The Iron Age : A Review of the Hardware, Iron, and Metal Trades : Vol. LII

i V J This is a reproduction of a iibrary book that was digitized by Googie as part of an ongoing effort to preserve the information in books and make it universaiiy accessibie. Google" books https://books.googie.com Hosted by Google Hosted by Google 7 -^ by Google Hosted by Google / (f ^ ^ ^ Hosted by Google Hosted by Google Iron age Pu1>lielied every Thursday Momina- "by David ‘Williams, M'os. 90, 98, lOO 4 b lOS Reade St., New "yorlK. A Review oi the Hardware, Iron and Metal Trades. Vol. LII: No. IS- Reading Matter Contents. Classified List of Advertisers.. I Alphabetical Index to Advertise^ Advertising and Subscription R^es New York, Thursday, October 12, rSgj. • •rpage>€a 4 J $4.60 a Year, including Postage- Single Copies, Ten Cents. SHULTZ BELTING CO., ST. LOUIS. MO. NEW YORK, N. Y .,826 Pearl St., A. B. Lanrenee, Mgr. BOSTON, Mass., lei Sommer St., a. 3. Keller, :^r. PHILADELPHIA. PA,. N. S 4 St., J. aarnett, Mgr. TUDOR IRON WORKS ST. TLiQTJX& Manufacturers of MINING RAILS, SPIKES, TRACK FASTENINGS. Every Steam Plant Should be provided with BRISTOL’S REC0RDIN6 PRESSURE GAUGE. Low In Price and Guaranteed. Send for clrculara and fac^slmlle chart. THE BRISTOLS' MFG. CO. Waterbury, Conn. SOLID BRAIDED CORDAGE, All Kinds. Sizes and Colors. Send porSahplss. Samson Cordage Works* BOSTON, NASS. WX 7 X«.XffB‘ 0 ' 0 SLZj£IS. BUKCB Ofviob ; 136 Liberty St,, NEW YORK. Cleveland City Forge and Iron Co., CLEVELAND, O. Send for Catalogue and Trade Discounts. **COPPERIZED C.R. SWEDQH ALL SIZES & STYLES IBURNiSHED FINISH;, i CHEAP & ELEGANT « * SCALE I-IS SIZE ^ I DEALER FOR CLUB” shc,i:.5.hells. 10 GAUGE AND 16 GAUGE READY ABOUT OC?. / ^ ''®£R 15th. LARGE STOCK. BEST OF GOODS A FACILITI- THEWILMOT & HOBBS MFG. CL HOT&COLD ROLLING MILLS AND FACTORIES BRIDGEPORT. CONN.U. S. A. STORE, 20 MURRAY ST MEW YORK. Dealers will find It to their advantage to place a large stock order early, as they will be ex¬ ecuted in the order In which they are received. This is the best selling line of Oilers ever pro¬ duced. The “ Nitro Club ” Shell is designed to meet the demand for a moderate priced shell adapted to Nitro Powders. NOT SOLD AT RETAIL BY THE MANUFACTURERS, Ilie Union Motnlllo Gnitiiiiiie sxi.xaDG-spon.'X'. con-zo'. Rjft.NIDOI-iFH & OLCW^ES, WATERBURY. CONN., Manufacturers of Seamless Drawn Brass and Copper Tobing and Large Shells. Brazed Tubes and Mouldings, Sheet Brass, Sheet Copper, German Silver. -SOLE MANUFACTURBK 8 OF- Biovn’s Patent Seamless Drawn Copper Honse CANNOT COLLAPSE. WILL NOT LEAK Ordinary weight tested to 200 \bs., extra heavy to 300 lbs. presmre per square Inch, less Drawn Copper Shells. Haodsomest, bestaud strongest and safest boiler In the mar. the end. Sena for circular end instructions to prevent accidents from freeslog Ac.. &o. TO THOSE INTERESTED IN We have recently made improvements ? BROS.' VALVES having increased the num*' We shall manufacture one (trade f pressure steam. The Jenbans Discs " or low pressure. We guarantee ai O-ZSCaK' NBW YORK. PHILA The Wilmot & Hoe Annual CapacU” I”- Cold Bo*" UaiN OFFICE, uil; BRII>GJS.’ STORE, 20 MU {COSNEC* BESSEME~ And thr • •t " H Hosted by Google 2 THE IRON AGE. THE y^ WSONIA g RASS ^ Q opper Qo, kanttf^ctubebs op BRASS AND COPPER Seamless Tubes. Sheets, Rods and Wire. ingot Copper. BOLE UAiroPACTURGRB Tobin Bronze (Trai>b-XIars.} Condenser Plates, Pump Linings,Wire, Round, Square and Hexagon Bars, for Pump Piston Rods and Bult Forgings. 19 & 21 Cliff Street, New York. THE New Haven Copper Co., sou MAUB8 or POLISHED COPPER Under Patent of T. James, Sept. U, 187B. ALSO UANUFACTimBBS AMD DBALBBS IM BRAZIERS’& SHEATHING COPPER, Kettles, Bottoms, Bolts, Circles, &c., Auo uvuvAornaBBa or Cast Steel iiieis and Bits ot siperioi Qialttr. Waterbury Brass Co. Establislied 1845 . Sheet, Roll and Platers’ Brass, German Silver, Copper, Brass and Ger¬ man Silver Wire, Brass and Copper Tubing, COPPER RIVETS AND BURS, PERCUSSION CAPS, TAPE MEASURES, METALLIC EYELETS, Brass Kettles, Brass Tags, Powder Flasks, Sbot Pouches, &c., AND SMALL BRASS WARES OF EVERY DESCRIPTION. HICK’S PRIMERS. BERDAN PRIMERS. Cartridge. Metal in Sheets or Shells a Specialty, Sole Agents for the CAPE WELL MFQ. CO.’S Line of Sporting Goods. DEPOTS: 296 Broadway, New York. 125 Eddy St., Provi¬ dence, R. I. MILLS AT WATERBURY. CONN._ THEPLUME&ATWOODlVlFG.(ft. HANPTAOTDBSRB OF Sheet and Roll Brass GBEMAN SILVER AND GILDING METAL. COPPER RIVETS AND BURRS, COP¬ PER ELECTRICAL WIRE, Pins, Brass Butt Hinges, Jack Chain, Kerosene Burners, Lamp Triiuuiinas, dsc. JOHN DAVOL & SONS, AGENTS FOB Brooklyn Brass & Copper Co., DEALERS IN INGOT COPPER, SPELTER, LEAD, TIN, ANTIMONY, SOLDER & OLD METALS, lOO John Street, - New York. 994 Pearl St., NEW YORK. Iron and Steel. The Journal of the Iron and Steel Institute. No. 2,1892. 684 pages, with 27 plates. ( 6.00 For Sale by DAVID Wll LIAVIS.96-102 ReadeSt.. N V. CELEBRATED ACID RESISTING DEOXIDIZED BRONZE IM INGOTS OK CASTINGS, ANJ> OXIDIZED BABBITT METALS. BEST IN THE WOELD. Oa.etins» a Speola-lt^. 'Oxidized Bironze a.iici Oo., BHIDGBFORT, OO'^N. \ HE6ELER ZINC CO., LE, ILLINOIS, 'DRERS OP VivPHXJRIC ACID. Viied Battery Plates. Nhographers’ use. :d Makers’ use. . uks. \ ' 'TTERY. 18 MUERAY ST., NEW YORK. 71 PEARL ST., BOSTON. 90 MARKET ST., CHICAGO. BOLLnia UILP, THOMASTON, CONN. FACTORIES : WATERBURY. CONN. SCOVILL MFG. COMPANY, ManntactureiB of Sheet, Wire, Tubes, BUTT HINGES, BUTTONS, LAMP GOODS, NOVELTIESa PUREALUMINUM INGOT and SHEETS. FACTORIES. WATERBURY, CONN. DEPOTS: 428 Broome Street, New York. 210 Lake Street, Chicago. 29 High Street, Boston. WILLIAMS. FEARING. 100 Chambers St., NEW YORK, SELLS TO THE TRADE Sheet Bra^s, Fancy Sheet Brass, German Silver, Copper, Brass and German Silver Wire, Brazed and Seamless Brass and Copper Tubes, Brass and Cop^ per Bods, Brass Ferrules, Pw'e Copper Wire, Sheet a/nd Ingot Copper, Spelter, Tin, Antimony, Lead, £c. Rough Casting of Aluminum. Aluminum Bronze, German Sliver Bronze and ail kinds of UetalB. aunufacturers of ObandeUerz, Hetsl picture Frames, Ink Stands. Figures, Statues, etc. Stair Carpet Holders a Specialty. St. Lonis Bronze & Aluminum Works, 3741-3743 North Broadway, ST. LOUIS, mo. BRASS CASTINGS. we have now completed one of the best equipped foundries in the country for making fine bronze and brass castings, and solicit orders for same from special patterns. KEYSTONE LOCK WORKS, E. T. FR.A11II, - - Lancaster, Pa. ”'>6 Metal Worker’s Handy-Book ■^iPTS AND PROCESSES, yOK OF CHEBUCAI. FOautn.AS AND FRAC- bATIONB FOR THR WORKINO OF *r.T. I AND A1 J.OY8 , INCLUDING THE DBCO- JSD BBAUiTFTINO OF ARTICLES f ACTURED IHEREFROU, AS WELL /as THKR PRESERVATION. ^ed from Various Sources by tZA^TA. T. /SOO,Page8, Cloth, S3.50. jt, post-paid, on receipt of price, by it WILLIAMS, Publisher and Bookseller, 96-102 Read St., New fork. • / / Hosted by Google Thursday, October 12, 1893. The Bristol Recording Voltmeter for Alternating and Direct Current. For some time there has betn a de¬ mand in electric light and power sta- tioos for a voltmeter which would make a continuous record dayaad night of all changes of voltage. It has been shown by tests that the lifeand efficiency of in¬ candescent lamps are greatest when the voltage is evenly maintained. When it rises above that for which the lamps were designed, even though the lamps may not be burnt out, they are liable to be seriously injured. If voltage falls below the normal, the result is deficient with the special feature of the moving coil being mounted on frictionless spring knife edges, renders the instru¬ ment extremely sensitive to the smallest changes of voltage. The marking arm F is attached directly to the spring E, and partakes of its motion, recording Ihe changes of voltage on a uniformly revolving chart. It will be observed that the instrument is constructed on the electric balance principle wiihout permanent magnets. The divisions on the chart are on an increased scale in the vicinity.j3f the voltage to be maintained, thereby mak¬ ing it possible to note the variation of one volt. The chart shown in Fig. 1 is Combustion at the Tuyere Level. W, Van VIoten has discussed in Stahl und Eiaen the way in which the combustion proceeds immediately in front of the tuyeres in a blast furnace. Many points, be observes, are in doubt. For instance, it is not known how far the oxygen of the blast penetrates into the furnace, whether the carbon of the fuel is at once completely converted into carbonic anhydride, or whether it is carbonic oxide that is produced. Then, again, the iDfl.ueDce exerted by the different temperatures of blast and by varying conditions in the nature of THE BRISTOL RECORDING VOLTMETER FOR ALTERNATING AND DIRECT CURRENTS. illumination and dissatisfaction of con¬ sumer. In the accompanying engravings we illustrate a new recording voltmeter which is being manufactured by the Bristols’ Mfg. Company of Waterbury, Conn. This instrument has been de¬ signed with a special view to being fundamentally simple in construction, extremely sensitive and accurate in its operation. Fig. 1 represents the voltmeter ready for connection. Fig. 2 shows the in¬ terior construction. The coil A is mounted on the spring knife edge sup¬ ports D and E, and is free to move to¬ ward the parallel and stationary coll B when they are mutually attracted to each other by a current passing in series. The current is conducted t(^the movable coil A through the supporting springs D and E, and this, together intended for a 110-volt circuit, but the instrument is equally well adapted to any other desired range of voltage, as, for instance, one of 600 volts for electric railway work. The coil C is an auxil¬ iary resistance. With the alternating current voltmeter the auxiliary resist¬ ance is furnished in a separate rheostat, which may be adjusted to suit the rate of alternations of the current to be meas¬ ured. Several of these voltmeters have been in use in large electric light sta¬ tions for the past three months, and are giving the highest satisfaction. At the Worla’s Columbian Exhibition the com¬ pany have one of the instruments in operation at their exhibit in Machinery Hall and one in Electricity Building. Two of the voltmeters are being used by the Committee on Awards in connec¬ tion with the life tests of incandescent lamps. the fuel are still matters of doubt. With a view to elucidate this question, the author withdrew, by means of a cooled copper tube, portions of the gas both from the immediate vicinity of the tuyere nozz'e and from various parts of the crucible portiou of the fur¬ nace, both above and between the tuy¬ eres. A drawing of the fusion zone of the furnace in which these tests were made accompaniis the discriptlon. Most of the tests were made during the normal working of the furnace, which ran on basic Bessemer iron, the furnace having a daily out turn of about 130 tons. For every 1000 parts of pig iron made there was charged on an average to 940 parts of coke, containing 9 6 to iO percent, of ash, 600 parts of bull¬ dog and scale, 1780 parts of ore and 620 parts of flux. The blast was blown at a pressure of 5 pounds through five 146055 sted by Google 646 THE IRON AGE. Ootober 12, 1893 tuyeres 4.72 inches wide in the cleat, and at a temperature of from 660° to 750° C. Some of the tests were made when a gray basic Bessemer pig iron was be¬ ing made which contained 2 per cent, of silicon. Of this metal the furnace made 100 tons a day, with a coke eon- sumption of 20 hundredweight per ton of pig iron made. The tuyeres were in this case 4.32 inches wide; otherwise the conditions were identical with those referred to above. Some other tests were made when the furnace was run¬ ning on a white iron containing 6 per cent, of manganese. The results of the analyses are tabulated by the author, and they show that while the combus¬ tion is very intense it is confined within a very small space. Despite the fact that the blast on entering the furnace had a velocity of 820 feet per second, the maximum distance from the tuyeres at which oxygen could be detected was only 2 feet. Various tests made at a distance of 24.8 inches above the tuy¬ eres in no case showed any free oxygen. The results farther showed that even when using blast of a very high temper¬ ature the oxygen of the blast was first converted into carbonic anhydride before any carbonic oxide was formed. Oxy¬ gen and carbonic oxide together were only found in 3 of the 46 experiments, the results of which are tabulated, and even then only in very small quantities. It is otherwise with hydrogen, the presence of which was observed in every instance, even when much free oxygen was also present. The ratio observed between oxygen and nitrogen was never identical with that existing between these gases in air, the oxygen being always present in smaller quan¬ tity, due, no doubt, to the oxidation be¬ fore the tuyeres of elements other than carbon—such, for instance, as silicon, manganese, iron and phosphorus. In¬ deed, it may be considered that in the crucible portion of the blast furnace there is an oxidizing zone immediately in front of the tuyeres and a reducing zone directly above this oxidizing one. The author further shows that the sink¬ ing of the charge in the blast furnace is probably a very irregular movement, and to this he attributes the hanging of chargee. California Midwinter International Exi)OSition. The Department of Publicity and Promotion of the California Midwinter International Exposition issue, from the California State Building, World’s Pair, Chicago, a circular lettCT in regard to the exposition to be opened in San Francisco, Cal., on January 1, and to which we referred last week. The di¬ rectors of the California enterprise be¬ lieve that its success is assured, and that there is no doubt of a large at¬ tendance of visitors from foreign coun¬ tries and the American States other than those bordering on the Pacific Coast, judging from the interest taken by World’s Fair visitors in the proposed undertaking. The railroad companies have promised to make a one-fare rate for the round trip, thus bringing the cost of a visit to the Golden, Gate within reasonable reach of many who could not otherwise hope to get so far afield. In reference to the plan and scope of the exhibition, the managers observe that although the California Fair will not be as great in size as the Columbian Exposition it will be thor¬ oughly international in character, and will show all that is best in the art, science and industry of the world. 8ome of the best and most interesting exhibits in each department of the World’s Fair will be removed from Chi¬ cago to San Francisco at its termina¬ tion, in addition to which many novel and original displays will be made. A Midway Plaisance is to be as prominent a feature of the fair as that of Chicago, and many of the best displays from that place will go on to San Francisco, while a number of novelties are to be introduced. Foreign countries have been invited to co operate through their commissioners, and we understand are entering heartily into the scheme. The Foundrymen’s Association. The regular monthly meeting of the Foundrymen’s Association was held at the Manufacturers’ Club, Philadelphia, on Wednesday, October 4. The chair was occupied by Thos. Devlin of Thos. Devlin & Co., Philadelphia. In the absence of the secretary, Howard Evans, the duties of that official devolved upon H. C. Vansant of Morris, Tasker & Co., Incorporated, Philadelphia. The min¬ utes of the last meeting were read and approved. The Executive Committee made no report, as there had been no meeting of that body since the last meeting of the association. Mr. Vansant read a letter received from Professor MacAlister of the Drexel Institute, Philadelphia, in re¬ gard to the arrangement for chemists’ services discussed at the last meeting, in which was expressed a belief that arrangements could be made at the in¬ stitute for the making of determinations on satisfactory terms. Mr. Vansant also read a letter from Congressman Bingham, acknowledging receipt of a copy of the resolution passed by the association at its July meeting, and stating that he was in full accord with the policy therein expressed in regard to the repeal of the silver pur¬ chasing clause of the Sherman act. L. B. Whitney of A. Whitney & Sons, Philadelphia, representing the car wheel section of the Price Committee, reported that prices were never lower than at present. There were no reports from the re¬ maining sections of the committee. Stanley G. Flagg, Jr., of Stanley G. Flagg & Co.. Philadelphia, reported that he had had an interview with Professor Spangler of the Mechanical Engineering Department of the Univer¬ sity of Pennsylvania, at which the pro¬ fessor stated that, in response to a let¬ ter he had received from the secretary of the association, he had taken up with Professor Smith the question of under¬ taking analytical tests for the members of the association. Professor Smith said that the university would be only too glad to aid the association in any way possible, but at present their labor¬ atories were full, and if an additional force was required extra expense would be incurred. Professor Spangler Inti¬ mated that, in the event of t£e work being done at the university, no profit would be expected; but charges, simply sufficient to cover expenses, would be made, and that the association should guarantee the expenses of the work, to the extent of say $650 per year, of which amount $600 would be applied in payment for the services of a man who would be at the disposal of the association at all times, and the remain¬ ing $150 would be used for incidental expenses. It was estimated that the entire expense would amount to about $660. He (Mr. Flagg) told Professor Spangler that the association was not yet ready to act in the matter, but that he would report the suggestion to this meeting. As far as mechanical tests were concerned Professor Spangler said that if samples were sent to his depart¬ ment he would willingly make any test required, free of any charge whatever, and that he should consider such calls upon his department favors to himself. The employment of a man especially for the work of making tests was, the professor thought, rendered necessary by the fact that, when samples were sent to the department for analysis, analyses would be required the same day as sent; and in case all the young men in the department were employed on other analytical work, which could not be left, the service would be unsatisfactory. By employing a man exclusively for the work tests could be made promptly. Professor Smith had hoped to be present at this meeting to discuss the matter, but another engagement pre¬ vented his attendance. Upon motion it was resolved that personal invitations be sent to Professors Smith, Spangler and MacAlister to be present at the next meeting of the as¬ sociation for the purpose of further dis¬ cussing the matter. Mr. Vansant read a letter from the secretary of the Western Foundrymen’s Association, dated September 25, stat¬ ing that at a meeting of that associa¬ tion held the previous Wednesday it had been decided that if possible and advisable their October meeting would be held in the rooms of the Associated Engineering Societies in the Mining Building at the World’s Pair, in which case an effort would he made to have the day of the meeting recognized as an official “Poundrymen’s Day” by the exposition, and to have the Mining Building open in the evening; that ar¬ rangements would also be made to have one or two important papers read; that invitations would be sent very widely throughout the West, and the Phila¬ delphia organization would be invited to attend, and asking how many found¬ ers from the Philadelphia district would attend, and for suggestions regarding the plan. As Mr. Evans, the secretary of the association, was in Chicago, a motion was made that the matter be referred to him with instructions to do what in his judgment he considered best in the interests of the assaociation; and that Mr. Whitney be directed to write to Mr. Evans informing him of this ar¬ rangement. Dr. Edward Kirk then delivered the following address on “Fluxing:” Fluxes. Fluxes is the. name or term applied to a substance which imparts igneous fluidity to metals when in a molten state, and has the power to separate metals contained in metallic ores from the non-metallic substance with which they are found in combination, and also to separate from metals, when in a fluid state, any impurities they may contain. Fluxes are also used for the purpose of making a fluid slag in furnaces to absorb the noD-metallie residue from metals or ores and ash of the fuel and removing them from the furnace to prevent clog¬ ging and keep the furnace in good work¬ ing order. The materials used as fluxes for the various metals consist of mineral, metallic and chemical substances found suitable for separating metals from their ores and cleansing them of impuritiw, and are numerous and varied in nature and composition. But this evening we shall only consider those employed in ilosteo by Google October 12, 1893 THE IRON AGE. 647 the production of iron and the melt¬ ing of iron for foundry work. The mineral substances employed for this purpose are numerous, but they consist principally of the carbonate of lime in its various forms, the principal one of which is limestone. Foundrymen long ago conceived the idea of using limestone as a cupolafluz. In many foundries it is the practice to use a few shovels or a few riddles of finely broken limestone in the cupola on the last charge of iron, or distrib¬ uted through the heat a few handfuls to each charge of iron. The object in using limestone in this way is not to produce a slag to be drawn from the cupola, but to make a clean dump and a brittle slag or cinder in the cupola that can be easily broken down and chipped from the lining when making . up a cupola for a heat. Limestone used in this way does not produce a sufficient quantity of slag to absorb the dirt from the iron and ash of the fuel and keep the cupola open and working free, but rather tends to cause bridging and to reduce the melting capacity of the cu¬ pola. The making of a brittle cinder in a cupola by the use of limestone de¬ pends to a great extent upon the qual¬ ity of the stone. The results obtained from the use of limestone in small quantities in a cupola are so uncertain that I do not think they justify a foun- dryman in using it. The tendency of slag or cinder in a cupola is to chill and adhere to the lin¬ ing just over the tuyeres and prevent the proper working of the furnace. So great is this tendency to bridge that a small cupola will not melt properly for more than two hours and a large one for more than three hours. To overcome this tendency to clog and bridge foundry men in many cases have adopted the blast furnace plan of using a large per¬ centage of limestone as a fiux in their cupolas and tapping slag. When a large percentage of limestone is charged it forms a fluid slag. This slag settles through the stock to the bottom of the cupola, and in its descent absorbs the ash of the fuel and dirt or sand from the iron and earries them to the bottom of the cupola, where the slag and dirt it contains may be drawn off and the cupola kept in good melting order and in blast for days at a time. The amount of limestone required per ton of iron to produce a fluid slag de¬ pends upon the qualicy of the stone, the ash of the fuel and the condition of the iron to be melted. It is the custom in some foundries where the sprues and gates amount to from 80 to 40 per cent, of the heat to melt them without mill¬ ing to remove the sand, and to use enough limestone in the cupola to pro¬ duce a sufficient quantity of slag to ab¬ sorb and carry out of the cupola the sand adhering to them. In this case a larger percentage of limestone is re¬ quired than would be required if the sprues and gates were milled and only clean iron melted. Poor fuel also re¬ quires a greater amount of slag to ab¬ sorb the ash than good fuel, and a lean limestone must be used in larger quan¬ tities tkan a stone rich in lime. The quantity required to produce a fluid slag amounts to from 25 to 100 pounds per ton of iron melted. The weight of slag drawn from a cupola when the sprues and gates are not milled and the cupola is kept in blast for a number of hours is about one-third greater than the weight of limestone used. When the sprues and gates are milled the weight of the slag is about equal to the weight of the limestone. When the cupola is only run for a short time and slag only drawn during the latter part of a heat the weight of slag is less than the weight of the limestone. The slag drawn from a cupola has been found by chemical analysis to contain from 4 to 7 per cent, of combined iron and numerous small particles of shot iron mechanically locked up in the slag, which cannot be recovered except at a greater cost than the value of the iron. In a number of tests made in the same cupola to ascertain the percentage of iron lost in melting when the cupola : was slagged and when it was not i slagged, r found the loss of iron to > he from 3 to 4 per cent, greater when ' the cupola was slagged. Effect of Flux Xjfon Iron. —Many of the limestones and other mineral sub¬ stances employed as cupola fluxes con¬ tain more or less finely divided oxides, silicates, &c., in combination with earthy materials. The conjoined effect upon iron of these diffused impurities in a cupola is to prevent the metal from running clean in the mold or making sharp, sound castings, and the tensile and transverse strength is frequently impaired by them. The tendency of the cupola furnace is to clog and bridge over the tuyeres, and concentrate the blast upon the iron through a small opening in the center and injure its quality. If bv the free use of limestone we prevent bridging and keep the fur¬ nace working open and free we avoid injuring the iron iu melting by the con¬ centration of a strong blast upon it. The effect, therefore, of limestone in a cupola is not to improve the quality of iron, but to prevent its deterioration in . melting. The Action of Fluxes on Linings — Limestone and other minerals employed as fluxes frequently contain impurities which enter into combination with the lining material of a furnace and render it fusible. This fact was fully illus¬ trated at the foundry of John D. John son & Co., Haineaport, N. J., a few weeks ago. The cupola front had been put in with new molding sand for along time and no fiux used in the cupola. The sand made an excellent front that resisted the action of the heat and molten iron upon it. As the heats en^ larged it became necessary to use flux and top slag to run off the heat. Oyster shells were used and produced a slag that flowed freely from the slag hole and had no effect upon the sand in the front. When the supply of shells be¬ came exhausted a limestone was used in place of them. Trouble then began with the front. It was melted by the flux into a thick tough slag that settled down and closed up the tap hole, and the iron could only be drawn by cutting away a large portion of the front to en¬ large the tap hole. Mr. Johnson called at iny office to learn what could be done to keep the tap hole open. I advised that the front material be changed and a mixture of fire clay and sharp sand be used instead of molding sand. This was done and there was no further , trouble in keeping the tap hole open ; and in good order to run off the heat. This serves to illustrate the effect of fluxes upon lining material. From the various qualities of cupola brick and lining material now in the market a lining may be selected that will resist the action of almost soy flux or slag, and foundrymen may select a flux to suit the lining or a lining to Vuit the flux, whichever they find it to be the most profitable in their locality. Bow to Slag a C?u_poZ<i.—Foundrymen sometimes experience trouble in slag¬ ging their cupolas. This is largely due to lack of knowledge in charging the limestone and drawing the slag, for any cupola can be slagged if properly worked. To draw slag from a cupola a sufficient quantity of limestone or other slag producing material must be charged in the cupola with the iron to make a fluid slag. The exact amount required can only be learned by experi¬ menting with the fluxi.ng material used, but is generally from 50 to 60 pounds of good limestone per ton of iron when the remelt is not milled. The lime¬ stone is generally charged on top of the iron, and is put in with each charge after the melter begins using it. No limestone is used with the iron on the bed or first few charges of iron. In small cupolas limestone is generally charged with the second or third charge of iron. In large cupolas, when the charges of iron are light, six or eight charges, or generally about one-sixth of the heat,are charged without limestone. This is the way limestone is used when the cupola is run iu the ordinary way for a few hours. When the cupola is run for some special work the limestone is charged in a number of different ways. The slag is drawn from the cupola through an opening known as the slag hole. This opening is made through the casing and lining under the lower level of the tuyeres, and at a point in the cupola where it will be out of the way in removing iron from the spout and convenient for removing the slag. The bight the slag hole is placed above the sand bottom depends upon how the iron is drawn from the cupola. When it is desired to hold iron in a cupola until a sufficient quantity is melted to fill a large ladle the slag hole is placed high, and when the iron is drawn as fast as melted the slag hole is placed low. When a slag hole is placed high slag can only be drawn as the cupola fills up with iron and raises it to the slag hole. When the iron is withdrawn from the cupola the slag falls, and the slag hole is closed with a bod to prevent the escape of the blast. When the iron is withdrawn from a cupola as fast as melted the slag hole is placed low, and when opened it is per¬ mitted to remain open through the re¬ mainder of the heat. This is the best way of drawing slag from a cupola, for the flow of the slag is regulated by the amount of slag in the cupola, and if the hole is not made too large there is no escape of blast. The slag in the bottom of a cupola takes up impurities from the fuel and iron, and if permitted to remain in the cupola for too long a time it may become so thick that it will not flow from the slag hole ; or it may be filled with impurities, become over¬ heated, boil up and fill the tuyeres with slag, and when boiling it will not flow from the cupola through a small slag hole. The time for drawing slag from a cupola is, therefore, a matter of great importance. The slag hole is generally opened iu from half an hour to an hour after the cupola begins to melt, and when placed low is permitted to remain open through the remainder of the heat. When placed so high that slag can only be drawn when the cupola fills up with molten Iron it should be opened as soon as the slag begins to rise and closed as soon as it falls below the opening. Does it Pay to Slag a Cupola ? —Nothing is gained by slagging a cupola when the sprues and gates are milled and the heat can be melted suc¬ cessfully in the cupola without slag¬ ging. But a great saving in labor and wear and tear of machinery can be ef¬ fected in many foundries by melting Hosted by Google 648 THE IRON AGE. October 12^1893 the sprues aud gates with the saad od, and slagging the cupola to carry the sand out and keep the cupola working free. A cupola cannot be made to melt iron faster by slagging than it can with¬ out slagging, but it can be kept in blast and in good melting condition for a greater length of time and a much larger amount of iron melted by slag¬ ging. Foundrymen who find their cupolas temporarily too small to melt the quantity of iron required for their work can overcome the difficulty by slagging the cupola and keeping it in blast for a greater length of time. In endeavoring to make an estimate of the cost of slagging a cupola I found that the cost of limestone in different locali¬ ties varied from 50 cents to $3 per ton. The amount used varied from 25 to 100 pounds per ton of iron melted. The amount of slag drawn varied from 25 to 100 pounds of iron. The iron com¬ bined with the slag varied from 4 to 7 per cent. With the wide differences in the cost and quality of limestone used and the difference in the quantity of slag drawn and percentage of iron it contained, I found it impossible to make an estimate that would be of any practical value to foundrymen. Such an estimate must be made at each foundry to be of any practical value. Oyster, clam and other shills are frequently used as a flux in place of limestone in localities where they can be procured at a leas cost than lime¬ stone. The shells are charged in the same way as limestone and in about the same proportions to the iron. They may be used in place of limestone, either in large or email quantities, and have about the same effect upon the iron and cupola as limestone. When used in large quantities they produce a fluid slag that keeps the cupola work¬ ing free and Adws freely from the slag hole, carrying with it the refuse of melting that clogs a cupola. Marble is another of the carbonates of lime and the spalls or chippings from marble quarries or works are quite extensively used in some locali¬ ties as a cupola flux. There are a number of other minerals such as fluorspar, feldspar, quartz rock and numerous chemical com¬ pounds that are used as cupola fluxes, but I will leave these for consideration at some future time. Upon the conclusion of his address Dr. Kirk was tendered a vote of thanks. Asked whether there was any difference in the amount of fuel required, Dr. Kirk stated that there was no practical difference. The amount of fuel used in a cupola was very uncertain, and it was a hard matter to determine whether more was required or not. P. D. Wanner of the MeHert Foundry & Machine Company of Reading, Pa., then addressed the meeting at length upon the present condition of the trade and the wages question. In the course of his remarks he said it was well known that for a period of five years, or since 1887, as far as the cast iron pipe trade was concerned, and probably the foun¬ dry business generally, there had been a depression, and during these years losses and lack of profits had been suffered by the manufacturers. Every cut on prices had been met until there was nothing left to cut on, but the price of labor had remained the same. Labor had not suf¬ fered until within the last four or five months. Daring the recent financial stringency and panic there had been a reduction in labor at a great many places all over the country. Employers, as a rule, he said, found it a most un¬ pleasant proceeding to reduce wages. It was the feelmg he had and it seemed Uessemer Process as Conducted to be shared by all with whom he had spoken on the subject. It wm un- Sweden. III. pleasant to the employer as an individ- - ual and disagreeable to the community, bt prof, richard akbrman, stock- Everybody talked about it and sought holm, swbden. to hold up the employer as an example - of tyranny and an oppressor of the poor, Besides the actual waste given above, and so forth. But, be said, when times there was, down to 1880, a loss of 2 or such as experienced during the last few more per cent., due to the formation of months were met a great many employ- ladle skulls; but this trouble was ers had been ccmpelled to reduce wages luckily obviated by Caspersson’s con- and the working people had had to sub- verter ladle,t so-called, which, since mit, and did so cheerfully. Now, after the date mentioned, has been used with all, it seemed to him a question whether the greatest success at the majority of it was good policy to reduce wages or the Swedish Bessemer works. Thisar- wbetber there had been a real necessity rangement, illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, for it. Unless the reduction was con- consists of a narrow ladle, which is fur- sidered necessary in order to prevent nished low down on the side with a importation or competition with for- lateral opening. A, that fits the mouth eign labor he doubted very much the of the converter D. Immediately after policy or necessity of it. He believed the blow the ladle is brought up to the that if overproduction was the cause converter mouth and made fast by of depression in business it was not means of wedges, C, in the lugs B (see good policy to reduce wages, and that Fig. 1). The converter is then it was not the remedy to apply. It turned down still further, so that its would be better to shut down those position is as indicated in Fig. 2, particular branches of trade where over- and a part of the bath of metal runs production was present, and let the into the converter ladle, while most of working people find other avenues of employment. Wages, he was inclined to believe, should be maintained to the last, and he did not think the necessity had arisen for a reduction of wages in this country. After reference to the tariff question, in which he attributed the overstimulation of biuiness to a high tariff, he said in conclusion, that the higher wages could be kept the more prosperous the country would be¬ come. A general discussion followed. The chairman doubted whether if an advan¬ tage was gained by a reduction in wages, such advantage would not be given to the customer. Mr. Whitney thought prices were regulated by ratio of supply and demand. The chairman said the posi¬ tion of supply and demand was claimed to be an old doctrine, and in Pennsyl¬ vania the idea was scouted altogether. As Mr. Wanner had said, he could not see any reason for manufacturers cutting wages to compete with one another. That is what it would amount to, and if an advantage was obtained it would be given to the customer. The trend of the discussion was to¬ ward a possible arrangement for a uniform scale of wages in the foundry business, and finally, on motion, the matter was referred to the standing committee. Th^ meeting then adjourned. the metal remains in the converter. It is precisely on this circumstance, coupled with the smaller depth of bath occasioned thereby, that the advantages of the converter ladle depend, A ladle, being never as hot as a converter at the end of a blow, operates, therefore, always to chill; but as the converter ladle is quite small, its power to chill the metal bath, the incomparably larger part of which remains in the converter after it has been turned down, is far less than that of an ordinary ladle, which receives all of the molten mass. The result is that the liquid Besse¬ mer metal can be allowed to remain in peace and quiet longer, to permit the gases to escape, and without fear of par¬ tial freezing before being tapped into the molds, than before the ^vent of the converter ladle; at least, longer than was possible with a product only as moderately hot as the Swedish Bes¬ semer metal generally is, especially since the quantity handled inSnedm at each blow, as has been shown, is comparatively very small, and conse¬ quently the cooling effect of the ladle * Bead before the Americao Institute of Mining Engineers. Translated by Philip W. Moen and Emanuel Trotz, Worcester, Mass. Chicago meeting, being part of the International Engineering Congress, Au¬ gust, 189S. + Jt'mkcntorets Annaler, 1880, p. 471, and I’fte Journal of the Iron and Steel In- atitute, 1880, ii, p. 599. Hosted by Google October 12,189S THE 'IRON .AGE. 649 ia proportionally «e|t. By the aid of the ‘"converter' ladle, ladle ekulls, formerly bo common here, can'"be pre¬ vented. But to this great advantage may be added another—viz.: That the product is somewhat freer from blow holes, partly because with the con¬ verter ladle a longer time is given for the escape of the gases and for the more complete separation of the slag by rising to the surface, and partly on account of the more moderate speed of the stream of metal incident to the smaller depth of bath. Since the converter ladle, during teeming, is fast and immovabl; fixed to the converter, it is evident that the former cannot, like an ordinary crane ladle, be carried over the molds, but that the molds must be brought under the converter, either on cars or on a turntable. As has been mentioned already, the formation of blow holes in ingots stands in the most intimate connection with the temperature that prevails during the blow. If the temperature has been too high, as when temperature No. 2 iosteaa of No. l has been employed, and there is reason to fern surface blow holes in the ingots, this serious detri¬ ment can be somewhat lessened only by allowing the product so to cool' before being tapped that it then has the same heat as t^t which ordinarily prevails with temperature No. 1. If this is to be attained only by letting the metal stand longer in the ladle before being tapped into the molds, there is danger with us/of ladle skulls, and sometimes even of the partial closing up of the nozzle, together with the spurting stream occasioned thereby; and this, in turn, gives ugly and faulty ingots. The danger of these disadvantages is cer¬ tainly very decidedly diminished by the converter ladle; but even with its assist¬ ance one cannot always make use 'with safety of as warm a blow as would be desirable for the complete prevention of red shortness. To meet this difficulty Mr. CaspersBon has complemented his converter' ladle ’ with a so-cal led strainer funnel, illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. The plate iron funnel b, famishea with the handle a and lined with re¬ fractory material, has the easily with¬ drawable chamotte bottom c, which is provided with many larger or smaller holes, the number of which is larger in the same degree as their diameter is smaller. When teeming takes place there Is first laid upon the mold d a csflt iron disk, e, with an opening in ihe middle, /, corresponding in size to the changeable funnel bottom, and a little side hole, g, which affords a chance for the gases separated during teeming to escape, and also for the man who directs the tapping to judge when the molds have been suitably filled. The preheated funnel is placed over the central opening /, and the metal, tapped out through the convertor ladle into the strainer funnel, is divided by means of the holes in the bottom into more or less numerous streams of smaller or larger size. This division of the metal occasions during its passing down into the mold both a more com¬ plete removal of gases and greater cooling than takes place in the ordinary mode of tapping. The finer the strainer boles, the more effective does its work become. There should be, therefore, at least two different kinds of strainer bottoms at hand, one with larger and the other with smaller holes, and the choice between them can be made ac¬ cording to the temperature of the blow. After au unusually hot blow a bottom with smaller holes is taken; and if the temperature during the blow has been just hot enough no strainer at all is used. It might be supposed that the divis¬ ion of the metal into many fine streams would be likely to be dangerous by rea¬ son of the risk of partial oxidation with accompanying red shortness ; but ex¬ perience shows that this is prevented by the gases which escape from the metal and speedily fill up the mold covered by cap e, thus hindering the contact of the streams with the air. Although too high a temperature pro¬ duced during the blow can be suitably lowered by means of the converter ladle and the strainer funnel without fear of making scrap, the higher proportion of silicon and manganese in the product incident to an overhot blow cannot be thus remedied. This can be regulated to a certain degree by the practice em¬ ployed in other countries of adding cold steel scrap during the blow ; but the method of Mr. Casperssen in this connection is still more effective— namely, to charge finely crushed rich ore during the blow ; for, besides the chilling which the addition of cold ore occasions directly, it causes an indirect cooling through the considerable ab¬ sorption of heat involved in the reduc¬ tion of the iron ore. By a proper use of these aids the blower, if he can judge the tempera¬ ture accurately enough, can attain sur¬ prising uniformity, even in Bessemer products. This is particularly neces¬ sary in a country where most of the Bessemer steel made is used for pur¬ poses for which crucible steel is usually required elsewhere. The Swedish plan of not recarburiz- ing to any considerable extent, but of blowing approximately direct, must, of course, be accompanied by difficulties in deciding when the blow should end, which are greater than those attending the usual course of continuing the blow till the metal is fully decarburized and afterward, by means of different addi¬ tions, recarburizing to the desired hard- Hosted by Google 650 THE TRON AGE. Oatober 12, 1898 ness. No skill is needed to end the blow, if it is to be prolonged till the drop of the flame becomes conspicuousl; evident. Quite different does the prob' lem become when the blow for the production of steel must be interrupted while the carbon flame is still eo copious that changes in its size can scarcely be detected. In these earlier stages no great assist¬ ance can be had from the spectroscope, because it is only when carbon is so re¬ duced that one can take note of the di¬ minishing of the flame that the changes in the spectra first become sufficiently apparent to be a sure guide by which to judge of the degree of hardness. Hence, although the spectra of the Bessemer flame were scientifically examined in Sweden as early as the beginning of the decade commencing in 1860, the spec¬ troscope has never come into general use here for this purpose. That by which the Swedish Bessemer blower most guides himself during the blow in producing steel of the higher carbons is, in reality, the character of the sparks, and many a Bessemer blower has acquired a marvelous skill in this direction, when the great difficulties are taken into account. Nevertheless, with a view to prevent faulty blows it has become more common in the course of time for the blower to turn down the converter immediately before he con¬ siders the right point reached, to con¬ vince himself by a hasty hammer test whether the degree of refining has been judged correctly or not, and then to con¬ tinue the blow for a few seconds. In producing ingot iron, on the contrary, no such tests are required, and one judges, as has been said, by the flame. As the Swedish Bessemer metal con¬ tains, in comparison with that made elsewhere, relatively little of any ele¬ ments other than iron and carbon, it is natural that in this country the degree of hardness should have been deter¬ mined by the contents of carbon, more especially since the colorimetric method of carbon determination, worked out by Professor Eggertz, furnished so easy a means for a quick and generally satis¬ factory determination of the carbon in the Bessemer product. But besides the col¬ orimetric determination of carbon, which is never omitted in Sweden, the product of every blow is subjected to a hammer test, to determine not only the degree of hardness, but also how far the product is free from red shortness. Dlsous.slon. When the metal is intended for pur¬ poses of construction (which is not as common in Sweden as it is elsewhere, sioce a very considerable part of the Swedish Bessemer product is used for tools and the like) it is, of course, sub¬ jected to the usual mechanical tests. In the discussion J. Hartshorne of Stowe, Pa., said: Unfortunately for myself, I can only speak from personal experience upon one part of Professor Akerman’s paper—namely, the effect of the temperature at which the molten metal is cast upon the quality of the finished steel. In a general way I have, of course, known for a long time that the colder the metal was cast, provided it ran cleanly out of the ladle, the better the ingot would be. It has only been, how¬ ever, since I have been engaged in the manufacture of soft steel by the basic Bessemer process that the extreme im- ortance of temperature in casting has een forced upon me. As the grade of steel made becomes softer the range of permissible tempera¬ ture becomes smaller, and the necessity of keeping within it becomes greater. It is very difficult to convey an idea of temperature when there is no means of measuring it, but a rough sc^e can be formed from the amount of skull left in the ladle. At Pottstown, our heats generally weigh 24,000 pounds of steel, and are poured either mto four ingots of 6000 pounds or six ingots of 4000 pounds each. The time occupied in casting is from 16 to 22 minutes. We use two siz^ of nozzles, one of which is 1 inch in diameter and the other is inches. In making ordinary soft steel, contain¬ ing carbon from 0.10 to 0.16 per cent., phosphorus 0.05 to 0.07 per cent., sul¬ phur about 0.05 per cent., and man¬ ganese from 0.30 to 0.40 per cent., there is quite a range of temperature throughout which good results can be obtained. This grade of steel we cast through 1^-inch nozzles in from 15 to 18 minutes. The results seem to be about the same if the steel, during casting, is somewhat hotter than enough to leave the ladle clear of skull or if it is cold enough to leave a skull of from 600 to 800 pounds. There is, however, enough variation to warrant belief that a temperature which leaves about 200 to 400 pounds of skull in the ladle is the best. Of course, it is understood that the casting is done just as slowly as possible i