The Iron Age 1904-04-07: Vol 73 Iss 14

— PP <_— 1HE IRON AGE A Review of the Hardware, Iron, Machinery and y 8, “Gey,tades. Published every Thursday Morning by David Williams Co., 232-238 ate ns reg New York, vonuaie oo Vol. 73: No. 14. New York, Thursday, April 7, 1904. $5.00 a _Yer¥R, {J g Postage Single Copié- te Reading Matter Contents ......page 63 = : a Alphabetical index to Advertisers ‘‘ 23! Classified List of Advertisers... ‘‘ 223 Advertising and Subscription Rates “ 230 The .32 Autcmatic Colt Pistol Cartridge is loaded with a special high power smokeless powder, giving — velocity and operating freely through the mechanism of the Automatic Colt Pistol (pocket model). Those with the soft — bullet wiil be a desirable for sporting purposes, and those with metal case for military and target use. RIM FIRE CARTRIDGE S. The U. M. C. .22 automatic rifle (Winchester model 1903) cartridge is now ready for the market. New .% short ungreased, .22 long ungreased, and .22 Winchester inside lubricated are inexpensive rim fire cartridges loaded with the best grade of smokeless powder. Boys are calling for these cartridges as they can be carried loose in the pocket without the old inconvenience of the greased cartridge. They will not lead the gun. U. M. C. Ammunition shoots well in any gun. Bristol’s Patent Steel Belt Lacing. THE UNION METALLIC CARTRIDGE Co. SAVES Time, Belts, BRIDGEPORT, CONN. Money. Agency: 313-16 Broadway, New York Gity Depot : 86-88 First St., San Francisco, Gal. GreatestS: ; READY TO APPLY = FiMISHEDVOT With Least Me Send fer Circulars and Free Samples. THE BRISTOL CO., Waterbury, Conn. Also Linen and Italian Hemp sn set ae CAHALL BUILERS Sn Pag 8, Gapewell Horse Nails eee gaa. 11 Broadway, , New York. City Forge and Iron Co., Cleveland, O, NEW YORK, Branches: PORTLAND, ORE., 3 : z= PHILADELPHIA, BUFFALO, «2 ag Z> CHICAGO, DETROIT, BALTIMORE, Gee ez ST. LOUIS, CINCINNATI, NEW ORLEANS, wie § “2 BOSTON, SAN FRANCISCO, DENVER. PLATE PATTERN. SOFT COAL. FT COAL THE GAPEWELL HORSE NAIL GO., tartiord, Conn. PILLING & GRANE, iscsienrs Ct See on Page 31 Excelsior Straightway Back Pressure Valve is simple in construction and well made. Being fitted with the 5 Jenkins Disc, it is noiseless-and never sticks. Gives-long service, the scope of sizes of and can be relied upon at all times. Can be quickly thrown in and out of use without taking valve apart, It offers no resistance to the steam when wide open. Large Tinned JENKINS BROS., New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, London. Sheets | “Swedon’” Gold old Stel at Drang Stamping Manufactured by PE AMERICAN TUBE 6 STAMPING COMP cf . American MAGNOLIA METAL. Best Anti-Friction Metal for all Machinery Bearings. 7 ° Pac-Simile of Bar. Sheet and Tin % ieware’of Plate Co. : MAGNOLIA METAL CO., ad om iage naerbee ”"acwrtonc Rete tae, eset W\ Stee THE ANSONIA BRASS p” COPPER CO. MANUFACTURERS OF BRASS AND COPPER Seamless Tubes, Sheets, Rods and Wire. SOLE MANUFACTURERS Tobin Bronze (TRaDE-Mark REGISTERED.) Condenser Piates,Pump Linings, Round, Square and Hexagon Bars, for Pump Piston Rods and Bolt Forgings. Seamless Tubes for Boilers and Condensers. 99 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. New York Office, 253 Broadway, Postal Teiegraph Building, Room 715. Chicago Office, 602 Fisher Bldg. Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Co., LA SALLE, SMELTERS OF SPELTER AND MANUFACTURERS OF SHEET ZINC AND 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. ny rere ia " 1e am a rr als Bn Td _ THE IRON BRASS COPPER ; GERMAN { steer AGE, SHEET | THE PLOME 8 ATWOOD MEB. Co, MANUFACTURERS OF Sheet and Roll Brass A WIRE PRINTERS’ BRASS, JEWELERS’ METAL, GERMAN SILVER AND GILDING METAL, COPPER RIVETS AND BURRS. Pins, Brass Butt Hinges, Jack Chain, Kero- SVED ie eee oe WIRE Trimmings, &c. LOW BRASS. SHEET BRONZE. ' 29 murray sT., NEW YORK. SEAMLESS BRASS AND COPPER 144 cian ee ac TUBING. BRAZED BRASS AND cs BRONZE TUBING. :::::::: WATERBURY BRASS C€0., WATERBURY, CONN. 130 Centre St., New York. Providence, R. I. Bridgeport Deoxidized Bronze & Metal C0., BRIDGEPORT, CONN. Automobile Castings a Specialty. High Tensile Strength. Bronze and Aluminum Alloys. Write Us. ai pe ROLLING MILL : FACTORIES : THOMASTON, CONN. WATERBURY, CONN. SCOVILL MPG. COo., BRASS, GERMAN SILVER Sheets, Rolis, Wire Reds, Bolte and Tubes, Brass Shelis, Cups, Hinges, Buttons, Lamp Goods. SPECIAL BRASS GOODS TO ORDER Factories, WATERBURY, CONN. NEW YORK, DEPOTS: CHICAGO, BOSTOR. JOHN DAVOL & SONS, DEALERS IN COPPER, TIN, SPELTER, LEAD, ANTIMONY. 100 John Street, - New York. Arthur T. Rutter SUCCESSOR TO WILLIAM S. FEARING 256 Broadway, NEW YORK. Small tabing in Brass, Copper, Steel, Aluminum, German Silver, &c. Sheet Brass, Copper and Ger- man Silver. Copper, Brass and German Silver Wire. Brazed and Seamless Brass and Copper Tube. Copper and Brass Rod. “PHONO-ELECTRIC” ILLINOIS. SULPHURIC ACID. EAL La roe rass, Bro d WIRE. “it’s toucu.: ae buailesnen'e C A Ss T : N G Ss TROLLEY FOUNDERS-— FINISHERS. 9 and HENDRICKS BROTHERS le ee i Belleville Copper Rolling Mills, y LINES. Brazsiers’ Bolt ana Sheathing Bridgeport, BRIDGEPORT BRASS CO., Cc OD Pe PP BE RFR . Conn. 19 Murray St., New York. COPPER WIRE AND HRIVETS. rters and Dealers in Ingot Copper, Block Tin, Spelter, Lead, Antimony, etc. 49 CLIFF ST., NEW YORK. The Locomotive of To-Day. ‘a with ae and additions from the motive agazine.’’ Second edition. . Cloth. 200 °p pages, 37 illustrations. 16 a tone tes. 1903 For sale by David Williams Co., 232 Wiillam $i.,N.’. i AN TS te HE [RON AGE THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 1904. The Pfeiffer Spring Motor. A Mechanism for the Storage of Potential Energy. The term spring motor as applied to the mechanism illustrated herewith is used in a special sense which needs some explanation at the outset. It should not be confounded with a motor such as is used in driving a phonograph or a clock, where the winding is accom- plished in a few moments and the unwinding covers a period of considerably greater duration. With this ma- chine the winding and unwinding are going on practical- '~ simultaneously as long as it is in operation, and the field of usefulness; in short, for any use where a supply of power at a uniform rate is required but where the source is incapable of the necessary close regulation and constant speed. In the present case the winding is ac- complished by foot power, and it will be readily appre- ciated that it is not within the ability of the human ma- chine to act with the precision that is necessary to sup- ply power at an absolutely uniform rate. The particu- larly ingenious feature of this motor is the arrangement whereby the leverage of the foot treadles is altered ac- cording to the state of the spring winding, so that the same amount of power may be exerted when the spring is nearly wound as when it it but partly so. This was not the main object, however, so much as it was to pre- Fig. 1 End View of the Spring Motor, Showing Governor. whole object of the apparatus is to provide means for equalizing the input and output of energy, so that being applied in an intermittent or inconstant manner it may be <elivered at a uniform rate and constant speed. In other words, it provides for the transformation of sur- plus kinetic energy into potential energy, to be recon- verted and delivered as kinetic energy when the input falls below the output. In this respect it may be com- pared to a storage battery as used to balance the load on a power plant. Or, as another comparison, this motor is to the passage of mechanical energy what a reservoir is in hydraulics or a receiver in pneumatics, an accumu- lator to smooth out fluctuations. It is the invention of Clifton, Pfeiffer, and is manufactured by the New Britain Hardware Mfg. Company, New Britain, Conn. While it was designed primarily for use in connection with auto- matic piang players, it is also adapted to a much greater vent excessive winding. That point is safeguarded so that as the winding proceeds the rate of winding de- creases until, when the spring is completely wound, it is impossible to apply further power through the treadles. The external appearance of the machine is shown in the three half-tones, Fig. 1 being an end view, Fig. 2 a three-quarter view showing one side, and Fig. 3 a three- quarter view of the opposite side. The construction of the winding feature and speed governor is shown in Figs. 4 and 5. It will be seen that the motor has three shafts driven by a train of gears. At the rear, mounted in bearings separate from the main frame of the motor, is the winding shaft, on the left end of which is mounted the spring drum, and upon the right end the winding clutches, and in front of this are two other shafts, the first being called for convenience the power shaft and the second the speed shaft. A large spiral gear on the 2 THE IRON AGE. speed shaft engages a smaller spiral gear, which is cut in the vertical shaft of the governor. The two sprockets at the left, each of which is loosely mounted on its shaft, are nonessential parts of the mechanism, except in its application to a piano player, where they are used for turning the spools and for winding and rerolling the music record. Being connected to the spool shafts by light chains, the one on the power shaft winds the music sheet while it is playing and the one on the speed shaft rerolls it. The speed shaft runs eight times faster than the power shaft, and the sprockets are driven through clutches so arranged that when one is engaged the other is thrown out. The spring winding mechanism consists of two clutch wheels fast on the shaft, each clutch having an arm loosely mounted on its hub, as seen in Fig. 3. The con- Fig. 2.—Perspective from Governor Side. struction of this part is best indicated in Fig. 4, A being the arms and B rollers engaging wedge shaped blocks, C, which fit into bevel grooves in the clutch rims. A slight pressure of the roller on its wedge block provides a strong holding power. The free ends of the arms are connected to levers D, to which the pedals are attached. The levers are formed with slots near the ends, where they connect to the clutch arms, and in these slots are rollers mounted on studs in a movable fulcrum block which provides support for both levers. In winding the motor the pedals are depressed alternately, causing the slotted levers to rock on the fulcrum, lifting the ends of the clutch arms and rotating the clutch wheels. The spring is prevented from unwinding during the reverse movement of either clutch arm by the other arm being then in action. The equalizing mechanism consists of concentric shafts, each having a bevel pinion at one end. The pin- ion on the power shaft sleeve meshes with a bevel gear secured to the hub of the spring drum, and the other pinion meshes with a bevel gear on the winding shaft. For part of its length the inner shaft is threaded and works in the part nut G, which extends through a slot in the outer shaft. The fulcrum block has an offset sleeve mounted on the equalizer shaft, which has an internal annular groove which engages a lug projecting from the nut. It will be seen from this construction that the rotation of the spring drum tends to move the fulcrum in one direction and the rotation of the wind- ing shaft in the opposite direction, but if both rotate simultaneously at the same speed the fulcrum will re- main stationary. The relation of the sizes of the gears and the pitch of the screw are such that by means of the shifting fulcrum the leverage is automatically maintained at a value which is in direct proportion to the tension of the spring. The bevel gear on the winding shaft will revolve the inner shaft of the equalizer while the winding is taking place, if the motor is not running, and the screw will move the fulcrum on the rocking levers, thus changing the leverage on the winding mech- anism with the increasing tension of the spring until, when it is completely wound, the fulcrum has been April 7, 1904 shifted so near the end of the clutch arms that winding is not effected by further operation of the treadles. When the motor is started the bevel gear on the spring case revolves the outer shaft of the equalizer, moving the fulcrum in the opposite direction. If the winding equals the speed of the motor the fulcrum will remain stationary, as before stated, and the motor may run indefinitely by maintaining the speed of the winding. If desired, the winding may be made to exceed the un- winding and so accumulate power which may be used while the pedals are not in use. The motor is controlled by means of a quick acting centrifugal governor of novel construction, which en- ables the operator to vary the speed as desired and responds instantly to any variation. The construction of the governor is shown in Fig. 5. The vertical shaft, which was previously referred to as being driven by a spiral gear at its upper end, is pinned near the bottom to a pair of arms, the outer ends of which are pivoted to the ball arms. The balls are normally constrained toward one another by spiral springs, but when in mo- tion centrifugal force throws them apart with the effect that the sleeve H is raised by short arms which are part of the ball levers. The upper end of the sleeve is , expanded in the form of a disk, in the upper surface of which is a tapered groove, I. The conical pin J, the ver- tical travel of which is adjustable, projects into the tapered groove of the disk and causes friction in pro- portion to the upward pressure exerted by the sleeve against it. The position of the pin J determines the speed. If it is raised the motor can increase its speed until the centrifugal force throws the balls further apart and raises the sleeve and brings it once more in contact with the pin. In the same manner lowering the pin causes the disk to come in contact with it at a lower speed when the governor balls are less distended. In the governor, as illustrated, the vertical adjustment of J is accomplished through a cam, K, the follower being held against it by a compression spring surrounding the pin. The cam K may be moved by a lever secured to its hub, to which is attached a rod leading to a position within convenient reach. It will be seen, then, how Fig. 3.—Perspective from Side of the Winding Mechanism. perfectly the machine is under control at all times, for, with the winding automatically cared for, the operator need give no more heed to his feet than he would in driving a bicycle, and may confine his attention to watch- ing and regulating the speed. The Hendey Machine Company Not Sold.—The Hendey Machine Company, Torrington, Conn., have not disposed of their machine tool business to the Prentice Brothers Company, as was stated in these columns last week. Through an unfortunate blunder in our composing room the first line of two separate items was transposed, which led to this regrettable mistake. The incorrect para- graph was intended to announce the sale by the Johnson & Prentice Company, Worcester, Mass., of their entire machine and tool business to the Prentice Brothers Com- pany of that city. We trust that the error has not caused any trouble or serious annoyance to the parties whose names were thus unintentionally confused. ee es April 7, 1904 +s Nickeloid,’”’ A Nickel Coated Sheet Zinc. About the middle of the nineteenth century the process of depositing nobler metals on baser ones for the purpose of preserving the same as well as adding to the appearance became a practical art. Silver and gold were the first to be adopted, as they gave greater oppor- tunity for profits. The first plating was done by batteries and was necessarily expensive and unsatisfactory, especially where large work was done. The invention, however, of dynamos with a low voltage suitable for depositing metals (about 6 volts) solved the problem and made it practical to plate large work, such as parts of stairways, metal ceilings, &c. Brass and copper were the first to be coated with nobler metals, such as nickel, gold and silver, and as the solutions made for this purpose were suitable only for depositing on these metals, it was cus- tomary to plate iron, zinc, &c., with copper before de- positing nickel, silver, &c., on them. This led to the be- lief that no other metal except copper could be deposited direct on zinc or steel, and when a coating of nickel, for instance, was desired, a previous coating of copper was resorted to, which, of course, increased the cost of plating considerably. As the importance of the art grew platers and chemists devised new processes to plate direct, and to-day all up to date factories do the work in this way. The demand of late years for small articles nicely polished and plated has developed a new industry, that of manufacturing nickelized sheet zinc. This metal is admirably adapted for use in manufacturing ice box linings, toys, mouth organs, reflectors, house numbers, MIN 6— a em aa) ib. KOM os ery WS i —— gy ee on Le \J Detail of * THE IRON AGE. 3 manufacturers, who moved to this country to avoid the tariff on their articles, imported it from there. This led to domestic manufacture, which at first was only partly successful, owing to the difficulty of obtaining a soft Fig. 5.—Detail of the Governor. adhesive coating of nickel which would not peal or crack in working. A heavy deposit of nickel will turn grayish in stamping owing to numerous little cracks too small to be seen by the naked eye. < J / efi Fulcrum. ( { B = éc ©. "3 x A 62— ‘ fp —_{—~} D . 1: | 7 \/ ( ’ ‘A | iy Lt NS - aed © } * } Kf lig. 4.—Detail of the Construction of the Winding Mechanism. THE PFEIFFER SPRING MOTOR. bottle caps, metal signs, buttons, dog collars and thou- sands of other articles. The great advantage of nickel- ized zinc is its low cost and durability. Zinc, as is known, is proof against rust, though liable to tarnish; but when coated with nickel, which is the least liable to tarnish of all metals except gold, and nearly eqvfal to the same in this respect, it will keep its bright polished appearance for years. It is well known to manufacturers that the principal cost in plating and polishing small articles is the labor. By plating and polishing the large sheets automatically before the articles are stamped in polished dies the cost is reduced from one-half to sometimes one-fifteenth of the regular cost. This industry originated in Germany, and German The most serious obstacle in plating zinc with nickel is its liability to be attacked by acids and alkalies, and even a neutral solution of nickel ammonium sulphate (Ni NH,SO,) will attack zinc. When an attempt is made to plate zinc in this solution, which is now universally used as the standard for depositing nickel on bases other than zinc, it prevents the nickel from becoming alloyed with the zinc, and a resistance is set up against the cur- rent by the action of the sulphates on the zinc which requires a strong current from the dynamos to over- come. If not overcome the articles in the bath turn black instead of being coated wtih nickel. On the other hand, if the current is strong enough to overcome these difficulties, new ones are encountered by getting what is known to the trade as a “burnt deposit” on parts of perenne 4 THE IRON AGE. the work nearest the anodes, where the current is the strongest. This deposit is very difficult to polish and in extreme cases cannot be polished at all. As the difficulties encountered in first attempts of direct nickel plating on zine were too numerous to make the process practical, a previous coating of copper was resorted to. This, however, was never entirely practical, as, in the first place, it increased the cost and also made the work more complicated, leaving more liability of de- fective work. In working sheets manufactured by this process the nickel has been frequently found to peal off the copper deposit, which, of course, makes the article unfit for use; besides, a nickel deposit on copper has, when stamped, the grayish appearance already alluded to. The sheets prepared in this manner can always be told by the black sulphide formed on the back in the nickeling process, while those plated direct have the natural color of zinc. The American Nickeloid & Mfg. Company, Peru, IIL, are the originators of nickel coated and polished sheet THE WORCESTER INSTITUTE AUTOMOBILE TESTING zine in this country, having engaged in business four years ago. By persistent efforts they have during their existence continually improved the product and decreased the cost of manufacture. Their success in this was not, however, complete until about a year ago, when their chemist discovered a solution for depositing nickel direct on zinc whereby a soft deposit can be had which is perfectly alloyed to the zinc base. Since the adoption of this process the old complaints from customers of goods that would peal or had a brittle deposit is unknown. a n--— - Fire at Rankin Works.—On Monday morning, April 4, the wire nail factory at the Rankin Works of the American Steel & Wire Company, at Rankin, Pa., was completely destroyed by fire. The fire was confined en- tirely to the wire nail mill, none of the other departments of the plant being injured in any way. With numerous other wire nail plants available, the American Steel & Wire Company will suffer no delay whatever in the filling of orders. The burned portion of the Rankin Works will be rebuilt as fast as possible. April 7, 1904 An Automobile Testing Equipment. Judging from statements made by those who are in a position to know, there has never been a thoroughly satisfactory standard basis upon which to compare the various makes and types of automobiles. ‘To be sure, there have been plenty of road tests for speed and en- durance, which may be quite sufficient for the owners, but among engineers in this profession they mean little, as they do not indicate in what direction mechanical im- provement is needed. In outdoor tests there are certain conditions which affect the results that cannot be elimi- nated, and, moreover, there is no chance to make use of instruments having a nice degree of refinement. One annoying result of the present lack of a standard rating is that when a maker describes a machine as one of 20 horse-power, it may mean that tbat is the maximum capacity of the engine or motor, or it may mean its normal capacity, or it may mean the estimated capacity at the driving wheels based on the tractive effort. THE IRON AGE PLANT. With the end in view of attaining some system of standardizing the rating of automobiles the Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Mass., is establishing an automobile testing station, with the intention of using it in regular experimental laboratory work, and also for a certain amount of commercial testing. A sketch of the proposed plant shown in the accompanying illustra- tion is from the designs of Prof. C. M. Allen of the de partment of mechanical engineering. It will be located in the mechanical laboratory on the ground floor, and arranged so that an automobile may be run directly into the building and into position for the test. The testing apparatus comprises a shaft supporting two large pulleys or drums 24 inches of more in diam- eter, ipon which the rear wheels of the automobile will rest. The shaft projects beyond the pulleys for the attachment of an Alden absorption dynamometer, and a traction dynamometer will be placed back of the ma- chine and connected to its rear axle or driving shaft, so that a pull in either direction can be accurately meas- ured on the platform scales shown in the drawing. The Alden dynamometer will furnish the loads required in testing, and may also be used to check the results ob- April 7, 1904 tained by the traction dynamometer. Revolution count- ers and tachometers will indicate the speed and the equiv- alent distance travel. In the tests the most important value to be deter- mined is the power delivered at the driving wheels, but where more complete tests are wanted the engine may be indicated or power may be applied from some out- side source through a transmission dynamometer to get the friction load and show what power is used when the engine is running idly with the machine standing still. For the determination of efficiency a test of short dura- tion may be made, and for endurance, tests covering a longer period may be run with varying loads within the power limits of the automobile. The results obtained from each test will be plotted, giving curves showing the relations between various quantities, such as the actual horse-power applied at the rim of the driving wheels and the speed, the fuel consumed per horse-power per hour and the distance covered, or other relations simi- lar to those used in the standardization of steam or gas engines. It has not been fully decided just what relations will be selected, but whatever they may be the same ones will be used in all tests as the basis of stand- ardization. The Polytechnic station, as planned, is similar in principle to a locomotive testing station, where one of the chief values to be determined is the draw bar pull— i. e., the pull required of a locomotive to draw a train. That which corresponds to the draw bar pull of an auto- mobile is entirely consumed in overcoming resistance and in accelerating the speed, and it was the main pur- pose in designing this station to afford means of meas- uring this quantity. The driving wheels rest upon pulleys which represent the road bed, and are large enough to reduce slip to a degree corresponding to that existing on the road. When the driving wheels are revolving in a direction to send the machine forward the tractive effort is registered on one set of scales, and when the machine is reversed, on a second set of scales. The vari- ous loads which must be applied to produce an equiva- lent of hill climbing can be accurately determined by adding corrections for friction, &c., to the theoretical equivalent of the power required to ascend a hill of a certain elevation, which is the amount necessary to lift the weight of the machine straight upward the same distance in the same time. It is planned to check the hill climbing loads by dynamometer tests on the road. Throughout the tests corrections will be applied to the results as in all other laboratory work. It is believed that the outcome of these tests will be the establishing of a satisfactory standard which will be not what the engine can develop, but what the en- gine can deliver at the rim of the driving wheel after deducting the energy necessary to overcome the friction of the transmission gearing and all other mechanism not used directly for propelling. The standard, according to this scheme, would then be the draw bar pull at a given speed and could readily be reduced to horse-power. Automobile manufacturers who have been acquainted with the plan proposed by the Worcester Polytechnic Institute are showing considerable interest in it, for if it proves successful such a testing plant will be well worth having in their own establishments as a substi- tute for present means of automobile testing, which they themselves acknowledge are rather crude. ———_—_.--e—————. The Decay of Metals. An elaborate report with a series of microphotographs on the decay of metals has been submitted to the Institu- tion of Civil Engineers by James Tyler Milton and Wil- liam J. Larke. In the introduction they say: In many constructions the choice of some of the ma- terials used is determined more by their durability under conditions of working than by their strength or other qualities, a more expensive and weaker material being chosen in preference to a cheaper and stronger, on ac- count of its resisting corrosion better than the latter. Ex- amples of this are afforded by the use of copper, brass, gun metal, or some of the special bronzes, in places where, THE IRON AGE. 3 except for their want of durability, the stronger and cheaper iron or steel would be preferable. The ordinary oxidation of iron and steel will not be dealt with; but a deterioration which sometimes occurs in cast iron and other metals, from causes which are to some extent ob- secure, will be considered. This deterioration will be gen- erally referred to as decay. As indicating the important bearing of the subject upon practical work, the following examples of deterioration may be mentioned: 1. The pitting of the tubes of marine surface condens- ers, which is a source of frequent trouble to marine engi- neers. 2. The decay of brass or yellow metal bolts in com- posite vessels, and in the underwater fittings of iron and steel ships. 3. The decay of the brazing metal in copper steam pipes. 4. The deterioration, as distinguished from oxidation, of cast iron used for parts of marine engines, and also for other appliances which are in frequent or continuous con- tact with sea water. 5. The decay of some propellers made of certain bronzes, when fitted to copper bottomed vessels. The most serious feature of such deterioration which has been observed is that the action to which it is de- sired to call attention seems to be erratic; considerable trouble arises in certain cases, while in others, under sim- ilar conditions, no such results occur. Further, the action often proceeds to a considerable extent before ordinary examination will reveal it, because the metals when de- teriorated preserve their original external appearance. Summarizing the whole subject, it would appear that: 1, Decay is more frequent in metals which have a du- plex or more complex structure than in those which are comparatively homogeneous. 2. Decay is due to a slower or less energetic action than that causing corrosion; moreover, it requires an action which removes part only of the constituents of the metal, whereas corrosion removes all the metal attacked. 3. Both decay and corrosion may result from chemical action alone, or from chemical and electrolytic action com- bined. 4. Pitting, or intense local corrosion, is probably often due to local segregation of impurities in the metal; but it may also in some places be due to favorable conditions furnished by local irregularities of surface or gructure producing local irregularities in the distribution of gal- vanic currents. 5. For brass exposed to sea water, tin is distinctly preservative, while lead and iron are both injurious, ren- dering the alloy more readily corrodible. The percentage of the two latter metals should therefore be kept as low as possible in all brass intended for purposes where con- tact with sea water is inevitable. 6. With a view to obtain a minimum of corrosion, the internal surfaces of condenser tubes should be as smooth and uniform as possible; and in order to insure this con- dition the cast pipe from which they are drawn should be smoothly bored inside, either before the drawing is com- menced, or in an early stage of the process, as is done in the manufacture of brass boiler tubes. 7. The experiments with an applied electric current show that electrolytic action alone, even where exceeding- ly minute currents are employed, may result in severe cor- rosion or decay. Every effort, therefore, should be made to prevent such action by careful insulation of all elec- tric cables. Where galvanic action is inevitable, through the proximity of different metals exposed to the same electrolyte, the currents resulting should be neutralized by the application of zine plates in the circuit, so arranged that they will be negative to both of the other metals. —_—>-e—____ The Hendey Machine Company, Torrington, Conn., have brought suit in the United States Circuit Court at Boston against the Prentice Brothers Company, Worces- ter, Mass., alleging an infringement of a patent on a quick change back gear speed device for engine lathes. i 6 THE IRON AGE. High Speed Steels.* BY WILLIAM LODGE, CINCINNATI, OHIO. High power cutting steels have been, are now, and will be in the future responsible for a greater onward and upward movement in the industry of machine mak- ing. The possibilities for machining metals, particular- ly so far as lathes are concerned, have been increased at least fourfold in the manipulation of wrought iron and steel, and at least threefold in the working of castings. To obtain full benefit, however, of the utility of the steels, it has become necessary, in order to equalize all the conditions, not only to redesign the machines them- selves, but also to rearrange the old methods of both holding and driving the work. New methods of mount- ing and holding, as well as dressing and grinding, the tools are demanded, and while this may not apply so very seriously to small jobbing shops, it is one of the most sig- nificant questions that manufacturing concerns have to deal with. Acceleration of Pace Briugs Great Changes. There has never been a period in the history of the machine making industry comparing with the present in the matter of acceleration of pace of whole estab- lishments. This has been brought about by the advent of high speed steels. Manufacturing establishments that formerly got‘ along reasonably well with the old meth- ods of handling, storing, distributing and succession of the work in course of construction, will find it necessary to make a complete change in order that the various processes may uniformly keep abreast with each other in the rapid movement of the work going through the fac- tory. High class mechanical engineers are necessary in order to lay out suitable stock rooms to receive in their proper proportion all goods that come under the class of merchandise and that are bought ready to go into the machines, such as cap screws, set screws, nuts, bolts, washers, taper pins, name plates, index plates, &c. Other means will become necessary for storing cast- ings, both large and small; also the means of taking care of bar stock, covering all the different grades and shapes, such as square and flat cold rolled, square and flat rough stock, &c. They should be arranged in such a manner that even boys or men of light build may readily handle them from the rack to the machines and out again. The stock room man must be in evidence, as must the receiving clerk, the f®outing official, for routing the work through the establishment and the conveying system for deliv- ering the goods from the yards to the cranes of the shop and for rapid distribution to and from the various machines. Better arrangements must be had for laying out for tools throughout the factories, leaving more space for work around them. In this respect an utter and en- tire change will be necessary. Standard gauges and measuring instruments of all descriptions must be provided, dnd duplicate part systems of manufacture, making it possible for every piece to be made entirely without reference to the piece to which it is assembled must be extended. Millions of dollars that have been expended in the various features above described and rendered obsolete by changed conditions must now be given careful attcn- tion, and these millions must be saved in order to main- tain the United States in the foremost rank of manu- facturing nations. All our manufacturers will find it necessary to in- augurate and carry out a most vigorous campaign in their establishments, covering not only the conditions named, but also the still more important ones of equipping with the up to date appliances necessitated by the procurance of all the benefits conferred by the high speed steels. New Methods ot Driving and Chucking Required. The following statements will give some idea of the possibilities along these lines as taught by the experiences in our own establishment. In testing some of the machines designed especially for high speed work our company have expended thousands of dollars in order to determine just the kind of drive ° Prepared for the sixth annual convention of the National Metal Trades Association. April 7, 1904 that must be applied where motor drives cannot be used and we have met with many and great surprises in con- ducting these various experiments. Speaking of lathe work, the old time thrust bearing, with all the frictions which had been incorporated into the former designs, is found to be a great barrier to the use of high speeds. New designs have become neces- sary in order to obtain means of applying the power so as to deliver it to the cutting tool itself with the least possible expenditure in friction. In conducting these sev- eral experiments we used a 30 horse-power motor with an ammeter attached (so that the power could readily be read by observing the finger of the ammeter) and found through the mere matter of friction alone a diminution of more than one-half of the horse-power. I mean by this that if sufficient speed is applied to the old style design of engine lathe to take advantage of the high speed steels, the friction engendered through the running of the cone pulley on the spindle and the thrust bearings and centers consumes an amount of power that almost at once makes the power plant inadequate to the calls made upon it, in the attempt to take advantage of the possibilities in the steel. New and better designs were found to be necessary. Then comes the necessity of testing the value of the different steels offered, and while these have varied in the past year to a very large extent, the tool steel manu- facturers are, all of them, working with the utmost care and intelligence, and our later experiments have shown a wonderful improvement in uniformity and staying quali- ties. For reasons well understood it would not be either wise or fair to the different manufacturers to make a public statement at this time as to which of the steels has been developed so as to give the very best results. It soon became apparent, while following this subject, that newer and better methods of chucking the work and of holding it to meet the strenuous conditions were neces- sary. The old time bent tail dog must give way to some- thing very much more substantial. The old methods of obtaining diameters quickly and with certainty, which consisted in the lathe hand taking a light cut, trying his calipers, then another, and another, and another, until the desired diameter is obtained, must be dispensed with; and ready means for getting correct diameters, feeds, &c., by an unskilled workman must be adopted. To a great extent, the old time universal lathe, that was good for all jobs, must give way to the lathe made for its own particular work in manufacturing establishments. I do not mean by this that the regular ordinary type of lathe must be abandoned; it will always be a necessity; but possibly one-half of the lathes installed in the future will be designed more especially for a given class of work, with all the facilities for rapidly machining the work with the least possible consumption of both labor and power. I have no doubt it will be a matter of great surprise to some of our members to hear that I have seen, within two weeks, a lathe running 29 hours at 270 feet per min- ute, reducing bars of steel 344 inches in diameter to 3 inches, sufficiently true, at one cut, to be delivered to the grinding machine, and without regrinding the tool one single time during the entire period. This created a difference in the time of machining this piece of from one hour, under the old system, down to 2% minutes with the new, and produced a better piece of work. This seems incredible and yet is perfectly easy to prove to any one sufficiently interested to take the trouble to in- vestigate. I have seen a tool stand up a solid hour on cast iron running at 125 feet per minute and removing scale. It must not be imagined, however, that such re- sults as these are obtainable from machines of the regu- lar design. Not only must the machine be made to suit the new conditions, but the methods of holding and driv- ing the work and the methods of holding and grinding the tools must be changed. Disadvantage to the Tool Builder. Under these new conditions the machine tool maker is very often put at a great disadvantage. When the pros- pective purchaser becomes acquainted with some of the facts mentioned above he is immediately willing to place an order, provided the results are guaranteed, but is gen- erally dissatisfied with the results he obtains when he gets the same machine in his own shop. The desired re- sults may be shown to him in the works of the tool builder, but finding when he gets the machine in use that the results do not follow in his own shop he is too much inclined to lay the whole blame on the shoulders of the tool builder, who, in any event, makes only one profit when he sells the machine, while the man buying the machine could make an enormous profit each day, provided his shop was properly arranged and equipped to obtain the full etficiency of the tool. I have a case in mind where a certain machine was delivered over a thousand miles from the shops of the manufacturer to a customer who, having failed signally in making use of the machine, refused to pay for it, re- quiring the manufacturer to send some one this distance and virtually revolutionize the conditions in the shop. He then refused to reimburse the manufacturer on the ground that the machines were sold to do this work and that it was the business of the maker of the machines to actually demonstrate their qualities to him in his own establishment. If this spirit is displayed very extensively it is going to stop the progress that is obtainable by the sheer fact that the man who gets the advantage is not willing to shoulder his part of the burden of creating proper conditions in his shop. It must be borne in mind, when dealing with this subject, that a little difference in the hardness of the material upon which these high speed steels are engaged makes a great difference in the number of feet per min- ute at which they may be run. Ordinary mild steel can be turned all day long at 180 feet per minute with \4- inch feed and %-inch reduction; in fact, I have seen this done on steel of 0.20 carbon (or, at least, the steel was sold for 0.20 carbon, but we made no analysis of it to prove that this was exactly correct). Again we recently saw some cast iron rolls which had formerly had never less than two, and frequently three cuts, turned from the rough casting at one cut at 150 feet per minute ’ with -inch feed, %4-inch reduction and the work was nice enough to go to the grinding machine. In the matter of deep drilling of lathe spindles of 0.50 carbon that formerly took five hours (and many of them are taking this amount of time to-day), we are now finishing the pieces in 30 minutes. The former speed of 40 revolutions per minute was changed when boring a 1 9-16-inch hole to 400 revolutions per minute, and the feed from 3-1000 per revolution to 6-1000 per revolution. We also find quite a little opposition in installing high speed machines from the men who run them. In referring to one shop only as an illustration I might say: The man had expended from 7 until 8:30 in the morning without starting his machine, and when approached by the foreman to know why the machine was not running, he said he had to take some time to clean up, and the foreman, inquiring if 15 minutes was not sufficient to wipe off the machine, was answered, “I am tired and have to rest.” This lost him his place. The second man lost his place because he consumed more time in putting the work in and out than in the actual doing of it. These are matters, however, that will be adjusted in the hands of efficient managers. It must be remembered that much more space around each machine is required, both for the stock in the rough and for the finished stock. I have found this from our own experience and point it out so that some one else may not meet with the same difficulty, and thus save a rearrangement of the machine, with all that it involves in the matter of adjusting pulleys on the line shaft, countershafts, shifters, &c. What I have said is barely a synopsis of what may be said on the subject, but I trust is sufficient to set all of you to thinking, and I want to assure you that there is no intention on my part to secure any personal ad- vantage, but merely to direct the attention of the mem- bers of the Metal Trades Association, or at least those who are not aware of it, to what is going on, because it is better to be in advance than to have other nations force us, through their superior knowledge of this sub- ject, to follow them. The period is not far distant when we shall find the markets of the world a necessity, as the rapid growth April 7, 1904 THE TRON AGE. 7 of our industry in our own country has already brought our production to a point where it is likely to be greater than the consumption. In order to compete for the mar- kets of the world, especially in view of the labor condi- tions we have to contend with, it behooves all of us to be on the alert and to see to it that no stone is left un- turned that will assist us in our endeavors to become the foremost industrial nation, and to make our product so well known the world over that the mere statement that an article is made in America will be sufficient for the buyer to take it for granted that it is as represented in every particular, and that the mere offering of it should mean its sale. sa lait The Production of Iron Ore in 1902. In the last six years the iron ore output of the United States has doubled in quantity. John Birkinbine, who has been collecting iron ore statistics for the United States Geological Survey since 1889, when the first systematic effort in that direction was made, calls attention to the fact that, in spite of fluctuations in the iron and steel in- dustry, there has been a general advance in the produc- tion of iron ore, the output of 1897 being less than 50 per cent. of that of 1902. His report on the production of iron ores in 1902 is soon to be published as part of the annual volume of Mineral Resources. The quantity of iron ore produced in the United States in 1902 amounted to 35,554,135 gross tons, valued at $65,- 412,950, an increase of 23 per cent. over the production of 1901, and of 103 per cent. over that of 1897. The iron ore produced in the year 1902 was obtained from mining operations carried on in 23 States and two Territories. Minnesota, with 15,137,650 tons to her credit, heads the list. Michigan, with 11,135,215 tons, stands second. Ala- bama, with a tonnage of 3,574,474, is the only other State that passes the million ton mark. Red hematite is by far the most important class of iron ore produced in this country. Minnesota’s entire out- put consisted of red hematite. Out of the 35,554,135 tons produced all ,over the country in 1902, 30,532,149 tons were red hematite. In addition to the iron ore mined 65,246 tons of zinc residuum were used as iron ore in 1902. As Minnesota was the largest producer in 1902, it is natural to find that the Mesaba range, the chief contribu- tor to its iron fame, far outranked the other iron ranges of the Lake Superior region in point of production. The Mesaba produced 13,080,118 tons, whereas the Menominee range, which ranked second, produced only 4,421,250 tons. No other country can equal the United States in its astounding record of large producers. Whether or not this is a distinction to be coveted is a question for the student of social conditions rather than the statistician. The latter’s figures show that 10,272,780 tons of iron ore came from eight mines, and 16,248,280 tons from 18 mines, the shipping operations of all of which, with two excep- tions, are limited by climatic conditions to about 200 days annually. Only 126 operators produced 88 per cent. of the product for the country. Of those, 72 operators produced over 100,000 tons each. This concentration of the iron ore resources of the country in the hands of a few persons is the most significant thing in the report. ———_>-o —_ —_ The hydraulic works which furnish the power to run the Chapin mine of the United States Steel Corporation, at Iron Mountain, Mich., were put in operation March 17. Two of the large compressors were also started on that day, and since that time the other compressors have been set to work. This is said to be one of the largest air compressing plants in the world, containing two duplex compressors with cylinders 32 x 60 inches, one duplex compressor with cylinders 34 x 60 inches and one duplex compressor with cylinders 36 x 60 inches. It is the in- tention later on to install an electric generating plant and transmit power to the other mines owned by this corporation on the Menominee range. The capacity of each of the two generators that will probably be installed will be 1500 kw. ———— Petroleum Developments During 1902, The most active centers of development in the oil in- dustry during 1902, according to F. H. Oliphant’s report on the production of petroleum, published by the United States Geological Survey as part of its annual volume of Mineral Resources, were West Virginia, Kentucky, Kan- sas, Indian Territory, Louisiana and California. A new and productive territory of considerable extent has been developed in Kansas. Although no wells of the gusher class have been found, a large percentage of profitable wells have been drilled, which produce from 10 to 35 barrels a day. These wells are comparatively shallow, ranging from 750 to 850 feet in depth, and the drilling is inexpensive, as it is usually accomplished by what is known as a portable rig. The field is in the southeastern portion of the State, in the