Two Centuries of Shipbuilding by the Scotts at GreenockScotts' Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd.
History
Two Centuries of Shipbuilding by the Scotts at Greenock
Scotts' Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd.
Scotts' Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd.; Shipbuilding -- Great Britain
The machine shop, which was one of the first constructed with a
completely glazed roof, occupies a site on a steep slope, one side
being formed by a heavy retaining wall, as shown in the engraving on
Plate XLIX., facing page 106. At the level of the top of the wall,
which is 25 ft. high, there is the light machine shop, while at the end
of the bay and over the annexe situated to the left of the engraving,
is the brass-finishing shop. There is a 2-ton hoist between the
erecting-shop floor and the galleries, so that no inconvenience, so far
as transport is concerned, is involved by this arrangement.
Originally a stream ran down the hill and over the site on which the
Works are located, and its waters have for many years been utilised
as a source of power. A special 24-in. inward-flow turbine works in
the conduit which conveys the water across the site, and this turbine
develops continuously 80 horse-power. This serves to drive some of
the machines in the boiler works. The turbine runs in parallel with
a compound vertical engine, which drives the shafts actuating the
groups of small machines in the engine shop. Many of the larger tools,
however, are electrically-driven by separate motors, the current being
transmitted from the central station already described.
The engravings on Plates XXXIX. and XLIX., facing pages 92 and 106
respectively, illustrate the main machine shop, which has a width of
60 ft., and, with the adjoining bay, accommodates some of the finest
marine engineering tools made. Perhaps the best indication of their
efficiency is the fact that three weeks suffice for the machining of
the parts of a complete set of engines to develop 2000 horse-power. The
shops are traversed by five overhead electric cranes, ranging up to 40
tons lifting capacity.
[Illustration: Plate L. VERTICAL PLANING MACHINE.]
[Illustration: MULTIPLE SPINDLE DRILLING MACHINE.]
[Illustration: Plate LI. SURFACE AND BORING LATHE.]
The leading dimensions and the principal work done by the more
important tools afford an idea of the extent of the equipment. There
are several planing and slotting machines, one of which is shown in
the engraving on Plate L., facing this page. There are two combined
machines, to plane 21 ft. and to slot 18 ft., used in connection
with the condensers, cylinders, large bearing frames and sole-plates
of engines, while two other smaller tools are devoted to finishing the
castings for bed-plates and columns. For machining eccentric-rod ends,
etc., there is a 24-in. slotter with a circular table. There are two
high-speed planers with two tool-boxes on the cross-slide, which take
in pieces 10 ft. by 5 ft. by 5 ft., and one to take work 12 ft. by 3
ft. by 3 ft.
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