The Iron Age 1889-01-24: Vol 43

‘THE | wheel, is a friction clutch operated by the ‘levers A’ and B’. These levers are held Among the tools for forging iron which | in position by the weights C’and D’. The have been recently brought out isa header| lever A’, Fig. 2, starts the machine built by the National Machinery Company, | and gives one or more entire strokes and of Tiffin, Ohio. This tool is the result of! when relieved stops the machine on its several years’ experience and experiment, | back stroke, leaving the dies open; when and its builders believe that in many | used with lever B’ (drawn forward) it will ways it is a decided advance on anything | stop or start the machine in any position. heretofore constructed for the same pur- | This gives the operator an opportunity to se. \set his dies without barring the machine The machine is designed for heading | around, also to stop the machine in case bolts, rivets and car pins, upsetting ends | there should be more stock allowed than of truss rods, stud ends for connecting | can be forced into the dies. The clutch T rods, round and flat eye bars, &c., also | is on a sleeve on the shaft X, which sleeve THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 1889. New Forging Machine. FORGING MACHINE, BUILT BY THE NATIONAL :-MACHINERY COMPANY, OF welding links and turnbuckles, and, in| also carries the pinion A” and gear wheel the hands of an ingenious man, it is hard B’’, and may be held from revolving by the to say what cannot be accomplished by its slip-bolt 2 in case very heavy work is aid. Often, where the machine itself; wanted. The back gear U U” C” which does not finish the forging, it will put the runs on a heavy eccentric stud, is thrown stock in shape for the drop or steam ham- in and locked in place and the machine is mer, back geared 14 to 1, with the gear out it The machine in operation is very similar is back geared 44 to 1. In back gear it to the Pittsburgh or Chapin headers— gives 12 strokes per minute and out of that is, it has a gripping mechanism to | back gear 37 strokes per minute. The main hold the rod and confine the stock while | crankshaft D is 9 inches in diameter and has a plunger acts on the projecting end. On bearings 13 inches long. The heading slide some kinds of work the enlarged end is| A is very long, runs on wearing pieces in the forged by the confining dies, as in a) bed and has square gibs which can be set up IRON AGE | be fastened into the tool holder T’, fur- nished with this machine. The stock gauge E’, Fig. 5, is on a hanging arm operated by a rocker, F’, and block, @”, on the headerslide. This gives a rapid motion in raising and lowering ‘and locks it in position, preventing the | clattering of the old-style gauge. The grip cam C, Fig. 4, is a side cam | operating alternately on the arms B G, | pivoted on the rack shaft B. The rolls 2 2 are conical, and all elements of both cam and roll intersect in the intersection of the axes D and B, thus avoiding all surface friction. The control of the rolls and TIFFIN, OHIO. {arms by the cam C is direct, and there is /almost no power wasted in useless compo- nents of pressure. The lever G is loose on the shaft, and is rigidly held attached to the shaft by the piece H”, keyed to shaft and the breaker I”. This breaker falls and allows the lever to drop back if the work gets between the dies. This rack shaft B is of ample size, and runs in brasses. On the forward end of B the short crank Z’, Fig. 3, is keyed and operates on the grip jaw H, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, through the connection Y. This gives the toggle grip the full length of jaw H, thus pre- machine bolt where the stock is confined | so as to reduce lost motion to a minimum. | venting its springing at the mouth of dies on but two sides and afterward forged | into shape by turning and re-gripping. The bed-plate or frame of this machine | A, Figs. 1 and 2, is a single massive cast- | ing, and the strains come direct on this | casting without the intervention of bolts or other. tension members. The machine is| driven by an 8-inch belt ona 36-inch pulley. On this pulley, R, which also acts as a fly- This construction permits the slide to be | as in present machines. The wear is con- | easily trued up when the unavoidable cin- | fined to the connection Y’, and the toggle ders and scale wear the surface out of true. | pins which are 2} inches in diameter and The crank connection P’ works in a brass | have a bearing 17 inches in length on con- knuckle box, P”, and has a 10-inch diameter | nection Y’. The grip jaw H swings on a by 6-inch bearing on crankshaft. The tool | pin, J’, at its lowerend. The pin is so is clamped in a recess in the heading slide | placed that the opening of the jaw for the by means of two heavy clamping bars, | first 2 inches of its motion is practically R’S', or if made with a round shank can |in a straight line. The wear on pin J” is ee eee —— 118 THE IRON AGE. January 24, 1889 taken up by conical brass brushes which | of shovels and spades to be rated as blanks, | remained for an unknown man, from a are forced into a tapered hole. The head- | without exception, $1 per dozen and 25/| distant land, to make, not only a me- ing strain is sustained by the wearing | per cent. chanical, but a commercial triumph of the piece I’. The lever I moves thrice to | Ee undertaking. each revolution of shaft and is operated by | The Lehigh Valley Semi-Centennial. It was in 1839 that the Le high Coal and the three-lobed cam 8 through the shoe J| i Navigation Company brought this man to and the rubber cushion 9, In the front; The Catasauqua Dispatch prints a letter|this country, and at their suggestion he end of the lever I and the lug on bed A’) from Oliver Williams, the well-known iron | selected the site of Catasauqua as a fit dies can be placed to give a ‘bend to the | ‘manufacturer, which we reprint as follows:| place to try the experiment of utilizing inom, stock or reduce it a little or modify it in} On July 4, 1890, now but eighteen the at that time almost valueless iron ores ‘co some way, or shearing dies for trimming | months in the future, there will occur an | of Lehigh County by the use of the then ' ends can also be put in. The cushion anniversary that will not only be of local ‘ equally valueless anthracite coal of Carbon So iI IE Hf rin tines — ; es oe Wy Ht fu AGA a at ' Fig. 1.—Plan. we _ ie +R FORGING MACHINE, BUILT BY THE NATIONAL MACHINERY COMPANY, OF TIFFIN, OHIO. ea % im me m gives an elasticity somewhat like a cushion | interest, but it will be the semi-centennial | County. Single handed, he went into the tien hammer, without which drawing out | of an event that has developed into na- | undertaking; no trained help at his bid- ie, Fs stock would be impracticable. |tional importance. From the experiment | ding, no foundries, no machine shops, no mF The data of the machine are as follows:| of that day has grown an industry so vast | mechanical engineers, no fire-brick works 4 j Grip opens 34 inches; die box is 17 inches | that it has not only been one of the main | worthy the name in the whole land. is long, 18 inches wide, and takes two die | factors in promoting the wonderful ma- | Every phase of discouragement conspired blocks 17 x 9 x 6 inches; the header slide | terial prosperity of this country, but it | to make the trial a failure, but all obstacles ae { “ has 12-inch stroke and will gather 62}-|has become the barometer by which its | were surmounted by the indomitable de- cy inch stock; ader slide makes 12 strokes | commercial condition is constantly gauged. | termination of one man, and the outcome fee ee per minute for heavy work and 37 strokes|It was on the 4th day of July, 1840,|has been marvelous. During 1840 less ieee: Pe be for light work. | after months of weary labor, that the first | than 1500 tons of anthracite pig iron was } iM a |furnace to successfully and profitably | produced in the United States—in 1890 ce. _ The Customs Department of the Domin- | smelt iron ores by the use of anthrac ite | 8,000,000 tons will easily be the output. _ 4 ion has announced, under date of Ottawa, | coal made its first cast. Several attempts | The story now reads like a romance; but a January 2, that the rate of duty on steel | to accomplish this end had been made | there are men and women still living who ei file blanks is 30 per cent. and that the rate| previously in other parts of Pennsylvania, | were old enough and close enough to the oe on steel cut to shape for the manufacture! and with some degree of success, but it | great central figure of the undertaking to is € a a4 a i =e s LTS January 24, 1889 THE IRON AGE. - Uf alin distinctly remember how little of romance! bodied in some more durable form than The Direct Process at Brewsters. there was in the daily struggle with the | that of the heart or even of the written | \. A inenniiini ae combined adverse forces of nature and of | page. What more fitting than a monu-| Tie“'oneley Riimmill Tron and Steel man, and to those of us who know how | ment of bronze on a pedesta! of pig iron. | Co., of Brewsters, N. Y., will put up 20 savage the opposition of the latter was, it | The cost may be more than the people of | retorts to manufacture iron direct by the is difficult at this day to determine which | Catasauqua alone could defray, but David} Blair process, modified. The company was the harder to overcome. | Thomas has friends all over this great use concentrates from the Theall mine, One thing is certain, the men who were | country, who wonld be glad to contribute | operated by the Cheevers, mixes them in a position to appreciate the greatness of | to such a fund. Eighteen months, however, | with ground charcoal, and exposes them Fig 2.—Cross Section, Fig. 4.—Grip Cam. Fig. 5.—Stock Gauge. FORGING MACHINE, BUILT BY THE NATIONAL MACHINERY COMPANY, OF TIFFIN, OHIO. the task then begun now stand amazed at | is but a short time to prepare for what can|to the proper temperature in horizontal the completeness of the victory won, as| be made the greatest gathering ever held | cast-iron retorts in which rotates a hollow measured by the advantages enjoyed. |in the Lehigh Valley. Whatever is to be| water-cooled arm provided with plow David Thomas, the victor in this great | done must be done quickly. Whatever is| blades. In three hours and a half the ore struggle, has passed away. His memory | done should not be determined on solely|is reduced. Formerly it was shot into is still cherished in the hearts of hundreds | by the citizens of Catasauqua, but should | closed cars, allowed to cool, and was who knew him and honored him. In a} be the combined work of a committee of | mixed with pitch and poured into barrels, few years more, these hundreds will have | the best men from Easton to Mauch Chunk. | to be shipped in that form to crucible and passed over to the ‘‘land of the majority.” | There is no man in this valley, however|open-hearth steel manufacturers. The It seems but fitting that his name and the | distinguished he may be, but would esteem | charge is about 1200 pounds. The com- story of his achievement should be em- | it an honor to be on such a committee. ‘pany are gettting ready to put up two i if i ce ie i a 3 Ps is ir 120 THE IRON AGE. January 24, 1889 incheslong. From them bars at least 4¢-inch square shall be drawn at one heat by hammer- ing. Each bar when cold shall be bent, with- out breaking, by the blows of a sledge to not less than a right angle. Should one bar from a heat fail and the other stand the test, a third bar may be taken from a bloom rolled from double puddling furnaces, to use them for | balling the iron product, and will also put in a trip-hammer. EE negligence of the railroad company’s em- ployees. In event of failure at the ends or else- where of the No. 1 rails, not ex ing 10 per cent. of the amount of the contract before the expiration of five years’ guarantee (and when the rails in all other respects warrant such a course), the railroad company will cause to be ws. wes * a [ad HUNT'S RAIL SPECIFICATIONS. Rail Managers Diseuss Them. In The Iron Age of October 25 we pub- lished the greater part of a paper read by R. W. Hunt, of Chicago, at the Buffalo meeting of the American Institute of Mining Engineers. It was in substance a presentation of specifications for the man- ufacture of steel rails, with the grounds which led to the adoption of the require- ments embodied in them. Coming as they did from one whose experience as an en- gineer and manager reaches back to the infancy of the manufacture in this coun- try, they commanded attention. The Iron Age invited an expression of opinion from steel makers, while our contemporary, the Railroad Gazette, of this city, brought out the views of leading railroad engineers, which we take pleasure in presenting here- with, as we have no doubt they will prove interesting to our readers. Since corres- pondents refer frequently to the different sections we reprcduce the specifications themselves. HUNT'S SPECIFICATIONS FOR STEEL RAILS. Section. Section 1.—The section of the rail rolled shall conform to the template furnished by the railroad company with an allowance in hight of 1-64 inch under and 1-32 over, being per- mitted in a delivery of 10,000 tons of rails. The fit of the fishing or ‘‘male” template shall be maintained perfect. Sec. 2.—The weight of the rail shall be kept | asnearto pounds per yard as is practical after complying with Section 1. Lengths. Sec, 3, —The standard length of rail shall be 30 feet at a temperature of 60° F. Shorter rails of lengths will be accepted to the ex- tent of 10 od cent. of the entire order. A va- riation in length of 14 inch longer or shorter than the above specified lengths will be al-| lowed Finish. Sec. 4.—The rails must be free from all me- chanical defects and flaws, and shall be sawed square at the ends, and the burrs made by the saws carefully chipped and filed off; particu- larly under the head and on top of the flange. In sawing care must be taken to avoid a flow of steel, which will preduce a swell on the top of lower flange, as the rail lies under the saw, thereby affecting the fit of the fish-plate. Sec. 5.—The rails shall be smooth on the heads, straight in all directions, both surface and line, and without any twist, waves, or kinks, particular attention being given to hav- ing the ends without kinks or drop. The hot straigthening shall be carefuliy done, so that gagging under the cold press will be reduced to the minimum, and so applied that the rails shall not be made ** lumpy.” Drilling. See, 6,—Circular holes inch in diameter shall be drilled through the web at inches from the bottom of the flange. The center of the first hole inches from the end of the rail; ands inches from the center of the first to the center of the second hole, and so on if more than two holes are required. These holes must be accurate in drilling in every respect, and | left without burrs, Branding. Sec. 7.—The number of the charge, the name of the maker, the month and year of manu- facture, shall be marked in plain letters and figures on the side of the web of the rail in such a position as not to be covered by the | fish-plates when laid in the track. If the pur- chaser prefers, the number of the charge shall | be stamped on the end of the rail. Percentage of Carbon. Sec. 8.—The steel to contain as high a per- centage of carbon as the maker is willing to put in and still meet the requirements ot Sections 9 and 21. Tests. Sec. 9.—While the heat is being cast, two (2) The first from steel test ingots shall be made. the same ingot represented by the failed bar. If this stands the test it shail be accepted in lieu of the failed one. If the makers choose, more than the two test ingots may be taken but they must be from the steel of the first and last regular ingots. bar fail, another one may be drawn from the duplicate ingot and tested, and if it stands, accepted. Treatment of Ingots. Sec. 10.—After the ingots are cast they shall be either constantly kept in an upright position until ready to be rolled, or else so maintained — the interior steel has had time to solid- ify. Sec. 11.—No “bled” ingots or ingots from ‘* chilled” heats shall be used in the manufact- ure of rails under this contract. Sec, 12.—No ingots from badly teemed heats shall be used, excepting as they shall be sub- ject to the provisions of Section 16. Cutting of Blooms. Sec. 13.—After cutting off, or allowing for the ‘‘ sand” or top end of each ingot, at least 12 inches more of seemingly solid steel shall be cut off that end of the bloom or partially formed rail; if the latter, then the pieces so cut off shall equal 12 inches in length of a 7 x 7 inch bloom; a greater length than 12 inches being preferred; and if after cutting such length the steel does not look solid, the cutting shall continue until it does. Heating. Sec, 14.—Care shall be taken to avoid over- heating the steel in shape of either ingots or blooms; and under no circumstances shall a ‘* cinder” heat be allowed—that is, a heat high enough to cause the cinder to run off the steel as it is being drawn from the furnace. This does not apply to cinder which may be sticking to the under side of the steel, when drawn from | got when drawn from a soaking pit. Inspection. Sec. 15.—Inspectors representing the pur- chaser shall have free entry to the works of the makers at all times while this contract is being | filled, and shall have all reasonable facilities afforded to satisfy them that the rails are being made in accordance with these specifica- tions. The makers shall furnish them with the earbon determinations of each heat, if so re- quired, Sec. 16.—The inspectors shall have power to reject rails made from insufficiently sheared blooms, or from heats the test pieces of which have failed, or from badly poured heats, or | from ** chilled * heats, or from ‘*‘ bled” ingots. | The rails made from uncut blooms, if otherwise | perfect, to be received as No, 1 short rails, if sufficient lengths have been sawed off to make | an amount of steel equal to the original de- | mand of 12 inches. Therails made from heats, | the test pieces of which have failed, may be ac- | cepted as No. 2 rails. The rails from a badly [eye heat may be received as No. 2 rails, ut if made from a ‘‘ chilled” heat or ‘‘ bled ” ingot to be absolutely rejected. By an imper- fectly poured heat is meant one which from any cause has been teemed without the control of the operator, <A “chilled” heat is one which, from the steel chilling, has to be either pricked or poured over the top of the ladle. A ‘** bled” ingot is one from the center of which the liquid steel has been permitted to escape. Sec. 17.—Imperfectly drilled, straightened or chipped or filed rails shall be rejected, but will be accepted after being properly finished. Sec, 18.—Rails failing to comply with Sec- tion 1 will be rejected as No. 1 rails. No. 2 Rails. Sec. 19.—The requirements of No, 2 rails | | shall be the same as for the No, 1, excepting | they will be accepted with a flaw in the head | | not exceeding ‘4 inch, and flaws in the flanges | not exceeding ‘¢ inch in depth, and may have oured ingot | been made from an imperfectly | or heats from which the test bars or failed. Sec, 20,—No., 2 rails to the extent of per cent. of the whole order will be received. Guarantee. | No. 1 rails against breakage and unusual wear Sec. 21 —The rail makers to guarantee the | of steel rails is in the purchaser deman and should any such rails so fail, will, upon the return of such failed rails to their works, deliver free of cost on cars at their works If this is done and a test a horizontal furnace, or to the bottom of an in- | at the ends or elsewhere for five years from the time of delivery to the railroad company ; r- | made in re fect rails to replace such failed rails, the failure | cut off so much of such rails as may be neces- sary to make perfect rails of them, but in no case leaving them less than feet in length, the maker to pay in cash for cutting, redrilling, and restraightening such rails. The loss in weight so sustained by the railroad com- pany to be made up to them by the makers on the return to them of the pieces so cut off in good and perfect full-length rails of such sec- tion as may be upon. The points of delivery of failed rails, ends of rails cut off and rails to replace the same, or mode of such set- tlement, may be varied to conform to the peculiarities of each contract. The Railmakers’ Views. One correspondent writes: ‘‘I have read the specifications through very care- fully and find that they correspond so closely with the practice at our works that I really find no opportunity for discussion or criticism. I believe the specifications to be perfectly fair and reasonable, and if strictly carried out would result in pro- ducing good rails, as far as the manufact- urer is able to see or provide against.” Another mill presents the following views: I heartily subscribe to most of what Captain Hunt recommends, and think that, with some modifications, his specifications are judicious and reasonable. Up to section 9 of his ifica- tion I see nothing on the list to criticise. I must - however, that I am far from having the confidence which he expresses in the style of test recommended in section 9. The break- ing angles of test pieces taken in this way are much influenced by the manipulation of the blacksmith and the temperature at which they ‘are hammered out. The varying results thus obtained have caused us to lose confidence in this method of testing, although we still con- tinue its use. The drop test is not so con- venient, but is more reliable in showing the strength of the rail as it really is and by indi- cating the grade of metal which may be advis- able for the particular section which is being | tested. The shortcoming of both methods is | that, although the strength of the metal may be indicated, the wearing qualities are only in- directly indicated. In section 10 it seems to us that unnecessary stress is laid upon keeping the ingot “in an upright position until rolled, or else so main- tained until the interior steel has had time to solidify.” This would compel the abandoning of all furnaces in which the ingot is heated in a horizontal position, or else the holding of the ingot in an upright position until the interior steel had time to solidify before putting into the furnace. This latter alternative would be very objectionable in the light of our practice, as we find that the sooner the ingots are put into the heating furnace after stripping the better they roll, and the colder they are allowed to get before heating the more likely they are to crack in rolling and make second quality rails. | It may be injurious to the ingot to throw it | violently upon its side in the pit ey after stripping, but we think it will be difficult | to show any injurious effect from placing it | (after the top is well set) horizontally upon a car, and transferring in that position to the heating furnace. There does not seem to be anything objectionable in the remaining sec- tions. Another correspondent writes : These specifications do not impress me as at all desirable for securing the best results, and | they convey more of an essay on the method |of making steel rails than a clear-cut ex- position of what can be reasonably required of | steel-rail makers, The practice hitherto pur- sued by the purchasers of steel rails has been to follow one uf two lines of ifications. The first is to submit the chemical constituents that are demanded in the rails. This is simple and direct, and when the rail-maker conforms to this, he has fulfilled all that can be uired of him. I may say here, that the pursuit of this | course has proved a very serious failure. The | second line of requirement in the manufacture ’ | that the steel rails stand certain tests independ- ent of their chemical composition. ese physical tests to be applied under the care of the inspector of rails, and if they conform to | this condition, no complaints can be reasonably gard to any other matter. I hold it as a general principle that whilst of which is not attributable to improper lay- | manufacturers of rails are not disinclined to eh eemey : going into the first regular ingot, the other from | ing or want of care after being laid, or un- | submit all the operations to an intelligent in- eas. metal —- the last one. These test in- | usual circumstances of derailment from failure spector, yet they hold the position iin all its rh gots shall be 3x38 inches and not less than 4 of other railway machinery or appliances, or strength, that the trained men of the manu- He ints. eek i January 24, 1889 THE IRON AGE. 121 facturer are the best agents in assuring satis- factory results in the manufacture of steel | rails. As to the five years’ guarantee, no manu- facturer of steel rails who has any character at all would tolerate this condition for a mo- ment. If the purchaser insists on chemical and hysical tests, and the manufacturer has con- ormed to these tests to the satisfaction of the | inspector of rails, it is quite evident that no further demand should he made of the manu- facturer. Parties asking this five years’ guar- antee intend to cheat somebody, because the manufacturer has no control of the condition of the tracks, and they may put his rails into some miserable mud bed, in which the ends will be hammered to pieces in one or two years, and ask him then to supply rails for those that were unfairly treated by the inadequate ballast of his track; or the business of the road may be increased from the time such guarantee is given, demanding very much more duty from the rails than anticipated in the guarantee; or, the increased weight of locomotives and rolling stock may demand a very large increased wear on the rails, which could not be anticipated at the time of the guarantee. On the whole, I would suggest that these specifications need an absolute and entire remodeling, omitting the details of the manufacture of rails in all their conditions. To insist upon one or two series of tests, either chemical or physical, and one of these to be satisfactory to the purchasers, if they come up to the agreement in the specifi- cations for such tests. The superintendent of a leading mill reviews the specifications as follows: Under Section 1 to 7 inclusive we see nothing objectionable. Section 8. There is little doubt that rails, with as high percentage of carbon as may be, and avoiding brittleness at the same time, will give best wear, and, if made of good stock, can be made safe against breakage with a track in | ordinary good condition. It is not clear whether this section is intended to stand as it reads in a specification attached to contract, or to have definite carbon limit preagreed upon. Sec. 9. The practice of drawing a bending test piece from a cutting off of bloom com- mends itself as much to be preferred over test ingots 3x 3x4inches. There is an inevitable difference in the structure between such small ingots and large ones, especially a sponginess of small ingot. From this cause a specimen taken from a large ingot itself—that is, from the bloom reduced from the large ingot itself— is more truly representative of the material in the rails. Since it is pure accident if a drop test discovers a defective rail, or any quality except either hardness or brittleness, defects are really best guarded against by good regu- lar practice on the part of the manufacturers, and Mr. Hunt’s remarks that he should cer- tainly discourage contracting for rails with other than those works whose practice is good, is commendable, and appears to be the keynote upon which the specification is written outside of the guarantee. The bending test applied early in the manu- facture is a better check for the maker than the drop test can ever be. The drop test, while very simple in operation, is difficult to interpret further than as to hardness or softness. It will furnish a check here, but carbon tests answer equally well and are applied to every heat, and to do which becomes an expense with the drop test. Bending by blows of the sledge is not good. Bending under a former is more regular, hence a fairer test. The radius of inside curve is not mentioned. It should be given at 114 times the diameter of the bar. Sec. 10, 11 and 12. See remarks under head- ing of Section 16 Sec. 13. This touches a point upon which we would consider more information desirable. We note, in a general way, a difference be- tween top and body of ingot, but we are not aware of any careful investigation having been made as to exactly how much apparently steel is unreliable or likely to cause battered rail ends. Sec. 14. This is correct practice, but a still more,valuable point to watch, if the trade war- ranted it, would be the heat at which rails are finished. Sec. 15 and 16. These imply substantially the constant presence of an expert in rail manu- facture at the works of contractor during the | execution of an order. If rail experts could be found in sufficient number, and at low enough cost, doubtless the purchasers might be benefited by such inspection It is believed, | however, that it is bad to give the inspector (as | inspectors go, or granting a reasonable im- provement in the craft) such powers as are given by Section 16. Such powers might be safely intrusted to Mr. Hunt himself, and hence makers as well as buyers would be safe | under specification and Mr. Hunt; but the specifications strike us as being of a character | be. We consider this to be such a defect as to condemn the specifications for general use. Sec. 21. We suggest a guarantee as this com- pliance with Sections 8, , 10 11, 12, 15, 14 and 16, or such modifications of the practice there- in outlined as the judgment of makers might dictate, may safely be left to the makers them- | Selves. It is not an unusual proceeding for buy- ers before giving out a large contract to satisfy themselves in regard to the capacity and prac- tice of bidder, and this, it is pretty safe to say, is all that would commonly be done (by depu- tizing an expert, say in the person of Mr. Hunt) under these specifications. Makers do not object to giving intending buyers this kind of information, and would much prefer giving it once for all to the headquarters rather than instruct and train each new young man who may be sent to see that these specifications are enforced. As Mr. Hunt says, if the works practice is not satisfactory, do not buy their rails. As a whole, the specifications abandon the objective point toward which effort has been directed in the past. and which we think the proper directions to work in (or allow us to cut down the specifications rather than expand them)—namely, tospecified qualities of product rather than modes of manufacture. They look to a supervision of manufacture rather than an iaspection of product as far as concerns quality of material. When buyers insist upon a cer- tain mode of manufacture, it is decidedly un- fair to exact a guarantee in addition. Asa move toward improving the inspection busi- ness, the specifications are well calculated. The manager of a large mill says: ‘‘I consider the specifications of Capt. R. W. Hunt as being based on practical experi- ence, and I can see no objection to them, with the possible exception of Section 2 The greatest evil in connection with the maintenance of a good smooth railway is crushed rail ends. As a rule, crushed rail- ends are caused by faulty designs of rail sections, and fish-bar connections, and bad roadbed and poor maintenance. batters at the ends without showing any If a rail | defects, while the main body of the rail | shows good wearing qualities, it is the fault of the railway. Captain Hunt’s specifica- tions, Sections 4 and 18, guarantees almost | absolute protection from the evil of split- ends, and at the start of the service of a steel rail, a low joint—viz., a close inspec- tion of the ends, to see they have no short | ‘kinks or droops,’ and the liberal cropping of the bloom that represents the top of the ingot, giving good sound material in the bloom. So far as Section 21 is concerned, that is for the mill owners to consider.” A es Electric Welding of Metals.— The Thomson Electric Welding Co. are now moving into their new factory at Lynn, Mass., where they have abundant facilities for the production of their welding appa- ratus. The factory is 200 feet long, 85 feet in width and furnished with 500 horse- power engines from the Providence Steam Engine Co. Their welding machines are now in active and successful operation in the factories of Wallace & Sons, Ansonia, Conn., Roebling’s Sons Co., The Trenton Iron Works, Trenton, N. J., and elsewhere. They have lately received orders from the | United States Government for apparatus for welding steel wire for guns. The con- tract was awarded them after very exhaust- Ordnance Department, with the view of securing the best process of welding this wire. The company are rapidly develop- ing the large field for welding, brazing, &c., which their process covers. I Mr. H. P. Smith, one of the leading stockholders and general manager of the |ive experiments had been made by the | | their corporated limits. Bessemer Company is said to be one of the most complete in the country, having been supplied with all the latest improvements and appliances. Mr. W GQ. Perk, of the Black Diamond Steel Works, is one of the active men in the management of the Allegheny Bessemer Company. ee Outrigger Hoist. We show herewith a compact and com plete outrigger hoisting apparatus, made in two sizes of 500 and 1000 pounds capacity by the Energy Mfg. Company, 1115 South Fifteenth street, Philadelphia. As will be seen, the hoisting gearing is placed on two beams inside of building so that it is pro- tected from the weather, the only part being exposed is the rope used for raising the loads. The ropes can be made any length desired. This hoist is fitted with double-acting brakes, both controlled by one brake cord. One being automatic, holds the load at any point when hoisting, and will not allow the load to run down when the hand rope is let go. The other is used when lowering to control speed. By regulating the pull on the brake cord, the load can be lowered quickly or slowly. Outrigger Hoisting Apparatus. If the brake cord is pulled hard or let go, the hoist is stopped, so that no accident can be caused by the neglect of the opera- tor. The prices being low, they are within the reach of any desiring a hoisting ma- chine of this class. ——— The utilization of water-power is a prob- lem that is being agitated by a large num- ber of Michigan towns, in view of the re- cent practical demonstration that it can be used to furnish electrical distribution for both power and light. Many towns in that State are situated within a few miles of swiftly flowing streams, whose value as an agency of power has never been fully realized. Some have waterfalls within Marquette pro- poses to take the initiative, and is now at work upon an elaborate and at the same | time peculiar scheme for the manufacture Allegheny Bessemer Steel Company, has | been South for some time past for the | benefit of his health. The company in question have booked several orders for rails and it is expected that the rail de-| partment of the works will soon be in | operation. Mr. Smith was for several years with the firm of Carnegie, Phipps & Co., and had charge of the Homestead | Mill of the firm last named. While not of the electric current. In a recent issue we alluded to the fact that the basis of the sliding scale of wages at the Edgar Thomson Steel Works, Brad- dock, Pa., for this month was $30, against $28.50 the previous month. The state- ment caused considerable surprise, to which we gave expression. We under- stand that the cause of the advance in the rate is the fact that the mill happened to which needs to be supplemented in the bidder’s | f the capacity of the Edgar Thomson | have nome $35 rails to make, which brings mind by a knowledge of who the inspector isto! Works, the rail mill of the Allegheny | up the average considerably. D we 1 i H ; / a ‘ : me woo me 122 THE IRON AGE January 24, 1889 . > WESTMORELAND STREET. New Works of George VY. Cresson. cespeeensasnanass a Twenty-five years’ experience in the 1 i manufacture of any particular article 4 should result in establishing sound, prac- 5 tical ideas regarding the machinery to be S employed and the accommodations neces- 2 | sary, in order that the work may be car- ried on to the best advantage. The fac- % tory, of which we herewith show the : e tH , f ground plan, may be said to be the out- r-- -4 | ‘s | COMPOSITION WOOD FLOOR growth of such a length of time spent in | HOOTS 1N3W3O the making of shafting and all its appur- =F woou HS¥M tenances. The factory is located at German- 4 town Junction, a suburb of Philadelphia, i! on the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad. Direct and quick communication with the coal and iron regions and convenient ship- ! ping facilities are thus obtained. Three | principal considerations governed the lay- ing-out of the works: 1, The economical handling of raw material; 2, The eco- nomical handling of unmanufactured raw | | é yOO)4d HLeW2 3SNOH WIOdNS PLANKE ° AREA ee MACHINE SHOP NORTH SECTION WATER CLO. material, and 3, The economical handling of the finished material. Airs, By the first, we mean those materials fe which form component parts of the com- | | pleted product, such as pig iron and shaft- ites ing in the rough. By the second, we ge mean the handling of castings and shaft- 4 ing. By the third, the loading of the (eat finished product on the car or wagon for delivery. These most essential features it | were secured in a simple and effective way. | | The time-worn fact that it consumes time| \. ~} 1 and costs money to move heavy weights .o was kept well in view, as was also the fact \ | |e that, if a heavy weight must be moved, it \ | is cheaper and quicker to move it ona level than either up or down. The build- ings were, therefore, so planned as to 1 | bring all work upon the same floor level, | ‘ h with the single exception of the pattern \\\ shop, which is more than one story high. Distance was reduced as much as possible, and it was arranged so that very heavy \ work could be done in that end of the ee a shop nearest the foundry, the weights \ \\ \ \ we gradually lessening toward the far end, eS where only comparatively light articles | ; could be finished. ab Two tracks connect with the railroad, | \ =i ea kee one west of the foundry and the other be- | | bee tween the foundry and machine shop. All | : . | EARTH FLOOR FOUNDRY eee ee eee OFFICE PATTERN STORAGE HOUSE WOOD COMPOSITION FLOOR DRIVE WAY. PATTERN SHOP WOOD COMPOSITION FLOOR supplies for the cupola are unloaded at the | . door and raised by means of an elevator. | oan ann ~ i 1 hoe The cupola-house is 25 x 34 feet. North | T | | of this house is a washroom 16 x 34 feet ; ° I] . . | & \ © made with a cement floor which slopes to- | ¢\ \ f \ | ward the center where a drain is provided. | a\ \ Upon the opposite side of the house are | é \ the coreroom and ovens. The boiler and | engine-house, south of the coreroom, meas- | ures 63 x 39 feet. East of these is the | foundry, 55 x 200 feet and 35 feet high, \ which is lighted by a double row of wide | windows. The walls of the foundry are buttressed upon the inside to form seats for the tracks of a traveling crane which may be moved to any desired spot. The | pattern shop and storage-room occupy 76 a feet of the southern end of this building. | BHIPPING PLATFORM SCALES rm | L —=—— 80 ELEVATOR SCALE OF FEET 20 -S=— 6 10 ae >— ° iis Oe The machine shop is a single room 50 feet wide and 500 feet long, the walls being 16 feet high. At the western side are the drafting and store rooms and the superin- tendent’s office, the latter being about in the center of the works, so that he is| lo "e within quick call. The shop is lighted on all four sides by long windows extending | | nearly to the roof and placed 8 feet, cen- | ters to centers. The southern end of the shop is fitted up as general offices. The ground upon which the buildings | are located slopes slightly from north to ri south. This afforded a most excellent}, stint ; . bl cae floor for the foundry and permitted the THE NEW WORKS OF GEO. laying of the northern part of the machine| V. CRESSON, PHILADELPHIA — floor, oe all the heavy aes SHAFTING WORKS. GERMAN- is placed, directly upon an earth founda- ea welche ali . - jane It also furnished a lower story | SOWN JUNCTION, PRELADEL- under the southern end of each building.| PHIA, PA. Ample window spaces, aided by a plenti-' MACHINE SHOP SOUTH SECTION ———— EEE = is — 0¢-- nd eine ALLEGHENY AVENUE. January 24, 1889 THE IRON AGE. ful supply of whitewash, which it is pro- | posed to frequently renew, thoroughly | light all of the rooms. What might be | termed general illumination, for night | work, is obtained from arc lights, incan- | descent lamps being used at the machines, | The buildings are heated by the exhaust | steam from the engine, all danger of back | pressure being relieved by means of a| pump, which delivers the water of con- | densation—flowing by gravity to the pump from all the radiators—to the boilers. Power is transmitted from the engine to | each of the shops by 1}-in. manila rope belting. This method of transmission was adopted mainly because of the great dis- tance to the driving shaft of the machine shop and the sharp turns in the line, The belt passes through a tunnel under the roadway separating the two buildings. All possible precautious, both as regards materials entering into the construction | and apparatus, have been taken to guard against fire. All posts are of yellow pine. The core oven rooms, cupola and boiler- house are built entirely of iron and brick fore which the cases were first tried, or- | dered a preliminary injunction to be served on the companies, holding that where valuable franchises had peen granted by the commonwealth or municipality, and where there was virtually no compe- tition, the people from whom the franchises were received had recourse to the courts through proceedings in equity. As soon as this decision was announced, the gas companies immediately carried the cases to the Supreme Court, which has reversed the decision in beth cases, and has also dissolved the injunction. matter now stands, it would seem that the gas companies have the right to charge whatever they see fit for their fuel, and if the people do not wish to pay these prices, they can return to the use of coal. a Geared Hoist for Elevators. The geared hoist for passenger or freight elevator service, which is illus- trated herewith, has several new features. As the} 123 Manufactures in Japanese Prisons. A visitor to a Japanese prison in Tokio thus recounts, in the Pottery Gazette (Lon- don), a portion of his experiences: We visited a workshop where jinrékishas were being made, then one where umbrella handles were elaborately carved, then one where every kind of pottery, from the rough porous bottle and jar to the egg- shell teacup, was rolling from a dozen potters’ wheels, and then came the great surprise. Two days previous I had visit- ed the house of the most famous maker in Japan of the exquisite cloisonne ware—the enamel ininlaid metal work upon copper— who rivals in everlasting materials the brush of Turner with his pigments and the pencil of Alma Tadema with his strips of metal. And I had stood for an hour behind him and his pupils, marveling that the human eye could become so accurate, and the human hand so steady, and the human heart so patient. Yet I give my word that here in the prison at Ishikawa GEARED HOIST FOR PASSENGER masonry. Water under a sufficient head for fire purposes can be obtained from the city’s mains, Water for general use is ob- tained from an artesian well, sunk just south of the pattern shop. i ee a The Price of Natural Gas. On Monday, the 7th inst., the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, in session at Phila- delphia, announced a decision in the suit of the consumers of natural gas in Alle- gheny City against the Allegheny Heat- ing Company, and also in the action brought by the citizens of Servickley against the Ohio Valley Natural Gas Company, both of which were to restrain the companies from advancing the charges made for natural gas. The main point at issue in the two cases mentioned was as to the right of the courts at Pittsburgh to | determine the rates which should be charged by the companies for natural gas. | It was claimed, on the part of the plain- | tiffs in the suits, that when the question of excessive charges was raised, the courts | had the right to hear the evidence, and if | said charges fixed by the gas company | were deemed excessive, to establish new | rates. The local court at Pittsburgh, be- | | contrifugal governor that acts in case the OR FREIGHT ELEVATOR. BUILT BY PHILADELPHIA, PA | Both pinion and gears are cut by the | most approved methods, thereby securing greater accuracy than has been attempted heretofore in the same class of machinery, | and giving a smooth and noiseless motion | at a high speed. It is provided with a belts break in descending; has slack cable device that stops the car instantly and ap- plies the brake, keeping ,the cables taut on the drum when the car is obstructed in its descent. It is also provided with an auto- matic drop forge, wrought iron stop de- | vice, which prevents breakage. The ma- chine is right or left hand, and can be placed in any position desired, as the bolts will run at any angle. The pulleys are self-oiling, requiring attention only once in six months. It is manufactured by | Morse, Williams & Co., Philadelphia, | New York and Boston, who also manu- facture hydraulic, worm-geared and hand- power elevators. rr Several gentlemen interested in the} prosperity of Pittsburgh seriously propose to increase the volume of the Allegheny | River by constructing a canal to Niagara Falls at a cost of $12,000,000, and obtain- ing water sufficient for the purposes of navigation. WILLIAMS & COMPANY, MORSE, sat not six but 60 men, common thieves and burglars and peace breakers, who knew po more about cloisonne before they were sentenced than a Hindoo knows about skates, doing just the same thing— cutting by eye-measurement only the tiny strips of copper to make the outline of a bird’s beak, or the shading of his wing, or the articulations of his toe, sticking these upon the rounded surface of the | copper vase, filling up the interstices with pigment, coat upon coat, and fix- ing and filing and polishing it until the finished work was so true and so delicate and so beautiful that nothing except an occasional greater dignity and breadth of | e | design marked the art of the freeman from | that of the convict. Fancy the attempt to teach such a thing at Pentonville or Dart- moor or Sing Sing! When our criminal reackes his prison home in Tokio he is taught to do that at which the limit of his natural faculties is reached. If he can make e¢loisonne, well and good; if not, perhaps he can _ carve wood or make pottery; if not these, then he can make fans or umbrellas or basket work. If he is not up to any of these, then he can make paper, or set type, or cast brass, or do carpentering. If the limit is still too high for him, down he FRET eee ey ae LS 124 THE IRON AGE. January 24, 1889 goes to the rice mill, and seesaws all day long upon a balanced beam, first raising posit is going on rapidly. The original contract called for an outlay of about the stone-weighted end, and then letting | $290,000, but it is believed now that it it down with a great flop into a mortar of rice. But if he cannot even accomplish this poor task regularly, he is given a ham- mer, to break stones with the 29 men out of 2000 who could not learn anything else. — er Ore Concentration at Brewsters. The new concentrating plant of the Tilly Foster mine of the Lackawanna Coal and Iron Company, at Brewsters, N. Y., has been running in an experimental way for some time. The plant itself consists of three 100 horse-power boilers and a 65 horse-power Beckett & MacDowell engine. The lean rock, as it comes from the famous Fig. 3. will not go beyond $225,000. mm The Rader Case. Judge McPherson has handed down an opinion in the suit of Charles J. M. Rader vs. W. Kaufman & Co. He found the facts as follows : 1. In September, 1883, the plaintiff, who was then employed at Phoenixville, Pa., as a blast furnace manager, was asked by the defendants to accept a similar — at their furnaces, at Sheridan, Pa. Some negotiation followed, resulting in a parol contract, of which these are the substantial terms : w The plaintiff agreed to accept the position and discharge the duties of manager at Sheri- dan. In consideration the defendants agreed Improved Rotating and Exhaust Fans. Rotating fans, designed to create a cir- culation of air in rooms, are usually mounted in a triangular frame of amore or less ornamental character. The sides of the frame are generally cast separately and then rigidly united to hubs through which the spindle passes. This formed a most clumsy article to handle, one that occupied much space when stored, and one that required boxing when shipped. The most serious objection was the danger of the frame breaking and the difficulty of making repairs. It is claimed that all of these drawbacks have been eliminated in the frame illustrated, which has been in- a i oe rT nn a i | Tf Tn ih ‘i i Fig. 4. IMPROVED ROTATING AND EXHAUST FANS, MADE BY THE BACKUS WATER MOTOR COMPANY, OF mine, is passed through a 15 x 20 Blake crusher, from which it is delivered to two Ball stamps, used for the first time for this purpose e