7 Attachment(s)
Brookhirst Switchgear (warning: may contain Wadkins)
Anyone silly enough to read my postings will probably know I like old switchgear.
My favourite makers are probably MEM (Midland Electric Manufacturing Co.) and Crabtree. But probably the most robust looking British switchgear is that made by Brookhirst (Brookhirst Switchgear Ltd). Being very robust is probably what gained Wadkin's attention when they first started producing electrically driven machinery (as opposed to lineshaft driven machinery). I think ALL Wadkin & Co.s electrically driven machinery had Brookhirst switchgear. And because it's fitted to a lot of Wadkin machines, I've developed an interest.
The oldest Wadkin cattledog available online is their 1936 catalogue. This shows most machines fitted with an electrical cabinet containing the switchgear.
Attachment 447611 SO showing electrical cabinet below belt cover.
Attachment 447612 PK showing electrical cabinet at the back.
Attachment 447613 RD showing electrical cabinet - this time fitted with On/Off buttons.
Here's one on an MA.
Attachment 447615
And this one (painted red) on Wallace's LP.
Attachment 447614
Within a few years Wadkin modified their castings to incorporate the cabinets - usually into the base of their machines. In the case of the PK dimension saw, this change had occurred by 1937.
Attachment 447616 Recessed switchgear cabinet (white) in a PK base.
Attachment 447617 Recessed switchgear cabinet in Clear Out's RS headstock.
Covering the cabinet (and usually supporting the switchgear) is what has become the classic "Brookhirst" door - but that's for a later post.
What's prompted me to start this thread is the recent listing (on an un-named internet auction site) of two very early Brookhirst cabinets - predating the 1936 cattledog.
Cheers, Vann.
6 Attachment(s)
The Classic "Brookhirst" Door - pt.1.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Vann
...Within a few years Wadkin modified their castings to incorporate the cabinets - usually into the base of their machines. In the case of the PK dimension saw, this change had occurred by 1937.
Attachment 447789 Recessed switchgear cabinet (white) in a PK base.
Attachment 447788 Recessed switchgear cabinet in Clear Out's RS headstock.
Covering the cabinet (and usually supporting the switchgear) is what has become the classic "Brookhirst" door - but that's for a later post...
Welcome to a later post.
Covering the openings shown above was a door, which had the switchgear mounted on the rear. Although there were variations, the "standard" door is 9 3/4" (246mm) wide and 8 15/16" (226mm) high. It mounts on two hinge pins on the left, and is held shut by two bolts on the right.
There are several generations - but in this post I'll concentrate on what I think is the first - which also came in several versions.
1. Plain door version:
Attachment 447790 Found on a 1947 machine.
2. With Start & Stop buttons:
Attachment 447791 From a 1946 CK saw.
3. With Reset button:
Attachment 447792 Fitted to my 1945 PK saw.
With both Stop & Start and Reset buttons:
Attachment 447793 From a 1945 RS lathe.
At the top of each door it says:
BROOKHIRST
CONTROL GEAR FOR
WADKIN LTD
The shape is a combination of the logos of both companies, with the "Brookhirst" being the shape of the company's "Brookhirst Bean" logo, and the bottom incorporating Wadkins "3-legged circle" logo.
At the bottom is the electrical data, with:
No. (2 raised sections between) TYPE
HP (raised section) VOLTS
~ (2 raised sections) PHASE
with stamping on the raised sections.
In the case of the CK "Brookhirst" door above it reads:
No. 3863D15 (blank) TYPE
HP (blank) 380/440 VOLTS
~ 50 3 PHASE
Cast letters shown in blue, stamped letters in red - for clarity.
In a semi-circle around the Reset button it reads:
WAIT ONE MINUTE THEN TURN
TO RESET OVERLOAD
below a clockwise arrow.
Above the Stop & Start buttons it reads:
START STOP
Cheers, Vann.
