The Oregon state employee., July 01, 1945, Page 11, Image 11

9
New Ideas and Improved Methods
By FLOYD QUERY
C laude M oore , a section foreman
at Milwaukie, has designed and used a
barrel peavy for handling asphalt in
iron barrels. A 50-gallon barrel of as­
phalt weighs around 500 pounds and
is a difficult object to handle. The
peavy is so designed that one man can
easily tip a full barrel over or raise it
up on end, and during the current
labor shortage it is often necessary for
a lone man to handle these barrels.
Claude’s idea was well enough re­
ceived so that blue prints showing de­
tails of the peavy were prepared and
sent to others who might be interested.
He makes no claim that this is the first
barrel peavy ever used, but it has made
a tough and dangerous job less diffi­
cult, and his interest in getting things
done is to be commended.
W alter N. G reene , foreman of
oiling crew number 5 which operates in
Eastern Oregon, suggested that the
spreader boxes on his rock trucks, be
redesigned with a quickly adjutable
opening in place of the old hand crank
on each side of the box.
Leo Brunell and George jM. Rother,
under the supervision of J. K. Camp­
bell at the LaGrande shops, solved the
problem very successfully. The old
cranks were replaced with a single
ratchet lever at one end. This lever con­
trols a shaft running the full length of
the box which is connected to the
swinging part of the box by means of
links. The opening of the box can be
instantly changed from a closed posi­
tion to the maximum of 8 inches in
steps of 3/16 of ah inch. The box can
be opened to maximum while the truck
js in motion to allow oversize rocks to
drop through and instantly returned to
the proper opening without stopping or
slowing the truck.
It is. difficult to assess ah exact value
to this improvement, but there is ,no
doubt whatever that it is an improve­
ment, and is saving the state money
every day it is used. At the present
time, midway in the oiling season, Mr.
Greene’s crew has averaged 8100 gal­
lons of asphalt laid per working day.
The average for all five of the crews is
6600 gallons. His operating cost is 9c
per gallon of asphalt against an average
of 10c for all five crews.
It would not be true to state this
excellent record is due entirely to the
improved spreader box design. Many
other facors are involved including the
efficiency and know how of the crew
personnel, spacing of aggregate stock
piles, length and frequency of moves,
organization, efficiency of the equip­
ment, and many other things. Mr,
Greene and the boys in the La Grande
shops, however, are to be congratulated
for their interest and ingenuity in de­
signing this improvement.
Editor's note'
Department heads and employees áre
invited to send in new ideas or improved
methods being used in any state de­
partment. We would like to have data
from all state departments. Send your
articles to Improved Methods Editor,
1615 Nebraska Avenue, Salem.
The difficulties and struggles of to­
day are but the price we must pay for
the accomplishments and victories of
tomorrow.
—Wm. J. H. Boetcker.
Giustina Lumber
Company
Lumber, Shingles, and
Building Material
Phone 1010
Eugene, Oregon