The Iron Age 1908-03-19: Vol 81 Iss 12

THE Published every Vol. 81: No. 12. Reading Matter Contents. Alphabetical Index to Advertisers Classifled List of Advertisers Advertising and Subscription Rates REED F. BLAIR & CO.! FRICK BUILDING, PIFTSBURG, PA. STANDARD CONNELLSVILLE COK FOUNDRY FURNACE 972 199 189 198 -page CRUSHED Co. ow ov. Ropes and Twines American. Mfg. the 65 Wall bt 13 a New York BRISTOL'S RECORDING GAUGES for STEEL PLANTS They will stand hard usage Ask for Cat. R THE BRISTOL CO,, Waterbury, Conn. NEW YORK CHICAGO || SAMSON SPOT | BOILERS Seo pase 55 || SASH CORD_| ~ TURNBUCHKLES — Cleveland City Forge and tron Co., - Cleveland, oO. als st Of 25 & pH i ae Baan be a2 % Mill Cinder Girard Building, Phila. Pilling & Crane ey Bld, Machesney Bid., Pitts’ a eee _EmpireB d., New Yor LUFKIN |: mn | IN AMERICA | ‘THE SES IN THE WORLD THE LUFKIN RULE oo. Saginaw sac, UB.A. to you, Thursday Morning by Dawmd Williams Co., New York, Thursday, March 19, Jails. We Hold Out Mr. Dealer, a pow- you cannot afford to overlook. wide reputation and established popu U. M. C. Shot Shells larity of IRON AGE 14-16 Park Place, New York. $5 OO a_Year, including Postage. Single Copies, 15 Cents You Hold Out to your customers this reputation and popu- Get hold of the public’s confidence — the erful asset which larity. It is keynote of retailing — by selling goods known to be of Superior Quality The Union Metallic Cartridge Company Write for Folders and Game Laws to M. HARTLEY COMPANY, Sole Representative, 3138 Broadway, N. Y. ATER TUBE O6h4e Babcock @ Wilcox Co., @ More 85 Liberty Street, New York The Best Selling } Nail in the World ‘‘THE CAPEWELL ”’ HORSE NAIL ‘“ Capewell’’ nails are sold in the United States each year than of all other brands combined. @This makes trade for the Hardware merchants—a very profitable trade, too. Always Carry ‘‘ Capewell’”’ Nails in Stock. The Capewell Horse Nail Co., Made by Hartford, Conn. U. S. A. THE LARGEST MANUFACTURERS OF HORSE NAILS IN THE WORLD. 1908 Calendar Free upon application. JENKINS °96 SHEET PACKING Flexible enough to bend easily without cracking, soft enough to fill up any slight unevenness of surfaces, but sufficiently strong and tough to resist all pressures of steam. Has been used for years under all conditions, and has proved its merits New York, London, Eng., Windsor, Gan. in thousands of plants. All genuine bears the Trade Mark, and is guaranteed, AMERICAN JENKINS BROS., New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, London SHEET AND TIN PLATE 6 9 i “naan Swedon” COLE ROled Steel sexed: Drawing = SLampIn Frick Building, PITTSBURGH celled for Makers of THE AMERICAN TUBE & STAMPING COMPANY SEE (Water and Rail Delivery) BRIDGEPORT, CONN. PAGE Biack and Galvanized Sheets’ Roofing Products Black Plate Tin Plate Terne Plate Quality and Service are prominent features with us. See Ad. on Page 15. New York: 11§ Bank St. MAGNOLIA ersicrion METAL The Standard Babbitt of the World We manufacture everythi in the Babbitt Line. MAGNOLIA METAL CO. Chieago: Fisher Building. Montreal: 31 St. Nicholas St. AGE SHEET ROD WIRE SHEET ROD WIRE THE IRON BRASS: COPPER: GERMAN SILVER LOW BRASS, SHEET BRONZE, SEAMLESS BRASS AND COPPER TUBING, BRAZED BRASS AND BRONZE TUBING : : +: : ¢ Waterbury Brass Co. WATERBURY, CONN. 99 John St., New York. Providence, R. 1}. PARTICULAR and CRITICAL BUYERS are learning to look to us more and more as their regular source of supply, whether their require- ments be for the better grades of TIN PLATE or the finest finishes in SHEET STEEL DRAWING and STAMPING qualities a specialty FOLLANSBEE BROS. CO. PITTSBURGH ) a WIRE Bridgeport Deoxidized Bronze & Metal Co. BRIDGEPORT, CONN. Phosphor and Deoxidized Bronze Composition, Yellow Brass and Alumie num Castings, large and small Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Co. La Salle, Illinois. SMELTERS OF SPELTER AND MANUFACTURERS 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. BSN greeted RHI 105-109 So, Jefferson =} oe Chicago. ANGE TRIP TUIDDELMEULQCU Re siaRN Se Ti vee-V TINT) ieee base a GERMAN SILVER | Sc “0m Brass, Bronze, and Copper THE SEYMOUR MFG. CO. - - SEYMOUR, CONN. HENDRICKS BROTHERS Belleville Copper Rolling Mills, Manufacturers of Braziers’ Bolt and Sheathing COPPER COPPER WIRE AND RIVETS Importers and Dealers in Ingot Capper, Block Tin, Spelter, Lead, Antimony, etc. 49 CLIFF ST., NEW YORH. Proprietors of the The Plume & Atwood Mfg. Ce Manufacturers of Sheet and Roll Brags WIRE pennants acai Copper Rivets and Burrs Pins, Brass Butt Hinges, Jack Chain Kerosene Burners, Lamps, Lamp Trimmings, &c. 279 Broadway, NEW YORK Room 508 Heyworth Building, East Madi- son St., CHICAGO, ILL. Rolling Mill Factories THOMASTON, CONN. WATERBURY, CONN. SCOVILL MFG. CO. MANUFACTURERS OF BRASS, GERMAN SILVER, Sheets, Rolls, Wire Rods, Bolts and Tubes, Beass Shells, Cups, Hinges, Buttons, Lamp Goods. Special Brass Goods to Ordes. FACTORIES: , WATERBURY, CONN. OTS: NEW YORK CHICAGO BOSTON HenrySouther Engineering Co, HARTFORD, CONN. Consulting Chemists, Metallur- gists and Analysts. Complete Physical Testing Laboratory. Expert Testimony in Court and Patent Cases. Arthur T. Rutter & Go. 256 Broadway NEW YORK Small tubing in Brass, Copper, Steel, Aluminum, German Silver, &c. Sheet Brass, Copper and German 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, Pee? and Murray Street, NEW YORK. PHOSPHOR-BRONZE 4%) GERMAN SILVER THE RIVERSIDE METAL Co. THE IRON AGE New York, Thursday, March 19, 1908. A Huge Tod Rolling Mill Engine. An engine of unusual size and design has recently been installed at the Ohio Works of the Carnegie Steel Company by the William Tod Company, Youngstown, Ohio. The engine, shown in Fig. 1, is of the tandem compound Corliss type, having long range cutoff gear, and its cylinders are 52 and 90 in. in diameter by 60 in. stroke. It drives the new three-high blooming mill and replaces a 45 x 72 in. twin cylinder reversing engine built by the same maker several years ago. A special feature of the design is the direct attach- ment of both the high pressure and low pressure cylin- ders to the bed plate. The high pressure cylinder is secured by studs to the flange of the bed plate, while heavy forged steel tie bolts 13 in. in diameter extend from lugs on the bed plate to sockets in the low pressure cylinder head. The tie bolts pass alongside of the high pressure cylinder, but are entirely free from it. By this construction the expansion and contraction of each cylin- der is taken care of separately, and in operation no per- ceptible motion of either cylinder occurs. The sole plate disturbing any tie pieces or heavy parts of the engine. The low pressure cylinder is provided with a manhole in the backhead. The crosshead is of cast steel, of light construction, and has adjustable shoes. Its bearing surface is 30 x 60 in. The connecting rod is of the marine type, with babbitt directly in the rod at the crank end, and a solid end with bronze boxes at the crosshead end. The crank shaft is 30 in. in diameter in the bearings and 36 in. in diameter through the flywheel, and is a hollow steel forg- ing. The flywheel is of extra heavy construction. The rim is in two parts and was cast with the arms. The latter are separated at the center to eliminate shrinkage strains, are of H section, giving extreme rigidity, and are secured in a cast steel hub. The complete wheel weighs 250,000 Ib., and is 25 ft. in diameter. Owing to the extremely heavy and variable service which this engine has to perform, a special type of cutoff gear was required. The power required for certain passes of the ingot is far in excess of the power which the steam cylinders can develop, and the flywheel was de- signed to supply. the deficiency in power; the engine of necessity slows down during the rolling periods, but re- Fig. 1.—An 8000-Hp. Tandem Compound Rolling Mill Engine Built by the William Tod Company, Youngstown, Ohio, for the Ohio Works of the Carnegie Steel Company. under the cylinders is of the heaviest construction, al- though it simply maintains the alignment of the machine, both cylinders being free to slide upon it. The main bearing, which is 30 in. in diameter by 58 in. long, is cast in one with the guide barrel, and the finished bed plate weighs 95 tons. Its massive proportions are indicated in Fig. 3, which is from a photograph taken while the casting was being handled on a planer during the machining of the ways for the bearing boxes. The back bearing is similar in design to the main bearing, and is secured to the foundation by numerous bolts, and the illustration of the former, Fig. 2, shows clearly the construction of these bearings. Each is provided with four shells, rigidly locked in place by the cap, which is reinforced by two heavy horizontal bolts. A liberal chan- nel around the edge of all main castings entirely prevents oil from reaching the foundation. The pistons are both of steel and of the conical or umbrella form, the use of which has been the standard practice of the William Tod Company for several years. Pistons of this type of large diameters have been in suc- cessful operation for some years, and have proved en- tirely satisfactory. The high pressure piston rod is 11 in. in diameter and is solid, and the low pressure piston rod is 15 in. in diameter and is hollow. Both pistons are carried free from the cylinders, the rods being cambered and supported on sliding heads. The construction is such that easy access may be had to both cylinders without covers its speed in the intervals between passes. The engine must therefore regulate quickly and be free from any tendency to race. As the engine will develop 8000 hp. at its rated speed, and as this will bring the wheel back to full speed in about two revolutions, the governor must have great stability to prevent racing. The range of cutoff is from nothing to full stroke, and as the usual expedient of giving the steam valves negative lap was not permissible on account of the danger of the engine running away in case of derangement of the dash pots, a floating trip gear was adopted. The governor can release the steam valves at any point of the piston travel, but the steam valves are positively closed by the wrist plate at the end of the piston stroke, so that in no event can the boiler pressure pass directly to the low pressure cylinder, as is the case with the usual double eccentric type of gear. The steam valves for both the high pressure and low pressure cylinders are driven from a single eccentric, while the exhaust valves on each cylin- der have a separate eccentric, thus departing from usual practice and providing for the separate adjustment of compression and release in each cylinder. Owing to this arrangement perfect valve setting has been attained in both cylinders, as the indicator cards have demonstrated. The valve gear rockers are inverted from their usual position and hang downward. The carrier rods, there- fore, tend to swing pendulum fashion, which is claimed to reduce wear and tear as compared with the usual ar- gi2 rangement. A hand operated piston valve is provided in a convenient position, by means of which the engine may be turned by hand in either direction. As may be seen from Fig. 1, the enormous size of the engine demands a special arrangement of operating platforms around the valve gear. This platform is 7 ft. above the floor line, leaving ample room underneath for access to the lower valve gear. This is believed to be the largest tandem compound engine ever built, and is the only engine regularly transmitting over 8000 hp. through —The Outboard Bearing on a Car Ready to Be Shipped. THE IRON AGE March 19, 1908 the necessary excess of oxygen and heat are thus supplied to produce smokeless combustion of the soft coal when more than the ordinary amount of air is admitted under and over the grates. A somewhat remarkable fact is that a better economy results than when either fuel is used The coal costs abopt $1 a ton delivered at the plant and the gas 10 cents per 1000 cu. ft. : alone. ———_3-- oe ———_—_—-_ The New England Foundrymen’s Association. At the monthly meeting of the New England Foundry- men’s Association at the Exchange Club, Boston, March 11, the Committee on Shortages reported through J. L. Anthony that the chairman had called a meeting of the general committee, representing the various interests of pig iron and coke shippers and consumers, to be held at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel, Philadelphia, March 18, when the questions discussed at the recent conference will be considered, with the idea of formulating a plan of relief. The selection of J. L. Anthony, Weir Stove Company, Taunton, and B. M. Shaw, Walker-Pratt Mfg. Company, Boston, to represent the New England Associa- tion was confirmed. A communication was received from the New Eng- land Stove Manufacturers’ Association asking the co- operation of the Foundrymen’s Association in bringing about the adoption of a universal pig iron contract that would protect the interests of the buyer and be accept- able to the seller as well. In the discussion that fol- lowed members stated that under present conditions the pig iron people insist on having things their own way Fig. 3.—The Main Bed and Largest Single Casting (Weight 95 Tons} as It Was Handled on a Big Planer. a single crank pin. An idea of the immense size of the engine may be had from the following dimensions: Total length, 71 ft.; hight of low pressure cylinder above foun- dations, 13 ft.: hight of center of engine above founda- tions, 6 ft. 11 in. — 2+ em Smokeless Combustion.—To effect the burning of bituminous slack, the Chester B. Albree Iron Works Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., simultaneously fires its boiler furnaces with a small amount of natural gas. Plain stationary grates are used, and the gas is intro- duced through five small jets in the side walls of the furnace, about a_ foot level of the grate. Originally the two equipments were installed for al- ternative use of either independently, so that one might be a reserve for the other. Now, however, they are gen- erally used in combination, since it has been found that smokeless above the and that the time has come when consumers should get together and have the contract amended to give them better protection. Messrs. Anthony and Shaw were ap- pointed a committee to act in the matter in conjunction with the Stove Manufacturers’ Association. The De- bevoise-Anderson Company, New York, was elected to membership. President Henry, F. Arnold was in the chair. After dinner George N. Jeppson, Norton Company, Worcester, Mass., highly instructive talk on grinding wheels, describing alundum and its manufacture, the advantages of grinding wheels, the machines with which they are used, their mounting and safety devices and their selection. Announcement was made that the next meeting would be at Boston, April 11, and would be addressed by T. E. Byrnes, vice-president of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad. gave a Po AE CRE a AEDES vie soe March 19, 1G408 The Melvin Boring Head. The 10-in. shell type boring head illustrated is the latest pattern of multiple tool boring head made by Melvin & Hamaker, Meadville, Pa. Like its predecessors, it uses cutters which are of equilateral triangular section inserted in the body of the head in milled seats so formed The New Multiple Tool Boring Head Made by Melvin & Hamaker, Meadville, Pa. as to give the proper clearance angle at the cutting edges and end clearance allowed by inclining the slots forward from true radial position. The cutters are reversible from one cutting edge to another and are also reversible end for end, so that six cutting edges are available. When finally all cutting edges are dulled the cutters can be ground on the sides and are again ready for use. The head is made of steel and the cutters of high speed steel. THE IRON AGE O13 to their seats on the ring having cam faces; the latter is adjusted to give the correct cutting diameter, and the clamping collar is then fastened. This engages all of the cutters and locks them firmly in position. The head has an adjustment from % to 1 in., depend- ing on its size. The cam controlling the adjustment is revolved by inserting a rod in a hole in the periphery of the flange. A definite amount of adjustment is allowed by the slots in the cam ring flange or clamping ring, and graduations enable the operator to obtain the required size without calipering. The intermediate collar, which lies between the clamping ring and the cutters, has rubber compression rings between the screws and ring. These maintain a pressure on the cutters when the front collar is loosened, so that the cutters are prevented from falling out, chips are prevented from accumulating between the cutters and the seat, and the operator is permitted to make an adjustment without any likelihood of the cutter not being seated on the adjusting seat. The shell type of cutter head is made in sizes of from 5 to 18 in. in diameter, and the machine type in sizes from 2 to 16% in. a os A Hogg High Knife Scrap Shear. A No. 714 high knife scrap shear built by the George A. Hogg Iron & Steel Foundry Company, Pittsburgh. Pa., for the Joseph Joseph & Bros. Company, Chicago Heights, {ll., is shown in the accompanying illustration, This shear is capable of cutting cold soft steel up to 5 x 5 in. in section. It is of the high knife type, pitman driven, and is especially designed for shearing miscellaneecus scrap and old pipe. A pipe crushing attachment has been provided which can be attached to the front of the shear and removed when not in use, allowing pipe up to 16 in. in diameter to be crushed. The shear weighs approximately 90,000 Ib., has knives 30 in. long and is driven by a Bullock 60-hp. three-phase induction motor. The main pin of the shear is a steel forging 10 in. in diameter. The main gear is of heavy pitch and is driven by a steel pinion. The gears con- necting the motor are machine cut, insuring smooth running. The shear, ! heing of the high knife type, is especially The No. 7% High Knife Scrap Shear Built by the George In the type illustrated the body is counterbored and has an internal thread. A ratchet shaped cam fits into this counterbore, and has a flange on the outside which serves as the main clamping collar. The end of the body has V-shaped seats to receive the cutters, and an inter- mediate steel clamping ring is milled at corresponding angles with the V seats in the head proper. This ring is bound against the cutters by screwing up the nuts on the bolts which extend through the slots in the flange of the cam ring. There is a wrench furnished for tight- ening this clamping collar. The cutters are first brought A. Hogg Iron & Steel Foundry Company, Pittsburgh, Pa. adapted to shearing old boiler plate and like material, and in its design it has been the aim to increase the metal at the points of greatest strain to prevent the breakages that usually occur in shears of this type. +e Judge Lewis Shepard, Judge D. L. Snodgrass and Dr. S. D. Spence of Chattanooga, Tenn., have been grant- ed a patent for an electric furnace. The process, it is stated, can be used for a small or large furnace and melt from 10 Ib. of any kind of metal or ore to 100 tons. THE IRON AGE March 19, 1908 The Compression of Semiliquid Steel Ingots.* BY N. LILIENBERG, PHILADELPHIA. The production of sound steel continues to be one of the most important questions of the present time. Pre- vious efforts in that direction have mostly concerned spe- cial high grade steel, but of late even makers of struc- tural steel and rails are looking for some suitable means of making ingots solid and of proper structure as well a of lessening the crop ends and segregation. In regard to rails, it has been conclusively demonstrated by experts (especially by the able engineer of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad) that most of the failures in actual use, sometimes causing serious disasters, are due not to wrong chemical composition or to faulty heat treatment, but to treacherous cavities inthe steel ingots, compressed by the rolling but not welded. High authorities there- fore now recommend that even rail steel be compressed before the ingots are solid. It is well known to be quite A (oso Ho He He eno pene He eHoHes erererers he th pp enough for practical werk to know that pipe will form more or less in every steel ingot, no matter in what way it is cast. The advice to cast steel at certain desirable temperature is of course difficult to follow, because the melted steel Changes temperature between the casting of the first and the last ingots. Effects of Cooling and Heating. When steel has filled the mold there is instantly a thick crust of solid steel formed at the bottom and a thin crust on the sides inclosing a quantity of liquid steel. If the steel is allowed to cool undisturbed, the liquid mass inside gradually settles as solid steel in the inside of the shell, and as the quantity is net sufficient, owing to the contraction, a space is left extending from the top irregu- larly downward. If the ingot after being entirely solid ooo ooo God (il =) Il ooo Le oh CN SI Fig. 1.—Plan and Elevation of Continuous Press for Steel Ingots Cast on Cars. possible by any steel process to make sound steel with- out blowholes, the whole shrinkage then being taken up by the pipe which is correspondingly larger when other cavities are absent. In that case compression shows to greatest advantage, but even steel developing gases after being poured in the molds can be compressed solid. It is only steel with surface blowholes which cannot be im- proved by compression. The formation of pipe in steel ingots has recently been studied to considerable extent. Mr. Stead, in England, has published very valuable observations, but especially has Prof. H. M. Howe gone deep into this matter. He shows that the formation of pipe is very complicated, because steel increases in volume at solidification and the sinking of the liquid steel then takes place at the different periods in accordance with the difference between swelling and shrinking of the interior and exterior. By a series of ex- periments with melted stearic acid he has also shown the influence of the temperature of the steel and of rapid and slow cooling on the formation of pipe. I do not intend to discuss these matters here, as my object is to deal only with practical manipulation for improving steel. It is * From a paper read before the Mining and Metallurgical Section of the Franklin Institute and printed in the Journal of the Institute for February. and red hot is allowed to cool slowly without being worked, large crystals are formed, especially around the pipe, and there is danger that the internal strain may separate them and form fissures which afterward may deyelop into large cracks. This danger is again repeated when a cold unworked ingot is put into a heating furnace. An ingot allowed to cool slowly and undisturbed is made up of a surface of interlaced crystals and an interior of larger crystals of weaker cohesion. When, therefore, such an ingot, espe- cially if it is of large size, is laid into a reheating sur- face it is very difficult to prevent the surface from ex- panding more rapidly than the interior, which, therefore, is liable to break, sometimes with a perceptible sound. The cracks between the interior crystals are of course not visible, and there are cases where these have been enlarged by forging into considerable cavities, discov- ered when the finished article is machined, or, still worse, not discovered until a break occurs. It has been fully demonstrated that the steel crystals are larger in proportion to the length of time for solidi- fication. Thereafter it depends on whether the sub- stance binding the crystals together is strong enough to resist the internal strains during continued cooling. IE ETRE mete ES 8 tA anti 6 ooh. March 19, 1908 THE IRON AGE 915 The whole steel industry may be characterized as “ the struggle against crystals,” and I therefore beg to em- phasize the abovesaid as being of equal importance with the obviation of pipe. Segregation, depending on the floating upward of the alloys of iron with lighter substances, can never be com- pletely avoided, but only lessened under special circum- stances. These have been completely investigated by scientists, and it is not within the scope of the present paper to make a review of this matter. For practical purposes it is sufficient to remember that the longer the steel is kept liquid the greater opportunity is given for this separation to take place. How to Prevent Defects in Ingots, The defects to be overcome in steel ingots can be summed up as follows: Coarse crystalline structure in the interior; full sized pipe in sound steel; partial pipe } on bss AL BE Let BS as her OT A tp phy bad bd beh hd bad GRRL ML Vis 44 7 directed downward by blast through a coke fire is in successful operation. The apparatus is complicated, how- ever, and must consume a considerable amount of coke. When the operation stops the remaining liquid steel will continue to sink somewhat before solidification. The action can only extend to a limited depth, and thus cavities are liable to form in the lower pasty part of the steel. As the steel is kept liquid a longer time it is difficult to see how coarse crystals and segregation can be avoided. 4. Casting with the large end upward. The pipe is generally composed of one upper visible cavity ending with a thin bottom, below which another pipe stretches irregularly downward to an undefined length with a point, or with a series of scattered cavities. This is the case in the ordinary tapered molds standing on loose bottoms with the emall ends upward. In casting with a k ©0000 00 0000000090090000 } or 560 »¢ y Y ZY t WkKEKXkhke Me i heckiceccssSSSSpSpp9py» S NOW OCESs oc i f f t ' SECTION ON Z- yY Fig. 2.—End Elevation and Vertical and Horizontal Sections of Pressing Apparatus. and blowholes in steel where chemical action between carbon and ferrous oxide takes place in the molds; segre- gation. A great deal of work and money has been spent on several methods of preventing all this: 1. Aluminum thrown into molds acts on the upper part of the ingot, keeping it more evenly liquid, and hence the diameter, but not the length of the pipe, is lessened. It reduces ferrous oxide, thereby making the steel more quiet. But its action is confined to the upper part, and the lower is apt to have more cavities than otherwise. A larger quantity of aluminum is liable to be distributed in brittle spots all through the steel. The opinions as to the effect of aluminum on segregation seem to be divided. 2. Casting continuous ingots has been tried, but the practice has been largely abandoned. The apparatus is complicated, and as the attachments to the cast ingots have to be removed, it can be used advantageously only for small ingots. 3. Keeping tbe top uniformly hot by placing a clay lined box on the top of the mold and applying a flame wide end upward the pipe is generally confined to the upper visible sinking and the long stretched appendix under the bottom is absent, which is so far an ad- vantage. This is now the prevailing method in Sweden. A clay lined box is placed on the top of the wide end of the mold, whereby the pipe is still further lessened. In most cases it does not stretch below the upper wide end of the ingot, which, however, cannot always be entirely relied on. Between the box and the mold the clay lining is so shaped as to create a neck in the steel, which facili- tates the subsequent striking off of the head. It is ob- vious that all casting with the wide end upward tends to increase the formation of coarse crystals, but, on the other hand, the wider end receives more working in sub- sequent rolling. The method gives good results in Sweden, where high priced steel is produced, and thus the expense can be borne. It consists in handling the molds by turning them upside down to get out the in- gots, forming and drying the sink boxes, striking off and remelting the sink heads. With a view of taking advantage of the shorter pipe g16 when the wide end is turned upward for ingots so heavy that it would be impracticable to turn the molds upside down after casting the following plan has been suggested. The small end is provided with a loose conical bottom, fitting closely into the After solidification the mold is placed over a hydraulic ram to force bottom and ingot upward out of the mold, which is held down by two upright stationary bars shaped as hooks on the upper end. 5. Centrifugal force acts favorably in driving blowholes, but of course can not obviate the pipe. Ma- chines for the purpose are, however, too unwieldy to come into general use. The molds would have to be sus- pended on trunnions in the circumference of a horizontal revolving wheel. I may mention that I have built a machine for making hollow ingots by rotating the circular molds each separately in vertical position. Some Methods of Compression, The only way to treat heavy ingots, especially those cast on trucks, is by compression of the semi-liquid steel. recess, out a =nmeseeecl meee nical a! %) | le) a ig =i ied ® 1s Fig. 3. This will improve the structure by making the interior crystals smaller, thereby also lessening the subsequent work on the solid ingot and reducing the segregation. To be effective the compression will have to be timed according to the solidification. It must begin as soon as possible after casting and be continued as long as any liquid steel remains in the interior. If it commences too late the pipe has already been covered with oxide and is thus impossible to completely efface. If finished too early some liquid steel will remain and continue to form pipe. In several compression methods the inventors have lost view of these points. I have stated above that even steel developing gases in the mold can be compressed solid pro- vided these gases do not appear close to the sides. The following changes then take place: The first zone of oceluded gases is closed up. Then a new quantity of gases in the liquid interior near the center is set free. If the compression stops there it has only moved the blowholes further inward, but if it is continued as long as liquid steel remains even these secondary blowholes will be closed up. Below is given a review of the prin- cipal methods of compression which have been tried or are in practical use: THE IRON Jur AGE March 19, 1908 1. Compression from the top has not gained ground. It is impossible to close up the pipe in that way, consider- ing that the solid walls of the upper part of the ingot cannot well be compressed lengthways. Besides the gases are given no opportunity to escape. 2. Compression from the bottom is in successful oper- ation at some works in France and England. The steel is forced upward into a conical mold, which the inventor compares to wire drawing, the top being left open. The bottom of the mold is of course loose and supported by a piston. The casting is done in a place separate from the press, and the ingots and molds are then transported to- gether over a plunger which forces the loose bottom up- ward together with the steel. The mold has to be strong and is preferably round or octagon, and it must be heavily banded. As the ingot gets firmly stuck another plunger from the top forces it loose from the mold after the oper- ation is finished. This works well and economically when it comes to making a few large ingots, such as for heavy guns, shafting, &. But if, for instance, a 50-ton = ; E ii, R roa eNGeS See Zs - =-— Sea abate cana Side Elevation and Plan of Pressing Apparatus, with Ingots Under Pressure. charge divided among 20 ingots shall be treated in this way, a sufficient number of presses will have to be in operation simultaneously with correspondingly high ex- penses of installation. The attendance will also be ex- pensive, as it is impossible for one man to watch over the whole row of ingots. The molds will be very expen- sive and heavy to handle. It would be still more difficult to apply this system for the large quantities of steel cast on trucks, 3. Compression from the side in the molds. The con- structions made on this principle must of course have divided molds. Two constructions of this kind are worthy of mention: (a) The casting is done while the halves of the mold are kept together by a hydraulic ram. When the solid skin of the ingot is strong enough the mold is opened sufficiently for introducing a plate as long as the ingot, after which the halves are forced together again by hydraulic pressure. The liquid interior is thereby forced to keep the mold filled to the top until the ingot is solid. Such machines give good results, but can only be used for small sized ingots. (b) For heavier ingots the following construction is auiene Baa ue ae EME TOO RE abiihabiaac es ee ee eee Oe it IIR tei IIT March 19, 1908 THE IRON AGE 917 made. ‘The halves of the molds are separated by two bars, cross shaped in section and held together by a hydraulic ram during the casting. As soon as a skin sufficiently thick is formed the cross shaped bars are drawn up, leaving the empty space between the edges of the molds. The hydraulic ram then slowly forces the molds together, thus giving the necessary pressure. This procedure gives very good results and is in continued practical operation. It can also be used for treating ingots standing on trucks. The obstacle in the way of a general adoption of this method are: That the molds of the steel makers will have to be changed from the ordi- nary solid tapered ones to straight divided; that the handling of the divided molds is expensive; that the walls will have to be made extra strong at the base to stand the swelling of the steel during compression, there- by making the molds heavy and expensive; that the ex- pense is further increased by the edges having to be planed; that it is difficult to avoid a fin where the skin folds in the space between the edges (the fins being planed off by a machine on the cold ingots, a procedure obviously unsuitable for a large and rapid production). 4. Compression from the side on the bare ingots stripped of the molds. In this way many of the above named difficulties are avoided, besides the molds will last longer as not being in contact so long with the hot steel and liable to be pressed out of shape. The first question is whether it is possible to strip the ingots early enough. The time of solidification stands in proportion to the weight and size of the ingot. An 18-in. square in- got weighing about 214 tons will require about 1 hr. to get solid to the center. The stripping of such ingots usually takes place about 30 min. after casting. Although this is somewhat late, liquid compression can still be done at that time, but it is preferable to reduce this to 15 min. Experience has shown that this can be done at steel works, where the casting and stripping is managed properly. The taper of the molds should, of course, be sufficient, and the inside of them smooth. Procedure with Stripped Ingots. The proposed methods of compressed early stripped steel ingots are mainly the three following: (A) Rolling the ingot in vertical position between four slowly revolving rollers. This would be theoretical- ly the ideal compression, but it is very difficult to carry out for these reasons: The ingots get out of shape be- tween the rollers; they cannot be easily grasped and handled in semiliquid state; the machine is not only com- plicated, but there will have to be a great number of them, as the ingots cannot be treated one at a time, be- cause some would cool off. (B) Placing the stripped ingot in a corner and work- ing on it from two sides by hydraulic rams, after which it is allowed to fall through the bottom and be carried away. It would be necessary to have a great number of hydraulic cylinders for compressing all ingots at the same time, which would be very expensive. (C) Leaving the stripped ingots standing where they are and acting on the whole row simultaneously with a battery of hydraulic rams placed side by side, the whole being surrounded by a sufficiently strong frame. In this way the compression can be prolonged during the whole period of solidification and lifting the semiliquid ingots is avoided. It therefore seems that this could be used for ingots while standing on trucks. We, however, meet with sev- eral great difficulties. The ingots will have to be moved a small distance sideways so as to release them, and in ease of casting on wheels to enable the locomotive to pull out the train without delay. This lateral movement should be made by the returning stroke of the hydraulic rams, but such machinery will not be easy to construct for a group of ingots, especially considering that of the mold and trucks must be made free and clear from all constructions in one moment when the train shall be pulled out. [The difficulties of the problem are detailed at some length.] How the Requirements May Be Met. Looking over the requirements again we find them standing as follows: 1. The casting should be made without changing the ordinary solid tapered molds, but the ingots should be stripped earlier than usual, which can be done. 2. The stripped ingots should not be removed from their places on the bottom until the compression is finished. 3. In order that the pressure may be continued ac- cording to the solidification, all the ingots will have to be pressed simultaneously, but they must be finished at different periods, according to the difference in heat be- tween the preceding and following ingots. 4. This should arrange itself automatically without any special attendance and the work of hauling, &c., should be reduced to a minimum. 5. The installation should be sufficiently simple and not occupy too large space in a steel works. To all appearance there is only one way to accomplish this: Leaving the early stripped ingots standing inside of a framework, pressing the whole row of them simul- taneously by a wall moved forward by driving in wedge blocks. As the construction is patented, I hereby give some details. Figs. 1, 2 and 3 represent the case of a 40- ton charge divided between 18 ingots 18 in. square, 60 in. high, weighing about 214 tons each. In Fig. 1 the first view shows the press A and the ingot train B during casting. The molds can remain the same as they are now, but the bottoms should be made so as to extend whole under each group of molds. As early as practicable after casting the ingots are stripped. For this purpose it is desirable that the taper of the molds as well as their inside condition is such that the stripping can be done by ordinary plunger. For this size of ingot the stripping should be done not later than 15 min. after casting, when a crust is found sufficient to hold the liquid interior. In the second view the train has moved nearer to the press and the stripping of the ingots has begun. Three ingots are placed on each car, although the number is generally two. On each group of ingots has been placed a frame of cast iron, D, filling up the space between the ingots, and the outside plates provided with ridges are inserted between the ingots and flanges on the bottom plate. These frames are simple to make, and can be shoved in sideways. Their placing in position by travel- ing crane will only take a few minutes. These frames keep the ingots from falling when they stand stripped on the moving cars unsupported by the molds, and they take up the side pressure during the compression. The frames are left on the ingots until the train has departed from the press and reached the soaking pit, where they are easily taken out at the time of lifting the ingots. The stripped ingots standing on the train are immediately backed up by the locomotive so as to enter the press, as shown in the third view of Fig. 1. Operation of the Lillenberg Press, Figs. 2 and 3 show the installation and operation of the machine. On the cross section Fig. 2, the ingot A is shown as caught between the two walls. The movable piece is pressed by the wedge block C being forced in be- tween the stationary wall D and the movable one B. Roller bearings are placed between the wedge blocks and the walls, as otherwise an extravagant expenditure of force would be needed. These are made very simply of solid rolled steel with the ends set off and inserted into links. The link chains turn around half-round surfaces on each end of the press. The returning idle parts of these link chains and roller bearings move the one out- side the fixed wall and the other inside a cavity in the movable wall, as shown at E and F, Fig. 2. The links holding the rollers slide between channel irons fixed to the walls. The lower of these contains steel balls on which the links can roll. It should be remembered that the movement will be as slow as about % in. per second, and that therefore these roller bearings do not have many of the inconveniences of ordinary rapid roller bearings. The wear is of course comparatively small, also the in- clination to tilt, which in roller bearings is more apparent in conical than in cylindrical rollers. To steady them against tilting the chain can be made to contain plates at a few points having rollers inserted and made like hinges to bend around the ends. These link chains present the advantage over other roller bearings that they can gis be inspected during the open passage around the ends, and it is easy during the slow movement to exchange any broken or worn part. The wedge blocks are in this case 6 ft. long, 3 ft. 9 in. high. The ends stand at right angles to the side gliding against the fixed wall and the opposite side is tapered. As the time of compression is about twice the time of casting, the first cast ingot placed in the front end of the press should be only half pressed through when the last cast ingot at the other end begins to be pressed. With a compression of 3 in. the tapering of the wedge blocks should therefore be 114 in. on the blocks moving in the press at the same time, that is about \ in. per 6 ft. length. Beginning with a thickness of 12 in., the last end of the blocks should therefore be 15 in. It is easy to make the total slanting surface of the blocks slightly curved, so that the pressure is automatically changed ac- cording to the different periods of solidification. The wedge blocks should preferably be made of steel and planed on all sides, but if this should be too expensive some good cast iron chilled on the two long sides can be used. As the blocks are driven out from the press they are taken care of by the traveling crane, returning them in groups to their position. This is the only actual handling during the operation. The blocks stand on roll- ers ready to be fed in before the hydraulic rams one by one by a simple mechanism. The rollers are connected by cog wheels and by a rack with slanting teeth, which is moved back and forth: from two corresponding cog wheels T and U, Fig. 3, fixed on a vertical shaft. The upper of these cog wheels engages in a short rack fixed on the crosshead of the hydraulic piston rods. It is thus apparent that the movement of the pistons feed in the blocks automatically into position for the next forward stroke. The last wedge block is driven forward by blocks with parallel sides leaving a clearance space of 3 in. When all the wedge blocks are driven out the movable wall is thus released and can be moved backward. The release is then effected automatically by drawbars, G. hooked on the top of the movable wall. These bars are connected with levers H on which the weights I hang. The hydraulic compressor is composed of two cylin- ders, K, and pistons, L, which in this case have a stroke of 7 ft. The piston rods are 10 in. in diameter, which is somewhat more than is needed for the strength in order to reduce the consumption of water at the returning stroke. The front ends are screwed to a cross head, M, which is guided by sliding on the bolts N, connecting the cylinders with the press. The valves are made as re volving disks, but can just as well be piston valves if this should be preferable. The movements of the valves are automatic by connecting them with a sliding bar, P, provided with lugs which are pushed by the movement of the cross head. . The construction of this machine is not difficult, and it does not contain more movable parts than several ap- pliances in a steel works (for charging, &c.). It is evi- dent that the automatic movements reduce the attend- ance, and this consists in fact only by the work of one machinist in regulating the hydraulic pressure and look- ing at the proper movements of all parts. It is the only machine in which all the ingots are finished automatically in order according to their solidification. For a machine treating 20 tons, or 10 ingots 17 in. square 55 in. high, standing on five cars, the train occupy- ing a length of 32 ft., the estimated cost is $33,159. Pressing Stripped Ingots in a Casting Pit. The same principle as previously described is applied to this case, but the construction of the machine has to be different. As the stripped ingots must not be removed the casting pit will have to be contained in the press and sufficient space given for lifting the molds, handling the ingots, changing the bottoms, and getting down into the pit for cleaning. The distance between the movable and the fixed wall will therefore have to be greater than in the previous case, and the movement of the movable wall back and forth will have to be made by special ma- chinery before the pressure with the wedges is applied. {In the concluding portion of the paper details of this special adaptation of the mechanism are given.] THE IRON AGE March 19, 1908 A. B. C. Blowers in New York City. A census of the more important blower equipments in or about New York City, and particularly in connection with the ventilation of subways and tunnels, shows a rather remarkable number to the credit of the American Blower Company, Detroit, Mich. Shortly after the open- ing of the New York Subway it was decided to ventilate the station toilets by some positive means. Small volume blowers were adopted, and 60 outfits were furnished by the American Blower Company. Later the Rapid Transit Commission (as it was then) decided upon a plan for ventilating the Subway itself by means of centrifugal ex- hausters, and for this purpose A B C steel plate exhaust fans were adopted, 25 of which have been installed in special vaults built in the line of the Subway, about mid- way between stations, from Fulton to Fifty-ninth streets. These exhausters draw the air from the Subway, many thousand cubic feet a minute, causing an equal amount of fresh air to flow in at the stations. This action is aug- mented by the plunger effect of the trains themselves forcing the air out through the fan vaults, by means of automatic louvres, which allow the air to pass out, but close automatically when the air tends to flow in the op- posite direction. Independent of the ventilating equip- ment a cooling plant was installed at the Brooklyn Bridge station of the Subway, which employs four more large A B C fans. In the tunnel extending under the East River from the Battery to Brooklyn, connecting the subways of Manhat- tan and Brooklyn, opened within the last few months, fresh air is supplied by A B C blowers, two of which are installed at each end of the tunnel, supplying air in the directions in which the trains operate. Following closely upon their adoption by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company, the engineers of the Hudson Companies de- cided upon A B C blowers for the ventilating of the Mc- Adoo or Hudson tunnels, connecting New York and Jersey City, and the architects of the Hudson Terminal Build- ings, for the ventilation of these large buildings, which, taken together, will form the largest office building in the world. Among the tall buildings in New York which are equipped with A B C fans are the Singer, City Invest- ment, Trinity, United States Realty, West Street, Bank of America, Tribune, St. Paul, United States Express and Flatiron buildings. Less conspicuous in point of hight, but quite as well known, are the Macy, Wana- maker, Altman, McCreery and Claflin stores, the New York press and Saks buildings, the Hippodrome, Police Headquarters, Fordham Hospital, the various public baths, and many others. a os The Pennsylvania Railroad Company’s Rail Specifications. With regard to reports emanating from Pittsburgh to the effect that differences exist between the Pennsylvania Railroad and the United States Steel Corporation over the new steel rail specifications, the following statement has been issued by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company : “The report in the daily papers to the effect that there is a controversy in progress between the Pennsy]l- vania Railroad and the United States Steel Corporation on the question of the new steel rail specifications is entirely without foundation. The Steel Corporation has not refused to manufacture these rails under the specifi- cations as given, and the Pennsylvania Railroad has not addressed any communication to other lines for the: purpose of inviting a discussion of the subject. In view of the fact that the specifications for 1908 were entirely new and represented many distinct innovations in the: art, the question of the price to be paid for the rails natural