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Recent Technical Developments

Recent Technical Developments December, 1930 AIRCRAFT ENGINEERING 315 Groun d Lighting Requirements with Details of Chance Brothers' Productions—New Armstrong-Siddeley Engines Lightin g Aerodromes and Air Routes Further , such automatic operation ensures that heavy-oil medium-speed engine is one of the best No. 2 set is started up should No. 1 set bo out of propositions. Th e general trend in aero-lighting apparatus order, and vice-versa. Oil, petrol, or paraffin which is purely illuminative seems rather towards I n providing power of a fixed type for a complete engines arc usually used as prime movers for such improvemen t of existing types tha n to the evolution aerodrome, a power of approximately 30 kw. is sets, crude oil being the cheapest in fuel cost. of larger or novel types, an illustration of which required for a moderately large aerodrome. This is landing floodlight apparatu s as usually marketed. Wit h such unattended beacons a suitable auto­ might be distributed roughly as follows :— Thi s has been developed to a point where 10 kw. mati c lamp-changer should be provided so tha t the Two 10 kw. floodlights, or four 5 kw. filament lamps and dioptric lenses are Used with an failure of the lamp filament in one lamp does not floodlights . . . . . . 20 kw. approximat e beam intensity of 700,000 c.p. It necessarily extinguish th e beacon. In cold climates, One wind indicator, say . . . . 1½ „ seems tha t this typ e of unit will, except for modifi­ o r a t altitude s where cold an d snow ma y be expected, Thirt y boundary lights, say . . . . 2 „ cation s and improvements, continue to be the provision should be made for a small electric heating One location beacon, say . . . . 3 „ standar d landing floodlight. The fourth order, element inside the housing containing the rotating Obstructio n lights on hangars and 500 mm., dioptric lens floodlight, using a 5 kw. gear to keep lubrication of the bearings free and to buildings, say . . . . . . 2 „ lam p with a beam intensity of 160,000 c.p. approxi­ ensure that any snow or ice forming on the top of Small emergency landing-ground requirements mately , is being developed for aerodromes in th e casings will be melted off and the rotation of the var y so much that it is hardly possible to give an countrie s where atmospheric conditions arc beacon not be hindered. estimate , but 10 kw. is a fair average requirement. more favourable than England, e.g., Mesopotamia, Neon tube beacons are undoubtedly costly and Sout h Africa. Some of the equipment outlined is either too require H.T. voltage (10,000 v.) on transformer A feature which called for improvement was the bulk y or too expensive to be placed on exhibition secondaries. There is a natural reluctance to stand s at Paris, but their place will be taken by replacemen t of the electric lamp in the event of employ on open ground such voltage when it is small-scale models, which, a t any rate, will indicate failure. This could be done in a very short space possible to use anything lower. Low-tension Neon th e progress made in such apparatus during the of time by the use of a pro-focused lamp and tube s have been exhibited, but whether such tubes las t two years. separat e slide, bu t entirely automatic lamp-changers can yet be made a t such a price, and in such length, ar e now available. as to render them useful as large-size location Ne w Armstrong-Siddeley Engines Intermediat e landing grounds on long-distance beacons, remains to be seen. routes arc being provided with a floodlight beacon Armstrong-Siddeley Motors, Limited, of Coventry, Fo r wind-direction indicators incandescent fila­ equipmen t which consists of a floodlight carried on men t lamps, either of the "Striplite" or small announc e three new engines, of which two, the trunnion s which enable the beam to be tilted "Bulb " type seem to meet the requirements in 140 h.p. 7-cylinder "Gene t Major " and the 350 h.p. upward s and at the same time rotated by means of 10-cylinder "Double Mongoose," will be on exhi­ efficiency, and are economical, both in original and an electric motor and turn-table at, say, 6 r.p.m., operation cost. The naked lamps can be given a bition at the Paris Aero Salon. thu s affording an efficient landing floodlight and a colour character by the use of coloured covers, and The 7-cylinder "Genet Major" is an enlarged beacon with a fan-shaped beam. some colours now obtainable arc so close to the edition of the 5-cylinder "Genet Major," with the Neon cherry shade as t o be almos t indistinguishable. A convenient mounting for this floodlight beacon same-sized cylinders (108mm. × 114mm.), but a is a specially-designed trailer carrying the floodlight Th e provision of a suitable wind-indicator for cubic capacity of 7·32 litres instead of 5.23 litres. a t the rear, and a petrol-electric generating set with I t will be shown in the ungeared form, and has been nigh t landing on emergency landing grounds is not switchboar d and weather-proof casings on the. produce d for powering multi-engined aircraft of the so easy of solution. The use of small car-type front end of the chassis. Spare lamp-carrier and 5-7-seater type. The "Double Mongoose" is a filament bulbs served by a portable battery is fairly tool chest is also provided, the whole being drawn 10-cylinder edition of the 5-cylinder "Mongoose" convenient, as the lights can be switched on at the b y a separate tractor or other towing vehicle. an d has "Jaguar " (127mm. × 139·7mm.) cylinders, approac h of an aeroplane if the location is attended, Unit s are being made in this country for both the th e cubic capacity being 17·72 litres. It has been an d use so little current that the obstacle of con­ third order and the fourth order sizes. A variation produced to meet the demand for multi-engined sumptio n does not arise. Mention may be made a t which has been adopted utilises a vehicle such as aircraft fitted with three 10-cylinder in place of two of the suitability of a small portable gene­ Crossley or other heavy lorry mounted on an endless 14-cylinder ("Jaguar") engines. The third new ratin g set for this typo of landing ground. The trac k such as the Kegresse, and carrying as an average power required probably does not exceed engine, which will not be shown in Paris, is the integra l part of the lorry a "fire engine" driven 12 b.h.p., an d this can quite easily be accommodated 260 h.p. "Lynx Major" with seven 133·3mm. × generato r which provides current for the lamp, fan on a hand trolley utilising one of the present high­ 139·7mm. cylinders, giving a cubic capacity of an d rotating motor when the set is being used as 13·66 litres, as against the 12·4 litres of the ordinary speed petrol-electric sets, and from this source all a beacon. Such sets arc operating on the Cairo- "Lynx. " It is fitted with a geared fan so tha t its th e nightly requirements can bo met. Karach i route. ratin g of 260 h.p. is reached at 2,500 ft. at Wher e an aerodrome requires any number of 2,000 r.p.m. Regardin g route and location beacons, attention Boundar y lights on the usual spacing of about seems to have become centralised on two types ; Th e full range of ten Armstrong-SidJeley engines 100 yds., it seems unnecessary to consider an y other firstly, the dioptric flashing beacon, and secondly, tha n the electric-Hashing type fitted with coloured consists of the 700-800 h.p. 14-cylinder "Leopard," th e searchlight type a s used extensively in America. oute r globe and an inner gas-filled lamp of, say, which can be plain or geared, the 500 h.p. 14- Th e lens of the latter is merely a pressed circular 60-wat t consumption, with or without a metallic cylinder geared "Jagua r Major" engine (known in dished lens, whereas the dioptric is an accurately reflector immediately below the lamp. If overrun th e R.A.F. as the "Panther" ) available with a ground and polished production in which the b y an aeroplane damage is minimised by the fitting geared fan or supercharger, the 14-cylinder 400 h.p. illuminan t is utilised with a maximum useful dis­ of a spring, or snap-off section in th e pillar mounting. "Jaguar " engine available in the geared or un­ tributio n of light. A light distribution curve has geared type with supercharger or geared and super­ Th e Hashing or occulting device consists usually of recentl y been drawn up by Dr. W. M: Hampton, charged, the 260 h.p. 7-cylinder "Lynx Major" a motor driving a set of cam contacts through head of th e Research Department of Messrs. Chance engine fitted with geared fan, the 215 h.p. 7-cylinder wor m gearing. Brothers & Co., Ltd., the well-known Marine and "Lynx " engine available in the plain type with Th e best type of portable obstruction light is the Aerial Lighthouse Engineers of Birmingham. This gearing and with supercharger, the 340 h.p. acetylene light in which an acetylene cylinder feeds distributio n of light enables the pilot to enter the 10-cylinder "Double Mongoose" engine with or a flashing burner inside a drum lens, the whole beam a t a normal flying height and continue in the withou t reduction gear, the 150 h.p. 5-cylindcr being mounted on a portable tripod, the cylinder beam throughout his passage over the beacon. "Mongoose " engine, the 140 h.p . 7-cylinder being sufficient for twenty-four days unattende d use. Th e merits of the dioptric type of beacon, and "Gene t Major " engine in the plain or geared type, I t may be well to mention station-generating th e disadvantages of the searchlight type were fully th e 100-110 h.p. 5-cylinder "Genet Major" engine discussed in the August, 1930, issue of AIRCRAFT plants . Where the floodlighting equipment is of a in the plain type, an d lastly the 80-88 h.p . "Genet " ENGINEERING . portabl e nature, there is no doubt that the high­ engine in the plain type. speed petrol engine direct-coupled to a generator Several different types of light valves and Owing to the fact that different numbers of the mounte d on the same trolley as th e floodlight is the astronomical time-switches are available for aero­ same-size cylinders are used to form units of mos t convenient proposition. Belt-driven sets are nautical lighting services on lone or unattended different powers, a large measure of inter-change­ no t to be recommended for these services, owing to stations . The former are entirely automatic, ability, with its accompanying advantages from the possible belt failure, and further A.C. plant is ruled while the latte r require pre-determined time-setting. poin t of view of maintenance, is attained. Thus ou t by belt slip. With th e adven t of the high-speed Bot h types of instrument s arc employed in conjunc­ th e cylinders and many other parts of the "Jaguar Diesel engine operating a t speeds of approximately tion with an electrical relay which, through a small Major " and "Lyn x Major " (133·3mm. × 139·7mm. 800 to 1,000 r.p.m. and with an exceedingly low oil battery , starts or stops the generating set. In cylinders) arc inter-changeable. The same remarks consumption (the oil costing approximately £5 per unattende d locations a duplicate generating set is appl y t o th e "Jaguar, " "Lynx, " "Mongoose " and ton), it seems very likely that this type will be a almos t invariably supplied an d an automati c switch­ "Doubl e Mongoose" engines (127mm. × 139·7mm. boar d is so arranged that the set started up by the serious competitor to the light-weight petrol engine cylinders) and again to the 5- an d 7-cylindcr "Genet ligh t valve is alternately No. 1 and No. 2 set. in the very near future. For stationary sots the Major " engines (108mm. × 114mm. cylinders). http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology Emerald Publishing

Recent Technical Developments

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology , Volume 2 (12): 1 – Dec 1, 1930
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Abstract

December, 1930 AIRCRAFT ENGINEERING 315 Groun d Lighting Requirements with Details of Chance Brothers' Productions—New Armstrong-Siddeley Engines Lightin g Aerodromes and Air Routes Further , such automatic operation ensures that heavy-oil medium-speed engine is one of the best No. 2 set is started up should No. 1 set bo out of propositions. Th e general trend in aero-lighting apparatus order, and vice-versa. Oil, petrol, or paraffin which is purely illuminative seems rather towards I n providing power of a fixed type for a complete engines arc usually used as prime movers for such improvemen t of existing types tha n to the evolution aerodrome, a power of approximately 30 kw. is sets, crude oil being the cheapest in fuel cost. of larger or novel types, an illustration of which required for a moderately large aerodrome. This is landing floodlight apparatu s as usually marketed. Wit h such unattended beacons a suitable auto­ might be distributed roughly as follows :— Thi s has been developed to a point where 10 kw. mati c lamp-changer should be provided so tha t the Two 10 kw. floodlights, or four 5 kw. filament lamps and dioptric lenses are Used with an failure of the lamp filament in one lamp does not floodlights . . . . . . 20 kw. approximat e beam intensity of 700,000 c.p. It necessarily extinguish th e beacon. In cold climates, One wind indicator, say . . . . 1½ „ seems tha t this typ e of unit will, except for modifi­ o r a t altitude s where cold an d snow ma y be expected, Thirt y boundary lights, say . . . . 2 „ cation s and improvements, continue to be the provision should be made for a small electric heating One location beacon, say . . . . 3 „ standar d landing floodlight. The fourth order, element inside the housing containing the rotating Obstructio n lights on hangars and 500 mm., dioptric lens floodlight, using a 5 kw. gear to keep lubrication of the bearings free and to buildings, say . . . . . . 2 „ lam p with a beam intensity of 160,000 c.p. approxi­ ensure that any snow or ice forming on the top of Small emergency landing-ground requirements mately , is being developed for aerodromes in th e casings will be melted off and the rotation of the var y so much that it is hardly possible to give an countrie s where atmospheric conditions arc beacon not be hindered. estimate , but 10 kw. is a fair average requirement. more favourable than England, e.g., Mesopotamia, Neon tube beacons are undoubtedly costly and Sout h Africa. Some of the equipment outlined is either too require H.T. voltage (10,000 v.) on transformer A feature which called for improvement was the bulk y or too expensive to be placed on exhibition secondaries. There is a natural reluctance to stand s at Paris, but their place will be taken by replacemen t of the electric lamp in the event of employ on open ground such voltage when it is small-scale models, which, a t any rate, will indicate failure. This could be done in a very short space possible to use anything lower. Low-tension Neon th e progress made in such apparatus during the of time by the use of a pro-focused lamp and tube s have been exhibited, but whether such tubes las t two years. separat e slide, bu t entirely automatic lamp-changers can yet be made a t such a price, and in such length, ar e now available. as to render them useful as large-size location Ne w Armstrong-Siddeley Engines Intermediat e landing grounds on long-distance beacons, remains to be seen. routes arc being provided with a floodlight beacon Armstrong-Siddeley Motors, Limited, of Coventry, Fo r wind-direction indicators incandescent fila­ equipmen t which consists of a floodlight carried on men t lamps, either of the "Striplite" or small announc e three new engines, of which two, the trunnion s which enable the beam to be tilted "Bulb " type seem to meet the requirements in 140 h.p. 7-cylinder "Gene t Major " and the 350 h.p. upward s and at the same time rotated by means of 10-cylinder "Double Mongoose," will be on exhi­ efficiency, and are economical, both in original and an electric motor and turn-table at, say, 6 r.p.m., operation cost. The naked lamps can be given a bition at the Paris Aero Salon. thu s affording an efficient landing floodlight and a colour character by the use of coloured covers, and The 7-cylinder "Genet Major" is an enlarged beacon with a fan-shaped beam. some colours now obtainable arc so close to the edition of the 5-cylinder "Genet Major," with the Neon cherry shade as t o be almos t indistinguishable. A convenient mounting for this floodlight beacon same-sized cylinders (108mm. × 114mm.), but a is a specially-designed trailer carrying the floodlight Th e provision of a suitable wind-indicator for cubic capacity of 7·32 litres instead of 5.23 litres. a t the rear, and a petrol-electric generating set with I t will be shown in the ungeared form, and has been nigh t landing on emergency landing grounds is not switchboar d and weather-proof casings on the. produce d for powering multi-engined aircraft of the so easy of solution. The use of small car-type front end of the chassis. Spare lamp-carrier and 5-7-seater type. The "Double Mongoose" is a filament bulbs served by a portable battery is fairly tool chest is also provided, the whole being drawn 10-cylinder edition of the 5-cylinder "Mongoose" convenient, as the lights can be switched on at the b y a separate tractor or other towing vehicle. an d has "Jaguar " (127mm. × 139·7mm.) cylinders, approac h of an aeroplane if the location is attended, Unit s are being made in this country for both the th e cubic capacity being 17·72 litres. It has been an d use so little current that the obstacle of con­ third order and the fourth order sizes. A variation produced to meet the demand for multi-engined sumptio n does not arise. Mention may be made a t which has been adopted utilises a vehicle such as aircraft fitted with three 10-cylinder in place of two of the suitability of a small portable gene­ Crossley or other heavy lorry mounted on an endless 14-cylinder ("Jaguar") engines. The third new ratin g set for this typo of landing ground. The trac k such as the Kegresse, and carrying as an average power required probably does not exceed engine, which will not be shown in Paris, is the integra l part of the lorry a "fire engine" driven 12 b.h.p., an d this can quite easily be accommodated 260 h.p. "Lynx Major" with seven 133·3mm. × generato r which provides current for the lamp, fan on a hand trolley utilising one of the present high­ 139·7mm. cylinders, giving a cubic capacity of an d rotating motor when the set is being used as 13·66 litres, as against the 12·4 litres of the ordinary speed petrol-electric sets, and from this source all a beacon. Such sets arc operating on the Cairo- "Lynx. " It is fitted with a geared fan so tha t its th e nightly requirements can bo met. Karach i route. ratin g of 260 h.p. is reached at 2,500 ft. at Wher e an aerodrome requires any number of 2,000 r.p.m. Regardin g route and location beacons, attention Boundar y lights on the usual spacing of about seems to have become centralised on two types ; Th e full range of ten Armstrong-SidJeley engines 100 yds., it seems unnecessary to consider an y other firstly, the dioptric flashing beacon, and secondly, tha n the electric-Hashing type fitted with coloured consists of the 700-800 h.p. 14-cylinder "Leopard," th e searchlight type a s used extensively in America. oute r globe and an inner gas-filled lamp of, say, which can be plain or geared, the 500 h.p. 14- Th e lens of the latter is merely a pressed circular 60-wat t consumption, with or without a metallic cylinder geared "Jagua r Major" engine (known in dished lens, whereas the dioptric is an accurately reflector immediately below the lamp. If overrun th e R.A.F. as the "Panther" ) available with a ground and polished production in which the b y an aeroplane damage is minimised by the fitting geared fan or supercharger, the 14-cylinder 400 h.p. illuminan t is utilised with a maximum useful dis­ of a spring, or snap-off section in th e pillar mounting. "Jaguar " engine available in the geared or un­ tributio n of light. A light distribution curve has geared type with supercharger or geared and super­ Th e Hashing or occulting device consists usually of recentl y been drawn up by Dr. W. M: Hampton, charged, the 260 h.p. 7-cylinder "Lynx Major" a motor driving a set of cam contacts through head of th e Research Department of Messrs. Chance engine fitted with geared fan, the 215 h.p. 7-cylinder wor m gearing. Brothers & Co., Ltd., the well-known Marine and "Lynx " engine available in the plain type with Th e best type of portable obstruction light is the Aerial Lighthouse Engineers of Birmingham. This gearing and with supercharger, the 340 h.p. acetylene light in which an acetylene cylinder feeds distributio n of light enables the pilot to enter the 10-cylinder "Double Mongoose" engine with or a flashing burner inside a drum lens, the whole beam a t a normal flying height and continue in the withou t reduction gear, the 150 h.p. 5-cylindcr being mounted on a portable tripod, the cylinder beam throughout his passage over the beacon. "Mongoose " engine, the 140 h.p . 7-cylinder being sufficient for twenty-four days unattende d use. Th e merits of the dioptric type of beacon, and "Gene t Major " engine in the plain or geared type, I t may be well to mention station-generating th e disadvantages of the searchlight type were fully th e 100-110 h.p. 5-cylinder "Genet Major" engine discussed in the August, 1930, issue of AIRCRAFT plants . Where the floodlighting equipment is of a in the plain type, an d lastly the 80-88 h.p . "Genet " ENGINEERING . portabl e nature, there is no doubt that the high­ engine in the plain type. speed petrol engine direct-coupled to a generator Several different types of light valves and Owing to the fact that different numbers of the mounte d on the same trolley as th e floodlight is the astronomical time-switches are available for aero­ same-size cylinders are used to form units of mos t convenient proposition. Belt-driven sets are nautical lighting services on lone or unattended different powers, a large measure of inter-change­ no t to be recommended for these services, owing to stations . The former are entirely automatic, ability, with its accompanying advantages from the possible belt failure, and further A.C. plant is ruled while the latte r require pre-determined time-setting. poin t of view of maintenance, is attained. Thus ou t by belt slip. With th e adven t of the high-speed Bot h types of instrument s arc employed in conjunc­ th e cylinders and many other parts of the "Jaguar Diesel engine operating a t speeds of approximately tion with an electrical relay which, through a small Major " and "Lyn x Major " (133·3mm. × 139·7mm. 800 to 1,000 r.p.m. and with an exceedingly low oil battery , starts or stops the generating set. In cylinders) arc inter-changeable. The same remarks consumption (the oil costing approximately £5 per unattende d locations a duplicate generating set is appl y t o th e "Jaguar, " "Lynx, " "Mongoose " and ton), it seems very likely that this type will be a almos t invariably supplied an d an automati c switch­ "Doubl e Mongoose" engines (127mm. × 139·7mm. boar d is so arranged that the set started up by the serious competitor to the light-weight petrol engine cylinders) and again to the 5- an d 7-cylindcr "Genet ligh t valve is alternately No. 1 and No. 2 set. in the very near future. For stationary sots the Major " engines (108mm. × 114mm. cylinders).

Journal

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology – Emerald Publishing

Published: Dec 1, 1930

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