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THE HERMAN FALK’S TWIN is 200 while the generator speed is 90 revolutions per minute. The gear unit used is very nearly the same as that on the tanker HERMAN FALK. The helix angle of 30 degrees and the diameter pitch of 2 d.d. and the same in both cases. This power house unit has been running steadily for five years and the gear unit has cost nothing in upkeep during this period and there is no sign of wear on the geared teeth or journals. From his experience with this unit the builder is no longer con- cerned about the gear. It has come down to the same status as a com- GEARED 8 CYLINDER DIESELS IN SHOP. mon mill gear of which this company builds hundreds every year. It has been stated by an actual observer that the gear unit on the HERMAN FALK is soundless and without vibra- tion. The natural impression would be gained after seeing it and feeling of it when running, that it is in- destructible. Even when running at 90 revolutions it gives off no sound nor the slightest tremor. A coin was successfully balanced on one of the nuts of the cylinder blocks while the unit was in operation. Any difficulties experienced by the Germans in the application of reduc- THE SAME UNIT FROM THE FORWARD OR REDUCTION GEARED END MARINE REVIEW—December, 1927 tanker HERMAN LOOKING FROM FREE END tion gearing to the diesel engine has no relation to the installation de- scribed in this article. There are fundamental differences between the German and American gears. Gears cut for instance by Blohm and Voss are of turbine reduction type with fine pitch and oil spray lubrication. The American gears, as installed at the plant of the builder and on the FALK are as men- tioned above of the usual rolling mill type, lubricated by a semifluid lubri- cant. In this particular case this lubricant is known as Crater com- pound. The peripherial velocity is low and the entirely reliable com- pound lubrication gives practically an absolute protection to the gear teeth. With the experience of the power house gears which in five years of operation do not show a wear of more than 0.001 inch the builder expects to see the gears on the HERMAN FALK outlive the ship. There is another important point in connection with gear drive. It is possible in this way to maintain control of the criti- cal speed. The space occupied by the twin engine geared installation will come within a block 14 feet 2 inches high, 389 feet 2 inches long and 14 feet l-inch wide. This represents the extreme overall dimensions. The (Continued on Page 52) 23