Joseph Adamson and Co:1935 Review
Note: This is a sub-section of Joseph Adamson and Co
Visit of the Iron and Steel Institute to the Iron, Steel and Engineering Industries of Manchester and District
Joseph Adamson and Company Ltd. Hyde.
These works were established in 1874 by the late Joseph Adamson, and are carried on to-day by the grandsons of the founder. The activities of the firm were originally devoted to the manufacture of steam boilers, but the scope of the business was enlarged, first in 1883 by the erection of a new shop to specialize in hydraulic presswork, and secondly in 1894 by the construction of one of the first three-motor electric cranes to be built in this country, the success of which resulted in the establishment of the firm as crane-makers.
The works proper are divided into nine bays. Nos. 1 and 2 contain the hydraulic presses and their dies, of which there are to-day upwards of 1,200 tons, ranging in size from 2 feet to 12 ft. 6 in. diameter. The largest of the three flanging presses will admit plates 13 ft. 4 ins. diameter in the flat.
No. 3 bay is the smithy which contains an overhung press for sectional flanging, as well as the machinery for fire welding and flanging boiler flues, bending and welding angle rings, etc. A part of this bay is now given up to welding by the electric and oxy- acetylene processes.
No. 4 bay, the plate shop, contains plate-edge planer, bending rolls, multi-spindle horizontal and vertical drilling machines, two large vertical boring and turning mills, and heavy-duty radial drills.
Bay No. 5 contains the pattern and blacksmith's shops: the far end of the latter is used as a stores for bar iron and steel sections.
The next bay is the boiler shop: the riveting tower 60 feet high contains three fixed riveters and two electric hoists.
No. 7 and No. 8 bays, with the gallery over the latter, form the crane erecting and machine and electric shops. A feature of the former is the testing pit over which all cranes are erected for testing under any desired load up to 100 tons.
Adjacent to the main building at the press-shop end of the works lie the boiler house and engine house containing the hydraulic pumps, air-compressors and high-speed engines for electric power supply. Electric drive has been adopted throughout the works.
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