The Metal Airscrew Company was formed in 1919 by Dr. Henry Charles Watts and Henry Leitner to produce hollow metal aircraft propellers with a method set out their joint patent. By 1928 the company name had changed to Metal Propellers Ltd. It remained active until at least 1930.[1]
The Leitner-Watts propellers were amongst the earliest with a thick metal aerodynamic profile. Watts was the aerodynamicist who determined the blade profile, Leitner the engineer who translated it into metal and designed hubs for two, three and four bladed propellers. The blades were produced in the Rubery Owen factory[2] in Darlaston, Staffordshire. Each blade side or shell was made up from three laminations of steel sheet, shaped in a press. The outer layer formed the complete shell shape and the progressively shorter, Y-shaped inner laminations strengthened the bade towards the root. The laminations were riveted or spot-welded together and the two shells welded together at their edges. To stiffen the blade, small shouldered cylindrical struts were then inserted through the face and externally soldered at each end. The hubs allowed easy ground adjustment of pitch to any angle;[3] if one blade was damaged, it could easily be replaced.[1]
At an extraordinary general meeting on 28 January 1926 the company decided that it should be wound up voluntarily and they appointed a liquidator.[5] In January 1927 a final general meeting was called to receive the liquidators report and close the company.[6]
Around 1928, the company reformed as Metal Propellers Ltd, with board members who also had positions with Saunders-Roe, Spartan Aircraft Ltd and British Airways. Watts remained as chief designer from 1925-7 but moved to The Airscrew Company in 1932. Metal Propellers continued to advertise until at least December 1930.[1] Metal Propellers Ltd were still sending apprentices to Saunders-Roe on the Isle of Wight for an initial training year in the mid 1950s.
^Barnes, C.H.; James, D. N. (1987). Handley Page Aircraft since 1907. London: Putnam Publishing. p. 251. ISBN978-0-851-77803-7.
^"The Paris Aero Show 1922". Flight. Vol. XV, no. 4. 25 January 1923. pp. 45–7.
^James, Derek (1991). Westland Aircraft since 1915. London: Putnam Publishing. p. 124. ISBN0-85177-847-X.
January 01, 1970
metal, airscrew, company, formed, 1919, henry, charles, watts, henry, leitner, produce, hollow, metal, aircraft, propellers, with, method, their, joint, patent, 1928, company, name, changed, metal, propellers, remained, active, until, least, 1930, industryaero. The Metal Airscrew Company was formed in 1919 by Dr Henry Charles Watts and Henry Leitner to produce hollow metal aircraft propellers with a method set out their joint patent By 1928 the company name had changed to Metal Propellers Ltd It remained active until at least 1930 1 The Metal Airscrew CompanyIndustryAerospaceFounded1919FounderHenry Charles Watts and Henry LeitnerSuccessorMetal Propellers Ltd HeadquartersRegent House London then74 Purley Way Croydon United KingdomProductsAircraft propellers Contents 1 History 2 Applications 3 See also 4 ReferencesHistory editThe Leitner Watts propellers were amongst the earliest with a thick metal aerodynamic profile Watts was the aerodynamicist who determined the blade profile Leitner the engineer who translated it into metal and designed hubs for two three and four bladed propellers The blades were produced in the Rubery Owen factory 2 in Darlaston Staffordshire Each blade side or shell was made up from three laminations of steel sheet shaped in a press The outer layer formed the complete shell shape and the progressively shorter Y shaped inner laminations strengthened the bade towards the root The laminations were riveted or spot welded together and the two shells welded together at their edges To stiffen the blade small shouldered cylindrical struts were then inserted through the face and externally soldered at each end The hubs allowed easy ground adjustment of pitch to any angle 3 if one blade was damaged it could easily be replaced 1 These early metal propellers were ground tested at RAE Farnborough then test flown on a Bristol Tourer seaplane 3 4 In 1922 they were fitted to the Napier Lion engine of the de Havilland DH 18 airliner 1 At an extraordinary general meeting on 28 January 1926 the company decided that it should be wound up voluntarily and they appointed a liquidator 5 In January 1927 a final general meeting was called to receive the liquidators report and close the company 6 Around 1928 the company reformed as Metal Propellers Ltd with board members who also had positions with Saunders Roe Spartan Aircraft Ltd and British Airways Watts remained as chief designer from 1925 7 but moved to The Airscrew Company in 1932 Metal Propellers continued to advertise until at least December 1930 1 Metal Propellers Ltd were still sending apprentices to Saunders Roe on the Isle of Wight for an initial training year in the mid 1950s Applications editBristol Berkeley 7 Bristol Seely 8 Bristol Tourer 4 de Havilland DH 18 1 Handley Page Handcross 9 Morane Saulnier AV 10 Westland Yeovil 11 See also editList of aircraft propeller manufacturersReferences edit a b c d e Ord Hume Arthur W J G 2000 British Light Aeroplanes Peterborough GMS Enterprises p 600 ISBN 978 1 870384 76 6 Rubery Owen amp Co Flight Vol XVI no 22 29 May 1924 p 345 a b All metal airscrews Flight Vol XII no 53 25 January 1920 pp 1307 9 a b Barnes C H 1970 Bristol Aircraft since 1910 London Putnam Publishing p 145 ISBN 0 370 00015 3 No 33135 The London Gazette 23 February 1926 p 1362 No 33229 The London Gazette 14 December 1926 p 8219 Barnes 1970 p 187 Barnes 1970 p 155 Barnes C H James D N 1987 Handley Page Aircraft since 1907 London Putnam Publishing p 251 ISBN 978 0 851 77803 7 The Paris Aero Show 1922 Flight Vol XV no 4 25 January 1923 pp 45 7 James Derek 1991 Westland Aircraft since 1915 London Putnam Publishing p 124 ISBN 0 85177 847 X Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Metal Airscrew Company amp oldid 1059554631, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
