The Wrong Blueprint

In a rush this morning to get to work, I picked up the wrong blueprint. The blueprint that I wanted was one from the Phoenix Iron and Steel Company. Oh well, I scanned in parts of the one I that I had - one from the Worth Steel Company that was in Claymont, Delaware.

Then I partially remembered, Worth Steel was bought out by Phoenix Steel on September 30, 1960, so this drawing was one for "Phoenix Steel", but its still not the drawing I intended to pick up.

Bear in mind this blueprint is 30 inches high by 42 inches wide.


A small section of blueprint

The drawing is for a machine part and is labeled "Hydraulic System - Gen. Arrgt & Details of 3/4 inch 4 Way Operating Valve, 1500#"

I used to have to read blueprints such as this when I worked for my Dad at our family's non-ferrous (anything but iron and steel) foundry. My Dad cast lots of the brass, bronze, and aluminum parts that went into machinery all over the place.


Black and white scan to enhance details

Time worn, the blueprint ink has colored places that were white when the drawing was new. This drawing was drawn by "S" and completed on February 5, 1922 after being checked by "Smith". It was then kept in drawer number 590.

I guess with over 590 drawers full of drawings, they couldn't change the name from Worth Steel to Phoenix Steel on all of them!

This only thing of note otherwise is that the part required 2 leather washers and they changed the type of bronze the body of the part was made from on February 24, 1958. A part similar to this one might well be out in the ruins in the fields at Phoenixville.

The thoughts that I have aren't with the "ruins" but rather, I am grappling with the notion that Mr. "S" (and Mr. "Smith", if he was a different person), was almost certainly a man; is with even more certainty, dead; probably never used a computer; and most likely never saw the Internet. In some small way, this entry is a memorial to "him".

P.s., the Virtual Walker will be back tomorrow. He's been demanding equal time.

P.s.s., The steel company in Claymont still exists, but has changed hands. The Phoenix Steel plant there was bought by Citi Steel, a Chinese firm and is now called Claymont Steel.