Philadelphia Gear Corp. Develops
Synchroclutches For Gas Turbines
Figure 1—New clutch for gas-turbine propulsion units undergoing pre-delivery test.
The Philadelphia Gear Corpora-
tion has developed a compact,
heavy-duty, synchronizing clutch
which was specifically designed for
marine-propulsion systems using
high-powered gas turbines, such as
the Pratt & Whitney FT-4 or the
General Electric LM2500. The
clutch, known as the Synchro-
clutch, features a friction and den-
tal mechanism in parallel.
The friction elements are used
to bring the prime mover and load
into fixed synchronism and the
dental elements are then engaged
to transmit the full-load power.
The dental elements will remain
engaged without external power
required.
Two specific sizes have been de-
veloped to date, one under a Navy
contract and the other under a con-
tract from the Naval Ship Engi-
neering Center, Philadelphia Divi-
sion. Both of these models are
rated at 30,000 hp at 4,000 rpm. The
first model is intended for quill
shaft mounting and the other for
in-line mounting. The unit ordered
by the Naval Ship Engineering
Center in Philadelphia has been
delivered for qualification testing,
which will include full load runs
using a Pratt & Whitney FT-4
gas turbine.
Figure 1 shows the clutch un-
dergoing pre-delivery tests at
the Philadelphia Gear plant using
inertia wheels that simulate the
entire propulsion train, including
the propeller shafting and propel-
ler. Figure 2 shows the internal
assembly of the clutch and indi-
cates the compactness of the rotat-
ing elements.
The new clutch is available in
either "in-line" or "quill shaft"con-
figurations, and may be used at
speeds up to 6,000 rpm. It comes
in four sizes with ratings from
9,000 to 110,000 hp.
East Asiatic Names
Pignaz And Saunders
To Container Dept.
The East Asiatic Company, San
Francisco, Calif., has named Ross
M. Pignaz and George D. Saund-
ers to head the company's new
container department, in anticipa-
tion of the introduction of pure
container vessels in 1971 by the
Blue Star-EAC Joint Service.
The joint service began opera-
tions with existing ships on Sep-
tember 1 of this year, operating
between the United States and
Canadian west coast and the United
Kingdom, North European Con-
tinent, and Scandinavia.
The Eugenie S. Niarchos, sixth in a series
Kockums, is shown above underway in the
The 212,350-dwt tanker Eu-
genie S. Niarchos, built by Kock-
ums Mekaniska Verkstad, Malmo,
Sweden, was delivered recently to
the Bethel Shipping Company, a
subsidiary of the Niarchos group.
This ship is the sixth in the yard's
series of seven 210,000 tonners. It
was built under special survey of
the American Bureau of Shipping
and safety arrangements comply
with the SOLAS 60 recommenda-
tions.
The Eugenie S. Niarchos has an
overall length of 1,037 feet, a beam
of 160 feet, a depth of 80 feet 4y2
inches, and a draft of 62 feet 4}£
inches. It has a cargo capacity of
9,161,775 cubic feet and a ballast
capacity of 34,092 tons. The hull is
longitudinally framed and is pro-
vided with a cylindrical bow raked
: seven 210,000-dwt tankers ordered from
ads of Stavanger on delivery trip.
at the upper end. High-tensile
steel was used in the longitudinal
strength members in the deck and
bottom.
The main propulsion machinery
consists of a triple-reduction gear-
ed Kockum-Stal-Laval Advanced
Propulsion type turbine rated at
32,000 shp at 85 rpm. Steam is sup-
plied by two Kockum-Combustion
Engineering type boilers, each hav-
ing a maximum capacity of 66 tons
of steam per hour at 865 psig and
950° F. The boilers are regulated
by a Kockum Combustion Control
Mk 3 T. The turbine drives a 28-
foot propeller. This machinery pro-
vides a service speed of 16 knots.
The engine-room alarm system
is based on continuous one-man
operation from an open control
station.
shippers and all interests using the
State Docks facilities.
"The Port of Mobile," said Mr.
Smith, "is outstanding among the
ports of the world. We expect to
maintain this high rank of per-
formance."
Mr. Smith has a background of
experience in business and finance.
He has been in the merchandising
field for a number of years. A
native of Mobile, he formerly
served as a member of the Mobile
County Commission, the county's
governing body, and also as a mem-
ber of the Mobile County Person-
nel Board, the agency operating
the merit system for employees of
local governing agencies.
Mr. Smith was serving in the
cabinet rank post of chairman of
the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage
Control Board at the time of his
appointment as State Docks direc-
tor. He resigned that position to
assume his new duties at the State
Docks.
A veteran of World War II, he
is a board member and vice-presi-
dent of Guaranty Savings and
Loan Association of Mobile, and
a member of the Mobile Area
Chamber of Commerce.
Kockums Delivers 212,350-DWT Tanker
Eugenie S. Niarchos To Bethel Shipping
Aldon Smith Named
Director Alabama
State Docks Dept.
Aldon L. Smith
Aldon L. Smith, 45-year-old
businessman and civic leader, is the
new director of the Alabama State
Docks Department. Appointed by
Governor Albert P. Brewer, Mr.
Smith succeeds Houston H. Fea-
ster in the position.
Upon taking over the top man-
agement post for Port of Mobile
operations, Mr. Smith said that
progressive operational policies
will continue with the same em-
phasis on development of port fa-
cilities and services to provide ex-
peditious and efficient services to Figure 2—Internal assembly of new Phila-delphia Gear synchronizing clutch.
October 1, 1770 43
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