The Iron Age 1907-01-31: Vol 79 Iss 5

THE IRON AGE A Review of the Hardware, Iron, Machinery and Metal Trades. Published every Thursday Morning by David Williams Co. 14-16 Park Place, New York. Vol. 79: No.. 5. New York, i. January 31, 1907. ee a eee, aang Fenny. Single Copies, 15 Cents. esos a) PRACTICAL PROOF Advertising and Subscription Rates “ en, veee a FOR of BUSINESS MEN URING the season of 1906 Mr. W. H. Heer 3 shot at 14,055 targets and scored 96.3 per emo cent., an average of less than 4 misses out of __ FORSTER PULLEY WORKS, Cube, 1.¥. each hundred, winning the Year’s Champion- ship of 1906. Mr. Heer shot U. M. C. factory loaded shells, the same as every dealer carries. This wonderful demonstration of quality is practical proof for business men who each year handle quantities of this well-known make. U. M. C. Quality Stands Supreme. The American Mfg. Co, Ropes and Twines 65 Wall Street, New York Bristol’s Patent Steel Belt Lacing The Union Metallic Cartridge Company, with Least Metal Bridgeport, Conn. goad the Clren- lar Q and Pree Agency, 313 Broadway, New York City. TO aeety FYMISHED JOWNT Samples. Mr. W. H. HEER Sales Office, San Francisco, Cal. THE BRISTOL + SO.. Waterbury, Conn. | __ . i oticase: OTs ey She. SAMSON SPOT CORD| WATER TUBE G/e Babcock @ Wilcox Co. SSS BOILERS See page 54 — aon SEE PAGE 309 SAMSON CORDAGE WORKS, Boston, Mass. Thousands of Testimonials TURNBUCKLES i mm received from practical men in the horseshoeing business confirm our claim: — That the most exacting requirements of Braneh Office, 11 Broadway. New York. the most severe service are SUCCESSFULLY met “by Cleveland Clty Forge and tren Co.._ - " Cleveland, 0, “The Capewell* nails—the STRONGEST horseshoe nail TURN BU CH IWS. in the world, : MERRILL BROS., SSD ooo dato ai keat ave, |] It Will Pay YouWell Alwaysto Insist Upon Having This Brand COE ==" addiianec” || Thee Capewell Horse Nail Company, Machesney Bidg.; Pittsburg Empire Emp lte Bidg., How York New York HARTFORD, CONN. ~< "All Our Brandsof ao T: seu JENKINS 96 PACKING Roofing in ; Viel eeen is a joint packing such as can only be produced by the ; rn compounding of the purest and best ingredients, and the mM Mel) use of great care in the manufactare. It is guaranteed to ; ; ; . ieee) make a perfect steam joint instantly. For durability it is showing the weight of coating unequalled. Write for booklet,—**Points on Packing.” carried per box of 20 x 28— JENKINS BROS., New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, London 112 sheets are shown on Page 16, | UWGQON” GOld RONG S166! cre DFAWWING = pitnaneen ea TUBE & aera CcCOomP Brrpexzrort, Comm AGE This cannot fail to interest you. Fe _. MAGNOLIA. METAL. - Best Anti-Friction Metal for all Machinery Bearing AMERICAN Pac-Simile of Bar. lif SHEET & TIN PLATE imitations COMPANY MAGNOLIA METAL CO., Owners and Sele Manafacturers, 113-116 Bank Street, Franeiaco, Monereal and Fimsbeng. Frick Building Pittsburgh, Pa. a sve We aerate Serato IN SELECTING High Grade Tin Plates and Sheet Steels many buyers find our EXACT knowledge as throughout makers, of what a given quality WILL or will NOT do, an aid and inducement the price paid does not cover. FOLLANSBEE-BROTHERS-CO. PITTSBURGH THE IRON AGE SHOE NAILS PLAIN STRAIGHT FACTS lst. ~ aes ext, but th A strong but the goods 2d. Breas cat and rolled on the remises. Care is taken in the crock, which canon ductile and the right a. ae Inspection rigid pac contain perfect * nails only. No splinters nor imperfect heads. 4th. Packed in oo -~. 4 oz. 8d. es in a carton. pactenges fa eight, Get our RIVER COMPANY, p= 1 Bridgeport Deoxidized Bronze & Metal Co. BRIDGEPORT, CONN. Phosphor and Deoxidized Bronze Composition, Yellow Brass and Alumi- num Castings, large and small e Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Co., LA SALLE, ILLINOIS. SMELTERS OF SPELTER SHEET ZINC AND SULPHURIC ACID. Special Sizes of Zinc cut to order. Rolled Battery Plates. Selected Plates for Etchers’ and Lithographers’ use. Selected Sheets for Paper and Card Makers’ use. Stove and Washboard Blanks. ZINCS FOR LECLANCHE BATTERY. ANNs Nay Gm RISIPAomm of. UUNO PAL PAO RAE 105-109 So.Jefferson St. VACUA EASE TICME VET UIPET GERMAN SILVER | The Seymour Mfg. Co., Chicago. um te AL Un She NICKEL ANODES BRASS, BRONZE, and GOPPER - « Seymour, Conn. HENDRICKS BROTHERS PROPRIETORS OF THE Belleville Copper Rolling Mills, MANUFACTURERS OF Brasicrs’ Bolt and Sheathing COPPER SCoOoPrPTrbhmnRn wviRey AND "RIVETS, Importers and Dealers in Ingot Copper, Block Tin, Spelter, Lead, Antimony, etc. 49 CLIFF ST., NEW YORK. THE PLUME & Atwooo Mrs, Co. MANUFACTURERS OF Sheet and Roll Brass —AND— WiRE NTBRS’ BRASS, JEWBLERS’ METAL, OERMAN SILVER AND GILDING METAL, Cop- tx RIVETS AND BURRS. Pins, Grass Butt Hinges, Jeck Chain, Kero- sence buraers, Lamps, Lamp Trimmings, &c. 279 Broadway, NEW YORK. Room 508 Heyworth Building, East Madi- son St., CHICAGO, ILL. ROLLING MILL: | THOMASTON, CONN. SCOVILL MFG. CO. MANUFACTURERS OF FACTORIES : WATERBURY, CONN. BRASS, GERMAN SILVER, Sheets, Rolis, Wire Rods, Bolts and Tua Brase Shells, Cups, Seeneem Bettons, Lamp woods. Special Brass Goods to Order. Facrorrzs: WATERBURY, CONN. Drrots NEW YORK. CHICAGO. BOSTON. Henry Souther Engineering Go, HARTFORD, GONN, Consulting Chemists, Metallurgists and Analysts. Complete Physical Testing Laboratony. Expert Testimony in Court and Patent Cases. Artur T.Buttet 860. 256 Broadway NEW YORK Small tubing 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. __ “ Search-Light’”’ GAS Bicycle Lanterns Send for Circulars and Electrotypes. The BRIDGEPORT BRASS CO. BRIDGEPORT, CONN. Postal Telegraph Building, Broadway and Murray Street, NEW YORK PHOSPHOR-BRONZE GERMAN SILVER THE RIVERSIDE METAL CO. RIVERSIDE, WN. J. THE IRON AGE New York, Thursday, January 31, 1907. The Hartness Turret Chasing Tool A new attachment for use on the Hartness flat turret lathe, made by the Jones and Lamson Machine Company, Springfield, Vt., is an automatic turret screw tool herewith illustrated. The tool is intended for cut ting screw threads on chuck work, and may also be used for turning short tapers. Screws of every diameter from the 12 or 14 in. swing of the lathe down to 24 in. in diam eter for internal and about 1 in. for external screws, and any length under 5 in. are within its capacity. Before describing this attachment in detail mention will be briefly made of the various schemes heretofore used for producing screw threads by chasing. The first improvement over hand chasing was chasing in an engine lathe, an all round or universal method, but one having disadvantages. It employs a long screw that chasing developed to be with the Hartness cross sliding head lathe. ‘Although at present restricted to use on the Hartness machines the scheme is one that could be read- ily adapted to any form of lathe. Referring to the accompanying engravings, the opera- the device, which is extremely simple, may be It is a compact tool and is rigidly bolted to the top of the turret. Fig. 1 shows the attach- ment applied to a Hartness flat turret lathe. In Fig. 2 the device is shown by itself for better clearness, and the construction and operation are brought out in the line drawing, Fig. 3. In use the turret carriage is brought forward until the main casting a of the turret chasing tool comes as close to the work as convenient. The turret carriage is then clamped, and the cutter is caused to travel back and forth by its own mechanism, which receives its motion from the main spindle through and tangent and an overhead rod. The used tion of easily understood. gears bevel Fig. 1.—The Automatic Screw Chasing Attachment Applied toa Hartness Flat Turret Lathe, as Made by the Jones & Lamson Machine Company, Springfield, Vt. invariably wears most in one spot on the average work. There are many unnecessary joints between the spindle and the tool, both sliding and rotary, the lost motion in which results in a large thread at both ends of the screw —where the tool begins to cut and where it runs off. It is reasonable to expect that the screw also will not be true between the ends, because of irregularity in the tool’s action, due either to the peculiarities of the mechanism controlling its progress, or to the varying hardness of the work. The disadvantages of this method were largely over come in the Fox lathe chasing apparatus, a device much quicker in action, although restricted to short threads. The weaknesses of the Fox chasing bar were such, how ever, that it was confined almost wholly to work on the softer metals. In the eighties and early nineties the Jones & Lamson Company attempted to use this scheme for some of the harder metals, but it was the final conclusion that the chasing bar device is not stiff enough to contro! the tool. The present device is limited to the same class of work covered by the Fox chasing bar, and has been > sliding bar b, which is 2 in. in diametér and carries the cutter c, also carries a segment of a nut, d, which is thrown in and out of contact with the small lead screw e by the rod f. This rod has a cam surface directly under the nut d, so that its partial rotation causes the nut to engage or disengage the thread. This same partial rota- tion causes the cutter to be presented to or detracted from the work by the action of the crank pin g. The rod f may be actuated by the handle h or by the collars i and j, provided with face pins which may be alternately driven down against the rod f to effect its partial rota- tion. The collars i and j are set according to the length of the thread, which at the maximum may be 4 in. When all of the settings are is done automat- ically, only regulate the depth of cut by feeding the cross sliding head. The quick return of the cutter bar is accomplished by the gear k, a spring friction and maintains a retarding effect on the cutter as it advances, k has cutter made the work the operator’s duty being to which is driven by } and the instant the suflicient force to retract the nut is withdrawn this pinion cutter bar. The 330 bar comes back until the pin 7 strikes the collar j, and it rests against the face until the pin in collar, j, comes around and pushes pin, 1, down again. The forward mo- tion of the cutter is arrested automatically by the pin m striking the collar i. The cutters may be of the chaser form or a single edge cutter, according to the character of the work, but if of the chaser form they must have ample clearance so as not to affect the natural lead of the lead screw. Right and left hand threads are cut by simply reversing the swivel head n, so that the bevel gear on the horizon- tal shaft is on the opposite side of the one on the vertical THE IRON AGE January 31, 1907 used in connection with the threading device, and a sam- ple of work which must be accurately produced. A glance will show that the tools are accurately held and firmly presented to the work. Incidentally this illustration gives a view of the swiveling chuck jaw which is often necessary and always desirable in turret lathe work to firmly grip the work. Frequently the output of a machine is limited by the frail- ness of the work because a four-jawed chuck generally tends to flatten one way more than another, but even if it were possible to get an equal pinch on each pair of jaws there would still be a tendency to squeeze the piece Fig. 2.—The Parts of the Turret Screw Chasing Attachment by Themselves. So | 7 yi ) ZZ rz ° ae ft aa essay LS): ae I cS CF Feely att Ld We VOU m+ 2 ape oe —~ SSS OOOO ESS W. THE IRON AGE Fig. 3.—Sectional Elevation, Showing the Drive and Construction of the Turret Screw Chasing Tool. shaft. An extra lead screw and nut is required for each different screw pitch cut, but one set answers for any diameter. This tool is not part of the regular equipment of the flat turret lathe, but may be added to any machine re- cently shipped. Its importance becomes apparent when it is considered that there is still done in engine lathes chucking work that could be done much cheaper in tur- ret lathes, if the latter had any satisfactory way of pro- ducing large, short threads true with the other cuts. This attachment makes it possible to turn out all such work, In the view of a machine in which the chasing tool is being used, given in Fig. 1, other tools wholly obscure the view of the main features of the chasing tool, but other important elements of interest are brought out. For example, the means for holding the other tools that are * into square sides. A three-jawed chuck gives an equal distribution of pressure to each jaw, but it has the dis- advantage of fewer points of contact on the ring, and, of course, a greater tendency to squeeze it out of shape. By the use of these swivel jaws advantage is taken of the three-jaw principle of equal pressure, and then, by exert- ing the pressure of each jaw through two points by a swivel yoke, the holding force is distributed around at six practically equidistant points so that a great pressure can be brought on the work without appreciably distort- ing it. —_—_—_—+e____ The steamer Thomas F. Cole, one of the four 600-ft. boats the Pittsburgh Steamship Company has under con- tract at lake shipyards, was launched on Saturday, Jan- nary 26, by the Great Lakes Engineering Works, De- troit. ‘ January 31, 1907 THE IRON AGE 33! A Bridgeport Motor Driven Knife Cirinder. An improved medium weight knife grinder for grind- ing knives used on planing machines, trimming presses, paper machines, bark machines, leather splitting ma- chines, tobacco cutters, &c., is a recent product of the Bridgeport Safety Emery Wheel Company, Bridgeport, Conn. It is made in four sizes, for grinding lengths up to 32, 42, 52 and 62 in., respectively, with contained motor drive as in the illustration, or with pulley for belt drive. All have 1% x 26 in. wheels with 12-in. holes. To pre- vent heating and drawing the temper of the work it is arranged to use water, and as this also keeps the wheel from becoming glazed, the latter cuts faster and the grinding is more quickly accomplished. The loose emery dust, being wet by the water, cannot float about in the air and find its way into the working parts, consequently the machine will last much longer. The automatic cross feed is regulated by a thumb the carriage can be traversed by the hand wheel to adjust the knife to position without stopping the wheel or any of the belts. Screwing up the hand nut engages the fric- tion and starts the automatic carriage motion. The car- riage runs on a wide flat track, its outer edges being yoked under the bed to hold it securely in alignment, and is gibbed to take up wear. The knife is thus held se- curely in correct position, and the knife bar and carriage cannot be lifted off the ways by excessive pressure of the wheel against the knife in grinding. The carriage com- pletely covers the surfaces of the bed on which it slides, protecting them from particles of dust and emery. By means of adjustable dogs the machine can be set to grind knives of any length up to its capacity. The emery wheel is mounted on a rear extension hav- ing a box leg under its outer end, and when partly worn out can be set forward to use the balance. The wheel has a 1%in. spindle running in self-oiling bearings 7 in. long. The back extension, besides being a very stiff sup- An Improved Motor-Driven Knife Grinder Built by the Bridgeport Safety Emery Wheel Company. screw and can be adjusted so finely that it grinds the seven-thousandth part of an inch at each traverse of the carriage. It will stop feeding and grinding at any point, hence, when properly adjusted and set in motion no at- tendant is required. Both ends of the knife are fed forward equally at the same time, at the end of the stroke as the carriage motion reverses. A graduated dial at the end of the knife bar facilitates setting the knife quickly, so as to grind it to the same degree or bevel that it originally had. The knife bar is very stiff, being hollow and of large square cross section, so that long knives can be drawn down to it firmly by bolts, taking out the wind and spring caused by tempering. These bolts are easily inserted, as they go up through the bar and knife from the under side. The knife bar being arranged to swivel at each end, if, after bolting on a knife and traversing it in front of the wheel it is found that one end is nearer the wheel than the other one of the bevel feed gears may be slipped out of mesh and the other end operated until the bar is in the right position to grind an equal amount from both ends of the knife. The carriage motion is driven through strong back gears, all cut from the solid. A large hand wheel on the front of the machine with a hand nut at its center con- trols the friction gear. When the friction is thrown out port for the wheel, forms a double water compartment. The water in the lower tank is forced into the upper tank and under the wheel by air pressure furnished by a hand pump. The hood covering the wheel is arranged on the inside to catch the water and spray and conduct it back to the base below. Narrow cast iron pans on the back side of the bed catch the drip from the knife bar and carriage ané conduct it back to the reservoir. Through a 1%4-in. outlet pipe at the back of the machine the water can be drawn off when necessary to clean out the sediment. A bracket bolted to the side of the machine and sup- ported by a square base makes a solid foundation for the motor. The motor is back geared to the emery wheel shaft, 2 to 1, by a cut gear and pinion, giving the emery wheel a speed of 360 rev. per min. The gears are protected by a cast iron hood, opened in the illustration to show the gear. ‘The placing of the gears allows the wheel to be moved forward as it wears down without changing the position of the motor. dihicnicciipiaitianiaaimina It is stated that a French syndicate has obtained a contract to supply rolling stock for the Government rail- roads of Russia for a term of years, and that it intends to construct car and locomotive shops at Dikitovka, Russia. a ae i i i . | Sg 332 The Heroult Electric Steel Process in Practice. At the annual meeting of the Verein Deutscher Hisen- huttenleute at Duesseldorf, Germany, Professor Wich- hoff, of the Schoo] of Mines at Charlottenburg, near Ber- lin, read a paper on “ Progress in the Manufacture of Electrical Steel.” Professor Bichhoff, who was a steel maker until recently, when he accepted the professorship at Charlottenburg, was identified. with the introduction and development of the Héroult process at Remscheid. While he reviews in a general way the progress made in the application of electricity to steel making, and de- scribes and criticises the Gin, Ferranti, Kjellin and Stassano furnaces, the most directly interesting part of his paper is that which relates to the Héroult furnace and process. Special Economical Conditions Necessary. Dr. Eichhoff does: not believe that the manufacture of pig iron can be cheapened by the electrical process, as \ Fig. 1. compared with smelting in the blast furnace, when the electricity must be generated by burning coal. So far as the utilization of water power is concerned, costs have not thus far not been reached in Western Europe which would permit of competition with the blast fur- nace even with adverse freights. It is only in special cases in which good, rich ores in close proximity to water power are available; in which the price of coke exceeds 80 marks per ton; in which cheap labor is coupled with high freights on competing pig iron or duties on the latter render importation difficult, that the electrical method of manufacturing may be employed. Such con- ditions prevail in a larger number of cases than is gen- erally believed. Thus tests have been made in Canada which have led to good results. The chemical and metal- lurgical principles have been established, but before the method has developed into manufacture on a large scale considerable time will elapse and a good deal of experi- ence as to construction must be gathered. It is not an easy matter to build an apparatus for such a process since, simple as it may seem, it is a serious question how to overcome the difficulties which « arise with different parts of the construction. The manu- THE IRON - vs = an ‘ fein, = 20 Vi SS SES SSS Say RIL Lip \ AGE January 31, 1907 facture may be instanced of electrodes which are soon to be employed 16 ft. long and 8 ft. in diameter. Often there are years of delay in carrying out new processes or otherwise good inventions. Thus it is the construction of the apparatus, in which Héroult desires to carry out his pig iron process, which is the only difficulty in the utilization of the process on a large scale. Electrical manufacture of pig iron will probably develop in the near future in Canada, in Brazil, in the East Indian Archipelago, and in New Zealand. It is likely that the electric process of iron manufacture from the ore may, on account of the high temperatures attainable, permit the production of a raw iron, but a pig iron which posst!- bly may not contain much above 1 per cent. of carbon and which poured in a liquid state into an electric fur- nace may prove a better raw material than the pig iron as now made. It is, of course, a very different matter, when it is a question of making a special iron or ferro alloy. Blectrically smelted ferrochrome, ferrotungsten, ferrosilicon, &c., are so well known that no further refer- ence need be made to them. The property of the electric \ \ » \ » K~<xK A 4 { ' ' ‘ ' ' = i tittle —acanccarctielscatninmancmamsrar TRE IRON ALF Vertical Section through the Héroult Electric Furnace. furnace to produce pure metals plays an important part in this branch of manufacture. Cost of Steel Making Cheapened by Electric Furnaces, At the present time there can be no question of cheapening costs in the manufacture of steel for mer- chant products, like shapes, bars, &c., in those industrial centers where no water power is available and where electricity is produced from coal. In the largest furnaces thus far built for 5-ton charges, a power consump- tion of 870 to 752 kw.-hr. is necessary, starting with cold scrap. If the raw material is melted in the usual open hearth furnaces or Bessemer converters, and is transferred in a liquid condition and overblown, into the electric furnace, the consumption will, in such a small furnace be from 200 to 300 kw.-hr., according to the purity of the product required. With a larger fur- nace this will be considerably lowered. A 1.5-ton fur- nace, for instance, requires 2 hr. to purify and complete a molten charge of unpurified material. In order to heat this quantity by 200 degrees Celsius there will be required 0.4 x 200 x 1500 equals 120,000 calories equals 260 kw., equal to 130 kw. per hour. In practice January 31, 1907 250 kw. are on an average required. In other words, 48 per cent. of the energy is lost by radiation. The capacity of an electric furnace may be readily in- creased to 10 tons without correspondingly increasing losses by radiation. Since the surface of a 10-ton fur- nace is twice that of a 1.5-ton furnace, the consumption of power, if it is to finish a heat in 2 hr., will be 163 kw.-hbr. per ton of steel. This may be reduced to 130 kw.-hr. per ton for grades of steel which do not need so thorough a purification. Under such con- ditions the case of the electric current is not so great as to be prohibitory. When it is considered that a Héroult furnace, for instance, requires little or no ferro- manganese, but that the manganese is reduced directly from additions of ore, that only the theoretically neces- sary addition of ferrosilicon need be charged and that raw materials, lower in grade and cheaper may be used, then the point is reached when the costs of the new and the old methods approach one another closely. The differ- ence is counterbalanced by the higher quality. The whole question assumes a different aspect as soon THE IRON m AGE 333 may absorb large quantities of oxygen-iron compounds, the quantity increasing with the temperature. The existence side by side of carbon and oXygen-iron compounds can only be explained by the absence of a reaction between them at high temperatures. This assumption then explains the phenomena which eccur when steel cools. Assuming that the steel is cast at a temperature of 1750 degrees Celsius, and that at that temperature it has a capacity for dissolving 2 per cent. of the oxygen-iron compound, but does not contain more than 1 ner cent., which corresponds to a temperature of 1650 degrees. When the steel has reached the latter temperature the segregation of the oxygen-iron compound begins, the reaction between it and the carbon starts and the steel becomes agitated. fore, the solution of oxygen-iron compounds must be pre- vented, and when formed must be destroyed. Hitherto this has been accomplished by manganese and silicon, which has the disadvantage that the oxides of these sub- stances are solids which remain in the steel in a finely divided state, in a sort of “emulsion.” If this is to be manganse and silicon, Fig. 2 as the high grade steels are involved. The Héroult process is independent of the quality of the raw material and is therefore cheaper than all other methods thus far known which call for the use of selected purified or imported raw materials, provided that a really high degree of purity is required in the finished product. The Quality of the Steel. At to the question of the quality of electrically pro- duced steel, two points deserve consideration, that of deoxidation and that of chemical purity. All current methods of steel making, except possibly the crucible steel process, are based upon means for deoxidization. Even thoroughly deoxidized steel must contain certain per- centages of readily oxidized elements, like manganese, in order to be protected against oxidation during the act of casting. Dr. Eichhoff holds that the boiling of steel and the formation of blowholes and cavities are due to the presence in the steel of dissolved compounds of oxygen and iron, the quantity being dependent upon the tem- perature of the metal. Now it has been shown that at the high temperatures attainable in the electric furnace even high carbon steels, provided they are free from —Cross Section through the Héroult Blectric Furnace. prevented the deoxidation must be effected with sub- stances whose oxides are gaseous, like carbon, or the other substances, like oxide of-manganese, must be given time to separate. It is known, however, that every basic slag of any iron producing process holds in solution compounds of iron and oxygen, and that these are decomposed to pro- toxide of iron by metallic iron, which is dissolved in the latter, even when it has been deoxidized. A thorough deoxidation is not, therefore, attainable, unless the slag has been successfully freed from iron. This is what the Héroult furnace accomplishes. Dr. Eichhoff answers in the affirmative the question whether the electric process makes it possible to produce a purer steel, or permits the use of impure material to produce as pure or a purer steel than hitherto made. This applies, however, only to those elements like phos- phorus, sulphur, manganese and silicon, which can be oxidized, while copper, nickel, arsenic, &¢c., cannot be removed. At the first glance this does not appear to be anything new, but the new fact is that phosphorus can be brought down to 0.003 per cent. and sulphur down To avoid blowholes, there- | 334 THE below 0.01 per cent., independently of the contents of the raw material. By the elimination of these substances the injurious effect of copper and arsenic is avoided, be- cause it is not these elements themselves, but their sulphur compounds which have a deleterious effect upon the steel. So thorough a purification calls for vigorous oxidation, which until now could not be effected, because there were no means of again getting rid of such exag- gerated oxidation. The Furnace, The Héroult tilting furnace consists of a plate shell lined with refractory brick, H, and dolomite, K, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The bottom is rounded and is provided with two bent rails, which move in channels. The roof of the furnace is removable. At the back of the furnace are two electric motors, P, Figs. 1, 8 and 4, which through rack and pinion operate the arm R, to which the elec- trodes E, Figs. 1, 2, 8 and 4, are attached. Their position with reference to the bath is so regulated that a dis- tance of about 45 mm. above it is maintained. A possi- IRON AGE January 31, 1907 iron. When the slag has become quite white a sample of the steel is taken and its carbon content is determined. Then a mixture of iron and carbon, accurately calculated, is added, and, when dissolved, the necessary addition of manganese and of ferrosilicon is charged to produce the desired quality. The steel is then tapped. So far as phosphorus is concerned the analysis of. the steel in a well managed charge fluctuates between 0.003 and 0.005 per cent., while sulphur. ranges from 0.007 to 0.012 per cent. As a rule, carbon, manganese and silicon can be accurately kept within limits of 0.03 to 0.05 per cent. The results obtained in desulphurizing are of the greatest interest. The elimination of the sulphur takes place during the last stage of the process, and, according to Dr. Bichhoff, appears to be due to the fact that the slag can be kept much more basic than is possible in any other process. When the steel is taken in a highly oxi- dized condition from the Wellman furnace it carries only about 0.01 per cent. of phosphorus, and may be directly covered with carbon and the neutral slag. This makes it THE IRON AGE Fig. 3.—Side Elevation of the Héroult Electric Furnace. ble carburizing of the bath is thus avoided. So far as the author kuows breakage or splintering of the elec- trodes has only happened a few times in the course of about 1000 charges. The operation of the heat was only influenced once, and then the charge was not spoiled. The process is carried through as follows: From a Wellman tilting open hearth furnace 1.5 to 2 tons of liquid steel, partially purified, is cast into the electric fur- nace, care being taken to hold back the slag. The bath is covered with an oxidizing slag, and the current is turned on. After the lapse of one-half to three-quarters of an hour the slag is carefully drawn off, the clear bath vps covered with a certain amount of carbon and a fresh amount of slag, free from oxides, is charged. This slag is melted after 20 min., and then through the action of the arc upon the slag, it is thoroughly deoxidized, cal- cium carbide being formed. In this manner the bath is completely protected against access of air. The charging of the neutral slag cools the bath so much that the | greater part of the protoxide of iron is reduced by the ' layer of.carbon. A certain quantity of manganese ore is also charged with the neutral slag. This, too, is reduced and destroys the last small balance of the protoxide of , possible to finish a charge in 1% hr., with a consumption of power of 200 kw.-hr. per ton of steel. The high temperature of the are is regarded as the reason why extreme purification and deoxidation are pos- sible. The fear that this high temperature might injure the steel has not been justified by the events. The cir- culation in the’ bath is always active, and its individual parts are only exposed to it for a very short time. The average temperature of the bath need not be kept higher than in any other furnace. This active circulation leads to the circumstance that during the period of oxidation all parts of the bath come into contact rapidly with the slag, which is rendered particularly active by the high heat, and that the purification proceeds very rapidly. Similar causes bring about a rapid working of the proc- ess in its later stages. The high temperature, too, seems to affect with particular energy the alloying of the stee). Dr. Eichhoff quotes a long table of analyses of consecu- tive charges, which show, too, how closely the analysis aimed at has been attained. The plant at Remscheid was started on February 17, 1906. Since March 22 the firm of Richard Lindenberg has made nothing but electrical steel, the demand for January 31, 1907 which has been so urgent that it has become necessary to double the plant. A new 1400-hp. equipment, a second furnace and a. large rolling mi!l have been ordered. The electric plant has not called for a single day’s stoppage for repairs, but the primary Wellman furnace has caused delays which experience has taught how to avoid in the future. The electric furnace is working with the hearth originally put in. The roof, which consists of only a small layer of brick, lasts over 100 charges. The elec- trodes last for 70 to 80 hr.—a consumption of 1 cm. per hour. The average ;.ower requirements are about 250 kw., or 385 kw.-hr. per ton of steel. Comparisons with Crucible Steel, Dr. Eichhoff quotes the results published by L. Guillet of Paris, and reaches the following conclusions, compar- ing the Héroult steel with the best crucible steel: 1. With equal toughness it permits of a carbon con- tent from 20 to 40 per cent. higher, and therefore has a greater resistance to wear. — - — oo0ooooo0ooc pn i 7 | i | | } 1 1 } | THE IRON AGE 335 Steel produced may be kept for hours under a neu- tral slag without changing its quality, and a part of the heat may be cast and the balance be worked over to an- other grade—a matter which is of great importance to steel founders. The steel may be allowed to chill and be melted over again without hurting its quality. Cost of Production, The cost of production varies greatly according to con- ditions and the quality of the raw material. Dr. Eichhoff has compiled the following table of the time required for the different operations, assuming the impurest raw ma- terial and the highest purity of product, taking a series of weights of charges. Time Required for Operations, in Minutes. Weight of charge, kilos..500 1,000 1,500 2,000 3,000 5,000 1. Repairs of hearth, cold GS a. deuudde weds 10 14 16 18 20 22 2. Repairs of hearth, hot PN aaa wes ait sick 8 10 12 14 17 20 3. Charging, cold charge. 12 15 18 21 25 380 THE IRON AGE Fig. 4.—Top View of the Héroult Electric Furnace. 2. It has a strikingly high elastic limit and contrac- tion of area. 8. It is completely free from blow holes and therefore, when the process has been properly conducted, no sur- face defects or longitudinal cracks appear. 4. That it is completely deoxidized and contains no “emulsion” of silica or manganous oxide. 5. That the presence of copper and arsenic has no in- jurious effect, so long as practically no sulphur is present. 6. That segregations of phosphorus and sulphur do not occur. 7. That it forges better and stands a higher heat better than crucible steel. 8. That the cost of production is far below that of crucible steel. 9. That it is independent of the quality of the raw material. 10. That its manufacture is coupled with less exertion for the workmen than that of crucible steel. 11. That in purity it excels nearly all crucible steels. 12. That the process makes it possible to produce any kind of alloy steels, even such whose analysis has been thought to be impossible hitherto. 4. Charging, hot charge. 15 15 15 15 15 15 5. Melting charge, cold ae es . 135 170 180 200 238 6. Drawing off first slag, cold charge......... 7 9 11 12 14 15 7. Melting slag, cold charge . abi aes Ce 14 16 17 19 20 8. Melting slag hot GIG iv dieisinns Ee 30 34 36 40 44 9. Drawing off slag, cold or _ hot 3 second charge a hadéaed a 7 9 11 12 14 15 10. Melting slag, cold or hot chargé Sian ire aa 14 16 17 19 20 11. Drawing off third slag, cold or hot charge... 12 13 14 15 17 20 12. Melting slag, cold or hot charge.. 18 20 22 24 28 30 13. Melting slag hot charge ..... i 35 40 42 46 55 14. Converting slag to white slag.. ~< oe 15 16 17 19 20 15. Smelting carbide..... 30 35 40 40 40 40 16. Smelting additions.... 5 8 10 10 10 10 With: liquid metal charged the total time required and the consumption of power are as follows, for dif- ferent weights of charges and for different repetitions of making and drawing off slag: ore aaa \ ot : 4 t ; : Time and Consumption of Power, Charging Liquid. Average Drawing Drawing Without Work con- slag twice slag once. drawing slag of sump- Kilowatt- Kilowatt- Kilowatt- Weight dyna- tion hours hours hours of mo in per per per charges. Kilo- kilo- Time. ton Time, ton Time ton Kilos. watts. watts. Hours. steel. Hours. steel. Hours. steel. 500 218 175 2.00 700 1.68 5S8 1.33 465 1.000 265 915 2.29 403 1.1 410 1.55 536 1.500 312 250 2 60 433 2.15 357 1.78 206 2,000 362 290 2.73 396 2.24 325 1.82 363 3,000 456 365 2.97 360 2.42 294 1.92 233 5,000 643 515 3.15 32 2.57 265 2.08 219 permit of figuring the cost, so far as power and time are involved. The operation of a fur- nace calls for two men and a boy. When cold material is charged one or two chargers are required, according to the size of the furnace. The consumption of electrodes ranges, according to the size of the furnace, between 4 and 3 marks with a cold charge and 2.5 to 1 mark with liquid metal. The waste, with the purest product, is 6 per cent. in cold charging and 3 to 2% per cent. with The consumption of lime and of ore is not There is an important The cost of are much These data will liquid metal. larger than with other processes. saving in ferromanganese and ferrosilicon. repairs and the consumption of refractories less than in an open hearth furnace. —_ +e Trade With Cuba. Exports from the United States to Cuba in the calen- dar year 1906 were larger than in any other year of our trade with that island. Imports from the island fell $10,000,000 below those of the high record year, 1905, this fall being due to a reduction in prices of sugar, of which the quantity imported in 1906 was greater than in any sarlier year. ‘The total value of exports to Cuba in 1906, as shown by figures just compiled by the Bureau of Sta- tistics of the Department of Commerce and Labor, was $46,491,944, against $44,569,812 in 1905. Of these ex- ports iron and steel and manufactures thereof amounted to about $8,500,000 in 1906, a gain of about $500,000 over 1905. The table which follows shows the total value of im- ports into the United States from and of exports from the United States to Cuba in each calendar year from 1900 to 1906: Imports. Exports. S.A ib 84 Sid eh ba wee $31,747,229 $26,934,524 ree eee oe 46,663,796 27,007,024 i 5 bn: 0 bbs ak om 48,619,588 23,061,623 RR le ings iti Wine A wee a a ene ee 57,228,291 23,504,417 SG iG ae iark a dp wen 6.0 oe 74,950,992 32,644,345 Ds 6 iia esos babe dee eae 95,857,856 44,569,812 arts ccnkceeeeee tater 85,055,295 46,491,944 The official figures of the Cuban Government show that the United States in 1905 supplied 45 1-3 per cent. of the total imports of Cuba and took 86% per cent. of the total exports of that island. —_———_ e-em - —— An Improved Bell Steam Hammer. The hammer illustrated was designed and built by the David Bell Engineering Works, Buffalo, N. Y., especially for drawing down the bed part of axles used for buggy, coach and heavy truck vehicles. It can be used on many different kinds of work requiring similar treatment. and is capable of handling up to 4-in. round or square steel bars. The distinctive feature is that the face of the lower die comes within 6 in. of the bottom of the slides, which 6 in. is equivalent to the thickness of the upper die, and this leaves the ram or hammer head entirely within the guides its entire length when work is done down on the dies. The purpose in making this space so short was to be able to use one end of the die for a length of 4 in. for drawing down the stock with a narrow faced surface, and the other end of the same die face, which measures 8 x 9 in., for finishing the axle. It was very desirable to obtain the maximum efficiency from the blow on this class of work ; to do this the weight of the lower die block was very materially increased over standard design (5 tons where it was formerly 3 tons), because the efficiency of 330 THE IRON January 31, 1907 AGE a steam hammer depends almost entirely upon how quick the hammer is stopped. The die block consists of a very large, heavy, square cast iron base, bedded down into the foundation of the hammer, and into this is keyed an iron forging 20% in. in diameter, which was turned to fit the hole bored in the frame of the hammer with only a very small clearance. On the top of the round iron part is keyed a large, square anvil cap, made of hammered steel, as changing the dies makes it necessary to frequently drive the bolts in and out which hold the lower die. Other dies furnished are cut to suit round, square, octagon or other shapes for finally finishing axles. The foot treadle shown connects with the throttle valve lever, admitting steam to the hammer, and the main lever which gives the necessary variation in the force or position of the blow, and may be adjusted to reg- THe lRon Age An Improved Steam Hammer Built by the David Bell Engtneer- ing Works, Buffalo, N. Y. ulate the number of strokes per minute. In other words, the relative connections of the main and throttle levers may be varied to obtain any result possible if the levers were handled by another operator. The advantage in this is that the man handling the work knows better exactly what blow is required, and, with this arrangement, can obtain it. The hammer is similar to the Bell standard guide steam hammer, having an 850-Ib. falling weight, although the total weight of this machine is about 21,000 Ib. in- stead of 13,500 Ib. The hammer is also built with rein- forced guides and stiffened column as now employed on all of the company’s standard hammers. This construc- tion, described in The Iron Age May 10, 1906, gives a great excess of strength at the bottom of the slide faces of the main frame casting, where practically all of the strain comes on a hammer of this type. The valve motion and control, outside of the treadle feature, remains practically unchanged and is very sensitive. January 31, 1907 Bounties for Canadian Shipbuilders. The Norwegian Monopoly of the Coal and Ore Carrying Business of Nova Scotia. Ottawa, January 26, 1907.—Just at the time when a ship subsidy bill is hanging in the balance at Washing ton, Canadian shipbuilders are impatiently awaiting the decision of their Government with regard to their appeal for tonnage bounties as a meaus of upbuilding the Cana- dian merchant marine. The appeal for bounties strongly pressed on the Laurier Government when the Canadian Tariff Commissioners—Messrs. Fielding, Pater- son and Brodeur—were on the Pacific Coast and in the maritime provinces. it was expected that some announce- ment of the Government’s policy in regard to the matter would be made when the new tariff was introduced in the House of Commons on November 29, It was then an- nounced that the bounties on pig iron and steel ingots were to be continued to the end of 1910; but no statement was forthcoming as to the intention of the Government as to bounties for shipbuilding. Even ‘yet there has been no clear and direct statement of the course the Government will take, but a few days ago there was a discussion in the House of Commons on the general maritime policy of the Dominion in which Mr. Fielding, the Minister of Finance, made a statement which has given much encouragement to the shipbuilders, who, ever since it was known that the bounties on iron and steel were to be continued, have been sanguine that the Government will before the Parliamentary session of 1906-07 comes to an end pass an enactment providing for the payment of bounties—$6 a ton, it is expected—in respect of steel vessels built in Canadian lake and coast yards. was Foreign Vessels Now in the Coastwise Trade. Practically the whole maritime policy of Canada was reviewed in the discussion of a resolution proposed by Mr. Black, of Windsor, Nova Scotia, calling upon the Government to close the coasting trade against all non- British vessels. Ever since the coal trade of Nova Scotia began to assume large proportions foreign vessels have been permitted to carry coal from one Canadian port to another under an Order-in-Council which suspends the law restricting the coasting trade to vessels on the Brit- ish or Canadian register. Foreign vessels in recent years have come increas- ingly into this trade, especially the trade between Syd- ney and Quebec, Montreal and other St. Lawrence ports. Last year, of 1,500,000 tons of coal carried from Sydney to the St. Lawrence only 404,000 tons went in British or Canadian vessels. The larger part of the shipments was -arried by Norwegian steamers ; and to-day most of the ore which is imported from Belle Isle, Newfoundland, for use at the furnaces on both sides of Sydney Harbor, Cape Breton, is also carried in steamers flying the Norwegian flag. Many of these ore and coal freighters—including sev- eral which have a cargo capacity up to 7000 tons—were built in England. But they are owned by Norwegians, and manned by Norwegians; and the complaint against these vessels in the Maritime Provinces is that excepting bunker coal none of their supplies are bought in Canada. Said Mr. Black, in submitting his resolution to the House of Commons: “They buy scarcely anything in Canada. They bring nearly everything with them. They cut down their expenses to a minimum; and then, of course, they can compete with and drive out Canadian vessels. They make arrangements in Norway for emergencies. Spare spars, spare machinery, everything they can possibly need for an ordinary emergency, they bring from their own country.” Another complaint made by Mr. Black against the Norwegian captains was that even when their vessels needed repairs or overhauling they would not give that business to the dry dock at Halifax. To support this part of his case he read a letter from the manager of the dock, who said: “At the close of the season a Nor- THE IRON AGE 337 collided with another vessel in the St. Lawrence, and we competed for the repairs to it against New York. Our bid was much lower than that of New York; but the Norwegian went to New York for repairs simply because she could get u load at New York. was done with her and it was more con- venient for her to go to New York for repairs than to leave a little money for repairs in the country from which she had taken everything.” wegian vessel She *harter party, Harbor Improvement Should Be for Canadian Vessels, In view of the enormous amount of Government money that is now being expended in the improvement of Cana- dian harbors Mr. Black urged that it was not good na- tional policy “ to allow foreigners who leave nothing with us to monopolize our carrying trade ;” that the Dominion Government should cancel the licenses to engage in the coasting trade now held by foreign vessels; and that in accordance with this policy of developing the merchant marine of Canada the Government without delay should enact a law under which tonnage bounties should be paid in respect of steel vessels built in Canadian shipyards. All the speeches that followed—and there was quite a long debate—were in sympathy with this movement to exclude non-British vessels from the coasting trade. Sir Wilfred Laurier, the Premier; Mr. Fielding, Minister of Finance, and Mr. Paterson, Minister of Customs, were all in sympathy; and from Mr. Paterson the House had the statement that the Government was considering the ques- tion of withdrawing the coasting privilese from these for- eign vessels. It was from Mr. Fielding, however, that there came the most significant statement regarding boun- ties for Canadian shipbuilders. He said: It is not, after all, a question between Canadian and for- eign ships. I am afraid a more serious difficulty arises between Canadian ships, which are British ships, and ships which in a narrower sense are British inasmuch as they are built in the mother country. Reference has frequently been made to the competition of foreign vessels; but after you have shut out all the foreign vessels you will still have to compete with the Brit- ish ships. And we are in this curious position: The British ship goes free the world over where the British flag flies. She is admitted free into Canada; while many of the materials out of which that ship is built, if brought into Canada separately, would be subject to duty The conditions are therefore such as to discourage if not to prevent the building of iron and steel ships in Canada in com- petitioa with the shipyards of the mother country, which are conducted by men so widely experienced and who have such great capital and skill. Unless we are prepared to adopt the principle of taxing British ships coming into Canada—and there might be difficulties in the way of doing that, and gentlemen on both sides might see grave objections to it—there is no way in which we can aid our shipbuilding enterprise other than by the direct way of granting a bounty. The shutting out of foreign vessels wiil not suffice. If we are to agree that it is important to expand our shipping interests, I see no way in which this ean effectively be done other than by the granting of a bounty. That matter has been before the Government and is still under consideration. In connection with this statement by Mr. Fielding it should be added that it came out in the discussion that at a Liberal meeting in St. John, New Brunswick, two weeks ago, at which Mr. Emmerson, Minister of Rail- Ways, was the principal speaker, a_ resolution was adopted, urging the Government to grant tonnage bo