JW Townson supplies bellows and test rig to UK MOD

James Walker Townson has been contracted by the UK's MOD to supply a modified type of fabric bellows and a specially designed test rig for trials to determine the bellows' suitability for use on submarines to prevent the ingress of silt and foreign matter that could score the rams.

Test rig operations simulate the bellows movement when protecting the activation rams of a submarine's forward hydroplane. Made from heavy-duty elastomer-proofed fabric, with totally vulcanised construction, this design of robust yet flexible bellows has been used successfully on similar applications.

The modifications included a reduction in diameter to reduce the internal volume, thereby reducing displaced water during operation of the hydroplane, together with an upgraded joining system and modified flange dimensions to suit. The bellows extend and compress between 110mm and 590mm in length.

James Walker Townson engineering manager Ian Joyce explains: "We designed and constructed the test rig in-house as part of our contract. The tests were witnessed by the clients and showed that our bellows readily withstand the ram movement and pressure without stress or leakage."

James Walker Townson's flexible bellows are well proven to protect many types of heavy-duty plant, such as screw-down gear on rolling mills and hydraulic rams on large presses.

About James Walker Townson

James Walker Townson is a member of the James Walker Group. This global manufacturing group, with an annual turnover in excess of £110million (EUR160million), operates through two strategic business units: Sealing Products and Services, and Rail Systems and Products. It has 50 production, engineering, distribution and customer support sites worldwide and sells in over 100 countries.