The Washington times., 1902-07-08
Waste of Time and Money.

Waste of Time and Money.
Few people have any adequate concep-
tion of the waste of money, of time, and
of material which is consequent upon
the employment of all manner of ir-
regular shapes and sizes In various kinds
of constructive work; and the evils
hence arising-although attention was
first called to them by an eminent Eng
;ishman more than sixty years ago
have been tolerated in this country with
an Indifference or supineness which has
not been displayed elsewhere.
1t was in 1871 that the late Sir Joseph
Whitworth pointed out the .nconven-
ience constant! ar'-ing from the differ
ent patterns of ecr,ws then employed
by different mSEr- of machinery, with
the result that machine in some dis
tant part of the world might be Grip
pied for want Of single screw. and
might remain SO until sufficient time
had been given to send to the workshop
of the original maker for the supply Of
the deficiency.
A Beginning With Screws.
He proposed that manufacturers
should agree upon a uniform size and
pitch of thread for every diameter of
screw or of aperture. and was promptly
met by the contention that the form
used in every workshop was. in some
point or other. better than the rest.
But the shrewd and patient north
countryman was not SO easily discour-
aged He evaded the difficulty by pro-
ducing the exact mean Of the several
patterns used by the most eminent firms
and his proposal was adopted by accla-
nation. He had so far foreseen this re-
suit as to have quietly prepared ma
chinery for dealing with it. and when the
standard screws were accepted he was
at once In position to supply the tools
necessary for cutting them. His atten-
tion was soon after diverted to other
subjects. but he constantly regretted his
inability to deal with other things as he
had dealt with screws. and was never
weary of expatiating upon the advan-
tages which would accrue to British in
NuStis iut LdllOndt auODIlOu OF q
sufficient variety OF standard sizes in all
departments OF manufacture. His favor
ite object lesson was furnished by
candle wabbling loosely in a candlestick,
and only rendered firm by a band of pa
per. or by one requiring to be scraped
before 1t could be fixed: and he would
ask why candlemakers should not agree
as TO the number OF sizes required by
consumers. and why every No. l British
candle should not ut easily and correct
ly into every No. ! British candlestick. |
The iron and timber parts of build |
ings. such as girders, doors. door |
window sashes. and the like, |
moved him to wrath by their diversity; |
and he was accustomed to maintain that |
the convenience which would be afford |
ed to purchasers by the general adoption
Of a proper number OF English stand
ards, and by accurate working to them, |
would be sufficient TO give something |
like a monopoly of the trade in every !
branch OF manufacture in which the
principle was carried into effect.
Standard Rails in America.
Perhaps the first important step to-
vas taken some years ago by an asso-
,iation representing the principal rail-
.oads of America, which had for one of
is objects the attainment OF uniformity
N the patterns of rails and in the parts
" locomotives. This association set it
self to determine. for example, how
many patterns OF locomotive were re-
,uired for the various demands of traffic
or express engines, goods engines.
hunting engines. and so forth-and how
hese might be made in the most eco
omical and practical way. The result
vas. certain patterns having been adopt
d ty all the companies included in the
that manufacturers were
BILE to work for stock at times when
how had no orders In hand and to do