The Iron Age 1901-05-16: Vol 67 Iss 20

ee fit Sa 5 acs 5 te co ait Be . & wy aE ee te | "re Fae f =, IRON_ AGE 0 | A Review of the Hardware, Iron, Macs?! [ oe 1 Trades. Pul lished every Thursday Morning by David Williams Co., 232-238 v.iliam St... New York. Vol. 67: No. 20 New York, Thursday, May 16, 1goz. ae 2 ean, oa Se Single Copies, Ten Cents. reading Matter Contents jphabetical Index to Advertisers “‘ 153 jassified List of Advertisers “155 dvertising and Subscription Rates “* 73 eV Propucts | THE BRISTOL COMPANY, Waterbury, Conn. Bristol’s Recording Instruments. Fer Pressure Temperature and Electricity. Silver Medal, Paris Exposition. All Ranges, Low Prices, and Guar- anteed. Send for Circulars. SAMSON SPOT CORD Se See —_ ~ h tts and Phenix alee ent of ctinand Ps SON CORDAGE WORKS, Boston, Mass. TURNBUCKLES. ae fo Branch Office, 11 Broadway, New York. bleveland City Forge and IronCo., - Cleveland, O. A New U. M. 6. .22 Short Smokeless Cartridge AT A REDUCED PRICE. Little Noise. ACCURATE, wa 0 burning grains SMOKELESS ( | C eof powder from the rifle’s muzzle. CLEAN. \ : e: way Comparatively Cheap. Your Dealer has it or can get it for you. Send fer Illustrated Folder Describing the New .22 Short. THE UNION METALLIC CARTRIDGE CO., 315 BROADWAY, N. Y. BRIDGEPORT, CONN. AHALL BOILERS * = vUTEaAnN BV CHE LEs. ra MERRILL BROS., oy . eye Ue eliew® 405 to 471 Kent Ave., Brooklyn, E.D.,N.¥ ESSEMER PIC. G.rard a Phila. PILLING & CRANE Lewis block, Pittabargh ) 56 Pine 8t., New Y merican Sheet Steel Company Battery Park Building ew York nufacturers of all varieties of ron and Steel Sheets ak and Galvanized ‘lain and Painted Corrugated and Crimped po.lo Best Bloom Galvanized Sheets W. Dewees Wood Company’s Pla: ished Iron W. Dewees. Wood Company’s Re ned Iron We \sville Polished Steel Sheets CAPEWELL HORSE NAILS. NEW YORK, PHILADELPHIA, CHICAGO, ST. LOUIS, BOSTON, - DETROIT, BRANCHES: CINCINNATI, SAN FRANCISCO, PORTLAND, ORE. " BUFFALO, BALTIMORE, ( NEW ORLEANS. | \ THE CAPEWELL HORSE NAH. COMPANY? HARTFORD, CONN. Jenkins Bros.’ Valves are manufactured of the best steam metal, and are fully teed. Why experiment with cheap valves? If you want the BEST ask your dealer for valves manufactured by Jenkins Brothers. Re- member all genuine are stamped with Trade Mark like cut. JENKINS BROTHERS, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston. Brass Prices High, So Use Bright“Swedoh” Stamp- see 1h? ing Steel, Easily Brass Plated and Save Money. page MAGNOLIA METAL. Best Anti-Friction Metal for all Machinery Bearings. Pac-Simile of Bar. Beware of imitations. MAGNOLIA METAL GO., CO., . 266 ana 267 West St., London, Chicago, Montreal, Pittsburgh, NEW YORK. Boston, San Francisco, Philadelphia, ’ THE IRON AGE. THE ANSONIA BRAss p” COPPER CO. MANUFACTURERS OF BRASS AND COPPER Seamless Tubes, Sheets, Rods and Wire. Ingot Copper. Waterianey Brass Co. Established 1845. Sheet, Roll and Platers’ Brass, German Silver, Copper, Brass and Ger- man Silver Wire, Brass ard Copper Tubing. COPPER RIVETS AND BURS. TAPE MEASURES, METALLIC EYELETS, Brass Kettles, Brass Tags, Powder Flasks, Shot Pouches, &c., AND SMALL BRASS WARES OF EVERY DESCRIPTION Cartridge Metal in Sheets or Shells a Specialty. DEPOTS: 60 Centre St., New York. 1265 Eddy St., Provi- dence, R. 1. 38 Mechanic St., Newark, N. J. ~ MILLS AT WATERBURY, CONN. 60LE MANUFACTURERS Tobin Bronze (TRADE-MaRK REGISTERED.) Condenser, Plates,Pump Linings, Round, Square and Hexagon Bars, for Pump Piston Rods and Bolt Forgings. 89 John Street, . -« New York. Randolph-Clowes Co., Main Office and Mill, WATERBURY, CONN. MANUFACTURERS OF SHEET BRASS & COPPER. BRAZED BRASS & COPPER TUBES. SEAMLESS BRASS & COPPER TUBES TO 36 IN. DIAM. Deoxidized Bronze Best Acid-Resisting Metal in the United States. . . Send for Price. Bridgeport Deoxidized Bronze & Metal Co., BRIDGEPORT, CONN. New York Office, 258 —\ - de Postal Tel- Chi omc Me, Foon 3 Bld cago Office er d'Purchase Sts Boston Office, Cor. Oliver an Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Co., LA SALLE, ILLINOIS. SMELTERS OF SPELTER AND MANUFACTURERS OF SHEET ZINC 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. OUNDERS BRASS Fass LJRYAN.CO, i — Far ae ee — 1a Robeb ae) — i — 1am @ioble!_t-.0m Best Bronze, Babbitt Metals, Brass and Alaminum CASTINGS. ASTy Pc: MEGAPHONES DISCOUNT TO HARDWARE DEALERS. Guaranteed. Crane Bros., - Linenoid M/frs., - Westfield, Mass. R. A. HART, BATTLE CREEK, MICH HENDRICKS BROTHERS PROPRIETURS OF THE Belleville Copper Rolling Mills, MANUFACTURERS OF Brazxiers’ Bolt and Sheathing COPPER, COPPER WIRE AND RIVETS. Importers and Dealers in Ingot Copper, Block Tin, Spelter, Lead, Antimony, etc. 49 CLIFF ST-. NEW YORK. THE PLUME & ATWOOD Mrs 0, Sheet and Roll Brass SILVER AND GILDING METAL, COPPER | AND BURRS. josey Brass Butt Hinges, Jack Chain, 29 MURRAY ST., NEW YORK MANUFACTUREES OF —AND— WIRE PRINTERS’ BRASS, JEWELERS’ METAL, GEaMay ETS “ee sene Burners, Lamps, Lamp Trimmings, &c, 144 HIGH ST., BOSTON. 199 LAKE ST., CHICA BOLLING MILL : THOMASTON, CONN. +0, FACTORIES | WATERBURY, CONN, SCOVILL MFG. CO., Manufacturers of BRASS SHEET, WIRE, TUBES. Hinges, Buttons, Lamp Goods, Nipples, Pumps and Oilers for Bicyeles, Braziers’ Solder. 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. Arthur T. Rutter, SUCCESSOR TO WILLIAM S. FEARING, 256 Broadway, New York. Sheet Brass, German Silver, Cop- per, Brass and German Silver Wire, Brazed and Seamless Brass and Copper Tubes, Small Tubing a Specialty. Brass and Copper Rods, Brass Ferrules. Sheet and Ingot Copper; Spelter, Tin, Antimony, Lead, etc. “PHONO-ELECTRIC” WiIRE. “IT’S TOUGH.” TROLLEY, TELEPHONE and TELEGRAPH LINES. | Phono-Elec tae = BIGEPOR BASS 0. ‘THE IRON AGE Tuurspay, May 16, 1901. Turret Machine with Large Spindle Capacity. BY C. L. GOODRICH, HARTFORD, CONN. With the advent of motor vehicles the demand for a turret machine of large spindle capacity for use in eco- nomically machining pieces from the bar or tubing for piston packings, valve rings, bearings, &c., has asserted itself, and we are pleased to bring to the attention of our readers a most excellent tool for handling work of the above description up to 7% inches in diameter. As will be seen by Fig. 1, the head and bed are cast in one piece, insuring great rigidity. The turret slide is gibbed to and slides directly on the bed, which makes the slide very stiff at any position of its travel. There is adjustment so that the turret slide may be operated between any desired points on the bed, thus making it One of the most objectionable features to a lathe of this type as regards the feed of the turret slide has been well taken care of by use of a frictional drive which al- lows of any feed from 0.008 inch to 0.1 inch per revolu- tion of spindle being quickly obtained. Figs. 5 and 6 will give the reader'a clear idea of this. The position of the roll which controls the speed of the turret slide feed shaft can be readily adjusted in and out by the small hand wheel shown at the left of the bed in Fig. 1. Suitable gauging stops are provided so that several rates of feed may be quickly obtained, the changing from slowest to fastest feed taking but a few seconds. The forming or cutting off fixture, Fig. 2, consists of two separate slides, which are fed by means of a right and left hand screw so that both may, when it is so desired, be used simultaneously for forming or cutting off. It will be noticed that tool blocks are fastened to TURRET MACHINE WITH LARGE SPINDLE CAPACITY. highly efficient and doing away with a great deal of un- necessary travel heretofore found in turret machines. The adjustment for locating the travel of the slide is very simply effected by the use of an adjustable bar in the bed of the machine, against which the turret index- ing* apparatus comes in contact with the backward movement of the turret slide. The head spindle is powerfully back-geared, Fig. 5, and driven by a five-grade cone. The spindle is of cast iron and runs in cast iron bearings. In this connection it might be stated that no better wearing surfaces than cast iron upon cast iron can be desired, providing care is taken to properly fit the two surfaces, and ample pro- vision made for oiling. As might be expected of a ma- chine originally brought out for automobile work, ball bearings are freely used. The spindle thrust is taken against Separated ball bearings—i. e., the balls are held in a cage which prevents their rubbing or grinding against each other. The writer has personally seen the wisdom of thus separating balls in high speed grinding machinery, where as high a spindle speed as 26,000 revolutions per minute has been obtained with unappreciable heating—and un- der the same conditions by removing the cage and using more balls one-half this speed was impractical for any satisfactory length of time. the slide so that by the substitution of different blocks a large variety of work can be taken care of. The right and left hand screw is driven by worm and worm gear and is provided with an adjustable automatic knock-off. Provision is also made for hand feed. The turret slide likewise has both hand and auto- matic feed. For light hand work the spider wheel is used, but for operations requiring a slow, powerful hand feed a worm may be engaged with worm gear on the spider shaft and the turret slide fed through the same by the hand wheel, conveniently located, as shown at the right in Fig. 1. For steel work oiling attachments for lubricating tne turret tool through the turret and overhead are supplied, and allow higher speeds and feeds, insuring greater longevity to tools, and resulting in increased productions. One of the pieces, Fig. 4, which the writer saw turned out on one of the turret lathes was made from tubing high enough in carbon to harden in an open fire. The tools used are shown In the turret of the machine, Fig. 3. The several operations are as follows: The tube is first moved forward to the stop gauge in the turret (the turret, of course, being against its stop), and the chuck jaws are tightened. The feed to the forming fixture is then thrown in and the turret revolved and the follow- ing tools used: ain os OC A ea FE ee Paes * Gh THE 1. The heavy single pointed boring tool is advanced about % inch to make a true running hole. 2. An inserted tooth step counter bore with teeth lo- Tye Iron AcE 9 + May 16, 1901 IRON AGE. prevents the latter from drawing in and taking too heavy a chip. On other work turned out on this machine where @ Fig. 2.—Forming or Cutting Off Slide. Fig. 3.—Front View of TURRET MACHINE WITH cated at an angle to give a front rake, which curls the chip instead of tearing it off. 3. A solid taper reamer with left hand spiral flutes, each flute having a different angle so as to prevent chat- tering, finishes the hole. The left hand spiral reamer Machine Fitted with Spring Collet Mechanism for Head Spindle. LARGE SPINDLE CAPACITY. taper hole of somewhat greater angle had to be finished a taper reamer having right hand spiral flutes was used with most exellent results. This reamer was controlled by the hand worm feed, which prevented a heavier chip being taken than advisable. The angle or taper was so May 16, 1901 great that with an ordinary straight flute reamer very heavy pressure would have been necessary to have taken its cut. In this particular instance the reamer was really self feeding and restrained by the worm feed. This goes to prove that the smallest detail as regards the cut- ~ 6% > WRN, bh RS) 16 ' MINUTES ! 22 MINUTES | 28 MINUTES | f | | AGE THE IRON AGE. 3 diaineter that chucks will hold, 2% inches; length that can be milled, 10 inches; diameter of turret, 16 inches; distance of top of turret slide to center of turret hole, 4% inches; distance from top of cut off slide to center of turret hole, 444 inches; diameter of turret hole, 3% inches; dimensions of spindle, front bearing, 95g inches diameter, 14144 inches long; number of grades on cone, 5; diameter of largest grade, 16 inches; width of belt, 3 inches; ratio of gearing, 11 to 1; floor space, 10 feet by 4 feet 6 inches; dimensions of counter shaft pulley, 4-inch face, 14 inches in diameter; revolutions of counter shaft per minute, 334; weight with counter shaft, about 7,000 pounds; weight boxed for export, about 9,000 pounds. Cubie feet of boxes, about 200. The machine is manufactured by Pratt & Whitney Company of Hartford, Conn. ———_— The Canadian Bounty Acts. For some time past reports have been current to the effect that the Canadian acts relating to bounties on iron and steel might be construed as not applicable to exported material. We print below the acts in full, which show that such a construction is not justified: Chapter 6, Acts of 1897, assented to June 29, 1897: Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows: 1. The Governor in Council may authorize the pay- ment of the following bounties on steel ingots, puddled iron bars and pig iron made in Canada—that is to say: On steel ingots manufactured from ingredients of which not less than 50 per cent. of the weight thereof consists of pig iron made in Canada, a bounty of $3 per ton; On puddled iron bars, manufactured from pig iron made in Canada, a bounty of $3 per ton; On pig iron manufactured from ore, a bounty of $3 per ton on the proportion produced from Canadian ore, Fig. 5.—Rear View Fig. 3. TURRET MACHINE WITH LARGE SPINDLE CAPACITY. ting tools may result in condemning or commending a machine. The chuck used on this heavy work was of the geared scroll type and proved to be very satisfactory for pow- erfully gripping the material. Principal dimensions of the lathe are as follows: Diameter of hole through spindle, 7% inches; largest diameter that chucks will hold, 7% inches; smallest and $2 per ton on the proportion produced from foreign ore, ”. The said bounties shall be applicable only to steel ingots, puddled iron bars and pig iron made in Canada prior to the 23d day of April, 1902. 3. The Governor in Council may make regulations in relation to the said bounties in order to carry out the intention of this act. 2 RS EP TELNET I a SS SR REY — ERR e a Raa EE ae ; t i] : suliicnwaresniannen RR seein ies eRe cet 4. Chapter 9 of the Statutes of 1894, entitled An Act to provide for the payment of bounties on iron and steel manufactured from Canadian ore, is hereby repealed. Chapter 8, Acts of 1899, assented to August 11, 1899: Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows: 1. The bounties on steel ingots, puddled iron bars and pig iron, made in Canada, authorized by Chapter 6 of the Statutes of 1897, shall, on the termination of the pe- riod therein mentioned, notwithstanding anything in the said chapter, continue to be applicable until the 30th day of June, 1907, and shall be payable and be gradually re- duced, as follows: a. From the 23d day of April, 1902, to the 30th day of June, 1903, both inclusive, the bounties shall be 90 per cent. of the amount fixed by said chapter; b. From the ist day of July, 1903, to the 30th day of June, 1904, both inclusive, the bounties shall be 75 per cent. of the amount fixed by said chapter; ce. From the ist day of July, 1904, to the 30th day of June, 1905, both inclusive, the bounties shall be 55 per cent. of the amount fixed by said chapter; d. From the ist day of July, 1905, to the 30th day of June, 1906, both inclusive, the bounties shall be 35 per cent. of the amount fixed by said chapter; e. From the ist day of July, 1906, to the 30th day of THE IRON AGE. May 16, 1901 relation to the said bounties in order to carry out the in- tentions of this act. i The Sociedad Anonynia de Duro-Fulguera, Austurias, Spain, have lately been making large developments in CROSS SLIDE MII FEEO SHAFT TURRET FEED SHAFT BED THE IRON AcE Fig. 6.—Sketch Showing Friction Drive. a7 ol BALL SEPARATOR ’ a ha aa BN 7 is) 8 Tue IRON ACE Fig. 7.—Section through Head Spindle. Fig. 8.—Some of the Turret Tools Used on the T%-Inch Diameter Pieces. TURRET MACHINE WITH June, 1907, both inclusive, the bounties shall be 20 per cent. of the amount fixed by said chapter. 2. Notwithstanding anything in the said Chapter 6, of the Statutes of 1897, or in this act, no bounty shall be paid under this act on steel ingots made from puddled iron bars manufactured in Canada. 8. The Governor in Council may make regulations in LARGE SPINDLE CAPACITY. their steel department. They have placed orders with the Wellman-Seaver Engineering Company, through their European representatives, Jeremiah Head & Son, for a 30-ton Wellman rolling open hearth furnace, a hydraulic ingot stripper, an electric ladle crane, an elec- tric open hearth charging machine, and an electric bloom charging machine. May 16, 1901 Chilled Cast Iron Car Wheels at Present and in the Future. BY WILLIAM FAWCETT, ST. CHARLES, MO. The superintendents of motive power and other rail- road officials who have given only a passing thought to the manufacture of chilled cast iron car wheels cannot comprehend the responsibility involved in the manage- ment of a car wheel foundry. There is no material used in car construction that has to pass through such a severe and critical inspection as the chilled cast iron wheel of the present day. Before freight car wheels are accepted or put into service each and every wheel is closely inspected, and has to meet the following require- ments, which form only a part of a late wheel specifica- tion of a prominent railroad: Car Wheel Specifications, All wheels are to be inspected at the works of the maker; all wheels offered for inspection must be ar- ranged in rows, all wheels of the same date of casting being grouped together; they must during inspection receive three blows with a 12-pound sledge at three dif- ferent points on the inside of the flange between the brackets, and, after a close inspection, show no cracks and be free from every visible foundry defect. The physical test which wheels are subjected to consists in selecting two wheels at random by the railroad com- pany’s inspector from each 50 wheels, or fraction there- of, of the same date of casting. These two wheels are then subjected, at the option of the inspector, to either one or the other of the following tests for physical strength: In the drop test the wheel must be placed flange downward on an anvil block not less than 1700 pounds, having three supports not less than 5 inches wide, for the flange of the wheel to rest upon. In this position it must be struck centrally upon the hub by a weight of 140 pounds falling from the hight of 12 feet. The striking face of the weight must be flat, having a diameter of not less than 7 inches. The wheel must stand 12 blows without breaking in two or more pieces. If it passes this test and satisfactorily meets all the other requirements, and the other test wheel selected stands the thermal test, and both show the required depth of chill, the balance of the 50 wheels are accepted. If either of the two wheels fail in any of the require- ments the lot is rejected. The thermal test is designed to guard against the failure of wheels from strains due to heat generated by the application of the brake shoe. This test calls for the wheel to be laid face up on a sand bed and a channel way 1% inches wide by 4 inches deep molded with sand around the wheel. The clean tread of the wheel must form one side of the channel way and the flange the bottom. This channel way must be filled to the top with hot molten cast iron taken direct from the spout of the cupola in one ladle and poured direct from it at one point into the channel way. An examination of the wheel is then made after two minutes, and if found broken or any crack appears in the plate extending through the tread the 50 wheels represented by this test are rejected. As the quality of the metal and the depth of chill is a further requirement, all test wheels must be broken for examination, the metal in the plates must show a clean, soft gray iron, breaking with a ragged fracture. The depth of clean white iron must not ex- ceed % inch or be less than % inch in the middle of the tread, and must not be more than % or less than % inch in the throat, and must not show any clean white iron around the anchors or chaplets, or have a mottled ap- pearance in any part of the wheel at a greater distance than 1% inches from the throat and tread. Specifications Criticised. It is safe to assume that the wheel maker can easily meet the drop or thermal tests, give the required depth of chill, and show the inspector a clean, soft gray iron plate in all test wheels when broken, but the life and mileage may still be unsatisfactory. It is not wisdom for the superintendents of motive power to arrogate to themselves the right of absolute dictation in having the THE IRON AGE. 5 plates of all wheels when broken show a clean, soft gray iron, without any white or mottled appearance. It is well known to the progressive wheel manufacturer that a car wheel, to give six years’ service under heavy loaded freight cars running at a high rate of speed, must be cast with a strong, mottled, hard, dense, close, homogenecus chilling metal which is known to them from long ex- perience to have excellent qualities for wearing sur- faces, and gives to the tread or chilled portion a close, dense grained metal possessing all the qualities of a steel tired wheel. The wheel manufacturers are obliged to live strictly up to the specification to have their product pass inspection and show a clean, soft gray metal plate, re- gardless of the consequences which are sure to follow. Car wheels by the present method are cast from one ladle of molten metal, and there can be no dividing line drawn between the chilled tread and plates. The ele- ments in the molten metal that give a soft gray metal plate enter into the chilled portion of the tread, and the ill effects of it can be readily traced to the limited mile- age, thus accounting for the short life of cast iron wheels made in accordance with the railroads’ own specifica- tions. The slightest deviation from them would sacrifice a whole day’s cast to the maker. The lines are too closely drawn on the depth of chill. The difference between 5% and % inch makes limits too small to keep between, while at 1-36 inch above or below these figures the inspector rejects the lot. Some of these inspectors come clothed with authority to make it un- pleasant for the wheel maker, and are at times very ex- acting in all the requirements asked for in the specifica- tions, it being much easier for them to be critical than correct in such matters. It may be asked why the railroad officials should dic- tate to the wheel maker the exact depth of chill (no more or no less) and also demand clean, soft gray plates, and then specify a six years’ service guarantee with each and every wheel. Would it not be wisdom for them to leave the depth of chill and the softness of the plates to the discretion of the wheel manufacturer or else make this uncalled for inspection an absolute mile- age guarantee, releasing the manufacturer from all fur- ther responsibility ? After a lot of wheels has satisfac- torily passed the above inspection the specifications cali for a six years’ service guarantee with all freight car wheels, and two years’ service with all passenger, en- gine and tender truck wheels. They further require the manufacturer to replace (without expense) each and every wheel not filling the above mileage guarantee, and all those that are removed from service on account of failures due to any inherent defect, with a new wheel made in accordance with the specifications, and that replaced wheels must be furnished subject to the same inspection as the original wheel. It is also to be under- stood that any defect in wheels which calls for removal (with a very few exceptions) shall be considered an in- herent defect. It is,. therefore, a well understood fact that cast iron wheels must possess several distinct features before they are ever accepted or put into service: 1. They must satisfactorily pass a severe and critical mspection and be free from every visible foundry defect. 2. They must have strength and tenacity enough to stand the drop test, and show physical strength enough to be above danger line. 8. They must be free from all shrinkage strains te withstand the thermal test, which suddenly heats up the tread unevenly to a black red heat, leaving the plates and center cold. 4. The wheel must have a certain depth of chill (ne more or no less) and must show clean, soft gray plates. inspectors should accept wheels without reference to accident or fracture when living up to the specifica- tions. They should not lose sight of common sense. The Age of Old Car Wheels, It has been the writer’s custom for years when hav- ing old car wheels unloaded at the works to note down the year they were made and the maker’s name. In con- nection with the works is a well equipped physical labo- ratory, where all incoming material is carefully tested, especially old car wheels. Each day a few wheels are eet eee ibe nara = nema nae ome, bh >: aor ~—-enersvetdilienstle i « pes +o 6 selected from the product of the different makers and tested for our own private information; when broken a piece of each wheel, with the shop number attached, is then sent to our chemical laboratory, where a careful analysis is made and recorded against that wheel and number. By this method we keep in close touch with what other wheel makers are doing, and by a careful study of their shortcomings we are able to correct our own. In a lot of 9500 old car wheels already received this year from ten different railroads, seven east and three west of the Mississippi River, we found the product of 12 wheel foundries, with the following results: 6 per cent. 9 per cent. 11 per cent. 39 per cent. of them were made in 1895 of them were made in 1896 of them were made in 1897 of them were made in 1898 19 per cent. of them were made in 1899 9 per cent. of them were made in 1900 7 per cent. were scattered back to 1880; some few were made in the present year, the maker’s name and supposed cause of removal being withheld. The gradual increase in weight and size of freight cars has during the past five years been so great that it is not believed to be wisdom for the wheel manufac- turer to guarantee six years’ service with wheels placed under heavy box cars running at a high rate of speed night and day, Sundays and holidays, making an aver- age of 2800 miles per month, loaded both ways to their full capacity. The chilled cast iron car wheel of the present time seems to be the target upon which all the “ big and little guns” of railroads are trained, but they must not expect too much of wheels made strictly to their own specifications, and cast from the best brand of charcoal iron by men of integrity and capacity who have been conducting their business for over half a century, and have faithfully earned a reputation of excellence for their product and are to-day an honor to the iron industry. The wheel maker is not at his best when his ambition is tied hand and foot by a too closely worded wheel specification, which should be corrected. It is safe to predict that before many years of the new century have passed all chilled cast iron car wheels will be manufactured in geographical centers where the resources, adaptability and advantages are desirable for that class of work. There seems to be a growing demand among the superintendents of motive power of some of the leading railroads for a better and more uni- form grade of wheels than they have been receiving of late years, but before they can accomplish this they will have to order all their wheels to be strictly made of a certain chemical composition and specify that they must be cast from an open hearth gas furnace metal. There is no doubt but that a plant capable of turning out car wheels with any chemical analysis called for is practicable and highly desirable. This method of or- dering wheels will give the railroads just such a wheel as they order and pay for; it will also relieve the manu- facturer from a great deal of trouble and responsibility, and exclude all elaborate deductions of the. wheel in- spector, as everything will be governed by their chemical analysis. If railroads insist upon this method of order- ing wheels they will have to specify a definite chemical composition aud abolish the physical tests and mileage guarantee, and it will only take the wheel manufacturer a short time to prepare himself with the means to furnish just such a wheel as they may see proper to order. The writer has been asked by several railroad officials if wheel makers were prepared through their chemical laboratories to furnish wheels of any definite chemical composition that they may see proper to order in their wheel specifications. I must admit that they are not by their present methods of casting wheels. Carbon, sulphur and phosphorus will be the determining factors, and these three elements are unmanageable in a cupola. It is hard to realize the revolution that this development will cause jn the car wheel industry. It not only calls for new plants, but a radical change in existing ones; but in either case it cannot help but be beneficial in the end: An Ideal Car Wheel Foundry. I have before me the working plans and all the details of an ideal car whecl foundry, with a capacity of 1200 THE IRON AGE. May 16, 1901 wheels per day of 24 hours. The building is designed with the view of continuous molding, pouring and put- ting the wheels into annealing pits. In planning the works special attention was given to all the necessary conveniences for handling the materia] cheaply from the yard to the finished product, it being the object to make ibis plant up to date in every particular detail, embody- ing all the latest and best improvements known. Without going into the cost and size of buildings, 1 will give a few of the general arrangements to enable the progressive wheel niaker to see some of the advan- tages it possesses over the present methods of molding wheels in the forenoon and pouring them by the same men in the afternoon from each successive tap from a cupola, with variable results as to uniformity, depth of chill and physical qualities. In connection with the molding department in this ideal plant are three open hearth gas furnaces and four modern cupolas of the re- quired capacity. It is not proposed that these will all be in use at one time, but only at stated intervals. It is not intended to take the molten metal direct from the blast furnace, but to go into the open market and buy a suitable quality of pig metal from different localities, and, after sampling it carefully by competent men, charge it into the cupolas in various proportions and relative quantities, and melt it in the best possible con- dition and pour it into the open hearth furnaces, and keep it there under a proper heat temperature until all the objectionable elements mentioned in the wheel speci- fications are taken ont of the metal and those required added and chemically united. The open hearth gas fur- naces are intended to be of the latest and best designs, and to be under the direction of a metallurgist of ability who fully understands the chemical composition of the metal wanted to fill any required analysis called for with absolute and unerring accuracy. He will also fully understand the nature and the effect that each element will have separately on the product, and the combined influence of all the elements when chemically united. After the molten metal has remained in the open hearth furnace until it is known to be of the proper tempera- ture and chemical composition, it is then drawn from the furnace in a proper size ladle and removed from all fur- ther heat influence; the wheels are then poured from it at the same temperature, thus giving to the product an even shrinkage, a uniform depth of chill and physical strength far beyond the requirements for ordinary usage. There will be cast on each wheel a spur about 1% inches high. The wheel inspector on looking over each day’s east for foundry defects will break off as many spurs as he may deem proper and send them to the railroad’s chemical laboratory, where a careful analysis will be made for all the elements, and if they all come within the lines drawn in the wheel specifications that day’s cast will be accepted. If any of the elements are on the outside of those lines that day’s cast will be rejected. It is the intention in this ideal plant to have the mold- ing carried ou continuously by three gangs of molders and their helpers, divided off into three eight-hour shifts. ‘Ten molders and their helpers start in on a shift of eight hours, each molder putting up five wheels per hour; ufter them come at stated intervals a gang of trained men, under the management of a man of executive abil- _ity, whose duty it will be to attend strictly to pouring the wheels, taking them out of the chillers and putting them into the annealing pits, preparing the sand, and leaving everything necessary in good shape for the next shift of molders. These men being trained in only one special branch of the business, and doing only that one thing, will soon learn to do it quickly, cheaply and ac- curately. The successful wheel maker of the future will be pre- pared to make wheels of any chemical composition de- sired. He will be able to control the carbon, sulphur and phosphorus, and keep them within very narrow limits. When these three elements can be regulated to a nicety the wheels will be more uniform, their life more satisfac- tory, the physical strength increased far above all future requirements, the depth and quality of the chill regu- lated to an absolute certainty, and the wearing qualities of the tread greatly prolonged. May 16, 1901 THE The Elmes Portable Hydraulic Press. The Charles F. Elmes Engineering Works, Morgan and Fulton streets, Chicago, have brought out the port- able hydraulic press here illustrated. This machine is designed to meet a demand for a portable appliance which will enable work to be done requiring a high pres- sure. It can easily be transported from one p.ace to an- other and used wherever pressure work is to be done, in- stead of bringing the work to it. It is serviceable in [IRON AGE. = The machine is furnished with or without beams or rods, as these parts can often be easily secured by a purchaser at a remote distance, thus saving freight. It has been found serviceable in street railroad work, in handling machinery in mines and in repair work in electric sta- tions. The company build any size and pressure desired, but the 300-ton press is the one commonly used. = — The Standard Pneumatic Tool Company, Marquette Building, Chicago, and 141 Broadway, New York, have Parts of Press Separated. Fig. 2 .—Pressing 12-Inch Crank Pin in 60-Inch Crank Disk. THE ELMES PORTABLE HYDRAULIC PRESS. pressing on or off cranks, couplings, wheels, armatures, or any other work of similar character. The pump is rigged on wheels, while the cyiinder is a separate piece so made that it can easily be set in its proper place. Piping connects the pump with tue cylin- der. The pump is operated with a lever by hand power, and one or two men can easily do almost any work re- quired. Two men can easily exert up to 300 pounds pressure. This press is so constructed that the length of beams and rods can be regulated to suit the size of the work, thus making it of a capacity to suit a wide range of work. Cast washers or distance collars are used in connection with the rod to avoid the use of a very long threaded rod, as the threads are then liable to be injured. just brought out the Little Giant long stroke hammer. This hammer has only four parts, no valve block, only one valve, is therefore simple in construction, and is claimed to weigh less than any other hammer of the same kind. The company have just issued an illustrated circular showing methods of operation of these ham- mers. They now manufacture ten different sizes of hammers and claim to make the largest variety of piston air drills in the world. The roll turners at Youngstown, Ohio, have made a demand for an increase in wages of 5 cents an hour, making the scale 35 cents an hour and double pay for overtime, with seven hours’ work on Saturday. The | arsine i tesla le RE Pe ee 8 THE officials of the Republic Iron & Steel Company and American Steel Hoop Company are now considering the demand, but have not decided whether it will be granted. The Distribution of Iron and Steel Exports in 1900. The Destination of Exports. Complete statistics of the foreign commerce of the United States for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1900, have just been issuéd by the Bureau of Statistics of the Treasury Department in a large volume of more than 1200 pages. While the general totals were printed long ago the distribution of all articles exported among the various foreign countries appears only in the annual volume. Following are given the figures relating to the principal exports of iron and steel and manufactures of the same: Of iron ore exports, amounting to a total of 40,510 gross tons, 40,390 tons were sent to Canada, the balance going to Mexico. Pig iron exports reached a total of 160,674 gross tons, of which 41,890 tons were shipped to Great Britain; $2,949 tons to Italy, 19,895 tons to the Netherlands, 18,- 188 tons to Germany, 18,061 tons to Canada, 13,246 tons to Belgium, 5875 tons to British Australasia, 5356 tons to Austria-Hungary, 2524 tons to Mexico and 1250 tons to Denmark. Canada was our largest customer for scrap iron, tak- ing 25,612 tons, out of a total of 48,111 tons; while Italy is credited with 11,131 tons. Japan bought 7940 tons of scrap and the United Kingdom 1158 tons. Bar iron exports reached a total of 9228 net tons, of which 3038 tons were shipped to Canada, 2098 tons to Mexico, 1456 tons to Hawaii, 695 tons to Cuba and 685 tons to Chile. Out of 12,977 net tons of wire rods sent abroad, 11,- 979 tons went to Canada and 874 tons to the United Kingdom. The total exports of steel bars or rods, other than wire rods, was 36,538 tons. More than two-thirds of this amount, or 23,700 tons, was shipped to the United Kingdom, Canada coming second with 6287 tons, and the Netherlands third with 2524 tons. The exports of wire rods amounted to 12,977 net tons, of which 11,970 net tons were shipped to Canada. Classified under all other bars or rods of steel we have a tonnage of 36,538 net tons, which, however, may include, besides steel bars, such grosser products as tin plate and sheet bars. Of the total, 2524 tons went to Holland, 23,700 tons to the United Kingdom, 6283 tons to Canada and 731 tons to British India. Out of a total of 14,109 gross tons of billets, ingots and blooms exported the United Kingdom took 13,118 tons and Canada 916 tons. The total exportation of steel rails in the fiscal year 1900 was 341,656 gross tons, the destination of the greater part of which was as follows: Canada, 117,600; Russia in Asia, 72,550; Japan, 40,519; Mexico, 26,300; Australasia, 18,473; British Africa, 12,598; Hawaii, 9343; Cuba, 8211; United Kingdom, 6739; Sweden and Norway, 3911; Netherlands, 3216; Brazil, 3171; Portugal, 2600; China and Hong Kong, 2130; Argentina, 2210; British East Indies, 1500; Belgium, 1434; Italy, 1280; Portugese Africa, 1199, and France, 1051 gross tons. Iron sheets and plates to the extent of 9091 net tons were exported; 3763 tons going to Canada, 1063 tons to the United Kingdom, 1012 tons to Mexico, 943 tons to Argentina, 839 tons to Hawail and 542 tons to Cuba; while the exports of steel sheets and plates reached 39,- 763 gross tons. Of the latter product the heaviest ship- ments were msde to Australasia, 17,348 tons; the United Kingdom coming next, with 11,776 tons; Canada third, with 5597 tons, and the Netherlands fourth, with 2265 tons. Only about 160 tons of tin plates were sent abroad in the last fiscal year, nearly all of which went to Can- ada and Mexico. The principal destinations of 56,275 gross tons of structural iron and steel were as follows: Japan, 10,207; Canada, 7721; United Kingdom, 6888; Hawaii, 2895; TRON AGE. May 16, 1901 Netherlands, 1502; British East Indies, 8471; Mexico, 7689; Argentina, 3142; Cuba, 2046, and Australasia, 1135 gross tons. The exports of wire were very large, amounting to 118,386 net tons, and were widely distributed. The principal buying countries and the amounts taken by each were: Net tons. Net tons. British Australia...... 29,064 British Africa......... 8,905 RE ve ssesneecre 18,828 NE cancers cae son 3,019 NT ee EE ee 2.789 United Kingdom....... EE Ee in on pik 65> me nae 2,069 Rr rr 6,157 i ee 1,491 PD v0 canes cebteccuen 5,450 SESE r eer 1,076 BE. ciatownaciane ai 5,243 EE aioe 6 ecna hind ee 1,024 Car wheels were exported to the number of 25,518, the largest purchaser being the United Kingdom, with 5735; Mexico taking 3496; Brazil, 2590; Japan, 2476; Bel- gium, 1711; Cuba, 1189; Spain, 1132, and Australasia, 1048. Castings, not elsewhere specified, were exported to the value of $1,576,174; Hawaii coming first, with $468,841 worth; Canada taking $316,805 worth; Germany, $179,478; Mexico, $137,672; United Kingdom, $128,306; Australasia, $49,430; Belgium, $41,666; France, $33,665; Sweden and Norway, $32,980; Russia, $27,532; Japan, $26,118; Cuba, $20,423; Netherlands, $20.419, and Den- mark, $11,108. The exports of machinery have become so large that they are itemized in the present report much more close- ly than they were formerly. Of the varying classes of machinery sent abroad, the following list shows the total values: Cash registers..... - $813,096 Metal working..... 7,193,390 LOQGRETF 2c cccccss 441,562 Pumps and pumping 3,112,525 RIS, 6 dinccinccwes 1,219,774 ~“Shoemaking ....... 1,163,265 Sewing machines... 4,541,774 Locomotives ...... 5,592,403 Fire engines....... ee PP ee 1,767,856 Stationary engines. 673,197 All other.......... 21,913,202 Typewriters ...... 2,697,544 eed Wiectrical ........ 4,340,992 is oss56s $55,485,495 Taking the destinations of some of the principal lines of machinery, we find that Germany was our largest customer for metal working machinery, with $2,479,939 worth; the United Kingdom being second, with $1,883,- 234; France third, with $1,090,046; Belgium fourth, with $656,129; Sweden and Norway fifth, with $199,068, and Austria-Hungary sixth, with $189,856. Italy purchased to the amount of $146,887; the Netherlands, $141,489; Russia, $124,589; Denmark, $53,038; Canada, $46,660; Japan, $37,399; Mexico, $30,895; Switzerland, $20,008; Spain, $11,384, and Argentina, $10,955. Of electrical machinery, by far the largest amount was sent to the United Kingdom, $1,568,653; Canada fol- lowing with $800,423 and Mexico with $445,208. The principal exports in this line, outside of the countries named, were as follows: France, $266,470; Argentina, $215,505; Australasia, $187,459; Germany, $107,531; Ja- pan, $102,944; Cuba, $95,093; Philippine Islands, $91,213; Brazil, $87,058; Italy, $65,108; British West Indies, $56,- 154; British Africa, $46,163; Belgium, $45,750; Russia, $37,172; British East Indies, $29,050, and Spain, $14,753. In pumps and pumping machinery the United King- dom also took the largest share, the exports to that coun- try being valued at $795,729, while $364,839 worth were shipped to Germany; $237,168 to France, $219,374 to Hawaii, $193,052 to Australasia, $184,711 to Russia, $159,190 to Canada, $137,136 to British Africa, $129,590 to Mexico, $96,151 to Austria-Hungary, $62,515 to Cuba, $59,537 to the Netherlands, $57,615 to Belgium, $56,496 to the British East Indies, $53,124 to Japan, $41,830 to Sweden and Norway, $32,349 to Denmark, $29,604 to Argentina, $21,377 to Italy, $18,659 to the Dutch East Indies, $18,355 to Porto Rico, $17,520 to China, $16,124 to Brazil and $13,224 to the Philippine Islands. Five hundred and twenty-five locomotives were ex- ported, of which there went to: teh wawwene open 93 United Kingdom......... &4 P< inte bebun nee eae (Rr 51 British Bast Indies....... a ge ee 23 DRERGD «voce cdwiewsdicivec Os I cb 6 eS vedo ess dvs 20 FORE waikie'sv'c Kc tabs cod oe eR, yay ee aa 18 GN iin sé 0seeeieseane 11 § French Africa.........:¢- 10 Of stationary engines, 1140 were shipped to foreign countries, the principal destinations and quantities be- ing as follows: May 16, 1901 THE IRON AGE. 9» Australasia ..........6+- 169 COmMOGR vccccccccvesccces 153 United Kingdom.......... UBB 4 Mexled ..ccccccccccccees 127 0 re ee ee Oe, na 6.00000 * ee o0e esis en 66 Germany .....-ccccccees 44 TOOMMPOEE oc cccccccccuscc 43 SE diam 6.05 '0,0.06.08:0% 00 34 JAPAN ccccccccccccccccce 33 APMOBtIBA 2... wccccceeee 31 DE cas ccedesenceveus 81 Sweden and Norway...... BO TRIN 6 5 oct ccc wos 27 NS b.50 a 600 eee 8 © 22 British East Indies...... 19 NINES, nc cic ctcccesccs Be MER ch cer cisedccecyces 15 The total value of boilers and parts of engines exported was $1,767,856. Canada stands first as a purchaser in this field, with $285,775; Cuba second, with $258,519; Mexico third, with $177,513, and Asiatic Russia fourth, with $139,355. Other countries took amounts as follows: Hawaii, $131,693; United Kingdom, $98,669; Australasia, $96,172; Brazil, $72,295; Belgium, $53,528; Argentina, $50,281; Porto Rico, $44,117; Japan, $36,724; France, $29,673; Germany, $29,580; British Africa, $22,601; Phil- ippine Islands, $19,639; British West Indies, $18,334; Peru, $15,474, and British Guiana, $13,934. Under the head of “ All Other” machinery are classed $21,913,202 worth of exports. The largest customers for these products were: Memiee ccccceesecs $4,889,875 Canada........... $3,949,899 United Kingdom... 2,325,959 Hawaii ........... 2,031,394 Australasia ....... 1,378,664 Germany ......... 818,396 WORMED concececocs 616,254 SOBER cco viccecase 554,521 CURE coccccccccccs 615,795 Belgium .......... 443,282 British Africa..... 510,104 Sweden and Norway 318,796 so. weecseaes 453,841 Denmark ......... 242,279 Argentina ........ 306,534 Netherlands ....... 186,464 So | See ol ee 155,134 PEE ckvdtesenscas 173,547 Santo Domingo.... 115,576 Russian China..... BO © CED. ce wécccccvcse 105,182 The export trade in pipes and fittings was heavy, shipments amounting in value to $7,024,888 being made, of which the principal purchasing countries were: United Kingdom.....$892,487 Denmark........... $137,734 Mesias. ..esbss one s<n EE > ML. «0000 s/c'ncwhiens ’ Camea@a édsisdracveic 706,445 , NOD sw awees oe 45,382 Bawall aiekectietve OR so cicccpweceven 45,088 Japan ...... des vcd o, GRAD \ SPMMOD ccc ccccccccce 44,222 Cube to keewsecesd 000 529,349 . British West Indles.. 35,021 Netherlands ........ a ep 32,370 BelgiGM .cccpesccccs ee ET “és cpocuccectes 28,210 British East Indies.. 274,918 Chile .............. 25,380 Germany. so 2s eds cee 215,325 Sweden and Norway. 24,494 British Africa....... 215,487 PD ncécncoes 23,975 Argentina .......... 184,149 Venezuela .......... 19,713 Australasia ......... PY AEE Te nec cccsece'ae 19,268 Dutch East Indies... 188,404 Colombia ........... 17,684 It is not quite certain whether these figures take cast and wrought pipe together or not. = ——_ The McClintic-Marshall Construction Company.— The new plant of the McClintic-Marshall Construction Company, which has been under erection at Rankin, near Pittsburgh, for some time, will soon be completed. Part of the machinery is now running and the firm expect to be in full operation in June. Several of the larger build- ings, which are of brick and steel, are almost ready for the roof, and the engines, rolls and other machinery are now being installed. The plant will cover about 4% acres and will cost about $600,000, having a capacity of 4000 to 5000 tons of material a month. The McClintic- Marshall Construction Company have some very large contracts on hand and are operating their shops at Potts- town, Pa., to full capacity. They recently took a con- tract for the buildings for the ordnance plant of the Midvale Steel Company, at Nicetown, Philadelphia. Some time since the concern took contracts for the steel buildings for the new store of Marshall Field & Co., at Chicago. This contract is well on toward completion. They have also taken a contract for steel buildings for the new tube mill being built by the La Belle Iron Works at Steubenville. From the Philadelphia & Read- ing Railroad Company they have received a large order for plate girders, and also for a coal trestle for the Lu- kens Iron & Steel Company at Coatesville, Pa. The firm are badly in need of their new shops at Rankin, as the capacity of their Pottstown plant is not large enough to take care of the business they have on hand. en Central Pipe & Valve Company.—The Central Pipe & Valve Company have been organized at Pittsburgh, and have secured possession of the old plant of the H. W. Minnemyer Mfg. Company, on River avenue, Allegheny. This works is now being overhauled and fitted up, and will be used by the new concern in the manufacture of valves and pipe fittings of all kinds. Those interested in the new concern are Jas. J. Jelly, Wm. Felton, Jos. Keenan, Jno. W. Kelly and Frank Felton. J. J. Kelly will be president of the concern, and is now connected with the Howe, Brown Works of the Crucible Steel Com- pany. Some of the machinery has already been in- stalled, and the plant will be in operation before long. ain, ——_—— The Eclipse Low Water Indicator