THE MEANING OF VACUUM

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 24, 22 December 1916, Page 2

THE MEANING OF VACUUM

And How a Big Company Helps to Keep Machinery Moving in Australasia The reason why the Vacuum Oil Company Proprietary Limited adopted the name of “Vacuum” was explained by their Advertising Manager. Mr. W. H. E. Judd, on his recent visit. He explained that all crude ous as they come from the ground have to be distilled and refined. The old process of distillation was by applying airCct fire under the stills. This process of distillation is all right for motoi spirits and kerosenes, but the extreme heat of direct fire burnt, or charred, the bv-products from which lubricating oils are made. The Vacuum Oil Company then invented a process called the “Vacuum” process, in which the distillation of the crude oils took place in a semi-vacuum—that is to say, the crude oil was placed in a still from which the air had been to a large extent exhausted, thus relieving the almospheric pressure. Heat was applied by means of live steam, with the result that there was no charring nor burning of the lubricating oils. In the manufacture of a large percentage of their high-grade Gargoyle Oils, nothing but the highest grade Pennsylvania crude oils are used, which cost from three to four times as much per barrel as other crudes. * The manufacture of their highgrade Plume Motor Spirit and American Laurel Kerosene is conducted at different works to their lubricating oils, and during the past eighteen months the problem of keeping the Australasian market supplied with these products has been very difficult. The. freight to-day on a case of kerosene or motor spirit is about 8/-. This freight rate of kerosene is greater to-day than the wholesale price at which sopie of the cheaper kerosenes wer« sold before the war. A great deal of trouble has been experienced in procuring a sufficient number of boats to carry this cargo 'to Australia and New Zealand. It, is surprising to learn that there are about fifty boat loads of oil brought to Australasia every year. The average soiling vessel carries 70,090 to 00,000 oases, and the average steamer 130,000 to 200,000 cases. Th > company maintains mammoth y/rrehoheos in the main centres for the storage of these commodities, ami an »rmy of Australian workmen is kept bmy handling them. A large percentage of their lubricating oils is blended and manufactured within the Commonwealth. In the big manufacturing works at Sydney. Melbourne, and Fremantle, Australian material is used wherever possible.

Mr. Judd also informed us that last year his company purchased 750,000 new lithographed tins, and that every tin was made in Australasia. which meant giving employment to a (arge number of tinsmiths. In addition to this, the company filled in their compounding works 0(30,000 tins of lubricating oils. The average reader has no conception of the amount of lubrication necessary to keap the Commonwealth wheels of machinery moving smoothly. Machinery could not be set in motion if it were not for oil. Our locomotives could not run—the axles of our passenger coaches and goods trucks would become so hot that a fire would take place. No machine, from an aeroplane engine down even to the watch you wear will run without lubrication. The motor without oil in its cylinders could not go a quarter of a mile. There is no product that the company specialises in more thorough! ■ than motor lubricating oils, inasmuch as they manufacture a grade of motor oil for each class of motor car, and the Gargoyle mobiloil tins are found ia every community in Australasia.