Royal Visit to a Sparking-plu Factory
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Duchess of Kent Impressed When Visiting the Champion Factory
AN accompanying illustration shows H.R.H. The Duchess of Kent engaged in a tour of the factory of the Champion Sparking Plug Co.. Ltd., at Feltham.
The Duchess was obviously impressed with everything she saw. She spoke to many of the women about their duties and remarked upon the keenness and cheerfulness of the employees. Members of the office and works staff were presented, and a great cheering crowd ol workers assembled outside the factory to watch her departure. Other guests of the company at the time were two M.P.s, Sir Reginald Blaker and Dr. Leslie Burgin, who afterwards addressed the employees We also paid a visit to this factory a few days ago, ostensibly for the purpose of viewing an exhibition of most impressive pictures of the results-of our bombing of Germany, which, when viewed through' special eye-pieces, gave a full stereoscopic effect.
It was following this that we made a rapid survey of the .factory. We found a tremendous amount to interest us, and a remarkable speeding up of production by many ingenious methods and tools which have been specially designed for their tasks. Careful selection of materials and other means have enabled certain of the machine tools almost to double their output. Some are working at a speed which would have astounded the machine-shop men of a decade or so ago.
We were particularly intrigued by the methods' and means employed for ensuring gas-tightness between the ,plug bodies and the special insulating material, also between the latter and the central electrode of each. Most careful tests are conducted to ensure that no suspicion of a leak is present at these points, which are SID vital to the efficiency and long life of this hard-worked component.
Incidentally, sparking plugs are comparatively small and valuable, and to maintain a check on . them' a clever scheme has been devised. Immediately a plug is approaching its finished stage. it is inserted into one of many holes in a metal plate, and the filled plate goes right through to the packing department. The loss of even one plug is instantly obvious, and no worker would take the responsibility of passing on the plate until the reason for the absence had been satisfactorily, ascertained.