The Mechanical Handling and Storing of Material

CONVEYING BY GRAVITY 199 pushed by hand, but as soon as they reach the incline they descend by gravity. The cases hold twelve siphons and measure 20 in. long by 15 in. wide by 14 in. deep, and weigh cwt. each. The rollers of the runway are 9 in. pitch, 14 in. long, and 2J in. diameter. The spindles are fixed to the frame, and the rollers revolve on balls. One Fig. 266. Plan of Fig. ‘265. of the inclines is 50 ft. long, having a fall of 18 in. in its length, and the boxes run down the incline in 17 sec. Another is 120 ft. long with only 26 in. incline. This is for empty cases, and it has a curve of half a circle at the base where the cases are taken off. As this is a very slight incline an occasional push becomes necessary. Fig. 267. Inclined Roller Runway. The saving of labour may be demonstrated by the following instance. At a large bottling store in London seventy lads were formerly employed in one department. They gave a good deal of trouble, and caused much waste in breakages. Eight years ago thiee conveyors were installed, and the lads stopped. On the same floor space the output had doubled, the breakages greatly reduced, and only thirty girls were now employed instead of seventy lads. That meant a saving of about ^1,000 a year in wages alone, while the