Page
CENTENARY OF
DAIMLER
Of the many eminent German engineers of the latter half of the nineteenth century. Gottlieb Daimler, who was born on March 17, 1834 a century ago, and died on March 7, 1900, will always be remembered for his work on the internal-combustion engine and the construction of the first light high-speed engine was taken as fuel. His pateat for type of en- Eine wus tukh out in Germany
December 18, 1883, on
and two years later in the gardens at Cannstatt, he made his first trial with a vehicle Acted with one of his engines, That same year, Benz also brought out a motor vehicle, hup whereas the speed of his engine was only between 200 r.p.m. and 300 r.p.m. the engines of Daimler revolved at 800 r.p.m.. and were thus the forerunners of the petrol engines used to-day in motor cars and afrcraft.
Mechanical Engineer
Daimler was born at Schorn- dorf, and became a mechanical' engineer. From the shops of a machine-tool factory at Grafen- staden, in 1857, he entered Stutt- gart polytechnic, and then ad a England varied experience in and Germany. At the age of thirty-eight, in 1872, he became technical manager to Langen and Otto, who, after having been in business together some time had founded the famous Gas-motor- enfabrik, Deutz A.-G., near Co- logne. Together the partners had evolved the fairly successful at- mospheric gas engine. and Otto was engaged on further experi- ments which, as everyone known, led him in 1876 to the invention of the all-important four-stroke cycle for internal-combustion en- gines
A New Chapter
new
SIR JAMES
KENNEDY
Honoured By Fellow Engineers
At the recent dinner held in .connection with the annual meeting in Montreal of the En- gineering Institute of Canuda. the Sir James Kennedy Gold Medal, the highest award of the Institute. was presented to Mr. Alex J. Grant, engineer in charge of the construction of the Welland Ship Canal, and pre- sident of the Institute -n 1930. The medal has .orly been awarded twice since its institu- tion in 1928, and is reserved as a special mark of distinction. fn recognition of outstanding merit: it is undoubtedly in this case well deserved. The great
Do minion has every reasdh to be proud of the fine engineering which is a feature of the Wel- land Ship Canal,, and, many on- gineers from this country and others who have had the priv!- lege of seeing that undertaking either in course of construction or since, will unquestionably be glad of the recognition thus ac- corded to. Mr. Grant, who has borne all through the dificult years since the war the whole and
With this inventions, patented Aubuat 4. 1877, began a chapter in power engineering. and from it came directly the later invention of Daimler, For many years the Deutz firm was fully occupied with the construc- tion of the new "Otto" gas en- gines but Daimler, realising the possibility of further develop- ments, after ten years' associa- tion, left Langen and. Otto, and with Maybach, also his colleague. in 1882 set-up an experimental workshop at Cannstatt. He did not have to wait long for success, for in 1883 he was able to pat- ent his high-speed spirit engine. and in the next two or three years built, first a form of motor- bicycle, then a motor car and a motor boat. In 1887 he sold the French rights for the use of his patents to M. Sarazin, who induc- ed the engineering firm, of Pan- hard and Levassor to take up the manufacture of motor 'cars. Daimler, himself, in 1890, found- ed at Cannstatt the well-known Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft. and with this he remained con- nected, mainly In an advisory capacity, until his death. Two years after his death, in 1902, the Wurtemberg section of the Verein deutscher Ingenieure plac- ed. a memorial bearing a medal-- Hon of Daimler in the gardens at Cannstatt, where he had made
HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1934.
ENGINEERING AND BUILDING
The Romance Of Marine
Salvage
The recovery of treasure from wrecked ships lying on the sea bed and the raising of sunken vessels have been made possible, by theẹ advent of modern diving. appliances, and the work invol- ved is perhaps the most arduous as well as. the
most romantic
that the deep-sea diver has to perform. A brief account of some notable recent marine sal- vage operations was given at the Royal Society of Arts, London, by Sir Robert H. Davis, in the course of his third and last
of the sertes, of **Thomas Gray" lectures on "Deep Diving "and Under-Water Rescue."
responsibility for designs execution. The dinner marked by a speech by the Pre- mler, Mr. R. B. Bennett, who re-w ferred to the Immense debt which the Dominion owed" gene- rally to her engineers, who had done so much for the develop- ment of her resources. The oc-
casion was presided over by Mr. F. P. Sherwood, president of the Institute for 1934.
CHROMIUM DEPOSITS ON
STEEL "
Recently Messrs. Fescol, Limit- ed, 101, Grosvenor-road, London, 3.W1, submitted to the National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, a cylindrical hardened-steel speci men, « approximately 9/18 in. in 'diameter and 3 in. long, a central length of about 11 in. of which was plated with a thin chromium deposit. The report of the Iaboratory states that the surfare of the deposit was lightly polished and static diamond-pyramid hardness tests, at small loads. made on it. Employing a 138- deg. diamond pyramid as the indenting tool. 17 Impressions were made at loads or 60 gms. The maximum diamond-pyramid hardness number, expressed in the manner recommended in British Standard Specification No. 427-1931, was 1,180, and the minimum 1.000. while the average number was 1.120. For purposes of comparison few additional tests were made using loads of 40 gms. and 80 ems. The results obtained were in fair agreement with those quoted.
his first run with his motor bicy- ple.
with mid-winter
Sir Robert first referred to the salvage of the gold contained in H.MS. Laurentic, which founder- ed after striking a mine off the Northern coast of Ireland in 1917. The vessel carried bullion to the value of 5,000,000, and the existing Anancial situation was so grave that the Admiralty at the urgent request of the Trea- sury, undertook to attempt salvage The lecturer stated that the wreck was located in an exposed situation, lying on her side in 31 fathoms of water, and this fact, together conditions in the North Atlantic, made the operation, a formidable one. Within a month of the sinking.
divers however. Naval had" found their way into the vessel's strong room and the salvage of the gold was begun. Subsequently violent gales re- duced the ship to a flattened heap of wreckage and the dim- cules of the divers were enor ,mously Increased. Perseverance : had its reward, however, and in the course of 7 years' dly'ng. practically the whole of the gold had been recovered. Of the 4,997,6181 of gold sunk, 4,953,7081. were brought up. the total cost of the salvage operations being 128.0001 Thus 99 per cent. of the bullion was recovered at a cost of only 2 per cent. What was етеп more gratifying to those engaged, however, that, in spite of many critical situations arising from stress of
and, gradually, by sheer weight.. being forced through the soft mud until her upper deck was buried. General Ferrat, Chief of the Naval Construction Depart- ment. conceived the plan of operations employed in the sel- vage of the vessel, and it was décided to float the vessel in" an upside-down position into Taranto dry dock, and there mate preparat.ons for righting her.
keel was' repaired Tac and made
water tight, com- pressed air was pumped Into the vessel, and the ship lightened by the removal of her ammuni- tion, coal and stores, and later by detaching the turrets, funnels, masts and other top bamper. At length, on September 17, 1917, she was floated and manoeuvred into the dry dock which had been specially prepared for her reception. The
the decks of vessel were next strengthened to enable them to withstand the strain incidental to righting the ship and she was towed out into Taranto Harbour, Arrangements had been made for letting 7,500 tons of water into certain com- partments on the starboard äide, the dea being that this weight. being above the centre of gravity. would overbalance the vessel and so bring her right side up again, As the water flowed in, the ves- sel began
to turn over slowly until about 700 tons to 800 tons of water had entered. when the movement increased until, with a rush, she swung right over and came to rest with only a slight list. All the 12-in. gun turrets which had been abandoned on the sea bed were afterwards re- covered. The operations, from beginning to end, cost the Italian -- Government about 150.0001.
DRIVE FOR ECONOMY
weather and the effects of com- And The Engineering
pressed-air illness. on the divers (owing to the necessity of having to bring them up too quickly sometimes), the work was com- pleted without loss of life or
limb.
A Remarkable Feat
The raising and righting ol the 24,000-ton Italian battleship Leonardo da Viarl, which "hau been blown up and sunk in Taranto Harbour by an enemy into bomb secretly introduced one of her magazines, on August 2. 1916. stood out as one of the most remarkable salvage feats ever accomplished. The vessel hed surik upside down in 36 ft. of water, her gun turrets and tunnels resting on the bottom
For Constructural Work of Every
Description
Use Green Island Cement
A GENERAL
WHERE GREEN ISLAND CEMENT IS MADE.
VIEW OF THE GREEN ISLAND CEMENT WORKS TAKEN FROM THE SEA.
Issued by the
GREEN ISLAND CEMENT CO., LTD.
-28» - FLOOR " EXCHANGE BUILDING
Industry
• The hope expressed at the beginning or 1933 'that the policy of economy and retrenchment would give place. to one of nat local development has been very" slow of fulfilment., Although the positive drive for economy was relaxed. the year 1933 was an interregnum, and it was not unt the
end of the year that there were any signs of a de- finite encouragement of con- structive activity. Local autho- rities, without the encourage- ment and financial assistance of the Government were generally loth to undertake new works.
Budge Building
HIGH-SPEED
MOTOR CRAFT
A few years ago, American manufacturers held a command- ing position in the construction of high-speed motor boats bullt at competitive prices, but that this is no longer the case is evid- ent from the 'range of vessels bullt by Messrs." The British Po- wer Boat Company, and shown at an exhibition held at their works at Hythe, Southampton. A wide range of boats was shown
Ja
the service CHESS section, Including one or two of "out- standing interest. The opportun- ity was taken, for example, to ex- hibit "Miss Britain IKT,” which "put up such an excellent perform- ance when raced by Mr. Hubert Scott Paine against Commodore Gar Wood's Miss American £, at Detroit, for the British Interna- tional Trophy. Although Mr. Scott Paine did not succeed bringing back the trophy to this "country, he put up the highest speed for the last lap, and by ac- hieving a speed of 100.132 m.p.h. on November 16 last, proved the vessel to be the fastest single- engined model in the world.
As regards bridge building. there have been under construc- tion the Tees Bridge at Middles- brough and the Zambest Bridge, „but employment in a representa- tive sample of bridge firms in 1933 was only 4 per cent. of the 1928 level, while 30 per cent. of 'those employed were on short
time. A useful contract secured, during the year was that for the Storstrom Bridge In Denmark. and further. Important bridge contracts in South Africa have been let to British firms, but ex- #port business, has been very @qulet until- quite recently. The
importance of stimulating con- · structional activity at home has, however, become more widely re- cognised in political circles. Au important group in the parties supporting the National Govern ment is applying determined pressure on the Cabinet to this
P
Miss America X' :
in
It may be recalled that it is fitted with a single Napier engine. of 1,375 b.b.p., as compared with four Packard engines, totailing 6.400 b.h.p. in "Miss America X." Other interest boats shown in the service class were rescue and pat- rol craft capable of a speed of 50 m.p.h., passenger sea coaches, crash tenders and other craft for air-service atations, and examples. of high-speed armoured target boats.. These latter boats have recently been described in the Press, but it may be mentioned that the hall is practically similar to that of the air-force crash ten- ders, the power being increased by fitting three 100-hp. engines to compensate for the weight of the armouring. Only the after portion and that over the pilot's cockpit is armoured, the forward section being filled with expand- 'ed rubber which may be pierced without causing the boat to sink. Pleasure Craft
The exhibition of pleasure craft includes 40 ft., 374. It. and 35 It. express cruisers, 324 ft. saloon and open
of tenders capable speeds up to 50 m.p.h., 24 ft... open and closed runabouts, "twa new "Power" 20-ft. runabouts 18 ft. and 16 ft, craft, and other models, the speeds ranging from 30 to 83 m.p.h. Perhaps the most interesting boat in this section is the Sea Emperor an entirely new 40-ft luxury cruiser Atted ith a single 500-h.p. engine. This vessel, which is designed for .tropical conditions, is capable of a speed of 46 m.p.h. It is is evid- ext that every point in the des sign and equipment has received the most careful thought, with the result that a quite exception- ai degree of comfort, and luxury has been achieved for such a comparatively small craft. There are two cabins, the smaller for- ward one being fitted with a sun-
8
The main cabin amidships la over 6 ft. wide, and provides com- fortable sleeping accommodation; as the settees can be converted to double bunks. Other features of the accommodation are covered space forward for the storage of sult cases, a small open cockpit aft for fishing or bath- ing, and a large central cockpit. "Fower" Models
"
"Another new 40-ft. cruiser, the Sea Lord, is fitted with two 100-1 h.p. "Power" engines, giving a speed of 26 mph. This vessel, although not so luxurious as the Sea Emperor, is exceedingly well Atted There are three cabins, with sleeping, accommodation for, four persons. A feature of both vessels, is that the wiring and controls are made completely ac cessible throughout. Two other new boats shown are the Sea Lance and the Sea Arrow. Both these are 20-ft. vessels, the for-
ing a speed of 34 mph. and the
end. If these activities are 'supmer with an 85-h.p. engine, hay-- ported and fostered by the leaders of the industry, there is a hope of more rapid progress during 1934. Already construct- lonal activity in connection with Improved water supplies the need for which has been brought home by the drought-is beginn- ing. The new Traffic. Act is likely to lead to extensive bridge reconstructon
Rafway, com- paries have embarked on exten- sive renewal work, and the out look la decidedly brighter.
latter, with a 100-hp engine, a speed of 40 mp.h. It may be mentioned, inconclusion, that all the standard vessels built by the Arm follows the same, lincs, the hard chine V bottom running out practically fat aft, and that they Are practically constructed throughout to jigs and fixtures. The method of construction In- volves three main and indepen dent operations, the hull, interior framework, and decking being
SAFETY OF SAILORS
In Submarines
Considerably attention had been focussed in recent years on the question of safety in submar- ine boats, and there was general agreement that the greatest mea- sure of safety was provided by making; every man independent of the others, by equipping him with a self-contained apparatus, which, while amply strong, was compact, light, easily put on with- out assistance, embodied air_re-- generating devices to ensure that the wearer should have a supply of pure air, and incorporated means to retard the velocity of his ascent an important con- sideration. Apparatus of this type was now used in the British Navy and every rating in the Submarine Service was taught how to use it first on dry land.
at and finally in a large tank. Fort Blockhouse, Gosport, which was Atted in such a manner as to enable actual escape from submarine-to be simulated,
Escape Lock
2
ALL-STEEL CYCLE PARKS
views
and
Some interesting sectional drawings of their all- steel pedal and motorcycle parks, for Installation at works, offices. schools, Institutes and elsewhere, are contained in a publication recently sent to us by Messrs. Constructors, Limited, Nickel Works, Tyburn-road. Erdington. Airmingham. Cycle parks are available for parking machines in two main positions, namely, hori- zontal and sloping; each cycle is "accommodated- in a" specially. designed wheel-channel, shaped, Ipped and finished to give easy movement for the cycle wheels, without causing damage to the machine. The parks, we under- stand. are despatched complete with full instructions for assem- bly on site, no specially skilled labour being required for the purpose. A feature of the designs is that a large number of cycles ́ can be stored in a relatively small space.
lower, door be closed. The lock and on would then be flooded opening the hatch the man would "then be closed, the water in the lock quickly drained into the ves- sel herself and the look would be again ready for the next man.
The latest type of escape lock. now being fitted to new submar- ines of the British" Navy, was of steel construction · built into the vessel, and consisted of a cham-Over 4,000 ber with a water-tight door at the lower end, and a hatch at the top. With these escape-locks, there would be no need to walt for the flooding of the vesselbe- fore men began to make their es- used cape; the lock could be Immediately. A man, equipped with his self-contained apparatus, would enter the lock and the
-dəəxə 9q3 Yra podojdite seuşğuə 203 [TV Aqəbirdəs pozɔnziswoo tion of the 500-h.p. unit, are the Arm's own "Power" models. These engines are actually made at Wolverhampton, but facilities exist in the Hythe yard for test- ing out every engine before in- staliation Many of the fittings for the vessels are made at Hythe, the machine shops being excep- tionally extensive for a boat- builder's yard
ratings had been trained at Portsmouth, and, out of that large number, only four had been unable, for various rea- sons, to become fully competent in the use of the paratus. Ratings qualify annually.
escape ap- had to re-
Re-qualifying Tank
A te-qualifying tank had been erected at Hong Kong, and it appeared that a similar tank would shortly be installed at Malta The number of sets of escape apparatus carried on each submarine
one was
per man (stowed as near as was conveni- ent to his diving station), plus 33 per cent. additional sets, which were stowed-half at each end of the vessel. It would be agreed that the Admiralty" authorities were doing all that was humanly" possible to ensure the safety of men in submarines.--
METAL WINDOWS
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