The Iron Age 1892-09-15: Vol 50

‘THE IRON AGE The Detroit Steam Derrick Crane. | An interesting departure in the loading and unloading of cargo on Lake boats has been brought about by the introduction of steam derrick cranes by the Detroit Foun- dry Equipment Company of Detroit. The accompanying engraving shows such a crane in position on a vessel. We have since received another photograph of three THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1892. and the Button Fire Engine Company of he reverse motions of swinging are| Waterford, N. Y. The combine also in- performed by two bevel frictions. They! cludes manufacturers of hook and ladder hoist by gearing and lower by brake. The| trucks, hose carriages and carts, hand fire posts of the crane extend about 8 feet above | engines, heaters, stationary pumps and the deck and through the deck some 6 feet | fire department supplies. in the hold, where there is a bottom sup- rc port. Allcut gearing is used,and the cranes| The award of the $1,500,000 contract for are constructed in a thoroughly substantial | new guns for the army is being hung up manner. They have been in use only a| in consequence of the Eight-Hour law. Bids few weeks and have been operated by’ for the forgings of these guns, which are gines, so that there is never a dead center. T THE DETROIT STEAM DERRICK CRANE, of these cranes on the ‘* Pioneer.” These cranes are built of steel channels and have three motions, hoisting, swinging and topping, the first two by steam power; the topping can be performed easily by hand. The boom is 20 feet 6 inches long, and has a radius of 18 feet. The load is hoisted from the bottom of the hold, and the drum wraps enough chain so that the buckets will completely clear the rail and by an automatic catch the load is quickly dumped on the dock or into cars on the dock. The engines are 6 x 8 double en- steam barge green hands, still they have given great|to be finished and assembled at the satisfaction. It has been found that they | Watervliet Arsenal, were received by the cut down by their use the time of loading| Ordnance Bureau. The Bethelem Iron and unloading to about one-third, which | Works of Bethelem, Pa., and the Midvale boatmen will fully appreciate as money | Steel Company of Nicetown, Pa., were saved. ;the only competitors. The former bid 28 cents per pound for all the forgings, with aprovisional bid of } cent extra in case the Government held the Eight-Hour law to apply to this character of work, The latter bid 28 cents per pound for the 8-inch forgings and 29 cents for the 10- inch and 12-inch, but made no bid con- tingent upon the Eight. Hour law. I The fire engine manufacturers in the United States have combined and formed a trust to be known as the American Fire Engine Company. The combine consists | of the Silsby Mfg. Company, the Ahrens Mfg. Company of Cincinnati, the Clapp & Jones Mfg. Company of Hudson, N. Y.., F He ni } +) OL / 466 “WETAL- CUTTING TOOLS. im Cutting-OfF Tools. The cutting-off tool, as its name implies, is used for cutting off ends or lengths of shafts, bars, &c., and also for squaring collars, shoulders and ends from which considerable stock is to be removed. As it is a very troublesome tool to use unless properly made, it is important to see that all essential features are carefully provided. The most common difficulties experienced are of a directly opposite nature and cause, though of like effect. With even the greatest care in feeding, the tool will catch and dig into the metal, causing the shaft to spring and climb the point, with the usual result of a broken tool or center, or both, and a bent shaft—the latter, not in- frequently, being thrown completely out of the lathe. The greatest care is necessary to see that proper clearance is provided—neither too much nor too little, as either will cause the troubles described. The cutting edge should be on the end only, and be set parallel with axis of the lathe. The clear- ance under it must be made, like that of the diamond-point, solely with reference to the vertical tangent, and of from 1° to 2° angle. Also, it should be straight from the point or edge to the heel, as the very common practice of grinding it hollow to the curve of grindstone or emery-wheel face is one of the very best methods of rendering the degree of clearance an un- known quantity. With proper clearance, unless the edge be very dull, the tool itself seems to regu- late the feed (for ordinary engine lathe work cutting off is generally done by hand and not power feed), and al! that is neces- sary for the operator is to turn the screw sufficiently to follow the tool. The reason is simply that the tool, below the edge, bears against the work under the cut, and the depth of the latter is gauged and con- trolled by the degree of clearance. As soon as any necessity for forcing the tool to the work is felt on the feed screw, it is a sure indication that the edge is dull and in need of grinding. Any attempt to con- tinue its use after this is at the risk of trouble. The next feature to consider is that of side clearance that is, the blade or working part of the tool should be a uni- form taper back from the cutting edge, as far as the length of the blade is likely to be reduced by grinding, and from this point back to the shoulder it may be made straight if desired. This side clearance should be equal on the two sides, more with reference to the setting or plane of ro- tation than with the cutting edge, as it is not necessary that the latter be set exactly parallel to axis. It is a very common practice with lathe hands to gauge the side clearance with the caliper, by making the blade thinner at bottom. This, however, is misleading, as the clearance of the two sides cannot be considered with reference to each other, but to the setting of the tool. For instance, the caliper may show ample taper, and yet, when the tool is set, it will be found to bear so hard below the edge on one side as to prevent the latter from touching, while on the other side we find all the clearance intended for both. The reason is obviously to be found in the fact that the blade and body of the tool are not parallel with each other, and as the latter is what determines the position of tool with relation to the rest, the blade must, of necessity, stand on a skew. A very simple and much the best way to gauge this clearance is by setting the tool by the bottom of body on a plane surface, and trying the two sides with a small square. or the ordinary 4 or 6 inch scale stood on end will answer, if beld carefully perpendicular. THE TRON _ AGE. The practice of grinding a lip or hook point on the tool, while undoubtedly giv. ing it a good cutting point, is not at all necessary and is objectionable from the fact that it affects the shape of the point, giving it a different angle after each grinding and also lowering the point with reference to the body of the tool. In cut- ting off bars or shafts, or in any deep cut- ting, the position of the tool as to hight of point must necessarily be changed in order to keep the clearance correct. This is owing to the constantly decreasing size of circle to which the tool must be kept approximately tangent, as previously stated. The operator can tell without difficulty when the change must be made, as the action of the tool is felt to a won- derfully accurate degree on the handle of feed screw. Just as soon as there is the slightest indication that the feed is becom- ing less free and requires an increased effort to make it cut, the lathe should be stopped and tool point lowered, otherwise the forcing may be continued until it results disastrously. The nearer the center of shaft is approached in the cut, the more the danger of catching, and the more care is necessary. One very common cause of trouble, even with a tool perfectly correct as to form and setting, is from seams and sand streaks liable to occur in ordinary mer- chant bariron. The effect is to dull the tool and also to offer a hard spot in the cut, over which the edge will spring until the resistance is sufficient to force it in by main strength, when it is almost sure to catch. The only effective remedy is to stop the cut, run the edge back from con- tact with the work, and with a cape chisel the width of the tool edge, chip out the spot as deeply as convenient, and resume the cut. This must be repeated as often as necessary until the streak is passed or the required depth of cut is reached. Except for heavy tools, the use of water in cutting off is not advisable, as it in- creases the tendency to catching. Ordi- nurily the tool will work all right on a dry cut, but if, for any reason a lubricant is required, oil should be used, preferably of the quality used on bolt cutter. Properly made and set, the use of the cutting off tool is no more difficult or troublesome than any other form. Threading Tools. Threading tools, for chasing male screw threads, vary considerably, according to the form of thread. In this country there are but four used, viz.: the full V, half V, ‘* Franklin Institute” or U. 8. standard and the square thread. The first named— the full V—is the thread most commonly used, The sides form an angle of 60° with each other, or 30° each side of the perpen- dicular. As indicated by the name, the angle at both top and bottom is continued to form a sharp edge or termination. The half V has the same angle of sides, but is flat top and bottom, and the depth is ap- proximately one half that of the full V. The Franklin Institute thread is undoubt- edly the best form of Y-thread, as it is not only stronger and more durable against wear, but it is also very much easier to cut, either with taps and dies or by chasing in the lathe. The angle of sides is 60°, but at top and bottom there is a flat equal to one eighth of the pitch. The square thread is formed with sides perpendicular to the axis, and the width of the thread relatively to the space is just sufficiently less to allow necessary clearance for turning in the female screw. There should be no bearing either top or bottom, but on the sides only, though, of course, the clearance must not be excessive. For cutting the first three threads the tool may be ground to the screw gauge made by Brown & Sharpe—that is, as re- gards the angle of the two cutting edges. September 15, 1899 For cutting pitches of ,*, inch or less, the tool should be forged with a blade similar to that of cutting off tool, as it renders the work of grinding much easier than if un- necessarily broad. It must be remembered that in setting the tool, if ground by the 60° gauge, it must be approximately at the hight of center, as, if set either above or below the angle of cut will be greater than that of the edge. This is much the best way, though if it is desired to set the tool above the center, which is the usual practice, the angle must be made as much less than 60° as will compen- sate for the tangency. To illustrate this, let the tool be ground accurately by the thread gauge, then set the ordinary distance above center and feed in until the point touches the work at the extreme end of the shaft. By hold- ing a straightedge against the latter in an exact radial position, the inner end set by the dead center and the outer by the edge of the tool at the full depth of cut for the finished thread, it will be seen that the point of the tool is some distance above the radial line. Now take out the tool and grind the top down so as to make it radial with the setting unchanged. Then try the angle by setting the gauge parallel with the new top face, and it will be seen how much the actual effective angle is greater than the correct one. The best remedy for the difficulty is to make the clearance suitable for setting the tool very nearly central as to hight, and grind the angle by gauge. Or if the other method be preferred, the operator should adopt a uniform hight, or angle of hight, with reference to the horizontal, and make a gauge which will give a point at that hight, capable of cutting a 60° thread. This matter of relative angle and setting of the tool is responsible for much bad work in making the thread too shallow for the pitch, and of too obtuse an angle to give best working qualities as to strength and wear. As most of the screw threads cut in the lathe must be made to use in holes tapped with very accurately made standard taps (whose angle is, of course, correct), it will be seen that the only bear- ing of the male in the female thread will be at one point instead of on the whole surface, as it would be if theangle of both were the same. The result of this defect will very soon become apparent, as no matter how tightly fitted the male thread may be it will very soon become loose from wear, until the surfaces in contact are suf- ficiently increased thereby to prevent its continuing further. The limit is generally reached only when the angles are prac- tically equalized, and by that time a wrench will hardly be necessary. The matter of clearance, also, is of the utmost importance both as regards the facility of operation and the quality of the finished work. If we examine the two sides of a Y-thread it will almost invari- ably be found that one side is bright and clean cut while the other has a rough pitted surface which looks as though the metal had been torn off, as in fact it has. This is almost invariably on the left-hand side of thread (not space) on a right hand screw, and vice versa. It is due to the clearance under the cutting edges of the tool being made alike for both sides, with- out considering and providing for the fact that the angularity of the spiral thread causes the right-hand surface to recede from the tool edge while the left hand one approaches it. Consequently the tool clearance is diminished on its left-hand edge and exaggerated on the right. The angle of clearance should be considered with reference to that of the spiral—that is, it should be equally divided on each side of the central line of the latter. Of course this must be taken ap proximately, as the angle of the spiral will vary ac- cording to pitch and diameter of the screw, and also of pitch with relation to diam- September 15, 1892 eter. If, however, the tool is made to cut equally clean and free on both sides, it is the best evidence that the clearance con- forms to the above requirements, as it can- not possibly be made to do so otherwise. For ordinary work it is well to take off with an oil stone the extreme sharp point of the tool left by the grindstone, as it is too delicate to stand the strain of rough- ing. If it is desired to have the bottom of thread full sharp, it can be done when the tool is freshly ground and stoned for the finishing cuts. The temper of a full \-thread tool cannot be very hard, as the point is too frail to bear the strain of the cut. A dark straw color, or even a brown, will be found as hard as it is prudent to temper. Oil should always be used with this tool, except on brass; otherwise it will be impossible to avoid heating and dulling the point. It should be mentioned as a not uncom- mon fault in chased Y-thread that the angles of the two sides are not alike, and this after the tool has been supposedly carefully set by the thread gauge. The difficulty arises from the fact that the gauge has not been held against the work parallel with its axis, and, while appar- ently in contact the full length of its back edge, by reason of one end being higher than the other it will necessarily be thrown away from the tool at its high end THE IRON AGE. right and left side-cutting tools. As this form of thread is seldom used except for feed or adjusting screws, which are sub- jected to constant wear, it is important that the sides of the thread should be carefully and accurately finished, both as to correctness of angle and smoothness of surface. For cutting any form of thread of quick pitch, double or triple threads, for instance, it will be found much the best plan to have the tool blade twisted to conform to the angle of required pitch, and then the matter of side clearance be comes as simple as that of the cutting-off tool proper. There are some special forms of threads not commonly used or cut in the lathe, such as ratchet, lag screw, &c. For these the requirements for form and manipulation of tools are merely modifica- tions of the general principles above men- tioned. There are sundry other forms of tools for outside work such as square- nosed, round-nosed, Y-nosed, &c., which need not be described, as they are, in all essential features, but modifications of those already referred to at length. — > Eberhardt’s Tool Holder. It was after trying in their own works most of the different makes of tool holders, that Gerald & Eberhardt of Newark, N. <2 a 5% 2 ixi7e * 16 1% * 13/4 x12 2 o IP 10 > Gtsensaamnan EBERHARDT’S PATENT and cause an increase of angle on that side of the tool and a corresponding decrease on the other. This is most likely to hap pen when the top face of the tool blade is not ground truly in line with the axis of the lathe, as by setting the gauge by the two cutting edges it is apt to cause the want of parallelism of the latter to be overlooked, particularly as the small size of the gauge causes it to be an awkward matter to hold it accurately in position. For this reason it will be found much more desirable to hold the gauge with both hands in trying the final adjustment than to depend on one hand, ana that the left, and keeping the other free to man- ipulate the tool. Never force the tool. If it does not cut freely, stop and look for the cause. It will usually be found that the tool is dull, or that it is not set properly with reference to clearance. Should the setting be cor- rect as regards the angle of thread, and still not clear, the tool must be reground to give it the proper clearance for the set- ting. For the half Y and Franklin Insti- tute threads, the only modification of the foregoing is in grinding a square point on the end of tool, the width being made as previously described. For chasing square threads, the cutting-off tool—one with a short blade, preferably—is the proper form for roughing and for finishing the bottom of thread. The two sides should be fin- ished separately with any desired form of 1x 139x11 TOOL HOLDER J., were led to devise the ones shown in the accompanying engraving. These are | claimed to possess all the good points of the others and to avoid their objections. | It will be observed that the holders are | made with straight bodies or with their | ends bent either to the mght or left. Ex-| tending backward and downward from the end is an opening intended to receive the cutter. This opening is at such an angle with the main portion of the holder as to} yield the best results in general work, and | as it is never necessary tu grind the upper surface of the cutter this angle is always | maintained. Some of the holders are| provided with a transverse opening in the | rearend. The holders are made of cast | steel and the set screws of hardened tool | steel. Among the advantages claimed for this tool are that the cutter never requires forging, and consequently the variation and annoyance caused by a tool being ‘*too hard” or ‘‘too soft” or ‘* burnt” | are entirely avoided, leaving the quality of the steel in the best possible condition— viz., as it comes from the mill. Any de- sired form or shape can be ground in a/| short time, there being but a small surface | presented to be ground. Each holder is provided with five pieces of special self- | hardening steel, each end ground to a dif- ferent shape. Concerning the cutters, the makers say: ‘‘For finishing tool steel a water-hardened and tempered steel will be 467 found to give best results, as we have been unable to secure a self-hardening steel, up to the present time, that would withstand this duty for accurate work. We will fur- nish, when so ordered, tempered steel of the same size as self-hardening to fit the holders and to be used for finishing tool steel.” The self-hardening tools are ground on a dry wheel only, sufficient pressure being applied to make the steel red hot if necessary, but it must be al- lowed to cool off naturally in the air. —— Among all the Southern ports New Or- leans alone is able to show an increased business during the last commercial year. But an examination of tbe statistics makes it plain that on account of the shrinkage in the value of cotton, the comparison with former years would not have been flatter- ing but for an extraordinary increase of the grain traffic coming down the Missis- sippi River. The total receipts of domestic produce by river, rail and canal amounted to $204,037,492, as against $208,935,400 during the previous year, and $193,147- 121 in 1889-90. The gross receipts of cot- ton last year were 2,264,093 bales, worth $112,343,294. This year New Orleans re- ceived 2,711,395 bales, worth only $101,- 812,882. The misfortunes of the Southern farmer can be realized from these figures, N° 8 — 1g x1%x9 ee o Sta 7g x7 which show that 20 per vent. more cotton is worth 10 per cent. less in value than a year ago. Besides there was a large shrinkage in the value of sugar under the new bounty system. On the other hand, New Orleans received 12,730,184 bushels of wheat, worth $14,416,590, as against 5,538,962 bushels the previous year, worth $6,092,858. In the foreign trade, too, there is a healthy improvement, while coastwise there is a slight decline. The New Orleans Times- Democrat, in reviewing the entire business of the port says: ‘* A city which handles nearly 10,000,000 tons of products of a value of close on $600,000,000 each year has no reason to feel ashamed of its com- merce.” Secretary Foster in an interview says the balance of trade last year was $202,000,006 in favor of this country. American tour- ists abroad spent $100,000,000, this coun- try lost $20,000,000 in freights to foreign vessels, and $25,000,000 more, he believed, was represented by undervaluations. As to the balance of the $202,000,000 he would not attempt to give an explanation. A resolution in favor of an eight-hour day was carried at the last meeting of the British Trades Union Comgress with some difficulty. A large proportion of the strikes have been due to the eight-hour demand. + war's 7 G4 468 The Riedler Air Compressor. THE IRON AGE. published in Zhe Iron Age. Subsequently he was asked to design the compressors ’ We have referred at different times to for the great new power station at the the Popp system of distributing power by means of compressed air, introduced some years*since on a large scale in Paris. first plant built at St. Fargeau, Paris, though large, was crude in many respects. A. Riedler, professor at the Polytechnic School at Berlin, recognized as probably the most eminent mechanical engineer on the Continent, was called in to make an expert report, the results of which were Quai de la Gare, Paris. A thorough and critical description of this machinery has 1100 Fig. 1.—Elevation. THE RIEDLER AIR COMPRESSOR. under the title of ‘‘ Studies on the Dis- tribution of Power” in a series of issues of the Zeitschrift des Vereines deutscher Ingenieure. Itis accompanied by a good many drawings, a few of which we repro- duce, the dimensions being in the metric system. September 15, 1892 The engines driving the compressor are triple expansion, the A frames carrying the steam cylinders and being strongly braced to one another. The main shafts are made of two parts, the cranks being The been placed before the public, by him, | forged in one piece from Creusot basic 1000 510 w0 i zo 1260 ‘ r ~~ | io > { 3100 | 450 | ° | 300- } } 2000 40 > 25 YYYyy) YY Y WM EC@- EE EEE EEA EEA EZ EE EZ E@@ #@#t@zzEt open-hearth steel. Each ofthe two coup- lings is fitted with a fly wheel. The gen- eral design is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The piston rods of the low-press- ure and intermediate steam cylinders drive the two low-pressure air cylinders directly, while the high-pressure steam cylinder September 15, 1892 THE IRON AGE. operates the high-pressure compressor. The piston rods are made in one piece on account of the hight of the engine. It would have been better not to do so. The valve gear of the engine is driven from the main shaft through gearing and an in- 660 *140< ‘ ~ r al HE eS 5 guides, the arrangement for driving air pump and the shaft for the gearing. Professor Riedler states that he chose this arrangement because the compressor was to be run at a speed of 60 to 80 revolu- tions per minute. The gear shaft could Fig. 2.—Side Elevation. THE RIEDLER clined upright rod, shownin Fig. 1 at the|then be used simultaneously for driving | left, its center line being indicated in Fig. This rod drives the main horizontal valve shaft, which serves both for the valve gearing of the steam cylinders and the air cylinders. Fig. 2 shows clearly the form of the frames, the cross head 9 we AIR COMPRESSOR. the Corliss gear of the steam engine, be- cause the usual method of driving from the main shaft, as in large marine engines, would have led to such enormous eccen- trics that to avoid the latter alone made the method of driving by shafting better. the | As will be seen from Figs. 3 and 4, which . 469 show the valve gear in plan and in eleva- tion, the eccentrics for driving the steam gear are small, while the arrangements for working the valve gear of the compressor are accessible and in full view. The steam gear for the high-pressure cylinder, Fig. 5, has dash pots and governor, which are not applied, however, in the intermediate and low-pressure cylinders, Figs. 6 and 7. For the intermediate cylinder, Fig. 6, two ee- centrics are provided, on account of the conditions effecting compression and ex- haust. Details of the high-pressure cylinder are shown in Fig. 8, those of the intermediate cylinder in Fig. 9, and those of the low- pressure cylinder in Fig. 10. Liners of {chilled castings have been placed in the | steam cylinders and the valve chests. For the condensation one condenser and two air pumps are provided, all of this part of the machinery being placed below the engine floor in an open canal lighted from and visible from the engine room. The condenser is under the low-pressure | cylinder, while one air pump each is driven by the intermediate and high-pressure cylinders. The considerations guiding the develop- ment of the desigu were the following: For the new central station steady work and low cost were the first considerations, because it was assumed that the compres- sors would run for 22 hours a day under |full load. The boiler pressure was placed }at 13 atmospheres, the working press- |ure at at least 12 atmospheres, triple ex- | pansion of the steam and compound com- | pression of theair, with as complete cool- ing as was possible, the engine to develop | at least 2000 horse- power and possess high piston speed. The average number of | revolutions was placed at 60, with 80 as the maximum. All these conditions seemed obtainable, and practical working | has proven that the maximum speed is at- tained without shocks in steady work. The original plan was to provide for the electric lighting of the district with the aid of accumulators. In reality, the com- pressed air provided is used only to a very | moderate degree for electric lighting and 'the consumption of air is far from being constant, fluctuating at all times. Still, | the engines have proved successful. | Figs. 10 and 11 show the details of the compressor cylinder. The first design contemplated the use of ring valves, but | subsequertly flat valves, shown in the en- gravings, were introduced. For the injec- tion of water two pumps, one being in re- | serve, were provided. The arrangement for the injection of water, of which draw- ings are shown in the original, was some- what complicated because it was specified that all the pipes be in duplicate. When the first engine was started in the autumn of 1891, it was subjected to a sharp test so far as its construction was concerned. For some reason not yet ex- plained, no vacuum was at once obtained when starting the engine. The vacuum was reached after several revolutions of the engine, and so suddenly that the en- gine ran empty at a speed of 70 to 80 revolutions. The engineer, by mistake, opened or closed the steam valve so that the engine raced. It is estimated that it made a speed of somewhere between 150 and 200 revolutions. The compressors yielded 12.42 cc. m. per compressor horse- power per hour. The consumption of fuel, which was guaranteed to be 0.7 kg. per engine horse-power, was attained immedi- ately after starting, in spite of the fact that the quality of the fuel was 15 per cent. below the contract grade. The immediate effect of the starting of the new com- pressors was to force down the cost of production of compressed air to such a point that the old central station at St. Fargeau was completely stopped. While at the old station the cost of 1 c. m. of SEs es Ss Sr LL ee a ee cee “an }” ‘en? ,F 470 air compressed to 7 atmospheres was more than 1 centime, it fell to 0.4 centime at the new central station, the cost of fuel being 31 francs per ton. In spite of these good results going far beyond the contract agreements, Professor Fiq. 5.—Hiqgh-Pressure Steam and Air Cylinder. Riedler points out some defects. He states that the connecting rod is too short, being | only four times the length of the crank. A slight increase in the total hight of the | engine to carry this to a proportion of 1 to 5 would not have caused any inconven- THE IRON AGE. September 15, 1892 ience, but the builders insisted upon the | of the valvé movement adopted. He urges short connecting rods in imitation of|that the arrangement of the cylinders, marine engines against Professor Riedler’s | placed one above another, is not satis- protest. The bevel gearing for driving | factory with so large an engine. He pro- the valve shaft is objectionable on account | posed another design, which was not, how- of the noise it makes. The builders placed | ever, accepted. This proposed design is Fig. 6.—Intermediate Steam and Fig. 7.—Low-Pressure Steam and Low- Low-Pressure Air Cylinder. Pressure Air Cylinder. THE RIEDLER AIR COMPRESSOR, one set at each side of the engine and|now being carried out in another large divided the valve shaft into two parts. | engine. One set would have been sufficient for the| The contract called for engines and whole. Professor Riedler believes that | boilers of the latest design, to cost less the engine can be designed without using | than 700 francs per horse-power, the fuel gears at all and yet obtain the advantages | consumption to be under 0.7 kg. per hour September 15, 1892 THE IRON AGE, 471 per steam horse-power. For the 24 engines | the company saved -1,200,000 francs. The total contract cost of the Quai de la Gare Aes. Se 2300— — ——__—- « ——— = oe = Zz 3 A } 1110* 1s0744F 180-740-150 -NC-150 Fig. 8.—High-Pressure Steam Cylinder. Fig. 9.—Intermediate Steam Cylinder. station, inclusive of engines, boilers and fittings, was 6,449,244 francs. According to the contract with the builders, Schnei- der & Co. of Creusot, the engines were to cost 1,868,000 francs, which is equivalent to 2334 francs per horse-power at 60 revo- lutions, but can be increased to 2600 horse- power at 80 revolutions, and 420,000 francs for boilers and fittings, or 41 francs per horse-power. The main pipe line cost 2,000,000 francs, so that the whole plant cost nearly 7,000,000 francs. —ESEE—E—— The Largest Steamer. The Cunard Steamship Company’s new ship ‘‘ Campania,” just laurched by the Fairfield Shipbuilding Company, at Glas- gow, is 600 feet in length and claimed to surpass anything previously afloat. She is thus described : The hull is 65 feet wide and the depth of hold is 41 feet; the tonnage is 14,500 tons. Now,when we bearin mind that the ‘* City of Paris’ the ‘‘ City of New York,” the ‘‘Majestic” and the ‘‘ Teutonic” range between 10,000 and 10,500 tons it is pretty easy to form an estimate of the size of the new Cunarder. As you walk about the vessel you are impressed with its encrmous strength and solidity. The engines are, of course, of the triple- expansion description, and have every known improvement and device for de- veloping the greatest amount of power in the smallest possible space; but when you look at this mass, at this almost infinite number of moving parts, at these cylin- ders, piston rods, eccentrics, cranks, con- densers, valves and the thousand and one parts that go to make up this mighty ma- Fig. 10.—Low-Pressure Cylinder. chine, it almost takes your breath away; and when you consider that all this has to be fixed in a hull, which after all said and THE RIEDLER AIR COMPRESSOR. ~ — is i ad “; igi -” ‘ie le ae. SN ikl nie ree’ + #2. 2 2? SS Se — - —— = (8 $ if iM 1) \? —_ 472 THE IRON AGE. September 15, 1892 done is only a thin shell; that it all has to work at a high pressure, at a fairly high velocity, and in addition to these condi- tions that it has to be flung about by the Atlantic Ocean into every conceivable and inconceivable position; and, further, that it has to goon night and day without cessation, driving an enormous mass through any and all seas at the rate of about 25 miles an hour —then one is bound to admit that there certainly is a vast amount of ingenuity and perseverance in the animal man. The screw shaft is 25 inches in diameter and is of solid steel, the work of Vickers & Co. of Sheftield. The bearings for it are feet 9 inches in diameter. I stand 5 feet 104 inches high and I stepped inside it. Now, three men of my hight could stand one on top of another in this and then there would be 2 feet 14 inches between the head of the top man and the roof (if I may so call it) of this cylinder. It was made of thin plate and was strengthened by internal stays, which were really per- pendicular bulkheads. A In portions of mines where the prev- ‘alence of large quantities of coal dust renders accidental explosions likely, it is |the general practice to sprinkle water Westbound Freights. A sensational cut in freight rates from Boston to St. Paul was announced on the %th inst. by the Soo line and Canadian Pa- cific railroads, and it is certain to lead to a general reduction in Westbound rates from all seaboard points to the West. The reduction by the Canadian Pacific amounts to over 50 per cent. Various rea- sons are assigned for the action of the Canadian Pacific. One of these is that the Canadian Pacific is trying to retaliate on account of the Sault Canal tolls, and wants to force the American lines to use their influence to have the canal tolls re- moved. Others claim that J. J. Hill’s Great Northern line has been cutting and manipulating the rates, and that the Cana- dian Pacific cut was made on that ac- count. The latter accusation is denied, however, by the officials of the Great Northern. The new rates which the Canadian Pa- cific will put in effect are as follows from St. Paul to Boston : New rates. Old rates. a a ee $0.51 $1.20 are 45 1.03 EO OB da voce nas vccave 35 31 POON GUNN ces ces aviewe 2d 4 ree .20 45 Sixth class...... ehca kale ee .o9 It is claimed that in some instances the Canadian Pacific has made arate as low as 40 cents first class on special lots. Figs. 11, 12 and 13.—High-Pressure Air Compressor. enormous castings of gun metal. In fact, the whole thing would do great credit to Vulcan himself. There are 13 boilers for each ship, 12 being the regular complement and the thirteenth being a supplementary one. Each boiler has 8 furnaces, so that there are 96 furnace fires being continually fed to generate the necessary steam. This means an army of stokers, to say nothing of the coal consumed. : Outside the boiler house there is a huge shed, and in this shed there stands a fleet of boats, some of which are big enough to make very respectable sized yachts. It is only when you see these things gathered together that you realize their size, their number and the ground they cover. Dis- tribute them over one of these vessels and they will hardly attract any attention, but here, where they are collected by them- selves, they make themselves seen and felt. A little further on I noticed a large and somewhat irregularly shaped cylinder lying on its side. This turned out to be one section of a smoke stack and it was 19 THE RIEDLER AIR COMPRESSOR. | throughout such portions of the workings. | This plan, however, is found to be of only | limited utility, as the dust is generated by 'the breaking down of the coal, and ex plosions may arise from the liberation of }gases at the same instant. To meet ‘these indications a new method of \using water has been introduced in |some of the German mines with a result remarkably satisfactory. Holes of 3 feet depth are drilled at a distance from each other of about 9 feet, wooden plugs are inserted, and through them iron pipes from 2to 3 feet long, with openings ,';-inch }and connected with rubber hose. Water | under pressure is now forced into the coal and it appears that in the Camphausen colliery a pressure of from 8 to 10 }atmospheres injected through two tubes in 8 hours proved sufficient to impregnate 19 x 5 feet, and in another case, that of the Kreuzgraben colliery, the water forced in under a pressure of 20 atmospheres during 16 hours moistened thoroughly ; the coal as far as 10 feet above the highest hole. The Lake Superior steamship lines, when they learned of the action of the Canadian Pacific, agreed to make a 42-cent rate first class and proportionately low rates on other classes of freight from New England points to St. Paul. This will necessitate the making of correspondingly low rates on merchandise from all seaboard points to all points in the West, a The British census returns give the population of Scotland as 4,025,647 in 1891, showing an increase of 290,074 during the decade, but as the excess of births over deaths during the same period was 507,492, there was an actual loss of population during the ten yearsof 217,418. The American Steel Barge Company’s whaleback steamer ‘‘ Charles W. Wet- more,” which went around Cape Horn after returning from Europe, and met with various mishaps during the next few months, finally went ashore when bound to San Francisco with coal, and was re- ported to be a total loss. September 15, 1892 WORLD'S FAIR NOTES. | The Approaching Dedication. In five weeks the dedicatory ceremonies of the fair will be held in Jackson Park. Much doubt has been felt in remote sec- tions that the exposition managers would be able to complete the buildings in time for this demonstration. The real opening | of the fair will not occur until next May, seven months after the dedication of the buildings, and, therefore, it was felt that their completion by October 20 would not be regarded as a very serious matter. But the work of construction has been pushed as vigorously as if the formal opening was to take place in October. The result is that the buildings are practically com- plete. If the occasion demanded it there could be a hurrying up of the work, which would bring about the completion of every building by October 20. The occasion has not arisen, however, and the work will be carried on without undue haste to its com- pletion. The officers of the fair have taken things cooly, but have insisted that all contracts sLould be carried out to the letter. The result is a splendid vindica- tion of their promises. The example set by World’s Fair officials has been a beneficial aid to the commis- sioners having charge of State buildings. While only a few of them will be com pleted by dedication day, they are being pushed as rapidly as possible, and none will be incomplete on opening day. The constant aim will be to have work so progress that visitors at the opening of the fair will look upon a completed exposition. When the electrical circuit is closed, which shall start the ponderous machinery going, it will be, so far as possible, a show com- plete and entire. The following is an official statement of the condition of the grounds on the 10th inst. : All of the exposition buildings, but only a few of the State buildings, will be finished for the dedication ceremonies in October. Work of house cleaning is proceeding in the finished main buildings. On the two unfinished struct- ures—Manufactures and Machinery Hall— work is being pushed to the limit. The last of the iron work on Machinery Hall was finished to-day, and the principal carpentry work is in finishing the twospires. The exterior cover- ing is nearly all finished on the north front of the main building. The annex is practically finished exteriorly, and is being lathed. The final estimate of the Edgemoor Bridge Com- — for the steel work on the Manufactures uilding was made yesterday. It shows that in the roof of the central hall there have been laced 12,908,775 pounds of steei, costing $529,- 259.77. The State buildings are progressing rapidly, and although rough work on the ma- jority of them 1s in progress it is not probable that many of them will be finished for the cere- monies. Those State buildings which are in- closed and roofed, with the rough work done and interior finishing progressing, are Illinois, Kansas, West Virginia, Rhode Island, Massa- chusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, lowa, Maine, Arkansas, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylva- nia, Nebraska, Montana, Maryland, and Dela- ware. Nearly al! the excavations are made for the foundations of the intramural railway, and a great deal of the superstructure is prepared for raising. The work of putting up the super- structure will begin Monday at the Sixtieth street gate, and the work will be pushed north and south from that point. Excavations are finished for the foundations of two annexes to the Fine Arts Building, and a few courses of brick have been laid. The fire-engine house in the north part of the grounds is receiving its exterior covering; it is a very handsome build- ing and is as fine a structure as any of the State buildings around it. Work has begun the past week in the Midway Plaisance on the German Village, Panorama of the Burmese Alps, Panorama of the Volcano of Kilauea, and the Libby Glass exhibit. Superstructure was raised yesterday for the viaduct across the Illmois Central tracks at Sixtieth street. Seventy buildings are now in process of con- struction on the exposition grounds, as follows: Main Exposition Buildings.—Adwministration, Agriculture andannex, Dairy, Electricity, Fish- erles, Forestry, Fine Arts and annexes, Hor- ticulture, Manufactures, Mines, Machinery THE IRON AGE. 473 Hall, Transportation and annex, Woman’s ; 15 inall. Minor Exposition Buildings.—Battle Ship, Boiler: House, Casino, Cleaning Works, Cold Storage House, Colonnade, Freight Sheds (3), Fuel Oil Tanks, Green House, Hyde Park Police Station, Life Saving Station, Music Hall, Office of Groundsand Buildings, Peri- style, Photographic Building, Pump House, Woodlawn Police Station; 17 in all. State and Foreign Buildinas—Arkansas, Connecti- cut, Caltfornia, Colorado, Delaware, England, Germany, Indiana, Iowa. Kansas, Massachu- setts, Maine, Michigan, Maryland, Montana, Missouri, Minnesota, New York, New Hamp- shire, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island. United States Government, Washing- ton, West Virginia, Wisconsin: 28 in all. Concessions and Special Buildinos—Baker’s Cocoa, German Village, Libby Glass Works, Moorish Palace, New England Clam Bake, Natatorium, Panorama of Burmese Alps, Panorama of the Voleano of Kilauea, Puck, Sliding Railway, White Star Line; 11 in all. Other construction work carried on by the Exposition Company includes the intramural railway, bridges, electric subways, fountains, obelisk, &c. The Committee on Ceremonies have completed the seating arrangements in the big Manufactures Building for the crowds that will attend the World’s Fair dedica- tory exercises in October. In the center of the great building, which, under the main arch measures 880 x 1280 feet, are to be two great platforms, one at each end of the building, and the two joined by a platform about 1000 feet long. The honorary guests are to be received at the north entrance of the building, mount upon the first platform and pass down to the other at the south end, where the dis- tinguished visitors will sit. This platform will have seats for 3800 people, and the other will provide room for over 4000 musicians. There are to be 75,000 seats on the main floor. It is estimated that not less than 40 Governors will witness the ceremonies. New York's Geological Exhibit. Chief Executive Officer Mc Naughton of the State World’s Fair Board of Managers makes the following statement: ‘‘At the London Exhibition in 1851, no collec- tion of minerals from the State of New York, comprising the entire system, show- ing the series of rock formation in this State, was exhibited. It was a great dis- appointment to foreigners, who from the standard geological reports had learned of the wealth of this State in that respect, and were deeply interested in examining a complete exhibit of geological formation of New York, which is more interesting than that of any other portion of the world. It will gratify geologists to learn that at the Chicago Exposition the geo- logical wealth of the Empire State will be exhibited, under the supervision and di- rection of Professor James Hall, who has charge of that department in the State of New York, and is the most eminent geologist living. Professor Hall looks upon his work in connection with this exhibit as the crowning glory of a long life devoted to that science. He will have all needed assistance from the Board of General Managers to enable him to represent fully and accurately the mineral wealth .of the Empire State in the building devoted to mines and mining at Jackson Park.” Railway Antiquities, For the Transportation Exhibits Depart- ment the Great Eastern Railway of Eng- land will send a relief map of its cathedral route, and two large manufacturing estab- lishments have applied for space for loco- motives. Other railway exhibits of minor importance will be sent. Chief Smith, while in Europe, paid special attention to the collection of early forms of rails (some- thing altogether new in the line of ex- hibits), and secured the valuable co-opera- tion of a resident civil engineer of Leicester in the work. Among articles thus far secured are the following: Sections of cast-iron rail laid in Wales in 1767, upon which locomotives ran in 1804; sections of cast-iron edge rails laid in 1789 in Loughborough; sections of cast- iron edge rail laid in 1793, and used con- tinually for 100 years, presented by the Duke of Rutland. Also wrought-iron rail laid in cast-iron chairs at Swanington in 1820; specimen of Liverpool & Manchester Railroad rail, 5 yards long, with six chairs, laid down in 1829, constituting a part of the road on which the famous locomo- motive test was made in which Stephen- son’s engine, the Rocket, came out victorious. Also a flat foot rail and chairs, laid by Earl Stanford in 1835, and high lap joint rail and chairs patented in 1816 and laid in 1838 by Losh & Stephenson; also a double-head rail and chairs of 1837. All Railroads Can Enter the Grounds, C. O. Scull, general passenger agent of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, held a con- ference recently with the passenger officials of the Illinois Central Railroad Company and arrangements were perfected whereby all lines can secure an entrance into the World’s Columbian Exposition grounds over the Baltimore & Ohio and Illinois Central roads. Every road centering in Chicago can make connection with the Illinois Centra! avd Baltimore & Ohio tracks, either by direct connection or by using the Belt Railway or Chicago & Northern Pacific (Calumet terminal). The charge to be made by the two roads for allowing other roads over their tracks into the exposition grounds has been fixed at an exceedingly low figure. They will accept a pro rata a mile, with a minimum rate of 1 cent a mile. Accordingly the charge to any of the roads at the minimum rate cannot be over 5 cents a passenger, as no roads will have to use their tracks for more than 5 miles, and some of them would scarcely have to use 1 mile, which would only make 1 cent a passenger. There is no prospect that the rate will be more than 1 cent a mile on the business which goes into the grounds direct, though it may be somewhat higher on through business go- ing into the depots of the various roads. The French Trouble Settled. Quite a sensational announcement was made during the week regarding the atti- iude of the French commissioners. They were dissatisfied with the allotment of space, and it was reported that they had submitted an ultimatum which if rejected by the fair managers would result in their refusal to participate to any extent in the exposition. But it appears that at no time was there any serious misunderstand- ing. When space was assigned France in the Manufactures Building the French commissioners understood that the gallery space was included in the allotment. In all previous expositions it was the custom to make this arrangement, but no such un- derstanding was had by the local officials. Consequently after the French commis- sioners had parceled out the space they thought was theirs they learned that an encroachment had been made upon space to which they had noclaim. Then there was trouble. Considerable correspondence was indulged in, and all to little purpose. It took the Council of Administration, however, only a very few minutes to ar- range the difficulty. By carefully shifting a little gallery space France was given ali that it asked. There is now a probability that space will be given in the Woman’s Building for the Liberal Arts exhibit, and that the ex- hibit to be made by the De