At the auction where I purchased my
Preston Woodworking Machinery Co. bandsaw, there was a big and ugly grinder (which, I believe, failed to sell).
Attachment 391478 Attachment 391479
At the time, UK based member sion.dovey commented
Yesterday, while surfing this inter-web thingy, via
Grace's Guide I came across an article in
The Engineer dated 17 June, 1928, stating that 28 of these machines had been purchased by New Zealand Railways. In 1928 New Zealand Railways was upgrading or replacing it's four major railway workshops, and a lot of new equipment was part of this work.
As
B.R. Rowland & Co. is not listed on Vintage Machinery.org I though I'd post the information I've found here (for the next poor bugger who's looking for info about the company). It seems that
B.R. Rowland was trading before 1901, but in 1934 the
Universal Grinding Wheel Co acquired the whole capital of
B.R. Rowland and Co, subsequently absorbed the assets and liquidated the company (info from Grace's Guide).
I've reproduced the text of the article here, but unfortunately I've been unable to reproduce all the photographs:
"JUNE 17, 1927 - THE ENGINEER - 667
ELECTRICALLY – DRIVEN
DRY - GRINDING MACHINE
B. R. ROWLAND AND CO., LTD., REDDISH, ENGINEERS
Attachment 391480
Electrically Driven Double Dry-Grinding Machines.
The accompanying illustrations Fig 1 and 2. (above) represent the most recent type of electrically driven double dry grinding machine, made by B. R. Rowland and Co., Ltd, Reddish, near Stockport, who have just built twenty eight machines of this type for the New Zealand Railways. This machine, which is built in several sizes, carrying wheels from 14in. to 30in. diameter, embraces several important improvements in detail, and is particularly intended for fettling purposes in foundries, steel forgings or for constructional work, such as sections, angles, &c. The machines are of substantial construction in order to give the necessary rigidity. The wheels are mounted on dovetailed safety plates, specially gritted and graded for the work which they are intended to perform.
A special feature which should be mentioned is the dust exhaust apparatus. lt comprises a fan furnished with ball bearings and fitted at the rear of the machine, as may be seen in one of the engravings. It is arranged to be driven direct from the main spindle by means of a belt. The dust is drawn through passages in the backs of the guards, below the wheels and into the body of the machine, which forms a reservoir, and the lighter portions of the dust are discharged by the fan.
The driving motors can be either of the alternating or direct-current types and in either case they are completely enclosed. They are specially designed for this class of duty and are without bearings, the shaft, which is extended on each side of the motor, and furnished with dustproof glands, being carried in the grinding machine bearings. The bearings are supplied by the Hoffmann Manufacturing Company Ltd., and are of the anti-friction type. One bearing has two sets of rollers and the other one set of rollers, and one combined journal and thrust ball bearing to locate the shaft endwise.
Special means have been devised to protect the bearings from undue wear, which might be caused by grit finding its way into the housings. In order to keep the latter dust-proof, intricate grease seals are provided. These seals consist of a series of annular tongues and grooves-as shown in the drawing, Fig. 3 – and into these the grease is forced in the usual way. Extreme care is taken in fitting the bearings, and their races are held in position by means of end plates on the housings for the outer races, together with distance pieces, a shoulder on the shaft, a distance piece and circular nut on the end of the spindle for the inner races. The space between these distance pieces is packed with grease supplied by a spring lubricator.
Heavy arms on the body of the machine are planed to receive the adjustable grinding wheel rests, and a cleaning-out door is fitted.
These machines are equipped with a new type of steel safety guard, which has been designed to meet the Home Office requirements. This guard is shown very clearly, closed and open, in Fig. 1 and Figs. 2 and 4. The guard is made of boiler plate steel throughout and welded, the thickness of the periphery and side plates being, if anything, greater than that specified in the Home Office regulations. The guard is of simple construction, the peripheral member at the back being formed into one piece by welding. The hinged side door is provided with a cover for the protection of the spindle nut which can be opened by the removal of four nuts. The guard has an adjustable nose piece which is, if anything, of greater strength than the main portion of the guard. It is fitted at the back and a substantial piece of steel welded on the top at the front is drilled to receive a bolt, which forms the means of adjustment, together with a series of holes in both side cheeks.
Severe tests of these guards, we understand, been recently carried out by the makers in the presence of the Chief Factory Inspector, and the result of one of the overspeed tests is shown the illustration, Fig. 4, which shows a 24in. grinding wheel that burst at a speed of 9400 revolutions per minute. No portion of the wheel escaped from the guard, which withstood the shock satisfactorily. The normal running speed of the wheel, it should stated, was 5000 revolutions per minute.
In the case of belt-driven machines, the dust extraction fan is connected by steel tubing to snouts fastened behind the wheel, whereas in the case of the motor-driven machines the fan is bolted on to the body and is driven direct. The main body casting forms a reservoir and the dust is drawn through the hole at the back of the guard below the wheel. A baffle is fitted under the guard below the wheel to collect the heavy dust and so protect the fan and piping from unnecessary wear."
http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/images/2/2c/Er19270617.pdf scroll down to page 28.
The grinder was at one of the railway workshops, so it was almost certainly one of the 28 machines mentioned in the article. I recall seeing another one still in service at the plant, and one was listed a few months ago on Trademe.
Attachment 391481
Enjoy.
Cheers, Vann.
