The Iron Age 1888-05-17: Vol 42

HE The Dynamite Cruiser Vesuvius. We take pleasure in presenting this week illustrations of the already much spoken of dynamite cruiser which was launched about | two weeks ago by Messrs. Cramp & Sons, at Philadelphia, conjointly with the gun- boat Yorktown. The Vesuvius, as this novel vessel has been named, is in many respects similar to the English torpedo cruisers, except that the torpedoes are dis- charged through the air instead of through | the water, Lieutenant. Zalinski’s pneumatic | dynamite gun being used for the purpose. | The length of the ship between perpen- diculars 1s 246 feet 3 inches; length over | all, 252 feet 4 inches; breadth, 26 feet 5 | inches; depth, 14 feet 1 inch; mean draft, | feet, and displacement, 725 tons. The | 1 will be armed with three pneumatic | IRON THURSDAY, May 17, 1888. surface of the water. Theshells containing the dynamite are projected by means of compressed air. There is a main reservoir down near the keel and a firing reservoir near the breech of the guns from which air is let into the guns in the rear of the projectile. The pressure in the main reser- voir is about 2000 pounds. It is con- fidently expected that when this vessel is completed the United States will have in its possession a vessel capable of placing with considerable accuracy an aerial tor- pedo charged with a high explosive with- | in the range of 2 miles. In addition to the three dynamite guns, a powerful secondary battery is carried, consisting of two 3- pounders, one 1-pounder, two 37 mm. re- volving cannon, and two Gatlings. The motive power will be furnished by two triple expansion engines developing | AGE contraction of area, and 24 per cent. elon- gation in a length of 8 inches. Test pieces were bent through more than 90°; one piece, 1 inch diameter, was bent double without breaking, and afterward wedged open and broken, and then welded , to- gether, this being an item required, by Lloyds. : caesiaiitiieanii > Estimating the Cost of Foundry Work. To make a correct estimate of the’actual cost of castings as they leave the foundry is, perhaps, one of the most difficult of the duties which devolve upon the engineer in charge of any manufacturing establish- ment. There are so many little expenses which can be determined only with the utmost difficulty, and which vary so con- )—--5 Fig. 2.—Main Deck Flan. 1 POUNDER GATLING ee, oC = — + — -—E-}— - — -— ae 5 é eS pzo . = a Pall = THE DYNAMITE CRUISER VESUVIUS, BUILT BY THE WILLIAM CRAMP & SONS’ SHIP AND ENGINE BUILDING WORKS, PHILADELPHIA, PA. dynamite guns of 10}-inch caliber, to throw shells containing 200 pounds of dynamite a distance of a mile, capable of being discharged once in two minutes. Ten dynamite projectiles will be carried for each gun. The range can be varied at will from 1 mile to 200 yards by varying the amount of air entering from the firing reservoir. The guns are not movable in theship, but are fixed at an incline, so that for training the vessel must be turned, but as she has twin screws this will be readily accomplished. To insure the safety of the crew while handling the shells and loading and firing the guns, a light protective deck is worked over the lower parts of the guns, protecting the loading gear, compressors, &c. The conning tower raised above the spar-deck, and just in rear of the guns, is built of 1-inch plates, with a light hood on top. The vessel has steam steering appa- ratus. The guns are placed side by side in the forward part of the vessel, as shown in the plan. They are made in single sections with flange connections, their length in all being about 54 feet. The shells are fired by fuses igniting on impact or by fuses formed of a composition which ignites on being wet, so that the charge| explodes after the shell sinks below the about 3200 indicated horse-power. There are four cylinders to each engine. The high-pressure cylinder is 214 inches in diameter, the intermediate 31, and the two low-pressure cylinders 34 inches. There are four boilers in independent fire rooms, about 194 feet long and 9 feet in diameter ; grate surface, 200 square feet. The speed is to be at least 20 knots. | I — The London Jronmonger refers to the recent testing of a cast-steel stern frame at the Newburn Steel Works (John Spen- cer & Sons) as follows: In order to test the soundness of the casting, which was in one piece and weighed 100 tons, one end was raised to an angle of 45° from the ver- tical, and on being released fell through a distance of 23 feet on to hard ground. It was then subjected to a drop test of 6 feet, and afterward, when suspended by an overhead crane, was struck with hammers | to ascertain from its ring whether it had | been injured by the tests. The test pieces, which had been previously marked and separated from the stern-frame, were then | treated and gave satisfaction, the results being 15 tons per square inch elastic limit, | 30 tons maximum strain, with 39 per cent. | stantly that many managers give up the task as a hopeless one, make a rough guess and establish an error at the very basis of all their calculations. We take special pleasure, therefore, in publishing practi- | cally in full a valuable paper on the sub- ject, presented at the Nashville., Tenn., meeting of the American Society of Me- chanical Engineers, by Mr.Geo. I. Fowler. In this paper Mr. Fowler outlines a plan which, we understand, he has used very successfully in his own practice. | The first point to determine, says Mr. Fowler, before developing any system of |estimating is the basis to be employed about which all of the expenses shall clus- ter. If we take the weight, we are reduced |to the old method of averaging all ex- penses at a certain rate per pound, It is evident, therefore, that the expense of molding is the basis upon which all esti- mates and calculations should be founded, coupled with a careful consideration of weights and the cost of iron and fuel. For the sake of convenience, we may divide our expenditures under the heads of iron, wages to molders, and molding ma- terials, as sand, blacking, coal dust, &c., the loss of iron consequent on melting, the expense of superintendence and repairs, BOT one - S et , ef Canis aes 806 cost of cleaning, helpers, office and other current expenses and pattern making. The first step isto arrange the outlay under these various heads, and determine in what relationship they stand one to another. It is evident that the price of a piece of work which costs $2 per ton in molders’ exerts a very different effect on the average cost of the output, from one costing $10, so that great care should be exercised in determining just what the actual expense of molding each individual piece may be; or, as we have already said, this is the principal factor in all of our calculation. These figures should be obtainable from the books of any well-regulated establishment; but they are not yet arranged, so that they can be used for the direct purposes of an estimate, since there should be a rearrangement and modi- fication of those items which can in any way exert an influence upon the cost of any special articles which may be under con- sideration; whether they are dependent upon its weight or are in direct connection with the expense of molding it. A heavy casting may require little time or expense in molding it, and a light one a great deal ; therefore those items which are particularly connected with the weight must be sepa- rated from those which relate to wages. We then formulate from the table which has been already prepared an auxiliary ac- count, comprising: The cost of melting; a certain percentage which rises and falls with the expense of molding, and 1s inde- pendent of weight; a business factor, in- cluding maintenance of buildings, salaries, interest, &c. This latter is practically con- stant, though its ratio does rise and fall inversely with the increase and decreise of business. All of the expenses of the establishment are gathered around these two heads—namely: Weight and molders’ wages wages. We see now that the expense of melting, including the cost of the iron and fuel, the service of the cupola, the clearing up of the drop, and the clean- ing of the castings, are items directly con- nected with the weight, and that they are apt to vary, per pound, inversely with the THE IRON AGE. proportions of the various minor items. First taking the expense of melting, we tabulate a schedule which will show the amount of wood used in starting the fire | and heating the ladles, the coke and coal required in making the bed, the fire-brick and clay, expense for banking, rounding up and charging. These expenses are, or ought to be, nearly constant for each heat, as all of the items mentioned are required in the same amount, whether the heats be heavy or light. Add then the cost of the iron and fuel used and the expense of melt- ing for a given heat is obtained. It will be readily understood that, given the ex- pense of preparation and the amount of iron itil: with the ratis of the fuel used in the charging, the whole melting expense per ton of castings is ascertained in a few moments, : To determine the ratio of the molding materials to the wages of the molders, re- quires some time, months, in fact, at first ; but when once obtained can easily be kept accurate by cecasional reference to the books. It is best when starting out to use this formula, to refer to the books and take the ratio existing between the amount paid for facings, riddles, &c., and the aaa wages for two, three or more years, and adjust it from time to time by reference to current expenditures. This is, in fact, the ‘only way practicable with any degree of convenience, for it would be a work of too great detail to weigh out all the articles | actually consumed, and estimate the wear and depreciation on the tools for each heat. The ratio of the waste of iron to the total amount melted can only be determined by experience, and no absolute rule can |be given for it, as the percentage varies obscure of all our items of expense. total weight of castings produced, because | the labor of preparing and serving the | cupola, and the fuel used in making the | bed is constant, leaving only the total of | the remaining tolerably constant ratio of | the several charges to bear the whole ex- pense. Under the domain of the molders’ yages, we bring all of the other expenses | of the establishment. It may be true that there are some expenses which do not stand wages paid to the molders, but the varia- tion from this ratio 1s so slight that no error will be introduced into our reckoning | if we assume this constancy to be perfect. Thus we group about this item, the wages paid the helpers, salaries to clerks, ex- penses for superintendence, molding ma- terial, &c. misplaced at first sight, but careful obser- vation has convinced the writer that the ratio is nearly constant. For those heavy and cheaply made molds, where the weight runs up into the thousands, take no more dressing, in the way of blackening, facings, &c., than the smaller and more elaborate with every cupola, and even with the kind of fuel and iron used, but when once de- termined it will be found to remain toler- ably constant, and may be verified by di- viding the weight of castings, scrap, sprues and shot for each heat by the total weight of iron melted, and subtracting the quo- tient from one. We have now to deal. with the most It is that incurred by interest on borrowed cap- ital, salaries of superintendents and clerks, office expenses, taxes, insurance, and, with the rest, that bugbear of all estimates— depreciation of property. The total of all |of the items but the last is very easily obtained, while the last must be carefully estimated with due consideration for all of the surroundings. When this 1s done, |it is best to make a studied review of the in a direct, actual constant ratio to the business for several years, learn what has been done, what was the average of the pay-roll for brisk times, dull times and when only a fair or medium business was being done. Take these three items and compare them with the present status and the probable total pay-roll for the coming This latter may appear to be | | porated in the expense of casting. |exact is molds which require many more times,the | amount of labor per 100 pounds than the heavier ones. This is the general plan, and we will now give a brief elaboration of the details, which will consist of ob- year; this will give aratio or percentage to be added to each and every dollar paid to the molders and should be of course incor- To be sure to establish this ratio and make it a work which should be thor- oughly done, but, when once accom- plished, it should be in such shape that a simple reference to our pay-roll, which will show whether we are doing a brisk, medium or a dull business, will determine | which co-efficient should be used for the ‘month. Thus far the assumption has been taining the cost of the iron and the ratios | existing between the molders’ wages and the following items of expense—namely : molding materials, expense of superin- tendence, business expenses, depreciation of property, wages of helpers, and pattern making. We have now grouped all of the ex- penses of the establishment about the two chief heads, molders’ wages and _ the weight, to which they bear a certain ratio, | separate department. and proceed to determine the amounts and | penses of the pattern shop. that the office expenses for the foundry are distinct; but where, as is almost univer- sally the case, the foundry is connected with a blacksmith and machine shop, with possibly other departments, care should be taken to assign to the foundry only that portion of the general expenses which be- long to it. Finally we have to assign to its proper place an expense which the foundry must pay for and which is usually treated as a I refer to the ex- Where a shop May 17, 1888, (is doing special work, this expense may | } |ing the foundry with them. /cases, especially in small works, where |contain any sulphur. consist of the repairs and construction of patterns for the various machines that are built and the labor and material therefor |may be directly charged without burden- But in most general work prevails, where patterns are altered and made to serve a variety of pur- poses, this, with the expense of flask repairs, must be put upon the foundry. Again, perhaps at the same time with this general work there may be a class of foun- dry work where the molding is done by machine and no expense is required for pattern repairs and none should be charged to it. The ratio of pattern repairs to molders’ wages is then really easily deter- mined, but it should be remembered that the foundry is to pay for no new patterns, but simply the depreciation on the same. Having now tabulated our formula and established our ratios, it only remains to make the practical application thereof, To do this the time-keeper should each ¢ take the time of each molder and the Volk upon which he has been engaged. Thi gives the basis to start upon. Add to gether the various ratios already deter- mined, multiply by the wages paid; to this add the wages and the cost of the iron in the casting, and the cost of that casting is known. For example, suppose that 40 cents is paid for molding a grate-bar weighing 100 pounds; that the sum of the several ratios is 1.2, and that the cost of iron and fuel has been one cent per pound of castings, then: Sum of all ratios multiplied by the mold- ll, sae eeeccewan Nae $0.48 I a ox eines b05 5548 bs segs sn AO E55. si nchencuséeweneantha bere 1.00 Total cost of the grate............... $1.88 It must be remembered by those who are disposed to criticise the method here enun- ciated that there has been no space within the limits of this paper for any elaboration of detail. It is due both to myself and the originator of the plan, Herr A. Messer- schmidt, of Essen, Germany, to say that he has used it in his own practice for 17 years, and that, though my own experi- ence with it has been for a shorter time, I can say that it has more than come up to my expectations for accuracy and the ease with which it can be used. By adhering to its principles several unsuspected leaks have been discovered and stopped, and it has been possible to adjust prices more in accordance with the real value of the ar- ticle sold than was possible before the plan was employed. To those who may object to its elaborateness I can say that an hour to an hour and a half suffices to work out the details of a heat of from 5 to 7 tons, and determine the cost to the manufacturer of each individual casting produced, and this when the output is composed of mis- cellaneous job castings, and that when the heat is entirely on line work the estimate can be made in from 15 to 20 minutes. a Chemical Misnomers.— The Popular Science News recites some of the curiosities of names of chemical compounds, which, when their inappropriateness is considered, appear extremely ludicrous. Thus: Oil of vitriol is no oil, neither are oil of turpen- tine and kerosene. Copperas is an iron compound, and contains no copper. Salts of lemon is the extremely poisonous oxalic acid. Carbolic acid is not an acid, but a phenol. Cobalt contains none of that metal, but arsenic. Soda water has no trace of soda, nor does sulphuric ether Sugar of tead has no sugar, cream of tartar has nothing of cream, nor milk of lime any milk. Oxygen means the acid maker, but hydrogen is the essential element of all acids, and many acids contain no oxygen. German silver contains no silver, and black lead no lead. Mosaic gold is simply a sulphide of tin May 17, 1888. This list might readily be extended, both in chersistry and other natural sciences, and it is only fair to state that these terms all come from the older writers, and tend to give way to a more scientific nomen- clature. Ae A New Geared Press. The accompanying engraving illustrates a new single action press of great strength, especially designed for heavy cutting and forming operations in sheet steel, iron and brass, for embossing sheet brass, German silver, &c., and for watch-case work. The frame is made of a single casting with a space of 16 inches between the upright, a section of which at the smallest part meas- A NEW GEARED PRESS, BUILT BROOKLYN, N. Y. ures 12 x 6inches. The bed is 12 inches thick and may be cast solid for embossing work, or have an opening cored to allow blanks to drop through. The forged steel shaft has journal bearings 6 inches diameter by 6 inches long, and the crank for operat- ing the pitman is 8 inches diameter by 10 inches long, occupying the total width between the journal bearings. The large spur wheel which drives the main shaft is 60 inches diameter by 6 inches width of face, runs continu- ously and is connected at will with the shaft by means of a very powerful clutch- ing device, controlled by a treadle. The mandrel or slide is made in two parts, the main portion being 18 inches in length and fitted to slide in adjustable V-shaped gibbs attached to the inside of the press frame. The upper portion ofthis mandrel is planed out to receive that part connected with the pitman, which is an oblong box- THE IRON AGE. shaped piece, held in place by a cap on the main part of the mandrel, yet allowed to move vertically for the purpose oi ud just ment. The two parts of the mandrel have a solid connecting device, which allows an adjustment of .,-inch of its hight, and the whole makes a practically solid mass of metal from the shaft to the lower end of the mandrel. Tight and loose driving pulleys 24 inches diameter by 6 inches face, and a balance wheel 58 inches diam eter by 5 inches face, weighing 1300 pounds, are mounted on one end of thé back shaft, which is 3% inches in diameter. A webbed pinion on the opposite end of the back shaft drives the large spur gear, the proportion of gearing being 74 to 1. The press frame is mounted on a heavy BY THE E. W. BLISS COMPANY, iron table, and the total weight of the ma- chine complete is 10,000. The press is built by the E. W. Bliss Company, of grooklyn, N. Y. It is Known as No. 40. Ee — Viscosity Determinations of Lubricants. At the Nashville meeting, last week, of the American Society of Mechanical Engi- neers Mr. J. E. Denton presented a paper of considerable interest, entitled, ‘‘ The Mechanical Significance of Viscosity Deter- minations of Lubricants.”’ Several forms of ‘‘ viscosimeters,” instruments for deter- mining this property, were described, one of them, designed for the use of the Stand ard Oil Company, consisting ot a bath of water, in which is held a vessel capable of holding 4 ounces of oil. The lowerend of 807 this vessel has an outlet about inch in diameter, so adjusted as te ym pletely surrounded by the wat bath as possible. A small piece of glass is set into the lower part of the oil vessel, and the water-bath is of glass so that as the level of oil falls it finally comes into view nd the time of flow of the o1l can be made to terminate at the instant when th il reaches a line drawn at particular po m the glass 7 portion of the oil vessel. The temperature of the water-bath is idjusted by condens ing steam in it. The oil vessel is filled to a desired point, and the time is noted which allows the oil t drop to the mark previously mentioned. In testing oils the interval in seconds, or viscosity, is re corded. <A second form viscosimeter was the same in principle, being used on the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad. A third form consisted of a cylindrical vessel in a proper heating bath. fitted with a piston. The vessel being filled with oil, the piston is drawn up until an eye in its rod is above the upper of two cross wires. The bath being at the proper temperature, the piston is released and begins to sink. When the eye passes the upper wire time is noted with a stop-watch, and the latter is stopped as the eye passes the lower wire. This interval of time is taken as the measure of viscosity. Both the cylinder and the piston are of glass. The piston is about ;,%;5 inch less in diameter than the cylinder. The cylinder is made with all the accuracy of bore that the highest opti- cal talent can afford. This apparatus is so sensitive in its action that the viscosity of illuminating oils can be distimmruished by its use. Its designer, Mr. C. M. Perkins, of the Atlantic Refinery, Philadelphia, has successfully applied the instrument to the explanation of the difference of illuminat- ing effect of various kindred petroleum products which it is impossible to investi- gate with viscosimeters of the jet type on account of their far less sensitiveness. Mr. Denton then submitted a table show- ing comparative results for given oils obtained by the use of the different vis- cosimeters. The figures showed a fairly satisfactory agreement, the discrepancies being of slight importance. The same oils were then applied to lubricate the slide of an upright condensing engine, 44 inches diameter 36 inches stroke, making about 80 revolutions with 70 pounds boiler pressure, with 90 square inches of area in the crosshead shoes on the working side of the shde. The slides were at a tem- perature of 167° F. Their surfaces, as they were uncovered by the shoes, could be closely observed and the thickness of oil tested by wiping the surface with the finger, sufficiently well to detect consider- able variations of such thickness. The relative amounts of oil were then deter- mined which were necessary to be supplied per minute to prevent the wear of the brasses of the crosshead shoe from causing black streaks to appear on the slide. From these figures Mr. Denton concluded that the possible saving in the oil con- sumption necessary for minimum wearing away of the rubbing surfaces, due to the difference in viscosity, proves that the most economical lubricant is the oil of the greatest viscosity which will permit the oil to be fed, wherever the in friction is an element of inferior im- portance, as is the case in all heavy ma- ss of power l I f i chinery. a The progressive town of Pullman, near Chicago, is to have an electric railway, three miles in length, to run between Pullman and Kensington. It ill be built on the Van Depoele system The plans and spe cifications have been completed and the contract let, and when f! shee t will cost in the neighborhood of $100,000. The road will, it is expected, be in running order in about 90 days. 2 eS 1 Pepys ve ai ae ee ) er ae ee 506 cost of cleaning, helpers, office and other current expenses and pattern making The first step isto arrange the outlay under these various heads, and determine in what relationship they stand one to another. It is evident that the price of a piece of work which costs $2 per ton in molders’ exerts a very different effect on the average cost of the output, from one costing $10, so that great care should be exercised in determining just what the actual expense of molding each individual piece may be; or, as we have already said, this is the principal factor in all of our calculation. These figures should be obtainable from the books of any well-reguiated establishment; but they are not yet arranged, so that they can be used for the direct purposes of an estimate, since there should be a rearrangement and modi- fication of those items which can in any way exert an influence upon the cost of any special articles which may be under con- sideration; whether they are dependent upon its weight or are in direct connection with the expense of molding it. A heavy wages THE IRON AGE. May 17, 1888, proportions of the various minor items. |is doing special work, this expense may First taking the expense of melting, we | consist of the repairs and construction of and heating the ladles, the coke and coal required in making the bed, the fire-brick and clay, expense for banking, rounding up and charging. tabulate a schedule which will show the | amount of wood used in starting the fire | | | | ought to be, nearly constant for each heat, | as all of the items mentioned are required in the same amount, whether the heats be | heavy or light. iron and fuel used and the expense of melt- ing for a given heat is obtained. It will be readily understood that, given the ex- pense of preparation and the amount of iron melted, with the ratic of the fuel used in the charging, the whole melting expense per ton of castings is ascertained in a few moments. ; To determine the ratio of the molding materials to the wages of the molders, re- quires some time, months, in fact, at first ; but when once obtained can easily be kept accurate by cccasional reference to the books. Add then the cost of the | | | | |ing the foundry with them. } en . | cases, especially in small works, where These expenses are, or | It is best when starting out to use this formula, to refer to the books and take the ratio existing between the amount paid for facings, riddles, &c., and the mat oa wages for two, three or more years, and adjust it from time to time by reference to current expenditures. This is, in fact, the only way practicable with any degree of convenience, for it would be a work of too casting may require little time or expense in molding it, and a light one a great deal; therefore those items which are particularly connected with the weight must be sepa- rated from those which relate to wages. We then formulate from the table which has been already prepared an auxiliary ac- count, comprising: The cost of melting; a certain percentage which rises and falls with the expense of molding, and 1s inde- | pendent of weight; a business factor, in- cluding maintenance of buildings, salaries, interest, &c. This latter is practically con- stant, though its ratio does rise and fall inversely with the increase and decreise of business. All of the expenses of the establishment are gathered around these twoheads—namely: Weight and molders’ great detail to weigh out all the articles actually consumed, and estimate the wear /and depreciation on the tools for each heat. The ratio of the waste of iron to the total amount melted can only be determined by experience, and no absolute rule can be given for it, as the percentage varies with every cupola, and even with the kind of fuel and iron used, but when once de- termined it will be found to remain toler- wages. We see now that the expense | ably constant, and may be verified by di- of melting, including the cost of the | viding the weight of castings, scrap, sprues iron and fuel, the service of the cupola, the clearing up of the drop, and the clean- ing of the castings, are items directly con- nected with the weight, and that they are apt to vary, per pound, inversely with the total weight of castings produced, because | the labor of preparing and serving the cupola, and the fuel used in making the | bed is constant, leaving only the total of the remaining tolerably constant ratio of and shot for each heat by the total weight of iron melted, and subtracting the quo- tient from one. We have now to deal with the most obscure of all our items of expense. It is that incurred by interest on borrowed cap- ital, salaries of superintendents and clerks, office expenses, taxes, insurance, and, with the rest, that bugbear of all estimates | depreciation of property. The total of all the several charges to bear the whole ex-|of the items but the last is very easily pense. Under the domain of the molders’ | obtained, while the last must be carefully wages, we bring all of the other expenses | estimated with due consideration for all of the establishment. It may be true that | of the surroundings. When this 1s done, there are some expenses which do not stand | it is best to make a studied review of the in a direct, actual constant ratio to the | business for several years, learn what has wages paid to the molders, but the varia- | been done, what was the average of the tion from this ratio 1s so slight that no| pay-roll for brisk times, dull times and error will be introduced into our reckoning | when only a fair or medium business was if we assume this constancy to be perfect. | being done. Take these three items and Thus we group about this item, the wages | compare them with the present status and paid the helpers, salaries to clerks, ex-| the probable total pay-roll for the coming penses for superintendence, molding ma- | year; this will give aratio or percentage to be terial, &c. This latter may appear to be | added to each and every dollar paid to the misplaced at first sight, but careful obser-| molders and should be of course incor- vation has convinced the writer that the | porated in the expense of casting. To be ratio is nearly constant. For those heavy | sure to establish this ratio and make it and cheaply made molds, where the weight | exact is a work which should be thor- runs up into the thousands, take no more| oughly done, but, when once accom- dressing, in the way of blackening, facings, &c., than the smaller and more elaborate molds which require many more times,the amount of labor per 100 pounds than the heavier ones. This is the general plan, and we will now give a brief elaboration of the details, which will consist of ob- taining the cost of the iron and the ratios existing between the molders’ wages and the following items of expense—namely: molding materials, expense of superin- tendence, business expenses, depreciation of property, wages of helpers, and pattern making. We have now grouped all of the ex- plished, it should be in such shape that a simple reference to our pay-roll, which will show whether we are doing a brisk, medium or a dull business, will determine | which co-efficient should be used for the /month. Thus far the assumption has been that the office expenses for the foundry are distinct; but where, as is almost univer- sally the case, the foundry is connected with a blacksmith and machine shop, with possibly other departments, care should be taken to assign to the foundry only that portion of the general expenses which be- long to it. Finally we have to assign to its proper penses of the establishment about the two | place an expense which the foundry must chief heads, molders’ wages and _ the| pay for and which is usually treated as a weight, to which they bear a certain ratio, | separate department. I refer to the ex- and proceed to determine the amounts and | penses of the pattern shop. Where a shop patterns for the various machines that are built and the labor and material therefo; may be directly charged without burden- But in most general work prevails, where patterns are altered and made to serve a variety of pur- poses, this, with the expense of flask repairs, must be put upon the foundry. Again, perhaps at the same time with this general work there may be a class of foun- |dry work where the molding is done by machine and no expense is required fo1 pattern repairs and none should be charged to it. The ratio of pattern repairs to molders’ wages is then really easily deter- mined, but it should be remembered that the foundry is to pay for no new patterns, but simply the depreciation on the same. Having now tabulated our formula and established our ratios, it only remains to make the practical application thereof, To do this the time-keeper should each ¢ take the time of each molder and the va upon which he has been engaged. i gives the basis to start upon. Add tol gether the various ratios already deter- mined, multiply by the wages paid; to this add the wages and the cost of the iron in the casting, and the cost of that casting is known. For example, suppose that 40 cents is paid for molding a _ grate-bar weighing 100 pounds; that the sum of the several ratios is 1.2, and that the cost of iron and fuel has been one cent per pound of castings, then: Sum of all ratios multiplied by the mold- eee isa se meagan 0.48 Se oss oe di ass see aa 40 CR as Sith etbkccawseexeaaeuas 1.00 Total cost of the grate............... $1.88 It must be remembered by those who are disposed to criticise the method here enun- ciated that there has been no space within the limits of this paper for any elaboration of detail. It is due both to myself and the originator of the plan, Herr A. Messer- schmidt, of Essen, Germany, to say that he has used it in his own practice for 17 years, and that, though my own experi- ence with it has been for a shorter time, I can say that it has more than come up to my expectations for accuracy and the ease with which it can be used. By adhering to its principles several unsuspected leaks have been discovered and stopped, and it has been possible to adjust prices more in accordance with the real value of the ar- ticle sold than was possible before the plan was employed. To those who may object to its elaborateness I can say that an hour to an hour and a half suffices to work out the details of a heat of from 5 to 7 tons, and determine the cost to the manufacturer of each individual casting produced, and this when the output is composed of mis- cellaneous job castings, and that when the heat is entirely on line work the estimate can be made in from 15 to 20 minutes. A Chemical Misnomers.— The Popular Science News recites some of the curiosities of names of chemical compounds, which, when their inappropriateness is considered, appear extremely ludicrous. Thus: Oil of vitriol is no oil, neither are oil of turpen- tine and kerosene. Copperas is an iron compound, and contains no copper. Salts of lemon is the extremely poisonous oxalic acid. Carbolic acid is not an acid, but a phenol. Cobalt contains none of that metal, but arsenic. Soda water has no trace of soda, nor does sulphuric ether contain any sulphur. Sugar of lead has no sugar, cream of tartar has nothing of cream, nor milk of lime any milk. Oxygen means the acid maker, but hydrogen is the essential element of all acids, and many acids contain no oxygen. German silver contains no silver, and black lead no lead. Mosaic gold is simply a sulphide of tin May 17, 1888. This list might readily be extended, both n chersistry and other natural sciences, and it is only fair to state that these terms all come from the older writers, and tend to give way to a more scientific nomen- clature. a A New Geared Press. The accompanying engraving illustrates , new single action press of great strength, especially designed for heavy cutting and forming operations in sheet steel, iron and brass, for embossing sheet brass, German silver, &c., and for watch-case work. The frame is made of a single casting with a space of 16 inches between the upright, a section of which at the smallest part meas- A NEW GEARED PRESS, BUILT BY THE IRON AGE. shaped piece, held in place by a Capon the main part of the mandrel, yet all move vertically for the purpos« just ment. The two parts of the mandrel hav a solid connecting device, whi h allows an adjustment of .j,-inch of its hight, and the whole makes a practically solid mass of wed to f ] ot ad metal from the shaft to the lower end of the mandrel. Tight and loose driving pulleys 24 inches diameter by 6 inches face, and a balance wheel 58 inches diam eter by 5 inches face, weighing 1300 pounds, are mounted on one end of the back shaft, which is 33 inches in diameter. A webbed pinion on the opposite end of the back shaft drives the large spur gear, the proportion of gearing being 74 The press frame is mounted on a rT THE E. W. BLISS COMPANY, BROOKLYN, N. Y. ures 12 x 6anches. The bed is 12 inches thick and may be cast solid for embossing work, or have an opening cored to allow blanks to drop through. The forged steel shaft has journal bearings 6 inches diameter by g inches long, and the crank for operat- ing the pitman is 8 inches diameter by 10 inches long, occupying the total width between the journal bearings. The large spur wheel which drives the main shaft is 60 inches diameter by 6 inches width of face, runs continu- ously and is connected at will with the shaft by means of a very powerful clutch- ing device, controlled by a treadle. The mandrel or slide is made in two parts, the main portion being 18 inches in length and fitted to slide in adjustable V-shaped gibbs attached to the inside of the press frame. The upper portion of this mandrel is planed out to receive that part connected with the pitman, which is an oblong box- iron table, and the total weight of the ma- chine complete is 10,000 The press is built by the E. W. Bliss Company, of Brooklyn, N. Y. It is known as No. 40. a Viscosity Determinations of Lubricants. At the Nashville meeting, last week, of the American Society of Mechanical Engi- neers Mr. J. E. Denton presented a paper of considerable interest, entitled, ‘‘ The Mechanical Significance of Viscosity Deter- minations of Lubricants.” forms of ‘‘ viscosimeters,” instruments for deter- mining this property, were described, one of them, designed for the use of the Stand- ard Oil Company, consisting ot a bath of water, in which is held a vessel capable of holding 4 ounces of oil. The lowerend of Several 807 this vessel has an outl out inch in diameter, so adjusted as te ymmpletely surrounded by the water-bath as possible. \ small piece of lass is set inte the lower part of the oil vessel, and water-bath is of glass so that as the level of oil falls it finally comes into view time of flow the oil can be made to terminate at the instant when th il reaches a line drawn at particular point on the glass portion of the oil vessel. The temperature of the water-bath is adjusted by condens ing steam in it. The vessel is filled to i. desired point, and ie time is noted which allows the oil to drop to the mark previously mentioned. In testing oils the interval in seconds, iscosity, is re- corded \ second f viscosimeter was the same in principle, being used on the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad. A third form consisted of a cylindrical vessel in a proper heating bath, fitted with a piston. The vessel being filled with oil, the piston is drawn up until an eye in its rod is above the uppel of two cross wires. The bath being at the proper temperature, the piston is released and begins to sink. When the eye passes the upper wire time is noted with a stop-watch, and the latter is stopped as the eye the lower wire. iken as the Both the cylinder and the piston are of glass. The piston is about ; inch less in diameter than the cylinder. The cylinder is made with all the accuracy of bore that the highest opti- cal talent can afford. This apparatus is so sensitive in its action that the.v iscosity of illuminating oils can be distinguished by its use. Its designer, Mr. C. M. Perkins, of the Atlantic Refinery, Philadelphia, has successfully applied the instrument to the explanation of the difference of illuminat- ing effect of various kindred petroleum products which it is impossible to investi- gate with viscosimeters of the jet type on account of their far less sensitiveness. Mr. Denton then submitted a table show- ing comparative results for given oils obtained by the use of the different vis- cosimeters. The figures showed a fairly satisfactory agreement, the discrepancies being of slight importance. The same oils were then applied to lubricate the slide of an upright condensing engine, 44 inches diameter 36 inches stroke, making about 80 revolutions with 70 pounds boiler pressure, with 90 square inches of area in the crosshead shoes on the working side of the shde. The slides were at a tem- perature of 167° F. Their surfaces, as they were uncovered by the shoes, could be closely observed and the thickness of oil tested by wiping the surface with the finger, sufficiently well to detect consider- able variations of such thickness. The relative amounts of oil were then deter- mined which were necessary to be supplied per minute to prevent the wear of the brasses of the crosshead shoe from causing black streaks to appear the slide. From these figures Mr. Denton concluded that the possible saving in the oil con- sumption necessary for minimum wearing away of the rubbing surfaces, due to the difference in viscosity, proves that the most economical lubricant is the oil of the greatest viscosity which permit the passes This interval of time ist measure of viscosity on will oil to be fed, wherever the loss of power in friction is an element of inferior im- portance, as is the case in all heavy ma- chinery. — The progressive town of Pullman, near Chicago, is to have an electric railway, three miles in length, to run between Pullman and Kensington. It il} built on the Van Depoele system. The plans and spe cifications have been completed and the contract let, and when finished will cost $100, 00 The road order in in the neighborhood of will, it issexpected, be in running about 90 days. re we ceTtT = aT Keep’s Tests for Foundry lron.*—ll. i ot Ee ends of the bar are clamped in small ex- | tension pieces made of tempered steel, |to an alteration of 50 pounds, it follows | If a blow-| that on the diagram 50 mm. represents a shown in Figs. 16 and 17. hole or a flaw exists in any bar a clamp is placed over the defect. A plate carrying the supports for the bar is placed on the bed-plate of the machine so that the test- bar shall come exactly under the beam of the machine and the center of the bar) under the pressure-post D. Figs. 16 and | 17 show this machine. It consists of a| beam, B, moving on a knife-edge (marked | 10). Forward from this 1 dm. is an-| other knife-edge (17), which transfers | the weight to D. A saddle, A, weighing 50 pounds, travels cn the beam B, its cen- ter of gravity corresponding with the) knife-edge (10) when its weight is pulled | to the near extreme. The beam is bal- | pressed against the paper. By this arrange- | ment the deflection is multiplied five times | and is recorded on the paper. Weight Machine.—The test-bar|is also recorded at the same time; but, as used being exactly 1 foot long and the|the board moves only one-fourth of the bearings being exactly 1 foot apart, the | distance traversed by the weight, and as THE IRON AGE. The weight 1 dm. on the large beam corresponds weight of 100 pounds. The use of steel ribbons (10 and 17) to hold the knife- | edges on their bearings dves not detract from the sensitiveness of the machine. At the forward end of the machine is a series of steps and attached to the end of | the beam is a dog, which, by means of a spring, allows the beam to descend without friction while the machine is weighing; but the instant the test-bar breaks the dog | drops into the next step and remains there. For foundry practice this is all that is required, and, if preferred, the weight can be read from the upper graduated edge of the beam. For more accurate work a May 17, 1888, is shown by the position of the catch on the scale when the blow was struck, and a reference to the table mentioned gives the value of the blow in pounds. — TT — New Light Forgings Factory at Chicago. The Vaughan & Bushnell Mfg. Com- pany, of Chicago, have just completed a new factory at 81, 91, 93 and 95 South Clinton street, for the manufacture of light forged hardware and tools, which is well worthy of special mention. Their busi- ness, which has been long established, had outgrown the facilities of their old factory at 106 and 108 West Randolph street, and after an examination of various sites they determined upon the new location above | referred to as the most desirable point for | the erection of a building large enough to cover their present and prospective needs, | and close enough to the business center of recorder is used, as shown in all Figs. 16 the city to answer the requirements of an ELEVATION anced “by a weight, Q, so that "when A is clear back it exerts When the weight is over D it exerts a pressure on D of exactly 50 pounds, and each forward motion of a decimeter adds a pressure of 50 pounds. The ca- pacity of the machine is 600 pounds, which is more than is required for cast- iron. The perpendicular rise of D is 4 inch, and it begins at its upper limit, so that the breaking of the test bar shall be when the beam is near the horizontal. The wheel W is turned by means of a crank and thus propels the steel cord K, which carries with it the weight A, On the same shaft is another smaller wheel (X), which carries another steel cord (G) which moves in the same direc- tion, but only over one-fourth the dis- tance. This cord is employed to impart motion to a portion of an automatic ar- rangement for recording the deflection. To this cord (G is attached a paper-holder, which moves with it and on which is fast- ened a sheet of paper. Attached to the underside the beam, at a point 5 dm. forward from the knife-edge (10), a pencil can be attache 1, whose point is *A paper read before the South Stafford- shire Institute of Iron and Steel Works Man- agers by W. J. Keep, C. E., Detroit, Mich., U. S. A Revised and communicated by Thomas Turner, associate R. L. M., Mason College, Birmingham no weight on D. | Ati tity SCALE 1 Pad tt Li 1 FOOT Figs. 16 and 17. AND PLAN OF TRANSVERSE MACHINE. ito 24, also 32 to 34. In this machine nearly all the parts are of sheet metal, and, | by means of a parallel motion, the pencil is caused to describe a perpendicular line. 2. The Impact Machine.—An iron frame carries sockets at the top which support a swinging weight (A) of 25 pounds. The radius arm is a light trussed rod. The bed-plate and frame and anvil (N) form a resistance much in excess of that actually required. The test-bar is set on supports just as in the weight machine, but for accurate work the recording device, shown in the figures previously referred to, is used. The weight A is raised by means of the operator's left hand, the handle O being held until the catch T takes hold of it. By pressing the trigger R the weight A is released and delivers its blow through the steel hammer W upon the light hollow slide E, which rests directly on the bar (or in the cage of the recorder if this is 'used). The blow is thus communicated to the center of the test-bar. While the weight is swinging and delivering its blow the operator moves the catch T up to the |next 4-inch notch, so that each blow is | delivered 4 inch higher than the preceding one. The first blow is always struck from } inch and each succeeding blow increases by 4inch. By beginning at 4 inch (which is lower than the weakest foundry iron) all bars receive as nearly as possible the same treatment. The fall of the breaking blow office and salesroom as well as a factory. The building is very substantially con- structed of brick, covers a lot 80 feet square, and consists of four stories and a basement, having numerons windows on all four sides. The design of the building is peculiar, being specially adapted to the nature of the business. The strcet floor is used for the office and salesroom, extend- ing to the depth of half the building, or 40 feet. The forging department is im- | mediately below in the basement, the front part of which is 11 feet high while the rear is open to the second floor back of the office, having a ceiling 24 feet high. The extra hight in the rear is for the pur- pose of making room for the larger classes of machinery used, and also to enable the work of forging to be carried on with an abundance of light, and as much comfort to the workmen as possible. In the front part of the basement the engine and boiler are located. A 70-horse power Reynolds-Corliss engine is used, and steam is supplied from a steel tubular boiler, 54 inches by 18 feet. The boiler will also supply steam for heating the entire building. Two Stiles & Parker presses are used for cutting material to lengths. Seven forge fires, two Bradley hammers, two drop forges and one steam hammer are now in use, but more machinery will be added shortly to the forging