The Iron Age 1891-03-12: Vol 47

‘THE THuRSDAY, MARCH 12, 1891 IRON AGE The Graydon Dynamite Gun. The Graydon gun, designed to throw a shell loaded with dynamite, has been re- cently tested in England. The accom- panying illustrations and description we take from the Hngineer : The invention of Lieut. James Graydon, late United States Navy, is as follows: His object is to inclose dynamite in a steel shell in such a way as to protect it from premature explosion or shock of discharge, and from explosion on impact before the desired penetration is achieved. To this end he lines a steel shell, shown in Fig. 5, with usbestos, A A A, to prevent the con- | Government report: 1. the | duction of heat from the shell to charge B, B, either in the gun or on im- THE pact. To render the dynamite safe, and to prevent the nitro-glycerine from escap- ing and collecting in any one part of the mxss, he makes up the dynamite in small cubes of 4 inch wide, or in cylinders or spheres, which he incloses in paper satur- ated in paraffin, so as to seal them up her- metically. These are placed inside the asbestos-lined shell, being grouped in sec- tions by divisions of thin metal paper or wood in larger shells. A wad is used at the base of the shell, to diminish the shock of discharge. slow action to insure penetration before explosion is to place the contact piece, or striker C, with a spiral spring, D, in front of it, which must be set up before the striker is fired by detonation. The American official report of a trial of this shell, in the summer of 1887, may be summarized as follows: The target con- sisted of a portion of a turret of 14-inch wall, made up of two thicknesses of 7- inch plates, laid so as to break joint and roofed over with 3-inch plating; the whole was bolted together with 14-inch bolts. This had been attacked by guns before, | and had shot marks and some cracks in it. | first shot and exploded. | It was setup without backing, and was not | in any way supported or braced. The gun employed was a 7-inch Amies wrought ‘iron muzzle loading rifle piece. The pro- jectiles were steel shells of the service pat- tern, but provided with a large opening in the base to enable the shell to be charged on Graydon’s system. The total weight of | filled shell as fired was 122 pounds; the | The arrangement for | | weight of powder firing charge was 23 | > 0 pounds; the bursting charge was 2 pounds of dynamite No. 2. The claims of Lieutenant Graydon for his shell are enumerated as follows by the That the action is delayed until the penetration necessary for full effect is obtained. 2. Shells charged GRAYDON DYNAMITE PNEUMATIC | with dynamite on this system can-be safely fired with allguns. 3. Safety in handling and store is secured. 4. No special con- struction of shell is necessary so long as access can be obtained to the interior. 5. The shell will only break up by the | action of the fuse on impact, so that the full range can be secured. 6 The com- pound will not explode if struck or pene- trated by small arm bullets. For the first round no fuse was used; the projectile struck the left-hand section of the target 2 feet above the horizontal | joint and 24 feet to the left of the em- | brasure, as shown in the drawings, Figs. 2 and 3, which show the turret after three rounds, as sketched by Lieutenant Gray- don. The shell entered 2 inches to 3 inches into the iron and exploded with | great violence. The shell apparently had pot struck fairly point first. The cover was lifted from the turret and toppled backwards. Seven roof bolts were broken and some cracks made. The second round was fired with a fused shell; it struck the turret in an old in- ‘dentation, partly overlapping that of the | | was fired fused. |of the plates. It increased the first indentation by about 2 inches, and continued the crack made by the first shot and several others. The third round The shell struck in an old indentation 3 inches deep, 1 foot be- low the horizontal joint, and 3 feet from the left edge of the target and exploded. It completely penetrated the front plate and bulged and cracked the rear one. It made considerable cracking and separation One piece was detached from the left of the target about 3 feet | square, > rep says, weighing abou juare, the report says, weighing about eS 2700 pounds—but marked as weighing /4000 pounds in the sketch—see Fig. 3. This was thrown 18 feet to the left. Four rounds were then fired on December GUN. 2, of which the first one—round 4--fired at a wooden target 1 mile distant, burst prematurely at from 300 to 400 yards from the gun. Round 5, similarly fired, burst at or beyond* the target. Round 6 was fired to sea at 8° 30’ elevation; it did not burst on striking the water. Round 7 was fired to sea at 13° 30’ elevation. The shell burst prematurely at about 1000 yards from the gun. The New Dynamite Gun, Since that date Lieutenant Graydon has not been idle. His shells were first fired with gunpowder, but he has now pro- duced a pneumatic gun, which we here illustrate. This gun has been made by Taunton, Delmard, Lane & Co. of Bir- mingham. The gun is to be discharged by the expansion of condensed air, at a pressure of 5000 pounds per square inch. The shell is fitted with a telescopic tail, which enables Lieutenant Graydon to shorten his shell by one-half, and to re- duce proportionately the length of the impulse tube or gun proper. The con- tract with Messrs. Taunton & Co. is for a ote «2% ee ee ~e uk eee Ri te et ere te ee en ee Tl a Sy eos =~ Ps os ¥ q i 4 f ay bbe) wrk | Vb anna ae an 3919+ ; ry SSS — oo SS Dated : =rrT es See | me ane gay pe enti me 5 . Py —_ ss +” ~ Tere ery Sw = Bw mn 8 DN Slag mt ; eee || 474 . THE IRON AGE. March 12, 189} 15-inch torpedo projector which will throw a charge of 600 pounds of dyna- mite a distance of 3 miles, but it is ex- pected that this c_ntract will be followed by orders for still larger weapons. The barrel or pneumatic tube ef the gun is of Whitworth forged steel, and weighs about 11 tons. It is supported at the breech end on fixed trunnions 15 inch diameter, which are bored for the passage of compressed air. Towards the muzzle it is carried on movable trunnions engaged with two forged steel arms or levers. These levers have sliding fulcra and are actuated by a hydraulic plunger for the purpose of elevating or depressing the gun. The breech is closed by means of a steel screw-block with interrupted screw threads, as in heavy service ordnance. The peculiar feature of this particular Graydon gun is that it can be loaded at any degree of elevation within its working range. Pivoted to the breech trunnions | there is a loading slide or tray for the re- ception of the projectile or torpedo, the weight of which is about 1ton. This slide, at all times when the barrel is ele- vated above the horizontal line, rises by hydraulic pressure to receive the projectile from a tram-trolley. By opening a vaive, the slide is then made to descend with its load, and becomes lineable with the bar. rel of the gun. On each side of the barrel is fixed a small double-acting hydraulic cylinder, the plungers of which not only | control the movement of the loading slide, but also, by their continued action, projectile up into the The breech- ' draw the barrel, where it is held. tions may be discharged, according to the range desired or the weight of the pro- jectile. The discharging valves are a peculiar arrangement of the piston type, and are packed on the hydraulic system. All valves and pipes, where not forged, are of Whitworth cast steel. Thecarriage on which the barrel is mounted is con- structed of heavy steel plates, with massive trunnion bearings of cast iron, secured to it by means of numerous turned bolts. The carriage is supported on the roller at each stage. The first, which draws the air from the atmosphere, is 12 inches in diameter, and the last, which delivers it to the reservoirs, is 24+ inches. After each operation the air is cooled by a tubular coil surrounded with water. The construc- tion ot the pneumatic gun has been carried out by Mr. Lane, engineer to the company, under the supervision of tbe inventor, Lieut. J. W. Graydon, of the United States Navy, who has been residing in Birmingham with that object. Fig. 2~—Front View of Target. Fig. 3.—Back View of Target. closing block, suspended above the trunnions by counter weights, then de- scends, and is also drawn into the breech by the crossheads of the hydrauic plung- ers, and locked. The gun is now ready for discharge. The compressed-air reser- voirs, a complement of which numbers 32, are 4 feet long and 10 inches in diameter, are made of metal 34-inch thick. They are tested to a pressure of 4 tons to the square inch, They are carried with the gun in four sections of eight each, two on each side of the gun carriage. Filled with air compressed to 5000 pounds per square inch, or about ;}, of its original volume, the capacity of each at the working press- ure is 17,000 cubic feet of air weighing 11 hundredweight in its compressed con- dition. Any number out of the four sec- THE GRAYDON DYNAMITE GUN. path with conical rollers, geared together | and actuated by a Heenan and Froude spherical engine, the motive power of) which also is compressed air. The roller, path, which will ultimately be imbedded ia concrete, is made-in sections of cast iron. It is 21 feet in diameter, and is planed on its surface. The air from the | compressor is passed to the reservoirs of | the gun carriage through a central pivot or swivel tube. The gun can be loaded, elevated, trained and discharged by one person. With the gun there is, of course, a special air-compressor, a modification of the high-pressure machines designed by H. Lane for oxygen, hydrogen and car- bonic acid. The air is compressed in four stages, the pistons decreasing in diameter | kiy. 4.—Appearance of Point of Shell After Explosion. tig. 5.—The Dynamite Shell, It is in some measure due to Lieutenant Graydon that the apparatus for throwing highly explosive shells considerable dis- tances with accuracy is at present engag- ing the serious attention of all the powers. The United States Government has not only spent already a great deal of money on this class of weapon, but is setting aside funds for the purchase of 250 of them. There is no doubt that the appara- tus found most efficient and convenient for the purpose will ultimately be largely adopted. Five European Governments have sent representatives to Birmingham to see and to report upon the Graydon pro- jector during its construction; and the Chinese, Japanese and South American Governments profess themselves greatly interested in its success. March 12, 1891 THE IRON AGE. 475 Peculiar Changes in Values of Old Material. There may be many readers of The Iron Age who are thoroughly conversant with the peculiarities of the scrap iron and steel trade for 20 years oc more. Others, and perhaps the great majority, can boast no such familiarity with the subject. All, however, will be interested in the follow- ing sketch of the changes in relative values in that time, which has been pre- pared for us by August Pollak of Chicago, who is a well-known merchant dealing exclusively in this line: The panic of 1873 had a great effect upon the values of scrap material, and when prices reached ‘‘ rock-bottom ” the principal classes of material were worth about the following figures: Railroad shop wrought scrap from $18 to $20 per net ton, railroad track scrap about $2 per ton less, old iron rails about the same price as railroad track scrap, or the same per gross ton as railroad shop scrap and forge scrap were worth per net ton. Steel scrap, however, was worth considerably more. Railroad leaf, coils and locomotive tires ranged between $38 and $43 per net ton, delivered at Pittsburgh, and common mixed country steel, if my memory serves me right, was worth about $23 to $25 per net ton, delivered at the steel works. The boom of 1879-80 brought prices up to such an extent that a comparison of the various values for that time would be useless, as each consumer paid for the class of scrap that he just needed anything that he could get it for. But when prices became more settled again it was found that a great change had taken place. The new cheap processes of making steel enabled manufacturers to make their product from raw material, without being forced to pay the high prices for leaf and coil springs and tires that were in vogue in the seventies. At present, while No. 1 railroad wrought scrap is worth about the same price as quoted above, as shown by the quotations of Zhe Tron Age, coil and leaf springs, instead of bringing from 200 to 250 per cent. as much, are only worth about 75 to 80 per cent. of the price of No, 1 wrought scrap in Chicago, or about 90 per cent. in the Pittsburgh market, where both are used. Coils, which used to bring the same price as leaf, are worth all the way from 5 to 15 per ceat. less. Locomotive tires are worth about the same as leaf, but all are worth less than forge or railroad scrap. Another important change is that track scrap and old iron rails, which, as stated above, were worth 5 to 10 per cent. less than No. 1 railroad wrought scrap, are now worth 10 per cent. more than No. 1 wrought. The chief objection in former days to track scrap was that it contained a large percentage of fish plates, this material being made of old iron rails, which was stock inferior in quality to No. 1 railroad wrought scrap, the offal from selected bar iron. On that account track scrap and old iron rails were worth so much less. Now the large demand for fish plates, spikes and cheap bar iron, which can be made in rolling old rails and old fish plates through in one heat, coupled with the fact that the supply of old iron rails is diminishing yearly, has caused the price of old iron rails, and consequently also old fish plates mixed with spikes, to be in excess of the price of No. 1 railroad wrought scrap, which latter is a better material. Alto- gether, a comparison of the various values of scrap leads to curious results. Very often steel turnings bring a better price than steel scrap, for the reason that steel turnings can be worked by iron rolling mills, while steel scrap depends upon the open-hearth furnaces for,customers. An- other interesting feature in the Chicago scrap-iron market is that consumers are found now in a different locality from former vears. Upto 1882 and 1883 most scrap shipped from Chicago found a mar- ket with the consumers at, or very near to, Cincinnati, while now not 1 per cent. of the scrap sold in this city is shipped to that market. EE — American Tin Plates. Since the question of increasing the tariff on tin plates began to be agitated last year, public opinion in the matter has presented many curious fluctuations. Some people who in the beginning were in favor of a thoroughly protective tariff have come to believe that the new duty of 2,7, cents per pound is an imposition,and have consequently thrown themselves into the opposite ranks. consumers and others who, from the start. were opposed to any increase of tariff have turned about in their feelings, now that plates are beginning to be manufact- ured, and are at present the strongest ad- voeates of the new policy. The fact that plates are being made in this country in itself is undoubtedly a very strong argu- ment, and will persuade many into regard- ing the new tariff with favor. During the past week we havereceived samples from the United States Iron and Tin Plate Company, Limited, Demmler Station, Pa., being sheets of their IX 20x 28 bright plates. The general appearance of these plates is very creditable; and while it is hardly fair to compare them with the finest. grades of the Welsh product, they nevertheless would seem to possess excellent working and wearing qualities. One of the chief difficulties experienced in first making tin plates, we are informed, is in finishing the plates and giving them that smooth, shiny surface that distinguishes the best grade of imported sheets. Perhaps the trouble is due to the biack sheets, for the Ameri- ‘an mills have only recently been called upon to furnish stock for this new work of tinning. To get asmooth, bright surface on the tinned sheet, the black plate must necessarily possess a fine, smooth surface. If the domestic manufacturers only en- counter such superficial difficulties, if we may so call them, there is little doubt but that they will be able in time to turn out a satisfactory product. The plant where these plates, to which we have just referred, are manufactured, has been operating with one stack since the middle of Janunary. The concern, however, are now making changes pre- paratory to starting a second stack, which they expect will be ready within a month or six weeks, while during the coming summer they hope to increase their works very largely, and in addition will build sheet mills suitable for the manufacture of the black plates. They state that their reason now for only running one stack is that the demand for black plate has been so large that all of their four sheet mills have been kept constantly busy in meeting the demands of customers. Thus far they have been running on a variety of plates, having made coke and charcoal tin, and have also experienced with some new processes that were recommended to do the work more cheaply and _satis- factorily. The conclusion, however, which they have reached is that the old palm-oil process is still the best. Their principal object in working is to train their hands to the new employment, and they inform us that the progress they have made has been altogether satisfactory. Their present product amounts to from 40 to 50 boxes per day, which they are sell- ing to large and direct consumers of tin plate, but they hope soon to raise the quality of their output so as to enter the market with a plate that will rank with the very best. Their progress in this | | | On the other hand, many | | States direction will, we know, be watched with keen interest by users of tin plates in all parts of the country. ——————— EEE Trade on the Pacific Coast. Early this spring three first-class new high-speed steamships will be on the Pa- cific, continuing the service on the rail- way line through Canada to China and Japan. The competition with American lines thus created will draw more attention to the importance of the Pacific Coast. In an address delivered before the London Chamber of Commerce, February 10, by Sir George Baden-Powell, M.P., the speaker said: ‘As to this Pacific traffic, sufficient at- tention is not generally given to the very rapid growth of the external trade of the washed by the Pacific. British Columbia and the Pacific States of America are advancing by leaps and bounds in every respect, and forming great increase in trade. The total external trade of the Pa- cific islands already exceeds an annual value of £4,000,000. In Japan external trade has risen from an annual value of £12,000,000 in 1884 to £26,000,000 in 1889. In China the increase has been from £41,000,000 in 1886 to £56,000,000 in 1889. In Australasia the growth has been from £60,000,000 to £120,000,000 in value in 15 years. The direct trade between China, Japan and North America has al- ready reached a total of £11,000,000, while the direct trade between Australasia and North America has grown from £700,000 in 1870 to £4,000,000in 1890. The goods exchanged have varied in some cases, as when wheat was largely shipped to Japan. The Australians, however, habitually take large quantities of ‘soft’ lumber and pre- served fish, while the Canadians are anx- ious to obtain the fine wools of Australia and the teas and silks of China and Japan. Above all this, it is well known, by all records of trade, that when once you set up lines of steamers between great and growing nations there is no lack of goods either way.” The last .sentence in the foregoing should be accentuated—viz., that steam- ship lines once put in operation between two populous and thriving communities are sure to become established as remuner- ative investments. This fact has been determined by British experience, after expenditure on a scale before unknown in steamship navigation. Thus encouraged British merchants are about to establish an Atlantic and Australian steamship line, and confidence is felt that ‘‘ Government aid ” will be forthcoming from the coun- tries and colonies benefited. A little later it will be possible to form a more definite opinion of the beneficial effects expected from the American Postal Subsidy bill just passed by Congress. a —— American exports of canned goods last year were valued at $11,000,000, almost doubling the shipments of the previous year, and the Agricultural Bureau at Washington warns packers against the danger of injuring their reputation by sending out inferior goods. Attention is valled particularly to the new opening in the Brazilian market, where the duty charged under the new treaty is only three-fourths of that charged for similar goods from other countries. The tomato pack in the United States last year was 3,166,177 cases of two dozen tins each, the largest ever made, with the exception of 1888. The new depot to be erected in St. Louis by the Merchants’ Bridge Terminal Company will cost, including improve- ments connected with it, $2,000,000. <—fOo meta ee i oe eee Pa rn Loree a oS Aan rs cee: cata at ee ee oe nee ee aid 4 > _— = eae ee St ed 32 Se eee r ‘4 Ss ae a 4 nH 1 a 4 - mS ee wre~ ee de * tha = a4 7 ae —_ et TS 5 ane | a nr) aE ante, YSA 2.008 ‘a > 4 ON tage = es we —™ _ a aS ' 476 THE IRON AGE, March 12, 1891 A New System of Fire Proofing. This system of fire proofing which is being introduced by the Gibert & Bennett Mfg. Company, with offices at 148 Lake street, Chicago, and 42 and 44 Cliff street, New York City, is based on the fact that wood timbers can be protected against damage by fire by the use of mortar prop erly applied, and it is well known that wood is desirable for framework on ac count of its light weight. small cost and readiness with which other material may be secured toit. The important feature of holding the mortar in such a manner as will protect the timbers is claimed to be met by the use of wire lathing employed in connection with Hammond’s Metal Furring. The lathing holds the mortar in place, while the furring sets it away from the wood in such a manner as to maintain the air space between the two. By means of the accompanying illustra tions we show the manner in which the lathing is attached to wood and brickwork, and also some of the uses to which it is applicable. The Standard “G, & B.” Wire Lathing is made by weaving wires in such a way as to form square opeuings measuring about ,°, inch and commonly called *‘24 mesh.” It is usually woven 36% inches wide and put up in rolls 50 yards long. In its manufacture No. 20 steel wire is employed, capaple of sustain- ing, it is claimed, over 80 pounds, so that every foot in width of the lathing has a strength of about 2500 pounds. When the mortar is applied the small strands of wire are said to be completely imbedded, as the articles of mortar, being soft, pass through the openings and unite or cohere on the opposite sides, forming a plastered surface on both sides of the wire. The lathing forming a continuous surface, serves the double purpose of sustaining the wall and binding the mortar together. The amount of metal in the strands of wire is said to be so small that the action of intense heat will not sufficiently affect it to disengage the mortar. Another point to which the manufacturers refer is that the surface will not crack in case the building should settle, or if poorly-sea- soned timber is employed. Hammond's Metal Furring, used in connection with this system of fire proofing, is a combina- tion of sheet metal bearings or bridges with steel stiffening rods, fastened to the timbers by means of staples. In Fig. 1 of the illustrations is shown a 4-inch metal bearing, clearly indicating the manner of fastening the rods to the timber and of holding the lathing in place. This arrangement is such that it keeps the lathing and plaster away from the woodwork, forming an air space be- tween the timbers and the plaster, as in- dicated in Fig. 2 of the engravings. Another function of Hammond’s Metal Furring is that it admits the mortar to form an unbroken plastered surface on tre back, the rod and bearings being so small as to become imbedded in the mortar. It also acts, the manufacturers state, as a stiffener and support for the lathing, and where used wood furrings are unnecessary. It is stated that by the use of Hammond's furring the mortar can be applied with the least difficulty and also of a uniform thickness, thus saving both time and ma- terial. As each section of the furring is put up it can be spaced to accommodate the timbers. If they are laid far apart the rods come close together, while if the timbers are separated by only a short dis- tance the reverse is the case. If the tim- bers are placed irregularly the rods may also be irregularly spaced. It will be ob- served from an inspection of Fig. 1 of the engravings that the bearings are made of flat sheet metal in such a manner that the ends rest against the timbers. They are made with a slot running transversely to the face for the reception of the staples through which the rods are passed. Two sizes of bearings are made—namely, 1 inch and 4 inch, the former, however, being more extensively employed, for the reason that it sets the plaster sufficiently far away to give an ample air space. In cases where only a small air space is re- quired the 4-inch bearings can be em- ployed. The stiffening rods are made of No. 9 bright steel wire, and are furnished Fig. 1.—Haltf-Inch Metal Bearing, Showing Manner of Fastening Rods and Lathing. 1} Hite HHH os . peeSs: 5 - ttt ah et | ++ ee ’ s 4 TRS) Ha HE ee Hitt + ete (ly +t a + + 334) 5 <See" aad + 7) 4 LZ ‘ a Teaah \) pees ttt ¥Sr: Perey A pian) aA 4 4 f Tas Ua eas | aa eS aaa a ae 4555s Sa ae ON, Saag se om 455445544 = haa4 ete eeteyr a + 345 449445 444 - 4 a Ereerstrr i a ad 43 94a BATE 7 eee ree » ‘Srere \ 4 Hi See tt 2s ay ae 4st5s “as pA Tes rere aaa Me + oer Aa A y a ee | 27 os Seer eier* me Ler sa aes Aad 71444344" haa 44 34 34 | jaar a | le A+ cated in the cut, in order to prevent fire from below burning up through, and also to prevent rats and mice from passing from one story to another. Timbers around doorways may be protected by lathing covered with a good body of mortar, as may also the timbers around window frames. In Fig. 4 of the illustra- tions is indicated the method of applying the ‘‘G. & B.” system to ceilings, while in Fig. 5 is represented the manner of apply- ing the lathing to brick walls. Between Fig. 2.—End View of Plastered Surface, Showing Air Space Between Lathing and Stud- ding. Fig. 3.—Method of Applying the G. & B. System to Partitions. THE G. & B. SYSTEM OF FIRE PROOFING. 8, 10 and 12 feet long. The staples are made 14 inches long, with 4-inch bear- ings, and 2 inches long, with 1-inch bear- ings. These extend into the wood 1 inch. The ‘‘G. & B.” system of fire proofing is adapted for interior walls and ceilings of frame buildings, brick or stone struct- ures, including residences, office and pub- lic buildings, theaters, &c., as well as for use around elevator shafts, stairways, areas and hot-air flues. In cases where it is ap- plied to wooden studding for partitions, as shown in Fig. 3 of the engravings, the studs are put up in the usual manner and at the base 6 inches of grouting, consisting of brick and mortar, is filled in, as indi- every five or six courses of brick a wood lath is laid in order to receive the staples carrying the stiffening rods and lathing. It is stated that entire buildings have been constructed under Gilbert’s patent, em- ploying wire lathing with cement for the outer covering of wood framework and wire lathing with plaster for the inner. These buildings have been tested in the cold climate of the North, as well as in the milder climate of Florida, with gratifyin results. It is stated that the lathing ae furring is so compact that the bulk of the wall is made up of a thick body of mortar, which becomes hard and as firm as a slab of marble. March 12, 1891 THE {IRON AGE. Convicts Learning Trades. The fact that convicts are learning trades at training schools, lately estab- lished in the reformatory at Concord, N. H.,.has brought down a storm of in- dignation from the Journeyman Plumbers’ Union of Boston. On learning the fact, a committee promptly proceeded to make an investigation, and found the necessary equipment and 20 young convicts, who were being taught how to draw, bend, upset, weld, punch, &c. Still more ag- to prostitute our trade and flood the} country shops with a host of such char- acters. How, if such characters are to be taught our trade and allowed to enter the dwellings of our fellow-citizens, | with free access to nearly every room in the house—as plumbers generally are allowed—how long, we ask, will it be safe for females to remain in their apart- ments, or that jewelry and valuables can be exposed in chamber or toilet drawers; in fact, that anything can be safe, while these prowling wretches and sneak thieves Ceilings. Fig. 5.—Lathing as Applied to Brick Walls, THE G. & B. gravating, the committee ‘‘came unex- pectedly upon a gang of 24 young gallous | looking lads Jearning the art of plumb- ing,” every one thoroughly equipped. The committee say: ‘‘ Here was a sight to behold.” By their sides were gasoline furnaces going in fullblast. ‘‘ They were all working as if on a wager. An in- structor was constantly going from one to another. He was evidently taking great pains to teach them the trade. We had come so suddenly and unexpectedly upon the scene that we nearly betrayed the object of our visit.” The startling dis- closures here spoken of are the result of finding a graduate of the school at work in a shop in Boston, who was ‘ not a union man.” The committe say, in conclusion: ‘*Here, then, is our beneficent State preparing, feeding and educating a grace- SYSTEM OF FIRE PROOFING. are masquerading as plumbers in the house?” The showing here made is pro- nounced ‘‘simply abominable, disgrace- | ful and criminal,” and the trades generally are appealed to that legislators may be brought to their senses, and that the ‘*nefarious system may be abolished.” Thus it would appear that some of our social reformers have a formidable task before them. If all attempts to restore convicts to useful positions in so- ciety by teaching them trades must en- counter the opposition of organized labor, progress in their department of philan- thropic endeavor is doomed to serious embarrassments. Not unlikely one result might be the riseof an opposition no less formidable, with the design of protect- ing erring citizens from a permanent for- feiture of the right to live, otherwise less set of young scamps and convicts’ from perpetual banishment. 477 Ellwood Industries. Within a few miles of Beaver Falls, Pa., and about midway between the Erie and Pittsburgh Railroad and the Pittsburgh and Western Railroad, a new town is being |erected and will be known as Ellwood. Railroad connections are being made which will give the new town direct con- nection with both of these railroads. <A large hotel is nearly completed, and a number of substantial dwelling houses are now being erected for the use of the work- men who will be employed in the different manufacturing establishments which are being erected there Already arrange- ments have been made by which four different concerns will erect plants at Ellwood. These four concerns are the Ellwood Mfg. Company, the Ellwood Enamel Company, the Transparent Wire Rooting Company and the Ellwood Shaft- ing Tube Company. A charter has already | been applied for for the last named con- cern, and they will succeed to the business of the Union Drawn Steel Company of Beaver Fails, Pa., whose plant will be moved to Ell- wood. The Ellwood Enamel Company and the Transparent Wire Roofing Company will manufacture specialties which have never before been made inthis country. Considerable stock in each of them is owned by English manufacturers, and it was mainly through the efforts of H. W. Hartman, president of the Hartman Mfg. Company, that the in- ventions were brought to this A representative of The Iron Age | was shown a sample of the transparent wire |roofing by Mr. Hartman a few days ago. | The foundation of the roofing is light | Wire netting, similar to that used in the manufacture of screens. The wire is cov- | ered with a composition of gelatine which nar the roofing of the thickness of or- | country, dinary window glass. The roofing is destined to take the place of glass in the construction of skylights and other places where a heavy covering is required through which light must pass. The ad- vantages of the roofing are its cheapness and its convenience, as it is flexible and can be wrapped in rolls. Besides, it can- not be broken like glass. The roofing can 'be made of all colors. It is now /used quite extensively abroad, the largest buildings in London being covered with ‘it. The roofing is manufactured by a secret process invented about two years ago. The Ellwood Shafting Tube Company will manufacture seamless tubes. No 'similar manufactory is in America, and enormous quantities of the material are imported annually from England. The other companies chartered will also have plants complete in every particular. Several Pittsburgh factories will also be moved to Ellwood. The Ellwood Enamel Company propose to manufacture enamel signs of all descriptions. This industry is also of English invention, and is carried on quite extensively in that country. It is possible that these plants will be in full operation some time during the present year. It is also stated that a number of manufactur- ing concerns now located in Pittsburgh are contemplaiing removal to Ellwood. I The powerful fire boats, New Yorker and Zophar Mills, however efficient, are unable to prevent destructive fires on the river front. It was an hour and a half before these boats could subdue the flames that broke out in the cargo of the Hart- ford steamer City of Richmond, while lying at her wharf in this city, and the | upper part of the vessel was destroyed. | Loss on hull and cargo about $50,000. aba)2.2). =_— Sd » on Pe a z : :: : . ce ead Mar Lr ee BP EO Jhb — ped A ne . ee da 2 jin an . ee ‘FP } > \2 4 Serge /? i 478 Industrial Analyses.—II. —_————_ On Some Methods oF Analyses or Tron, Steel and Cast Tron, as Practiced in Large Industrial Works. BY AUGUSTE J. ROSSI, C.E., NEW YORK. Determination of the Carbon, The direct determination by combustion or by solution and oxidation by any known approved method is adopted for the total carbon. (See Blair’s ** Analysis of lron” and other authors.) The,color method is the one exclusively practiced for the determination of the combined carbon. It must be remarked here that any graphitic carbon, and that since the carbon in these products is in the com- bined state, the carbon 1n that latter state represents, in fact, ‘‘the total carbon.” This explains why, in steel works, the color method is the one almost exclusively resorted to. It is both rapid and suf- ficiently exact in all cases if the ‘‘ stand- ards ” used for comparison are of a com- po-ition koown beyond doubt. The analysis of these standards requires the preatest care, and must be made by methods absolutely free from any sources of error. In cast iron the carbon exists both in a combined state and as graphitic carbon, and, of course, the color method gives only the amount of carbon present in the first of these two states. COLOR METHOD —EGGERTZ. The method first suggested by Eggertz is essentially the one adapted in every steel works, but though the principles on which the modus operandi is based be the same ip general manner, numerous varia- tions have been adopted, and it may be said that each large establishment has its distinct process. However, the principal modifications can be reduced to three characteristic types, a * 1. As practiged at Seraing (Belgium, Cockerill Co ), 0.20 gram of the different samples of steel to be analyzed ure dis- solved in small glass tubes on the water bath in 10 c. em. of. nitrie acid of specific gravity = 1.2, taking the proper care to avoid loss, Samples of the same weight, 0.20 gram, of normal standard steels of all possible dif- ferent known carbon contents, comprising within their limits the extreme percent- ages one way or the other, low or hich al- lowed or required in regular manufact- ure are also dissolved in 10 ec.’ em. of nitric acid, specific gravity = 1.2, simul- taneously and in the same manner, At Seraing the extreme limit of carbon is 0.60 per cent. All the tubes are then heated simultaneously to 90° C. for one hour or more until the combined carbon, first precipitated in flocculent-blackish clouds, is gradually dissolved. The tubes are then cooied by dipping them in cold water, and the solutions transferred to a series of cylindrical small glass tubes of the same diameter and thickness, which are filled up to the sime mark forall. The different shades of the solutions of the **standards”” and of the samples to be tested are then compared, and it is ascer- tained between which two ‘standards ” falls the shade of the solution of each of the specimens to be analyzed. From this comparison the tcnure in carbon is esti- * Di Mattes Genie Civil, 1883. THE IRON: AGE, mated. An assay is considered good when, made by two different operators, their re- sults agree within 0.02 per cent. This method requires a great deal of practice and judgment on the part of the operator. *2. At Rothe-Erde (near Aachen), they proceed as follows: They adopt three normal steels, one containing 0.005, the second 0.18 and the third 0.25 per cent. carbon; these figures may be changed, but which is important is to use one nor- mal standard steel containing less than 0.10 per cent., another having a tenure in “carbon comprised between 0.10 and 0.20, the third between 0.20 and 0.50, and in case very hard steels are also manufact- ured in the works, one baving a tenure in carbon comprised between 0.50 and 0.70 per cent, and even up to 0 80 per cent. maximum limit of hard steel. Samples of 0.20 gram of the normal steels and of |each of the steels to be tested are weighed iron, and specially steel, do not contain | and dissolved in small glass tubes in 5 c. em. nitric acid of specific gravity 1.2 on the water bath at a temperature which must not reach above 80°C. The solu- tions of the standards are then thoroughly cooled and transferred to cylindrical glasses carefully graduated in cubic centi- meters, the washings of the tubes being added. These solutions are then diluted with water until their levels come exactly to an even division of the glass, which is noted. The solutions of the steels to be tested, cooled in the same manner, are also transferred to cylindrical glasses similar in every respect to the first, the washings added, and they are diluted with water until the same shade as that of the stand. ard steel solution estimated to be'the near- est to its composition is obtained, the number of divisions occupied by the liquid are then read, and we have then the fol- lowing proportion: Known. Unknown. Known. Unknown. Tenurein Tenure in No. of No. of + _ ec. em. c. em. carbon carbon of the ° of the ee of the e of the ome P ** standard * solution normal sample steel tested steel of steel 5 , solution tested. A difference of 0.02 per cent. between two consecutive tests of the same steel is the extreme admitted. +3. The third variation from the Eggertz method is practiced as follows at Liége (Belgium) Société d’Angleur. They use a Duboscq colorimeter, of which the con- struction is based on this principle: Two solutions of the same substance which, examined under a different thickness, have the same shade, contain quantities of the substance inversely proportioned to their thicknesses. The apparatus is essentially composed of two glass cups of the same diameter and thickness, In the interior of each of these cups can be lowered a small cylinder of unpolished glass. The vertical motion of these cylinders within the cups is regulated by means of a system of screw and rack ; a vernier connected with the screw and moving on a straight scale graduated to the millimeter allows reading to the millimeter the amount of motion imparted to the cylinder of each cup. A reflecting mirror inclined at 45° concen- trates the rays of light toward the bottom of the cups. These rays penetrate into the interior of the small cylinders through the whole length of the latter, and are re- ceived on a double refraction prism pro- vided with a small telescope. The dispo- sition of the system is such that the optic tield of the telescope receives the rays of light reflected by each cup in the interior of the cylinders, each pencil of rays occupy- ing half of the field of vision. An horizon- tal reticule stretched according to a diam- eter of the lens mark the limits of each pen- cil of light. To guard against any deperdi- tion of light by diffusion, whenever the apparatus is used the two cups are pro- tected by a kind of camera obscura in *\|bodem. + [bodem. March 12, 1891 wood. The operation is conducted as follows: The characteristic point of the method is that only one solution of one normal steel is required, whatever may be car- bon contents of the specimen to be tested. 0.20 gram of a normal steel containing say 0.340 per cent. carbon is dissolved in 10 c. em. of nitric acid, specifie gravity = t.2, and an equal weight, 0.20 gram, of the specimen to be analyzed is treated in ex- actly the same manner. The liquids are heated to 80° or 85° ©., and, after three- quarters of an hour to one hour, the solution of the flaxes of carbon is gemer- ally completed. The tubes containing the solutions are cooled in water, and as a small amount of nitric acid might have been evaporated,one drop to two drops are added. Qne of the cups is then filled with the solution of the normal steel and the corresponding glass cylinder is low- ered down by means of the screw until the zero of the vernier coincides with the division corresponding to its tenure in carbon, as read on a scale graduated in advance according to a conventional table. The other cupis then filled with the solution to be tested, and looking through the glass of the telescope, the second cylinder is lowered in its turn until a complete equality of tints is obtained in the field of the glass; the corresponding division of the scale is then read. Let a@ and a’ be the tenure of the normal and tested sulution in carbon, } 2’ the re- spective hights read on the scale. a h’ , ab ° ° =. ; a’ =-——; a discrepancy of 1755 a h iM between two consecutive determinations and 0.02 per cent. is the only margin ad- mitted for the same sample. When dealing with extra fine steels, very soft steels, the normal type of steel is changed, because, as it is strongly col- ored, while the tint of the very soft steel is very light, it would become necessary, to obtain the equality of shade, to make the thicknesses of the liquid vary beyond the limits of motion of the apparatus. In such cases the normal steel adopted has a tenure in carbon of only 0,03 per cent. or thereabout, This method is the most rational and gives very accurate results, agreeing, it is claimed, perfectly with those obtained by direct analysis. The Serding method re- quires the dissolving of a series of normal steels, necessitating numerous weighings. The appreciation of the tints being made between two limits which are of necessity and relatively not very approxi- mative, great accuracy is not ad- missable. The Rothe-Erde process is far from being exact, since itis based on the admission that two solutions of iron carbides, having the same tint, contain the same quantities of carbon, a fact which is not yet proved. It requires besides the solution of three normal steels at least. The colorimeter used for determining the discoloring power of bone black on molasses has been used at the arsenal of Malines in the prac- tice of this third method and has, it is claimed, given remarkably exact resuits. The normal solutions must be prepared when they are wanted foruse. They have to be kept protected from light if not used imme- diately and they cannot be surely de- pended upon after a few hours. The best way is always to treat the normal steels and the steels to be tested simultaneously and in identically the same manner. However, in some establishments the standard solutions are prepared before- hand and kept for use when they are wanted. Filtering of the solutions has been advised, but it is not to be recommended, as there results from this practice a loss of both time and solution.* * Di Mattes Genie Civil, 1883. March 12, 1891 = The Terrenoire method is a sort of com- bination of the direct and color processes. It <has been published in Stahl und | Kisen, 1889, as described by the author, | Mr. Clerc, before the Société de l’Indus- | trie Minérale. One gram, more or| less, of the sample, according to carbon | contents, is digested in a tubulated glass | retort containing a solution of 5 grams. of copper sulphate in 20 to 40 c. cm. of water. | The retort is heated until a solution of the sample is obtained and the solution | allowed to settle. The clear liquid is de- canted by syphoning, taking great care | not to carry with it any particle of the| solid residue; 30 to 35 c. cm. of pure con- centrated sulphuric acid are then added | to the residue and after cooling 4 to 5} grams of crystals of pure chromic acid. The quantity of carbonic acid formed by | the oxidizing action of the chromic acid on the carbon is determined by absorption | of the gas—not by caustic potash, as usually | practiced, put by neutral carbonate of the same base. The absorption apparatus consists of a series of U tubes containing each exactly | 1c cm. of a solution of the neutral car- | bonate titrated in such a manner that, ! when it is saturated with carbonic acid | and transformed into bicarbonate, it rep- | resents exactly 0.0005 of carbon. This} solution is obtained by dissolving 4.15 | grams of pure neutral carbonate of pot- | ash in 1 liter of water. To indicate the| turping point of the saturation potassium manganate is added to thesolution of neu- | tral carbonate (about 0.025 gram for each 60 c. cm.), which colors the solution to a pink shade by the formation of potassium | permanganate as soon as the alkaline car- bonate is transformed into bi-carbonate. | Since each tube corresponds to a constant | percentage of carbon, the number of tubes | colored during the operation gives the | quantity of carbon at 0.0005 near, or its tenure at 0.05 per cent. near, as the greatest possible discrepancy and that without any salculations or weighing. If greater accu- racy were desired the neutral carbonate solution could be titrated accordingly. The operation is conducted as follows. The retort is first. heated so as to bring its contents near the boiling point; then the U tubes are connected and the heat moderated or increased, according to the rapidity of the evolution of gas. To prevent the too rapid absorption of carbonic acid in several of the U tubes at the same time, the regularity of the current is obtained as often practised in laboratories, by means of what is known as an ‘‘aspirator’’—a large bottle connected at the end of the series of the U tuves and filled with water, of which the flow is regulated by means of acock. The two first U tubes, the nearest to the retort, are used as guard tubes to intercept any projections of liquid from the retort and do not contain any of the solution of neutral carbonate: The titration of the potassium carbon- ate solution, titration obtained by direct weighing, must be checked by carrying a blank operation with a mixture contain- ing a known quantity of carbon. The pure crystallized sodium carbonate can be substituted for the potassium carbon- ate (0.0441 gram Na,CO; correspond- ing exactly to 0.005 carbon), by dissolving 4.41 grams Na.CO; in 1000 c. cm. of water each cubic centimeter of solution corresponds to 0.0005 carbon. The method can be applied to iron, steel and cast iron, and as far as residues are con- cerned the following tests, A and B, which have been made of the same speci- mens by this method and Boussingault’s method, seem to establish it beyond doubt. It is considered 1n several works preferable in many respects to the others actually practiced. It only requires one weighing, there is no loss of time, no filtering, no washing of precipitates, no calculations and it is also a color method. THE IRON AGE. chemist with one assistant, it is claimed can make readily 14 such analyses in one day. Carbon found A By method B—By | Boussin- No. 5. gault’s direct method. Steel...... 0.25 0.20 Open hearth 0.425 0.38 GOO R ics cia Watch spring.. 0.29 Watch spring. .| 0.50 Iron bar. 0 275 ‘ ey 10.6201 a Cast steel .. , 0.610% 0.63 Cast iron... ‘ 1.95 1.93 a The New Fraser & Chalmers Plant. Our readers have already been apprised | of the fact that Fraser & Chalmers of | Chicago contemplate the erection in that city of a new and very extensive plant for the manufacture of mining machinery. It will be located in a different part of the city from their old works. As a matter of public interest we reprint below an article on the subject taken from the Chicago Heonomist, which sets forth from the architects’ standpoint the plans of the firm. It will be observed that the erection of oniy a portion of the new plant is to be undertaken at