Vintage work crew photos

[mklotz]

An interesting side note to the calutron story is the use of silver...

These magnetic spectrometer isotope separators required immense magnets to generate the fields needed to divert the isotopic ions. I could relate the story but the extract from Wikipedia below is more concise and contains all the pertinent details...

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The Chief Engineer of the Manhattan District, Colonel James C. Marshall, and his deputy, Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth D. Nichols, discovered that the electromagnetic isotope separation process would require 5,000 short tons (4,500 tonnes) of copper, which was in desperately short supply. However, they realized that silver could be substituted, in an 11:10 ratio. On 3 August 1942, Nichols met with the Under Secretary of the Treasury, Daniel W. Bell, and asked for the transfer of silver bullion from the West Point Bullion Depository. Nichols later recalled the conversation:

He explained the procedure for transferring the silver and asked, "How much do you need?" I replied, "Six thousand tons." 'How many troy ounces is that?" he asked. In fact I did not know how to convert tons to troy ounces, and neither did he. A little impatient, I responded, "I don't know how many troy ounces we need but I know I need six thousand tons – that is a definite quantity. What difference does it make how we express the quantity?" He replied rather indignantly, "Young man, you may think of silver in tons, but the Treasury will always think of silver in troy ounces."[63]

Eventually, 14,700 short tons (13,300 tonnes; 430,000,000 troy ounces) of silver were used,[64] then worth over $1 billion.

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The Wikipedia article goes on to explain the reclamation of the silver after the war and its return to the Treasury. Read the whole story here...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calutron#Design

[Frank S]

An interesting side note to the calutron story is the use of silver...

These magnetic spectrometer isotope separators required immense magnets to generate the fields needed to divert the isotopic ions. I could relate the story but the extract from Wikipedia below is more concise and contains all the pertinent details...

===============================

The Chief Engineer of the Manhattan District, Colonel James C. Marshall, and his deputy, Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth D. Nichols, discovered that the electromagnetic isotope separation process would require 5,000 short tons (4,500 tonnes) of copper, which was in desperately short supply. However, they realized that silver could be substituted, in an 11:10 ratio. On 3 August 1942, Nichols met with the Under Secretary of the Treasury, Daniel W. Bell, and asked for the transfer of silver bullion from the West Point Bullion Depository. Nichols later recalled the conversation:

He explained the procedure for transferring the silver and asked, "How much do you need?" I replied, "Six thousand tons." 'How many troy ounces is that?" he asked. In fact I did not know how to convert tons to troy ounces, and neither did he. A little impatient, I responded, "I don't know how many troy ounces we need but I know I need six thousand tons – that is a definite quantity. What difference does it make how we express the quantity?" He replied rather indignantly, "Young man, you may think of silver in tons, but the Treasury will always think of silver in troy ounces."[63]

Eventually, 14,700 short tons (13,300 tonnes; 430,000,000 troy ounces) of silver were used,[64] then worth over $1 billion.

===============================

The Wikipedia article goes on to explain the reclamation of the silver after the war and its return to the Treasury. Read the whole story here...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calutron#Design

long interesting read.

[Jon]

Plate Steel Spiral Casing for 70,000 horse-power Niagara Falls hydraulic turbine unit at the Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company erecting shop. The casting inlet diameter is 15 feet while the overall diameter is 50 feet. The plate thickness varies from 7/8 to 1 1/4 inches. Note the automobile in the lower right corner for scale.

More: https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Image/IM2045

[Jon]

Changing the wheels of a Union Pacific passenger engine. Los Angeles, California. 1936.

[Jon]

Workers map the Cambridge electrical system. 1950.

[Frank S]

OK I'm familiar with the A B D E and other size drawings but what would you call that

[PJs]

OK I'm familiar with the A B D E and other size drawings but what would you call that

I think that is 42 Extra M(magnum) size. Got to be 15' long and probably 6'-8' wide. I don't see a magnetic compass on the sheet but looks to be a scale and drafting squares and what looks to be an ink bottle and pen...OMG...Ink on 42M. And for gosh sake don't drag your tie through it! Wonder if they had white out back then when somebody messed up...hate to start over on that beast. I've printed E size roll paper about 6' long on a big HP ink jet before...but this is ludicrous speed.

[Frank S]

I'm betting it is more like 10 or 11 ft wide

[Jon]

Roots Blower Company factory. Indiana. Probably right around 1900.

Fullsize image: https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net...y_fullsize.jpg

[Frank S]

I hope those rotors were in full lock down when the 3 guys crawled inside for the picture. TO a blower of that size they would have only been lubrication for the rotors if they turned.