The Iron Age 1891-09-03: Vol 48

‘THE THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1891. Electrical Appliances in a/ Rolling Mill. tion was a comparatively easy task. For the benefit of the uninitiated, though, it |must be stated that the position of the | apparatus at the rail is such that it is sub- Through the courtesy of our contempo- | jected to about as hard usage as one could rary, the Western Hilectrician, we are en | well imagine. abled to present an illustrated description |in the closest proximity to the red-hot of two admirably designed electrical de-| rails, and thus alternately cooled and vices now in use in the rail mill of the} heated, it is not to be wondered that the South works of the Illinois Steel Company | present design of the water-proof casing at South Chicago. The devices referred | inclosing the one moving part was arrived | to are an electrical recording rail counter | at only after much experience and several | Splashed with water and | and an ingenious printing telegraph. The | disappointments. IRON AGE will doubtless imagine that the construc-| numbers may be stamped upon every rail that leaves the mill. In addition to these numbers, the ‘‘ pit ’ and ‘‘ hole ” numbers, i.¢., the furnace numbers—are also dis- patched. The system in its entirety consists of a receiver, Fig. 5, a transmitter, Fig. 6, three connecting wires and eight cells of gravity battery. The receiver on which the tape is printed is located at the finish- ‘ing end of the mill, not a great distance from the point at which tue contact lever of the rail counter is placed. This ma- As will be seen from | chine is in charge of a boy, who records working of the two sets of apparatus will’ Figs. 3 and 4, the contact lever proper is’! on a blackboard for the use of the stamper Fig. 1.—Electrica! Recording Rail Counter. ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES IN A ROLLING MILL. be understood by a reference to the illus- trations. From Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 there may be obtained a very clear idea of the construc- tion and operation of the electric rail counter. By means of this mechanism and a few cells of battery a tally of the number of rails rolled is kept in the office of the superintendent. Fig. 1 shows the location in the mill of the water- tight and heat-proof contact maker, or key through which an electrical impulse is sent into the office to operate the regis- ter orcounter proper. This last mentioned device, Fig. 2, consists merely of an electro- magnet arranged, as shown, to operate a lever escapement connected with a train of gears so proportioned and numbered as to constitute a counter. The contact maker, shown in position in Fig. 1, is simplicity itself, and after a glimpse at the cuts, Figs. 3 and 4, showing the details, the reader mounted on a short, stout spindle within a casing of 4-inch pipe. This upright spindle is keyed into and forms a part of another lever below and on the outside, which projects in front of the rail. The lever at the rail is kept in position by a spring, as in- dicated. As the rails comealoug from the saws one after another, this lever is pushed outward and thus makes one contact for every rail. The simple arrangement by which a good rubbing contact is secured is so clearly illustrated that no further ex- planation is required. The printing telegraph system illus- trated by Figs. 5, 6,7, 8 and 9 is, as a matter of course, more complicated than the counter. Its object is to print on a tape, at the finishing end of the mill, where the stamping machine is located, the heat numbers of the ingots, the ingot numbers, and the number of rails in each ingot, so that the proper heat and ingot the numbers and letters as they are printed on the tape. The transmitter is operated by a man at the ‘* pits,” or reheating fur- naces, at the further end of the mill, about 350 feet from the stamping ma- chine. To understand the details of this print- ing telegraph system it will be necessary to refer to the lettered parts in the dia- grams and also to remember that two circuits are employed. It will be under- stood from Fig. 9 that while there are two circuits only three wires are needed, com- mon return wire being used. From Fig. 7, in which is shown the transmitter with the dial face removed and also three sec- tional views, it will be seen that the trans- mitter consists essentially of a commutator ring C and acontact ring B, between which there may be revolved a contact lever A. The contact lever is shown more clearly to the left in the cut. This last named part 356 THE IRON AGE, September 3, 189) can be turned around in only one direction, any back motion being prevented by a ratchet wheel R. The part D of the con- tact maker bears against the inner face of the commutator ring C and as this arm A is directly connected with the battery (see Fig. 2 —The diagram of circuits, Fig. 9), a revolution of the crank over the segments send im- pulse after impulse of current to the re- ceiver at the other end of themill. These impulses act on magnet M, Fig. 8, and serve, by means of the lever «scapement E, to produce a synchronous movement of the type wheel T. To make the impressions upon the tape, | after the type wheel has been set by the impulses due to the movement of the little | contact block D over the segmental face of C, the push button P in the transmitter, Fig. 7, is brought into play. When the crank has been moved around to a number or a set of letters on the dial, the button P is pushed in so as to make contact with ring B. As block D is at this moment in such a position that it is insulated by one of the segments of ebonite which are dove- tailed into ring C, the contact vetween the crank and the other ring B serves to send current into magnet N of the receiver. Magnet N, lifting lever L, presses the tape up against the type and thus prints the symbol corresponding to the one on the dial to which the crank had been turned. The upward movement of lever L serves also, by means of the escapement F, to move along the type into a position to re- ceive another impression. The brass feed rollers H are actuated by the clock spring 8. This spring is wound every 24 hours, and feeds out from 200 to 250 feet Register. | Trube, also of the South Works. of tape. Iis theink roller. The tape is | wound up on the spool W by the slipping | belt V. It may be mentioned, too, that there is a ‘‘dog” to prevent backward | motion, which would throw the type wheel out of sypchronism relative to the crank A. The rail counter was devised by H. 58. Loud of the South Works of the Illinois Steel Company, and the printing telegraph was made after designs prepared by G. A. For the photographs of the apparatus the Western Fig. 3.—Details of Contact Maker. Fig. 4.—Details of Contact Maker. Fig. 5.— Receiver of Printing Telegraph System. ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES IN A ROLLING Fig. 6.—Transmitter. MILL. September 3, 1891 THE IRON AGE, 357 Electrician is indebted to W. Clarke Cat- / lin, assistant superintendent of the rail mill. — — Treaty with San Domingo. The new treaty between San Domingo and the United States took effect on the 1st inst., according to the terms of the producers and manufacturers of the United States directly by a removal of burdens, but in many respects will give them a substantial advantage over foreign com petitors for the Dominican trade. About one-half of that trade is with the United States; but the balance against this country, on a total of $2,373,000 in 1899, exceeded $1,000,000, while the balance was largely in favor of the United King- cultural, mining, manufacturing, indus- trial and scientific purposes, $117,210; material for the construction and equip- ment of railroads, $28,256; iron, cast and wrought, and steel in pigs, bars, rods, plates, beams, rafters and other similar articles for the construction of buildings, and in wire nails, screws and pipes, $8232; zinc, galvanized aud corrugated iron, tin Fig. 7.—Details of Transmitter. AECE/VER ELECTRICAL document published by President Hen- | reaux on August 1. dom, France and Germany. Merchants in that | that condition may now reasonably be ex- republic are looking for a large increase of | pected. 8 CELLS GAAV/TY BATITERY, Fig. 9 —Diagram of Circuits. APPLIANCES IN A ROLLING A reversal of Taking the exports from this importations from the United States as an| country to San Domingo last year as a immediate result. A Washington dispatch | basis, the following statement shows ap- says: proximately the effect of the agreement. The agreement removes entirely, so far, While the figures are not exact, they are as this country is concerned, the onerous | believed to be sufficiently accurate for all | of all kinds for communication and illumi- duties hitherto imposed by San Domingo| practical purposes. upon more than 38 per cent. of the ex-| Among the articles made free of duty port trade from the United States to that} are: Agricultural implements, $717; coal, country, and reduces by 25 per cent. the| $3480; machines, including steam engines | duties imposed upon nearly 28 per cent. | and those of all other kinds and parts of | of that trade. It will not only benefit the ‘the same, implements and tools for agri- and lead in sheets, asbestos, tiles, JPTER a tsjean ELECTRICian, HW. MILL. Slate, tar paper and other materials for roofing, $10,527; copper in bars, plates, nails and screws, and copper and lead pipe, $1876; wire, plain or barbed; for fencing, with hooks, staples, nails, &c., and telegraph wire and tele- graphic, telephonic and electric apparatus nation, $11,501. Articles to be admitted at a reduction of 25 per cent. from existing rates of duty include manufactures of iron and steel, single or mixed, not made free of duty; tin plate and tinware, cordage, rope and twine of all kinds. The total 358 THE IRON AGE. September 3, 1891 value of exports to San Domingo from the United States last year was $926,651. In preparation for the change the Dominican Consul at New York issued the following notice to shippers: Shippers to any of the ports of the Domini- can Republic are hereby respectfully notified that, in conformity with the terms of the com- mercial arrangement between the Dominican Republic and the United States of America, which will go into force on and after Septem- ber 1, 1891, all invoices and bills of lading must be accompanied by a sworn declaration | stating which are the merchandise of the pro- duction or manufacture of the United States, and which are of a foreign country. oe aaa The Kennedy Gas Regulating Cut-Off Valve. and Hugh Kennedy of Sharpsburg, Pa., the well-known manager of the Isabella fur- naces, has designed a gas regulating and <—__ —- ——- - -Yu— - pipe shown is attached to a plate casting | of the Eiffel tower. He claims that the having holes registering with the openings | structure he’has designed is more marvel- of the pipe. This plate is set in another plate aod is provided with a rack and pinion, as shown, by which it may be moved longitudinally. The whole is placed on top of the main flue, the parti- | tion wall in which is located between the | two openings referred to. A shifting of the pipe and the plate to which it is at- tached enables the operator to cut off | completely the connection between the two adjoining parts of the main flue. rt An ingenious instrument, by meaus of which the profile of a river bed can be |taken automatically from a boat at the | rate of 3} to 64 miles an hour, has been invented by a German engineer, Mr. | Stechner. The apparatus consists of a |curved arm, which is hinged at its upper |extremity, and is so long that the lower Fig. 1.—Vertical Section. ' Lilien cinema a 10 = ee me oa - - + Fig. 2.—Plan. THE KENNEDY Bi AST FURNACE GAS REGULATING cut-off valve which he has adopted at the new furnace. It has been found a very convenient arrangement, since one furnace may be cut off without stopping the others. Ina furnace plant which com- prises several furnaces, it has been found conducive to the regularity of work, to cause the gas from all the furnaces to discharge into one main flue from which the boilers and stoves are supplied. Valves have been placed in the main flue, | in order to be able to cut it off from an | individual furnace, so that the men can get access to parts where the presence of | gas would be dangerous. Owing to the large size of the flues and the necessarily large dimensions of the valves it has been found difficult to shut off the gas per- fectly. Mr. Kennedy, instead of making the flue continuous divides it by cross walls into parts corresponding to the number of furnaces, and connects the adjacent parts with each other by removable pipe con- nections. The accompanying drawings show the device preferred. The U-shaped | curved portion trails on the bottom of the AND CUT-OFF ous than Eiffel’s famous tower. cost $2,000,000. It will a The Liquation of Bessemer Steel. H. Reuss of La Louvitre, Belgium, re- ports to Stuhl und Hisen a striking case of the liquation of steel. A roll weighing 7 tons was cast of Bessemer steel, bottom casting being used. From the edge of the last groove to the bearing the roll was conical, and the maximum section of the casting was at the base of this conical part, so that the steel remained liquid longest there. At this point there was a cuvity of 3 9 by 5.9 inches, while the rest of the casting was sound and the head only showed blowholes. In the interior of this cavity on that part of its surface which pointed downward was attached a flat cake, 2 inches in diameter and 0.6 inches Fig. 3.—End Elevation. Fig. 4.—Horizontal Section, VALVE. thick, nearly round. Its surface was en- stream. Of course, the deeper the stream | tirely smooth, while the cavity walls near the greater the inclination of the arm, and | it were curved with irregular indentations hence, by a suitable recording mechanism, | and with crystals. The cake itself was but | the depth can be automatically registered | lightly attached to the wall of the cavity, in a revolving drum as the boat proceeds|and the whole had the appearance as on its course. The instrument has been| though the cake had been formed much | practically tested on the Elbe, where} later than the cavity, and as though it soundings were made over a distance of | were a more readily melted alloy which | 297 miles in ten days. had been forced into the cavity while the balance of the mass contracted. The fol- | Mr. Eiffel’s plans for a tower at Chi-| lowing analyses were made: cago were rejected by the committee in | —_— a charge. The Frenchman wanted the di- : : oe rectors to put down the foundations while} sample taken = S| e3| 2) a jhe was getting out the superstructure. from : | ei|as| &| 38 Then he would come to Chicago, and, 6)/a2/|™a| o * | standing on the lake shore at Jackson Park, | --—— . — with a yacht cap pulled down over his eyes, | Charge during , bors the job of putting the tower, together. | Casting i o----| 9-318 oil alo al cae E. F. Cragin and Mr. Hale, of Chicago, are | Lower bearing...._ 0.314| 0 280) n. d.| n. d.| 0.980 ready to build a tower 1,076 feet high. nee | They have _ drawn by George 8.| cavity........... 0.309, 0 252) 0.079, 0.055] 0.960 Morison, and are about ready to begin | Surface of cavity) | business. Mr. Morison went to Paris sev-| % Which cake | was attached ...| 0.680 0 326) | 1.274 0.410) 0.318, 0.325) 1.490 eral months ago, and made a careful study 0.753, 0.418] 1 080 Cake itself........ September 3, 1891 THE IRON AGE. 859 Roughing Train and Doubling Ma- chine for a Tin-Plate Mill. Theodore L. Thomas, an experienced tin plate worker, now connected in an- other capacity with the Union Works of the Illinois Steel Company, Chicago, fur nishes us with some details of a mill which he has designed for rolling tin-plate bars. The mill is herewith illustrated, Fig. i showing side elevation and Fig. 2 the ground plan. vised a doubling machine, likewise shown in the illustrations, which he deems an important part of the apparatus. This mill is intended to break down tin plate (four) fours, (five) eights, finishing to!Thomas claims that with his improved suitable lengths. The description applies | mill enough iron or steel can be molded to what is known inthe market as IC 20 x| and doubled to keep four finishing mills 14. By Mr. Thomas's method a 14-inch|at work. For example, he says, four bar is taken. It is heated, passed|ordinary mills will turn out 2000 through the lower rolls in the direc-| boxes per week, while with his mill tion of the arrow, shown in Fig. 1,|and doubling machine they can make and then back through the upper rolls. | 3000 boxes per week at a low estimate. The rolls are carefully adjusted by lining, | He further states that skilled help is not graduating the work on the bar through-/| required except in the case of the roller out the six passes. ruide rollers between | and heater, boys being capable of doing the rolls keep the bar in proper position|the balance of the work, making the Mr. Thomas has also de-|for the next rolls. The rolls are a| labor cost at least 20 per cent. less than sufficient distance apart to prevent| by the old method. In making IX sheets buckling. The sheet which emerges|or heavier the gain of output would be from the last pass is trailed on the;more than above stated, since IX or floor a little on one side of the doubling ' thicker sheets are finished on fours. The ® Fig. 1.—Side Elevation. Fig. 2.—Plan. THE THOMAS ROUGHING TRAIN AND DOUBLING MACHINE bars and prepare them for the usual finish- ing train. It consists of three sets of rolls, three high, inclosed in one pair of hous- ings and driven by one engine, as indi- cated by the gearing. The doubling machine, on which application has been made for a patent, consists of four folding doors lying at floor level, with shears in the center. The special features of this mill and doubling machine may be more perfectly comprehended by an explanation of the usual method of making sheets for the tinning process. The practice at present followed, as described by Mr. Thomas, is to take a 7-inch bar, cut to suitable width. It is subjected to five heatings and five rollings, with four doublings. The five roll- ings are known to millmen as (one) mold- ing, (two) singling, (three) doubling, machine. It is then pushed by machinery on the folding doors and into the shears, which cut it in two. The doors next move into a perpendicular position, thus doubl- ing the two sheets at one operation and one heat. The doubling machine is in- tended to be operated by hydraulic or steam cylinders, the valves or levers being placed within easy reach of a boy who stands at one side of the machine. Mr. Thomas states that two fifths of the work of rolling the black sheets is per- formed at this stage, leaving three-fifths to be done in the finishing mill, to which the doubled sheets are taken by an endless chain or other labor-saving device. The finishing mill being thus relieved of two- fifths of the work of rolling the black sheets, can be operated with much greater capacity than by the old method. Mr. FOR TIN-PLATE MitL | yield of sheet would also be considerably |improved by making less scrap, as by cut- |ting the sheet in two there is only one long piece of scrap made instead of two | pieces. Fuel would further be economized, | because this mill molds and singles at the same heat. —_— EE A shingle machine has been devised that cuts 170 strokes a minute, a heavy knife throwing off the shingles more} rapidly than they can be counted. The German iron and steel manufact- urers who visited this country last year have sent to the representatives of the different local committees a very artistic address of thanks. About 50 Americans were the recipients. 360 THE IRON AGE. The Barrett Cylinder Boring Machine. A new cylinder boring machine, made by the Barrett Vise and Tool Company, of Meadville, Pa., is here illustrated. It is adapted to bore and face engine cylinders, | boring guides, piston-rod hole and stuffing box, and facing ends of the frame—in | fact, all places where a true and smooth bore and face are required. It has a heavy bed, 6 feet long, 26) inches wide, by 10 inches deep. The boxes on the frame are 11-inch bearing, bored 6} inches, in which sleeves are fitted. The bar fits in the sleeve, and in it a key- seat is cut to fit the key in the sleeves. The sleeves revolve in the boxes and the bar slides through the sleeves. By this arrangement the wear is reduced to a minimum. Attached to the sleeves are facing blocks, which are moved by a star feed that can be set to feed in or out by moving a trip, and the bar is driven by worm and worm gear, geared 31 to 1; this is a powerful feed. gives a steady move- ment and is noiseless. The driving shaft is steel, 2,°, inches diameter, running in the boxes each 7-inch bearing. The end of the shaft is hardened. In the outside bearing there is a steel step to take the ee ee te eee a ee sl io laa THE BARRETT thrust of the shaft. The cone pulley on the driver shaft has three steps, 44 wide by 104, 134 and 164 inches in diameter. To the handle bar there is an extended frame, well supported, on which a cross- head slides; this crosshead carries a sleeve that revolves in the crosshead; in the sleeves there is a key or feather that fits the key-seat in the bar, and is tight- ened by the set screw in the sleeve. By this arrangement the bar can be handled at will. The feed is a rod feed, commonly used on lathes. On the main sleeve there is a cone pulley with three steps and one shaft running parallel with extending frame; there is another cone pulley which drives the shaft. On the shaft there is a worm, held in position by the apron at- tached to the crosshead; this worm drives a worm gear on the shaft running through the crosshead on the crosshead shaft. There are pinions working in a rack cut in the extended frame, also a hand wheel fastened by a feather that can -be locked to the worm gear by friction when desired. The changes of feed are vs, 4 and finch. The length between facing blocks is 3 feet, and the machine will face 28 inches outside diameter. There is a chuck for holding the cylinder, and if it is desired to face the head or bore the stuffing box and guides the outside box can be removed. The bar is of ham- September 3, 189) |mered steel, 5 inches in diameter. All| at the higher temperature of nearly 88 per racks and pinions are cut from the solid. Floor space, 6 feet by 26 inches; extended ‘frame, 4 feet; speed of countershaft, 150 revolutions. RR The Effect of Temperature on the Strength of Railroad Axles. Thomas Andrews has undertaken an in- vestigation in order to determine by ex- periments on a large scale the resistance of metals to sudden concussion at varying temperatures down to 0° F., and at the same time to ascertain, if possible, some of the causes leading to accidental fract- ures on railways, The investigation has extended over nearly seven years, and the |results obtaired have from time to time been published in the ‘* Minutes of Pro- ceedings of the Institution of Civil Engi- | neers of Great Britain,” and include also ‘a paper on ‘‘ The Effects of Chilling on 'the Impact Resistance of Metals.”’ It may | be desirable to give a brief réswmeé of the | whole series of observations made in con- 'nection with Parts I, II and III of tke re- search. The following are the author’s | general tentative conclusions: pT if ee 1G renee iF Sy Gat CYLINDER BORING MAC 1, The impact tests with an ‘‘ energy ” of 10 foot tons on axles at a temperature of 212° F., compared with results at 7° F., indicated an increase of endurance at the higher temperature of about 235 per cent. . 2. The impact tests with an ‘‘ energy’ of 15 foot tons on axles at a temperature of 120° F., compared with results at 7 F., showed an increase of endurance at the higher temperature of nearly 120 per cent. 3. The impact tests with an ‘‘ energy” of 10 foot tons on axles examined at a temperature of 100° F., when contrasted with results obtained at 7 strated an increase of resistance at the higher temperature of about 43 per cent., and this increase was, within certain lim- its,in proportion to the increase of tem perature. 4, The impact tests with an ‘‘ energy ” of 5 foot tons on axles at a temperature of 100° F. gave an increase of resistance of about 138 per cent. compared with the re- sults on axles similarly tested, but at a temperature of 0° F. 5. The impact experiments with an RET, F., demon- | | cent. | The author has also found that when jaxles were subjected to a number of heavy blows, the extent of the deflec- tion was more during the earlier blows |}under some temperature conditions than the deflections produced by the later | blows—i.e., the elastic limit of the axles had risen. This progressive de- crease of deflection was manifest with the impacts made at the temperatures ot 212° F., 120° F., and 100° F., but it was ; not observable when the axles were at a temperature of 0° F. The experiments on the ‘ Effect of Chilling on the Impact Resistance of | Metals” were of a different nature, ani | are consequently scarcely comparable with the above results. Among other things, | however, they showed that a reduction of the impact resistance of metals results ‘from even a single lowering of the tem- | perature through 100° F., more extensive | chilling producing a considerable reduction of resistance to impact. | In the course of the research allusion has been made to alternating changes of tem- perature in axles owing to journal friction and the effect of this in inducing fracture. c+ ant Li a 32 eee & T eye C0, - HINE. j It has also been indicated that repeated concussions increase the rigidity of both | steel and iron axles and tend to induce brittleness in the metal. Careful determinations with delicate ap- paratus have also been made of the heat dilatations of railway axles at varying | temperatures from 0° F., 100° F., 212 Pic 392° F. and 572° F., and the detailed re- | sults have been given in the former parts ‘of this paper. It was observed that large | forgings, such as railway axles, expanded somewhat unequally in different direc- tions, owing to the diversified molecular structure of the forged metal. It was as- | certained that wrought-iron axles gener- | ally show premonitory signs of destruction previous to final fracture, whereas steel |ones appear to break suddenly without | previous warning. | Full-sized photographs of most of the 1/286 fractures have been taken, so as to preserve accurate records of the compara- | tive aspects of fractures occurring at dif- ferent temperatures. Some of these are reproduced in the papers by the author ,published in the ‘‘ Minutes of Pro- ceedings,” and a complete series of the original photographs, in volume form, ‘‘energy” of 24 foot tons, applied to| has been presented by the author to the axles at a temperature of 100° F., com-| library of the institution for reference. pared with experiments at 0° F., showed| The appearance of the fractures of the an increased resisting power to concussion | warm tests was found to be of a fibrous September 8, 1891 THE IRON AGE. 361 ot 2 _—_—_——— character, those of the cold tests having a | more fine-grained and crystalline aspect. It will have been observed that the different sets of experiments were made under varied conditions both of tempera- ture and force of impact, &c., which probably accounts for the somewhat diver- sified comparative percentages obtained. The results of each set are, however, com- parable with themselves, ; The author’s conclusions receive contfir- mation from the recent experiments made in Sweden by C. P. Sandberg, Assoc. M. Inst. C. E., showing the effect of low tempcrature on the strength of wrought- iron and steel rails. Mr. Sandberg found that the resistance of steel rails to impact was considerably reduced at low tempera- tures, and this is also in accord with the author’s experience. I The Burnham Portable Railroad Drill. A drilling machine designed for gen- eral use about railroad yards or in the con- struction of new roads, and also applica ble to bridge and structural work, has NEW PORTABLE been introduced by George Burnham & Co. of Worcester, Mass. It is intended to do the work usually performed by a ratchet drill. It can be used as a bench drill by removing it from its base and bolting it to a bench. It has automatic feed, adjustable to four changes. ’ putting the crank on the balance wheel shaft the power is increased two to one. It is provided with a grinding attachment for keeping the drills sharp; this will be found to be of great value, as it provides means for always keeping the cutting tools in proper condition. The emery wheel has 17 revolutions to the crank’s one, and is brought in contact with the balance wheel by simply turning a thumb nut, The spindle has a run of 4 inches and the drill socket takes 4} shank drill. The drill socket can be removed and one of any other size shank, or a uni- versal chuck, put in its place. The chuck for holding the rails can be removed and the drill used on a general line of work. It will drill from 0 to 14 inches to the center of a 12-inch circle. The trucks are 6 inches in diameter and 24 inches in face. The machine is strong enough to do all the drilling about a railroad yard, and by means of the trucks it can be moved about with ease. The weight is 200 pounds. RATLROAD By | The St. Paul Railroad Report. President Roswell Miller of the Chi- sago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad takes occasion to make some very pointed remarks, intended for the general public, in connection with the twenty-seventh annual report of his company, which has just been published. The report shows gross earnings for the fiscal vear ending June 30 of $27,504,224.49, and net earn- ings of $9,471,931.82. As compared with the previous year, gross earnings in- creased $1,098,516 14, while net earnings decreased $94,886.14. Commenting upon this financial showing, President Miller says: It is an unavoidable conclusion that when so large an increase of gross earnings produces no increase of net revenue the rates obtained for transportation are too low. This conclusion is often met by the assertion that existing rates would be sufficient for all needs,if they were maintained. It seems idle to prescribe main- tenance of rates in view of the fact that legis- lation has prohibited pooling—the only satis- factory method of providing for the nevessities of railways whose disadvantages prevent them from competing on equal terms with railways that are more favorably situated, and the only efficient means of restraining within safe bounds DRILL. the destructive competition that results from the existence of too many competitors. Maintenance of rates will not relieve Ameri- can railways from the disastrous effects of the competition of foregn railways, for legislation has tied up American railways and leaves for- eign railways tree to carry off their traffic. American railways are compelled either to re- duce through rates, under penalty of probably reducing intermediate rates, or pay subsidies to | foreign railways or lose the traffic. Mainte- nance of rates will not cure the evil effects of the unremitting efforts of State authorities to reduce local tariffs. In view of these con- ditions it is not,surprismg that the efforts made by railway managements to maintain rates | have not been fully successful, but that they |} should bave even a moderate or spasmodic success is surprising, when all the conditions | have been adverse Railroads Not Overcapitalized. It is not often asserted that present rates |} would be sufficient to meet all needs if the companies were not overcapitalized, but it can hardly be demonstrated that the principal lines of railway in the West are overcapital- ized, or even that their capitalization repre- sents as much as the present value of their physical property. It is not material whether the present owners have paid dollar for dollar for their interest in the railways, for the his- tory of railways iv the West shows that more actual money has been put into them than is now represented in their capitalization. If in some cases individuals have taken out more than they have put in, in more cases other in- dividuals bave hopelessly buried all they have putin. This has resulted from the anticipa- tion of the needs of the country, for which the public is as much responsible as investors, and from which the public has reaped the princi- yal benefit. The development of the country on been hastened, and the farmer finds that land for which he paid! 35 per acre is now worth $30, because there is a railway to haul his preducts to market, while the owner of railway property finds it a constant struggle to save his original investment. The principal lines of railway in the West cannot be duplicated for their present capi- talization. This is the material point. There seems to be no good reason why the owners of a railway which it would cost more than its present capitalization to duplicate should be deprived of the right to a fair return on the value of its physical property, any more in the case of railway property than in the case of mills, or farms, or factories, or newspapers or any other property ; nor shoald owners of railway property be denied all benefit from appreciation of value, while owners of other forms of property have the benefit of an ap- preciation to which railways have contributed no small part. Increase in Wages. A constant pressure has resulted in a con- siderable advance in wages, without a corres- ponding increase in net revenue. It is impos- sible that a liberal standard of wages can long be maintained unless the capital which sustains the enterprises in which labor is employed is permitted also to receive a liberal compensation for its use. This conclusion concerns not only labor directly employed by railways, but the many other commercial and industrial interests which absorb the wages of railway labor, or employ the multitude of workmen who are en- gaged in the production of the enormous amount of supplies and material which rail- ways consume—the cost of which consists principally of wages paid for labor in produc- tion. The difference between the value of iron in the ground and ina rail, or of a tree in the forest and in lumber, or of coal in the mine and on the tender of a locomotive, is mostly labor. The railways, directly and indirectly, are the largest employers of iabor, and labor has more interest in their welfare than capital. It is not unreasonable, therefore, to expect that the ele- ment of labor, which ambitious politicians are so eager to propitiate, will with a more intelli- geut appreciation of its own interests exercise in time a strong influence m securing legisla- tive action relative to railways which shall be dicta*ed by a just regard for the welfare of so a tant an interest. The payments of this company for labor directly employed in its service during the last year were $12,463 362, and for materials and supplies $6,955,777, of which at least 75 per cent., or $5,216,832, was for labor in production, making a total of #17,- 680,195 expended for labor. Neasly all of this sum is distributed among the sellers of merchandise, food products and fuel, so that the larger part of payments for transportation goes directly back to the sources from which it came. Whceever takes the narrow view that, because he owns no railway stock, it is no con- cern of his whether anything is paid on the stock is about as sensible as the man who, be- cause be owns no farm and grows uo corn, thinks it no concern of bis if the corn crop is a failure. The same nerve runs through all commercial and industriai interests, and most of the errors of railway legislation have sprung from the assumption that one can be injurec without detriment to the others. Net Earnings Too Low. Another important element is beginning to interest the public in the necessity for an in- crease in the net revenue of railways. The de- velopment of the country and consequent in- crease of commerce demand more and better facilities and a higher standard of railway property. How can these be furnished unless the net income of railways is increased? If railway companies are not permitted to earn en°ugh to pay for improving their property, they must borrow; and how can they borrow unless they can show a reasonable certainty of enough net earnings to pay for borrowed money? It is not sufficient to earn merely enough to pay interest on mortgages. No company can obtain money on favorable terms if for a long time it can pay nothing to its stockhclders. It is a very easy matter for legislatures or boards of railway commis- sioners to legislate that a railway company shall expend $1,000,000 in equipping freight cars with air brakes or in building viaducts over street crossings, but neither legislatures, nor commissioners, nor railway companies themselves can provide the means to meet the cost when earnings are insufficient to furnish good credit. It is apparent that the railways of the West cannvot meet such demands without a very 9° - 36 THE IRON AGE. September 3, 1891 ES considerable increase in their capitalization. The proper way to accomplish this is to make the shares of the companies a safe and sure in- vestment, so that they can raise money by sale of shares instead of sale of bonds. While it is a proper subject for the care of legisla- tures and courts that such increase of capital shall be represented by additional property and facilities, it is vital that equal care shall be taken that the revenues of the com- panies shall protect the increased capitaliza- tion, and prevent the disaster that will surely result from expenditure that cannot be made! gtroke a combustible charge of gas and air is tharg gas : remunerative. It is an mmpossibility that in- creased capitalization shall represent only actual additions to property if its rates and revenues do not enable a company to place its bonds and stock at par. The necessity for more and better facilities | and a higher standard of railway property should, therefore, produce an enlightened and liberal view as to rates of transportation and the regulation of railways, for upon them de- pends the fulfillment of the public needs. The Rollason Gas Engine. The gas engine of which we here present engravings is the invention of Arthur Rollason of Newcastle-on-Tyne, England. It has been in use in that country for two or three years with the most satisfactory results, proving itself to be economical in the use of gas, free from any tendency to be clogged by the products of combustion and to be reliable and perfect in opera- tion under varying conditions. It is now being introduced in this country by the Electric Mfg. and Gas Engine Company, whose works are at Greenbush, N. Y., and offices and warerooms at 134 Liberty street, New York City. These engines run at speeds varying from 100 to 250 revolutions per minute and work with a dilute or strong mixture of gas and air according to the varying load or requirements of work from the engine. They differ from other gas en- gines in the method of mixing the gaseous charge previous to ignition, and the burn- ing of the mixture in a chamber which is heated and maintained at a high tempera- ture. The entire absence of premature explosion and the complete expulsion of the products of combustion are points of advantage. | of combustion. The engine is of the three-cycle type. Supposing an explosion to have just taken place, the piston makes a forward stroke under its impulse; the exhaust valve is then opened, and the piston returns, ex- pelling a large proportion of the products During the next stroke forward the piston draws in behind it a scavenger charge of air, which it forces out on the back stroke. On the fifth is drawn in, and on the sixth it is com- pressed ready for igniting, thus complet- ing the cycle, which includes an explosion every sixth stroke, except when the en- gine is working at very low powers. Referring to the engravings, it will be seen that the engine conforms in general appearance to the usual type. The con- necting rod is pivoted directly to the pis- ton, which has a guiding trunk. The cylinder is surrounded with a water jacket, which extends round the combustion chamber up to the rear valve face. The chamber itself is isolated from the influ- ence of the jacket by an annular space, THE ROLLASON GAS ENGINE. which is filled with a non-conductor. A side shaft, revolving at one-third the rate of the crankshaft, works the slide valve at the back of the cylinder by means of a connecting rod and a rocking beam. The slide valve is shown in the horizontal section in Fig. 4. This slide valve is formed with ports through which the supply of air and gas is admitted. The gas valve is raised at the proper in- stant by a cam, which is shaped to pro- portion the influx of gas to the speed of the piston. The amount of gas ad- mitted is regulated by the governor, which is driven by the side shaft. The governor is connected by a rod to the valve, and as it rises it throt- tles the supply of gas to make it correspond with the work to be done. When the dilution of the charge has been carried as far as is economical, the gas is cut off entirely. lever connected with the governor carries a counterweight, and by altering the position of this weight the speed of the engine can be varied. This lever can be readily put in or out of connection with A second | SSS the governor, its principal object being to enable the engine to be slowed down when not actually doing work. When combustible mixture is to be ad- mitted to the cylinder, the valve ports coincide with admission, gas and air inlets, the gas valve is opened and the charge flows in, following the outward movement of thepiston. The first portion of the combustible gases taken in flows down the center of the cylinder until the piston stops, and then it divides and flows back along the walls. This portion, which is diluted with the air in the combustion chamber, is congregated round the firing port, while the richer part of the charge is situated next the piston. The weaker part is ignited first, and the velocity of combustion increases as is approaches the richer part. Tests. A. B. W. Kennedy, professor of engi- neering, University College, London, made exhaustive tests of this engine of 4 Although the engine had horse- power. but just left the erecting shop it ran smoothly and developed no weakness ; whatever. Professor Kennedy in his re- |port said: ‘It ran continuously and |smoothly, without the least hitch, and | without (to the best of my belief) a single | back ignition or misfire, during the whole | five and a half hours of the trial, and the | last half of the trial was even (although only to a very small extent) more econom- ical than the first half, the last quarter of an hour happening to be nearly the most economical quarter of an hour during the whole test. During the whole time it worked with an excessively dilute mixture, and (comparatively) very low combustion temperatures. As to its gas economy, I may say that, so far as I know, no gas en- gine of the same size as this one has ever shown so small a gas-consumption on a trial anything like so severe and protracted as that to which I put the Beck en- gine. I attach very little value to such short trials as have often been published, for on a short trial it is comparatively easy to register a small gas consumption. But even on the short trials of half an hour September 3, 1891 and an hour, of which many have been published from time to time, I do not know of any trustworthy ones, made by uninterested persons, showing so small a gas consumption in so small an engine. The mechanical efficiency of the engine, or ratio of useful to indicated work, is also extremely good—quite above the average for an engine of this power.” wma —_— a The rights of ‘‘ walking delegates” are likely to be more clearly defined by the trial of a case which has been sent to the Grand Jury by Judge Frost, in Boston, the first of its kind brought before any court in that city. In consequence of the threats of Sullivan, a walking delegate, Michael Welch, a hod carrier, was dis- charged by the contractor who was erect- ing some buildings. Welch then applied to the court for a warrant for the arrest of Sullivan. The defendant Sullivan, in his testimony, denied that there were any threata or intimidations, simply claiming that as a walking delegate it was his duty to visit the different jobs in the city and notify contractors that no member of the union should work with any of the ex- pelled members. Sullivan denied that he ordered a strike, as that was a matter that rested with the men themselves. Judge Frost ordered the defendant Sullivan to furnish bail for his appearance in the Su- perior Criminal Court the first Monday in September A silica sand of special excellence for use in making open-hearth and crucible steel castings has been found at Downer, N. J. The sand has been thoroughly | tested and approved at some of the largest steel plants, and to facilitate shipments | W. A. Downer, the owner of the tract, has | had a railroad siding constructed, so that | prompt and regular skipments can be | made at any season of the year. Fig. 3.—Part Side Eleva THE IRON AGE. 363 tion, THE Fig. 2.—End Elevation. ROLLASON GAS ENGINE. Fig. 4.—Horizontal Section. 364 Government Tests of Coil Boilers. The report of Geo. W. Melville, chief of Bureau of Steam Engineering, just is- sued, contains an account of tests of two coil boilers, one made by William Cowles of New York and the other by Charles Ward of Charleston, W. Va. The tests were conducted by a board composed of Charles H. Loring, chief engineer, United States Navy, president; Geo. W. Roche, chief engineer, United States Navy; Geo. W. Magee, chief engineer, United States Navy, and J. J. Barry, passed-assistant en- gineer, United States Navy. These tests are of unusual interest, because, to quote the report, ‘‘the results obtained are of the greatest value not only to the service, but to the engineering world as well, since they were the most severe and the a TWO-G0-O0 c } ay rere f — THE IRON AGE. type in the Monterey, as they best filled | all the conditions required, and a contract | has been made for them. The decrease in weight for a given! power is but one of the advantages to be | gained fiom the use of coil or tubulous | boilers, though this alone would warrant their being used. Another and very im- portant advantage in favor of employing them in war ships is that from the small | quantity of water they contain and the perfect circulation, steam can be raised in a coil boiler, without injury, in a very much less time than in one of the locomo- tive or Scotch type, even though the latter | be fitted with mechanical devices for fore- ing the circulation. With a coil boiler| all the time necessary is that required to| start ard build up the fire, say half an| hour, with soft or semi-bituminous coal. | This point was kept steadily in view when | % The Ward Coil Boiler.—Vertical Section. GOVERNMENT TESTS most carefully made of any of which we have knowledge, and have established a standard which future boilers must equal or surpass to be considered.” We take the following data from the report : Both boilers were given two trials OF COIL it was decided to adopt boilers of the coil type for three-fourths the power of the Monterey, for the service she is to perform | (coast defense) will require her to be or- dinarily at anchor or under easy steam; if she is under way, with the two Scotch of 12 hours each under forced draft, the} boilers with which she is provided in use, air pressure being equal to 2 inches of| she can attain a speed of about 10 knots; water. draft, the choice of methods being left to the maker. During the trials frequent ob- servations were made of the dryness of the steam as well as of the various temper- atures and quantities usually noted in boiler tests; and it is believed that noth- ing was omitted that could in any way have added to the accuracy of the results obtained or to the completeness of the in- formation to be derived from them. Not only the steaming qualities of the boilers, but also the facility with which repairs could be made to them, in a space repre- senting the fire room of a ship, was deter- mined. Asa result of these trials, it was determined to place boilers of the Ward One boiler was set up in a com-| partment to represent a closed fire room | by firing up on her coil boilers. and the other was fitted for closed ash pit | this can be increased to 16 in a half hour Or if she | is at anchor with no steam at all, or only sufficient to run the dynamo engine and other auxiliaries in constant use on a modern ship, she can in an emergency be un- | der way and running at aspeed of 14 to 15 knots half an hour after fires have been | started in the coil boilers. To keepa ship | with ordinary boilers in such readiness as | this would be simply impossible unless she happened to be near a coal supply, for the fires would require to be kept so heavily banked that the supply in her bunkers would soon be exhausted. Coil boilers are cheaper for the same power than either the Scotch or locomo- | tive type. They can be taken to pieces and shipped in comparatively small pack- | board, — ages to 9 vessel in any part of the world: arrived at their destination, the old coi} boilers (if the ship is so fitted) can be taken to pieces and hoisted up the tire- room hatch, and the new ones lowered and connected together, all by the force op They can be forced with greater safety than can a shell boiler, since in a properly designed coil boiler the circula tion of water will increase with the ip- _ tensity of the fire, a