200

ENGINEERS’ MACHINES, TOOLS, &c.

[Class VI.

tracing rose-engine patterns. M. ITamann (Prussia, 58,p. 1052) has a highly-finished amateur lathe, adapted forturning either in metal, or wood and ivory, and providedwith a variety of the usual chucks and apparatus.

(14.) Planing Machines.

Six planing machines are to be found in the collection,amongst which, of course, those of the largest size arenot sent, on account of their bulk and weight, and becausetheir arrangements are the same as those of the mediumsize, of which excellent specimens are exhibited by Messrs.Sharp (204, p. 291), Parr and Co. (213, p. 292), andMessrs. Whitworth (201, pp. 2S7-290), the latter sendingtwo, of which one is provided with his revolving revers-ing tool, which enables the machine to plane both ways.The varieties of construction by which these admirable !machines are individually distinguished, although theyare perfectly similar in general form and purpose, affordthe most interesting studies for the engineer andmechanist. This remark may be applied with equal iforce to the slotting and shaping engines about to be jdescribed, and indeed to many other groups of machines :in the present collection. Messrs. Whitworth also senda small planing machine (two feet six inches long) moved ;by a crank, arranged to give a slow cutting action and a jquick return ; and Mr. Shanks (210) a diminutive hand-machine for the use of opticians.

(15.) Slotting Machines.

Of slotting and paring machines we find one largespecimen from Messrs. Sharp (204, p. 291), and twosmaller ones by Messrs. Whitworth, (201, pp. 2S7-290).One of the latter is provided with a complex bed for sus-taining the work, composed of four rectilinear slides, andone rotating disk, by means of which any form com-posed of a combination of excentric circular arcs, andstraight lines, may be pared and finished upon themachine.

(IP.) Shaping Machines.

The shaping machine, as it is called, is a kind of plan-ing machine in which the tool is attached by properslides and holders to the end of a horizontal bar, to whicha reciprocating motion for cutting is communicated inthe direction of its length, by a crank or cxcentric. Thework is either fixed to a horizontal table with longitu-dinal and vertical adjustments, or to an arbour, and themachine is employed for shaping levers and cranks orcurved and plane forms in general, and as it is susceptibleof many varieties of construction and detail; the sixspecimens which are here exhibited by several leadingengineers will be compared with great interest bymechanists. The largest is contributed"by Messrs. Parr(213, p. 292), in which the tool has a stroke of twelveinches, and the bed is seven feet long; two lesser onesare sent by Messrs. Smith, Beacock, & Co. (230, p. 295),and one by (Messrs. Whitworth (201, pp. 287-290).(Messrs. Sharp (p. 291) exhibit one of a very neat andcompact arrangement, but not possessing all the capa-bilities of those just mentioned, and there is also onesent by Mr. Shanks (210, p. 292).

(17.) Drilling and Boring Machines.

There are six drilling machines of various sizes andcapabilities; amongst them Messrs. Whitworth againappear, as the exhibitors of a large radial drill, theframing of which may be selected as an admirablespecimen of casting in iron. The arm of this machineis moveable through an arc of 190°. Messrs. Hick(218, pp. 292, 293) contribute a large radial drillingmachine, the pillar of which is formed into a screw thatallows the arm to be turned completely round, and raisedto any required altitude.

Excellent self-acting vertical drilling and boring ma-chines, with various arrangements of the table, are ex-hibited by Messrs. Whitworth (201), Smith & Co. (230,p. 295), Parr & Co. (213, p. 292), and Williams (234,p 294).

(18.) Other Machine Tools for Metals.

The remaining specimens of machine tools may beenumerated as follows :—

Engines for wheel-cutting and dividing by Messrs.Whitworth (201, pp. 287-90), and Lewis and Sons (209,p. 292) ; a small machine for forming circular cutters by-Messrs. Smith (230, p. 295); bolt-screwing machines by-Messrs. Whitworth (201), Glasgow (219, p. 293), andShanks (210, p. 292); a bolt-head and nut-shapingmachine, with two machines for punching and shearing,by Messrs. Whitworth (201, ut supra).

From the above description of engineers’ tools, it willbe seen that Mr. Whitworth has contributed one ormore specimens of first-rate excellence under each head.In addition it is necessary to direct particular attentionto his measuring machine (which, however, properlybelougs to the Class of Philosophical Instruments), anilto the admirable collection of apparatus, by the employ -ment of which a uniformity of system in the dimensionsand fitting of machinery, and in the sizes and arrange-ments of screw-threads, is rendered practicable amongstengineers in general. The confusion and delay occa-sioned in the repair of machinery- and apparatus of allkinds by the want of such a system have long been felt;and the attention of engineers was directed to the subjectby a paper communicated to the Institution of CiviEngineers in 1841, by Mr. Whitworth. His system hasalready obtained great extension, and he has contributedto the present Exhibition a complete set of the apparatusrequired to carry it out. This includes different sizesof guide-stocks, and the several dies, taps, &e., for pro-ducing the corresponding screws which he has selectedas the standard forms of his system, and also sets ofstandard gauges, by the use of which corresponding partsof machines may be prepared separately, with sufficientaccuracy to fit without trial. He also exhibits specimensof surface-plates, prepared without grinding, accordingto the method described in his paper (read at the meetingof the British Association in 1840).

In the American Department, Mr. Dick (79, p. 1438)exhibits a variety of powerful machines for producingpressure with small friction, by means of a peculiar com-bination of levers whose surfaces act by rolling contact,and which are formed into curves that enable them eitherto produce a constant or a varying pressure according tothe nature of the machine. One of these is arranged toact as a boiler-plate shearing and punching machine.Messrs. Fairbairn and Sons (200, pp. 286, 287) contributetheir important and original machine for rivetting boiler-plates by pressure; and Messrs. IV. J. and J. Garforth(208, p. 292) an improved machine for the same purpose,in which the pressure is produced by the direct action ofthe piston rod of a steam cylinder.

The admirable steam hammer of Messrs. Nasmyth andCo. (236, p. 295) is too w-ell known to require any length-ened notice in this place. It is only to be regretted thatthe nature of its operations forbids it to be put in actionin the Exhibition. The effective and useful forgingmachine of Mr. Ryder (222, p. 294) is, however, shownin motion, its action being exhibited upon rods oflead.

In the French Department, M. Sciiwerber (1475, p.1246) has placed a forging machine in which the hammeris raised and thrown up by a cam ; piles of vulcanizedcaoutchouc are employed to diminish the shock to thecam, and also to produce a rebounding blow.

Two large coining presses are placed in the Exhibition,the one by Messrs. Maudslay, Sons, and Field (228,p. 294); the other (in the Zollverein Department), byM. Uhlhorn (476, p. 1078). In each, the screw is dis-pensed with, and they may be considered as examples ofthe best style of design and workmanship by which theirrespective countries are characterized.

Mr. Morrall, of Studley (240, p. 295), maintains, inaction, a series of the simple apparatus employed inmaking needles, especially those which he terms “ groove-less needles,” of his own invention.

There is au abundance of small fly-presses in the build-ing. Mr. Mansell (502, p. 305) has oue with peculiar