Couplings Shafts and Riggers
Photographs © Neil
Marsden
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DAPS
Members (LtoR) Phil Janion, Walter Graham and Dan Cross take a look at the
port tail shaft and bearings |
| One of
the tail end shaft couplings after removal, note the key-ways cut into the
screw thread, designed to stop the coupling from 'unthreading' itself with
the rotation of the shaft |
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Port
tailshaft withdrawn and clear of the 'A' frame bearing |
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Interior view of port stern tube bearing, showing metal bearing surfaces.
The stern tube contains two bearing shells, fore and aft which align with
bronze bearings 'shrunk' onto the steel shaft. See next picture. |
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Bronze
bearing at forward end of shaft (port side) |
| 'A'
frame bearing, showing lignum vitae bearing surfaces (just visible as
'slats' within bearing) Lignum Vitae is one of the
hardest and heaviest woods (three times as hard as oak), it is is most
commonly used for mallet heads, bearings and rollers. Because of its
durability and natural lubricants, it is the preferred wood for propeller
bushings and other underwater applications. |
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Tommy Ledson, 20 years at
sea and over 30 more as a rigger, twice 'round the world by the age of 17
and still going strong at 74! Amongst his specialist skills he has rigged
tall ship sailing vessels and is responsible for the rigging of the
preserved mast and derricks of Liverpool's Pierhead landmark, the mast of
the former Mersey Docks & Harbour Board's salvage vessel 'Vigilant' |
| Drawing
the starboard shaft, NSL riggers Tommy Ledson and Pat McAuliffe, set about
the skilled task of drawing the shaft longitudinally, whilst at the same
time ensuring it remains level throughout the operation. Both Tom and Pat
were originally Merchant seamen and learned their trade at sea, in the days,
to use their words, 'when the Merchant Navy Pool was like a travel agents,
with so many British ships needing skilled AB's they could literally pick
where they wanted to go!!' |
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