St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-01-01
REPAIRING THE SHAFT.
Engineer Tomlinson Tells of the
Method Adopted.

Engineer Tomlinson Tells of the
Method Adopted.
New York, Dec. 3l.-Lawrence Tom
linson. the chief engineer Of the Umbria,
was seen after the steamer was locked
and said: alt was OH Friday noon, the
weather was heavy, ana it was blowing
gale OF the worst kind. The engines
were moving slowly. The engineer first
observed an unusual movement in the
rings of the thrust block. He carefully
noted the effects, and tried to locate the
cause. Gradually the trouble grew
worse, and. as ] had already been nOtl-
fed. considered it prudent at 500 that
evening TO stop in order to make an
examination. ThereupOn | lifted the
covers of the shaft, and was almost
dumfounded when l ga2ed upon that
fracture 1t meant that the ship might
become useless at any time. formulated
the idea for repairing the shalt.
ut was the most labOriOus task Of my
life. but my staff willingly undertook it,.
10 us all it was the only method that
expert knowledge OF engineering Sug-
geSted. | first called my staff together
and explained by diagram my views.
They agreed with me that Shaft of
that kind had never been repaired by
the method proposed before, that IS, I'M
derStand, under similar circumstances.
Remember that the shaft had no sup
port at the break for tWenty-SlX feet.
That was one Of the worst features, and
/ lost no time in having chain hung
around the shaft and suspended from
the ceiling. We then started to cut gaps
or holes in the steel tiangeS surrounding
the shaft They were five inches wide,
six inches deep and three and quarter
inches in thickness. The steel was of
tie toughest, All that | could discover
was a number Of tunnel-ShafJ coupling
bolts. They seemed just the things to
suit the emergency. My plan was to
insert those bolts in the gaps. The next
thing TO do was to bore out those gaps,
work that was neCeSSitated as the only
resource. My staff went at it with the
heartiest kind of good Will, and for sew
entY-tWO hours the work with drills and
ChiSeIS never ceased.
"lhe engineering staff was divided
into relays Of five men each, and they
worked siX-hour tricks, OIL six hours on
and six hours OFF. Personally | don't
believe averaged an hour and half's
sleep 4 night. The break was made at
place of such a confined nature that
the men could only get two drills work
ing at one time, but with boring On OPP
posite rings two men could work stimuli
taneouSly. There was a very heavy sea
running, and there was the danger of
the 81 aft moving at any moment. The
repairs with us had become really a
question Of time.
"The fracture occurred 100 feet from
the propeller and about twelve feet
from the engines. The supports on the
shaft were more than twenty feet apart.
On the morning Of the 9th we were
ready 10 start, and the captain moved
ahead cautiously to see how it would
stand. a heavy sea was running, and,
after two hours steaming, the head OF
one Of the bolts III the flanges broke, and
we stopped again. This time we lay tC
for sixteen hours, and the time was well
spent, for it gave US good experience by
pointing out Improvements on the plans
Al $40 a. IN. on the 9Th we were ready
for another start, and from that time on
we drove the ship good 800 miles, and
tell You we could bring her that mucl
further if it were necessary"