The record-union., 1896-05-03

table upon which the timber rests may
be raised or lowered at the will of the
operator, and the thickness of the shaw
ing is regulated with the greatest pre-
cision. The machine was designed by
T. Schnauss, and, as time is money,
it is strictly a money-sayer. VIII it in
terest you to know that you might
travel the entire United States from
end to end and not see another like it?
Well, you would not. 1t stands alone.
Then those pattern makers use saws,
both band and circular. The band saw
does not differ materially from others
of its kind, and with it is made all de-
scriptions of delicate scroll work; but
the circular saws used are more COM
plicated. One of these is used for saw
ing miters, or joints formed by beveled
edges, for squares, heXagonS and octa-
CONS; and it is also called into service
for tonguing and growing. lemons are
sawed out with it to an accurate nicely,
and there are a hundred other cases in
which the little demon is made the SER
want of man.
Last but not least among the tools
used by the pattern makers to expedite
their work is a machine used for turn
ing ovals. The chuck was designed by
Mr.. Shaw, and is a masterpiece. 1t is
made of metal, and works independent
ly of the plate. The timber to be turned
is held stationary, but by a slot con-
trivance set into ring on the circular
plate, an oval rotary motion is secured
and your oval is turned out to any
size required and all in one piece, with
practically no labor whatever. Once
understood the machine is simplicity
itself, but it took years of study to
bring it to perfection.
1t will be interesting to know that the
rules used by pattern-makers vary
slightly from the United States stand
ard rule.
In heating and melting metals the
slobules or small particles composing
the same expand as the heat becomes
greater. Consequently, If it be desired
to cast cube of one foot the pattern
would necessarily have to be a trife
larger so as to allow for the contraction
of the metal after it will have become
cold.
The expansion and contraction of
metals vary. In making patterns for
ordinary iron castings the special rule
inches instead Of twelve inches, while
patterns for brass castings must meas
ure twelve and three-s -sixteenths to the
foot Patterns for drop forging molds
are twelve and nine thirty seconds, and
for cylinders twelve and one-tenth
inches to the foot.
1t is perhaps unnecessary to state
that patterns turned out must not vary
the one-thousandth part of an inch
from the original drawing, and an in
accuracy in this shop is an unknown
quantity.
Patterns for cars, locomotives, brid-
ges, buildings, steamboats,, pumps and
machinery of all kinds are turned out
with startling rapidity, and after being
put together they are painted. Two
kinds of paint are used, black and yell
low, and this paint is not used to beau
tify the pattern, either. When the
molder finds a part OF the pattern
which Is smeared with yellow ochre he
stops there until he makes a core to fit
the piece. In other words, yellow paint
means make hole here"
One thing, however, is in the pattern
makers favor If he makes a pattern
strong in all it's parts-like the WON
derful One-horse Chaise''-it will last
hundred years.
To tell the ordinary reader that there
have been made since the shop was
first located here 23,949 patterns of
as many varieties would give him very
little knowledge Of the actual amount
OF work turned out, and in order to get
a correct idea of the work which has
been DONE it will be necessary for him
to take a look at the patterns them
selves.
on the south side of I street, between
Front and Second, stand two large
three-story buildings which belong to
the Southern Pacific Company and
which are used exclusively for pattern
storerooms. On each floor and in every
conceivable place, from garret to eel
lar. patterns are hung, leaned, shelved
and stacked. Patterns, patterns, every
where. There is nothing but patterns
And each day some of those same pat
terms are hauled to the molders' de-
partment and each day many are re-
turned Each pattern has its individual
| mum er and its particular place, and
Thomas Smith, who rides bicycle and
has charge of the storerooms, knows
every niche in both buildings and can
find any pattern you may name, even
though the night be without a moon
In these storehouses there is the most
exact order in the midst of what to the
casual obcerver would seem direst con-
fusion. Curious visitors to the build
inas may look but must not touch. A
single piece mislaid and the pattern to
which il belongs Is irretrevably lost.
In the winter the various rooms of the
storehouse are heated so that an equa-
BILE temperature may be maintained
throughout the year in order to keep the
glue with which many of the patterns
are fastened together from softening
as well as to keep out moisture, which
has a tendency to warp delicate pat
terms out of shape. And the men in
charge will tell you, and you can readily
understand, that they have nothing like
room enough, and that an additional
storeroom will soon become a necessity
How many people in Sacramento ever
Z dreamed that those storehouses on
lower / street ever existed?
In the pattern-shop correct records
are kept Of every piece of work turned
out and if you take the first volume of
| those records and turn to the first item
/ itkeiNlA1S ~ HebtSi aA' AoA WIN SS0
| will read this:
mo General bearing for engine
truck for Governor Stanford" and if
you turn to the last item in the last vol
| ume you will read:
mo. Is, S,I1I-Bracket to brace back
| drawhead on tender for Schenectady
| engine No. 1,654."
| Then if you take the volume in which
the records of car work is kept you will