52
E.— 5b
The mechanical laboratory and the workshops are furnished with every possible appliance for the conduct of the work. The work of the mechanical laboratory is arranged in the following groups of experiments for those engaged in engineering, building, and metal-working trades : (1) To determine the nature and strength of the various materials used in construction ; (2) to investigate the different methods of manipulating and working the said materials; (3) to investigate the principles and laws which underlie construction. The experiments are made upon boilers, engines, motors, and machines which form part of the Institution plant. The workshops are furnished with several first-class lathes of various makers; a standard drilling-machine; a universal milling-machine; a special universal cutter-grinding machine; twist drill and tool-grinding machines; a blower and three electromotors. The work includes exercises in screw cutting and turning; every kind of drilling, boring, planing, slotting, &c, and the making and fitting of engines. There are special classes also in connection with pattern-making, practical smith's work, ornamental ironwork, die-sinking, brassfinishing, and metal-plate working. In practical smith's work the shop is open every evening, and is equipped with the most modern appliances for the heating and forging of iron, brazing, and welding. Gas-furnaces and brazing-tables having recently come into use for work of this description, they have been introduced into the smithy that the students may not only carry out ordinary smith's work, but also be taught the management of a new type of heating appliances, particularly so in relation to the cycle trade. In Birmingham special attention is paid to small arms and ammunition. In mechanical drawing students are generally instructed in the principles underlying the arrangement, proportions, and strengths of simple machine details, and in making complete working drawings from actual measurement of machines. The schools being plentifully supplied with models and parts of machinery, are also making use of the machinery and engines connected with the various workshops. In all schools visited the strongest pressure is brought to bear upon students with reference to the course of practical plane and solid geometry and applied mechanics, and I suggest the compulsory attendance of engineering students in the first subject previous to or conjointly with their machine-construction drawing. I would urge a plentiful supply of machine models and details for use in other classes in conjunction with the diagrams and plates now so generally used. The text-books in use are: Cryer and Jordan's "Machine Construction and Drawing"; Low's " Drawing-scales " ; Unwin's " Elements of Machine Design " ; Low and Bevis's " Manual of Machine Drawing and Design" ; the weekly engineering papers; Marks's " Hydraulic Machinery"; Marks's "Mechanical Engineering Materials " ; Hasluck's "Metal-turner's Handbook"; Northcott's "Lathes and Turning"; "The Steam-engine," Cotterill's, Bipper's, Northcott's, or Professor Ewing's; Adams's " Handbook for Mechanical Engineers," &c. Applied Mechanics. —Excellent courses of instruction are provided in all the institutions visited. In Manchester a special selection of Schroder's and other models, and photographs of Anderson's diagrams, are used to illustrate the course in applied mechanics and steam. Students generally are required to make freehand sketches of models and diagrams used, to which great importance is attached ; a portion of class time is devoted to this work in particular. The course of work is much the same in all institutions, as follows : Definition of force and mechanical power, transmission of power, simple examples of mechanism, hydrostatics, strength of materials, friction, forms of mechanism, centrifugal force, pneumatics, hydraulics, &c. Text-books : Cryer and Jordan's, Jamieson's, or Professor Cotterill's " Applied Mechanics " ; Goodeve's " Elements of Mechanism " ; Lineham's "Mechanical Engineering." Practical Plane and Solid Geometry. —Considerable attention is given to this subject by every school; in many instances there are special classes applicable to the various trades in the more advanced work, but all are required to go through an elementary course previous to the special one. There are, however, insufficient students in our New Zealand classes to permit special courses of geometry for the trades. Care should be taken to see that in such work as plumber's and metalplate workers, &c, a certain amount of class instruction in geometry, combined with their ordinary class-work, is given. The text-books were various. Morris's "Geometry" is freely used in the arts section; Gill's " New Geometry," Harrison and Baxondall's, Low's and Angel's " Plane Geometry and Projection," Low's "Drawing-scales," and Gray and Lowson's "Graphic Statics" were the other text-books I found in use. Metal-plate Work. —These classes are mainly attended by tin, iron-plate, and zinc workers, coppersmiths and boilermakers. Special attention is paid in class instruction to the improvements in workshop methods, which are often wasteful in time and material. The text-books are Millis's "Metal-plate Work" and "The Sheet-metal Workers' Guide," E. and F. Spon. Particular attention is given to geometrical construction in these classes. Gold- and Silver-smiths' Work, and Decorative Metal-work. —Classes in these subjects are held at the Northampton Institute and the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London and at Birmingham. The general course of work is the adaptation of designs to articles of jewellery and artistic craftsmanship, special importance being given to electric-light and gas fittings, lamp standards, ecclesiastical and domestic metal-work, repousse, chasing, etching and engraving on metal, and enamelling. The work in all classes is adapted to the capacity of the students. In the silversmith's classes, devoted to " large " and " small " workers, students are assisted in the design and execution of such work as does not form part of the ordinary day's labour in the workshop. The same may be said of chasers, carvers, and engravers; indeed, every effort seems to be made to give students a broad view and practice of the craft. Classes in elementary metaland repouss6-work may very well be established in connection with the arts branch of all technical schools.
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