The Iron Age 1892-06-30: Vol 49

‘THE The Coes 26-I[nch Single Belt Planer. We present herewith an illustration of a style of metal planer which, while it ad heres closely in design to the generally accepted forms, yet presents new features especially designed to meet the require- ments of advanced modern shop practice. The principal object in view has been to overcome, 80 far as possible, the momentum of the moving parts, and thus allow the construction of a plaper with a quick re- turn motion free from shock or jar. The driving motion consists of a two- step cone of large diameter, which is mounted loose on the driving shaft. The cone is back geared with the addition of an intermediate pinion to reverse the direc- THE COES tion of motion, and two slip gears are mounted upon the back gear shaft; the two slow-motion gears are keyed together and are also mounted loose upon the driv- ing shaft, and one of them has clutch teeth of the saw-tooth form. A clutch sleeve is mounted on the driving shaft be- tween the cone and slow-motion gears. It is made of as small diameter as practicable, and is operated by the table to engage either the cone or the slow-motion gears. The clutch with the driving pinion and rack wheel is the only part which is re- versed, the cone, friction, band and gears being in continuous motion. The belt power is made ample to per- form the work required in reversing the table and its load, while the back gear train is proportioned to withstand heavy cutting strains. The two-step cone, together with the two slip gears in the back gear train, give two reversing and four cutting speeds, varying from 14 feet per minute for tough THURSDAY JUNE 30, 1892. IRON AGE steel up to 30 feet for brass, with two in- termediate grades for soft and bard iron. The clutch is operated by a cam from the table and is beld firmly in either position. The feed disk is driven from bevel gear- ing attached to the slow-motion gears; it is thus entirely independent of the motion of the table, and is driven positively and continuously in one direction. A stop-motion device is employed for engaging the feed crank disk at the end of the backing stroke of the table, when the disk makes one whole revolution and stops, this motion operating the feed buxes at the end of the cross rail in the ordinary manner. The cam for controlling the feed stop motion is attached to the reversing dog on the table, so that the feed only takes place upon the completion of the backing stroke, and the table can be re- att! WZ \ versed by hand at will for tool setting without feeding, unless the stop motion is also connected up to be operated by hand at the same time. It will be seen from this description that with this planer there is no shifting of belts, and no reversal of pulleys in high velocity, thus giving a smooth and easy motion with a high ratio of quick return motion, while the feed motion is positize and independent of the quick motion of the table. The machine is strongly geared and designed for heavy duty. It is being brought out by Z. B. Coes, Hamilton, Ohio. ————— Steel wire seating for railway car seats is being used in England and is said to be taking the place of the padded and volute spring seats. The new seat is composed of minute steel wire rings compactly knit together, over which only a thin layer of hair or a pad of felt is necessary. The London & Northwestern Railway have already fitted 653 to car seats and sleeping car berths, while the Great Eastern Rail- way have in use nearly 5000. Re Compressed Air Traction for City Railroads. The urgent necessity for some form of motive power to supersede the use of horses for passenger transportation in cities, something capable of universal adaptation to the somewhat varying re- quirements of different localities, has long been recognized. Many and various are the systems which have been devised and tested, some proving utter failures, while others have been so indifferently success- ful as to prevent their adoption for general use. 26-INCH SINGLE BELT PLANER. So far there appear to have been in this country but two methods of propulsion capable of attaining to the commercial results necessary to success, and these—the electrical and cable systems—are now very extensively used. But while their success, both as to mechanical operation and commercial re- sults, is unquestionable, the fact that they are not entirely satisfactory is indicated by the great readiness shown by the manage- ment of city railways to consider any new system which may be brought to their attention, provided, of course, that it appears to embody correct mechanical principles, and 1s not merely the crude and impracticable production of some en- thusiastic but ignorant inventor. As is well known, many devices for the utilization of compressed air for this pur- have been practically tested in the United States during the past 15 or 20 years. But all were failures from the fact that they were unable to carry a sufficient 1260 quantity of air to furnish power for the distance necessary to be covered for the round trip, or from one terminal to the other. Of course the quantity could be very largely increased by carrying exces- sively high pressure, but the mechanical difficulties involved in that case were of such a nature as to render this solution of the problem impracticable. Though not generally known, the possi- bility of the successful adaptation of com- pressed air to this purpose has been dem onstrated by daily use for over a dozen years on the other side of the Atlantic. The system referred to is that of L. Mekarski of Paris, and the generic princi- ple, to which alone its success may be attributed, is the utilization of the high specific heat of water for the purpose of increasing the temperature of the com- pressed air, and consequently causing an expansion of volume to an extent which entirely overcomes the difficulty of storing a sufficient supply for the distance neces- sary to be traversed in making a trip of average length. Io the year 1878 the tramways of Nantes, France, were equipped with a full line of cars of the Mekarski system, and almost from the first trip they have proved to be an unqualified success, having been in continuous operation since that time. That this success was commercial, as well as mecbapinal, is shown by the annual re- ports of the Nantes Company, in which the details of earnings and expenditures are fully given for comparison, with both animal and steam traction. While there was undoubtedly room for considerable improvement as to the details of mechanical construction, in both the compression plant and the motors them- selves, the results obtained were suffi ciently marked to render it a matter of pertinent inquiry as to why the system should not have been more extensively used. There is no doubt as to the fect that there was a ready market for a sys- tem of mechanical traction to supersede horse power on city railways the world over. The conditions affecting its appli- cation were certainly no less difficult in Nantes than the average of other locali ties, and it could not, therefore, be due to any want of general adaptability. The only solution of this question seems to be in the business management of the pro moters of the enterprise. While we do not presume to criticise the policy of the French company, there is no impropriety in seeking to account for the failure to ex tend the application of the system beyond the single locality mentioned, in view of the fact that the expiration of the patents, about a year since, has rendered the valu- able features of the invention public prop- erty, and that its introduction into this country is now being attempted. In the year 1881 a syndicate of English capitalists secured the services of Sir F. J. Bramwell, president of the London Society of Engineers, to proceed to Nantes and examine the system in daily operaticn, with the object, if his report proved fa- vorable, of organizing a company to intro- duce the system on the London tramways As a result of this investigation, the com- pany was formed, and a car constructed. This was in several respects a modification of the French design as used in Nantes, Its performance was perfectly satisfactory during the many trial trips made for pub- lic demonstration, but for some reason the enterprise was never placed on a commer- cial basis, In 1882 Col. Jno. E. Gowen, an Amer- ican, at that time resident in Paris, came to this country as representative of the Mekarski Company, to negotiate the sale of the United States patent. After vicit. ing Boston and New York, where he failed to excite interest in the matter, he made a more successful effort in Philadelphia. Upon the representations of Colonel THE IRON AGE. Gowen, a leading city railway magnate was induced to bear the expense of a prac- tical d.monstration of the system upon one of the several lines controlled by htm. Unitortunately for the success of this ex- hibit, very bad jndgment was shown as to the method. Instead of importing one of the proved motors of the Nantes Company, and adapting its wheel gauge to suit our American tracks, one of the several steam cars exhibited on the Market street line during the Centenrial Exposition (and which, by the way, was by no means suc- cessful even under steam) was altered, and equipped with the necessary storage for air. The car and machinery, when ready for the road, proved to be nearly double the weight of the French cars, carrying the same quantity of air, which fact alone was sufficient to handicap the undertak- ing. The only runs that could be safely undertaken were for comparatively short distances, and although the test was in all respects save one entirely satisfactory, the one prerequisite for success—2. ¢., the ability to make the necessary length of trip—was lacking, and the demonstration as such was a failure. While this result of the blunder was fatal, so far as the further consideration of the enterprise by the before-mentioned capitalist was concerned, there was sufti- cient proof of the capabilities of the sys- tem to interest many of those present at the several trials of the car. Among the number was Isaac 8. Waterman, a well- known Philadelphia capitalist, ironmaster and manufacturer. The matter was brought to his attention through his being principal owner of the Philadelphia Hy- draulic Works, where the work was dore of equipping the car and furnishing the necessary compression machinery. His in- vestigations were so far satisfactory that a preliminary contract was executed by which Mr. Waterman purchased the entire interest in the patent for the United States. Colonet Gowen, although fully authorized by the French Mekarski Company to act for them in the consummation of such sale, desired to return to Paris for the purpose of having the contract ratified by the company. Mr. Waterman also desired to have a report from his own representa- tive on the construction and operation of tbe cars and compression plant then in daily use in Nantes. He therefore decided to have the superintendent of the hydrau- lic works accompany Colonel Gowen and make a thorough investigation of the sub- ject from the standpoint of an unbiased and disinterested observer. The result of this investigation was put into the form of a printed report for circu- lation as part of the contemplated pros- pectus of an American company. The circulation of the pamphlet, however, was prevented by the unfortunate sequel to the negotiations. Colonel Gowen returned from Paris with the ratification of the contract, made subject to several new and burdensome conditions, which Mr. Water man considered as prohibitory if adhered to. Upon his positive refusal to accept any other than the original terms, Colonel Gowen made several further trips to Paris in his endeavors to harmonize the dif- ferences between the principals to the transaction. Finally Mr. Waterman lost patience with what he considered the vac- illating course of the Mekarski people and withdrew entirely from further considera- tion of the matter. Colonel Gowen, after trying unsuccess'ully to find another pur- chaser for the patents, returned to Europe with his mission a failure. Since the expiration of the patents, about a year since, the valuable features of the system have attracted more or less at- tention in the United States, and several of our technical and trades publications have referred to it in articles more or less elaborate. The probability of its early in troduction into successful use, and the . June 30, 1899 great importance of such a consummation renders these initial efforts of geneva] in. terest. That compressed air is to be the motive power of the future for city railways would be arather bold and unwarranted agger. tion ; but that it may become so is, gt least, a matter of reasonable probability Theoretically considered, and practically demonstrated, we find no discrepancies and both theory and practice point to suc. cess, provided the treatment is what it should be. Lc The Masonry of Boiler Settings. The brick work about boiler settings js often very imperfectly laid. It is mostly done by contract, with no one to supervise it who understands the severe use to which it is to be put. The bricklayer, who may never have worked on a job of this kind before, builds good-looking inside and outside walls, but the space between jis apt to be filled up with odds and ends in the most promiscuous manner, Further- more, he puts the same joint in that he would use if he were building a house, and this ie just what we do not want in a boiler setting, particularly in the fire brick lining of the furnace. The joints through- out the setting should be thin, and the work should be done as faithfully inside as outside. Kaolin or prepared fire clay is used in laying the fire brick, and it should be mixed up so thin that it cannot well be used with a trowel. Some mill owners who have had experience in this direction will not allow a trowel to be employed at all, but require the men to use iron spoons. The fire brick should be dipped in water as they are used, so that when they are laid they will not imme- diately ‘‘drink up” the water from the cement. They should then receive a thin coating of the prepared fire clay or kaolin paste, and be carefully placed in position with as little of the kaolin or fire clay as possible. Every sixth course, beginning with the grates, should be a row of head- ers, well bonded into the masonry behind. The headers are of little use unless they are well secured into the walls of the set- ting, for when the lower courses of fire brick have burned away more or less we have to rely on these headers to a consid- erable extent to hold the upper part of the wall in position, In repairing fire-brick linings the lower courses, which burn out fastest, can be removed and replaced with- out disturbing the upper part of the wall, provided the headers are secure; while if they are not the entire wall mav have to be rebuilt, and this cannot be done with- out either removing the boiler or tearing down a considerable part of the setting.— The Locomotive. ———___ The population bulletin, just issued by the Census Bureau, shows the country what populatien it had in 1890. The to- tal is 62,622,250, an increase of 12,466,467, or 2486 per cent. The males number 82,067,880 and the females 30,554,370. The former have increased faster than the latter since 1880 by 1.64 percent. It is encouraging to know that 53,372,702 of this population were born in this country, 9,249,547 being foreign born. There were 54,983,890 white persons in the country in 1890, and 7,648,360 persons of color, which includes negroes, Chinese, Japanese, and civilized Indians. If the population continues to increase at the same rate per cent. during the ten years between 1890 and 1900 the country will enter the new century with over 78,000,000. It is more likely to be 80,000,000. The white in- crease during the last decade was 26.68 per cent., and the colored increase 13.11 per cent. The same proportional increase would give over 70,000,000 whites and about 9,000,000 colored persons in 1900. June 30, 1892 WORLD'S FAIR NOTES. ; From this time onward work will boom at Jackson Park, Several of the great structures have been delayed by reason of the excuses of contractors for the carpen- try and for tbe iron work. They tirst claimed they could not go ahead until the jron men had made certain progress. The latter said they were doing work as fast as the material arrived. A radical change was inaugurated last week. On the big Manufactures Building two shifts of men are now at work. The first one, consisting of 250 laborers, begin at 4 o’clock in the morning and is relieved at 12 o’clock by the second shift of 250 men, which goes on duty about that time. There has been no further lagging. The Edgemoor Bridge Company, who are putting up the big trusses, are employing 300 men. This week there will be 1000 workmen instead of 800 The same rush of work has been ordered on Machinery Hall. Altogether 496 men are pushing that building to completion. Of that number 198 are working 16 hours a day. A similar rush is taking place in the Landscape department. In this as well as other branches of the work, Superintendent Geraldine is crowding the contractors and their workmen to the limit. Toree hun- dred laborers are working 16 bours a day, beginning at 4 o’clock in the morning, to complete the dredging and gardeuing. The people who have in charge the pro- vision 1or an adequate water supply are working 16 bours a day in digging trenches and laying pipes. State buildings are going up with a rush. The commissioners of the various World’s Fair boards are every day crowd- ing the Surveying Department to have their sites staked off. It took the State people a long time to get started, but now they want to go faster than they can be accommodated, Last week workmen were engaged in puttirg up 14 structures and four more sites have been surveyed. Illinois has, of course, led. Then come Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, Kansas, Mich- igan, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Dela ware, New York, West Virginia, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Maine. Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin structures are nearly ready fur roofing. The others are not so far advanced, but most of them being small they shoot up with great rapidity. Califurnia, Maryland, Wyoming and Montana are ready to begin building. In the Midway Plaisance the Barre Sliding Railway is being constructed, the natato- rium 18 under way, and the Moorish Palace people will begin in a few days. The Heidenvrich Company of Chicago were awarded on Friday the contract for constructing the California State Build ing. Thestructure, which has been pre- viously described, will cost approximately $75,000. Test Trip of the Launches, The test of the launches which are to carry passergers through the canals and lagoons at Jackson Park during the period of the fair was begun last week. C. P. Willard & Co.’s steam launch, the America, was put on trial. It began its run at 8 o’clock and continued until six. There were aboard sacks of sand and p:ssengers reprmsenting altogether 49 people. The America behaved in what was considered a splendid manner. In around trip course of 3200 feet with two la: dings, she made the run on ao average of ten minutes. This record wou d have been beaten but for the fact that part of the time poor fuel was at hand. While good coal was available the round trips were made in eight minutes. Stops were made at landings without diffi- culty and with smoothness and dispa'ch. The America is a steam launch 40 feet over THE IRON AGE, all, with 9 feet beam. She draws, when | loaded to her full capacity of 49 passen- | gers, 36 inches of water. The boat is pro- pelled by a 30 horse-power engine. The boiler emits neither smoke, steam nor noise, and the launch glides along smoothly at as rapid a rate of speed as may be de- sired. The official test is as follows: June 21, Columbia Launch Comrany’s steam- boat; June 22, Columbia Launch Com- piny’s electric boat; June 23, E. R. Meeker’s steam launch; June 24, E. R. Meeker’s electric boat; June 25. Electric Launch and Navigation Company’s elec- tric boat; June 27, C. P. Willard & Co’s compressed air boat; June 28 Columbia Launch Company’s cab boat; June 29, Mr. Gould’s naphtha boat. First Exhibit at the Grounds, The first exhibit to be taken into the World’s Fair was received at the Custon House last week. 1261 ness to be a party to a low rate is evidenced by its terms with the Canadian Pacific Steamship Company. Germany’s Exhibit of Rarities. Germany proposes to loan a collection of Columbus rarities to the United States Government for exhibition at the Chicago Exposition, as will be seen by a communi- cation to the State Department from Consul General Edwards at Berlin. In this document Mr. Edwards says: I have been authorized by a member of the | Imperial German Commission to report that the German Government are prepared to loan for exposition purposes at Chicago all the works of art and every object or rarity called for trom time to time by the different branches of the World’s Columbian Exposition. This promise is, however, conditional that the loan shall assume the character of an international transaction, and be delivered by the German Government to the United States Government. It is proper that the German Government It consisted of 13 enor- | should assume the responsibility of collecting mous logs containing 1534 feet of lumber. | the rarities from the varioys galleries. mu- They come from Canada, having bee chopped from the great Northern pioes of Canada. applied to Collector Clark to have the logs turned over to him, as they are needed | at the grounds at once. All other exhibits | which have heretofore been received have | been stored in the bonded warehouses, |there to be kept until ready to be put on |exhibition, and Collector Clark doubted | his autbority to release the logs. How- | ever, as the logs are all free of duty, and | the Collector was assured that there was ample police protection on the World’s | Fair grounds and no danger of any one stealing the logs, he decided to release them. An order to turn the logs over to Chief Burnham was tberefore issued. Designs for Memorial Coins. n seums and libraries in Germany. and that the United States should accept the collection and take it into its own hands here in Berlin and Chief of Construction Burnham | be responsible to the German Government for the safe transportation, careful management and prompt return to the German Government of the entire collection. The German Government, appreciating the fact that no time is to be lost in this matter, has begun to carry its generous and friendly proposals into practical operation by in- stituting a thorough search in the various galleries, museums and libraries throughout Germany for works of art, objects and rarities which are in any way identified with the Columbus period, and which the German Government believe would be likely to be of general interest to the authorities of the World’s Columbian Exposition as well as the visitors at that great show. Eogland and France Want More Space. Sir Henry Wood takes a rosy view of Director of the Mint Leech was in Phil-|the World’s Fair situation in England. adelpbia on Friday and visited the Phila- delphia mint for the purpose of consulting with Superintendent Bosbyshell regarding souvenir coins for the World’s Fair next year. The director brought with him pho tographs furnished by the commissioners of the Columbian Exposition, from which the designs are to be prepared. The coins | will have on the obverse side a bust of Co- lumbus, and on the reverse side the United States Administration Building, Chicago, together with suitable inscriptions. The designs will be commenced at once, and when completed will be submitted to Director Leech and the Secretary of the Treasury for approval. Pacific Freight Rates, Traffic Manager Jaycox received a state- ment from the Canadian Pacific Steamship Company which was gratifying to the Ex- position Company. The steamship line agreed to carry exhibits from ports of China and Japan to Vancouver at the rate of $10 per ton. If exhibits are sent with through bills of lading to Chicago, the rate will be $16 per ton, and if the owner- ship be unchanged they will be returned free. The $10 tariff is a reduction of 33 per cent. on the regular rate, and the free return makes the charges less than half rates each way. The $6 per ton charge between Van- couver and Chicago, by way of the Cana- dian Pacific Railroad, is a still greater reduction. The lowest rate on any class of goods between those two points is $22, and the bighest about $80. As the steam sbip company make no mention of classes, but merely denominate the shipments as ‘‘exhibits,” certain kinds of goods will be brought to Chicago from the coast and returned for $6, whereas fu'l tariff rates for the round trip would be $160 per ton. Traffic Manager Jayceox thinks the Cana- dian railroad will eventuully do a big busi- ness on exhibits from the coast. He says the line is in none of the asscciations, and is free to act as it may see fit. Its willing- Sur Henry is secretary of the British Fair Commission, and he arrived in this coun- try a few days ago to transact some expo- sition business. He told a reporter for the New York Timesshortly alter landing that there were sufficient applications for space from British merchants to fill half the great buildings on the fair grounds. It has not been long since ccmmunications were printed in leading British newspapers regretting the apatby of the merchants to- ward the fair, but Sir Henry says his primary object in coming to Chicago is to get more space in the buidirgs. He thinks there will be a better exhibit of manufactures here than tbere was at Paris or any previous expsition. But, owing to the McKinley Tanff iaw, he doubts whether there will be apy display of Shef- field cutlery and certain textile fabrics. On the sub ject of an English art exhibit the secretary is enthusiastic, and in view of the strong effort being made by the ex- position people to secure such a display, Sir Henry’s following statement is inter- esting: I think I may safely say that we shall be able to u.ake a powerful bid for the first place in our art exhibition. English artists have be- come thoroughly aroused to the importance of this matter, for there is undoubtedly no better market in the world for guod pictures than the United States. The French school of art seems to bave thor- —— captured the people of this country, and the pictures of living French artists find a much readier sale here than those of English artists. The English painters have me thoroughly impressed with this important fact, and we have had their eager co-operation in the selecting of a really magnificent lot of paintings for the fair. The exhibition will be covfined altogether to the paintings of living- artists. At first we thought to secure a show- ing of the vld masters, many of the finest ex amples of which are by private own ers in England, but we found that this would not be possible on account of the unwillingness of many of the owners to allow such precious works to undergo the risks attending their transportation by sea and land. Even if we had secured them the insurance would have been altogether impracticable. 1262 THE IRON AGE, June 30, 1899 — EeootilPCQCQtftUCUHUTuTaTT oe —S,!""l——_/_: | LL Moreover, an exhibition of modern paintings will be of more general interest, and will at the same time be of more commercial value to liv- ing English painters. Three World’s Fair Commissioners from France are now in Chicago to erect and decorate the building which will be the headquarters of France at the fair, and to complete arrangements for installing the French exhibit. They are Baron de Vialar, M. Rene Dubuisson and M. Henri Motte. They say that France will have an exhibit unrivaled by that of any other nation and that will eclipse anything of the kind ever previously undertaken by the French Gov- ernment. They have asked for 200,000 square feet additional space. The French building is to be one of the finest of for- eign structures, and decorated most artis- tically under direction of M. Motte, who is a celebrated painter and decorator. To be Inspected at the Grounds. The question of administering the cus- toms at the port of Chicago on the goods imported for use at the World’s Fair, which has been under consideration by the officials at Washington, was settled by the adeptien of the policy suggested by Col lector John M. Clark, who has received a communication to that effect from Assist- ant-Secretary of the Treasury Spaulding. Provisions will be made for the inspection of goods at the grounds by the World’s Fair Directory, who will give a receipt to the Collector of Customs describing the goods, their nature and place of deposit, and at the close of the fair returns will be made accordingly. Exhibits will be re- ceived duty free, and what shall constitute an exhibit will be decided by the Fair Directory. Goods which are to be sold on the grounds will be stored in warehouses on the grounds, and duty paid as goods are drawn. Exhibits sold subject to de- livery at the close of the fair will have duty collected when the purchaser takes possession. ‘‘Exhibits” are to be im- mediately placed in their proper depart ment and kept there. This method, it is thought, will do away with the trouble experienced at Philadelphia, where the customs authorities collapsed entirely, from having neglected to draw a distinct line between exhibits and dutiable merchan- dise. Passenger Rates for October. Vice-Chairman Donald of the Central Traftic Association has issued a circular to members in regard to rates for the dedica- tory exercises to the World’s Fair, as fol- lows: At their meeting held in Chicago May 12, 1892, the Columbian Passenger Com- mittee adopted the following basis for ex cursion fares to Chicago and return for the above occasion : ‘*F rom points within the radius of from 150 to 350 miles of Chicago, one and one- third of the regular one- way first class tariff rate; tickets to be sold October 9, 10 and 11 good for return passage up to and in- cluding October 15, 1892 ‘**From points within 150 miles of Chi- cago, the rate to be one and one-third fare, and the sellirg dates October 10, 11, 12 and 13, good to return until October 14, 1892, inclusive. ‘*From points outside of the 350-mile radius, one regularly established first class fare; tickets to be sold October 8, 9, 10 and 11, or from distant territory on such earlier dates as may be necessary, good for return passage from Chicago up to and in- cluding October 16, 1892. Brevities. The great wigwam used by the recent Democratic Convention is being torn down and the material will be used in the con- struction of four World’s Fair hotels for the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union for the accommodation of working girls visiting the fair. Director General Davis received infor- mation from Chief Willard Smith, who is traveling in Europe, concerning the in- terest taken in the Department of Trans- portation by foreigners. Chief Smith says the Laird shipbuilding firm will send a fine exhibit. The Cooks will prepare larger and better models of the Nile steam- ers than have ever been shown. An ancient Egyptian funeral barge will be exhibited, as well as many other interesting things from the Orient. The corporation of Trinity House will leod modeis, In France great interest was displayed. The threatened strike of Western iron workers, Chief of Construction Burnham says, will have no effect on World’s Fair contracts. The iron for all the big struct- ures except the Manufactures Building is practically in place. Fifteen of the 22 great trusses are up and the iron for the smaller ones is on the ground. The fly wheel of the engine in the tem- porary power house burst Monday night of last week. A fragment of it went through the wall of the Mines and Mining Building, while another fragment, which must have gone into the air 1000 feet, fell through the roof of the building, cutting a clean round hole through the roof and floor and burying itself in the ground. An exhibit of bells will be made by a large manufacturing concern in this country, and the firm is planning to display it in a reproduction of the Tzar Kolokol (king of bells), the famous broken bell of Moscow, which is 22 feet in diameter and 21 feet 3 inches high, weighs 443,772 pounds, and is used as a chapel. Japan has applied for space in the World’s Fair Mines and Mining Buildiog fora mineral exhibit. It will include a fine collection of the celebrated Japanese alloys and bronze preparations. On Tuesday 1200 delegates and alter- nates to the Democratic Convention and their friends visited Jackson Park. They were shown over the grounds and given a luncheon by the exposition people. —$—$—$— EE Effects of Reciprocity. The Acting Secretary of State sent to the Senate on the 20th inst. a voluminous reply toa resolution passed a few weeks ago inquiring as to the ‘* practical effect ” of the reciprocity negotiations. It was ac- companied by statistical tables showing the population and commerce of the coun tries and colonies with which reciprocity arrangements have been concluded, and the growth of trade between them and the United States since what is known as the Pan-American movement began in 1884. The communication says: It is proper to suggest that ‘‘ the practi- cal effect ” of these arrangements cannot be measured by the commerce of a month or a year, for the result must depend not alone upon the character of the conces- sions secured by diplomatic negotiation, but by the degree to which they are util- ized by private commercial enterprise. Before the full result of the reciprocity ar- rangements car be realized we must pro- vide the means of transacting our own business indeperdent of the ships and banks and capital of our commercial rivals. A table is submitted showing that the number of letters sent to South America bas more than doubled during the last tive years, and that the weight of printed mat. ter has been increased 300 per cent. Althongh for the reasons stated it is scarcely just to measure, as it is useless to conjecture, the results that have, or may, come from the advantages afforded by the reciprocity negotiations, it is gratifying to note that there has already been a consid- erable increase in our exports, and that tnere is good reason to expect that it wil] continue and be permanent. It is equally noticeable, too, that the exports from Great Britain to the Latin-American coun. tries are falling off with even greater rapidity, so much so as to excite the ap- prehension of her commercial organiza- tions, and impel them to seek some means of protection trom the Government. The commercial arrangement with the British colonies was concluded, proclaimed and went into effect on February 1 last, since which date there has been a small but encouraging increase in our exports. The similar arrangements made with Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras and Gaute- mala have not been in operation long enough to justify the expression of an opinion as to their practical effect, al- though the advantages they offer the mer- chants, manufacturers and agricultucists of the United States are considerable and important. From April 1, 1891, when the reciproc- ity arrangement went into effect, to March 81, 1892—12 months—the exports of do- mestic merchandise from the United States were $14,585,359, an increase of $1,052,573 over the previous 12 months, and of $3,307,640 over the corresponding period ending March 31, 1890. A statement is furnished showing that the exports of domestic merchandise from the United States to Cuba during the seven months since the reciprocity arrange- ment went into eff: ct were $11,607,438, as compared with $7,981,888 during the same period of the previous year, which is an increase of $3,625,550. A statement is furnished which shows that the exports of domestic merchandise from the United States to Porto Rico were $1,524,862 since the reciprocity arrange. ment went into effect, as compared with $1,320,169 during the corresponding pericd of the previous year There has been.a slight falling off in our exports to San Domingo since the reci- procity arrangement went into effect, which is due to a universal financial depression which has affected that republic during the past year, but the decrease has not been so great as that shown in the exports of Great Britain, which amounted to only $186,270 during the first three months of the current year, against $380,945 for the first three months of 1891. The enactment of the reciprocity section of the Tariff act of 1890, in connection with the Meat Inspection act, conferred upon the Executive the power, through negotiation, to very promptly secure the repeal of the prohibition upon American pork, which for ten years had practically excluded that important product from most of the continental countries of Europe. But it not only brought about this result. It likewise enabled the Executive to negotiate a reciprocity arrangement, first with Germany, and afterward with Austria, by which, in return for the free admission into the United States of sugar, we obtain the admission into those countries at re- duced duties of a iarge list of American agricultural and other products. Negotiations upon the lines of section 3 of the Tariff act have been in progress in the City of Mexico between the United States Minister and a special commissioner of the Mexican Government, but so far no satisfactory results have been reached. ee The great eight-foot water tunnel, ex- tending 4 miles out under Lake Michigan at a depth of 80 feet, has been completed. It was begun over four years ago and has cost over $1,100,000. When connected with the water works pumps it will supply 140,000,000 gallons of water per day to the city, bringing the total available sup- ply up to 300,000,000 gallons daily. June 30, 1892 THE IRON AGE. 1263 ee nnn nnn ss Ee ee ee eee eee ceene gape = ret ee ae Apparatus for Casting Cannon. The apparatus for casting cannon, of which drawings are here presented, has been used in making 30 mortars at the Builders’ Iron Foundry, Providence, R. I., and has proved to be bighly satisfactory. [t is the invention of Richard A. Robert- son, Jr., of Providence. The objects aimed at in this design were to relieve the ——s initial stresses, to prevent opposing lines of crystallization, to furnish an accurate and easy method of at SSS ae U ahaa 2 n pepe \ u * “Pal PEER RoE SS RS w SS “ aa x oS bts _~ test At ewst%e at ae GAGES f-. XX ‘+ (A pene .> > >>> > ee ~ Ne \ re a S C oe s y gl NY . By Wg a Pe ~ ~- ae) a bos x Bo Se ft ne COS SSS SS > rot a SS eas \ Fe Ee ra PER oy ' a P) : ‘> S A Pak ri, < &, 4 4. 2s PO ey UJ ~ SS NS Fig. 3.— Vertical Section through Center of centering the core, and to lessen the waste of metal and cost of casting. An impor tant part of the apparatus consists in the mechanism for the cooling of the casting uniformly at all times throughout its entire length from the bore outward, so that the lines of crystallization shall radiate from the bore normally to its contour at every point throughout its entire length while the casting is solidifying, whereby the intensity of the initial stresses is uniform throughout the entire casting. This result is accomplished by water forced first through a pipe inserted in a hollow core, extending entirely through and beyond the ends of the casting. Then the core, with its pipe, is withdrawn as soon as the molten metal has set, when the water is forced through another pipe inserted in the! was suspended in the mold cavity and a’ NS F, - SY Pe < SEE ER ROE at AS (3 3 eo cavity of the casting made by withdrawing the core. This pipe extends through the cavity, its outlet being below the body of the casting. The continuing flow of the water in the core absorbs the heat from the interior of the casting to such a degree that the liquid mass solidifies first nearest the core and from thence outward. When the casting has solidified sufficiently to be ‘*set”” the core, with its pipe, is withdrawn and the water is then forced through the second pipe into the cavity or bore, and as it flows back to its outlet, it touches the turface of the bore at every part, thereby N ‘ WAAAN, «<Q RAAAAAAN Dae eRe et " ‘ *\ 2 VED] dae ‘ Ms 7 il er ke Ast Ty Peyton Ce UU NS 2 Fr, ft Poo VW pe Ve at Gas YANG VG: GY MY ZALE ZZ Mold at Bottom. APPARATUS FOR CASTING CANNON. cooling the casting more rapidly by direct contact than if the core were retained and also more effectively producing the de- sired conditions in the casting. By this method there is no intersection of different lines of crystallization, the intensity of the initial stresses is made uniform, and the formation of lines of weakness is prevented at any and all parts of the casting. While the casting is being cooled, the radiation of heat from its exterior is retarded by fires kindled in the molding pit. Old Method of Casting Cannon. In the apparatus used for carrying out the old system of casting cannon, in which the method of cooling the casting from the interior was the basis, the core considerable distance left between its lower end and the bottom of the mold. This core was held by a frame called a ‘*spider” placed on the top of the mold- ing pit. To center the core in the mold cavity this spider was adjusted—i.¢c., its position changed—by means of screws in the spider’s legs. The core being neces- sarily of great length, and thus having considerable leverage, a slight change of its position at the top made a much greater variation at its lower end and rendered the centering of the core in relation to the mold cavity a matter of great difficulty ; r, xt ie ASA ee PACKS es a ea | ) Bk SS aX . Sh SOs ee aN RY Py ‘alta babe bts bid SO ee ee te ee ae eT) ¥ . P i) ED Te eS | perfec einen Ny Et It Tenguecheneneeteereheebahenetenenetiewbendf n rei ltii ty . QUENT INN ) < < ys of Core. Fig. 4.— Vertical Section through Center of Mold at Top. also, its lower end being free or unsecured, any irregularity in the flow of the metal from the runners ¢ ¢ into the mold cavity deflected the core from its position, and consequently when the core was with- drawn the bore of the casting would be eccentric and the value of the whole cast- ing in its relation to cannon destroyed— a not infrequent occurrence. Again, the buoyancy of acore of great length when held in suspension in the mass of liquid metal created a powerful upward pressure, and to prevent the displacement of the core the spider and the adjusting screws had to be made epvormously strong, at a very considerable cost of time and money. In the cooling of c.nnon cast in this man- ner, the tendency of the lines of crystal- lization being to lie normal to the surfaces 1264 THE IRON AGE. of the crystallizing mass, those lines ex- tending from the sides of the casting di- verged from those at the bottom of the casting at almost, if not quite, right angles, the result being that lines of weak- ness and irregular initial stresses were de- veloped at the base of the casting. Again, the lines of crystallization from the bore near the escape pipe, which was inserted at a right angle to the axis of the core in one side of the ‘‘sinking head,” inter- sected the lines from the pipe with unequal intensity around the pipe, producing severe initial stresses aud lines of weak- ness in that neighborhood, while the process of crystallization, being unequal below and above the water level estab- lished by the pipe, also induced initial stresses of varying intensity. As a result, it was necessary to cut off a large part of the casting so weakened at its base, while the effect of the different stresses near the escape pipe was not only to crack the metal in the sinking head, but frequently so far longitudinally as to ruin the whole gun. New Method, The apparatus here illustrated over- comes these defects in the following man- ner: At the bottom of the usual mold A is placed a light metal pot or receiver, K, filled with sand, and in this sand is prefer- ably molded a ‘‘ print,” so called, to ex- actly fit one end of the core B. This pot is held in place by sand thoroughly ram- med around it, but so as to leave a rim or edge, H, of the pot projecting into the mold cavity. This pot is made slightly larger than the core B, so that the projecting rim of the pot will practically touch the outer surface of the core near its lower end, as shown in the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2. The position of the pot at the bottom of the mold is chosen so that the print and core will be concentric with the mold cavity. The core is lowered into the mold cavity until its lower end rests in the print or in- dentation, its upper end being steadied and centered by a light frame or spider, C, through which the core end is free to slide upward, but without any lateral change of position. Both ends of the core being thus secured from lateral movement by the spider and print, Fig. 1, it is self evident that the core is accurately and easily cen- tered with relation to the mold cavity and that this central position cannot be changed during the process of casting. While it is preferable to use a print in the pot, as described, for the greater ac- curacy in centering the core, still its use is not absolutely essential. It is easy to plece the pot itself so that its position will be concentric with the core and mold cavity and have the projecting rim of the pot touching the outer edge of the core end, thus preventing its having any lateral movement. It is also possible to omit the sand from the pot and substitute in the pot a cone spindle, Y, or other suitable equiv- alent, which will come in contact with and center the core, substantially as shown by Fig. 3. The core having been lowered into the pot and centered in the manner described, a cylinder, G, is suspended from the spider in such a manner that it will inclose the upper end of and preferably be in contact, or pearly so, with the core, the lower end of the cylinder being depended into the mold cavity a sufficient distance so that it will be submerged in the liquid metal when the mold is ‘full, Fig. 1. In this cylinder is placed an escape pipe, F, the position of which is such as to leave a considerable dist:nce between it and the surface of the sinking head §S of the casting. The use of the escape pipe is convenient, but not essential, as will be shown later. The Operation, In the process of casting, the liquid metal is introduced into the mold cavity, as usual, through the gates or runners ¢ ¢, and attaches itself to or fuses itself with the projecting rim H of the pot K and also with the lower edge of the cylinder G, thus making them a part of the casting, Fig. 2. Although Mr. Robertson prefers this method of connecting the cylinder with the casting, it may be made a part of the casting or otherwise joined—e. g., the cylinder may be lowered into contact with the casting, and after a reasonable time the connection can be ‘‘ luted” at the surface of the casting. The next step is to force the cooling fluid through the pipe R in the core B, which was made hollow to carry the pipe and as a return conduit for the fluid, Fig. 1. After the core has been withdrawn from the casting the coo’ing fluid is next forced into the bore of the casting itself through a pipe, R’, in the manner already described. It is evident that a syphon, arranged as shown in Fig. 4, or other means may be used for creating a current in the cooling fluid throughout the entire length of the ipe. The hollow formed by the print in the pot after the core is withdrawn (or the hollow pot itself if no print is used) a!lows the cooling fluid to flow beyond the lower end of the body of the casting, and the cy'inder at the top of the casting permits the fluid to rise above the sinking head S and casting proper to the escape pipe F, Fig. 2, although this escape pipe can be omitted and the fluid allowed to flow over the top of the cylinder, to be thence car- ried off in any suitable manner without its touching the exterior of the casting proper, the main object being to keep the level of the continuous flow of water or fluid above the top of the sinking head. Since the cylinder and pot were dcscribed as touch- ing, or nearly touching, the outer surface of the core, it is evident that when they have been made a part of the casting, as shown, the cooling fluid cannot touch any part of the casting proper except the bore, unless it be a very small part of the ex- treme outer ends of the casting at its top and bottom near the cylinder and reeiver, as already explained, which part would be so small that the effect created would be inappreciable in its relation to initial stresses and may be neglected. Hence it follows, the fluid having been carried entirely through the bore of the casting and beyond the casting proper at both ends, that the process of cooling will be uniform throughout the entire length of the casting from the exterior outward, that there 1s no opportunity for and hence no intersection of different lines of crys tallization; that the intensity of the initial stresses’ is made uniform or regular throughout the casting, the formation of lines of weakness prevented, and conse- quently that there is no danger of losing a casting from these causes. When a print is used in which the lower end of the core exactly fits, or when the projecting rim of the pot fiks closely to the outer surface of the lower edge of the core, none of the liquid metal can get beneath the core and create any upward pressure thereon. A very slight