The Iron Age 1901-11-07: Vol 68 Iss 19

‘THE IRON AGE Tuurspay, Novemser 7, 1901. The Putnam Extra Heavy Double Axle Lathe. The lathe here illustrated, built by the Putnam Ma- ine Company of Fitchburg, Mass., is designed for rning both ends of axles at the same time. It swings 2774 inches over the bed, 14 inches over the carriages, and will take in 8% feet between centers, the bed be- g 12% feet long. The carriages are independent, con- veniently arranged, and have three positive feeds for roughing and finishing cuts, operated and controlled by and wheels within easy working reach. The driving ead has a 13-inch opening, through which the axles re passed, revolved on dead centers and finished com- ter oilers and are longitudinally adjustable on the bed. The right hand tail stock spindle is operated by a screw and hand wheel, and has a split binder. The driving cone is furnished with self oiling anti-friction bearing. The machine is provided with a reservoir into which the drip is conveyed after having been strained. A ro- tary pump forces the lubricating liquid onto the cut in desirable quantities. A steel crane having ball bearing and suitable lifting mechanism for handling work to and from the centers is a part of the equipment. This lathe is also furnished with a longitudinally adjustable driving head with 16-inch opening, and is made in 12%, 16144 and 20% foot lengths of bed, admitting 8%, 12% and THE PUTNAM EXTRA plete without reversing. It is operated by spur gearing driven by a 26-inch cone of three changes for 5-inch belt, and geared 30 to 1. It is provided with an equaliz- ing or self centering dog ring, which centralizes the driving strain on the axle. The bearing has compressed babbitt lining and adjustable take up. The carriages have a quick hand movement on the ed, and are complete with tool posts, tool rings, drip oughs, automatic lubricating pipes and stop cocks. hey are fitted with large front ways, and also flat sur- face ways directly under the tool posts, which serve to arrest vibration when heavy cuts are being taken. There re automatic safety stops which make it impossible for the earriages to collide or run against the driving head. ie feed works are powerfully geared, have phosphor mze pinions and extra strong mechanism, which im- parts motion to the carriages through a massive steel ck. The ratio of feeds to one revolution of the axle \, 3-16 and \ inch. The tail stocks are secured to the bed by four large anchor bolts, and are cut away on the back to facilitate access to the work. They have large steel spindles, cen- v HEAVY DOUBLE AXLE LATHE. 16% feet between centers. chine weighs 12,175 pounds. Without the crane the ma- in -_— The United States Tube Company. The United States Tube Company expect to have a portion of their fine new plant in Buffalo in operation before the present month closes. The plant is located on Kensington avenue and the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western tracks. It is understood that the company will start in with orders enough to keep them running all winter, with promises enough more to tax the full ca- pacity of the plant for over a year. In preparing for operations the company have found that the unex- ampled activity in manufacturing industries, especially in the iron and steel trade, has delayed the work of equipping the plant. Machine shops have been unable to turn out the necessary machinery as rapidly as re- quired, while the new factories going up and the en- largement of old ones have served to create a big de- mand for machinery. For these reasons the new Buf- a As 3S ee ae Te we 6 Ores + en ee Ore ~ PARR A Se Taroe 23 armen ene ae! Scope eR ae 2 ; THE falo plant will start at about half its capacity, employ- ing from 150 to 200 men. By February it is hoped to have the other portion of the works in operation, when the number of hands employed will be doubled. The new plant of the United States Tube Company will be one of the best equipped in the country. All of the machinery, with the exception of the welding ma- chinery, will be operated by electricity. However, it is stated that the company will not use the transmitted electric energy from Niagara, but will operate their own electric plant. The welders will be operated by steam. ooo Highly Superheated Steam in Engines.* BY R. LENKE OF ERITH. In no branch of heat engine building has such an amount of study been spent as in steam engines, from Watt’s time up to to-day. The economy of the steam engine is, in spite of all efforts, not the best, and the steam engine in its highest perfection attainable at pres- ent cannot claim the first place in comparison with other heat engines. And so the problem of generating and using superheated steam has become a question, from the solution of which a considerable stride in improving economy has been expected and really made. Superheated steam is generated by the addition of heat to saturated steam. The behavior of superheated steam is similar to that of gases; it is a very bad con- ductor of heat, and has the special peculiarity of being able to lose a certain amount of heat without becoming saturated or wet steam. The thermal capacity of steam is only 0.48, therefore very little heat is required to superheat steam; but as the steam loses the heat as quickly as it acquires it, every passage conveying super- heated steam must be well covered with nonconducting material. Although there are some losses when using superheated steam on account of the heat radiation, they are very much smaller, because the loss of heat from superheated steam has lower calorific value than the latent heat of saturated steam. Superheated steam has a greater volume per unit of weight than saturated steam at the same pressure, hence one advantage, and the higher the temperature the greater this advantage. At various pressures and temperatures the increase of volume may be taken from the following Table I: Table I. Pressure. 390 degrees F. 570 degrees F. 750 degrees F. 70 1.1 1.33 1.57 115 1.06 1.29 1.52 170 1.02 1.24 1.46 Table I shows the higher the pressure is the smaller the increase of volume, and it is proved from practice that the advantage with lower pressure is indeed greater in proportion than with higher pressures. The question may arise whether the increase of vol- ume does not require more additional heat than the benefit derived from it is worth. To show this clearly, Table Il has been prepared expressing how many Brit- ish thermal units less are required to produce 1 cubic foot of superheated steam than of saturated steam at the same pressure. For various pressures and tem- peratures the total heat per cubic foot is as follows: Table II. 390 570 750 Pressure. Saturated. degrees F. degrees F. degrees F. 70 233 219 192 175 115 350 337 , 297 267 170 492 485 432 398 i. e., to produce, for example, 1 cubic foot of steam at 115 pounds pressure and a temperature of 570 degrees F., 350 — 297 = 15 per cent., 350 less heat is required than to produce 1 cubic foot of saturated steam at the same pressure. With saturated steam engines 20 to 25 per cent. of admitted steam is condensed during the admission period, consequently the practical steam consumption is very much in excess of: the theoretical. Superheated steam does not condense * International Engineering Congress, Glasgow, 1901.—Section LIT, Mechanical. IRON AGE. November 7, 1901 during this period if sufficiently superheated, hence an other advantage. The economy effected by using superheated steam in engines is very remarkable, and, acknowledging this fact, a great number of steam users all over the world superheat the steam, although in many cases only a few degrees, yet a considerable saving in steam and coal is always the result. To obtain the full benefit the re quired temperature of steam is 660 to 700 degrees F., and to stand this temperature the engines must be specially designed. It is not sufficient to use mineral oil with a very high flash point, and any one who tries to supply an existing engine of any kind with steam at that temperature will have a very unpleasant experience, even when using the above mentioned oil. The introduction of superheated steam into engines largely influences the expansion of the heated parts. Engines always gave great trouble when the distribu- tion of metal in the cylinders was not uniform, as parts with more metal expanded most and forced the cylinder walls toward the inside and made the cylinder out of shape. When using liners in the cylinders they were squeezed in at the ends, decreasing the diameter and jamming the piston body if sufticient clearance was not provided. With steam jackets heated with steam of 500 degrees F. the lubrication ceased as the cylinder walls became too much heated, consequently it was found necessary to do away with jackets, or if jackets were already provided, not to puss steam through them. Pistons constructed on the Ramsbottom type always worked satisfactorily, except in the case of pistons fitted with steel springs, when they were in contact with highly superheated steam. Any kind of gun metal gets brittle after a very short time, therefore valves, seats and all parts in direct contact with superheated steam must be made of cast iron or other suitable mixture. Copper also loses about 40 per cent. of its strength at that temperature, consequently copper bends in pipes are not practicable. The best material for piping has proved to be wrought iron and steel, each pipe being as long as possible, to have the least number of flanges. For long straight pipe connections provision must be made to meet the expansion, which is, at 700 degrees F., 0.037 of the length, so that, for example, 100 feet of pipe extends 0.37 foot, or nearly 44 inches. Glands and stuffing boxes at first frightened users, so the engines were constructed single acting to avoid the use of giands, but no serious difficulties have arisen on that account. .1t is advisable to place the stuffing box as far as possible from the cylinder end to keep it well away from the hottest parts, and to allow of as much radiation as possible. Sufficient clearance in the neck bush should he made to allow for the expansion of piston rod, and no metal with a melting temperature below that of the steam should be used. Valves and valve gears are influenced in the same way by superheated steam. Valves containing many ribs or different thicknesses of metal—in section—such as plain slide valves or Corliss valves of the usual con- struction, are not suitable for high temperatures. A Corliss valve of medium size will stand 480 to 500 de- grees F., but no more, and the latter temperature very seldom. The smalier the plain slide valves are the Ligher temperature they will stand. Large slide valves will hardly stand even slightly superheated steam if no provision is made for forced lubrication of the valve face. Piston valves have proved to be most suitable for the highest temperature, owing to their uniform distribu- tion of metal, but even with this sort of valve certain experience is necessary to get them in good working order. With ground valves, the ribs holding the boss for the valve spindle must not begin within the work- ing surface of the valve, but have to be placed beyond that, because they expand and make the valve polygonal. The valves must be ground in other liners than those in which they are to work in the engine; the former liners have to be smaller in diameter to secure more clearance to provide for the expansion of the valves; all ribs must be placed beyond the working surfaces of the valve. The cylinder expands in length more or less than the steam chest, causing thereby deformation of the latter, November 7, 1901 THE which must be carefully considered in design. It is best to work the valves in liners fixed in the cylinder and with a smail clearance, suflicient to allow for the defor- mation of the steam chest. With this construction it is f course necessary to make steam tight joints between rhe several ports, and this is best done by stepping the iners and seats and using narrow asbestos rings for each step. ‘Che liner is then forced onto the small seats yy set screws in the cover, these asbestos rings making a lasting joint. Long valves cast in one piece become scored, whether they are cooled from inside with ex- haust steam or not; consequently all valves should be made as short as possible. Rings and springs in valves ‘annot be recommended, as the steam comes behind the rings and increases the pressure, causing friction and therefore increased oil consumption. As it is impossible to rely on tightness of piston valves, they must be made as small in diameter as possible. It may be stated here that superheated steam can travel at 30 to 40 per cent. higher speed through steam ports than saturated steam, and this fact has to be considered during construction. Two piston valves working one in the other, as the Rider or Meyer valves, are impracticable for superheated steam. If engines of that type are intended to be worked with superheated steam, each valve must work na separate chamber. Double beat valves can also be recommended as being safe, but they require a special arrangement, which is not always obtainable with every gear. Very often it happens when warming up the en- gines that the valve spindles get hotter than the gland boxes, and on starting the engine, the friction between spindle and stuffing box is greater than the power of the spring, and if the valves are not positively driven they remain open during the full stroke. An engine con- structed in accordance with the principles just explained is as safe with superheated steam as any other engine with saturated steam. Mrom the experience over several years it is not necessary to be bound to single acting en- gines. Besides the economy the use of highly superheated steam has some other advantages which are also im- portant. It makes the steam consumption nearly inde- pendent of the size of engine, as a small engine has about the same steam consumption as a large one, as for example: An 80 horse-power compound condensing en- gine uses 10.45 pounds of steam at 160 pounds pressure and a 1000 horse-power engine uses 9 pounds of steam per indicated horse-power per hour. The use of highly superheated steam does not require high boiler pres- sures; 160 pounds is the highest to be recommended, as no advantage can be derived by-exceeding this. As the amount of heat transmitted from the steam to cylinder walls, and vice versa, is much lower with superheated steam than with saturated steam, the whole range of temperature from boiler pressure to vacuum can take place in one or two cylinders, so that the use of a triple expansion engine does not make the slightest improve- ment in economy. It is not intended to be understood that the author proposes to do away with all triple ex- pansion engines; for very large plants their use will be necessary for constructive reasons. With regard to economy obtained from engines work- ing with superheated steam, the gain is derived from the larger volume of the steam and the doing away with initial condensation. Generally the steam consumption of modern engines working under good conditions may be taken as follows: Single cylinder condensing engines with saturated steam and a pressure of 90 to 100 pounds per square inch use 19 to 25 pounds of steam per indi- cated horse-power per hour, corresponding to 373 to 490 B. T. U. per minute. The great difference in temperature between admission and exhaust steam causes much waste by initial condensation, and consequently this type of engine especially favors the use of superheated steam. With superheated steam the consumption has heen lowered to 13% to 15 pounds, corresponding to 290 to 335 B. T. U. Noncondensing single cylinder engines gave consump- ions of 15 to 18 pounds of steam per indicated horse- ower per hour, which is about the same consumption iS AN average componnd condensing engine with satu- IRON AGE. 3 rated steam. The noncondensing compound engine de- creases the cousumption to 14 to 16 pounds per indicated , horse-power per hour. The compound condensing en- gine is the most economical, and the economy obtained can hardly be reached by a quadruple expansion engine working at a pressure of 300 pounds. The steam con- sumption of such an engine—either compound or tandem —at 140 pounds pressure only, never exceeds 10 pounds per indicated horse-power per hour, and usually remains below, many tests having proved 8.5 and 88 pounds consumption per indicated horse-power. To utilize bet- ter these temperatures, and to work witb various loads with safety and nearly uniform economy, Mr. Schmidt has introduced the receiver heater with automatic valve. The idea is to keep a steady mean temperature of cyl- inder walls not higher than will make the lubrication unreliable for difterent rates of expansion. A few words may be said with regard to the cost of a superheated plant. Superheated steam engines use on an average 30 to 40 per cent. less steam than saturated steam engines of the same type. Consequently boilers can be made 30 per cent. sinaller, and the difference in price will nearly cover the cost of the superheater. For the same steam consumption the superheated steam en- gine is cheaper, as it may be worked with a lower boiler pressure, and it is simpler—i. e., instead of a compound engine with saturated steam, a single cylinder engine with superheated steam may be used, giving the same or better results than the former. With regard to oil consumption, it was found not to be more than that of an ordinary sattirated steam en- gine. For example, a 120 indicated horse-power engine used in 24 hours 4 pounds of oil, and a 300 indicated horse-power Corliss conipound engine 2.2 pounds in ten hours for both cylinders. In view of the great advantages of steam superheat- ing, and the great number of engines running at present satisfactorily, it is astonishing that a few failures have caused prejudices among some engineers, who make the general introduction of the use of superheated steam very difficult. It will be worth mentioning that the re- suits of a great number of trials have always proved a great saving in steam and coal, and even with small plants and simple piston valve engines almost the same geod economy is obtainable as with large engines with most exact valve gears. It is therefore recommended that superheated steam should be used in connection with all engines; the enly question to be settled is the degree of superheat, which largely depends on local cir- cumstances and the construction of the engine, and this matter should be left to the judgment of an experienced engineer. _— —_— > The Dry Tortugas Coaling Station.—The Navy De- partment has revoked the contract of the Union Bridge Company of New York City for the construction of a coaling station at Dry Tortugas, Fla., and has amended the specifications applying to that work. Bids will be opened at the Bureau of Yards and Docks on December 2 and the delinquent contractors will be compelled to reimburse the Government for the extra expenses in- volved in the matter. The time for the completion of the work is changed to nine calendar months from the date of new contract made for the completion of the work. A scheuule of prices for partial payments will be arranged upon the basis of,the contract price to com- plete. The provisions of the original specifications in regard to the receipt of bids are so far modified as to re- quire proposals for completing the work at Dry Tor- tugas in accordance with the contract, specifications and agreements, and these addenda, and the plans to which they refer, which can be seen at the Bureau of Yards and Docks, Navy Department, and at the naval station, Key West, Fla. The provisions in the original speci- fications with respect to penalties and premiums are modified to read: ‘“‘ For each calendar day of delay in the completion of the work beyond the time to be lim- ited in the new contract there shall be deducted from the contract price as liquidated damages the sum of $20.” oe ere FOGLE SR SE ia OS AOE RIE ee EET Re Te PEPER HE ORE EP DAE Ee HE SLANT te Sal OS Bap egy «er + a 4 THE IR¢ The Pratt & Whitney Screw Machine Adapted for Key Work. Our readers are familiar with the screw machine built by the Pratt & Whitney Company of Hartford, Conn., which is shown in the half-tone engraving, Fig. 1. For the purposes of the present article it is not nec- essary to mention more than the principal features of this tool. In this machine the turret usually receives six dis- tinct tools, including the gauging stop, but may be made when desired to carry either four or eight tools. On these machines every operation except the slotting of the head in the production of screws from wire or rod is performed successively without the removal of the work from the collet, stoppage of the machine, or [HE {RON AGE — N AGE. November 7, 1901 Equipment for Key Work. The features of the machine in which we are at tl: present time particularly interested are features whic! greatly increase its scope and the rapidity of its opera tion. The key upon which the work is to be performed has a shank and winged head, and by the latter it js grasped by a chuck of special design. One side of th: key is slabbed, this operation being performed by a tu ret tool also designed for this particular purpose. Bot! ot these tools are the invention of Clarence L. Good rich of the Pratt & Whitney Company, and are de scribed in their main details in the following: Before do ing this it may be well to mention that the chuck can by operated instantly, that its design is such as to provid au powerful grip, these operations being performed THE PRATT & WHITNEY SCREW MACHINE ADAPTED FOR KEY WORK. change of tools. The turrets are self rotating and selt fastening. The tools are held tirmly in the turret by means of a clamp which, by the partial turning of a The wire feed attachment is simple in construction and efficient in op- eration. It is not liable to derangement, and is operated by the movement of a hand lever. A forward move ment of the lever opens the jaws of the collet and feeds the rod forward to a length regulated by an adjustable stop gauge held in the turret. The reverse movement closes the jaws, which hold the rod firmly. These move- ments are performed instantaneously without stopping the machine, so that the use of the device results in a binding screw, embraces the tool shank great saving of time. There is furnished, when or- dered, a back geared double friction head which per- mits of change from fast to slow motion instantly by a short movement of the lever without stopping the ma- chine. There may be also attached to the turret a pow- er feed mechanism having adjustable automatic stop motion While the machine is in motion. Vhe slabbing tool is carried by the turret of the machine, and is brought into operation in the same way that the other tools are. The Chuck, The drawings, Figs. 2 to 8 inclusive, show the con struction of the chuck operating device. Fig. 2 is a lon gitudinal section through the spindle and chuck, Fig. ‘ is an end view looking from the left in Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 8, and Fig. 6 is a side view of th« front end of one of the work carriers with its work feeding device arranged to deliver an ordinary valv: plug. In this figure the head of the plug is shown en tering the jaw. Fig. 7 is a front view of the jaws of on of these work carriers and Fig. 8 is a modified arrange ment. The chuck @ is fitted upon the end of the spin dle b, which carries the usual cone pulley c. with opposing jaws, d dd’, It is formed which are fitted to slide transversely in suitable ways. The pinion e is jour aled in the chuck in such a way that its axis is par- llel with the movement of the jaws. The extended nds of this pinion, as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5, are rovided with right and left hand threads, which engage he jaws. End movement of the pinion is prevented by shoulder. In order that the pinion may be rotated to operate the aws during the operation of the work carrier it is pro- ided with a plunger, g’, sliding freely in the bore of the spindle. This plunger is made hollow in order to per- nit the insertion of rods which are to be operated upon. ts forward end carries a rack engaging with the pinion so that it serves to operate the jaws of the chuck vhen moved longitudinally. The plunger is splined to he chuck. Upon its left hand end is a dog, the arms if which extend outwardly through slots, i, in the spin- lle, and are clamped in the clutch sleeve j. The latter 1as an annular groove, j’, into which enters the fork , Which may be moved along the stud k’ by means of a iand lever, l’, and by this means operates the plunger which is in mesh with the chuck pinion. From the foregoing it will be perceived that the chuck may be operated equally well whether the spin dle is at rest or moving in either direction. In order that the device may be operated while the machine is in motion there is provided a work carrier, Fig. 6, which ESS November 7, 1901 THE IRON AGE. 5 ly in the fact that the plunger may be rotated as well as moved longitudinally. The result of this is that the jaws may be given a greater range of automatic move- ment, which, as here shown, is limited to the longitu- dinal movement of the plunger. To extend this range of inovement, and also when desired to increase the force of the gripping action, the plunger r, Fig. 8, is formed at its right hand end with the worm q instead of the rack mentioned above. In place of the pinion there is substituted the worm wheel p engaging with the worm. It will be seen that with this arrangement the worm wheel may be operated to open and close the jaws of the chuck by either the rotary or the longitudinal movement of the plunger, or by both of these movements, either simultaneously or in sequence. In order to move the plunger it is provided at its left hand end with a fric- tion disk, s, faced with a ring, t, of leather for engaging with the side of the clutch d, which, like the one just de- seribed, slides on a stud. This plunger is formed with shoulders constituting a thrust collar, w’, which takes the thrust of the worm, and at the same time limits the longitudinal movement of the plunger. Screwed to the’ Fig. 2.—Longitudinal Section through Spindle. THE n AGE ] Fig. 3.—End View Looking from the Left Fig. 2. THE PRATT & WHITNEY SCREW MACHINE ADAPTED FOR KEY WORK. delivers the work automatically to the chuck. The collet w' is mounted to. slide in a seat in the turret, being pressed outwardly by the spring n’, the extent of its mo- tion being controlled by the nut 0. The front end of the collet is recessed to received the shank of the plug. The chuek has two projecting guides, which act to guide the work between the jaws of the chuck as it is moved for- ward. The operation of the work delivering device is also independent of the direction of rotation. On account of the fact that it is frequently necessary to rotate the same piece of work first in one direction nud then in the other, the guides on the chuck are bev- eled back to the level of the face of the jaws. For the same reason the collet is pressed forward by a spring, so that if the work should be presented to the chuck while the latter is rotating in the wrong direction these in- clined portions of the guide will force the collet back against, its spring, thus avoiding all damage. This bev- eling of the guides also facilitates the entrance of the work when the carrier is rotated in the right direction, by increasing the angle of the are through which the work may find its way between the guides and into the openings. The collet is prevented from rotating with the work by means of a spline. Modified Construction, In Figs. 5 and 8 is represented a modified construc- tion of the work carrier which greatly extends its scope. This differs from that already described chief- plunger is a collar, between which and the friction disk is a spring, 7, which serves to press the spindle toward the left, and to cushion the action of the clutch against the friction disk. The jaws of the work clutch may be closed by mov- ing the plunger toward the right, or by holding the plunger against rotation, while the work carrier is mov- ing in the direction of the arrow 67, Fig. 5. It is ob- vious that the device may be adapted to close the jaws by reversing either or both of these movements by al- tering the direction of the lead of the threads on the worm and worm wheel. Whatever may be the prelim- inary movements the resistance of the jaws to the clos- ing movement ultimately reacts*through the worm gear as a nut to thrust the plunger toward the left, jamming its collar, w’, tightly against the collar bearing against the spring, and which, therefore, takes the pressure of holding the work. But since both this collar and the plunger rotate with the spindle when the work is gripped and while it is being operated upon there is then no loss of power through friction with external or stationary parts. When it is desired to release the work the direction of rotation of the spindle is reversed and the clutch is again brought against the friction disk to stop the rotation of the plunger. Turret Milling Tool. As previously stated. one side of the key, or plug, is to be slabbed. This work is accomplished while the ma- Rdieos ee lateoert ee nr STO LP ee NT ee TR oe pean AM ee eee ee . THE chine is in motion by means of the milling tool, shown in Figs. 9 to 12, which is carried by the turret head. It is well known that the ordinary turret heads are usual- ly adapted only to the turning of circular surfaces, or those which are concentric with the axis of rotation of the work or the tool, as the case may be. But it is fre- quently necessary to drill a hole or mill a surface which is not thus concentric. For this reason it has hitherto been considered necessary to make a separate operation of these unsymmetrical parts, or to stop the * Tit = ¢ g THE lRon AGE Fig. 4.—Cross Section on Line 3 3 of Fig. 2. work carrying spindle while the cut is being made by an independently operated tool. But by means of the de- vice here considered these operations may be performed while the machine is in motion in the usual way. We may state in parenthesis that the letters of reference in Figs. 10 to 12 do not represent corresponding parts of the drawings formerly considered. The work is carried by the chuck a, Fig. 10, the milling apparatus being mounted in the turret e. In the collet f, which is clamped to the turret in the usual way, is rotatably mounted the body g of the tool, which is held in place Tue IRon AcE Fig. 6.—Side Sectional Elevation of Work Carrier. PRATT THE by the nut A. The chuck is provided with engaging abutments so disposed as to bring the cutting tool into the required relation with the work. The tool frame re- ceives the spring actuated coupling pin j, which is car- ried in the arm i, this pin entering a suitable recess formed in the chuck. . Since in this case the milling tool is required to slab only one side of the key, there is no provision made for indexing to different positions, and it contains but one coupling pin. Provision is made so that if the pin be in- advertently brought forward against the chuck while the latter is rotating rapidly in the wrong direction no harm will result. The spindle o is mounted to rotate in the body of the frame, in this case being placed at right angles to the axis of rotation. In order to rotate the spindle when its frome, g, is rotated the spindle is suitably connected IRON AGE. & WHITNEY SCREW MACHINE November 7, 1901 with a nonrotating driver. In order to accomplish this there is secured to the spindle the beveled gear 0’, which meshes with the bevel gear o* cut in the end of the sta- tionary collet f, which thus serves as a driving gear for rotating the spindle 0, when the frame g is rotated with relation to the collet. The photograph, Fig. 9, will serve to make clear this construction. It will be understood from the two constructions de- scribed that modifications may be introduced, which will adapt them to an extremely wide range of work pP THE IRON Aor lig. 5.—End View on Line 4 4 of Fig. § hitherto not accomplished in the ordinary screw ma- chine. With a boy to feed it this machine will turn out from 750 to 1000 keys every ten hours. -_ _ * Corrugated Galvanized Iron and Steel Duty. The United States Treasury Department has made the following ruling on a case submitted by the Collec- tor of Customs at San Juan, P. R.: “The Department duly received your letter, dated June 11 last, concerning an apparent conflict between the decision of the Department, dated April 1, 1901 (T. D. 22,929), and an unpublished decision of the Board of United States General Appraisers, in a case which arose at your port, concerning the classification of corrugated galvanized iron sheets, valued at more than 3 cents per pound. Tue lRon Ace Fig. 7.—Front View of Jaws of Work Carrier. ADAPTED FOR KEY WORK. “The Department is in receipt from the Board of a copy of the decision in the matter of the protest of Palacios & Co., referred to by you, from which it ap- pears that the merchandise was assessed for duty at 12-10 cents per pound under paragraph 135, and two- tenths of 1 cent per pound additional in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 132 of the tariff act of July 24, 1897. The importers claimed that the same was properly dutiable at the rates provided .in paragraphs 131 and 132, respectively, of said act. “Tt is manifest that, as the sheets were valued at more than 3 cents per pound, they were excluded from classification under said paragraph 131, which provides for sheets of similar character, ‘ valued at 3 cents per pound or less,’ and the Board so held in overruling the protest and affirming the assessment of duty. “The merchandise in the case was entered on June November 7, 1901 THE 22, 1900, a date long anterior to the date of the Depart- ment’s decision above alluded to, although the decision of the Board was rendered May 28, 1901. “You are, therefore, hereby instructed to assess duty on galvanized iron sheets, corrugated or crimped, when valued at more than 3 cents per pound, at 45 per cent. ad valorem under paragraph 193, and at two-tenths of 1 cent per pound additional for galvanizing under para- graph 132 of the existing tariff act, while on similar IRON AGE. 7 ter a pretty long term of prosperity is again in a very bad way. And not only is there no prospect of improve- ment, but there is every reason to believe that things will be worse before they can be better. There is, for instance, no prospect of any increase in the volume of sea trade, with depressed industries on the continent of Europe, shortages in the maize and other crops of Amer- ica, and a restriction which promises to last some time of the exports of manufactures from the United States. Fiy. 8.—Longitudinal Section of a Modified Arrangement of Work Carrier. sheets of steel duty must be.assessed under the pro- visions of paragraph 135, and likewise the additional duty in accordance with paragraph 132 of said act, under the Department’s decision (T. D. 22,929, dated April 1, 1901).” ——————.__ Shipping, Shipbuilding and Steel in Scotland. GuLascow, October 17, 1901.—The demand for new ships seems to have dried up for the present, and though Therefore, unless vessels are laid up with a liberal hand the oversupply of tonnage will result in still further depression. Some few owners are already preparing to take their vessels out of commission during the winter, but the majority seem bent on pegging away anyhow, and some smart losses are being incurred. The evil will work its own cure in time, but the amount of new ton- nage at present in course of construction in this coun- try, in Germany and in America has to be reckoned with. A great deal of this new tonnage is for the regu- Fig. 9.—Turret Milling Tool. THE PRATT & WHITNEY SCREW MACHINE shipbuilders have plenty of orders booked they are now entering many more. Nor is the reason far to seek. The very low level to which ocean freights have de- scended precludes any possibility of profit in most branches of the shipping trade. Indeed, on most of the long voyage charters one hears of just now there must be certain loss, for while freights are lower bunker coal is not. It is six or seven years since freights on the principal routes were as low as they are now, but coal then was about 50 per cent. cheaper, and stores and other expenses were proportionately lower. There is, in short, no doubt whatever that the shipping industry af- ADAPTED FOR KEY WORK. lar lines, but there is an appalling proportion of the cargo tramp order, and heaven only knows where it is all to find employment after it leaves the builders’ hands. There has been plenty of cargo to carry this year, low as markets and freights have been, but there will be less and less as the months pass and as the world’s shipping increases. It is not to be denied that the outlook is very se rious, and that the seriousness is not confined to this country. It is, no doubt, something to be thankful for that two such great industries as shipbuilding and en- gineering are at present supplied with work for months —"s PLC TOA —_ oe Sree or + re St ESS ae ome oy A 8 THE to come. That means the active employment of a vast army of workmen, not only in the ship yards and engine shops, but also in the allied iron and steel works. But the reaction will be severe, as the contracts are worked off, unless a great improvement in international trade gives a new impetus to shipping. The only profitable employment of British ships just now seems to be in connection with the South African War. When that ) | jk] i (\| J \ a —= IRON AGE. November 7, 1901 haps, by the time the Germans are tired of working at a loss, consumption on your side will have eased dow: and we shall be treated to a new rush of American m: terial! Man—especially in the iron trade—never is, bu: always to be, blest. Generally speaking, I think it ma) be said that there is a diminution of buoyancy in th: steel trade since this month opened. case in Scotland. It is certainly th: LIPSPTSIO | THE IRON AGE Fig. 10.—Longitudinal Section Fig. 9. war is really over there will doubtless be a great indus- trial and commercial revival in South Africa, but there will also be a large amount of tonnage set free from transport service to resume place in the ocean competi- tion. The effect of all this has not yet been felt in the iron trade, but it will be in time. For the present iron and steel makers are very well employed, and they would be tolerably well content if only foreigners ceased to trouble and the coal question was at rest Their great complaint is the lowness of prices for man- ufactured products in relation to crude iron, coal and wages. And prices are being more and more cut into by Belgian and German producers. German ship plates are now being delivered right into the shipbuilding > GC p THE NA Fig. 11.—End View Milling Tool. THE centers; German steel has reached the Midlands, and German pig iron (hematite) has even penetrated Scot- land; while Belgian material driven out of Belgium it- self by the Germans is being pressed for sale every- where. This German competition is not a healthy de- velopment, but a sign of industrial disease. In order to keep works employed and to sustain the steadily shrink- ing home markets, producers are helped by the boun- ties granted by the iron and steel syndicate to force their products into foreign markets. It is a ruinous business which can only end in disaster if continued, but while it continues it keeps down our markets. Per- PRATT & WHITNEY SCREW MACHINE The steady demand which continues for pig iron is evidence, however, of good employment still in the fin- ished iron and steel works. It is certainly not due to foreign requirements, for our exports last month were only 70,474 tons, as compared with 112,947 tons in Sep- In some parts of the country there seems tember, 1900. Tus [Ron AGE Fig. 12.—HEnd View of Milling Tool on Line 2 2 of Fig. 10. ADAPTED FOR KEY WORK. to be a positive scarcity of crude iron, and in Scotland it is going direct into consumption as steadily as smelt- ers can turn it out. It is understood that the stocks held by makers are no more than is required in the nor- mal course of trade, and the quantity in public stores in Glasgow is only about 58,000 tons—a mere trifle. Yet the output of the second half will be greater than in the first half of the year, for we have now 84 furnaces in blast as compared with 81 a year ago. More furnaces have also been lighted up in Cumberland and the Mid- lands, and at the beginning of this month there were 343 furnaces in blast in.Great Britain, as compared with 328 —_ ey vw 3 “4 t the end of June. Most of the increase has been in ematite for steel making. For ordinary Cleveland iron he output seems to be still rather in excess of require- nents, since Germany has ceased to buy, and Cleveland vould be badly off but for the requirements of Scotch ounders. At present Cleveland foundry iron is coming nto Scotland at the rate of about 1000 tons per day. judging by your statistics there is not much prospect f American pig iron coming over here in any quantity or some time to come, but more foundry iron may come from Nova Scotia, and some hematite iron is coming rom Germany. We have also lately had a few thou- sand tons from Bilbao, Spain—not by any means a new xperience, as some commentators on the recent imports seem to think. It is not, however, of a very satisfactory juality. Scotch builders are still troubled with dear fuel, the price of splint coal suitable for the blast furnaces be- ng now 8 shillings 6 pence per ton at the pits. This is too high in relation both to the conditions of the iron trade and to the general condition of the coal market, but the supply of this fuel is in very poor hands, and our smelters have no recourse so long as they smelt with coal. I am not able to cite corroborative figures, but I am under the impression that Scotch smelters are now paying more for fuel per ton of iron produced than any other smelters in any part of the kingdom. The coal market, however, is exhibiting distinct signs of fatigue. The strike of Belgian miners and the reported intention of the French miners to declare a general strike on November 1 filled our coalmasters with hope of a nice little run of export demand. But while I write it looks as if both these strikes will fizzle out without affecting the situation at all. Meanwhile the Baltic shipping sea- son is drawing to a close, and no new orders are coming in from any quarter; at all events not in sufficient vol- ume to replace the contracts that are being worked off. Prices of export qualities have declined in Cardiff and Newcastle, and Scotland must follow suit. A drooping market just on the eve of winter does not look healthy for either coal owners or colliers, but the industrial con- sumer begins to have better hopes for the future when he sees coal on the down grade. The rivet, bolt and nut combination, of which I gave details on its formation last year, has just issued its first balance sheet. It shows a profit on the year of 52.- 103 pounds, from which 12,435 pounds is taken for de- preciation. After payment of preference diviaends there remains 32,000 pounds, out of which 5000 pounds is placed to reserve fund, 1462 pounds for formation ex- penses, 4334 for interest to venders on their cash bal- ances and 16,500 pounds is divided among ordinary shares at the rate of 6 per cent. per annum. This leaves a balance of 4800 pounds to be carried forward. The results seem fair enough for a start, but the combina- tion did not in the past year feel the full effect of the ac- tion of the shipbuilders, who united to put up works of their own. BY, _ The shipbuilding industry in the United States, ex- clusive of the United States Navy Yard, according to a preliminary report of the Census Bureau. just issued, had a total invested capital of $76,699,651 in 1900. This iS an increase of 181 per cent. since 1890. The value of products, including custom work and repairing, was $73,- 444,753, an increase of almost 93 per cent. There were 1083 establishments and 46,121 wage earners, with to- tal wages of $24,388,109; miscellaneous expenses, $3,582,- 257, and cost of materials used was $33,031,280. The Morgan Line steamer “ El Alba” was launched it Newport News on the 2d inst. She is the twelfth of the Morgan ships to be built there, at a cost of $600,000 each. The vessel is 404 feet long, and has a displace- ment of 6000 tons; her gross tonnage, 4665; net, 2905; breadth, 48 feet; depth, 33%, feet. The New York Aluminum Company of 142 Worth Street, New York, announce that they have bought the stock, factory and warerooms of Reymond & Gottlob, formerly at 831 Broadway and 109 Fulton street. November 7, 1901 THE IRON AGE. 9 Russia and America in the Far East.—ll. BY ALEXANDER HUME FORD. By far the larger part of our export to Asia eventual- ly finds its way to the Pecheeli Gulf ports and that part of China under Russian influence, yet we have no direct line of steamers from our Pacific coast to any part of the Asiatic continent north of Shanghai. Here Chinese junks take their diminutive cargoes and carry our prod- ucts to northern waters, in which our flag, familiar 20 years ago. is now forgotten, yet our trade with this portion of the world, at the beginning of the Boxer out- break, was increasing by leaps and bounds, and even now promises to become greater than ever before. The eight steamship companies sending boats from the Pacific coast of North America to Asia make Kobe on the Inland Sea, Nagasaki, at the southern end of Japan, and Shanghai, their principal way ports of call. At one of these points is transhipped every ton of Amer- ican material for Northern China not sent by the direct New York-Vladivostok line. From Nagasaki or Kobe it is 700 miles to either Port Arthur or Vladivostok, Russia’s two Pacific seaports and Trans-Siberian Railway terminals, situated as they are at either end of the rainbow like line of railroad through Manchuria. It would seem that Fusan, Korea, just 40 miles be- yond the straits of Shiminiseki, through which passes every American ship trading with Northern China and Japan, should be the principal port of distribution for all Northern Asia. Although directly in the pathway of all traffic Fusan is not even a stopping place for one of our steamers. Nearby, however, Russia has secured harbor privileges, and if her projected plans are carried out it is more than probable that here will be located the permanent terminus of the Trans-Asian Railway and the greatest commercial city of the Far East. With England, Germany, France, Japan and Russia each seeking to extend its sphere of influence, Asia promises to become the chief theater of action during the twentieth century, and it is not conceivable to a rational mind that America, after the sacrifices she is making, will forego the advantages which she has a righe to expect, without a struggle. Statisticians have proved to their satisfaction that before the first quarter of the new century has ended New York will have a greater population than London. Before that time the steady increase of the commerce of the Pacific, now valued at $5,000,000 annually, will in all probability far exceed that of the Atlantic. Seat- tle, Portland and San Francisco will have become the great American seaports, and the swift ocean grey- hounds, even now building, larger far than any ships upon the Atlantic, will swarm the Pacific waters, upon the borders of which must spring the great cities of the future. Vladivostok, New Chwang, Hong Kong and Manila seem destined in the twentieth century to be drawn nearer to our western coast than London now is to New York. The value of the commerce of Asia and Oceania, still in its infancy, amounts to $2,000,000,000 annually. Of this our share is but $150,000,000, although we, of all nations, are best equipped to supply almost every need and requirement of this market, which we have so long neglected. But suddenly there has arisen in Far Hast- ern waters a great American metropolis, Manila, second only to Hong Kong as a fort of entry, and superior as a commanding strategic base, both from a commercial and military standpoint. America’s Commercial Base in the Pacific. With this new base, midway between America and Africa, Siberia and Australia, dominating the richest portion of China and the entrance to the Indian Ocean, its conquest has made America for once and all a member of the quartette of great Powers destined to control and divide the world among themselves, and will compel the laying of cables across the Pacific, the cutting of one or more canals connecting the two great oceans, and the building up of an American merchant marine. mye } j HH [ae T 3 4 ¥r % Sa Bnet anne + ran “2 as A ret all tee eree nc ‘an vv °F Rat 3° eS ate pee g nt 10 THE IRON AGE. With the completion of the Nicaragua Canal the commerce of the Pacitic becomes the heritage of Amer- ica. Our newly established steamship lines to Manila will no longer have to traverse two-thirds of the dis- tance around the globe from New York to reach our Asiatic possessions, nor will the Japanese steamers, now calling at our Southern ports, be so handicapped that the cotton of India can compete with ours, even in India itself; while the great consuming hordes of Asia will be brought nearer to every mile of our eastern and western coast than they now are to the markets of Europe. It has been ably argued that