observation or be can walkabout frtom point to another so as to secure a complete supervision of the working of the ciane. Tnss invention should be of the greatest assistance in saving-labour m docks and on construction work generally.