The Iron Age 1906-09-27: Vol 78 Iss 13

THE IRON AGE New York, Thursday, September 27, 1906. The Norton Car Wheel Grinder. The car wheel grinder shown in the illustrations is one of two machines which have been built by the Nor- ton Grinding Company, Worcester, Mass., for one of the large American railroads. Its purpose is to grind chilled ear wheels more accurately round and concentric than has previously been possible in practice, where, it is ‘stated, that up to the present time variations from exact work have amounted from 1-64 to % in., according to various opinions. The railroad company for which these machines were built purposes to grind ordinary car wheels to a degree of accuracy which will equal the finest machine work, and it is probable that these machines will order that as much rigidity as possible may be obtained and that no account need be taken of center holes that may be out of position by long use, as it is intended to grind car wheels with flat spots in which the journals may be more or less worn eccentric with the center holes, and the grinding of the wheels may be done in many cases without returning or regrinding the journals. The journals rest on a half round bearing at either end, shown in detail in Fig. 4. The bearing is of lumen bronze and is hemispherical on its external, sur- face, which rests in a corresponding pocket. ‘The nether part of the hemispherical surface of the bearing con- tains a slot which is entered by a pin in the pocket. The object of this specially formed bearing is to allow it to Fig. 1.—Frent View of the New Car Wheel Grinder Built by the Norton Grinding Company, Worcester, Mass. commercially grind car wheels that will not have an error from roundness and concentricity of over 0.002 or 0.003 in. The belief is that railroad trains equipped with such wheels will show a marked improvement in the way of steady and quiet running, and that the lives of the rails and roadbeds will be prolonged, and that there will be less wear on the running gear of trains. The car wheel grinder is built with the same care for accuracy and durability that characterizes the regular types of Norton grinding machines, the main thing being to have the machine perfectly rigid, to prevent variation between the axes of the car wheel and the grinding wheel during the operation of grinding. The car wheel with its axle is driven from the center by a worm and worm wheel, as seen in Fig. 1, an opening being left in the revolving journal of the worm wheel and a segment of the worm wheel being removable to admit the axle. The car wheel revolves on its own journals, in adjust itself to a wheel journal that has become worn until it is somewhat tapering. A portion of the bearing surface is cut away at the bottom, permitting the car wheel journal to rest on the two sides, which are com- paratively small segments of the complete bearing circle. By this arrangement a variation from standard size of journals, due to wear, is compensated for, the bearing in such a case acting practically as a V. The cut-away portion of the bearing is filled with felt saturated with oil. The journal pressing its way into the felt is oiled automatically as it revolves. A special bearing is pro vided for each standard size of journal. The uprights for supporting the car axles are movable parallel to the axis of their centers, to permit the grind ing of wheels that have their journals inside of the wheels as well as those that have them outside, as in the more common practice followed with standard railread wheels and axles. seroma a= Seat See eae Rana merreres , STR eT TT eS - str Sse “ae Lagi fot saat ta, - - TRA SST sales ea? 788 The grinding wheels are mounted on whee! slides sim- ilar to those of the regular type of Norton grinder. The wheel slide is in turn mounted on another slide which has a movement parallel to the face of the car wheel, and this is mounted on a slide base which rests upon the base of the machine. The slide base is pivoted and enables the operator to arrange the traverse of the grinding wheel for a number of different angles of car wheel faces. The slide operating parallel with the car wheel] face is immersed in oil, in order that there may be no possibility of roughing up or sticking, due to the fact that the slide travels exceedingly slow and has a very short movement. This precaution also removes the neces- sity of care on the part of the operator, for once filled with oil it will perform its function for a very long time, probably for years. The slides working parallel to the face of the car wheel are arranged for automatic traverse, and also for the operator to move them short distances by the hand wheel, On either side of the driving gear, at the center of the ma- chines, is a clutch shown at a, Fig. 3, and one of them is also shown in Fig. 1. The vertical handle e is used to throw in the clutch,.which is locked in engage- ment automatically by a mechan- ism inclosed* between the clutch and the handle. The clutch re- volves a worm which actuates a worm wheel, b, Fig. 3. The worm wheel is mounted on a crankshaft, c, the crank d moving the slide a distance of 2 in. The raising of the two small handles e, Fig. 3, and in Fig. 1 at the front of the machine, will cause the slide to stop automatically when in its extreme position to- ward the flange of the car wheel, but in no other position, and it is consequently impossible for the operator to stop the traverse at any other position of the stroke, which prevents any misunder- standing on his part of the rela- tion of the grinding wheel to the flange when he is adjusting the hand wheels. If the operator ad- justs the position of the slide so that there is proper contact of the grinding wheel with the flange before throwing in the clutch for the traverse of the slide it is evident that, inasmuch as the slide is stopped automat- ieally at its extreme position toward the flange, there can be no danger of too great a cut against the flange when the clutch is engaged. The clutch is automatically tripped at the extreme end of the stroke by the little slide stop f, Fig. 3, which disengages the clutch. The 2lutch must be thrown in again by the operator by rais- ing the handle e. The stopping and starting of the revolving of the work is accomplished by a lever between the two car wheels, shown in the front elevation, Fig. 3. It is so arranged that the operator can stop the revolving of the worm and worm gear at exactly the right position for placing in the car axle. Water is supplied to the wheels by a pump having a capacity -of 80 gal. per min., 40 gal. on each wheel. The base of the machine is so constructed that all water is conducted to the settling tank, no matter where it may have been thrown accidentally or otherwise. A large water tank is provided in the foundation under the ma- chine, from which the pump draws its supply. The grindings from the wheels flow with the water into a large settling tank, which may be removed from time to time by an overhead crane and carried to a convenient place where the sediment may be disposed of. THE IRON AGE September 27, 1906 The grinding wheels are 24 in. in diameter by 2% in. face. The weight of the wheel spindles and wheel slides on which the grinding wheels are mounted is 1500 Ib. The machine is arranged with self-contained overhead works, permitting the passing of a crane overhead and the lifting of car wheels in and out of the bearings upon which they revolve. The machine can be driven by elec- tric motor with a belt from a line shaft, or by a motor placed on the floor near the end of the machine, in the depression shown in the front of the end view, Fig. 2. The worms driving the worm wheels are immersed in oil, and where necessary, everything is covered with heavy guards to prevent breaking or interference. The screws moving the slides, as well as the nuts in which they run, are massive, and every precaution has been taken to produce a machine that will stand heavy, rough" usage and at the same time produce very accurate work = Pi Ee Sree 2 od i 3 e Fig. 2.—End View of the New Norton Car Wheel Grinder. in commercial time. The weight of the machine is 30,800 lb. The machine is furnished belted throughout. It is desirable that a 30-hp. constant speed motor be used for driving the machine. —__+e—___ The Connally-Mcliheran Electrical Engineer- ing Company. The Connally-McIlheran Electrical Engineering Com- pany, Chattanooga, Tenn., has been incorporated with a capital stock of $10,000. The engineers identified with this company consist of the following: W. B. Connally, formerly electrical engineer of the Wellman-Seaver-Mor- gan Company, Cleveland, Ohio; W. C. MclIlheran, for- merly electrical engineer for the Decatur Car Wheel & Mfg. Company, Birmingham, Ala., also recently with the Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad Company; W. C. McAfee, electrical engineer for the Atlanta Steel Hoop Company, Atlanta, Ga.; H. A. Clark, electrical engineer for the United States Cast Iron Pipe & Foundry Com- pany, Chattanooga, Tenn., also formerly electrical expert for the Gregory Electric Company, Chicago. The -two September 27, 1906 last named will not be actively identified with the com- pany for the present. This company will engage in consulting and con- structing engineering, sell electrical machinery and sup- plies and do repair work. It expects to extend its opera- tions over the greater portion of the South. The company is the first to move into the new Pound Block, corner Eleventh and Market streets, Chattanooga. -—————_ +e Electrical Equipment for the Hudson Com- panies’ Tunnels. The twin tunnels of the Hudson Companies con- necting Jersey City with New York under the North River represent the most recent development in elec- trical projects centering about New York City. Con- struction work on these tunnels was finished about a year ago and work on the electrification will begin at once. The General Electric Company will furnish the complete electrical equipment. Fifty electric cars will be operated, taking their power from a third rail. Each tunnel will have a single track, the north tube — a THE IRON AGE 789 taining five 1500-kw. rotary converters and fifteen step- down transformers; substation No. 2, at Washington and First streets, Jersey City, containing four 1500-kw. rotary converters and twelve step-down transformers, and sub-station No. 3, at Cortlandt and Church streets, New York City, containing two 1500-kw. rotary con- verters and six step-down transformers. Each substa- tion will in addition contain one spare 1500-kw. trans- former. It is expected that when the new line is in operation the running time between the various subur- THE IRCN AGE Fig 4.—LDetail of the Bearing in Which the Car Wheel Axles Rest During the Grinding. Fig. 3.—Plan, Front Elevation and End Elevation of the Norton Car Wheel Grinder. earrying the west bound traffic and the south tube carry- ing the east bound, or toward New York traffic. The cars will be operated in trains by the Sprague-General Electric system of multiple unit control in a manner similar to that empioyed on the New York Subway trains. Each car will be equipped with two General Electric 76 (160-hp.) motors. Power for this new devel- opment will be supplied from a large station on the New, Jersey side, located between Jersey City and New- ark. Curtis steam turbines will be employed, initial equipments including two 3000-kw. 11,000 volt machines and two 6000-kw. 11,000 volt machines. The total power generated will be distributed at high voltage to three substations, where the alternating cur- rent will be stepped down to 650 volts direct current through transformers and rotary converters. These sub- stations will be located as follows: Substation No. 1, at Greenwich and Christopher streets, New York, con- ban cities of New Jersey and New York City will be reduced one-half. —___ > + e—___—__ The Seneca Chain Company, Kent, Ohio, has pur- chased the plant of the American Chain Company, Zanes- ville, which it will operate in connection with its other plant, putting 40 fires in operation at once. The plant is located on the Baltimore & Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wheeling & Lake Erie railroads and will give the com- pany 227 fires in actual daily operation. The continued growth of the business necessitated this increase in capacity. Experiments have been made at the Schenectady works of the General Electric Company with melting brass in the Colby electric induction furnace, which has been introduced for steel working at the Disston works, Philadelphia. romney ees wre va eR es een er ren S ‘aight Seaver teen SA er ee ere ar Ne SECRET EERE PS AMORA BT Ee 790 A New Gorton Disk Grinder. A machine claimed to cover the widest range of work yet attained by one of its class is the No. 6K Gorton double header disk grinder, built by the Diamond Ma- chine Company, Providence, R. I., and illustrated here- with. It is designed to grind parallel sides of work at one setting, and the right hand head is arranged to swivel, so that sides at a slight angle can also be ground at one setting. A special feature of the machine is the sliding bearing on the right hand head, which entirely protects the spindle from emery dust. Another feature is that the table is set on a rocker so it can be worked back and forth between the disks. The right hand head can be moved back, as in Fig. 1, or removed altogether and the machine may be used with the rigid head as a single disk grinder. A table can be then set and clamped in any position. Fig. 2 shows the machine as it is ordinarily intended to be used. The arbors are 1% in. in diameter. The ar- bor on the right hand has endwise movement of 1 in., controlled by a hand lever and provided with a microme- Fig. 1 The No. 6K Gorton Disk Grinder Arranged as a Single Disk Machine. ter stop reading to thousandths of an inch, which enables work to be readily duplicated within very close limits. The right hand head is graduated ‘to swivel to any angle up to 15 degrees or will go to 90 degrees, and allows slight angles to be ground at one setting. This head may be adjusted to receive work up to 12 in. In cases where a large quantity of stock is to be removed steel chucks for emery rings may be substituted in place of steel disks. With each machine are furnished four 18-in. steel disks, six disk bolts and nuts, 12 assorted abrasive Ad- amite circles, one cementing the necessary wrenches, four work tables, one adjustable table, one «<ircular work holder and a countershaft intended to run at a speed of 500 rev. per min. At this speed the spindles run at 1800 rev. per min. The net weight of the ma- <«hine with its accessories is 2000 lb. press, The diameter of the chucks where emery rings are used in place of heads is 12 in. The disks and chucks are interchangeable on all of the company’s regular ma- Plain or grooved steel disks are furnished on special order. With the circular. work holder the ma- chine is able to grind thin circular pieces on both sides at once. All tables have a wide range of adjustment and hand rocking lever. The double disk grinder chines. is eapable of accurately THE IRON finishing small parts of machinery at very rapid rates, September 27, 1906 AGE claimed to be commercially impossible by any other method. It can be operated by unskilled workmen, and in many cases turns out 10 times the amount of work otherwise attempted. Gauges, studs or jigs can be fastened on the tables for holding irregular shaped pieces. The table can beset quickly at any desired angle by means of large graduating scales. The company is at present bringing out a new machine of the same general type known as the No. 6 K-4, which resembles this one in every respect except that it has two pairs of disks, — — ——— > e_—__—- The Pennsylvania Swedish Iron Company. ~~ The steadily increasing demand for charcoal iron blooms has induced the Pennsylvania Swedish Iron Com- pany, Cheswick, Pa., to augment its capacity by adding two more knobbling fires. This will enable the company to take care of present business, while its forge is so con- structed that more fires may be added, two or more at a time, to meet future requirements. The blast is supplied i ”» Fig. 2. The Same Machine as Ordinarily Used. by duplex Ingersoll-Sergeant air compressors, sufficient in volume for 16 fires. There are two steam hammers, one 5000 Ib. and one 6000 Ib. falling weight. All raw material is kept under cover when unloaded from convenient railroad tracks owned by the company. The forge is situated on the Cheswick & Harmer Rail- road, with connection to the Pennsylvania Railroad, West Penn Division. The skilled employees are Swedes and are rapidly establishing their homes near the plant. The company has entered orders that will keep it busy for many months, and indications are that it will become an important factor in the revival of this well tried process of making iron. It would be a revelation to old iron workers to see the application of modern ideas to this peculiar method of iron manufacture. The blooms made range in size from 4 x 4 to 8 x 8 in., once hammered or re- heated and rehammered, ready for rolling directly into staybolt and rivet iron or into sheets and tin bars. A large portion of the product is used for making charcoal iron skelp for marine and locomotive boiler tubes. In this line the company has met with exceptional success. Under recent reorganization A. M. Bell, Pittsburgh, be- comes president; Ambrose Beard, resident general man- ager and vice-president, and Richmond M. Graff, Pitts- burgh, secretary and treasurer. All business is trans- acted at the general office at Cheswick, Pa. September 27, 1906 Mexican Railroad and Business Notes. Excessive Rains. DURANGO, Septeinber 19, 1906.—Rains have been over- abundant the past two or three months. Much damage has been caused to growing crops by the flooding of fields in various districts. Great loss of property has also re- sulted from inundations, and in some instances lives have been lost. Several hundred people have been rendered homeless in the city of Durango by the collapse of adobe dwellings, while blocks in several sections have been made untenantable by the undermining of founda- tions. The city of Zacatecas has also suffered severely. Traffic has been interrupted on the railroads, and con- struction work entirely suspended on new lines. Present reports indicate a shortage in the corn crop. Favorable advices come from the State of Chihuahua relative to the prospective yield of the cereals, but other States send out discouraging reports. Rallroad Construction and Concessions, It is expected that the Mexican Central Railway Company will let the contract during the present month for the first 50 km. of its short line between the capital and Tampico. A concession has been obtained by S. Pearson & Sons, Limited, for the construction of a short line from Min- atitlan to the Tehuantepec National, the road being in- tended as an outlet for the product of the petroleum wells which the company has been developing for some time. A rather ambitious project is being promoted in the State of Sonora by capitalists from Arizona and Cali- fornia in the shape of a line some 500 miles long be- tween a division point called Carbo, on the Sonora Rail- road, to the town of Copeta, and thence to the Yaqui River. A concession has not yet been obtained. In connection with the further development of the copper properties near the town of Tezuitlan, in Puebla, Mexican and United States capitalists have secured a concession to construct a line of railroad from the pueblo named to the seaport of Nautla, in the state of Vera Cruz. The Tezuitlan Copper Mining Company is the principal company operating in the district. A. 8. Mackensie has been given a concession for a line of railroad to be constructed from Carbo, in the State of Sonora, to the mining district of Copeta. Five years are allowed for the construction at the rate of 10 km. a year. The line is to be of standard gauge. The Mexican National Railway Company has obtained concessions for several branches of short length to in- dustrial establishments situated near the capital. Amendments have been made to the concession granted last year to Eugenio J. Cafias, of Cuernavaca, for a railroad from Zacatepec to Jojutla or to Tlalquil- lenango, in the State of Morelos. According to these the concessionaire may build from Zacatepec to the towns of Jojutla and Tlalquiltenango, with side lines leading to the largest sugar plantations in that region. At least 8 km. of road must be finished within one year from May, 1906, and the whole line within three years. industrial Notes, In the fiscal year 1905-06 imports of merchandise into Mexico reached a total value of $220,651,074.49, com- pared with $178,204,962.45 in the fiscal year preceding, being an increase of more than 23 per cent. Included in the total for the year just closed were the following: Machinery, apparatus, &c., $20,539,212.70; vehicles, $4.,- 620,031.53; arms and explosives, $4,122,237.03. Exports in the same year were valued at $271,138,809.32. The Bank of Jalisco, in the city of Guadalajara, has made a loan of $1,000,000 to Manuel O. Gallado, the holder of a concession for an extensive system of irriga- tion to be carried out in the neighborhood of Lake Chapala by the utilization of the waters of the lake. The Mexican Railway Company, which for some time has had under consideration the question of substituting crude oil for coal under locomotive boilers, has decided THE IRON AGE 791 to make the change, and has purchased an oil carrying steamer to transport the fuel from the supply source at Tampico to Vera Cruz. The National Railway Company intends to increase greatly its terminal facilities in the City of Mexico and in Monterey. A contract has been entered into by the Mexican Gov- ernment with a London ship owning syndicate for the establishing of a line of monthly steamships between Canadian and Mexican Pacific ports. The boats will run between ports in British Columbia and Acapulco, Mazat- lan, Salina Cruz, Guaymas. &c. A large additional order for equipment las been placed in the United States by the Mexican Central Railway Company. It comprised the following: Bar- ney & Smith Company, four combination baggage and express cars, and 11 regular express cars; Standard Steel Car Company, 750 steel frame box cars, 150 steel stock cars, 100 steel flat cars, and 180 steel tank cars. The company operating the street car system in Guadalajara, known as La Electra, has given an order for 40 cars, which goes to the MeGuire-Cummings Mfg. Company, Chicago. The United States Steel Products kxxport Company will supply 1800 iron trolley poles and $200,000 worth of copper wire. The dynamos, switch boards and other electrical equipment required will be purchased from the General Electric Company. R. M. Wiggin, representing in Mexico the National Malleable Castings Company, Cleveland, Ohio, has re- cently returned from a visit to the: United States, where he made arrangements to act as representative in the republic for other firms, domiciled in New York and Europe. The Mexican Steel Products & Machinery Company, S. A., was incorporated August 29, with a paid up capi- tal of $100,000, with offices at 3a Independencia No. 1, City of Mexico. The founders are Charles S. Johnson, Phillip G. Roeder, George K. Tinker, and B. W. Willson. It is announced from Guadalajara that capitalists of New York are in negotiation with the owner of the iron foundry known as La Ferreria de Tula, and the ad- jacent iron ore mines, as well as an extensive body of timber land, with a view to their purchase. An option upon the entire property is said to have been secured by W. A. Rogers, of the Jalisco capital city and J. P. Taylor of the City of Mexico, in the interest of the prospective investors. An attorney representing Julius Buss has applied to the Government for a concession for the establishment of n modern plant for the reduction of zinc ores, to be erected either in the State of Nuevo Leon or Coahuila. The Mexican Car & Foundry Company, whose shops are at Hutchison, near the capital, is turning out a large number of cars for local railroads. The Monterey Nail Works Company has obtained a concession from the state government of Nuevo Leon to manufacture its own wire and will build mills for that purpose. The Spanish style of the concern is La Compania de la Fabrica de Clavos de Monterey, 8. A. A Mexican daily of the capital makes the following statement, which will be of interest to makers of agri- cultural implements : “It is reported that the Government, with a view to the encouragement of agriculture along modern lines, has decided on substantial reductions in import duties on agricultural implements and machinery. If such reduc- tions are made, they will result in great benefit to Amer- ican manufacturers. At the present time Mexico buys practically all its agricultural machinery from the United States.” The Tiriscohuasa Irrigation Company has applied for 2 concession to use the waters of the River Mayo in the State of Sonora. A similar concession has been applied for by Manuel R. Collada, who wishes to generate motive power, for which purpose he would use the waters of the River Atoyaec, in the State of Puebla. Fite 2 —————_»-- oe —_—__ The Atlanta Tin Plate & Sheet Mill’s annual capacity is 14,000 tons of sheets, not 1400 tons, as stated on page 726 in our last issue. Pee OE San SE mmr ne a ee sy & 792 THE IRON AGE September 27, 1906 The American Boiler Manufacturers’ Association. Eighteenth Annual Convention, Pittsburgh, Pa. In last week’s issue the proceedings of the eighteenth annual convention of the American Boiler Manufacturers’ Association at Pittsburgh were reported up to a portion of the session of Wednesday morning, the 19th inst. After the presentation of the report of the Committee on Uniform Boiler Specifications, an informal address was made by George Uhler, Inspector General of the Steam- boat Inspection Service, his remarks evidencing that he took a very strong and intelligent interest in the work of the committee. The committee had al! along felt that the co-operation of the Board of Supervising Inspectors was necessary to the ultimate success of its labors, and while it has had such co-operation in the past there have been naturally frequent differences of opinion in regard to methods, although the aim of both the bureau and the A. B. M. A. has been essentially the same—namely, the improvement of steam boiler practice in the United States. This improvement has been sought for by the association because naturally State laws and city ordin- ances governing the construction of boilers for station- ary purposes follow along lines laid down by the Fed- eral authorities, and thus uniformity and excellence in boiler practice depend in a large measure on such Fed- eral regulations. While the A. B. M. A. in the past has had as its guest, and to take part in its discussions, local members of the Board of Supervising Inspectors, as well as local boiler inspectors, on no previous occasion has the head of the service taken such a direct practical part in the discussion, and General Uhler’s attitude of continued interest and co-operation in the work of the A. B. M. A. is looked upon as certain to bear fruit. That this is fully recognized was shown by the unanimous adoption after his address of a resolution of thanks to the secre- tary of the Bureau of Commerce and Labor and to Supervising Inspector General Uhler. Supervising Inspector General Uhler’s Address, General Uhler, in his remarks, very clearly explained the difficulties under which the board acts in its task of interpreting and applying the steamboat inspection law, many sections of which have, by reason of the vast in- crease in the steam tonnage of the country, and the im- provements made in engines, boilers and the materials of which they are constructed, become obsolete and in many cases even worse than that, tending to intensify the very evils which they were originally designed to correct. A single instance of several given in his remarks shows this very clearly. ‘The steamboat law was in the beginning mainly based on conditions existing on our Western rivers. In order to have the pump for fire serv- ice ready at hand for the engineer, the law prescribes that no pump for fire service shall be placed below the lower deck of a vessel. On a Mississippi River steamboat this means the same deck on which the engines are located, so that the engineer need only turn around or take a few steps to reach the fire pump on which depends the safety of the vessel in the event of a conflagration ; but the lower deck on a steamship, as understood in the lake and salt water service, is several galleries or platforms above the post of the engineer; yet, by the distinct provision of the law, the fire pump has to be placed in this posi- tion that would be known as the lower deck of a vessel, and the object sought by the law, that is to have the fire pump ready at hand for instant use by the engineer, is thus rendered nugatory. It took several years of active discussion by steamship owners, with the fuJl co-opera- tion of the Board of Supervising Inspectors, to have this language modified so that the safety sought might be in- sured. General Uhler stated in strong language that the main duty of the Board of Supervising Inspectors was to render our steamboat and steamship service the best and safest in the world, expressing in fact the idea on which the A. B. M. A. was founded, as shown by the pre- liminary discussion of that association at its first meeting in Pittsburgh in 1889. What was of the greatest interest to the assembled boiler manufacturers was the fact that General Ubhler’s remarks indicated a definite policy and a most commend- able one on the part of the administration. In giving expression to this he said that it was not only the under- standing but the desire of the secretary of the Depart- ment of Commerce and Labor that all interests should be and could be represented before him or the proper bureau officer at any time, and that it is the purpose as well as the policy of the Department to advance the prog- ress of all industrial enterprises and institutions rather than to retard by any technical requirements or regula- tions the convenience or business interests of the com- munity. General Uhler set forth clearly what is required and what might be expected. He explained that section 44383 of the present law works a disadvantage to manufacturers generally in that they are prohibited from constructing a boiler that would be for all intents and purposes a better boiler than might be constructed under the present law, and he suggested that the efforts of the association should be rather di- rected toward the repeal of this law than to discussing its obvious disadvantages in practice. The speaker further enlarged upon the possibilities of material—steel par- ticularly—and urged that good steel can be manufac- tured under present specifications, a statement which he fortified by presenting samples of materials that were remarkable both from their tensile strength and their ductility. The speaker believed that our material is superior and our design and construction are equal, if not superior, to any of foreign origin or production, and said that the present steamboat inspection law, although in some particulars imperfect, is equal to the inspection laws of any nation upon the face of the earth. In Memory of Samuel Borger. Obituary resolutions were adopted upon the death of Samuel Borger of Columbus, Ohio, as reported hy the committee, Messrs. E. D. Meier, D. Connelly and H. D. MacKinnon. Vanadium as an Allvy for Steel. At the afternoon session on Wednesday, B. EB. D. Staf- ford, general manager of the Flannery Bolt Company, Pittsburgh, and also connected with the American Vana- dium Company, Pittsburgh, read a paper on vanadium steel, in which he recounted the progress made abroad in the use of vanadium as an alloy for steel. One of his most striking statements is as follows: “Vor your information I will state that in plain carbon manganese steel, with an addition of 0.25 per cent. of vanadium, the tensile strength was raised 65 per cent. and the elastic limit 68 per cent., without in any way im- pairing the structure to withstand the regular physical tests. With the same carbon manganese steel with 3.34 per cent. of nickel added, showing a tensile strength of 94,528 pounds per square inch and elastic limit of 73,024 pounds per square inch, by the addition of 0.25 per cent. of vanadium the tensile strength was increased 61 per cent., which was equivalent to 152,678 pounds per square inch, and the elastic limit was raised to 64 per cent.,, or equivalent to 112,539 pounds per square inch, and gave an elongation in 2 in. of 26 per cent. and a contraction of area of 52 per cent.” Specimens of vanadium steel were exhibited by Mr. Stafford which had tested 148,500 Ib. tensile strength, 141,000 Ib. elastic limit, 13.7 per cent. elongation and 24.7 per cent. reduction of area. No samples of boiler.plate steel were among the samples shown. In answer to a question by W. L. Hirsch of the American Steel & Wire Company, Mr. Stafford stated that one of the samples shown would closely approximate the specifications for September 27, 1906 regular boiler plate and that by the use of 0.25 per cent. of vanadium there had been obtained steel testing 81,250 Ib. tensile strength, 58,200 Ib. elastic limit, 23.6 per cent. elongation and 26 per cent. reduction of area. A discus- sion followed in which Mr. Hirsch stated that it seemed to him that the proportion of elongation in the sample presented was such that it would not recommend it for boiler steel. It might give a high tensile strength, but this could be attained in a cheaper way. What are wanted are elongation, elasticity and reduction of area, coupled with high tensile strength. The higher the ten- sile strength is increased the more the elongation and re- duction of area are reduced. Mr. Hammond asked Mr. Hirsch whether he could make steel of that same tensile strength and elastic limit with carbon. Mr. Hirsch re- plied that steel of 65,000 or 70,000 Ib. tensile strength could be made which would reach perhaps 26 per cent. or 28 per cent. elongation, the elastic limit of steel as a rule being about two-thirds of the tensile strength. General Uhler stated that as he understood it from the samples and results of tests exhibited, and as explained by Mr. Stafford, the use of vanadium seems to sacrifice ductility for elastic limit and tensile strength. He un- derstood that Mr. Stafford did not claim to be a steel maker, and if so, perhaps the availability of vanadium could better be left to the steel maker, in which Mr. Staf- ford agreed, but held that the specimens presented showed most remarkable results. President Munroe suggested that Mr. Stafford bring in tests of plate steel and also a chemical analysis of the material. What the boiler manufacturer wants to know is whether it will crystalize after being placed in a boiler. Mr. Stafford admitted that the steel makers are the ones to pass upon the question, and he believed they would be interested in making experiments. He would be pleased to present samples of boiler steel at the next convention. His company has discovered a large deposit of sulphide ore containing a high percentage of vanadium, the market value of which now is about $2.50 per pound, but he believed that price would be practically cut in half. At the suggestion of the chair, further consideration of this topic was referred to the Committee on Uniform Boiler Specifications, and a vote of thanks was returned to Mr. Stafford for his paper and exhibit. Atlanta Gets the Next Convention. A majority of the Committee on Time and Place re- ported in favor of the selection of Atlanta, Ga., as the convention city for 1907. The report was approved. Election of Officers. The following officers were elected to serve for the ensuing year: ‘ President, M. F. Cole, Newnan, Ga.; secretary, J. D. Farasey, Cleveland, Ohio; treasurer, Joseph F. Wangler, St. Louis, Mo. ; first vice-president, John J. Main, Toronto, Canada ; second vice-president, J. Don Smith, Charleston, S. C.; third vice-president, William H. Fletcher, Hoboken, N. J.; fourth vice-president, H. D. MacKinnon, Bay City, Mich. ; fifth vice-president, H. Goldner, Philadelphia, Pa. On motion of Secretary Farasey, a resolution of thanks was unanimously adopted to all those who had participated in making the occasion so pleasurable and enjoyable, and to the technical and local press for re- ports of the meetings. The only new member admitted during the convention was J. F. Thrash of the Dallas Boiler Works, Dallas, Texas. An active campaign will be conducted the coming year for an increase in membership, the members fully recognizing the benefits derived in the past from the agitation of various questions affecting their interests, and the further successful prosecution of the good work already begun. An executive session was held the latter part of Wednesday afternoon and Wednesday evening, adjourn- ing at a late hour. On Thursday morning a short session was held, the balance of the day being devoted to entertainment. THE IRON AGE 793 Past President Hartley Describes the Strongest Bollers Ever Built in This Cvuntry. At the business session a paper was read by Past President H. J. Hartley of the William Cramp & Sons Ship & Engine Building Company, Philadelphia, describ- ing some boilers recently constructed by that company under his supervision, notable in eharacter in regard to the strength of materials entering into their construction, being the heaviest and highest pressure Scotch marine boilers ever constructed in this country. They are designed to carry a constant working pres- sure of 234 lb. for the purpose of supplying steam for two 7500-hp. triple expansion engines for propelling two 7000-ton ships now in the course of construction by the William Cramp Company for the Southern Pacific Steam- ship Company, to be used in its passenger and freight traffic between New York and New Orleans. Each of these ships contains four single-ended and three double- ended boilers; the single-ended type being 15 ft. 4 in. in diameter by 11 ft. long, each containing four Fox cor- rugated furnaces, 3 ft. 54% in. in diameter by 8 ft. 8 in. long, 11-16 in. thick, each having a separate combustion chamber. The double-ended type is of the same diameter, but 21 ft. 4 in. long, each containing eight furnaces of the same size and type, with separate combustion chani- bers also. The aggregate grate surface contained in the boilers for each ship is 770 sq. ft., and the heating surface 26,464 sq. ft, making the ratio of heating surface “41-3 sq. ft. to 1 of grate surface. The shells of both the single and double-ended boilers are composed of plate steel 111-16 in. thick, double butt strapped and riveted with 1% in. diameter rivets through- out, each rivet weighing from 2% to 4% Ib. The sizes of the plates in each length of boiler vary from 5 ft. 9 in. x 24 ft. 7 in., to 7 ft. 8 in. x 24 ft. 1 in., and in weight per plate from 9817 lb. to 13,000 Ib., respectively. The tire tubes of the boilers consist of two kinds, viz.: Stay tubes, 2%, in. in diameter, and % in. thick, with ends enlarged ard threaded for screwing into tapped holes through both front and rear tube plates, and the ordinary tubes of the same diameter and No. 8 B.w.g. thick, which are simply expanded into the tube plates and their ends beaded over in the usual manner. The air for fuel combustion in the boilers is supplied by natural draught system produced through a double sill oval stack 12 ft. 6 in. x 15 ft. 6 in. diameters, 96 ft. in height above the grate bars. The weight of each single- ended boiler, without fittings, is 65% tons, and that of each double-ended boiler 119% tons, making the total weight of boilers, exclusive of fittings, for each ship, equal to 620% tons, and including all fittings such as cast iron bridge walls, grate bars, etc., exclusive of all smoke boxes and up takes, equal to 684 tons for each ship. The boilers were constructed under Lloyd’s rules, re- quiring a hydrostatic test equal in pressure to double that of the working steam pressure, or equal to 468 Ib. per square inch. This, however, was not strictly adhered to, on account of the vessels not being immediately regis- tered under Lloyd's rules, and the United States Govern- ment rules not requiring such a high percentage of bydro- static test pressure by 50 per cent. A compromise equal to 361 Ib. was substituted, under which test the boilers proved to be unusually and remarkably tight. This showing is noteworthy when it is considered that a few years ago it was thought next to impossible to con- struct steam boilers of such diameters and thickness of material as described to carry such a working pressure as 234 lb. The demand for such high steam pressure for boilers has been brought about by the substitution of the modern compound and quadruple expansion engines for the old low pressure type, as formerly, and more especially used in the marine service, which usually re- quired from 20 to 35 lb. steam pressure. The success and practicability of the high duty en- gine have been made possible by the ability to procure and work into shape for steam generators a grade of boiler steel capable of withstanding, with safety, such high pressures as are now required for the modern engines so generally in usr, we coe a Se ee ad v4 ae tees eee ni peiedee peste open te me tere 3 794 Mr. Hartley concluded his paper as follows: A Tribute to the Association, The bringing about of the possibility of having this high grade of boiler plate steel manufactured had its inception in this city of Pittsburgh 18 years ago by the formation of an association which had for one of its objects the consummation of a uniform specification, by which a higher grade of steel boiler plate should be made, even regardless of the cost if necessary, to produce an article which should be superior to that which was in use at that period. The association alluded to in this connection, aided by the co-operation of the steel manu- facturers, I am happy to be able to say, has been emi- nently successful in its mission, and to-day it is known throughout the country as the American Boiler Manu- facturers’ Association of the United States and Canada. But notwithstanding what has been accomplished in this respect, still greater skilled exertion, with its at- tending difficulties, is destined for the boiler manufac- turer to grapple with in regard to constructing boilers capable of sustaining higher steam pressures than have ever yet been required for commercial motive power. This question is now uppermost in the minds of advanced engineers, with the view of economy in obtaining a higher efficiency from the steam engines within the least possible space this being especially so when ap- plied to ships, in order to save cargo capacity, as well as a minimum consumption of fuel, both of which mean materially increased earnings for the operators. In this connection I would state that I was recently verbally informed by a noted superintending engineer of one of the steamship lines plying between New York and the South Atlantic ports that the future new ships to be built for his company’s line would be equipped with engines requiring working pressure of steam approaching 300 Ib. per square inch, even if the boilers had to be re- duced in diameter to safely carry that pressure. It be- longs to the future to prove if this prediction will be fulfilled. Beyond all doubt, however, it is a well-known fact that during the last 20 years there has been a won- derful advance in the direction of higher steam pres- sures as applied to every branch of motive power, and therefore it is difficult to conjecture, in view of these rapid strides, to what increase the limit of higher pres- sures will reach. Discussion. General Uhler, who was an attentive listener to the foregoing paper, expressed his pleasure and_ interest, knowing from his long acquaintance with Mr. Hartley that any contribution from him would be entertaining. While he had great confidence in the ability and capacity of Mr. Hartley, he had not expected, in attending the convention, to hear a paper from him recounting such enormous pressures. He understood that the ships in question were to use superheated steam. This would mean the practical elimination of composition material valves and fittings which disintegrate at temperatures ranging at about 400. It means that composition fittings on those ships have been eliminated. The speaker had no doubt that the time is not far distant when steel is going to supersede everything in the nature of conductive compositions for steam, which, with such high pres- sures, will naturally have to be superheated. The day of the old copper pipe is fast waning, and its prestige is now practically gone. Composition valves formerly thought to be the only things in the world to withstand the stress of high pressure, more particularly superheated steam, have given way practically to steel fittings, steel body valves, and all that. It is easy to prophesy that within a very few years we will see the softer metals discarded entirely and absolutely, and their place taken by the more ductile conditions of steel, as we hoped to meet them. General Uhler inquired of Mr. Hartley whether in the expanding and beading of the tubes in this construction he had made any longer flange or left any longer piece for the bead, or if he just rolled the ordinary bead on the tube. Mr. Hartley replied that in this case they left a little more on the end. Owing to the use of pneu- matic hammers, better sections are obtAined in flanging ore without cracking than formerly, when the old keeling out style was in vogue with a hand hammer. The screwed tubes are merely expanded, having been screwed in without turning over, because they are 1% in., and it is impossible to turn that metal over. George R. Bentley inquired if that was 60,000-lb. steel, and the speaker THE IRON AGE September 27, 1906 replied that it was from 55,000 to 64,000. General Uhler remarked that it was about 61,720 as an average, and that he remembered the material very well. Mr. Hartley stated that, owing to the thickness of this plate, in going through the roll, the scale would fly off 3 or 4 ft., and would come out just as clear as if it had been pickled, showing what movement there must have been between the outside and inside in going through the roll. General Uhler recounted some interesting remin- iscences going to show the immense progress made in the capacity, tonnage and equipment of seagoing vessels within the past quarter of a century, all of which, he thought, goes to emphasize the necessity for the highest grade of excellence in material. which has made this progress possible, and which will enable man to go for- ward and always upward in his efforts to utilize the powers of nature. No further business offering the convention adjourned sine die. Courtesies to Ladies, Mention should be made of the various courtesies tendered the ladies, among them being the reception Tuesday morning, automobile rides through the parks, lunch at the Country Club on Wednesday, the visit to Luna Park Wednesday night, in which both ladies and gentlemen participated, Thursday being devoted to a trolley ride and visit to the preserving plant of the H. J. Heinz Company, where many courtesies were tendered by the management, and an elaborate luncheon was served, after which a demonstration was given of the lowering and raising of the bear trap at Herr’s Island Dam, which is directly back of the Heinz main plant. Exhibits, For obvious reasons exhibits at these conventions have never been a feature. The Chicago Pneumatic Tool Company, however, never fails to be on hand with a handsome souvenir. This time it was a clock. It also kept open house in room 700 in the Hotel Schenley and had on exhibition and in operation a line of portable electric drills and reamers. The company was represent- ed by W. O. Duntley, Chicago; Thos. Alcorn, New York; C. T. Smith, Cleveland, and H. S. Hunter, Pittsburgh. The progressiveness of this firm is shown in its exploita- tion of electricity, it being a much more economical power than compressed air, and many boiler works not being equipped with air. The Geo. R. Rich Mfg. Company, Buchanan, Mich., exhibited high speed flat drills and Rich patent drill chucks, and were represented by Rus- sell Dale, Ghicago, and W. F. Heacock, Philadelphia. Exhibits were also made by the Cleveland Pneumatic Tool Company and the Bury Compressor Company. The Banquet, The final entertainment. was the annual banquet Thursday night, which, if possible, eclipsed any of the psior events of this character in the history of the asso- ciation and reflected great credit on the indefatigable committee having it in charge. The menu card was em- bellished with half-tones of old Fort Duquesne and Pitts- burgh in 1813, contrasted with views of the Pittsburgh of to-day. Col. E. D. Meier acted as toastmaster, and the speakers and toasts were as follows: Hon. James Francis Burke, Member of Congress, “ Our Nation’s Prog- ress”; Gen. George Uhbler, Supervising Inspector Gen- eral of Steam Vessels, Washington, D. C., “Our Marine Laws and the Boiler Manufacturers”: Walter M. Mc- Farland, “The Ladies”; W. O. Duntley, “Our Greater West”; J. D. Farasey, “An Expression of Gratitude,” and James Lappan, “ Advancement in the Manufacture of Steam Boilers.” An interesting event not down on the programme occurred when David J. Champion of Cleve-