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Pencoyd Iron Works, A. & P. Roberts & Co.
| Firmenname | Pencoyd Iron Works, A. & P. Roberts & Co. |
| Ortssitz | Pencoyd (USA) |
| Art des Unternehmens | Stahl- und Walzwerk |
| Anmerkungen | Lage: In Pencoyd Station. Lower Merion Township, Philadelphia und Reading Railroad (Schuykill River, gegenüber Manayunk), an der Strecke der Pennsylvania Schuylkill Valley Railroad. Mit mehreren Puddelöfen; das Walzwerk ist um 1872 im Bau (dort noch keine Dampfmaschine angegeben). Hat um 1883 ein Walzwerk und ein kombiniertes Walz- und Hammerwerk; dazwischen liegt das Stahlwerk (Puddlewerk). Die Kessel sind vmtl. Abhitzekessel der Puddleöfen. Für 1887/90 sind "zahlreiche Dampfmaschinen von 10 - 350 PS" genannt; Einzel-Auflistung bei [Bean]. 1884: 26 Abhitzekessel und 2 Stück 80-PS-Kessel von Babcock & Wilcox. |
| Quellenangaben | [Hexamer General Surveys, Plates 654+655+1743-1744+2054-2055+2420-2421 (1872+1883+1887+1890)] [Bean: History of Montgomery County (1884) 612] |
| Zeit |
Ereignis |
| 1852 |
Beginn des Werks durch Algernon Roberts und Percival Roberts. Die erste Fabrik ist 75 x 75 feet groß und umfaßt einen Wärmeofen und einen Fallhammer mit 2 tons Eisen am Tag zur Herstellung von Wagenachsen. |
| 1855 |
Beginn der Herstellung von gewalzten Achsen ("rolled-scrap axles") |
| 1859 |
Beginn der Herstellung von Brücken aus Schmiedeeisen und Gußeisen unter der Bezeichnung "Bridge Company" mit John W. Murphy als Ingenieur |
| 1865 |
Kauf von 6 acres von A. L. Andersons Besitz |
| 1872 |
In diesem Jahr werden 45.390 Achsen hergestellt. |
| 1872 |
Bau eines Fabrikgebäudes aus Stein, 225 x 130 feet, enthaltend zwei Walzwerke und zwei Dampfhämmer |
| Ende 1880 |
Bisher wurden 467.026 Achsen hergestellt. |
| 1883 |
Bau eines Erweiterungsgebäudes 100 x 100 feet |
| Produkt |
ab |
Bem. |
bis |
Bem. |
Kommentar |
| Eisen |
1852 |
Beginn |
1884 |
[Bean] |
|
| Manilapapier |
1883 |
Wiederaufbau |
1884 |
[Bean] |
|
| Stahl |
1872 |
[Hexamer] |
1890 |
[Hexamer] |
|
| Walzstahl |
1872 |
[Hexamer] |
1890 |
[Hexamer] |
|
| Zeit |
Objekt |
Anz. |
Betriebsteil |
Hersteller |
Kennwert |
Wert |
[...] |
Beschreibung |
Verwendung |
| 1872 |
Dampfkessel |
3 |
|
unbekannt |
|
|
|
|
|
| 1872 |
Dampfmaschinen |
3 |
|
unbekannt |
|
|
|
|
|
| 1883 |
Dampfkessel |
22 |
|
unbekannt |
|
|
|
|
|
| 1890 |
Dampfpumpen |
4 |
|
Worthington Pump and Machinery Corporation |
|
|
|
Große Pumpen |
|
| Zeit |
gesamt |
Arbeiter |
Angest. |
Lehrl. |
Kommentar |
| 1883 |
600 |
|
|
|
22 Jungen) |
| 1887 |
1000 |
|
|
|
|
| ZEIT | 1884 |
| THEMA | Beschreibung |
| TEXT | These extensive works are located in Lower Merion township, Montgomery Co., on the western shore of the Schuylkill River, opposite to Manayunk. The line of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad passes through the premises, over which all supplies and products have hitherto been shipped. The Pennsylvania Schuylkill Valley Railroad passes near the works, and will soon be connected with its system of tracks. The name "Pencoyd" is of Welsh origin, and signifies "Tree-tops," the Roberts homestead, founded 1683 by grant from William Penn, being so called.
The erection of these iron-works was commenced in the year 1852, by Algernon Roberts and Percival Roberts, with a view to entering into the manufacture of heavy hardware; but this intention was never thoroughly carried out, being limited to the forging of a few solid wrought-iron anvils, in moulds, under a trip-hammer. During the progress of their examination of machinery necessary for the business it occurred to them to add to their line of manufacture hammered car and locomotive axles, as the railroad interest at that time was increasing very rapidly. Their first order (for twelve axles) was received from the well-known car-wheel manufacturers, Messrs. A. Whitney & Sons. The growth of this branch of business was rapid, and in the year 1855 they added to it the manufacture of rolled-scrap axles. The product increased annually until the year 1872, in which forty-five thousand three hundred and ninety rolled and hammered axles were made. At the close of the year 1880 a total number of four hundred and sixty-seven thousand and twenty-six axles of both kinds had been reached.
In the year 1859, under the title of the "Bridge Company," they commenced the manufacture and erection of wrought and cast-iron bridges, having secured the services of Mr. John W. Murphy as engineer. It was the only firm at that time engaged in the manufacture of iron bridges. 'Squire Whipple, of New York, who preceded them in designing and erecting a number of patent bridges, known as the "Whipple Truss," subsequently sold the exclusive right to use his patent to the above association. A large number of bridges were erected on Beal's wagon road for the United States government; also, in 1859, an iron span was built across the Delaware River at Easton for the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company, one for the Illinois Central Railroad Company and a number for the city of Philadelphia. This pioneer "Bridge Company" demonstrated new utilities for iron, and successfully filled the demand resulting from the novel departure.
The finishing-mills contain at present the following: One twenty-three inch three-high roll-train, driven by a forty by sixty inch vertical engine, with a twenty-five foot fly-wheel weighing seventy thousand pounds. Upon this train rounds up to seven inches diameter and large shapes are rolled. Among the latter, fifteen-inch channels, fifteen-inch beams and six by six-inch angles may be mentioned as worthy of note. These mills are supplied by three heating furnaces of ordinary type. One eighteen-inch two-high roll-train, for bar-iron, axles and shapes of medium size, driven by a nineteen by forty-eight inch horizontal engine. Three heating furnaces are attached to this roll-train. One twelve-inch three-high roll-train, for guide-iron, small bars and shapes, driven by an eighteen by twenty-two inch horizontal engine and supplied by two heating furnaces.
The forge, designed especially for the manufacture of car and locomotive axles, contains: One steam-hammer, built by Merrick & Sons, of the following dimensions: weight of ram, three thousand pounds; diameter of cylinder, sixteen inches; length of stroke, thirty-six inches. One steam-hammer, built by Bement & Dougherty: weight of ram, three thousand pounds; diameter of cylinder, fourteen and a half inches; length of stroke, thirty inches. Also one two thousand five hundred pound steam-hammer and one one thousand pound hammer. One twenty-inch three-high roll-train, for shapes and bars, driven by a thirty-two by forty-eight inch vertical engine and supplied by two Siemens gas furnaces; and there is a blacksmith-shop, thirty by sixty feet, containing seventeen fires.
The puddle-mill contains sixteen double furnaces, two sets of twenty and a half inch three-high rolls, driven by a twenty-four by thirty-six inch vertical Corliss engine, and one rotary squeezer, driven by a sixteen by twenty-four inch vertical engine.
The scrap-house contains one shears, driven by a twenty by twenty inch engine (capable of shearing, at one stroke, a plate ten feet six inches long by two inches thick), two rumblers for cleaning scrap, and two shears for cutting scrap.
The machine shop is equipped for handling axles and the general repairs of the works. Besides the special axle tools it contains three roll-lathes, one thirty-six inch screw-cutting lathe, several engine lathes, one fifty by fifty inch planer, one twenty-five by twenty-five inch planer, a shaping-machine, drill-presses, etc., and one seventy-two inch horizontal boring mill.
The pump-house contains two Worthington duplex pumps; also one duplex pump built by Philadelphia Hydraulic Works. The total pumping capacity is fifteen hundred gallons per minute.
Steam is furnished by twenty-six boilers, placed over heating and puddling furnaces, and also by two eighty horse-power Babcock & Wilcox boilers.
The works are lighted by electric lamps of the Thomson-Houston patent.
The products of the works are hammered and rolled axles, shaftings from a half-inch to seven inches diameter, squares from a half-inch to four inches, flats from one inch to twelve inches, channels from two inches to fifteen inches, angles from one inch to six inches, tees from one inch to four inches, beams from three inches to fifteen inches. The total annual capacity is about thirty-three thousand gross tons of finished iron.
Particular attention is given to the manufacture of iron of high quality, for special purposes; such as bridge, tension members, boiler-stays and all other work for which guaranteed material is required.
The first mill erected was about seventy-five by seventy-five feet, and contained one heating furnace and a trip-hammer. The fuel consumed daily was about two tons, and the product eight car-axles. The number of hands employed was twelve. The demand for this product increased, making additions necessary, until the available space for building was all occupied. In 1865 six acres were purchased of A. L. Anderson's estate, being a part of the original tract first purchased. Upon this was erected, in 1872, a stone structure, two-hundred and twenty-five by one hundred and thirty feet, containing two trains of rolls, two steam hammers, which enabled the firm to turn out altogether about twenty thousand tons of finished iron per year. The demand for their line of product soon exceeded their means of supply, and in order to extend the works, and control a pure water supply, additional purchases of land were made from time to time. The firm now owned about fifty acres. The capacity of the entire works is about thirty-five thousand tons of various kinds of manufacture, such as car axles, beams, channel and angle iron, etc., consuming about one hundred and thirty tons per day. The last addition, erected in 1883, is two hundred by one hundred feet in size, and contains two furnaces heated by gas., one train of rolls, and is capable of turning out about fifteen thousand tons per year. It requires about two miles of different kinds of railroad tracks in order to have material handled to advantage. The works give employment to seven hundred hands when in full blast. The employees are paid every two weeks, and the pay-roll amounts to about thirty thousand dollars per month.
The firm owns between fifty and sixty dwellings, occupied by their employees, all of which are substantial and comfortable. They have also provided their workmen with a free reading-room and a library, conveniently situated and open to all well disposed persons. |
| QUELLE | [Bean: History of Montgomery County (1884) 612] |
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