Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1917-01-05

operation drills all the holes in the
front axle. This is a guarantee that
each will be in right relation to the
other.
It was hard to drag us away from
the automatic turret lathe that sur
faces and finishes fly wheels. Ii
| works as though somewhere within
it's metal vitals a brain was conceal
cd. The workman has only to put on
the rough fly wheel, adjust the first
set of tools, push the lever, and let
the machine do the rest.
The cast iron is peeled off as readi-
ly as wax. Sometimes four or five
operations are performed at once.
When one set of cuttings is done, the
machine stops automatically, and the
next set of tools comes automatically
into place. Twenty operations are
performed in fourteen minutes; &c
pounds of metal are removed from
the wheel. One man can watch three
of these machines.
The vertical cutter of gears on fly
wheels almost matches the turret
lathe in interest.
Moving up and down, the cutter at
the same time slowly revolves, the fly
wheel turning in the opposite direc-
ton. By the time a complete revo-
luton of the fly wheel has been &C
complished all the gears are cut.
We all fell for the aluminium found
ry and for the machines that finish
the aluminium parts.
The multiple spindle drill bores 81
holes in the crank case in one opera
ton. This is proof of the superior
ity of maching processes, for the
holes must be in the right relation to
each other.
Another machine smooths the sur
faces of the crank cases, finishing sew
en- in nine minutes.
Diamonds, real diamonds, arc con-
sumed with apparently reckless in
difference in the wet grind room.
Placed in small tools they are used
to true the emery wheels on which
are ground the bearing surfaces of the
crank shafts.
They are bought in $4,000 lots.
We looked on while whole forests
of lumber were being turned into
bodies in the wood work department.
This lumber comes in by car loads
AS PA feet of wood is required on a
small touring car, we could readily
see why so much was required.
You make this round and you can
understand this company's immense
consumption of 900, 000
pounds of solder annually, $500, 200
pounds of tin and lead for smoldering
II, 900 900 pounds Of brass and copper
~ 900, 900 feet of steel tubing and
125, 900 tons of steel.
But what impressed us more than
all was the department in which
materials are tested. They have tc
know thing is right before it goes
into Willys-Overla car, That's
How hey safeguard the public.
Tests in the physical and chemical
laboratories are made in two ways.
completed steel parts are subjected to
terrific tests. Axles are twisted like
rolls of taffy candy. Small bits of
steel, six inches long, cut from COM
pleted axles, are attached at both ends,
and literally pulled apart. The reg
istering machine shows 100000 pounds
to the square inch necessary to &C.
complish this, whereas a resistance up
to 5000 pounds would be proof of
ample tensile strength. Springs are
tried for their resistance.
Steel articles are also put through
both heat and chemical tests. The
former determines the amount Of car
bon, an important factor; the other
determines the chemical composition
of the steel.
Naturally every operation in all the
plants tends finally toward the assem-
bly, conveyor tracks. There are four
of them, each GAS feet long.
We followed the whole operation
We began at one end where the frames
and rear systems are put in place. By
the time the other end of the con-
veyor is reached the frame has grown
into the finished car.
From overhead parts are lowered
by chains. Along the way men are
attaching the parts. The frame is
not in motion all the time, but can be
instantly connected with the links of
an endless chain and sent on it's way
whenever desired.
Top quality of workmanship is as
sured by having each man do work
on which he is an expert, if it be only
to tighten a bolt.