The Mechanical Handling and Storing of Material

THE HANDLING OF MATERIAL BY PNEUMATLC MEANS 217 These defects having been removed, the consumption of power has been reduced to about 2 H.P. per ton of grain handled. The difference in the power consumed, between the Duckham machines built in this country and on the Continent, is to a great extent owing to the air-pumps of the Continental machines being vertical and altogether of more suitable construction than the horizontal machines which were used with the earliest Duckham machines in this country. The Most Recent Additions to the Pneumatic Grain-Handling Plant at the Millwall Docks.1—These new additions consist of a “dolphin,” elevators, and silos, together with a granary having 7| acres of open floor storage, situated at the north- west of the inner dock. The equipment provides for the discharging and weighing of 550 tons of grain per hour ex ship, and for its delivery into granary, silo, or barge. In practice about one-third goes ashore, the remaining two-thirds to craft. The pneumatic suction plant, Figs. 297 to 300, is erected on a wooden jetty 350 ft. long by 25 ft. wide on the dock side of which the ship is moored. It is placed parallel with the quay wall at a distance of 50 ft. from it. The intervening water space which is occupied by barges is spanned by four girder bridges which connect the “ dolphin ” with the delivery floor of the silo on the quay. The deck of the “dolphin” is 14 ft. above Trinity high-water mark. The sides and ends of the machine-room are built of timber and the deck of the “dolphin” forming the roof is at this part caulked with oakum and run with pitch. The boiler and engine rooms project 10 ft. above the upper deck and are cased in with steel plates. There are on the “dolphin” four suction elevators, with a capacity of 75 tons per hour each. The power is supplied to these elevators by the machinery placed within the “ dolphin,” consisting of a vertical compound condensing engine capable of developing 900 LH.P. at a pressure of 130 lb. per square inch. The power is transmitted to four pairs of exhaust pumps, (.