Journal of Scientific Instruments

NEW INSTRUMENTS AND TOOLS Related content

- Spot welding machine for light alloys
Fatigue testing machine Philips Industrial (Philips Lamps, Ltd.

- Lubricant tester
To cite this article: W and T Avery, Ltd. 1940 J. Sci. Instrum. 17 135 British Timken, Ltd.

- Precision jig sawing and filing machine

Edward G Herbert, Ltd.

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 NEW INSTRUMENTS AND TOOLS ‘35

SPOT WELDING MACHINE FOR LIGHT ALLOYS

PHILIPS ( P 1 I I L I P s LAMPS,
IND~JSTRIAL LTD.),Century House, Shaftesbury
Avenue, London, W.C. 2
THEpatented principle of this Philips Industrial (Licensees Lanquepin) spot welding machines
is the use of condensers for energy storage, This enables the
machine to operate without demanding heavy peak power from the
mains and allows accurate measurement of the energy supplied to
the weld. This, it is stated, is particularly valuable for spot welding
aluminium alloys. By altering the ratio between the capacity and the
inductance, the duration of the current discharge can be varied
without lessening the efficiency, a result stated to be specially im-
portant for welding nickel alloys. T h e charging of the condenser can
take place at any speed, the voltage increasing towards a stable
maximum, and utilizing the peak voltage of the supply. T h e maxi-
mum power demand can thus be chosen depending only on the
frequency of operation, and without affecting the consumption.
Thanks to the high efficiency there is, according to the makers, no
difficulty in bringing into use high powers thus avoiding the dis-
advantages of low pressure welding. By welding at high electrode
pressures, metal projections, perforations, and picking of the elec-
trodes are avoided, and at the same time the regularity is improved.
T h e advantages specially claimed for these machines are ( I ) opera- Condenser spot welding
tion with balanced load from 3 phase supply, if desired, (2) low machine for aluminium
input of approximately 28 kVA for twice 12 s.w.G.,(3) high power and metal alloys
factor, (4)high efficiency, ( 5 ) a long period between cleaning of the
points of the electrodes, on account of a special “ reverse current ” arrangement, (6) no contactors,
or special control devices are required, (7) high welding speed, and (8) great uniformity of welds.
A wide range of these machines is made from the small pedal-operated type to large machines
for higher powers.

FATIGUE TESTING MACHINE

W. AND T. AVERY,LTD.,Soho Foundry, Birmingham
THISAvery-Schenck Push-Pull Fatigue Testing Machine “ Pulsator” (Patent No. 464,082) is
intended mainly for the determination of the fatigue strength of metals and machine members
under pulsating or reversed push-pull
stresses. Bending tests can also to some
extent be carried out. Special attention
has been given in the design to the
attainment of high test loads and the use
of speeds between 2600 and 2900 cyc./min.
T h e specimen S is mounted between
springs A for applying the static stress
and a loop dynamometer D ; the screw C
enables the static load to be adjusted
and the screw B allows adjustment for
different sized specimens. T h e double
acting oscillating steel spring beam E is
arranged to produce push-pull forces
exactly along the longitudinal axis of the “ Pulsator” fatigue testing machine
machine. Operation is on the rising portion
of the resonance curve; and the reverse
loads can be adjusted by altering the speed of the driving motor. The machine rests on rubber
blocks to secure vibrationless operation. T h e amplitude is regulated by a special device which acts
 J 36 NI:W INSTRURIENTS AND TOOLS
upon the specimen as a function of the ;implitude of oscillation of the spring. T h e stresses can, it
is stated, be kept constant within narrow limits, even if the voltage supplying the small D.C. driving
motor A4 should fluctuate. T h e machine is operated by t h e revolution of unbalanced wheels at
one free end of the oscillating spring, these being driven by the motor M . T h e other free end of
the spring is compensated by a weight in such a way that the two halves of the spring have exactly
the same natural frequency. T h e test speed of the machine is principally dependent upon this
frequency, the elasticity of the specimen having no influence. T h e test load is measured by the
loop dynamometer I) which is fitted with a microscope; this is also used to observe the static initial
load. Grips for flat, round o r other shaped specimens or for complete machine parts can he
provided, and the distance between the grips can he adjusted within wide limits. As there is ample
space round the grips, special test pieces, heating devices, corrosion equipment and other similar
accessories can be accommodated. T h e initial static load can b e varied between zero and maximum,
and the pulsating load is adjustable while the machine is in operation. T h e sizes o f machine made
are for maximum loads of 6 tons and 20 tons. For the latter size machine the maximum static load
is k I O tons and the maximum pulsating load k I O tons, making a total load of 2 0 tons.
T h e overall dimensions of this size machine are I O ft. I O in. x 7 ft. 4 in. x 4 ft. 3; in. high.

LUBRICANT TESTER
TIMKEN,
BRITISH LTD.,Cheston Road, Birmingham, 7
‘ I h s lubricant tester (Fig. I ) is intended to provide accurate information on the load-carrying
capacity of lubricants, both oil and grease, and on the wear characteristics of metal, wood, textile,
and other materials. I t can also be used for determin-
ing the coefficient of friction. T h e lubricant container
holds approximately half a gallon of lubricant, which
can be electrically heated and maintained at a steady
temperature up to 2 1 0 O F. Oil from the container flows
over the test-piece to a sump in the base, the rate of
flow heing adjustable by means of a valve in the pipe-
line. T h e oil is pumped back from the sump by means
of a small pump in the base, which is driven from the
testing mandrel. T h e latter extends longitudinally
through the base, and is driven by a z 11.p. electric
motor, through a belt drive and variable-speed gear
giving a speed variation of three to one. T h e gear is
coupled to the pump by a pin-type flexible coupling.
‘The mandrel is mounted in Timken tapered roller
bearings, and it is tapered at the end opposite the
pulley to receive the test-piece o r cup, which is held
firmly in place by a circular nut.
T h e lever system (Fig. 2), which is really the most
important part of the device, consists of two levers,
one above the other. T h e upper lever is the load lever,
and the lower lever is known as the friction lever. T h e
upper lever, which carries t h e test-block holder I), is
pivoted on a knife-edge mounted in the lower lever,
the construction being illustrated in Fig. 2. T h e friction Fig. I . Lubricant tester
lever is also pivoted on a universal knife-edge and
there is a positive stop E at the unloaded end. T h e friction lever is provided with a vernier scale
and a sliding weight for obtaining accurate measurements, both levers being fitted with weight
pans. This arrangement ensures that the test-block is always in the same position relative to tlle
revolving cup, and the loading over the length of the two test-pieces is always constant. T h e test-
block is inserted in a notch in the holder and held in place b y a wedge.
For the testing of lubricants the test-pieces normally consist of a special Timken cup of a size
that fits accurately on the mandrel, and the block, which is a small piece of steel 3 in. square by
2 in. long. Both test-pieces are made of steel, hardened to 60 Rockwell C and ground. Four tests