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Post by Richard Fisher on Jul 20, 2011 20:47:20 GMT 1
Kevin,
I will check my sights at the weekend. I've a number of different variants (all for the Vickers) and will go through them all.
I'm really pleased to see the Maxim and Vickers LoC is a project you are working on. It's something I've always wanted to compile but will never have the time. If you need any assistance, please let me know.
Regards
Richard
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Post by woodsy on Jul 20, 2011 21:41:22 GMT 1
I have checked my Vickers and Hotchkiss sets and neither of them have any 'glow' left in them. I suspect that this may be caused by leakage of the Radium from the tubes over the years. The tiny glass tubes are sealed with a compound that could probably dry and crack with age and exposure to the elements. It would only take a hairline gap for the Radium to escape. As an aside, during my visit to the Pattern Room in 2006 I noticed that the Welrods had tags attached warning of the radioactive substance painted on the sights. This is Radium based paint that is commonly found in wrist watches. The Health & Safety freaks are beyond belief!  |
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Post by tom on Jul 20, 2011 22:07:36 GMT 1
All the MG LoCs up to at least the 1920s are in a seperate scrap book in what was the Pattern Room library at Leeds. I photocopied all the Lewis and Hotchkiss ones (back when it was MoD and the copying was free) and scanned them in. I forget what the scrapbook was indexed as but it would save someone a lot of time.
ATB
Tom
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Post by kevind on Jul 20, 2011 23:48:10 GMT 1
Hello all,
These are interesting responses. I am not surprised the sights no longer glow because as Woodsy indicates it was radium gas encapsulated in a glass tube. I have located some further information in AWM Canberra about replacing the glaas tubes of radium in luminous sights. I have ordered the information and when received I shall post it.
Kind regards.
Kev.
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Post by Richard Fisher on Jul 21, 2011 21:40:21 GMT 1
To add to my previous: I've checked all the sites in my collection (four pairs) and none have any luminescence left in them. It's not surprising as I have a tritium powered Beta light from 15 years ago and it doesn't have anything left in it either! They must have seal problems as the half-life of radium is about 1,500 years!
Just to say about the health and safety stuff: I've seen a whole scrapyard shut down for a day because the sensors picked up too much radiation and it happened to be a box of old smoke detectors!
Regards
Richard
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Post by kevind on Jul 22, 2011 8:22:55 GMT 1
Thanks for your feedback Richard. In the early 1900's they deliberatly put Radium into such things as hair tonic, tooth paste, ointments and elixers. Yes, so much for over the top OH&S.
Kind regards to all.
Kev..
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Post by kevind on Aug 3, 2011 20:48:43 GMT 1
Following is a reproduction of the "offical" procedure for local replacement of luminous sight tubes: -
Replacement locally of broken tubes in Sights, Luminous,
No. 1, Mark 1, R.S.M.L.E. Mark III.
Back-sight.
Remove the back-sight attachment from the rifle; pick out the cement which retains the glass tube, and ensure that the thread at the entrance to the tube hole is as clear as possible, as the retention of the cement is dependant upon this.
Insert the new tube and seal with putty or plasticine as cement, taking care that the tube is positioned against the aperture, and the cement forms a backing or bedding to the tube.
Front-sight.
Remove the blade, fore-sight, from the rifle, depressing the finger of the spring while driving out the blade.
The ends of the axis pin are riveted, and the entrance to the axis holes are countersunk. The axis pin must be pressed to one side and the projecting riveted and filed off and the pin removed. This must be done with great care or the removal of the pin will probably render the sight unserviceable.
The renewal of the luminous tube will be performed similarly to that of the backsight.
Care should be taken during re-riveting to ensure that the joint of the blade is not closed in, and that the frame tube is perfectly free to be positioned by the spring.
Defective tubes removed on repairs together with their contents, which must be carefully preserved, are to be returned to Store for transmission to the C.O.O., Weedon.
The old putty or plasticine should be preserved and sent with the defective tubes as, in the event of the tube being broken, the contents may be mixed with the cement.
Luminous Sights, Front and Back for Machine Guns.
Instructions to armourers or artificers for replacing defective or broken glass tubes containing radio-active composition: —
Unscrew and remove the brass plate which secures the tube or tubes; remove the defective tube; scrape away the putty bedding; re-bed with fresh putty, plasticine, or other suitable plastic filling.
Carefully place the new tube in position taking care to see that the exposed portion of the tube is not above the surface of the body of the sight. Replace the brass plate and carefully clean the exposed portion of the tube.
Defective tubes removed on repair together with their contents, which must be carefully preserved, are to be returned to Store for transmission to D.D.O.S., Woolich Arsenal.
The old putty or plasticine should also be preserved and sent with the defective tubes as, in the event of the tube being broken, the contents may be mixed with the cement.
Note. — The tubes are delicate and therefore require very careful handling.
So much for OH&S circa 1916
Kind regards to all.
Kev..
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Post by kevind on Aug 11, 2012 8:31:10 GMT 1
Twelve months after the last post I am still researching Luminous sights for Vickers Guns. I have recently found references to the "Glade" sight. I think this may be the first foresight shield they adopted for the Vickers gun for use with the then existing Luminous foresight. Can anybody help please?
Kind regards.
Kevin..
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