812 REPORT — 1895. 



The Linotype machine produces letterpress printing surfaces much moi-e expedi- 

 tiously and economically than they can he produced by hand composition, or even 

 by type-setting machines. Ordinary operators attain a speed of 8,000 to 10,000 

 letters per hour, whereas the hand compositor averages about 1,500 per hour. 

 This increased product is attributable, first, to the greater speed at which matrices, 

 as compared with types, can be operated on ; and, secondly, to the possibility of 

 performing automatically in one machine the two subsidiary operations of justify- 

 ing and distributing which together amount to at least 33 per cent, of the work of 

 the compositor. The machine also effects a great saving upon the cost of a printing 

 office, as type, cases, and other appurtenances are unnecessary. 



5. Memorandum on the British Association Screw Gauge for small Screivs. 

 By R. E. Crompton, M.Inst.C.E., Pres.Inst.E.E. 



As ii result of the two reports presented by the committee appointed by the 

 British Association to design a standard screw gauge for small screws, a large 

 number of users, including II. M. Post Office, have adopted them. In 1890 the 

 London Chamber of Commerce appointed a committee to forward the question of 

 making the British Association screw gauge universal among electrical manufac- 

 turers, and a circular was sent round to the entire electrical manufacturing trade, 

 with the result that with hardly any exceptions the whole trade promised to adopt 

 the screws, and thus ensure the extremely desirable result of making all the small 

 screws used in electrical apparatus interchangeable. It is, however, much to be 

 regretted that a considerable number of users of small screws (the principal 

 offenders having their works in Birmino-ham) are still using other gauges, and thus 

 complete uniformity has not been obtained up to the present time. One great 

 difficulty in this c:;atter has been that of obtaining standard gauges which could be 

 referred to in specifications or orders for such screws. Wherever it is desired that 

 the screws should be thoroughly interchangeable it is necessary in such specifica- 

 tions to have a paragraph somewhat as follows : — 



' Testing. Each box of screws will be tested as follows : A handful of one 

 dozen screws will be selected at random from each box ; these will be tested both 

 as to the screw portion and the plain portion of the shank by being respectively 

 screwed or pressed through the corresponding maximum and minimum gauge holes 

 in the standard plates supplied on loan with the order, and which must be returned 

 with the finished screws. Any screw which cannot be screwed or pressed by hand 

 into the maximum female gauge, or which can be screwed or pressed by band 

 without forcing into the minimum gauge, will be rejected. If more than one screw 

 in each dozen thus tested is so rejected the whole box will be returned to the 

 contractors.' 



Four years ago I found it necessary to have standard plates made for tlie 

 purpose of ordering screws to the above specification. I had a number of such 

 plates prepared, but found the very greatest difficulty in getting them made so that 

 they would fulfil their required duty, the maliers giving as an excuse that 

 there was no standard B..\. gauge then existing to which they could refer. 

 This difficulty can only be removed by a complete set of standards being 

 made and deposited either with the Board of Trade or at the Society of Arts, 

 or with a similar central institution; and it is highly desirable that the British 

 Association should either call together the surviving members of the original 

 committee or form a new committee to consider the question of making up these 

 standard gauges and deciding on the place where they are to be deposited. 



One question for the committee would be the requisite allowance of clearance 

 between the absolute diameters of the various sizes as laid down in the report of 

 the committee and the sizes of the maximum and minimum sfaug'e holes in the 



CO 



gauge plates. 



Another point of importance in order to make this standard screw gauge 

 universal would be the issue of a short descriptive report, with illustrations, giving 



