The Iron Age 1899-05-11: Vol 63 Iss 19

THE A Review of the ava Published every Thursday Morning #7017") IRON AGE and Metal Trades. Co., _ WO BU Eee AL 232-238 William St., New York. SZ je uypavaady's Vol. LXI/1: No. 19. New $4.50 a Year, including Postage. Single Copies, Ten Cents. York, Thursday, May i, E Bie Reading Matter Contents.. Classified List of Advertisers. ... Alphabetical Index te Advertisers ‘‘ Advertising and Subscription Rates ‘ TUDOR IRON WORKS. . LOUIS, MO. as NUFACTURERS BOLTS +» NUTS. Bristol’s Patent Steel Belt Lacing. SAVES Time, Belts, Money. Greateterene? READY TO APPLY «= FINISHED JomT «with Least Send fer Circulars and Free Samples. THE BRISTOL CO., Waterbury, Conn. SAMSON SPOT CORD Alse Massachusetts and Phenix Brands of Sash Cord. SAMSON CORDAGE WORKS, - Boston, Mass, TURNBUCKLERS, BRANCH OFFice: 11 Broadway, New York. Cleveland City Forge and oo Co., - Cleveland, 0. DROP HAMMERS. MANUFACTURED BY MERRILL BROS., Brooklyn, N.Y. Basic Pic. Girard Bulidi Lewls Block, PILLING & CRAN rgh. Fear Facts and Official Data Pe) taining to the 1899 GRAND AMERICAN HANDICAP; Number = full entries, 251, at $25.00...... $6,275.00 = post = 1, * 38.066...... 385.00 oP Nia! for fer % a, * IORI. cso 160.00 >» —_— —_— —— | oe Q-soc, 278 $6,820.00 Of which tota Dashes 79 shogters used U. M. C. factory loaded papi eh tana aS 64. 398 of the entire attendance and drawing $4,955 ‘the-purse of $6,820.00. This is certainly an elegant showing and does not need any further comment. Above speaks for itself as to the quality of the goo is used by the winner, the HON. THOMAS A. MARSHALL OF KEITASBURG, ILL., Who won the handicap for the second time with goods made by the UNION METALLIC CARTRIDGE CO., BRIDGEPORT, CONN. Winners of Handicap, 1893, '94, '95, ’97, ’98, ’99. GAHALL BOILERS * % CAPEWELL HORSE NAILS. NEW YORK, PHILADELPHIA, CHICAGO, ST. LOUIS, BOSTON, DETROIT, CINCINNATI, SAN FRANCISCO, PORTLAND, ORE., BUFFALO, BALTIMORE, NEW ORLEANS. BRANCHES: THE CAPEWELL HORSE NAIL COPLIPANY, HARTFORD, CONN. Compare Weights WHEN YOU ARE TOLD THAT JENKINS ’96 IS MORE, EXPENSIVE THAN OTHER PACKINGS. Average weight, ¥% “Jenkins °96,” 11 Ibs to the square yard. iy Red Packing, 4 “ At 50c. per pound “‘ JENKINS °96” is not only very much cheaper, but the best joint packing manufactured. JENKINS BROS , New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago. Brass Prices High, So Use Bright “Swedoh” Stamp- gee 103 Lean N3 BS) Ke wKn> © JENKINS STANDARD RD PACKING ond & S96 Apollo Best Bloom is the galvanized iron that sets the standard, The others don’t even follow it. Apollo Iron and Steel Company, Pittsburgh. e Steel Easily Brass Plated and Save Money. | MAGNOLIA METAL | Best.Anti-Friction Metal for all Machinery Bearings. | Beware of Imitations. Genuine Magnolia Meta! is made up in bars of which this we. a mt simile : The name and ornée- a on each box and bar, and the words Pan anufactured in United States” and tented June ti are stamped on the un- der ane of each MAGNOLIA METAL CO., (zzcst2"2) 266 & 267 WEST ST., NEW YORK. Zaneculatng . ‘ mm. Ansonia ‘Brass x” Correr Co. MANUFACTURERS OF BRASS AND COPPER Seamless Tubes, Sheets, Rods and Wire. ingot Copper. SOLE MANUFACTURERS Tobin Bronze (TRADE-MaRK REGISTERED.) Condenser Plates, Pump Linings, Round, Square and Hexagon Bars, for Pump Piston Rods and Bolt Forgings. un Clons —MANUFACTURERS OF- : EET*BRASs si COPPER. s BRAZED BRASS & COPPER TUBES. SEAMLESS BRASS & COPPER TUBES” 38 "DIAM. AN DEPOT. 226 LA CHICAGO, , ILL. New York. KE sp STAL TELEGRAPH Waterbury Brass Co. Established 1845. Sheet, Roll and Platers’ -Brass, German Silver, Copper, Brass o-_ Ger- man Silver Wire. Brass and Copper Tubing. . COPPER RIVETS AND BURS. PERCUSSION CAPS, TAPE MEASURES, METALLIC EYELETS, Brass Ketties, Brass Tags, Powder Fiasks, Shot Pouches, &c., AND SMALL BRASS WARES OF EVERY DESCRIPTION. HICK’S PRIMERS, BERDAN PRIMERS. Cartridge Metal in Sheets or Shells a Specialty. DEPOTS: 60 Centre St., New York. dence, R. |. 38 Mechanic St., Newark MILLS AT WATERBURY, CONN. THE NEW DEFENDER All Her BRONZE CASTINGS are made of our... Ordnance Bronze Bridgeport Deoxidized Bronze & Metal Co., BRIDGEPORT, CONN. 126 Eddy St., Provi- ad. MATTHIESSEN & HEGELER ZINC CO,, LA SALLE, ILLINOIS, SMELTERS OF SPIELTER AND MANUFACTURERS OF SHEET ZINO AND SULPHURIC ACID. Special Sizes of Zinc cut to order. Rolled Battery Plates. Selected Plates for Etchers’ and Lithographers’ use Selected Sheets for Paper and Card Makers’ use Stove and Washboard Blanks. ZINCS FOR LECLANCHE BATTERY. BRASS aes MFG. 60,“ &-:55 Address all eommunica - tions to the BRONZE DOOR ENOBS, Bronze and Plated Roses, Combined Rose and Escutcheon Eyeees, Cushion Business Cards, Mucilage Brushes. Novelties SALESROOM: | 17 Chambers St., New York. FACTORY: 86-92 Third St., Se. Breeklyn, new design made to order. HENDRICKS BROTHERS, Belleville Proprietors of the Copper Rolling MANUFACTURERS OF Brasiers’, Bolt and Sheathing COPPER. COPPER WIRE AND RIVETS. Importers and Dealers in ingot Copper, Block Tin, Spelter, Sond, Antimony, etc. 49 CLIFF ST., NEW YORK Say and _tighotes Socket Shells, &c., Patent Mirror Pin THE PLUME & ATwoon MF6. bo Sheet and Roll Brass WIRE PRINTERS’ BRASS, JEWELERS’ METAL, GERMAN SILVER AND GILDING METAL, COPPER RIVETS AND BURRS. Pins, Brass Butt Hinges, Jack Chain, Kere- sene Burners, Lamps, Lamp Trimmings, &c. 29 MURRAY ST., NEW YORK, 144 HIGH ST., BOSTON. 199 LAKE 8T., CHICAGO, ROLLING MILL : FACTORIES : THOMASTON, CONN. WATERBURY, CONN. SCOVILL MFG. CO., Manufacturers of BRASS SHEET, WIRE, TUBES, Hinges, Buttons, Lamp Goods, Nipples, Pumps and Oilers for Bicycles, Braziers’ Solder, Aluminum, Factories, WATERBURY, CONN. DEPOTS : Chicago, New York, Boston. JOHN DAVOL & SONS, AGENTS FOR Brooklyn Brass & Copper Co., DEALERS IN COPPER, TIN, SPELTER, LEAD, ANTIMONY. 100 John Street, New York, WILLIAM §. FEARING, 256 Broadway, NEW YORK, SELLS TO THE TRADE Sheet Brass, Fancy Sheet Brags, German Silver, Copper, Brass and German Silver Wire, Brazed and Seamless Brass and Copper Tubes, Brass and Cop- per Rods, Brass Ferrules, Pure Copper Wire, Sheet and Ingot Copper; Spelter, Tin, Antimony, Lead, &c. DedIGh-Light” OIL and GAS Bicycle Lanterns. Send ter Circulars and Electrotypes. THE BRIDGEPORT BRASS CoO., Bridgeport, Conn. 19 Murray 8t., N. Y. 17 No. 7th 8t., Pafledeiphie. 85 to 87 Pearl St., Bosto CO} ONT NTRGUR pee FF prices ot PACELITIES FOR MANIC 7 = MODE ‘THE IRON AGE. Tuurspay, May 11, 1899. Making a Solid Wrought Iron Steel Faced Anvil. Although the ordinary anvil is being gradually dis- placed by steam and drop hammers, it is more than doubtful if it will ever be entirely superseded by any Fig. 1.—Himmering Wrought Iron Scrap. Fig. 2.— Welding Steel Face Under the Hammer. otber device or appliance upon which to pound and shape things. It is essentially an adjunct upon which the skill of the blacksmith depends in the closest degree, and without which his vocation would be seri- ously hampered. Its form has not been changed mate- rially in the memory of man, the only alterations being such as have been required by special operations or the whims of the user. MAKING A SOLID WROUGHT The blacksmith’s anvil must as prerequisites embody certain features. The body and horn should be able to withstand the severest usage, while the face should be of such material as to successfully resist the blows of a bard faced hammer, to resist chipping or flaking, and to be unaffected by the heat imparted by the article oper- ated upon. It is essentially a rough and ready tool, in Fig. 3.—Forming the Horn Under Steam Hammer. Fig. 4.—Finishing the Horn by Hand. IRON STEEL FACED ANVIL. the use of which but little discretion is exercised, and which, if it fails from any cause, will undoubtedly be emphatically condemned. The tone of an anvil, upon which more or less stress has always been laid, may or may not mean that it is a superior article. While all anvils could not enter an “anvil chorus,” it yet remains a fact that a poor anvil may have a rich and perfect tone and at the same time 2 THE IRON AGE. May 11, 1899 be weak in its structure. On the other hand it may prime importance, since it controls the quality of the out- be put down as being almost axiomatic that the good put. Skill in the manipulation insures good results as anvil is invariably of good tone. Judging, therefore, its far as workmanship is concerned, but without perfectly physical qualities by its musical characteristics is not adapted material to start with the utmost skill and ex- always a safe and sure guide. The old blacksmith who perience would be thrown away. The best material may has pounded for years upon the same anvil probably ap- be, of course, spoiled in the handling, but a quality of + et 3 = > ‘ = SS ae AS SS ann ell ; = mo Sl cal: annpasiga gegen eee ee Fig. 5.—Forming Bottom of Anvil in Hydraulic Press. preciates its ring more than any other feature, and to him it means a harmonious instrument of high grade. Solid Wrought Steel Faced Anvil, The wrought solid body steel faced anvil built by the Hay-Budden Mfg. Company of Brooklyn, whose works a representative of The Iron Age recently had the privi- lege of visiting, is made essentially of three parts: the wrought iron base, a wrought iron body and a steel face A a = Fig. 6.— Heating Top and Bottom Parts for Welding. Fig. 7.— Welding Top and Bottom Parts Under Steam Hammer. MAKING A SOLID WROUGHT IRON STEEL FACED ANVIL. of special composition. In the making of an anvil these the highest grade is necessary to perfect results. three parts are manipulated separately and brought as Wrought iron is used for the body of the anvil, for the near as possible to their final form, when they are united reason that it is less liable to be injured by the suc- by welding, the anvil brought to its true form, tempered cessive heatings and hammerings to which it is sub- and finished. The method of manufacture and the mate- jected than steel, and for this reason the result can be rial employed in all the parts insure the integrity of the more surely relied upon. finished article. In watching the various operations one cannot but be It is very evident that the selection of material is of impressed with the proportion of hand work. At every May 11, 1899 single step except one the man is the important factor. It is the individual who judges the heat, controls the hammer and finally influences the form of the finished article. This dependence upon skill makes it impossible to produce close and accurate standards as far as size and contour are concerned, and since this is not abso- lutely essential but little attention is paid to it. One anvil may and does differ from another in magnitude, and since the work to be performed upon it is not of the accurate kind as understood in some mechanical opera- tions there is no good reason why any attempt should be made to follow a pattern closely. In order to satisfy THE IRON AGE. 3 furnace and welded into a compact mass under the steam hammer, as shown in Fig. 1. The billets then pass to a second furnace, after which their paths di- verge. The one which is to be incorporated into the upper part of the anvil is rough hammered into shape and is then ready to receive the steel face. This is a flat bar of steel of such composition as will take a cer- tain temper, maintain its elasticity and resilience, and be so tough as, with the aid of the wrought iron backing, to resist fracture. The billet and steel are heated in the same furnace and welded with the steam hammer shown in Fig. 2. From this engraving it will be noticed that the workman handling the billet places it upon a rough- ly curved die which forms the lower part of the upper part of the body. The blank then passes to another steam hammer, Fig. 3, with which the point is drawn down, the tail of the anvil rough shaped, and the given dimensions approached as near as may be practicable. The final operation on the top is done by hand, as illus- trated in lig. 4. The sides are here brought truly par- allel, the horn is tapered and properly curved on the under side and the top practically finished. During 1 Fig. 10.—Th Anvil. Fig. 8.—F inishing Anvil by Hand Hammering. MAKING A SOLID WROUGHT IRON the whims and tc meet the various views of blacksmiths it is desirable to have a varied assortment of different widths, lengths and proportions for the same weight of anvils. This permits every blacksmith to find an anvil that suits his ideas. As has been said, in only one step is the workmanship overshadowed by a machine—namely, in forming the base. This is an operation which has little to do with the final product, as it is simply a pedestal supporting the working face, and the method here pursued in mak- ing it is merely introduced as a labor saving and eco- nomical operation. The Wrought Iron Billet, The wrought iron scrap for the base and upper part of the body is cut to proper size, bundled, heated in a STEEL FACED ANVIL. pritchel and hardy holes have been formed in the top of the anvil. Another billet passes from the furnace to the hy- draulic press shown in Fig. 5. What we may term the anvil of this press moves toward the rear, reference be- ing had to the engraving, so that the billet can be dropped into the opening above the ram. The anvil is then moved back to a central position, water turned on and the ram is forced upward, completing the lower part of the anvil, with the exception of a slight burr due to excess of metal which has been squeezed out around the edge. This finishes at one operation the bottom, which is next ready to be welded to the top. The small coke heated furnace shown in Fig. 6 supports both top and bottom parts, the parts to be welded being placed next these operations 4 THE IRON the fire. When the proper heat has been attained the base is placed upon the anvil of a steam hammer, the top centrally held upon it, as illustrated in Fig. 7, when the two parts are perfectly incorporated. The next step, and one of the most important, as far as the appearance of the finished anvil is concerned, is illustrated in Fig. 8. From the welding hammer the anvil is taken to a cinder box, and by means of sledges the joint is thoroughly hammered down, the surfaces are sprinkled with water and smooth hammered to re- move the seale, after which the hammer is placed face down in a furnace and when the steel portion has reached a dull red heat it is placed in the hardening tank, Fig. 9, and streams of water thrown upon it. The anvil is left in the tank until cool. Before hardening the anvil has been roughly ground on the face, and after hardening it is taken to large grindstones, where it is ground upon the edges and the face trued up. Testing. At first glance it would seem unnecessary to test each anvil. This would appear to be of little conse- quence, as the material is first intimately known, the various operations are carefully performed, and the prod- uct should seemingly meet the requirements in every instance; but this is not relied upon. Each heat of steel for the face is incorporated in one or more anvils, and upon their completion they are tested in every way pos- sible with the hammer. They must resist indentation with a hard heavy hammer, must be free from all tend- ency to chip on the sides or flake on the top, and even under the most severe treatment must remain free from all cracks. Not only is this policy pursued when each new heat is commenced, but it is followed in the case of every anvil turned out. After grinding the body of the anvil is painted and the face varnished and covered with heavy burlap, which prevents the face from being dam- aged in shipping. The Hay-Budden Company are now turning out about 100 tons of completed anvils per month, and their trade extends over the entire world. In this connection it may be of interest to note that during the past few years the importation of anvils into this country has steadily de- creased. By far the largest supply of foreign anvils has been received from Great Britain, which country in 1893 sent here 1,567,746 pounds; in 1894, 704,764 pounds; in 1895, 1,085,054 pounds; in 1896, 859,580 pounds, and in 1897, 605,211 pounds. In 1898 the total importation amounted to 777,903 pounds, valued at $47,797. The Convention of the American Foundrymen’s Association. The following arrangements have been made by the foundrymen in different parts of the country for reaching Pittsburgh to attend the convention to be held in that = the American Foandrymen’s Association next week: A large delegation of New England and other Eastern foundrymen will take the train known as No. 7 over the Pennsylvania Railroad. leaving New York at 7.40 p-m., May 15, arriving at Pittsburgh at 8.30 the next morning. The committee in charge of arrangements at Cleveland have selected Pennsylvania train No. 342, leaving the Union Depot at Cleveland at 11.10 p.m., May 15, arriving in Pittsburgh at 8.40 Eastern time the following morning. The Cincinnati foundrymen will take the Pennsyl- vania train No. 2 on the evening of May 15, arriving in Pittsburgh at 6 o’clock the following morning. The Chicago committee have arranged for accommoda- tions on the Pennsylvania Limited, leaving Chicago at 5.30 p.m., May 15, and reaching Pittsburgh at 7 o'clock Eastern time on the following morning. The American Steel Casting Company have declared a semi-annual dividend of 3 per cent. on the common stock. Julian Kennedy, the well-known engineer of Pitts- burgh, and Robert Forsyth, representing J. P. Morgan & Co. of New York City, last week appraised the plants of the American Tube & Iron Company, at Youngstown, Ohio, and the Warren Tube Company, at Warren, Ohio. These two plants are to be taken over by the National ‘Tube Company, now being organized. AGE. May 11, 1899 Blast Furnace Compared with Cupola Practice.* BY EDGAR S. COOK, FRESIDENT WARWICK IRON COMPANY, POTTSTOWN, PA. Casting Machines for Foundry Irons. The increase of the daily product of the modern blast furnace has called the attention of managers to the neces- sity of improved methods for casting and handling the large tonnage of iron. ’ ot many years ago all the pig iron made was cast in pig beds molded in sand. Even with modern products there has always been more or less trouble in securing men to remove the iron from casthouse. Few men, com- paratively, have the physical strength, or, having the strength, care to perform this exhausting labor day after day, Sundays and legal holidays included. Blast furnace work is absolutely continuous. We have no holidays, and if the men to fill certain positions are not on hand they must be replaced or the furnace stopped. Frequent stop- pages are costly and disastrous. ‘ The difficulty is not alone with the removal of the iron from the beds. After the iron is tapped from the furnace and distributed into the 20 or 30 beds each *‘ pig”? must be separated from its ‘ sow,’ and the “‘ sow,’’ running the length of each bed, must be broken into lengths corre- sponding approximately with that of the pig. This work is usually done when the iron has become sufficiently solid to bear the weight of a man and not bleed or run when separated. This is hot and exhausting work, especially in the summer months, and not unfrequently is the source of the greatest anxiety to the manager. Many men can- not withstand the burning heat, and succumb, thus dis- couraging others, who are only too ready to avail them- selves of any excuse to escape the trying ordeal. The pigs must be separated from the sow, and the sow broken, otherwise the iron cannot be removed and the beds molded for succeeding casts, the casts following one another every four or five hours. Various mechanical appliances have been proposed from time to time, but one objection or another prevented their adoption. Furnaces connected with steel works substituted for the sand beds iron molds, or chills, as they are termed. These chills obviated the necessity of mold- ing in sand, thus economizing in labor and saving time, and thereby increasing the capacity of the casthouse, but their use did not overcome the necessity of breaking the pigs from the sow, &c. The labor of removing the iron from the casthouse also remained the same. With the advent of the basic open hearth steel furnace the demand for iron low in silicon and free from surface sand brought about the introduction of iron chills or molds by merchant furnaces proposing to make basic iron —that is, iron of a composition to suit the requirements of basic steel manufacture. Many of the casts run into these chills, upon being algal, were found not to meet the specifications of the buyer, being too high in silicon or too high in sulphur. This iron became known as ‘** misfit iron.’’ necessitating its sale for some other pur- pose. The high sulphur pig was found suitable for pud- dling, a reduction in price being made to effect a sale, simply because it was misfit iron. The puddle mills were thus made acquainted with sandless pig iron, and although introduced at some disadvantage it is now used on the same terms as pig cast in sand. Some mills express a de- cided preference in favor of the clean iron, free from adhering sand. The misfit basic high in silicon found its way to foundries, to be remelted and run into castings. It might or might not have been of a composition to suit their requirements. Whether it was or not, it labored under the disadvantage of being a misfit iron, and was naturally looked upon with suspicion. Casting machines or tables are now replacing the chills in the Bessemer furnaces of large capacity. These tables, when well constructed, are likely to give the relief so lon sought fer. obviating the necessity for a casthouse, mm | do away with the exhausting and troublesome labor re- ferred tc. The furnace is tap at such intervals as may be found convenient and the molten iron run into ladies or cars of 20 tons capacity or larger. Each car, as filled, is then poured into molds of cast iron or of stamped steel plate, coated with a wash of clay or lime. the mechanism of the table being so arranged that the molds move slowly in front of the ladle. It is evident that each lot of 20 tons, the ladle serving as a mixer, when poured into molds of the same section and cooled under the same conditions, must be practically uniform, one pig compared with the other. The steel trade, having arrived at an exact knowledge of the kind of pig iron required, is able to specify the analysis wanted. All purchases are made without refer- ence to the accident of fracture. The limitations as to *Read before the Foundrymen’s Association of Philadelphia, Pa. May 11, 1899 silicon and sulphur, to say nothing of phosphorus, are the determining factors. To the best of my information. sandless pig is preferred by Bessemer works to that cast in sand, while for basic steel manufacture sand pig will not be accepted. Foundries connected with steel works have been using sandless pig for a great variety of castings with entire satisfaction, the mangement simply specify- ing the analysis of the pig required. Fracture as a Guide, From time immemorial the general foundry trade has been judging and determining the comparative values of irons for different purposes by the fracture, without refer- ence to the chemical composition. The experienced, ob- serving man is able to make, at times, fairly correct guesses as to the quality of an iron, drawing his conclu- sions from the color of the fractured surface, the size of the crystallization, as well as the face of the pig. De- mands on the foundry are now far more exacting than was the case years ago, and the margins of profit much smaller, calling for more exact methods, less guess work, and greater certainty as to the character of the castings. It has been a matter of the greatest surprise and won- derment to me, upon visiting certain foundries, where the ‘‘ rule of thumb ”’ held perfect sway to the entire ex- clusion of any technical knowledge, that the mistakes and errors were not more serious practically and disastrous financially. lf I were compelled, however, to make a choice between a practical man, thoroughly well ac- quainted with Med work, a man of good judgment, but possessed of nu chemical knowledge, and a theorist, equipped with all that technical schools and a course in chemistry can give, but with little or no practical acquaint- ance with foundry conditions, I would certainly take my chances with the former There is no reason, however, why the better qualities of both may not be combined in the one man. There is now so much literature on the sabject of cast iron as applied to foundry work that any fairly intel- ligent man can soon acquire all the chemical knowledge required to assist him in adjusting the mixture of iron, guided by the analyses furnished by an expert chemist, to suit the varying requirements of complicated or simple castings. The most successful blast furnace managers are those who, by daily contact with furnace operations and close application, mastered the practical details, and then sup- plemented this training by technical studies, to gain a knowledge of the value of the composition of ores. &c., as well as of the slag and iron preduct. When] first became acquainted with blast furnace operations they were con- ducted entirely on a system of guess work, so far as the material filled into the furnace was concerned. Analyses of slag or of the iron produced were seldom or never made. If anything went wrong, causing irregular work and re- duced product of iron, with consequent increased cost, the blame was invariably placed upon the ore or coal. It was so much easier and satisfying to place the responsi- bility for one’s own mistakes and errors upon the party supplying the raw material. As long as this system pre- vailed there was no chance of improvement. The modern blast furnace became a possibility only with more intelli- gent management, the management that without neglect- ing the teachings of practical experience availed itself of all the help afforded by chemistry to unfold a knowledge of the composition of the material used, the value of the various elements in theiir numerous combinations, as well as the composition of the iron produced. The data thus acquired by blast furnace managers as io the qualities of various grades of pig iron, the influence of silicon and sulphur, &c., have been of more or less value to foundries. We have thus been enabled to approxi- mately determine the composition of pig suited to varying foundry requirements, supplemented by the study of analyses of castings that were proven to be satisfactory. A blast furnace run in the old way could not now exist in competition with one managed under scientific methods. Unless all signs fail, the same rales of growth and ex- istence will hold good as applied to the foundry trade, and the survival of the fittest will, sooner or later, compel all foundries to avail themselves of the help afforded by scientific methods. Many foundries are under most excel- lent management. There are many able men connected with foundry work, combining practical experience with technical attainments. These men know what they want, and are thus able to specify as to the composition of the pig iron required, and their specifications, as a rule, are reasonable from the standpoint of the blast farnace man- ager, which cannot be said of all the specifications sub- mitted by agents. To such men the accident of fracture is immaterial, so long as the elements named are within the limits specified. The percentages of silicon and sul- phur determine, in great measure, the adaptability of an iron for general foundry work or tor special work. They take advantage of the general trade custom of grading by fracture, the market price varying with the grade, to buy a No. 2 iron and at the same time specify a composition that can only apply toa No. liron. As soon as foundries THE IRON AGE. 5 generally are sufficiently well informed as to the composi- tion of the iron they require, to specify the limits of sili- con and sulphur, just so soon will the old system of grad- ing by fracture disappear, and they will then be prepared to take advantage of the benefits afforded by the use of sandless pig iron, or pig cast into iron molds. Sandy Iron. It would be presumptuous for one having no practical acquaintance with foundry conditions to advise or dictate to experienced men, but I am at a loss to conceive what benefit can be derived from converting into slag 20 to 30 pounds of sand for each ton of pig melted in the cupola. There is a bare possibility that the slag thus made, in con- nection with the ashes of the fuel. is of assistance in re- moving the sulphur of the fuel. If this should prove to be the case it would be a simple matter to add to the charge of clean pig as much sand as may be required to make the necessary volume of slag. Much of the difficulty experienced in soft and gray foundry work is due to the melting of the pig in the cupola in contact with mineral fuel carrying more or less sulphur. The presence of man- ganese in the pig helps to remove the sulphur, but it is rather an expensive flux, paid for, as it is, at the price of iron. The same may be said of sand if its only use on the pig is to increase the volume of slag. While it is true that a certain allowance is made for sand on the pig. it is doubtful whether the purchaser obtains 2240 pounds of actual iron for each ton. The allowance made for sand is to cover the loss in handling, so that the purchaser may receive not less than 2240 pounds of iron, plus the sand that adheres tightly. With the use of sandless pig the purchaser would always receive 2240 pounds of iron. Temperature and Sulphur, There are many points of resemblance between blast furnace and cupola practice, enough to permit of arguing from one to the other. We have found that temperature, other things being equal, determines the percentage of sulphur in the pig. At high temperature of crucible of furnace there is but little affinity between iron and sul- phur; the slag takes up the sulphur, leaving the iron com- paratively free. An unexpected stoppage or a leaky tuyere, or any cause lowering the temperature of the crucible, will act to reverse these relations. The sulphur will attach itself to the iron. Sulphur in the pig increases the percentage of combined carbon and lowers the graphitic, thus affecting the crystallization but not neces- sarily changing the percentage of silicon. Thus it is that we occasionally get iron high in silicon and at the same time high in sulphur, high in combined carbon and low in total carbon. This iron might show a fairly good fracture in the sand pig, but if cast in an iron mold the high sul- phur would develop a chill in spite of the silicon, thus indicating very plainly that the iron was not suitable for light castings or castings that were required to be soft enough to machine easily. In the cupola, however low the pig iron may be in sulphur, if not melted down hot sulphur will be absorbed from the coal or coke, and the casting will be high in sulphur. Very few cokes will average less than 1 per cent, of supphur, while anthracite coal will carry from 1% to 1 per cent. High sulphur in the casting will cause the iron to be hard, owing to formation of combined carbon, and coming into contact with the damp sand of mold, it will take a chill, and excessive shrinkage will develop. The knowledge that the iron mixture is all right would enable the manager to locate the cause of the trouble. While it might be easier to blame the pig and claim a re- duction in price, yet this does not remove the real cause, and the trouble is likely to reappear again and again, causing delays and loss. While it is perfectly feasible to increase and multiply many times the percentage of sulphur in the pig by re- melting in the cupola at too low a temperature, no eleva- tion of temperature will reduce the percentage of sulphur in the melted iron below the percentage contained in the pig or scrap charged, though good cupola practice may prevent any considerable increase through absorption of sulphur from the fuel. The blast furnace and the pud- dling furnace, and possibly the basic steel furnace, can break up the combination of iron with sulphur and eliminate the sulphur, but the cupola cannot. Hence all scrap, as a rule, carries a larger percentage of sulphur than the higher grades of foundry pig iron. All grades and compositions of pig have their uses, and even sulphur is valuable to fulfill certain requirements. The whole difficulty consists in knowing just what is wanted in any particular case and then adjusting mixture to suit. In blowing in or starting a blast furnace some years ago the first couple of casts were usually worthless, a sort of nondescript iron, fitted neither for foundry nor mill use. It was made with a hot furnace above the tuyeres, but in the crucible. below the tuyeres, it underwent changes for the reason that the crucible was not hot enough to main- tain the temperature of the slag andiron. This was cor- rected by increasing the blank charge of fuel to such an extent that there was no possibility of either slag or iron Se _——a 4 SEE + ny TE SY SS 6 THE IRON AGE. reaching the crucible until its temperature was sufficiently high to prevent any change in either. Now the first cast of iron will show about the same quality of product as any of the subsequent casts. I would argue from this experience that in cupola practice it not unfrequently happens that melted iron reaches the bottom of cupola before the temperature is sufficiently high to prevent the iron from undergoing chemical changes. When this iron is poured into molds the castings are often worthless. The iron as charged at the top may be all right; as drawn at the tapping hole it is all wrong. Blaming the pig and changing the mixture will not correct the fault. Positive knowledge as to the composition of the iron mix- ture and equally positive data as to the requirements of the castings to be made would remove elements of uncer- tainty and enable the manager to locate the trouble, so as to avoid a repetition. Atmospheric Moisture, We also find that atmospheric moisture plays an im- portant part in the economy of blast furnace work. Roughly speaking, about 5 tons of air are required to make 1 ton of iron. Last June and July 245 pounds of water in the shape of vapor was driven into the tuyeres for each ton of iron made, or over 125 tons of water in a week. The usual average for a year is about 160 pounds of water per ton of iron, but of course this varies with the location of furnace as well as the season of the year. The water is converted into oxygen and hydrogen gas at the expense of fuel in the crucible. Unless this is provided for the temperature is lowered sulphur in the iron in- creases, changing the relative proportions of graphitic and combined carbon, affecting the fracture and the market value. Cupola practice is affected in the same way, but toa less degree, because in melting iron much less air is used per ton than is required to make the iron. It is, however, an important factor, and must be provided for to guard against bad heats. We have also learned that coke, if exposed, will absorb from 10 to 20 per cent. of its weight of water. If coke is charged by weight, one day we may get 600 pounds of coke per barrow and another day 500 pounds coke and 100 pounds water, which is a poor substitute for carbon. On the other hand, different cokes vary in specific gravity, equal bulks varying 10 to 15 per cent. or more in weight. If the furnace is charged by volume, while the absorption of water is provided for, we are subject to violent fluctua- tions because of variation in actual weight of carbon, if cokes of differing specific gravities are used. All of these causes must be guarded against in blast furnace practice to insure uniform results and economical working, and the same causes apply more or less to cupola practice. There are a hundred and one causes affecting the char- acter and quality of castings produced by a foundry other than the fracture, grade or quality of pig iron used. Such being the case, it becomes all the more important to elim- inate, by the application of scientific and technical helps, such of the disturbing causes asare within control. There has been so much written of late upon the chemistry of cast iron as applied to foundry practice, the influence of the several alloys, silicon, sulphur, carbon, phosphorus, &c., that it isnot worth while for me to discuss the subject, how- ever attractive it may be. My object has been to call at- tention to causes of trouble that are not often referred to. Other causes will suggest themselves to every experienced foundryman that pertain solely to the foundry, especially to the fine art of molding, designs of patterns, treatment of sand, pouring of iron, condition of cupola, volume of air, &. The furnace manager has his own troubles also. To one well acquainted with the casthouse work of a blast furnace the molding of the pig beds, the running or cast- ing of the iron and the physical causes by which the frac- ture of the iron is influenced, it has been a wonder that notwithstanding the advance in technical information so much stress should still be placed by our foundry friends upon the accident of fracture as governing the quality of the iron to be used for any particular purpose. I do not question that the fracture is a gaide to a certain extent, and the fact that it has been so long employed, in the ab- sence of any better method, is proof of its old time useful- ness. There is room for so many mistakes and errors, however, that have been developed only by the accumula- tion of hundreds and thousands of analyses, that it would seem that this custom should no longer stand in the way of improvements that ultimately would prove of more or less benefit to the foundries. Causes Affecting Fracture, There are many causes affecting the fracture inde- pendent of the composition. The fracture may be a rea- sonably safe guide to the blast furnace manager, espe- cially if he has made a study of many analyses, compar- ing them with the physical appearance of the iron, and knowing the conditions under which the iron was made and cast. Idonot know of any better pyrometer to deter- May 11, 1899 mine the relative temperatures of the blast furnace than the silicon and sulphur contents of the iron. The time of cooling, or, rather, of the passage from liquid to solid state, and the silicon contents, are exchangeable terms, the total carbon being constant. Large masses cool slowly ; graphitic carbon separates, even if silicon is very low. If the section of a casting is 4 inch or less, causing the hot metal to cool quickly, silicon must be high to compel or force carbon to assume graphitic form, in spite of the rapid cooling. When a furnace containing 40 to 50 tons of iron is tapped, under a blast pressure of 8 to 10 pounds per square inch, the flow of metal down the main runner, supplying the rows of pig beds, may become unmanagea- ble. The more rapidly the iron is run, other things being equal, the more open will be the fracture and the larger the proportion of No. 1 X. We therefore aim torun foundry iron as fast as the men can handle it. Some beds may be sheeted or filled to overflowing, while others may only be partly filled. The large pigs will go into the No. 1 X pile, while the smaller ones, from adjoining bed, may be piled as No. 2. Some of the beds may not be level; they may hang too much in one direction. One-half of the pigs may be filled to overflowing and the balance only par- tially. The bed is cut off. The iron seeks its own level, passing from one set of pigs to another. The flow of the iron disturbs the crystallization, so that the pigs first filled, and from which the iron flowed to fill up the others, will show a No. 2 or even a No. 3 fracture, while the bal- ance of the bed, and the beds adjoining above and below, may be No.1. The face of the pigs thus drained will show a concave surface, because of the metal being with- drawn from the interior, while the pigs receiving this iron will have a convex face. The foundryman condemns the one because its appearance indicates high shrinkage, while the latter is entirely acceptable. The first three or four pigs in each bed, the pigs that fill first, will almost invariably be No. 2, or even No. 3, in fracture, while the balance of the bed may be No. 1, for the reason that the iron is not at rest; the movement of the metal—some molds filling up and then emptying par- tially interferes with the law governing the formation of large crystals. Sometimes an obstruction in the tap- ping hole causes the flow of iron to almost cease for a few minutes. Ifa bed happens to be only half full the frac- ture will show No. 2, while the preceding bed, run more rapidly and completely filled, will be No. 1. Slow run- ning is destructive to open crystallization, while rapid running and slow cooling is favorable to open iron and a large percentage of No. 1. Now when we find that all of this iron is practically of the same composition, made un- der the same furnace conditions, and that the differences in fracture are due solely to physical causes, the fallacy of grading one pig No. 1 and another pig, only a couple of feet distant in the same bed, No. 2 or even No. 3, becomes evident. Any inference that all the iron graded and sold as No. 2 and No. 3 foundry is sorted from No. 1 casts, and has the same composition as No 1, would be far from the truth. While it is trae that a certain percentage of the lower grades show the same analysis as No. 1, yet by far the greater tonnage is made under different furnace con- ditions and will show different analyses. It sometimes happens that a foundry receives No. 8 grade, selected from a No. 1 cast, and finding that it answers the purpose just as well as No. 1 the buyer jumps to the conclusion that he will save considerable by using the No. 3, and places his order for a large amount. The next car re- ceived, while of approximately the same fracture, may have been made under different furnace conditions and be of entirely a different composition. Trouble follows and misunderstandings arise. Our pig beds are necessarily kept very wet, otherwise the cores will not stand. The molten iron is run 50 or 60 feet in the main runner and subdivided into smaller streams into equally wet beds. Chill versus Sand Molds, It has been noticed that the same iron run into chill molds shows higher percentage of graphitic carbon than when run into the sand beds. This can probably be ac- counted for from the fact that the iron molds are dry and frequently warm. The following analyses, made by H. V. Wille, chemist, of Burnham, Williams & Co., will illus- trate this: ——December 30, 1895.—., Warwick Cast Cast No. 81. No. $1 Chill Sand molds, pig. Ges GRU MOR so ncbicccennachecteocdévsdcuce 2.87 2.57 Cn new cceccensusecocodesecesses 0.48 0.42 Total carbon........... Sekvevedeedeenséeéee 3.35 2.99 ar ee re 0.42 0.41 ED cas cncenhonthteRtonuswahtoe maaeke 0.36 0.36 I hoes cphes= © sGtheaboeds |< pamcmeedseun 0.017 0.010 Pe iidbe cele 55s cnns yeeudees sdoscckeisn* vec bbes 1.50 1.52 However regular any furnace may be working, and however uniform in appearance any cast may be, there is May 11, 1899 an unavoidable variation in the composition of one bed of iron of any one cast compared with every other bed, and a variation between pigs of the same bed. Sampling Iron. For some years past we have been sampling every cast liquid. The iron is taken from the main runner and poured into iron cups. The bottom of cup is 1 inch thick and the depth of liquid metal in cup is about i inch. These samples, as soon as they can be removed from cups, are quenched in water and drilled. The borings are mixed thoroughly and analyzed. Frequently several analyses may be made for one cast, if any considerable difference is noted in different parts of the cast. In order to secure practical uniformity the different beds of a cast are broken over a block, the different pieces are then sorted and piled by fracture, and by the time they are again handled in loading a car there is such an inti- mate intermixture that the car as loaded is fairly repre- sented by the cast analysis. We invariably get two grades by fracture from each cast, and sometimes three, so that we will have two or three piles of iron, No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 foundry, by fracture, all of the same analysis. Even in the same pig the appearance of the fracture depends upon whether the pig is broken in the middle, close to the sow, or close tothe end or point. The crystals are the largest nearest the sow, the end that cools the slowest, while near the point they will frequently be small and lighter in color, because of more rapid cooling. To strike a fair average we aim to break each pig in the mid- die. If the pieces are rebroken at the foundry there will be found a considerable variation. The half next to sow when rebroken may be open, while the other half may be close. The crystals in sow are more open than those of the pigs in the same bed, as the section is larger and the cooling proceeds slower. Hence it is that some furnaces make pigs of large section to please the eye of the con sumer. Uniformity can only be secured by unceasing watch- fulness and the exercise of the greatest care, together with the help afforded by analyses. We have paid special attention to uniformity of shipments, and while any one or two pigs may not show the same analysis, differing from one another and differing possibly from the average of the cast, yet the cast analysis will fairly represent the iron as used in quantity. Uniformity can only be secured by selection, guided by analysis, and by intimate intermixture. Appearances are very deceptive, even to the furnace manager, with all the helps afforded by knowledge of furnace conditions. Every cast may vary more or less from every other cast of foundry iron. The use of iron by brands or names or grades does not furnish any guarantee of uniformity unless there is selec- tion and care exercised at the furnace. We are more or less dependent upon ignorant and inefficient help subject to errors of judgment and of ignorance and carelessness, so far as grading by fracture is concerned. Casting Machines and the Foundry Trade. We have recently been considering the adoption of a casting table. A favorable decision is necessarily depend- ent upon the favor with which such a departure from old methods will be received by our foundry customers. The mill consumers will offer no objections, but there is more or less doubt in regard to the foundry trade, especially the smaller class of foundries. I question whether there would be any pecuniary advantage to the furnace com- pany, as the investment for one furnace would be so large as to counterbalance any possible saving in cost of handling our product in this way as compared with sand pig. Our advantage would consist in doing away with the most arduous work around the furnace and at the same time enable us to insure greater uniformity in our shipments and be less dependent upon ignorant and un- skilled labor. In explanation of this statement the fol- lowing method of procedure will probably be convincing: Upon tapping the furnace the molten iron will be run into 20-ton ladle cars; a cast of 40 tons will require two cars. When the first car is filled the iron will be poured into molds made of cast iron or plate steel, coated with loam or lime to protect them and prevent sticking. It is evident that the iron of the first ladle will be so intimately mixed by the filling and the pouring that each mold will contain iron practically of the same composition, which will be cooled under practically the same condition; hence the lot of 20 tons, pig for pig, will be more nearly uniform than is possible under the present method of running an equal tonnage into ten different beds. Each ladle will be sampled and analyzed, so that the composition of each carload of 20 tons will be definitely known. The effect of the iron mold upon the fracture of the pig — will probably be to tighten or close the grain somewhat, so that the present custom of grading by fracture would have to be inodified tou meet the changed conditions, or a system of grading developed depending upon the com- position. , chill. THE IRON AGE. 7 For instance, an iron of Per cent. NS Ecc achickdn 06 scteeduwees ¢édesd.e ’ ee \ Silicon, 2.00 to 2.50............... Sulphur, 0.02 and under Silicon, 2.50 to 3.00 : ET \ No. 1. No. 2X. No. 2 soft. SE, BS OP Bec enc cencccecccsctsccacesccssoeeces . was ; Sulphur, DOPE 1Eiscscccccsccccocccccceccesccece..f 7 oom «Ray GE ok bc b0h 6s cédedaeessbevecceceses ' + Sulphur, 0.05 or less............ voeet No. 2 strong. Silicon, 1.50 to 2.50 .. ........ { Sulphur, over 0.05 No. 3 foundry. In the absence of any grade number specifications would call for the silicon and sulphur to suit the particu- lar requirements of the purchaser. If pig iron was used directly in the form in which it comes from the furnace— that is, if the pig itself was planed and drilled, &c.—the objection that the chilling action of the iron mold would harden the surfaces of the pig might be valid enough, but as the pig is remelted this objection would seem to lose its force. Other things being the same, the temperature of the blast furnace determines the composition of the iron, and the composition of the iron after being remelted in the cupola determines as a rule—occasionally apparent excep- tions occur—the quality and fitness for any particular class of castings, whatever may be the method of cast- ing at the blast furnace. whether the iron is run into wet sand, dry iron mo