A Dictionary of Occupational Terms Based on the Classification of Occupations used in the Census of Population, 1921.
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ORDER VII.—METAL WORKERS (NOT ELECTRO PLATE OR PRECIOUS METALS)

Sub-order 7.—Fitters and Millwrights

210.—Erectors, Fitters



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adjuster ; overhauler
a fitter or motor fitter q.v. who overhauls and adjusts, after assembling is completed, stationary engines, cars and similar vehicles, component parts of valves or crankshafts, and similar mechanism; eases lock units, screws, etc., with hand tools; in case of motor car, may give car a road test.
adjuster, unit
an adjuster q.v. who works on a complete unit, e.g., engine of motor omnibus.
adjustment operator (sewing machine)
adjusts sewing machine parts with hand tools; may grind down parts on small treadle grinding machine, drill holes or makes existing holes larger with how drill, etc.; cf. fitter (sewing machines).
arm shaft freer
an adjustment operator q.v. who specialises in adjusting, by hand, bevelled cogs or eccentric cams to be fixed on arm shaft of sewing machine; may grind cogs or cams on grinding machine.
beam flanger
a fitter q.v. who repairs and fits metal flanges to warping beams.
beam maker (metal) ; flange fixer (beam making)
a fitter q.v. who fits together, adjusts screws and holts, and alters with hand tools, if necessary, shaft flange ends, adjustable sections, spindle bar or cupped ends with shields, together comprising warping or weaving beams.
bearing reliner (railway)
a hearing fitter (see' fitter) who specialises on refitting linings to bearings of rolling stock.
bedder
a fitter q.v. who assembles and fits together locomotive wheels and axle boxes, or who fits cylinders or other mechanism and base girders of locomotive.
blader, turbine binder ; blade, fitter
a fitter q.v. who attaches blades to rotors and casings of marine steam turbines, making necessary adjustments.
blocker
a fitter q.v. who assembles and fits together component parts of lifting blocks, or pulley lifting tackle, e.g., bearing cheeks, block stop, chains, etc.
carcass hand (hosiery machinery)
a fitter q.v. who assembles and fits together main framework, i.e., rails, shafting blocks, back bars and all outside heavy work of hosiery knitting machines.
car frame setter
sets side and cross members of chassis frames in a jig or lay-out; if part does not fit accurately, clamps it in a vice and with forked lever, bends or sets the inaccuracies so that the part eventually fits the jig; may sometimes bend to correct shape in power press; sometimes done by chassis frame builder or erector q.v.
carriage hammerer (textile)
see finisher, carriage.
chassis frame builder ; chassis frame erector
builds up parts of chassis frame on jigs, and rivets them together, for further erecting bj chassis erector q.v.
comb maker
see combwright.
combwright ; comb maker
a fitter q.v. who assembles parts, builds or repairs textile combing machines; if engaged upon repair work only or on maintenance work in mill, see mender (comb making).
elastic loom builder
an erector q.v. who assembles and fits together looms for elastic weaving.
engine tuber
see fitter, tube (locomotives).
erector
assembles, fits together and erects machines, engines, structural work, etc., and makes any necessary adjustments in course of erecting; does not prepare or make S arts for erecting; cf. fitter; uses and tools, spanner, hammer, screw driver; works usually from blue prints and specifications; sometimes specifically designated, e.g., airship body erector, airship erector, cultivator erector, engine erector, horse hoe erector, lift erector, locomotive erector, loom erector, machine erector, screen erector, sheeter erector, steel folder erector, well machinery erector.
erector, agricultural machine ; agricultural fitter, agricultural machine fitter
a fitter and erector q.it. who fits together component metal and wooden parts of agricultural machines, adjusting them as required, erector, chassis; chassis fitter; a motor fitter q.v. who builds-up and holts together sub-assemblies, e.g., wheels, axles, springs, differential gear, etc., upon chassis frame, or under-carriage of vehicle.
erector, chassis frame
see chassis frame builder.
erector, dynamo ; dynamo fitter, motor builder, motor erector (generators, etc.)
usually a fitter and erector q.v. who builds together and erects in position, dynamo machinery and electric station plant.
erector, frame (locomotives) ; frame fitter (locomotives)
an erector q.v. who erects, bolts and rivets together parts of underframe of locomotive with stiffeners; may also erect smoke box and boiler.
erector, motor (generators, etc.)
see erector, dynamo.
erector, motor (rolling stock)
see fitter, motor (rolling stock).
erector, motor (self propelled road vehicles—not steam)
see fitter, motor (self propelled road vehicles— not steam).
erector, printing machinery ; printing machinery fitter
a specialised fitter q.v. who erects printing machines in printing works; tests correct running of machine, when erected.
erector, pump
see fitter, pump.
erector, wagon
see fitter, wagon.
fanwright
erects, maintains and repairs fans for forced draughts or for ventilating purposes.
finisher, carriage ; carriage straightener
(i) a mule fitter q.v. who adjusts and trues-up running sections of mule carriages; sometimes done by carriage fitter;
(ii) bobbin and carriage straightener, carriage hammerer (textile); finishes, adjusts and straightens-out, by hammering, filing, etc., in a vice, carriages and bobbins of lace machines, preparatory to insertion of bobbins; in big workshops, may straighten in clamps of hydraulic press.
finisher (chassis), chassis finisher
a chassis erector q.v. who makes final adjustments to carriage; cf. chassis finisher (593).
finisher (sinker maker)
see straightener, sinker.
fitter
prepares parts, assembles and fits together the various portions comprising a mechanism from blue prints and specifications; may be required to assemble and adjust any kind of mechanism, e.g., delicate engines, machines and tools or powerful cranes, pumps, etc.; usually specialises in one branch of engineering; does repairs and reconstructing work when necessary, cf. millwright (212), and rigger (212); in preparing parts may chip by hand, with hammer and chisel, and file, scrape, saw, to true surfaces in a vice on a fitter's bench; sometimes makes own tools, e.g., scribing block, taps, dies; cf. tool maker (265); in small shops, lines out own work; understands manipulation of common metals and alloys and has practical knowledge of their properties and uses; has rough and ready knowledge of strength of ropes, chains and beams, of methods of slinging castings, forgings and machine parts, and of properties of water, steam, gas and air; present practice of shaping and finishing component parts by machine tends to reduce a fitter's work, whilst, owing to tendency to specialise, general hands, as above defined, are becoming rare, cf. liner; sometimes specifically designated, e.g., acetylene gas apparatus fitter, airship fitter, alternator fitter, axle box fitter, axle brass fitter, axle fitter, bearing fitter, body fitter, boot machinery fitter, bottle mould fitter, brake fitter, brass bearings fitter, carding engine fitter, car fitter (tram), carriage fitter (textile machinery), chocolate machine fitter, clip chain (stenter) fitter, compound fitter (locomotive), die fitter, dobbie (dobby) fitter, engine fitter, engineering fitter, engine shop machine fitter, flange fitter (textile beam making), frame fitter (rolling stock), free wheel fitter (cycles), gas and oil engine fitter, gas engine fitter, gear fitter (cycles), gun fitter (ordnance), gun and mountings fitter, gun mountings fitter, hydraulic fitter, hydraulic machinery fitter, interlocking fitter (railway signals), ironmonger's fitter, ironmongery fitter, iron pattern fitter, knife fitter (agricultural, boot, shoe, etc., machinery), lighthouse fitter, locking fitter (railway signal), locomotive fitter, machine fitter, machine knife fitter, machine tool fitter, magneto fitter, marine engine fitter, metallic tubing fitter, motor cycle engine fitter, motor engine fitter, mule fitter, oil engine fitter, oven fitter (biscuit factory), pattern fitter, permanent way fitter, plate pattern fitter, point and crossing fitter, potter's die fitter, potter's fitter, power house fitter, preparing machinery fitter, railway fitter, railway engine fitter, railway signal lock bar fitter, retort fitter (gas works), rough fitter, ship fitter, ship tele- graph fitter, sight fitter, signal fitter, Sliced fitter (textile machinery), speed gear fitter, spring fitter, spring terminal fitter, steam engine fitter, steam fitter, steam fittings fitter, steam gauge fitter, stenter chain fitter, stock fitter (metal bedsteads), switch and crossing fitter, tender fitter, textile fitter, tinhouse fitter, tobacco machinery fitter, tramcar fitter, truck fitter (tram), turbine fitter, vacuum brake fitter, valve fitter, wedge fitter (railway signals), Westinghouse brake fitter, wheel fitter, wire rope machinery fitter.
fitter, aeroplane
a fitter q.v. engaged on adjusting, fitting-up and repairing aeroplane parts; is often engaged in aeroplane erecting, cf. aeroplane builder (658), but usually specialises on aeroplane parts, e.g., wheel, chassis, controls.
fitter, agricultural
agricultural machine fitter, see erector, agricultural machine.
fitter, balance weight
fits weights used on loco wheels to counterpoise weight of cranks; cuts away metal from spokes to receive plates with cold chisel, hammer and file; places plates and bolts in position; brings up arms of hydraulic riveting machine slung in chains and rivets plates together; pours molten lead between plates to fill up space between spokes.
fitter, blade
see blader.
fitter, boiler; boiler mount fitter ; boiler mounter, mounter (boilers)
adjusts and fixes valves, taps, and general mountings in position on boilers, either in works, or after boiler has been placed in position for use; cf. fitter, boiler pipe.
fitter, boiler pipe
adjusts and screws into position, pipes attached to boiler, both within and without; boiler fitter q.v. sometimes also does this work.
fitter, box (iron or steel foundry) ; fitter-up (iron or steel foundry)
assembles and adjusts cast parts of moulding box, and attaches fittings; adjusts parts by filing, cutting, scraping, etc., when necessary, in fitting, using usual fitter's tools at bench.
fitter, chassis
see erector, chassis.
fitter, colliery
a fitter q.v. who specialises on colliery plant; adjusts and erects weighing machines, conveyors, gangways, light railways, ropeways, sling tilts, etc.; makes extra parts and adjusts where necessary; keeps colliery plant in running repair.
fitter, dynamo
see erector, dynamo.
fitter, frame (locomotives)
see erector, frame (locomotives).
fitter, frame (textile machinery)
assembles and fits parts to form textile machines; sometimes specifically designated, e.g., dobbie fitter, loom builder q.v.
fitter, furnace
a fitter and erector q.v. who fits or sets furnace, iron pot, etc., after brickwork is completed; makes all necessary adjustments to metal work with hand tools.
fitter, lino; linotype fitter
a fitter and erector q.v. who prepares parts, where necessary, and erects linotype machine in position in printing works, ready for use; also fits sub-assemblies in engineering workshop.
fitter, loom
see loom builder.
fitter, mechanical
a fitter q.v. who fits mechanism of generators, motors, etc., as distinct from dynamos, see erector, dynamo.
fitter, meter
fits remainder of mechanism of gas and water meters after clockwork has been fitted; sometimes, usually in small factories, also machines metal parts before fitting; sometimes specifically designated, e.g., gas meter fitter, wet gas meter fitter.
fitter, motor (rolling stock) ; motor erector (rolling stock), motor fixer
fits to bogies or under carriages of electric tramcars, motor used in propelling them; erects dynamos in position by building parts together.
fitter, motor (self propelled road vehicles—not steam) ; motor erector (self propelled road vehicles—not steam)
general term for fitters engaged on fitting chassis, motor, etc., to motor cars, lorries, etc., including adjuster, car frame setter, chassis fitter, motor engine fitter, q.v. fitter.
potter's die
fits dies into blocks for pottery shaping machines— jolliers or jiggers; repairs or makes dies in wood or soft metal if urgently required.
fitter, printing machinery
see erector, printing machinery.
fitter, pump ; pump erector, pump maker, pumpwright
is engaged in fitting up and repair of pumps and pumping machinery of all kinds; cf. pump doctor (244).
fitter, railway signal ; fixer-up (railway signals)
a fitter q.v. who specialises in fitting railway signal mechanism; erects signals, connects them with boxes and instals levers, etc., in signal box.
fitter, sanitary (pottery)
a fitter q.v. who adjusts and fits up all machinery making pottery sanitary ware; does repairs and maintains steam piping, etc.
fitter, sanitary engineer's
cuts metal piping by hand, using cutting dies; threads pipes, using stocks and dies; brazes pipes or sections thereof using blow pipe; does other similar work in fitting up pipes of brass or copper, preparation and adjustment of metal parte of sanitary apparatus and fixing of such apparatus in position.
fitter (sewing machines)
a fitter q.v. who tests more important sewing machine parts on template for accuracy in readiness for assembling; cf. sewing machine assembler (279); adapts parts, which assemblers are unable to fit easily, by grinding, etc.; passes work for minor adjustment to adjustment operator q.v.; may assemble certain of larger subassembles.
fitter, stand
see stand builder.
fitter, steel door
cuts, dresses, and files plates and framework of steel doors used for safes, fireproof chambers or divisions of buildings as a protection against burglars or as a safeguard against fire; work sometimes done by plater (222) q.v.; cf. door maker (258).
fitter, tube ; sketch hand
assembles sockets, flanges, joints, couplings, bends, elbows, etc., on tube and fits on the various attachments to finished tubes; makes up special ranges of tubes or fittings, to sketches.
fitter, tube (locomotives) ; engine tuber
cuts and fits tubes into boilers, barrels and fireboxes of railway engines.
fitter, wagon; railway wagon fitter ; wagon erector
a fitter and erector q.v. who fits and erects railway wagon from prepared component parts.
fitter and erector
combines experience of both fitter and erector q.v.; first prepares parts to fit, then lays out for assembling and/or erecting, and finally erects according to blue prints and specifications.
fitter and finisher, box iron
cleans, dresses and machines castings intended for bodies of box irons; drills holes in steel or brass fittings and assembles them; finishes irons by attaching wooden handles, etc.
fitter and turner
combines duties of fitter, and of turner (200) q.v.
fitter-up (iron and steel foundry)
see fitter, box (iron or steel foundry).
fixer-up (railway signals)
see fitter, railway signal.
flange fixer (beam making)
see beam maker (metal).
funnel setter
a fitter q.v. who fits funnels used in manufacture of rayon (artificial silk).
heck maker
a fitter q.v. who assembles and builds-up "heck" or framework on which healds are manipulated in a loom.
hydraulic valve man
a fitter q.v. engaged in maintenance of hydraulic plant; fits new parts, as required; also attends, cleans and keeps in working order, valves and cocks of hydraulic system.
inside hand (hosiery machines)
a fitter q.v. who fits up all internal intricate mechanism of hosiery machines after frame has been erected by carcass hand q.v.
lace machine builder
a fitter and erector q.v. who assembles parts and erects lace machines; does any necessary fitting in process of erecting.
liner, liner-off, liner-out ; marker-off, marker-out, scriber, setter-out, surface table man
prepares, with chalk or whiting, surface of casting, forging, etc., to be hand cut, drilled, machined, etc.; places casting upon surface table having dead level base; lines-out, i.e., marks, mathematically accurately on chalked planes and surfaces, relative dimensions of casting or forging to be tooled; in small shops, lining-out may be done by fitter q.v.
liner, engine
a fitter q.v. engaged in laying-out engine beds in proper relation to shafting, etc.; inserts liners (strips of metal) on bed to adjust level or balance of engine for more perfect running.
liner-up
a dynamo erector q.v. who places electrical machinery in test beds or otherwise in proper alignment, for driving.
liner upon test plate
a liner q.v. who places upon dead level surface of test plate, work to be examined for accuracy, and follows measurements given on blue print or in specification, with scribling block, dividers, squares, etc., as for lining-out, to prove correctness of cutting, machining etc., done by fitter, driller (200), turner (200) q.v. on object under test.
loom builder ; loom fitter
a fitter q.v. who assembles, fits together, and adjusts component parts of weaving loom.
marker-off, marker-out
see liner.
mender (comb making), comber mender, comb mender
a combwright q.v. who specialises in repairing combing mechanism of textile combing or similar machines, e.g.,
gill box machines
may be engaged in textile machinery works, or, as a maintenance man in a textile mill; sometimes done by pin setter (278) q.v.
motor builder
see erector, dynamo.
motor fixer
see fitter, motor (rolling stock).
mounter (boilers), boiler mounter
see fitter, boiler.
mounter, loom
(i) a fitter and erector q.v. who mounts special parts such as jacquard or dobbie attachments to looms, cf. Dobbie fitter, in textile machinery works, or, as a maintenance man in textile factory;
(ii) instals looms in a textile factory as distinguished from loom builder, loom erector q.v. in machinery works.
mounter (vehicles)
attaches body, wings, stays, step boards, etc., to chassis, with bolts, screws and rivets, after erecting.
overhauler
see adjuster.
press builder, press maker
a fitter and erector q.v. who assembles, builds up and adjusts cast, forged and machined parts to form hand or power presses.
pump maker, pumpwright
see fitter, pump.
scriber, setter-out
see liner.
setter-up (machinery)
(i) a fitter or an erector q.v. who sets-up, i.e. assembles, fits together and adjusts, textile machinery in mill;
(ii) a handyman employed as an erector by scrap dealer, to erect in position second-hand machinery sold to a purchaser instead of being scrapped; cf. setter-up (machinery) (211).
sketch hand
see fitter, tube.
slay setter, sley setter
a loom builder q.v. who fits and adjusts lathe or slay in a loom.
special part hand (hosiery machines)
an inside hand q.v. who fits to hosiery machines, intricate parts such as needles, barlocks, or other special knitting devices of various types of hosiery machines.
spindle backer (textile machinery)
a fitter q.v., who assembles and fits together top (running part) to bottom (fixed part) of spindle.
spindle setter
a fitter q.v. who adjusts and re-adjusts textile spindles on spinning machines.
stand builder ; stand fitter, table builder
builds-up castings to form sewing-machine stands, and mounts table in readiness for fitting of mechanism; does any fitting necessary in building of castings; cf. fitter, sewing machine repairer (244), sewing machine assembler (279).
stockwright
fits together component parts of metal stocks, or cylinders, of circular textile combs, preparatory to the fixing thereon of card clothing.
straightener, bobbin and carriage
see finisher, carriage ; sometimes further designated, e.g., lace machine bobbin and carriage straightener.
straightener, carriage
see finishes carriage.
straightener, sinker ; finisher (sinker making)
adjusts and trues up sinkers (knitting machine mechanism) after they have been pressed-out, by filing and hammering them, using also, a precision gauge.
surface table man
see liner.
swift builder
an erector q.v. who builds a winding machine having swifts or skeleton cylinders of steel rods on circular hoops, on which yarn is wound into hanks.
table builder
see stand builder.
temple maker (loom)
a fitter q.v. who assembles and fits together component parts of side temples, used, on looms, for keeping woven cloth stretched to proper width.
weaver's harness maker and enterer
is engaged in textile machinery works in making and fitting-up loom harness, by means of which warp threads are alternately raised and depressed; loom builder q.v. normally does this work.
wool comb maker
a combwright q.v. engaged on wool combing machines.

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From: A Dictionary of Occupational Terms Based on the Classification of Occupations used in the Census of Population, 1921,
Ministry of Labour, 1927. Digitised by Peter Christian, August, 2016.   This text is in the Public Domain.