The Iron Age 1891-09-17: Vol 48

‘THE THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1891 Vertical Blowing Engine. |their own gravity remain closed at the omamneeaa: 2 | upper head of the cylinder. The Columbus Machine Company of; Projecting from the heads at their dis- Columbus, Ohio, have placed on the market | charge section are the laterally extending the blowing engine of which a perspective | pipes G, having bolted to their outer ends view and drawings of the principal details | elbows g, which in turn are connected by a are here presented. In this particular en-| vertical pipe (shown in the perspective gine the steam cylinder has a diameter of | view), provided in its side with an open- 18 inches, the blowing cylinder of 48|ing adapted to receive one end of a pipe inches, the common stroke being 24 inches. | which leads to the blast furnace. It will The peculiarity of the engine lies in the} be seen that about three-quarters of the form of the heads at the top and bottom of‘ area of the heads of the cylinder 1s oc- the cylinder, which are formed with eduction and induction ports, the fact that the valves can be readily replaced, the form of the piston, and such construction that when the engine is on the down stroke the valves covering the induction ports at the top of the cylinder will be opened and the eduction ports closed, and the induction ports at the lower end of the cylinder closed and the eduction ports opened. The heads D D’, Figs. 2 and 3, secured to the upper and lower ends of the aircylinder,are formed of the outer flange d and the inner flange d', which are connected by vertical radial walls, d?, forming air induction ports, d*. Between the openings in the outer flanges d are formed the radial suction ports d‘, which for about one-fourth of the circum- ference of the heads at certain positions of the piston head act as exhaust ports. The following means are employed in order that the ports may be opened and closed when it is desired to force the air in the cylinder through the conveying pipes to the blast fur- nace, Secured upon the outer faces of the flanges ¢/ of the heads by means of suitable bolts are covers or caps, E E', resting upon rings, ¢, Fig. 6, at their outer edges and having at their central part a perforated boss. Ribs connect the flange and the boss, forming a space adapted when in position upon the heads to cover the exhaust sec- tion of the heads. To- gether with these ribs THE COLUMBUS BLOWING ENGINE. are others, which divide the heads into quarters, forming spaces which when the covers | cupied by the inlet openings, that have | are in position upon the heads are de- direct communication with the atmos- = to separate the induction and_ phere through the spaces formed between eduction ports. The letter 7¢* designates the flanges of the head; that such inlet | metallic plates of the contour of the openings are triangular in shape and| spaces, to which are _ riveted rubber alternate in position with openings hav- | seats, 7°, of the contour of the induc- ing parallel sides that lead to the cylinder, | tion and eduction ports; and in order) while the exhaust occupies only about that the valves may be controlled in| one-quarter the area of the head; also that, IRON AGE their movements against the action of the piston and the atmosphere, springs 7° are secured to the plates, as shown in Fig. 7. It has been found only necessary to em- ploy springs on the valves at the lower h ead of the cylinder, as the valves will of | while the openings in the exhaust section of the heads of the cylinder are the same in outline as those on the inlet section, yet the position of the valves and the movement of the air are reversed, the parallel-sided openings on the exhaust /section being closed by the valves in- | stead of the triangular-shaped openings, as is the case on the inlet section, so that the air in entering the cylinder head first passes through the triangular shaped openings (covered by valves), then through the parallel-sided openings into the cylin- der, and in escaping from the cylinder the air first passes through the parallel-sided openings (covered by valves), and thence through the triangular-shaped openings into the exhaust pipe. It will be further noted that the valves for closing the openings in the cylinder head are made in sections or quad- rants that have secured to them a series of cush- ions that on the inlet sections fit over the open- ings from the atmosphere and on the exhaust sec- tion that close the open- ings from the cylinder, so that the air on entering the cylinder raises the sections of the inlet sec- tion and passes beneath them, thence over the in- tervening partitions that separate the openings from the atmosphere from the openings leading to the cylinder and through these openings leading to the cylinder into the cyl- inder, and when escaping from the cylinder the air passes through the paral- lel-sided openings of the exhaust section of the heads of the cylinder, raises the quadrant sec- tion composing the valve of the section, thence over the intervening par- titions that separate the openings leading from the cylinder from the openings that lead to the exhaust pipe, and through the openings that lead to the discharge pipe. The Piston, The construction of the piston is shown in the perspective and sectional views, Figs. 8 and 9. It is so designed that the piston springs can be ad- Justed without requiring the removal of the fol- lower plate. The piston head consists of a hori- zontal plate from which rises a vertical annular flange formed with a ser- ies of openings. Rising from the central part of the head is a hollow boss, having between its upper and lower edges an annu- lar shoulder designed to receive a flanged collar provided atits lower edge with a flange having openings formed in it. At the upper edge of the col- lar is a flange in which are cut gear teeth, as shown in Fig. 8. The rods A project through the openings formed in the flange of the collar and have secured to their outer ends piston springs. Upon the outer ends of the rods are placed sleeves, which abut against the inner face of the piston springs and are provided at one end with an annular flange, forming a support for one end of the coiled springs, their opposite ends abutting against col- - a ee in eresere hr: “SSeS re Ye SS ee er FF eres eee hs AS 442 lars on the rods, and made adjustable by set screws which pass through suitable openings in the collars, and have a point of bearing upon the rods. Made integral with the follower plate is a hollow boss, Fig. 9, through which passes the reauced end of the piston rod, at each side of which are openings in which shafts are | fitted. To one shaft is rigidly secured a | pinion meshing with the gear, and to the other is attached a pawl engaging with | the gear and adapted to hold the flanged collar against the tension of the springs. | When it is desired to adjust the piston springs wrenches are placed upon the up- | per squared ends of the shafts, and by turning the wrench en one shaft release | the pawl from engagement with the gear. | Then by turning the shaft carrying the | pinion meshing with the gear the piston springs may be adjusted in or out as de- | sired. When sufficient tension has been put on the piston springs the pawl is then turned to engage the gear. It will thus be | seen that the piston springs may be readily | adjusted without necessitating the re- | moval of the follower plate, and that ow- ing to the like pivoted connection of each | spring with the flanged collar carrying the gear, all the springs may be readily | adjusted alike, and cause the piston ring | to bear equally at all points on the cyl- | inder. The Operation of the engine may be briefly described as follows: Assuming engine to be on the up stroke, as piston head moves up air} enters the cylinder at the luwer ports, as indicated by the arrow 1, pressing the valves away from their seats over the in- duction ports at the bottom of the cylin- der. The pressure of the air upon the top of the piston head as it moves upward raises the exhaust valves from their seats at the top of the cylinder and is forced | into the delivery pipe. At the same time | that the air on top of the piston head raises the exhaust valves in the upward movement of the piston head it also (the position of the inlets to the valves from the cylinder and atmosphere being so changed relatively to each other on the inlet and exhaust sides) exerts a pressure upon the back of the valves covering the induction ports at the top of the cylinder, indicated by the arrow 2, so that entrance of air from outside is pre- vented and the only outlet for the air is through to the pipe. Pressure in the pipe closes the exhaust valves at the lower end of the cylinder, as indicated by arrow 3. In the reverse movement of the piston | head the valves at arrow 1 are closed by | the pressure of air in the cylinder exerted upon them, while the atmospheric pressure upon the valves covering the induction ports at the top of the cylinder raises the valves and air rushes into the cylinder, the air in the cylinder below the piston head being forced out into the pipe through the exhaust ports at the bottom of the cylin- der, pressure of air in the pipe holding the | valves tightly over the exhaust openings | at the top of the cylinder and preventing air from returning to the cylinder. —— Novel Arrangement of Triple-Screw Engines. Upon a small flat-bottomed steamer, built in Scotland for use upon the rivers along the Bombay Coast as a feeder to large vessels, has been placed an engine equipment which is in every way remark- able. The Wai, which is the steamer’s name, is 90 feet long, 20 feet broad, and 11 feet 6 inches to her awning over the main deck. The draft, with coal, pas- sengers and baggage, does not exceed 2 feet 9 inches. The vessel is propelled by triple screws, driven by triple-expansion, or, as Alfred Blechynden more distinctly THE IRON AGE. September 17, 1891 termed the type in his paper before the | out of line if so inclined. This combina- Institution of Mechanical Engineers at|tion is held to give all the advantages Liverpool, a three-stage expansion engine, | that are due to the three cylinders with placed athwartships, each engine being| cranks set at equal angles. The diameters joined direct to its own crankshaft and | of cylinders are: High pressure, 9 inches: propel.er. Connections between the en-| intermediate, 14} inches; low pressure, 25 E eh oe Fig. 3.—Perspective View of One of the Heads. am Fig. 4.—Vertical Section on Line nn of Fig. 5.—Vertical Section on Line m m of Fig. 3. Fig. 3. DETAILS OF COLUMBUS BLOWING ENGINE, gines are made by two side rods, acting | inches. Each has a stroke of 10 inches. at right angles to each other, and se ar-| The engines are designed for a working ranged as to act as a balance to the low- | pressure of 200 pounds to the square inch. pressure piston and other working parts | The slide valves are worked by Joy’s valve of the engine. They are so constructed | gear. The propellers are of gun metal, as to give tne crankshafts free play and | and are each 2 feet 6 inches in diameter, movement in working, and to wear! with three blades. The vessel has attained September 17, 1891 THE IRON AGE. 443 a speed of 11 miles per hour. The boiler is of the usual marine type, 8 feet 9 inches in diameter by 8 feet 9 inches long, having two furnaces 2 feet 6 inches in diameter. The grate surface is 24 square feet. The total weight of boiler and machinery is 40 tons, and the displace- ment of the vessel in her working trim is 110 tons. a eileen Eleetric Cables in the St. Tunnel. Gothard The two electric cables laid through the St. Gothard Tunnel during the winter of 1881-82 proving insufficiént for tbe in- creased traffic, have recently been supple- mented by the addition of two cables for telephone service, one containing three separate conductors and the other two conductors arranged concentrically. The experience gained with the old cables (one a seven-conductor telegraph and the other a single-conductor signal cable) has not been quite satisfactory. These cables of crossing over necessitated the frequent, without superior in any of our Eastern taking up and relaying of rails in the short | towns, furnished with all the latest appli- interval between two succeeding trains. —_— ————EE OO Trade With Colombia. The latest returns of the imports and exports of the Republic of Colombia, re- ceived by the Bureau of American Repub ances of electricity and a capital system of electric street cars throughout the city and suburbs. New Mexican Tariff. A dispatch from the City of Mexico lics, show a considerable increase in the} gives the following summary of the new trade of 1890 over that of 1889. The total amount of foreign merchandise im- ported into Colombia in | Mexican tariff which has just made its ap- pearance in the Diario Official. Oue of the 1889 weighed | most notable features of the new law is its 36,986,726 kg. and represented a value of | greater definiteness. The number of classes $11,777,624. The corresponding figures; of merchandise has been increased from for 1890 show an advance to 43,413,377 kg. | 650 to over 900, with a corresponding and $13,445,792. imports in 1889 were $7,801,600 and in 1890 $8,627,688. The increase in the ex- ports of the Republic has been even greater than the imports, the total for 1889 being $16,199,718 and for 1890 $20,457, - | 855. The exports of coffee increased in value The duties collected on | gain in convenience. The free list retains | coal, coke, wood, pulp, lumber, railway, telegraph, telephone and electric light supplies, barbed wire, iron pipe, sheet iron, Portland cement, explosives for mines, power machinery, boilers and en- | gines, wheels, cables, ores, cordage, agri- from $3,516,293 in 1889 to $4,262,030 in | cultural implements anda number of other The exports of tobacco increased ' articles. | 1890. There are no advalorem duties, Fig. 8.—Perspective View of DETAILS OF were laid in an iron trough fixed on one side of the tunnel, and it was found that the water which accumulates in the trough where it sags between the supports had an injurious effect on the insulation. To determine the nature of this eflect 150 samples of water were analyzed, and in many cases found to contain sulphureted hydrogen and sulphates. Moreover, it was found that owing to the slower com- bustion in the air of the tunnel the smoke from the locomotives contains considerable quantities of ammoniaand sulphurousacid, which, together with the carbonic acid, are absorbed by the water. It was there- fore determined to abandon the previous method of laying the cables into a trough, and to lay them directly in the ground. The old cables have also been relaid in this manuer. A trench about 2 feet in depth was dug and filled first with 24 inches of gravel, then 24 inches of sand. Upon this were laid the four cables, and covered with 9 inches of sand, covered by granite flags and the rest made up with ballast. The work in laying was complicated by the necessity of crossing over from one side to the other in the middle of the tun- nel, to avoid certain springs. This work Fig. 7.—Detail View of One of the Metallic Valve Piston Head. COLUMBUS BLOWING from $798,029 in 1889 to $1,820,756 in | 1890, and the exports of gold and silver ‘coin increased from $315,887 in 1889 to $1,024,964 in 1890. The following table Plates. Fig. 9.—Vertical Section of Piston. ENGINE. and unless otherwise specified the follow- ing duties are s>) much per kilogramme: | Crude petroleum is increased from 1 to 2 shows the increase in exports to the four | principal countries with which Colombia | | trades: ; Country. 1889. 1890. | Great Britain......... $4,547,628 $4,835,321 | United States......... 3,950,531 4,636,480 NID hrciad weeks dans 1,781,619 1,566,636 | HONE inss, nvnccets 1,410,683 2,475,388 These figures appear to indicate that the |Umited States is gaining rapidly upon | Great Britain as the chief consumer of Colombian products and Germany is tak- | ing the p'ace of France as chief consumer on the Continent. If Minister Abbott ‘succeeds in securing the consent of the | Colombian Government to the reciprocity | proposals which he recently took back with him to his post this country may | considerably enlarge its export trade to Colombia to keep pace with its growing | import trade. a Jay Gould, on his Western trip, found ' that Salt Lake is rapidly becoming a great city, with fine blocks of buildings, almost cents; white refined is unchanged. Fixed oils not specified are reduced from 50 to 20 cents and lubricating oils to 5 cents. Car- riages are unchanged, and will pay from | 35 to 60 cents, according to weight; un- finished and upholstered carriages will only pay for the same class from 10 to 30 cents. Fire arms are somewhat reduced. Rubber cloth and rubber clothing will be increased from 30 cents to $2; machinery for industrial use, agriculture, mines and the arts is to be free of duty when it is not arranged to be moved by crank, pedal or lever; if so arranged it is to pay 5 cents. Tools are reduced from 10 cents to 5 cents, steel ingots are reduced from 5 cents to 8 cents, angle iron will be 3 cents, sheet iron and corrugated iron, galvanized or not, 4 cents. Iron beams will remain at 1 cent. Manufactures of iron, not other- | wise specified, will be increased from 20 |cents to 25 cents. In many cases legal | weight is substituted for gross weight— | that is, the goods do not have to pay the | Guty op the box or barrels containing them. , e eo were "? ~ vr er hie s Ve) Ves y 5 e' ——_ LOPE FPG HET TNL SN RN 444 THE IRON AGE. September 17, 1891 An Improved Fuel Gas System. (Continued from page 290.) While the subject of water gas is one on which there is much diversity of opin- ion, and even warm controversy, it would seem to be a matter capable of demon- strable expression, which, within certain limits, a proper understanding of the chemical reactions involved, will place on a basis of accurately-known quantities of relative cause and effect. The dissociation of steam in forming this gas is not, strictly speaking, the decomposition of water into its constituent elements, 2 atoms of hy- drogen and 1 of oxygen (which if done by heat alone can only be at excessively high and impracticable temperatures), but, as shown by the formula expressing the re- action, it is the result of the greater affinity of the oxygen at, temperature of low incan- descence, for the carbon of the fuel, and the hydrogen is, therefore, left free, by the combination of the oxygen with 1 atom of carbon in the formation of car- bonic oxide. The physical reaction is precisely the same as that which occurs in the precipitation of the gold from a chlor- ide solution by the introduction of sul- phate of iron, in which the iron forms a chemical combination with the chlorine, on account of the greater affinity which it has for the former, leaving the gold free in the form of a precipitate. The hydro- gen in this case is analogous to the gold, and the oxygen and carbon to the chlorine and iron. According to this formula, H., + CO, we ascertain the calculated elementary values of each constituent to be, for 1000 cubic feet of such water gas:| oxygen from the air in order to main- 1000 cubic feet of gas, which multiplied |, 240) _ 1. 7 Ler cent. by the heat of the primary combustion = 138,548 © 7 . 15.816 x 2945 = 39,461 units evolved in, The ratio of gain as compared with total the conversion. Thus the net amount of éfticiency is what we require in the present heat absorbed from the fuel in the disso- 24,670 ¥ ciation of the steam will be 164,842 — 158,218 — 39,461 = 125.381 units expended to pro-'cent. As the total loss from the primary Table VI. instance, therefore 15.6 per Cubic Vol. per Weight. Weight. Calorific Total heat feet. pound. Pounds. Per cent. value. units. 3) a 113 + 13.58 = 8.321 = 13.880 and 8.321 x 4,462 = 37,128 ‘ombustibl | H........ 177 + 189.7 = 0.933 = 1.556 and 0.983 x 62,5385 = 58,355 ES 0 FU 122+ 2371= 5.146 = 8.583 and 5.146 x 25,313 = 130,261 C.8,.., 3 13.55 = 0.2214 = 0.870 and 0.2214 + 19,996 = 4,427 ; 230,171 N...... . 480 + 13.55 = 35.424 = 59.085 By previous analysis. . aoe : ilgsovcs Se 8.64= 5.44 = 9.078 |Gain...........0.00- « t1,vo2 Incombustible. . HO. 9 a I S ~» | 7) ORO | Pe bene 11 21.00= 0.524 = 0.873 | 71.963 an ao ; | s. 47 11.89= 3.945 = 6.580 | [58919 > 45.48 per cent., 01 1000 59.9544 100,000" — 31.96, percentage of nee ei "330,171 total heat value of the gas. Note.—In order to properly appreciate the comparative calorific values of these gases, it should be expressed volumetrically, as gases are always given per 1000 cubic feet. The total heat values of the constituents of these analyses will be, therefore, per cubic foot as follows: Calorific Vol. per Value per vaiue. pound. — cubic foot. y an.. gh recta ee .. 62,535 + 189.7. = 329 heat units coe SERA eee sae . 12,96 + 15.85 = 814 heat units Carbonic oxide 4,462 + 13.58= 33 heat units ae eee aes. cesec sacscen e sneve.s cosve SMNO-® O25) = 3007 beat units Heavy hydro carbon, CyHg...............% kaka wees 19,986 + 13.55 = 1475 heat units As this last item is always in very small percentage, its high value is of very trifling im- portance. The very great volumetric value of marsh gas, as compared with the other consti- tuents is, therefore, apparent, being over three times that of hydrogen. duce a return of 164,842, or a net gain of | combustion of the carbon was found to the 39,461 units. The abstraction of the} be 19.255 per cent., the use of steam 125,381 units shows conclusively that it 15.6 is impossible to continuously effect the| saves of that amount [0.055 = 80 per combustion necessary to this conversion . 5 cat de’ 5 without an auxiliary supply of free} Cent. nearly, Notwithstanding this im- proved showing, however, there is still a very serious source of loss, from the fact Table V. that a large percentage of the volume of = nn ————————— | gas discharged from the producer gives Atomic No. of Vol- no useful effect in the furnace, being not wt. atoms. Wt. ume. a fixed gas, but merely condensible vapor, »& l= 8 = 2 «= an! i _ | 158. value. This 1s the source of the annoying O° - ; ro 4 rs os tar formation before referred to, and it is gas wits purposed to ascertain, by comparison with 20 758.8 the foregoing analysis, what percentage of Lbs, Ratio, heating value.can be realized in practice Hi, =~ = 1318 = 2.636 Ibs. Hydrogen = 500 cubic ft. by their conversion into fixed gases in the 0! 16 ' 1318 - aL 08s fhe ae a m4 — - + 36.904 Ibs. carbonic oxide. producer. The following quantities are 39.530 Ibs, The calorific value of this 1000 cubic ft. is : Hydrogen. 2.636 Ibs, x 62,535 = 164,842.26 Carbon... ..15.816 Ibs. x 12,906 = 204,021.30 pothesis that the carbonic oxide is formed, like the water, from free oxygen in a fuel containing hydrogen, without calorific effect. This, of course, gives the full | value of the carbon, whereas, if we con- sider the combination similar to that which occurs in ordinary combustion, we must deduct the amount of heat evolved, and would then have 12,906 — 2495 = 10,411 heat units per pound of carbon in the volume of carbonic oxide, which gives 15.816 =x 10,411 = 164,660.38, which re- duces the total value of the gas to 329,- 502.64 heat units. Although the former hypothesis seems logical, the latter is probably the correct one and is so ac- cepted. In the dissociation of the above 23,724 pounds water vapor the 2.636 pounds hydrogen will absorb from the fuel as much heat as will equal its calorific value—i.¢., 2.636 x 62,535 = 164,842) units, but as by its combustion we realize the same quantity, there is so far neither loss nor gain from the use of steam. We have seen that 1 pound carbon in the form of carbonic oxide gives 2.33 pounds, or 2.33 x 13.58 = 31.64 cubic feet, having a value of 10,411 units. And 500 1.64 = 15.816 pounds carbon vapor in 1000 cubic ft, water gas, H, + C.O. 368,863.56 heat units. This carbon value is assumed on the hy-|tain the necessary temperature. In j | of gas from a Siemens producer, in which | steam was used: — 1,318 = Ratio of 1000 cubic ft. Therefore. y rich in carbon, and of high heating obtained from the performance of the new generator of the Chicago Heat Storage Company, a description of the construction and operation of which will be given later on. The analysis is one of many, and is a fair average: Combustible ( gases. feet. PEE vinin es cdiadeansenecanet 177 Cee ORIG, CD. avian. vcccarercesens 113 ER EE Mia's sc veannh is seek ses neeens 22 Heavy hydrocarbons C,H,.............-. 3 Incombustible gases. Nitrogen, N..... ‘ EE: Ce soc ocddneca noes eeu 47 OM WOON, TG icisisacence secasien 11 SS NA Giiwcccetaxetiadenaencenkuls 47 other words, we require a supply of atmospheric oxygen sufficient to convert 125,381 2,945 bonic oxide in order to continue the operation uninterruptedly. This, ap- parently, is the maximum theoretical limit to the relative amount of water gas possi- ble. In practice, of course, this quantity is further limited by the nature of the fuel and the character of the combustion. That practice does confirm the above deduc- tions is shown from the following analysis = 50.25 pounds carbon into car- as tbkab rin cidesaeulsemaas 1000 From which we deduce Table VI. These results,of course,represent manly the relative values of the gases produced by the different systems, while the actual comparative economy must be considered C RONG, TE vs vin ss cess isns eee * s Combustible Carbonic oxide, CO...... . 28.0 on the basis of useful effect derived from ‘Marsh gas, CH, .......... .. z.5| the fuel from which the gas is generated. Carbonic acid, CO..... 2.5 ount of gas by the ordinary pro- Incombustible } Nitrogen. N schtet "ais sae SNE SE Os vP » ©) ducer process is about 130,000 cubic feet Betdl...ss.+. echt seeseseeessseese. 100.0] per ton of 2000 pounds. That from the And the calorific value of 1000 cubic feet | Chicago system is about 100,000 cubic of this gas will be: feet. By analysis of the former we have Total | seen the calorific value to be 158.218 heat Cub. Vol. Weight. Calorific bent units per 1000 cubic feet, therefore H.. 120 + 89.70 = 0-632 x 02535 = 39.4% i2| 158,218 x 130 = 20,568,340 heat units per CO....230 + 13.58 = 20.620 x (4,462 = 92,006.44} ton of coal. As the latter gas shows CH,.. % + B.i1 = 1.0544 x 25,818 = 26,690.08 230,171 heat units per 1000 feet, and ii Pere 158,218.59] 100,000 cubic feet per ton, we have From analysis without use of steam. 133,548.36 230, 171x100 = 23,017,100 heat units pe I Apparent gain by use of steam........ 24,670.23| ton. Hence, by comparison of the ful September 17, 1891 THE IRON AGE, 445 values of the two systems 23,017,100 — 2,448,760 20,568,340 = 2,448,760, and 11.905 per cent. gain by Chicago system. Comparing these regults with the total theoretical heat value, as shown to be pos sible from the average analysis previously given, we find 14,009 heat units per pound of coal = 14,009 x 2000 pounds = 28,018,- 000 heat units per ton. The calorific value 20,568,340 28,018,000 73.41 per cent. of the theoretical value of the coal. By the 23,017,100 28,018, 000 retical value. Reducing these values to the evaporation basis: by the first process is therefore second process we have = 82.15 per cent. of the theo- : 28,018,000 Total theoretical value — 66 29,004 pounds water per ton of coal = 14 5 pounds water per pound of coal. 20,568,340 966 water per ton of coal = 10.65 pounds per pound, First process = 21,292 Ibs. : 23,017,100 Second process “966 = 23,807 pounds water per ton of coal = 11.91) pounds per pound. These tigures represent the total evapo- ration value of the generator performance, and take no account of the losses pre-| viously mentioned as occurring in the utilization of the gaseous fuel in boiler or other furnaces. Having no data showing actual evaporation performance from the ordinary producer system under like con- ditions, no comparison can be made, but the following result of a very careful test made on July 8 last gives valuable infor- mation as regards the work of the new system. The test was made by a large manufacturing concern of Chicago, witha view to obtaining accurate and disinter- ested data as to economy and efficiency, their object being the adoption of the sys- tem for their entire establishment if found satisfactory. For this purpose the Heat Storage Company turned over to them the | management of their plant, free from all | interference. The test was upon the | been 18.6 — 9 = 9.6 added to the above 88.776 per cent. efficiency. It has | been mentioned that gas from the ordi- | nary producer is deprived of about 300° of the sensible heat with which it leaves | | |ing, and gives the fracture a color much |the producer. This represents a certain | percentage of the total calorific value of the gas, and may be calculated as follows: The mean specific heat of the several gases | shown by the analysis is 0.2604 and 0.2604 | x 65.7869 pounds in 1000 cubic feet gas = 17.0314 x 300° = 5109 heat units = 5109 5109 | 158,219 966 = 3 28 per cent , or = 5.29 }pounds water evaporated from and at | 5.29 212° per 1000 feet gas, or 15.461 = 0.336 | pound water per pound coal. | In the Chicago system the gas leaves | the generator at about the same temper- ature as the former, 550° and enters the stack at 190°, thus rendering available | 360° F. sensible heat of value, as follows: Mean specific heat 0.3034 and 0.3034 x 59.9544 pounds in 1000 feet = 18.1939 x | 6550 360° = 6550 heat units = 55, —- 230,171 6550 966 | evaporated from and at 212° per 1000 feet 6.78 of gas; or “30 pound of coal. In the foregoing, the comparison has been made only between the ordinary and | the improved systems of gaseous fuel. As ithere is unlimited data showing results from the best practice of ordinary grate firing, it will be superfluous to go into de- tail as regards this system. A comparison of these results on the evaporation basis will serve to show the relative efficiency. In the system of the Chicago Heat | Storage Company, the broad principle aimed at,was the increase of efficiency by | conversion into fixed gases, of the volatile hydrocarbons which hitherto have been condensed as tar; and incidentally, the pre vention of smoke. The agent of this con- | version is saturated steam, at a minimum | gauge pressure of 10 pounds per square | inch, = 2.84 per cent., and 6.78 pounds water = 0.339 pound water per | (To be continued.) ————$_$_$ $$ evaporation basis and continued uninter- | ruptedly for ten hours. fair average of good quality Wilmington, Ill., block. Feed water was not heated, the temperature throughout being 66° F. The boiler used was a nominal 60 horse- power horizontal tubular, 54 inches diam- eter by 16 feet long, 364-inchtubes. For the greater part of the time the fire was forced, which was not in the interest of economy. Average temperature of waste gases 390°, maximum 400°. The waste heat utilizer was not used. The following results were obtained : Pounds. Total weight of coal burned............. 1,600 Total weight of water evaporated from and at 212° Pounds of water from and at 212° per pound of coal Assuming a fair calorific value of the fuel to be 12,500 heat units per pound, the possible theoretical evaporation from d at 212° ld b sr 2.{ and at 212° wou © ogg = 12.94 pounds water per pound of coal. There- 10.48 fore the results show 759, = 81 per cent. of the total theoretical value of the coal, Had the waste heat utilizer been used the temperature of stack gases would have been 190°, which with 2100° initial tem- 190 2100 ~ the actual temperature was 390°, and But as 390 2100 = 18.6 per cent., the gain would have perature = 9 per cent. Coal used was a} g| Variation beyond a fraction or two. Harrington’s Nickel Steel Experi- ments. Thomas Harrington of Pittsburgh has | been conducting a series of experiments on nickel steel which have attracted con- | siderable attention recently. The follow- | ing statement in regard to them has been |made for The Iron Age: Mr. Harrington has madea careful study |of the properties imparted to steel by an alloy of nickel, and has spent much time and no inconsiderable amount of money in | experiments in so amalgamating iron and | nickel that a perfectly homogeneous struct- ure is obtained, and that the desired per- centage of nickel can be given without In other words, his experiments were first directed to overcome the peculiar tend- ency that nickel has to porosity, either |by itself or as an alloy, and _hav- ling fully satisfied himself and others that he could do this without variation, he next directed his efforts to producing | uniformity of percentage of nickel and of the carbonization of the steel made—the latter being a very difficult matter. He |has succeeded, the fluctuations in points 'of carbon varying very little, and those | fluctuations being attributable, in his opin- |ion, to the fact that a perfectly pure car- bon cannot always be obtained, so that the | fluctuation is due to the unknown quan- tity of pure carbon introduced in the mass of carbonizing material. Steel has been made containing nickel in various percentages from 1 to 25 per cent., a perfectly homogeneous structure being obtained in each instance. The ad- dition of so little as 1 per cent. of nickel to steel adds greatly to its strength, im- parts a quality of toughness most surpris- whiter than ordinary steel, which takes a polish like that of silver steel. Perhaps the following results may better illustrate what properties are imparted : No. 1, 24 per cent. of nickel, made at La Belle Steel Works, Allegheny, Pa. The stock was that used for making ordinary La Belle spring steel, the normal tensile strength of which is from 55,000 to 60,000 pounds per square inch. Tested physically by the Pittsburgh Testing Laboratory the following results were obtained. PN eS biccck vaca ddaagee aadeuss 0.499 MET na Se ke. eid wala hace bnedad 4e0e 0.1956 Elastic limit, pounds..... ...2..s0s006: 18,000 Maximum load, pounds................ 30,000 Elastic limit, pounds per square inch... 92,020 Tensile strength, pounds per square inch 153,350 Elongation in 2 inches ................. 0.05 Elongation, per cemt.... ......seesees: 2.5 Chemical test, Laboratory of La Belle Steel Works, Geo. G. Glass, chemist. Nickel steel No. 1. Per cent. Civ edcnecd avansnedaaewaneas aawauele PN i xt cieecenceuacwewedadwenede s&s eau Pat centre cuseeusnens eiaeianduaueas 2.50 CAE auiduns ces aetna wanatosesswoeauas trace Specimen No. 2, made from stock of slightly inferior grade, showed by phys- ical test made by the Pittsburgh Testing Laboratory the following results: Original dimensions.................. 0.510 BE icctkurdatdvabnadeaewicannnne ced 0.2043 Dimensions after fracture............ 0.447 ROM Ceuwesvets Ktvuicaaxccewaaa aks 0.1569 Elastic limit, pounds................. 14,000 Maximum load, pounds............. 21,500 Elastic limit, pounds per square inch... 68,520 RPE SEIU ies du wixndcacrackswas 105,200 Elongation in 2 inches................ 0.34 Elongation, per cent .............cee8 0.17 No chemical test was made except for carbon, which was 70 points. Specimen No. 3 was made at Stirling Steel Works, Demmler, Pa., of Swedish stock and scrap, with 2g per cent. nickel. This piece was tested only for carbon, which was given at 214 points, three points less than the specimen made under the personal direction of C. Y. Wheeler, president of the company, at the same time. Tools were made from this bar and tested in comparison with Mushet tool steel by the Westinghouse Electric Company, the H. K. Porter Locomotive Works and the Verona Tool Works, the workmen in each case pronouncing the tool used equal if not superior to the Mushet steel for severe work. Other tests were made of steel made from the lowest-priced stock to be ob- tained for crucible steel, showing much greater tensile strength and elasticity than can be obtained from steel made from similar stock unalloyed with nickel. Razors were made from the specimen made at the Stirling Works out of one of the tools used in the initial test, which are now being tested, and which, so far as tested, show superior edge-retaining quali- ties and keenness, indicating that for fine cutlery a small percentage of nickel is desirable. In addition to taking a brilliant polish, its ease of manipulation under tools, readi- ness with which it can be tempered, and greater tensile strength, nickel steel has another quality which makes it desirable for purposes where a polish is desired— that is, it oxidizes so very slowly, even under great exposure to moisture, that it may be said, within certain limitations, that it is non-oxidizable. This ought to make it desirable for the higher forms of cutlery, such as surgeons’ and dentists’ in- struments, razors, pocket cutlery, &c., and for plates for steel engravers, dies for stamping and kindred purposes, because of its greater tensile strength and tough- ness. Just at what percentage the quali- eee 2 ~ = . - Pervere ty ey Ye} Sea yyy) f . TR PE as 4 | | rn Fee eee 446 THE IRON AGE. September 17, 1891 ties of strength and toughness cease by the | addition of nickel to steel is as yet not definitely determined. Experiments so far seem to indicate that the maximum of strength is reached at from 20 per cent. to 25 per cent., with great density of struct- ure and exceeding toughness. At 25 per cent. the alloy takes a brilliancy of luster when polished more beautiful than nickel or silver plated ware, and which does not tarnish near so rapidly. By far the most brilliant luster attained, far surpassing that of pure silver and in rich beauty excelling that of gold, in nickel alloys, is that on an alloy, so far unknown to metallurgy, made by Mr. Harrington, called nickel-steel bronze and about which nothing has ever until now appeared in print. Its constituents are iron, nickel and copper, in nearly equal proportions, This bronze, which Mr. Harrington refuses to allow to go out as yet, because of his desire to discover more | O71 is on farms. of its properties, is designed to take the place of German silver in the manufacture such as spoons of all of table cutlery, Fig. 1.—Vertical Section. cured by real estate mortgage, aside from| pany takes up less room than the old State and railroad land contracts, January | furnace and has a larger capacity by 15 1, 1890, was $235,485,108, of which the} tons. debt on acres is $167,145,000, or 70.98 of the total. There is an existing indebted- The St. ness of $3,667,735 on the State land sales and of $3,393,983 on railroad sales. This added to the mortgage debt makes a total debt of $243,146,826, of which $174, 720,- I a Clair Tunnel. One of the most momentous events this | portion of the globe has seen in many | years, says a Detroit journal, will occur on September 19 in the opening of the tunne}] which the Grand Trunk Kailway has con- structed under the St. Clair River. It is, perhaps, too near home to be thoroughly appreciated by the people of Michigan, but it does not require a very close study of current events to note that the tunnel is regarded as a remarkable and interest- ing experiment by railroad and engineer- ing experts throughout the world. It bas LL — The Eureka Furnace. William Stubblebine of the Bethlehem Iron Company, South Bethlehem, Pa., is so long and so favorably known as the de- signer of the furnace which bears his name that his lacest invention in the same field will command the general attention of mill as ead ane eeeiiaiaihl men. The Bethlehem Iron Company have the | , ding oe a = — Shoal a‘! eight puddling furnaces and six heating a ae Se a = geste "Me tend furnaces of the Eureka pattern. The Bry- 2 — oe io h rm den Horseshoe Company, of Catasauqua, |* "9 oy oe ~ di on hole m te have recently put in one; the Catasauqua pee Se. Re eeay © Nee Th Soe Mfg. Company are putting two into their ground that, if it atin & saccess, will iii revolutionize tunne! building among all nations of the earth. And, besides this interesting view of it, there is yet another to make it an object of absorbing atten- tion. It is the first substantial and per- manent connecting link to pierce the watery barrier between the Union and the Dominion anywhere from Niagara to Sault Ste. Marie. It is practically the out- stretched hand of Canada asking for those closer relations in society and _ business which should prevail between two coun- tries that ought to be but one. Let us hope the Port Huron and Sarnia tunnel is Fig. 2.—Horizontal Section. ; Fig. 3.—Transverse Section through Heat- sizes, spoon handled forks, fruit and but- ter knives, nut picks, nut crackers, &c., and perhaps for knives also, as it takes a temper and retains an edge such as table knives usually have. The qualitics expected to recommend it are that it will permit of greater delicacy of design than German silver, because, after manipulation, it can be hardened sufficiently to give it firmness and strength without bending or bre: sking, and that by reason of the admixture of the nickel and copper it will lend itself much more readily to plating with either nickel or silver, because of the affinities the plating ma- terial would have for the metal itself. In alloying steel with nickel Mr. Har- rington uses only the refined nickel. He has used both the English and American nickel, and although the latter is in some respects more refractory than the English, he prefers to use it for two reasons: 1. Because it is American nickel. 2. Be- cause he thinks better results are obtained from its use. ae ‘ Official figures relating to the mortgage indebtedness of Kansas show the total ex- isting debt of the people of Kansas, se- ing Chambers. THE EUREKA HEATING FURNACE. Catasauqua mill, and one large furnace into | but the first of dozens, and that the dozens their Ferndale plate mill. will be built because demanded by the The characteristic features of the de-| immense volume of trade which the union sign are clearly shown in the accompany-| of the two countries would draw across ing engravings. The gases from the fur- | the boundary line in both directions. Let nace are split, when issuing from the re-|us hope the dozens will come, and come verberatory chamber, into three parts; the | soon. one passing through the uptake through the stack. On either side thereof two flues, A New Smoke Consumer.—<At Pitts- faintly dotted in the plan, Fig. 2, lead to| burgh last week a test was made of the two heating chambers, in which are placed | Western Smoke Preventer Company’s ap- coils of pipe through which air is blown | paratus on one of the engines of the Pitts- and in which it is preheated. The heated | burgh Junction Railroad. After arriving air issues from two nozzles, shown in| at the place appointed for the test, the Fig. 2, into mixing flues in the side walls | engine was detached and nine freight cars of the furnace. In this manner the gas / filled with slag and coke, making a load of in the preheating chambers is drawn by | about 185 tons, were coupled to. it. The the suction created into the mixing flues, | train was then run down the track about which discharge them into the flame at | 300 yards, and returned to the starting the firebridge. point without the smoke preventer being Practical experence with the furnace | applied and great volumes of smoke rolled has taught that it works well on billets | from the stack. The engine and cars were and on large or small fagots. It heats} then turned to the starting point and the quickly, and the flame is under such con- | smoke preventer was attached to the en- trol that the waste by oxidation is very| gine. The same run was then made, and low. In heating iron it has proved to be | it is claimed that no smoke of any account 2 percent. It is claimed that the sav-| was seen. The device consists of air jets ing in fuel amounts to 25 percent. The| pierced in the front and rear of the fire furnace at the Bryden Horse Shoe Com-! box of the engine. I ---- September 17, 1891 THE IRON AGF, Pipe Cutting and Threading Machine, | 2"loads from Southern furnaces to points —— : North, East and West. The rates went into effect on September 7. The accompanying engraving represents | one of a new line of pipe cutting and | threading machines, ranging from 4 inch WORLD'S FAIR NOTES. up, built by the Wells Machine Works of Building Fostoria, Ohio. The cut represents a hand machine, which can be taken from its base, is easily transported and can be readily fastened to a bench. The dies are made | in sections, are adjustable and can be re- | ;under way, and 2000 workmen are em Progress. Nine of the great buildings are now moved and replaced easily; they are gauged to standard fittings but can be in-| ployed on them and in grading the stantly set for variable fittings; they can grounds. Excepting the buildings devoted be opened to remove the threaded pipe | to fine arts and machinery, and the Casino without reversing. The cutting-off mech- | editice, all the structures of the exposition PIPE CUTTING AND THREADING MACHINE. anism shown consists of three wheel| system are now in practical and active cutters, actuated by the same screw that progress. The most notable advancement actuates the dies, thus permitting the cut has been made in the Mines and Mining ting and threading of the pipe with one | Building and that for the woman’s exhibit. closing of the vise and without removing The first section of the entire structure of the dies or cutters. For larger pipe aj|the latter building is now nearly com- square cut! ing-off knife with positive screw | pleted, so far as the wood work is con- feed is used. The vise has powerful steel | cerned, and soon it will be ready for the jaws coustructed to grip the smallest pipe, staff which will form the exterior cover- has longitudinal motion, by means of | ing. cylindrical arbor and steel rod guides, ‘and; Upon the Mines and Mining Building is actuated by rack and pinion. The | construction has been advanced with equal larger machines have universal lead screw | rapidity, the main flooring being complet- instantly connected or disconnected sat | ed. The iron forthe columns and trusses of will, which can be used independent of | the great central court is being sent along the rack and pinion, and vise versa. by the King Iron Bridge Company. A | considerable quantity of 1t is now on the grounds, and the erection of this iron The most elaborate and comprehensive | superstructure is the next feature. sheet of rates on pig iron yet issued by the| Work on the Transportation Building Queen and Crescent route has been sent | has been progressing during the week, and out. It covers the rates on pig iron in ‘its site, nearly 100 x 250 feet, is rapidly | —_- —__ - > 447 being built in. Some of its main supports, which are 120 feet in hight, have been ad- vanced to 40 feet, and the structure is even thus early conspicuous. The Manufacturers’ Building has now been started in earnest. Agnew & Co., the contractors, with a large force of men avd an adequate plant of machinery, have already laid 200 foundation piers for the building, which will be erected in sections to insure its speedy completion. The improvements in charge of the land- scape department have been given a new impetus by the arrival from Boston of F. L. Olmsted, landscape architert of this portion of the work. A conference be- tween Messrs. Olmsted and Codman of the Landscape Department and Chief John Thorpe of the Horticultural Department has resulted in an agreement on the part of Mr. Olmsted to grant Mr. Thorpe ample space upon the Wooded Island for a magnificent floral exhibit of roses, rho- dodendrons and herbaceous plants. Fair Finances in Good Shape. Exposition finances are in better con- dition than the Board of Directors had expected. The third call of 20 per cent. on the capital stock of $5,000,000 has been issued. It was due September 1, and on the first three installments, which should net $3,000,000, $2,857,380 has been collected, so that there remains but $142,620 to be paid in before the Expo- sition Company can call on the city of Chicago for the sale of the $5,000,000 of bonds which it agreed to issue when the stockholders should have paid in $3,000,- 000. On the 11th inst. Treasurer See- berger reported a cash balance on hand of $1,884,506. The sale of the $5,000,000 of city bonds, or rather the placing of them on the market, is speedily assured. The money, too, is needed to pay the contract- ors who are at work on a majority of the great buildings. Their total cost will reach approximately $8,000,000, and by the terms of the agreement the contractors are to receive monthly payments, so that the total available cash to date of $1,884, - 506 which Treasurer Seeberger’s report shows will be more than needed. Foreign Representation at the Fair. The nations which have formaily ac- cepted the invitation to participate in the exposition are here given in the order in which their official acceptance has been received by the Department of State : France, Spain, Great Britain, Mexico, Colombia, Germany, Peru, China, Vene- zuela, San Domingo, Chili, Turkey, Per- sia, Russia, Japan, Jamaica, Hayti, Siam, Ecuador and Uruguay. The Latin Ameri- can Bureau reports in addition the accept- ance of the Argentine Republic, Brazil, Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nica- ragua aud Costa Rica. But two have declined, and it is notice- able that neither of the countries was offi cially represented at Paris. In a commu- nication from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands Government, dated May 18, acknowledging the invita- tion, the following language is used : ‘*The Government fin