Lineshaft Machine Shop Photos

[Tom A]

In the first stereo photo, I can see that big Pond drill (Like the one in the catalog), in the middle background - What a beast !

 

[Asquith]

Bethlehem Steel Company, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. 91 inch diameter corrugated ingot in cutting-off lathe. It looks like the parting tool could be 12" tall.

1.

What on earth are they doing to that ingot in enginebill's photo? (Post #160). I know the top and bottom of ingots have to be discarded before forging, but they’re obviously not going to part the ends off in the lathe.

Some aspects of the lathe seemed familiar. I’m thinking J. Whitworth & Co, 19thC. At Bethlehem Steel ?? Bear with me.

The flat-iron-shaped tailstock is typical of 19thC British lathes of all sizes, but is otherwise not distinctive. The carriage has features very similar to some seen on large Whitworth lathes. See photos.

Photo 1 is a lathe at No. 2 machine shop at Bethlehem Steel, the same type, or the same lathe as in enginebill’s photo. Photo 2 is an 18 ft swing Armstrong Whitworth lathe from 1905. Photo 3 is a 19thC Whitworth lathe at Armstrong’s Elswick works. Note the capstan-type handles, and the distinctive ends of the cross slide screws – square-end, hexagonal nut, bell-shaped end, gear.

We know that Bethlehem did have some large Whitworth lathes: in an article in the American Machinist about speeds and feeds of machine tools, Carl G. Barth (of Bethlehem Steel, William Sellers, and Watertown Arsenal) stated that 'the only machine I found at Bethlehem that revealed a knowledge of a proper progression of speeds were the large lathes built by Whitworth.’

Note: Photo 1 is cropped from post #7 here:-
https://www.practicalmachinist.com/forum/threads/cannon-making-lathes-big-ones.174974/

 

[enginebill]

Here is the link to the high resolution copy of the cutting-off lathe.

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/45486167

 

[Jim Christie]

I see there are many photos from Bethlehem Steel that I found though a search from Engine Bill's link
Ordnance - Manufacture - Bethlehem Steel Co. [165-WW-350A-57] (archives.gov)
Perhaps if someone has time on their hands exploring the site some more will turn up more pictures of the part being cut off in the lathe.
Ordnance - Manufacture - Bethlehem Steel Co. [165-WW-350A-4] (archives.gov)
Ordnance - Manufacture - Bethlehem Steel Co. [165-WW-350A-13] (archives.gov)
Jim

 

[Asquith]

Thanks, Jim.

It didn't take long to find a real gem. I hope this is the link:-

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/45516336

Machining a very long liner for a 14" gun. If you click on 'download full size image' you get a remarkably high resolution photo. It's like going back 104 years.

 

[MCritchley]

Here is the link to the high resolution copy of the cutting-off lathe.

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/45486167

Cool photo! check out the rag tied onto the steady, most likely there to oil the turned diameter that is riding on the steadies pads.

 

[Robert Lang]

In the first stereo photo, I can see that big Pond drill (Like the one in the catalog), in the middle background - What a beast !

If you are talking about the stereo photo in post #178, there are two drills in the photo, both are New York Steam Engine Co. ones.

Rob

 

[Tom A]

If you are talking about the stereo photo in post #178, there are two drills in the photo, both are New York Steam Engine Co. ones.

Rob

It was the one with the curved frame - I guess the other one was so huge, I didn't even recognize it as such! Either would be too big for my shop, I think :~)

 

[Robert Lang]

It was the one with the curved frame - I guess the other one was so huge, I didn't even recognize it as such! Either would be too big for my shop, I think :~)

It would be a nice one to have.
There was one on the PM some time ago. Dated 1871.
I don't know if it was saved or not.

Rob

 

[M.B. Naegle]

Seeing old machines like that in scrap yards reminds me of this:

 

[Tom A]

Seeing old machines like that in scrap yards reminds me of this:

That would have been a heartbreaker if that was scrapped - The table isn't even scarred up .....

 

[Asquith]

I was trying to find pictures of a large lathe supplied by J. Whitworth & Co in 1880 to the Saint-Chamond steelworks in France for turning 100-ton gun barrels. I didn’t find any, but I did find the amazing picture above.

At least four lathes being used to bore some of the 9 principal holes in the cast steel entablature (the top part) of a 6000-tonne hydraulic press at Saint-Chamond.

Source of photo:-

http://87dit.canalblog.com/archives/2020/10/23/38589798.html

(Saint-Chamond : usine de guerre, Compagnie des Forges et Acieries de la Marine et des Chemins de Fer)

Now, a puzzle: a 1908 American government report on the machine tool trade in Europe (United States Congressional Serial Set, Volume 5505) included this intelligence: ‘I found a 6,000-ton press in service , built especially for St. Chamond by Davy Brothers , of Sheffield , England.'

Clearly the one in the photo wasn’t being made in Davy Brothers’ shop! Its basic design is typical of Davy’s large presses, though.

 

[Tom A]

If that wasn't a permanent, dedicated set up for boring like that, then it would have been interesting to watch them move and align those lathes for that specific job.

 

[M.B. Naegle]

(perspective customer) "What swing are your lathes?"

(Salesman) "Yes."

 

[enginebill]

It looks like a Putnam sliding bed lathe.

 

[enginebill]

McFarlane Foundry in Black Hawk, Gilpin County, Colorado. Putnam lathe.

 

[Tom A]

That's a beautiful old drill in that photo - It looks like it's specially made for fine, "sensitive" work, as I don't see a lever or anything for coarse feed, just that geared hand wheel. It seems a big drill, for that sort of work.

 

[Robert Lang]

That's a beautiful old drill in that photo - It looks like it's specially made for fine, "sensitive" work, as I don't see a lever or anything for coarse feed, just that geared hand wheel. It seems a big drill, for that sort of work.

Not really sensitive. An early screw feed drill.
Here are some more.
Also a larger picture of the drill.

Rob

 

[animal12]

Third pic in post 182 gives new meaning to live center . Thanks for posting .
animal

 

[caprottivalvegear]

The works of Willans & Robinson of Rugby, England, makings of large stationary steam engine primarily for generating electricity.

Taken from Engineering Magazine March 1901-October 1902. Probably printed in September 1902, so roughly 120 years ago.

Douglas