SUPPLY OF PHOSPHATE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20307, 15 July 1929, Page 9

SUPPLY OF PHOSPHATE.

(Published by arrangement.)

CHALLENGE COMPANY'S WORKS

EXTENSIVE ADDITIONS IN HAND

Rapid progress is being made in tho construction of the extensions to tho Otahuhu works of the Challenge Phosphate Company, Limited, and their superintendent. Mr. A. Cassels-Brown, A.M.1.M.E.. is to be congratulated on the. despatch with which he is putting his extensive plans for improvement into execution. I.he extensions, in their splendid layout, reflect credit on tho company, which is spending a very largo sum of money in an-effort (" supply all tho requirements of farmers in tho way of superphosphate during coining seasons. . Already now burners, grinding and mixing plant have been installed, while the vast storage shed, which is in the hands of tho Steel Construction Company, is a month ahead of schedule. In the design of this shed, which combines strength and rigidity with economy in a striking manner Mr. Cassels-Brown is associated with Mr.' P. A. Davies, A.M.I. Struct.E., designing engineer to tho Steel Construction Compaiiv. " The steel trusses of the building, although of 92ft. span, weigh litlle moro than a ton each, and are among the lightest trusses for their span in existence. Tho gantry girders are 90fL. apart, and support an electric crane weighing 50 tons, including tho five tons of superphosphate carried in the grab. An interesting feature of (ho building is tho manner in which it is protected against any possible damage from the crane, which is designed to travel at 4Goft. a minute, should the brakes fail. Tho building was constructed on tho assumption that the crane would never bo brought to rest in less than a second in a distance of 3ft. 4in. To guard against stoppage at tho end cf less time than this, the track has been elevated 2ft. 2in. in a 1 distance of 3ft. 4in., the effort to lift tho load up this slope within one second being greater than tho momentum of the crane. The whole building is 550 ft. long, with a width of 160 ft. and a height of 80ft., and will hold 40,000 tons of superphosphate. When it is finished the company will be in a position to meet all requitemonts from stock, oven in periods of heavy demand. Nevertheless, provision has been made tor further extension in the future without causing any stoppago at the works, and with a minimum of delay.