The Iron Age 1889-04-25: Vol 43

‘THE THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 1889. bs 9 IRON AGE _—_—A-New Abmminium Process. London Industries says that ‘‘in the course of a discussion upon a paper read by Mr. W. Anderson, before the Society of Arts last week, on the Deville-Castner aluminium process, Mr. Alexander Siemens described a new process invented by Mr. Grabau, who heated fluoride of alumizium in presence of sodium, The melted so- dium was poured into the vessel, which was hmed with cryolite, and cooled by the sulphate of sodium and left the aluminium fluoride ready to be reduced. The advantages of this process were that all the materials were treated at a com- paratively low temperature, about 900 Celsius. The vessel in which the alumin- ium fluoride was heated, as well as the vessel in which the reaction took place, was lined with cryolite, so that there was no danger of impurities being incorporated into thealuminium. The low temperature was very much easier managed than the MT Balanced Compound fEngine. a The Jonson patent balanced compound engine, of which we herewith present illus- | trations, is manufactured by the Jonson | Foundcy and Machine Company, of New | York. This engine is of the trunk type | and consists virtually of four half cylinders with cranks set opposite or 180°, forming in fact an equivalent for the ordinary high and low-pressure cylinder; the area of the annular space between the trunk and | } | | | | BALANCED COMPOUND ENGINE, BUILT BY THE JONSON FOUNDRY AND MACHINE COMPANY. water ; and the heated fluoride of alumin- ium, in the form of powder, was thrown upon the melted sodium. Very violent re- | action took place, the heat generated by the reaction being sufficiently great to melt the aluminium as well as the by- | product. As soon as the reaction was complete, the whole molten mass could be | poured out into suitable forms and the aluminium settled at the bottom and the cryolite at the top. To obtain the fluor- ide of aluminium Mr. Grabau used the eryolite, which he procured by the final reaction by putting the powdered cryolite into a solution of sulphate of aluminium. The reaction which took place between the sulphate of aluminium and the cryolite gave the aluminium fluoride, The solution was afterward evaporated, and the residue was washed with water, which took out | high temperatures of the Castner process. | The Grabau process of course required the action of sodium, and the inventor was engaged in experimenting upon a new | process to prepare this. A factory was at | work near Hanover producing aluminium on a commercial scale.” TT The Queen and Crescent Route has issued a circular announcing a change of rates to a number of points, which took effect on the Ist inst. Among them we note Alton, Ill., $3.70 from Birmingham, and $3.45 from Chattanooga; Beloit and Janesville, Wis., $5.25 and $5; Massillon, Ohio, $4.35 and $3.85; Ottumwa, [owa, $5.25 and $5; Rockford, Ill., $5 and $4.75: Vandalia, Ill., $4.25 and $4, and Wabash, Ind., $4.15 and $3.65. low pressure or compound cylinder being equal to that of the high-pressure cylinder. Thus in the engine in the accompanying cut the compound cylinder being 124 inches in diameter, the trunk 9% inches scant; the difference in areas, 122.72— 72.72=50, or nearly 8 inches, making this engine 8 x 124 x 10 inches stroke. Steam is exhausted from the high-pressure end of each cylinder to the upper or compound end of the same cylinder, so that alternately the high-pressure end of one cylinder and its opposite compound one form a com- plete half stroke. Except for electric lighting purposes, or for very large sizes where the slide- valves are of great area, the manufactur- ers make the high-pressure steam and compound valves in the same casting, passing the high-pressure exhaust through I oe aa a jim ee ans > = : Sai ae ; J ee ma me) AEE I. . . rae / ae tines c= , -. i ee ee ? et SB < ad wo PA Wes Ba. 3 2. ee —ae = Zo a= : —————— SAAD ME ANE) Sie) eM) a ea Pe ee) eae ee canes “ee - % ar ay + here = * ' 4 bia)! os H mer i i“ w- | } uF o hy Be a R Ne a? om 8 wy — ™ . ly po & : , “se Pipe? - . ww 2) 44 a De .¥ AP | eo Bi wile & Yd Ot me ia i ~ * — —~ ee ee a HIS en i > ee sitet sy Tso sae | ee eal Be FF a ee a on Dinan e— f-tvad. ‘ - ~ 616 THE IRON AGE. April 25, 1889 — SS ports in the valve to the low-pressure end, |ing Herr O, von Miller read a paper on | that the influence of carbon and manganes; and by giving the steam, compound and | the recent extension of the Berlin electric | on the rusting tendency is slight, a varia- exhaust valves a definite lead, as deter- | works, which have now a capacity of 4000 tion of carbon of from 0.18 to 1.10 er mined by practice, the working of both cylinders in unison is always assured. But the two valves being in the same casting and driven by a single eccentric, or in the case of the marine engine by two eccen- trics, and the ordinary link motion, any change in this motion, as in using an auto- matic cut-off, affects the compound and exhaust as well as the live steam, and it is therefore preferable to use for this pur- pose an independent steam valve as shown in the cut. On marine engines the ordi- nary adjustable cut-off is used. Where, as above stated, the valve area is very | large the valve 1s divided. In the case of an engine of 275 horse-power, which the | above company are now building for the Government for an iron steam tender, the ordinary piston-valve is used for the live steam and a slide-valve for the compound. The advantages of this type of engine are compactness, freedom from vibration, very low center of gravity, and as all the mov- ing parts are exact reproductions of each other, it is perfectly balanced and can be | run at a very high rate of speed, making it especially valuable for electric lighting. The engraving does not show the auto- matic flywheel governor, as it is not an essential feature ot the engine and as it is well understood. When testing this en- gine it was belted to a dynamo requiring 35 horse-power to run it. No variation could be detected in the speed of the en- gine when the entire load was instantly thrown on or off by the movement of a switch. . rr Lead Cables in the Berlin Central Stations. The As was to be expected, the ment which Professor Forbes made at a recent meeting of the Institution of Elec- | trical Engineers in London, regarding the failure of the Berlin cables, has created a strong feeling of indignation among Ger- man electricians, and the feeling found vent at the last meeting of the Electro- Technical Society, held in Berlin. On this occasion Dr. Werner Siemens read a paper on ‘* Underground Electric Light Mains,” and gave a categorical denial to the state- ment that lead cabies are by electrolytic action within three years from the time they are first put under- ground. In the Berlin system of under- ground mains four failures have occurred, | but these have been all due to mechanical | injury; and owing to the want of proper supervision, and especially owing to the impossibility of performing frequent tests where the mains of different districts are all coupled together as in Berlin, the faults were not detected in time to prevent fail- ure. Out of the total of 130 km. of lead cables in Berlin, only 200 m. had to be re- placed, and now the network of lead cables is again in perfect condition. In other places cables of this kind have been in use for nearly five years, and their in- sulation now is as perfect as when they were first put down, Dealing with the probable future extension of electric sup- ply, Dr. Werner Siemens gave it as his opinion that in a short time the available spsce under the streets of large towns will not suffice for the accommodation of the various cables, gas and water pipes and sewers, nor will the surface of the streets suffice for the increased traffic, and he looks forward to the rearrangement of large towns, where there will be streets on two levels. The new streets, either over or under the existing ones, are to be ex- clusively used for express service with electric tramways, and for the placing of the various conductors for telephony, teleg- raphy, light and power, gas, water, com- pressed air and steam, At the same meet- announce- | destroyed | horse-power, sufficing for the supply of | 50,000 lamps wired. During the present year six new dynamos, representing 4600 horse-power, will be installed, and this will increase the capacity to 100,000 lamps by the end of the year. The build- |ings are, however, large enough to admit machinery for a capacity of 200,000 lamps. —— — Rusting of Rails in Tunnels. | M. Savioz, chemist of the St. Nazaire | works, France, recently completed an in- teresting series of experiments on the rust- VERTICAL SECTION OF ing of steel. The method followed con- tion of weights. The results showed throughout that the proportion of phos- phorus present exerted an appreciable influence on the behavior of the metal. exposed to the action of dilute sulphuric acid, the phosphorus percentage may be accepted as one of the causes of their rapid oxidation, and Savioz’ researches accordingly noteworthy. The Organ fuer die Fortschritte des Eisenbahniresen pub- |lishes two tables giving the results ob- tained by him. One set of tests was made with Bessemer and Siemens-Martin steel sheets of varying thickness and chemical composition, and the other with test pieces of similar material, two pieces being taken from each ingot, one from the upper and one from the lower end. The figures show | Sy hd sisted in exposing the metal to the action | of acid waters, and observing the reduc- | Since rails in long tunnels are undoubtedly | are | of the well-known charcoal iron, at Shelby, 'cent., and of manganese from 0.26 to 1.15 per cent., the proportions of sulphur, » phosphorus and silicon remaining the same. ‘Showing no appreciable difference in be- |havior of the samples. With increasing percentage of phosphorus, on the other hand, a decided tendency te oxidation was observed. The small number of tests, ‘however, did not admit of the formulation of any law. The tests showed, further. |that samples from the upper ends of the ingots were more readily attacked than those from the lower ends, and _ that wrought iron, with which also comparisons maura E10" na JONSON'S BALANCED COMPOUND ENGINE were instituted, was less affected than steel with 0.17 per cent. of phosphorus, but considerably more than steel samples _ranging in phosphorus between 0.05 and | 0.08 per cent. The tests, we should add, were made with a mixture consisting of one part of hydrochloric acid to five parts of water, and extended over 24 hours each. SR It is reported that the present owners of the Shelby Iron Company, the producers Ala., are willing to sell their interest in that remunerative property, at a relatively low price. The Standard Oil Company have con- tracted with the Riverside Iron Works, of Wheeling, W. Va., for 25 miles of steel pipe for one of their pipe lines near War- ren, Pa, April 25, 1889 THE IRON AGE. 617 The Krupp Works at Essen. Anode ern navies. The city ot Essen les northeast of Posseldorfyand is reached from Brussels by way either of Cologne or Gladbach. It is situated in the fertile basin of the Ruhr, near Duisburg, another manufacturing city. Indeed, Essen is in the center of the great factory district of Westphalia, a veritable hive of industry, in which are also to be found Crefeld, Elberfeld and Dortmund. These are not the only noticeable features of Essen’s position, for it lies in one of those fortunate regions in which Nature has stored abundant coal and iron, the very basis of metal working. To the Krupp Works Essen owes its world-wide reputation, and ip a great measure all its prosperity. In 1862 its population scarcely reached 1700, but the number of workmen employed in the great foun- dry increasing from day to day, the little town did not cover sufficient ground to shelter them all, and rapidly expanded. In ten years the population doubled, and to-day, encircled by a belt of attractive suburbs, the old city contains nearly 100,- 000 people. The impression is at once re- ceived that the whole town is more or less dependent upon the works. From a work recently published, entit- led ‘‘ Krupp and De Bange,” we take the following data concerning some of the equipment of the furnace establishment. Though the description is not technically accurate and does not convey any new facts, it is vividly written and is interesting, as it reflects the impressions of one to whom the sights of a large works have not become a familiar matter In a part of the gun shop, first entered, the great guns are majestically enthroned ; the leviathans of naval armament, the behemoths of coast defense. Man feels his insignificance in the presence of these awe- inspiring engines, yet he is their lord and master. Among all these finished masses of pure steel, at whose sides a horde of mechanics are busy, four especially rivet the attention of the beholder; they are the | 40 cent. guns, 14 m. long, and weigh- ing a trifle over 120 tons, say 120,000 kg. And yet but a few years ago the 100-ton iron gun with steel lining, made by Sir William Armstrong for the Duilio, was emphatically announced as the supreme effort in the struggle of ordnance against armor, the final outcome of con- structive ability. Here the metal is not iron, but steel entirely, and crucible steel at that. The charge of each crucible is only 40 kg., and the reader can picture to himself the amount of work embodied in each of these pieces in re- membering that the casting of each in- volves the simultaneous pouring of from 1700 to 1800 crucibles, yielding an in- got of 70,000 kg. As each gun consists of tube, mantle and rings, this Titanic operation must be repeated twice for each piece, as the rings alone permit the use of much smaller ingots. The ponderous blocks of steel required for these enormous guns are nevertheless forged and finished with comparative ease, so great is the capacity of Krupp’s tools and so daring the intelligence which directs them. These guns were ordered by the Italian Govern- ment for the seacoast defense. THE CARRIAGE ASSEMBLING SHOP. We regretfully left this interesting sight | to enter another structure, in which are the assembling shops for naval and sea- coast carriages. Communicating galleries are built at a hight of 10 m. between the shops. From one of these we glanced above us at the traveling cranes of 50,000 and os a kg. capacity, which, at a hight of 15 m. and with a span of 22 m., traverse the afoul shops, lifting and shifting the heaviest masses, working automatically by bell signals. Below us we see in hand a carriage with rotating platform protected | cially characterize crucible steel. by a sheet-steel cupola. This model is esigned for a great ironclad, the pride of Other carriages of estab- lished model, with hydraulic buffers and shot-cranes, are ready for the cars. Let us go down to get a nearer view of the work of assembling; let us see how the cupola turns on its rollers. Stop, it is moving. ‘*She doesn’t work badly,” said the fore- man, ‘‘a little filing here and there and she’s all right.” Above us the crane ad- vances, goes back with impressive deliber- ation, making nothing of its huge loads, and, from time to time, the click of gear- | ing and the ringing of a small bell reveal the existence of the train that moves this indispensable apparatus; and everything goes apparently in a routine way, quietly, without excitement or shouting; little is said in the Krupp establishment, but the work goes onall the same. At the four corners of the edifice ponderous lifts are | installed, and, taken all in all, we are sure that there could not be a better disposi- tion of the powerful mechanical devices which science has placed in the hands of | the constructor. But let us hasten to examine the various processes of steel- | making in use here, for the Essen Works | turn out Bessemer, open-hearth, puddled | and crucible steel. THE BESSEMER PLANT. Bessemer steel is made ona great scale at Essen; 10,000 tons of rails can be made per month. This shows that Krupp is not unwilling to take advantage of scientific progress in whatever direction it tends, and does not disdain to make cheap steel to meet the wants of all railroad interests. But we must make no mistake; the Bessemer process only for making |commercial brands. Interested parties have started a rumor that the crucible | steel, which alone is used for gun metal, is made in part by remelting Bessemer scrap. We have assured ourselves by watching he uses | the charging of crucibles that this rumor | is entirely baseless. It would be still more audacious to assert that the converters furnish the ingots required for tubes, vain for molds at the Bessemer works of sufficient size for the purpose, cranes great blocks out of which the gun parts are fashioned. The fact is apparent that the works are especially equipped for the output of the small ingots required in rail fabrication. THE OPEN-HEARTH PLANT. Krupp also makes steel by the Martin- Siemens process, which, besides affording facilities for determining the character of the bath by the drawing of test specimens, yields a more constant and homogeneous product than the Bessemer. It is slower, we must admit, but it is more certain; the ‘arbon point can be so regulated that we can obtain the hardest as well as the soft- est metal, steel suitable for springs or for boiler plates. The open-hearth plant is extensive and well arranged. The rever- beratory furnaces, in which the molten metal simmers under the action of the flame, are arranged in two rows, having between them cranes of medium capacity ; under these are the casting pits. Here, as at the Bessemer plant, there is no sign that open-hearth steel is used for gun metal; no deep pits, no gigantic cranes. Not a particle of this steel goes into the crucibles; we assert this without fear of denial, for we have at hand convincing evidence. Open-hearth steel is used at Essen for the fabrication of all kinds of plate, tires, axles and other structural parts; also for all castings, such as car- wheels, crossheads, hydraulic cylinders, and, in general, for all machine members which do not need that absolute homo- geneity and exceptional strength de- manded by gun metal, and which so espe- As we ‘swing; the furnaces flamed | molds, Ped science is the same everywhere, or Or! has its own special ‘ knack powerful enough to handle the| entered the foundry the work was in full with=dull crackling, and the crane moved along the great bay, holding suspended the pouring ladle; at intervals, when above the mold, a stream of molten metal gushed out mo- mentarily, as with a lightning flash, mak- ‘ing darkness visible, and disappe: ared in In front of the castings, just from the were slowly cooling under slag; they were truck-wheels. These -astings are not to be trusted, inoffensive as they look; they remain hot for a long time, the glowing receptacle. works numerous }and those who walk about carelessly are apt to carry away ardent and reminders. lasting THE PUDDLED-STEEL PLANT. It is easily understood that the portion of the establishment devoted to crucible steel making, the metal of whichall Krupp guns are constructed, possessed the great- est attraction for us. Besides, with or without reason, all sorts of myths attached themselves to this mysterious metal, and the probabilities are that had the famous gun-maker lived in the dark ages his un- lucky competitors would have accused him of witchcraft, and the stake would have effectually disposed of an incon- venient rival. The iron ores used by | Krupp in the fabrication of his gun metal are of the very highest grade and of re- markable purity. As a rule, hematite and | spathic ores are used, the same ores from which that excellent cast iron, called by Germans spiegeleisen and by the French tonte miroitante, is made. They come either from the Siegen region or from the firm’s mines near Bilbao, in Spain. The iron is delivered at the works in pigs, and makes up the charge of the puddling fur- nace. The puddling is under control of experienced and tried workmen ; indeed, a regular puddling school exists at Essen ; no one can become a boss until, after nu- merous and difficult trials, he has proved himself thoroughly up in all the details of the art. Of course puddled steel is made ; ; -’ | at Essen upon the same scientific principles mantles or even rings, for we looked in | While each mill ” which char- We will go a step as in England, France or Belgium. acterizes its output. | beyond, and affirm that were Krupp to es- |tablish works in some foreign country, without taking with him his mechanics, jhis ordnance experts, and his foremen, produc ed to-day at Essen. |many of them born within sight of his | establishment, most of whom have grown gray in his service, the steel he would there make would be different from that The determin- ing conditions are indigenous to the soil and de ~pendent upon the generations of workmen evolved under their influence, just as the tree clings by its roots to its mother earth Let us, however, return to the iron about to be partially decarburized in the furnace. It is vigorously assailed by the fire, and thoroughly rabbled by the puddler; the excess of carbon is driven off, and the iron becomes steel. The skill of the puddler lies in stopping the operation at the exact moment when the iron comes to nature; if this passes the work is lost. The loop, or ball, as the spongy steel mass is called, is carried on a trolley to the steam ham- mer, the metal is squeezed under its blows, and slag and other impurities are expelled, the molecules are condensed, arranged, and rammed together, and the ball be- comes a billet. This hammered billet is then taken to the rolls, and leaves them as a long, square rod, which is at once hard- ened in a pool occupying the center of the mill. Each rod, after critical inspection as to quality, is broken into pieces about 20 cm. long, which are sorted ac- cordingly. The toughest and most ho- mogeneous are reserved for gun-metal charges; the others are classed for special POW © ae PF gum a > 4) = voll, rr val Oe 3 4 m) 39) ir i i = wl 3 ' ; 2 ee ee a Ate et eis R rn Abas apie ae k i » % » a ie. i a me). g (7 BAF _ ° g 4, | Aan wr ng i ’ ks ay ty eh os .* gy o es aaa p “ti nl ] , ~~ ee ae as } ° Wades . & Vee t Tad ae a ' 3 ve . ‘ . he : fe fa) BS b nits iyo ove t ae As 4 Wid. > oes : 2 (i , ms hr aq | Se: pt r 4 ‘ a Wi SI y : Nai Rae | } y " : Lime ‘ Ply Fis : a TN \ + 618 work, such as crankshafts, axles, hig - grade tires, &c. The advantage of this procedure is self-evident; the expert can, so to speak, after the crucible charge has been fixed, determine beforehand the strength which the melt will possess, and, as it is worked in small masses, there is the greatest possible chance of securing almost perfect compactness, The puddling works always present a busy appearance; the steel bubbling in the furnaces is energetically stirred and worked by the rabbles of the puddlers, These are fine fellows, all nerve and muscle, whose perspiring faces, occasion- ally lighted up by a sudden flash of flame, bear testimony to the hardships of their trade. Here the steam hammers angrily pound the unwilling billets; further along the glowing bars writhe in audible agony through the roll grooves. Add to this the whirring of the pulleys, the clanking of the chains which hold the roll tongs that guide the heavy masses of steel, the calls of the bosses, the chant of the hun- dred ovens in which iron and coal crackle, the heavy puffing of the steam motors, and you have a picture in ever-varying colors of one of the most magnificent phases of modern industry. Puddled steel, which by the very principle and method of its fabrication is assured great uniformity, is the base of the crucible charge; the rest of the alloy is puddled iron, This is made of special pigs, and worked in the manner just described; it gives tenacity to the compound, It is rather refractory, but the puddled steel, the greater part of the charge, has a comparatively low melting point and a certain flux, one of Krupp’s ‘‘secrets,” is added. We came to the conclusion that charcoal was its main ingredient. The crucible, whose contents weigh exactly 40 kg., is care- fully luted, heated in the warming oven and is then exposed to the high temper- ature of the melting furnace. CRUCIBLE MANUFACTURE, This is the proper time to speak of the melting pot, the crucible. It is made of a special composition, peculiar to the Krupp Works. We witnessed the manufacture, and came to the conclusion that the mixture consisted mainly of fire-clay with a less proportion of graphite. The material of which the crucible is made exercises a great influence upon the final constitution of the melted contents. Krupp has made this a subject of exhaustive investigation, for the works consume an enormous num- ber of crucibles, as each can be used but once. No further evidence of this is needed than the piles of charged and broken pots stacked in the shop yards. A part of this waste material, however, is utilized; it is ground into powder under huge vertical stones, and is thus rendered fit for use in making new crucibles. New composition and old dust are ground fine, mixed in great vats and thoroughly worked up with the utmost care into a thick, pasty slip. The crucible is now to be molded. Imagine a hollow cast-iron truncated cone, the mold, and a solid metal core of suitable size and similar shape, which fit to just the dimensions of the prescribed crucible. Now fil! the mold with the proper quantity of slip and slowly enter the core, the com- pressed plastic material flows between mold and core and shapes itself; the excess seeks to escape, but is held bya collar and forms the rim. The pot is then taken out of the mold and dried. The works, as already stated, consume daily a very large number of crucibles, for as a rule four crucible casts are made every 24 hours. The dry- ing and storing rooms are in immense four-story editices with spaced flooring, on which the crucibles stand in long rows. The superintendent of this important branch told us that there were already 100,000 crucibles in store, which are used in succession. ing them. structure the casting pits are dug and the THE IRON AGE. statement, but we are sure that it would have taken us hours, pussibly a whole day, to count them. THE CRUCIBLE-STEEL PLANT. We come now to crucible casting, which in every wiy is the most singular, the most interesting and the most picturesque work we saw during our whole visit. The foundry stretches out almost interminably, and is furnished with all the apparatus necessary for the successful carrying out of this delicate and difficult work. extended sides, along the walls, are in- stalled the gas heating ovens; parallel to them in two lines are built the melting ovens flush with the ground, and connected by subterranean galleries for the service of the attendants. uses in its crucible-steel plant about 130 coke and 30 gas ovens. capacity of 12 crucibles. can hold 18, so that casts of from 1600 to Upon the The Krupp establishment Each oven has a Some, however, 1800 crucibles, even more if necessary, may be easily undertaken. The largest steel blocks cast at Essen up to the present time weigh 70,000 kg., required in the construction of the 120-ton guns. About 1700 crucible charges were needed in cast- Along the center line of the movable cranes are located, The process of casting is in itself of absorbing interest ; it is a striking illustration of the precision and coolness of the master founder, of the discipline and skill of the workmen. When the steel in the crucibles has reached the desired melting temperature, after being from four to five hours in the furnace, the master founder places the mold, as near as may be, equidistant from the active ovens. He then sets up the casting runners, heavy sheet-iron channels lined with fire-brick. These runners lead the liquid metal in corruscating streams to the gate which surmounts tke mold in which they are engulfed. The foundry- men are dressed in two long lines, facin to the center, and divided into threes a twos. One of each three carries a tongs, the others a rod, very much like a brewer's mash ladle As soon as the master founder has completed his preparations, and upon inspection ascertains that the proper melt- ing point has been reached, he gives the signal, the oven covers slide back and the casting begins. The melter with the tongs clasps the crucible, and resting the curved tong handle upon the rod, held by the other men as a fulcrum, he lifts it out of the oven. Keeping it vertical, the three place it on the ground some distance from the furnace, Then the other two take it, and pour its contents into the runner, The empty pots are thrown in a heap out ef the way of the workmen. Group silently follows group; the crucibles shimmer through the foundry in a meteoric shower; the silence is broken only by the clatter of the sliding oven covers and the crackling of the molten streams as they glide in the runners toward the flask, into whose fiery mouth they plunge in a glitter- ing cascade. THE 50-TON HAMMER. A word about the 50-ton hammer, so long the boast of the 0m ig Works. Im- agine a square steel head, 3.70 m. long, 1.50 m. wide and 1.25 m. deep, a mass of 7 c.m., hung at a height of 12 feet in an arch 5m. high, whose supports are 1.50 m. in diameter. Now asteel anvil, resting upon successive foundations of masonry, oak—a whole forest was required—and cast iron ; finally, in your malas eye, put the glow- ing ingot under the hammer head. The hammer boss, a veteran artist in blue glasses—for it is impossible to watch the incandescent mass with the naked eye—is in direct charge. At his right and left are the men who grasp the chains encir- cling the monster, and who, at a hand wave, without a word or order, oscillate We could not verify this ithe block until the desired position is at- April 25, 1889 tained. The hammer slowly descends, the head hardly touches the ingot, then, after a rapid inspection, it is quickly raised and comes down with all its might upon the metal, which quivers and gives under its terrible blows. About the hammer the ground trembles as with an earthquake wave. Stop! the hammer rests, the block is turned on its side, the machine takes breath again, like a Colossus raising his club to brain the enemy, and pounds again upon the bruised mass, which finally gives way under this sturm of blows; the block is forged. The 50-ton hammer was built about 20 years ago and cost the small sum of $500,000, but it must be admitted in ex- cuse that it earns its living honestly and pays good interest on its cost. At that time Creusot had only a 12-ton hammer; however, there are 80 and even 100 ton hammers, ‘“*Why,” it is asked, ‘‘ does Krupp suffer himself to be outdone by his rivals?” We must first note that the Essen hammer has really an_ effective weight of 60 tons, and the heaviest blocks forged weigh, as already mentioned, 70,000 kg. These blocks are bored; the forging can therefore be altogether effect- ive, for the hammer blows need not pene- trate to the heart of the block. Further, the monster guns now constructed date back only a few years. Altogether, up to the present, more powerful mechanical contrivances were not required; yet for some time past Krupp has contemplated erecting a hammer of much greater weight, and the matter is so far advanced that within a few months Essen will again surpass its rivals in its ability to forge the very heaviest steel masses. It would hardly be proper for us to say more on this subject. After forging the shapes are subjected to a peculiar annealing process, and are then transferred to the gun- shops for finishing and assembling. We will not dwell upon the other products of the works—steel cast wheels, coil. and elliptical springs, tires, &c.—all abounding in interest, and which in themselves jus- tify Krupp’s great reputation. We ex- amined the entire plant with sustained interest, but we cannot within the scope of this paper undertake to impart our impressions, I The theory of Dr. F. C. G. Mueller con- corning The tharacté? of the gas occluded in steel has been confirmed in a striking manner, The inventors of the famous Mannesmann method of making steel tubes, Ing them excentrically from a solid bar, sent to the Charlottenburg laboratory two tubes closed at both ends, a partly finished product, therefore. The steel contained 0.46 carbon, 0.25 silicon, 0.022 phosphorus, 0.01 sulphur, 0.23 manganese and a trace of copper. The hollow cavity contained 9.11¢. cm, of gas at a pressure of 760 mm. emical analysis showed that this gas was composed of 99 per centof hydrogen sad only i per cenl,-of nitsogen, co ng Mueller’s theory that the gas occluded in steel castings is hydrogen. An important act for the protection of minority stockholders and the securing of publicity in corporate affairs has been passed this month by the Legislature of Massachusetts. Hereafter the officials of every company chartered in that State will be required to file at the State House, on the request of any stockholder, between 30 and 60 days before its annual meeting, complete lists of the shareholders, with their residences and the number of shares belonging to each. These statements are to be made in a form approved by the commissioner of corporations, and are to be sworn to. The penalty for neglect to file the required lists is a fine of $1000 against the corporation and the same sum on the delinquent official. « cd / ede ~~ $ “Se April 25, 1889 THE IRON AGE. 619 New Punching Press. plied for a patent, which was still pend- | tion is simple and places the engine under 1 ing; that his furnace bore the device | quick control. These engines are made in ' The accompanying engraving represents | ‘‘ Patent applied for,” and that the manu-| sizes from 4 to 20 horse-power. \ mk a new punching press built by E. W. Bliss | facture of the furnace by the defendant was ee a : : Company, of Brooklyn, N. Y., intended | an infringment. In dealing with the case . . as . : for use in the manufacture of iron boilers, | whether an inventor can maintain a bill The Boiler-Makers Meeting. r Ye tanks, smoke-stacks, and other sheet-iron| for an injunction before the issue of a In response to a call issued by A. T. ‘ and “steel work. With it holes can be| patent, Judge Brown decided adversely, | Douthett. secretary of the Porter Foundry }and Machine Company, Limited, of Alle- gheny City, Pa., the boiler manufacturers of the United States met at the Hotel Ander- aa son at 9 o'clock a.m., on Tuesday, the 16th inst., and at once proceeded to organize \ ~ PUNCHING PRESS, MADE BY punched in sheets 24 inches from the edge, and when the stay-bolts are used heavy sheets may be punched 7 inches from the edge. The machine is also useful in rivet- ing iron lattice and framework as used in fitting up offices, elevator shafts, &c. The wheel is 54 inches in diameter, weighs 900 pounds, and is locked to the forged steel shaft by a new patented clutching device that 1s positive in its ac- tion and exceedingly powerful. Four locking grooves are provided in the hub of wheel, thus preventing any loss of time in starting, and a friction collar on the shaft insures the stopping of the slide at the top of stroke every time. When made as shown in cut its weight is 4500 pounds, and when geared for heavy work it weighs 5500 pounds. a ‘Patent Applied For.”—A_ practice widely followed is to attach to an article | manufactured the words ‘‘ Patent applied | for,” with the idea that it protects the in- vention until a patent is issued. In the United States District Court at Detroit Judge Henry B. Brown has just rendered a decision bearing upon the value of this system. The case in which the question arose was that of Barnard Rein and Asa W. Straight vs. Clayton and Lambert. It appears that in August, 1887, Straight went to Clayton, who at one time was em- | ployed as foreman of Drury & Taylor, and showed him a burner invented by him for use as a vaporizer on a gasoline stove, to be applied to plumbers’ hand furnaces. Clay- ton made one, which he used for some time. In the spring of 1888 Clayton went into business for himself, and as an ad-!® ; ‘ace | pounds to the square inch, and that the same Atte junct commenced making furnaces for | stiffener to the boat, thereby increasing its | be stamped with the initial letters eo BM 5S , , a. . ‘ ad £0. ae ; > co —— ; —viz M. A. 7 Straight, adding some improvements on it. strength at that point where the vibrations Dame of this association—viz.. - = na Hy Ni OPES. : a ee and weight make it most needed. The and that this brand be sold to the members of =. The exclusive sale of the furnace was given = i . the organization only. F to Lambert & Sons, and as great improve- ments, in addition to others, suggested themselves to Clayton, he resolved to make a furnace of his own, and in September, 1888, took Lambert & Sons in with him and commenced to make furnaces, having applied for a patent on the same. Straight asked for an injunction to restrain Clayton & Co., alleging that he had already ap- THE E. W. BLISS COMPANY. , entering a decree denying the injunction |and dismissing the bill for want of juris- diction. I Launch Engine. The engine of which we herewith pre- sent an outline drawing is manufactured by Lombard Bros. & Co., of Boston, the sole agent being John J. Bockée, of 47 Dey street, New York. The bed of the engine is cast in a single piece, the angle being such as to conform as closely as pos- sible to the sides of the boat. By this con- struction the shaft is brought to the lowest possible point in line with the keel, while at the same time the bed acts as a brace or cylinders being arranged -at the angle shown in regard to each other, there is no dead-center. The valve eccentric is so connected by feather and spiral groove as to be shifted by the movement of a cen- trally-placed lever. The engines can be pocere ment of this bar, which controls the rela- tive position of the valves. The construc- D , Teversed and stopped by the move- | themselves into an association. James Lappan, of Pittsburgh, was chosen presi- dent; A. T. Douthett, of Allegheny, Pa., secretary, and Messrs. Rohan, St. Louis; Marshall, Dayton, Ohio; Cunningham, Brooklyn, N. Y., and Hartley, Philadel- | phia, Pa., vice-presidents. Committees on |organization and resolutions were ap- | pointed, consisting of the following mem- bers: Messrs. E. D. Meier, J. R. Brownell, R. Hammond and James Barnhill, organi- zation; Philip Rohan, Geo. Marshall, H. J. Hartley, John Over, J. P. Jefferson, R. Monroe and A. T. Douthett, resolu- tions. After the appointment of these committees the meeting adjourned until , 2 o'clock p.m. The conventiun upon reassembling in | the afternoon received the reports of the |committees appointed in the morning. | The Committee on Permanent Organization made quite a voluminous report, the sub- stance of which will be given hereafter in | the constitution and by-laws. The resolu- tions drafted by the committee appointed | for that purpose made the following report, | which was unanimously adopted : | WHEREAS, No business calls for greater | care, better material in the construction of its commodity and more exact workmanship than ours; and in view of the fact that so many dis- astrous explosions have occurred in the past where materials afterward tested have been | shown to be of an inferior quality; therefore, | that we may better secure safety to the lives jand the property of every community where | boilers are used, be it Resolved, That we will in all cases use the | best material in the construction of boilers, re- | fusing to accept contracts where specifications do not call for material of suitable quality. Resolved, That it is the sense of this conven- tion that the system of inspection prescribed by the United States marine laws should be adopted with but few exceptions. LAUNCH ENGINE, BUILT BY LOMBARD BROS. &- CO. Resolved, That we recommend all manufact- urers of iron and steel boiler plate to make but one brand, which shall have a tensile strength of not less than 55,000 or more than 65,000 Resolved, That we use all honorable means in influencing our representatives in Congress to procure the passage of such laws as will make it a criminal offense, punishable by fine and imprisonment, to manufacture or sell iron or steel of an inferior quality for boilers, and a | similar offense, punishable in like manner, to make boilers for any purpose of an inferior quality to those specified by such laws. Resolved, That we invite all manufacturers of boilers to join our association, knowing as wii aw |) a Ble A eee) MR Re Rs Fe ee es Tas / way: ots ae) ae ine eae) ae “ee. 4 Sree Hei 3 = ee ey ere we <a Pr a ~~ <, ‘mame 7 imi SE EER 2 BE Oe TE ns » = ’ 5 eames! A oe Le 7 bea wy wy TS ies gr + ce * .-— * ee der ‘3 as o> Lx pow “7 ae iss > oe ead “{ : 2 a) ‘ ‘ : ®:, lo, ea jae - > Bi ay ® 620 THE IRON AGE. April 25, 1889 we do that our object is purely philanthropic, | be elected by ballot at the regular meeting, to | such committees in the interim between regu and that we are bestowing one of the greatest blessings upon the public at large, who should look with distrust upon any manufacturer who, by reason of personal motives, refuses to take this important step At the evening session the Committee on | Constitution and By-Laws, consisting of | Colonel Meier, P. Rohan, Brownell and | Bornhorst, presented the following, which | was adopted; Constitution and By-Laws of the American | Boiler Manufacturers’ Association. Adopted | at Pittsburgh, April 16, 1889, For the purpose of affording means of ready | eonsultation, and of united, intelligent and | effective action on matters of mutual interest, | the undersigned, American Boiler Manufact- urers, hereby associate themselves together and agree to be bound and governed by the following constitution and by-laws : CONSTITUTION, ARTICLE I. Name.—The name of the association shall be the American Boiler Manufacturers’ Asso- ciation. ARTICLE II, Its objects are Ist. to establish such standard for materials and workmanship as will insure uniform ex- cellence of construction of all American boil- ers, and thus secure safety to the lives and property of all communities where boilers are aed, and to procure the passage of laws mak- ing the manufacture, sale or use of inferior ma- terials criminal offenses. 2d. To concert such measures and take such action as shall be for the interest and ad-| vantage of its members, especially, 3d. To procure and furnish to its members | statistics of the trade, domestic and foreign, | and 4th. To take such action as shall from time to time be deemed advisable regarding the regu- | lation of prices and production. ARTICLE III. Membership.—Any firm, corporation or in- dividual manufacturing boilers who shall take part in the adoption of this constitution shall | ereby become a member of this association, and thereafter any such manufacturer may be- come a member upon application to his State Committee in writing, agreeing to be bound by this constitution and paying the initiation fee. ARTICLE Iv, Officers.—The officers of this association shall be a president, three vice-presidents, a secre- tary and a treasurer. These officers shall to- ether constitute an executive committee. he duties of said officers shall be such as usually apertain to their offices, and such as | shall be set forth, stated and fixed by the by- laws of this association, or such as may from | time to time be imposed upon them by the association. ARTICLE V. Assessments.—The expenses of this associa- tion shall be met by initiation fees and by assessments levied from time to time, as regu- lated by the by-laws. ARTICE VI, State Committees.—Each State in which at least three members of this association are lo- | cated and in which they employ not less than one hundred (100) boiler-makers shall be en- | titled to a State Committee of not less than three nor more than five members, who will | organize by electing from their number a chair- man and a secretary, who shall at once notify the president of the association of such action. Members in such States where there are no State Committees may attach themselves to the nearest State Committee. ARTICLE VII. All questions affecting the boiler trade or connected with the welfare of this association shall be submitted to the vote of the association by letter ballot through the State Committees by the president on resolution of the Executive Committee, It shall further be the duty of the president to submit such matters in theesame manner on the written request of any five mem- bers of the association. ARTICLE VIII, | The treasurer is to give a be held on the first Tuesday in February of each year, and shall hold their respective offices for one year, or until their successors are elected and are ready to enter upon the duties of their respective offices. Sec, 2. The president shall preside at all meetings of the association, shall be entitled to | vote on all questions coming before the associa- tion, and shall perform all other duties incident to the office of president. Sec, 5. The vice-presidents in the order of | | their election shall, in the absence of the presi- | dent, perform the duties of the president, and in the absence of the president and vice-presi- dents a president pro tem. shall be elected | from the members of the association present. Sec. 4. The secretary shall have charge of all papers and a memoranda belonging to the as- | sociation, keep a correct method of all its pro- ceedings and act as secretary of the Executive | Committee. He shall also communicate to all members of the association, through the State Committee, such action and information rela- tive to meetings, reports, statistics, &c., or other matters affecting the common interest as he shall be in possession of. He shall also per- form such special duties as may be assigned to him by the association, the president or the Executive Committee. The salary of the secre- tary shall be $2000 r .annum, payable monthly; he shall also Se paid his expenses when traveling on the business of the associa- tion. Sec. 5. The treasurer shall receive and have charge of all moneys of the association, shall keep a correct account of the receipts and ex- penses and shall present a detailed statement of the same, with the proper vouchers therefor, annually at the meeting in February and when- ever called upon by the association. The | treasurer will pay out money only to the order of the president page age creey rr any: md of $5000 for the | faithful performance of his duties. Sec. 6. The initiation fee is to be $25. The Executive Committee may fix assessments | from time to time, not exceeding $20 in any one year. tervals between the meetings of the association shall have the authority to take such action as general objects, reporting such action to the next meeting of the association, or by circular through the State Committees. They shall also verform such duties as may from time to time ve imposed upon them by the association. Sec, 8. Any vacancy in any office, however | occurring, shall be filled by the Executive Committee at their next meeting after the va- cancy shall have occurred. Sec. 9. The meetings of this association shall | be held in various parts of the country; the point for each annual meeting to be chosen at the preceding meeting. Sec. 10. Th i amended by a simple majority of those voting | by letter ballot on one month’s previous notice | by circular. Philip Rohan moved that the secretary, or some other person appointed by him and other members of the Executive Commit- traveling for the period of six months, that all those desiring to join the organiza- tion might have an opportunity of know- ing its purpose. Motions to furnish all boiler manufact- urers with a report of this convention, that a certificate of membership be given to those joining the association, that the next meeting be held in Pittsburgh, Octo- ber 15, 1889, that the invitations of Car- | negie, Phipps & Co., Park Bro. & Co. and National Tube Works be accepted, were adopted in quick succession. Just before adjourning Col. E. D. Meier, of St. Louis, Mo., presented the follow- ing resolutions, which were unanimously adopted : Whereas, Thorough uniformity in the con- struction of boilers can only be attained by a sareful consideration of all the elements which Amendments.—Any changes in our amend- ment to this constitution may be made at any regular meeting of the association, provided at least one month’s notice has previously been given by circular to the members—absent mem- bers voting by letter ballot, or by letter ballot after like notice, the ballots being canvassed by a majority of the Executive Committee. two-thirds vote of the whole association shall be necessary to carry any such change or amend- ment, By-Laws. Section 1. The offiers of the association, after those elected at the time of organization, shall and workmanship; and Whereas, In these important matters the in- | dividual knowledge and experience of all members of the A. B. M. A. should be col- | lected, arranged and compared before intelli- | gent discussion and conclusions become pos- | | sible; therefore, be it | Resolved, That the president shall at each regular meeting appoint committees of from three to five members each, well distributed | territorially, whose duties shall be to collect and tabulate these data in the form of reports, | to be submitted for discussion at the meeting next following; and that he shall