The Iron Age 1908-08-13: Vol 82 Iss 7

THE IRON AGE Published every Thursday Morning by David Williams Co. 14-16 Park Place, New York. $8.00 a Year, including Postage. Reading Matter Contents. page 480 Alphabetical Index to Advertisers ‘‘ 181 Ciassified List of Advertisers =" 171 Advertising and Subscription Rates ‘‘ 180 REED F. BLAIR & CO.| PRICK BUILDING, PITTSBURG, PA. STANDARD CONNBLLSVILLB C POUNDRY PURNACE CRUSHED The Original and only Genuine “STILLSON WRENCH” is manufactured by WALWORTH MFG. CO., Boston, U.S. A. And bears their registered Trade-Mark Bristol's Patent Steel Belt Lacing WARRANTED BY SAMSON CORDAGE WORKS, "hsv Cleveland City Forge and tron Co., - Cleveland, 0. TTRN BvCHE LES. MERRILL BROS. (lg SO id Maspeth, New York, N. Y. BESSEMER PIG PILLING ¢ % CRANE mecnemey ioe. pitta. a Bldg., New York. | TAPES: TUFKIN |=. DE IN AMERICA and THE AREST IN THE WORLD THE LUFKIN RULE CO., Saginaw, Mich., U.S.A. New York, London, Eng. Winvdsor, Can. When you are considering the roof—consider a good one. 32 pounds coating ROOFING TIN will meet your every need in a roof covering. AMERICAN SHEET AND TIN PLATE COMPANY Frick Building, Pittsburgh, Pa. See our Ad. on page 19 Quality is the chief re- quisite in Big Game Cart- ridges. Every shot must count. For that reason hunters are particu- lar to specify U. M. C. Cartridges. The American Revolver Team won the World’s Championship at the Olympic Matches, shooting U.M.C. Cartridges. The British Team fin- ishing third, also used them. Sell Quality Cartridges—U. M. C. Game season soon opens—— Are you stocked ? Union Metallic Cartridge Company, AGENCY, 813 aes NEW YORK BRIDGEPORT. CONN. WATER TUBE She ‘Babcock @ Wilcox Co., BOILERS See page 52 85 Liberty Street, ‘* Driven All Over the World ’’ THE CAPEWELL NAIL Holds the Best! Drives the Best! NO imperfect NAILS TO SPLIT the foot. NO dull points to DAMAGE the most brittle or delicate HOOF. NO DANGER of your horse casting a shoe at a critical moment WHEN “CAPEWELL’’ NAILS ARE USED. Made by THE CAPEWELL HORSE NAIL COMPANY Hartford, Conn., U.S.A. Excelsior Straightway Back-Pressure Valve has a full, unobstructed passage through it nearly in line with the pipe, and therefore offers no resistance to the free flow of steam. Thoroughly reliable when used as a back pressure valve, it is also adapted for use as a relief or free exhaust valve for condensers. By changing position of outside lever, it will work equally well in a vertical or horizontal position. JENKINS BROS., New York, Boston, ee Chicago, London, THE AMERICAN TUBE & STAMPING COMPANY SEE (Water and Rail Delivery) BRIDGEPORT, Corn. PAGE MAGNOLIA ,,ténon METAL The Standard Babbitt of the World We manufacture everytaing in the Babbitt Line. MAGNOLIA METAL CO. ees New York: 115 Bank St. Chicago: Fisher Building. Montreal: 31 St. Nicholas St. STAMPING SHEET STEEL" seme FOLLANSBEE BROTHERS COMPANY PITTSBURG Makers ot SHEET STEEL for all requirements, including GALVANIZING ENAMELING TINNING MILK CAN BOW SOCKET FERRULE SHOW CARD TEA TRAY TAGGERS NICKEL PLATING AUTOMOBILE METAL FURNITURE METAL DOOR OAK BODY STEEL RANGE Matthiessen & Hegeler Zinc Co. La Salle, Illinois. SMELTERS OF SPELTER AND MANUFACTURERS SHEET ZINC AND SULPHURIC ACID THE IRON AGE BR ASS roo COPPER}. GERMAN (steer SILVER e WIRE LOW BRASS, SHEET BRONZE, SEAMLESS BRASS AND COPPER TUBING, BRAZED BRASS AND BRONZE TUBING : _—_——_—_ Waterbury Brass Co. WATERBURY, CONN. 99 John St., New York. The Plume & Atwood Mfg. Co. Manufacturers of Sheet and Roll Brass WIRE Copper Rivets and Burrs Pins, Brass Butt Hinges, Jack Chain, Kerosene Burners, Lamps, Lamp Trimmings, &c. 279 Broadway, NEW YORK Room 508 Hayworth Building, East Madi- son St., CHICAGO, ILL. Rolling Mill Factories THOMASTON, CONN. WATERBURY, CONN. SCOVILL MFG. CO. Manufacturers of BRASS, GERMAN SILVER, Sheets, —_— Wire, and 8. Providence, R. I. Brass Shells, Cups, Hinges, Buttons, Lamp Goods. Special Brass ‘Goods to Order. Factories: WATERBURY, CONN. NEW YORK Bridgeport Deoxidized Bronze & Metal Co. BRIDGEPORT, CONN. Phosphor and Deoxidized Bronze Composition, Yellow Brass and Alumi- num Castings, large and small Depots: CHICAGO BOSTON Henry Souther EngineeringCo. HARTFORD, CONN. Consulting Chemists, Metallur- gists and Analysts. Complete Physical Testing Laboratory. Expert Testimony in Court and Patent Cases. Arthur 1. Rutter & Co. 256 Broadway, NEW YORK. 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. WAN ier 105-109 So. Jefferson St., Chicago. Best Bronze, Babbitt Metals, Brass and Aluminum CASTINGS GERMAN SILVER THE SEYMOUR MFG. CO. - - HENDRICKS BROTHERS Sheet and Bar Copper, Copper Fire Box Plates and Staybolts, Wire and Braziers Rivets Importers and Desiers in Block Tin, Spelter, Lead, Antimony, Bismuth, Nickel, etc. Ingot Copper, 49 CLIFF STREET, - Small tubing in Brass, Copper, Steel, Aluminum, German Silver, &c. Sheet Brass, Copper and Ger- man Silver. Copper, Brass and Seamless Brass and Copper Tube. Copper and Brass Rod. “PHONO-ELECTRIC” WIRE. “IT's TOUGH.” TROLLEY, TELEPHONE PRU ea NICKEL ANODES Brass, Bronze, and Copper SEYMOUR, CONN. Winn saa and \ TELEGRAPH = LINES. Mitts, BRIDGEPORT BRASS COMPANY ~~ geport ital Telegraph Bldg. '_ onn. eeinteant and Murray 8t., New York. <peatenensinnnicsesnnsasemataseanneniaaesinnanetanianaemmnnmticeniiae east ee . PHOSPHOR-BRONZE GERMAN SILVER THE RIVERSIDE METAL CO. RIVERSIDE, N. J. NEW YORK'™ German Silver Wire. Brazed and | Xl i Aa ei IR ere er en THE IRON AGE New York, Thursday, August 13, 1908. New Norwalk Compressors and Unloading Devices. The latest pattern air compressors built by the Nor- walk Iron Works Company, South Norwalk, Conn., are equipped with an unloading mechanism of unique design, which is operated automatically by air pressure, and is applicable to steam or belt driven machines, with valves of either the Corliss or autopoppet type. The method of unloading is to hold the intake valves wide open. The mechanism is so sensitive and so positive in its action that the highest compressor speeds are made practicable. By means of it the machine starts up with no load, and runs with full load, part load or no load, according to the demand upon it. When desired, as in compressors driven by electric motors, the mechanism unloads when the speed falls off or the machine stops, and resumes load only when working speed is again attained, thus regulat- ing automatically by motor speed, which constitutes an important element of control with electric motors. Fig. 1 shows a steam driven compressor, with change speed governor gear and an unloader operating Corliss valves. Fig. 2 is a high speed compressor for electric How the Unloading Is Accomplished. The method of unloading is to hold the intake valves wide open by means of the air pressure itself, except when starting up a compressor equipped with Corliss valves; then the unloader is operated by hand by the sliding of a button, the valves being held open until the machine is up to speed, from which point the unloading is entirely automatic. There are two ways in which the pressure is regu- lated. In the first, the object is to control the air supply according to the demand for air, in which case the inlet valves are governed through an air control that operates with the pressure. In the second the object is to unload the compressor when its speed is below the fixed mini- mum, for which purpose the air for operating the un- loader is under the control of a small centrifugal gov- ernor which is affected by speed alone, a particularly desirable feature with electric motors which should not be loaded until they obtain their full speed, and also with some oil engines which require instant, automatic un- : Fig. 1—A Steam Driven Norwalk Compressor with Unloading Corliss Valves. motor drive, also equipped with Corliss valve control for full load, part load or no load. Fig. 3 is a belt driven compressor for moderate speeds, with air control for full load or no load. The designers of the new unloader claim for it sub- stantial advantages in its adaptation to modern power practice, among them being sensitiveness, rapidity and power of action, which render it practical for very high speeds, thus bringing an important influeence upon the design of machines driven by belt from electric motors. Greater efficiency is obtained where the compressor is designed to run at a speed so high that its belt wheel is of moderate diameter, not greatly in excess of the motor pulley, for as the driven wheel approaches the size of the driver (in this case the motor pulley) the belt has a greater angle of contact upon the driving pulley and can hold to it without being excessively tight. Slipping and creeping are thus avoided, and as a result there is a sav- ing of power and a full output from the compressor. That unloading is accomplished and compression stopped is proved by the fact that the indicator diagram from the unloaded cylinder, taken with the same spring as for the regular work, is a straight line drawn at atmospheric pressure. There are no changes in tempera- ture, except the cooling effect of flushing the cylinders with cold air from the outside. No vacuum can be formed to promote the creation of gas from lubricating oil. loading when they begin to fall off in speed through momentary defective valve or feed action. The Air Controlling Device. The air control, shown in section in Fig. 4, and also set in tandem for progressive, partial unloading, resem- bles a safety valve in appearance, but has quite a differ- ent function. The valve has two seats, one above and one below. It is held to the lower seat against the pres- sure of air entering at @ by a spring which can be set at any desired compression. When the air pressure reaches the predetermined point the valve lifts, acting with a slight pop effect, and flies to the upper seat, only 1-32 in. above. ‘This closes the exit to the atmosphere, and the air, passing the lower valve seat, is led through the side passage b to the unloader, where the full pressure acts to hold open the intake valves. When the air pressure falls below the fixed maximum point the spring forces the con- trol valve to its lower seat, shutting off the pressure from the reservoir and releasing the air from the unloader by way of the upper seat, the valve mechanism resuming its normal function. These actions are so quick that the unaccustomed eye finds it difficult to catch the move- ment. The range of variation of pressure is about equal to the width of the pointer on the air pressure gauge. In order that no dirt or speck of inside coating of pipes may get into the valves or other parts of the un- loaders, all air is filtered on its way to the control. The filter consists of two small cylinders filled with material I i ct ee ee 434 THE IRON AGE which collects all particles, and which need not be re- newed oftener than once every two years. The Two Types of Unloaders, The unloaders are of two patterns, one for the poppet valves, the other for the Corliss valves. For poppet valves the unloader, shown in Fig. 5, is simply a piston placed above the inlet valve. The pressure from the air control depresses the piston, as shown, forcing open the intake valve ¢ and holding it inactive so long as unload- ing is required. On the return of the piston of the com- pressor cylinder the air which was taken in on the ad- vance stroke is rejected and returned to the atmosphere August 13, 1908 loader and the valve resumes its work, the piston being withdrawn by its spring. When a compressor is first started up with no pres- sure in the reservoir, it will begin pumping at once, for there is no air pressure to unload it. To meet this con- tingency the unloader for Corliss valves is arranged to be operated by hand, as already mentioned, its piston being actuated by the moving of the button in its slot, as seen in Fig. 7, a device which comes into use under many cir- cumstances, especially with some oil and gas engines which sometimes must have quick relief to prevent entire shut- down when oil supply or gas feed is out of adjustment. Fig. 2.—A High Speed Compressor for Motor Drive with Corliss Valve Centrol for All Stages of Load. through a wide open port specially designed for ‘the pur- pose, so that there is practically no resistance to its entrance or exit. The unloader for the Corliss valves is shown in Fig. 7, arranged for progressive unloading, by operating first against one valve to unload one-half of the cylinder, and then aguinst the other valve should complete unloading become necessary because of the continued rise in pres- sure, as will be explained later. This unloader consists of a piston within a cylinder. The air pressure, received Fig. 3.—A Belt Driven Moderate Speed Compressor with Air Control for Full or No Load. from the control, works against the piston with a de cided pop, powerfully and quickly, and efficiently even for compressors working at highest speeds. The motion is positive in both directions. The piston trips the latch on the intake valve stem, holding the valve wide open. It operates only when the valve is at its wide open point, with no pressure upon it, and consequently little force is required and no wear of parts results. The latch is of hardened steel, and bears against a hardened steel plate on its operating cam. With the renewed demand for com- pression the contro] releases the pressure from the un- When the speed of a compressor falls below the mini- mum working point the same unloaders are employed, but the air pressure that actuates them is admitted through a tiny valve, Fig. 6, which is under the control of a small centrifugal governor. When the governor is up to speed the air valve d is closed, and the compressor is unloaded under the regulation of the air pressure control already described. But with the diminution of speed and the consequent relaxing of the governor balls the valve is opened to admit air to the unloaders, relieving the com- Se el aa Pe ae aneee a y pressor of all work. Witb accelerating speed the air valve closes, and the machine is again governed by the regular air control. Advantages of the Unloader. With many sources of power, as gas engines and elec- tric motors, it is important that they be started without load, and the load thrown on only after full speed is at- tained. Frequently the compressor must be called upon to start against pressure in the discharge pipe and res- ervoir, either from a previous run or from other com- August 13, 1908 pressors then at work. As the cylinder of the com- pressor is full of air before the start it must be driven out at the first revolution, which is quickly accomplished with the intake ports open. Another advantage claimed for this system in connec- tion with electric drive is that starting with no load, even rapidly, requires not more than one-third the capac- ity of the motor, whereas to start a loaded compressor <<<< Fig. 4.—Sectional View of Air Controlling Device and a Tandem Arrangement for Progressive Unloading. Rha hhak Fig. 6.—Governor Control for Unloader. Fig. 5.—Unloader for Poppet Valves. Fig. 7.—Unloader for Corliss Valves. from rest requires a motor greatly oversize as compared to that needed for the same machine when it is working up to speed. With the Norwalk system of unloading the load cannot come on until speed is attained, neither can an imperfection in the valve cause electrical trouble, for the effect of a leak is to unload the machine. Thus it is stated that with the Norwalk compressor, as now equipped, a small motor can be used, which is economical of current. A compressor requiring 100 hp. can be equipped with an 80-hp. motor, because when the com- THE IRON AGE 435 pressor is fully loaded the motor will be overloaded only 25 per cent., and when it is at half load the motor will be only 62% per cent. loaded. All the work is practically within these limits. The new type of compressor unloads progressively, instead of following the common practice of running either with full or no load. In the usual arrangement the first air control unloads the machine only one half, but the discharge side of the control is also connected to a second air control, which is set to act at a slightly higher pressure. When the higher pressure is reached the second control acts and completes the unloading and the machine runs free. The difference between the action of the two controls can be adjusted as fine as may be de- sired, but a convenient practical working difference is about 2 Ib. Modifications of Use, In unloading a two-cylinder compound compressor the first of two air controls unloads one end of each cylinder, leaving the opposed or complimentary ends in operation, preserving the proportions of compression between the two cylinders by balancing the reduced load in each di- rection, for in compound compression the same amount of work is done in each cylinder. In the large duplex, twin-tandem, compound machines the first act of unload- ing is to drop one half of the load of the right hand ma- chine, reducing capacity 25 per cent. If the pressure still shows a tendency to rise, the left hand machine drops one half its load, making the total reduction 50 per cent. If even this reduction jis insufficient. the right hand ma- chine unloads entirely, making the reduction 75 per cent., leaving the machine with only 25 per cent. capacity, and if the use of air has suspended completely the whole machine is unloaded and runs free. In regular work it is not necessary to go through all these steps in progression, for the machine will on demand instantly resume work in whole or in part from any one of the points of partial load to meet the requirements up to full load. On steam driven machines three controls are placed in tandem. The first acts on the governor, slowing down the machine; the second unloads the machine one half, and the third completes the unloading. ——_> oo —___—__ Lake Superior Ore Shipments. The movement of Lake Superior iron ores down the lakes amounted to 7,235,281 gross tons up to August 1 this year, as compared with 17,534,741 tons up to August 1 last year, a falling off of 10,299,460 tons, or nearly 59 per cent. The July shipments came much nearer to those of July, 1907, than might have been judged from the pessi- mistic comments of Cleveland vessel interests, the total last month being 4,364,283 tons, against 4,849,117 tons for July last year. The shipments by ports up to August 1 for the two years were as follows in gross tons: To August 1, To August 1, 1908. 1907. DIA, iit wctaxiennas peeiaa 754,293 2,812,879 NG ise ota Schad aca eie «a 345,789 1,349,805 ass eh lots cas 0.0 pcdhe Beal he ta 592,939 1,707,107 SS casio 4 400 a a fathe e « 40d oss 1,111,887 3,081,664 | Oa ree rere eee 5,151,365 Uti src bes Sade acs ds 1,610,439 3,431,921 i GSP EL PR ESE eee 7,235,281 17,534,741 Duluth shows the smallest percentage of decrease from 1907, having to its credit 39 per cent. of this year’s ore up to August 1, as against 29 per cent. to August 1 last year. ——_3+e—__—_. G. W. McClure, Son & Co., Bessemer Building, Pitts- burgh, have received an order from the Bethlehem Steel Company, South Bethlehem, Pa., for five McClure hot blast stoves, 100 x 22 ft. in size, which, when completed, will make a total of 12 McClure stoves at that plant. The firm has just completed 12 of the 32 McClure hot blast stoves to be erected at the eight blast furnaces of the Indiana Steel Company, at Gary, Ind., and has started work on seven McClure stoves for the Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad Company at Ensley, Ala., which will make a battery of 20 McClure stoves at that plant. | | 436 THE IRON AGE August 13, 1908 Little Ore Under Mesaba Slates. An Extensive Test Bears Out the Theory. DULUTH, MINN., August 6, 1908.—An important explor- ation firm on the Mesaba Range recently completed the sinking of a drill hole of much interest and of great geo- logical significance. The geological theory, advanced by Prof. C. R. Van Hise, C. K. Leith and others, who have spent much study and time in the consideration of the problems of the formation and deposition of Mesaba ores, is, very briefly, that these ores are the product of water concentration from the raw ferruginous chert of the iron bearing formation, and that therefore where this free flow of water through the chert is impeded, there will not be the concentration sufficient to admit the deposi- tion of merchantable ores. This water circulation is above the underlying quartzite and exists where there is no impervious capping over the cherts. That being the case, there should be no ore below the overlying strata of slates. In fact, there is so little ore under the slates as to bear out the theory. Previous to the exploration referred to, there never had been any test drilling under the slates, except for a very short distance, say a few score or 100 ft. The ex- ploration in question was started with the purpose of dletermining, so far as one drill might, what is the condi- tion at such a distance under the slates as to preclude the probability of disturbance or of water circulation running in for a short distance. This drill hole was sunk vertically more than two miles south of the south out- cropping of the iron bearing formation, and the same distance south of the north line of the slates. It was sunk 2000 ft., and into the underlying quartzite of the older rocks. There was the expected thickness of drift overburden, then 1500 ft. of black slate, then about the thickness expected of the iron bearing cherts, and then xu short penetration was made into quartzite. The point of the experiment was that the ferruginous chert showed no concentration, or no results of water circulation. It was what the Mesaba explorers call “hungry looking taconite,” apparently without change, and such as is occasionally found in the banded taconite formation in the exposed portion of the range at points where water action would naturally be at a minimum. For there are localities in the jasper outcrops of the Me- saba where the probabilities of any considerable water action in the past are very slight. This hole bears out the geological theory; shows, as far as it goes, the con- tinuity of the formations, and will probably deter any other explorers from going far under the slates. A Great Pit at Hibbing. The Oliver Iron Mining Company is doing an enor- mous work at Hibbing, Minn., and will have a mining pit there more than 7500 ft. long and about 1200 ft. wide, running west from the little swale lying half a mile west of the town, to and including the Hull pit. To this pit will be joined the vast Mahoning pit of more than 160 acres. Already the stripped area of the Mahoning and Hull, which join and form one opening, covers more than 200 acres. The new Rust stripping will run south and east of this. To all this will be added ultimately the entire area of the east extension of the Mahoning, which lies adjoining and north of the Rust, and there will then be a pit 1.5 miles long and half a mile wide, ex- tending from near the western limits of Hibbing to the west side of the present Mahoning and south to the Utica and Agnew. To this will be added the 40 acre tract com- prising the Penobscot Mine, now idle, and heretofore op- erated underground. This will make the great pit about 4000 ft. in extreme width. Operations toward the opening of the Rust pit are now under way; several tracks have been graded in from the south, connecting with a stripping dump, and the main line of the Great Northern Railroad running across Penobscot and Rust ground is being cut away, the high fill taken out, and a trestle placed in its stead. When Mahoning, Hull, Rust and Penobscot mines are stripped, the tonnage of ore exposed will be well up in the hun- dreds of millions, nearly all of which is of high grade and very much better than the average of ore shipped from the range in the past year or two. Stripping on this vast pit will average about 40 ft., and the ultimate yardage cannot be less than 14,000,000 tons. The Steam Shovels on the Mesaba. The Oliver Company has in its operations in the ter- ritory immediately surrounding Hibbing, that is in the Hull, Rust, Burt, Sellers, Morris, Hartley and one or two other mines, a total of 47 steam shovels and 52 attendant locomotives. Its shipments from this small district last year were about the same as the entire tonnage taken by all companies from the Menominee and Marquette ranges, or 9,250,000 tons—the two ranges mentioned shipping 9,353,000 tons in that period. This year most of these mines, with the exception of Morris, where four shovels and a number of locomotives are idle, are reasonably busy. In all, this company has a total of 67 steam shovels running. Of those operating, some 90 per cent. are working double time. The majority of these shovels are of large type, many of them of the 90 ton size, and the greater part of the rest of 65 tons. It is an interesting comparison to figure the Mesaba shovels against the shovels of the Panama Commission, which number 102, including a larger number of small machines than is to be found in the equipment of the Oliver Company. In addition to the 97 shovels of the Oliver Company, there are 27 large machines operating for that and other companies on contract for stripping. 20 of them day and night, and some 40 more owned by and in part operating for independent mining companies in both stripping and mining. This makes 164 steam shovels on the Mesaba Range. At present some of them are idle. New Developments, Some of the explorations that have been going on west of the Mississippi River the past year or two have been successful, and one interest has discovered two shipping mines, one at least a stripping property. They are rather low grade, but the two contain better than 5,000,000 tons, and amply repay a good deal of work. Other developments there have not been as fruitful as these. On the Cuyuna Range, the Rogers-Brown Ore Com- pany has elected to take up several of its options, trans- ferring them to leases and beginning the royalty obliga- tions, though its work in what properties it is developing presents no more flattering features than before. But the fact that this company, which has spent more money than any other concern in the actual development of the mining industry on that range, is taking additional prop- erties, is significant. The Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company, whose operations have been chiefly at Ishpeming and Negaunee, is becom- ing interested in Iron River prospects on the Menominee, and will probably take up something there for immediate exploration and development. This company has been branching out considerably in the past, especially in the Swanzey District, where it is opening several mines and proposes to open more until it has a very important group there. The future of this district is probably not fully appreciated by those who do not know that the Cleveland- Cliffs Company will, in time, have as high as 9 or 10 mines there. Four are opened now, two with concrete shafts. D. E. W. ————-- ~9 +e The Argentina Railroad, Argentine Republic, Sout! America, has placed an order with the Brooks plant of the American Locomotive Works, Dunkirk, N. Y., for 30 locomotives. To take care of this order an increase in the working force of the plant is necessary. It is certain now that the Brooks plant will be run until the end of the year. At the present time the plant is en- gaged on an order for locomotives for the Chicago, Mil- waukee & St. Paul Railroad. The Youngstown Foundry & Machine Company, Youngstown, Ohio, has elected W. J. Wallis, president and general manager; F. A. Williams, vice-president ana general sales agent, and B. G. Parker, secretary and treasurer. ol eR ans es ee a August 13, 1908 A Case Coal and Ash Handling Machine. The accompanying illustrations show an_ I-beam bucket operating hoist mounted on a cantilever gantry, recently built by the Case Mfg. Company, Columbus, Ohio, for the Wabash Railroad’ Company. Fig. 1 shows the machine as installed at the railroad’s Decatur, Il., shops, from which it will be seen that the gantry serves the cinder pits on. either side of the center tracks and can be arranged for handling coal from cars to engine tenders if desired. This machine is equipped with three 60-cycle three-phase alter- nating current motors, one for the bridge travel, one for hoisting and operating the bucket, and one for traveling the _ trolley. The hoisting speed is about 75 ft. per minute, the trolley speed 150 to 250 ft. per minute, and the traveling speed of the gantry 150 to 200 ft. per minute. The general arrangement of the machinery for driving the bridge is clearly to be seen in Fig. 1. The motor drives direct into a gear casing in which are placed the first reducing gears; this gear casing is in the center of the machine. The shaft is ex- tended and drives through a pair of bevel gears at each end of the gantry down through the ver- tical shaft to the truck wheels. All gears are entirely inclosed in Traveling Gantry with Trolley Bucket Hoist for Handling Coal and Ashes, Built by the Case Mfg. Company and Installed gor the Wabash Railroad at Decatur, III. Fig. 1. casings and are provided with step bearings for the ver- tical shafts. A detail of the trolley hoist is given in Fig. 2. The trolley has steel wheels, which operate on the lower flange of a standard I-beam. Swivel trucks are provided for traveling on a curved track when desired. The cage is attached directly to the trolley, and in it are located the controllers, switchboard and resistances. The hoist has two drums and the necessary brakes THE IRON AGE 437 for operating the auxiliary drum. The grab bucket is of two cubic yards capacity, and is arranged with one clos- ing and two holding ropes, which prevent twisting and turning of the bucket. The bucket operating mechanism is so arranged that the bucket can be hoisted or lowered either open or closed. Since the load is carried at all times through an automatic load brake, dropping the bucket through carelessness of the operator or temporary interruption of the electric current is prevented. The hoist is also provided with a limit switch, which prevents Fig. 2.—The Trolley Hoisting Drums and Operator’s Cage. any overtravel of the hoist and consequent damage to the bucket machinery. The load brake and first reducing gears are inclosed in a gear casing. The operation of this machine is quite simple. As- suming that the bucket is lowered open, with the brake levers in central position, the operator immediately re- verses the hoist controller, which closes the bucket; the auxiliary drum takes care of the slack in the holding ropes automatically. When the bucket is closed and starts upward it is necessary to throw in the clutch lever, which makes both drums travel at the same speed. It is now possible to hoist or lower with the bucket closed, and when the bucket is in proper position for dumping the brake lever may be set and the clutch lever released. Reversing the hoist clutch and releasing the brake lever lowers the bucket for the next load. This hoist is 9 ft. long over all, 5% ft. from the back of the cage to the center of the hook and 3% ft. from the center of the hook to the outside of the truck wheels. The cage is 3 ft. 3 in. long by 3 ft. 9 in. wide, which is the maximum width of the machine outside of the bucket. The bottom of the cage is 8% ft. below the bottom of the I-beam. On account of the desirability of having this machine as light and compact as possible, all castings are of steel, and the truck wheel frames are supported on ball bea» 438 ings with 214-in. chrome steel pintle pins. In addition to this, a steel yoke is arranged to fit around the lower flange of the beam so that if the pins should break by erystalizing after long use or other cause, the yoke will prevent the hoist from falling. All of the gears are steel. ———__~- > — A Motor Driven Saw Sharpener. Of the many interesting examples of individual elec- tric motor drive to be seen at the Hawthorne Works of the Western Electric Company, Chicago, one of the most unique is a saw sharpener in the carpenter shop. This machine not only rapidly and accurately sharpens circular saws of varying diameters and pitch, but does it auto- matically. The grinder and motor are mounted on a table for convenience and connected by a short driving belt, as shown in the accompanying illustration. The mechanism necessary to operate the various parts of the machine is driven from a short countershaft. The saw to be ground is keyed to a horizontal shaft, which is slowly revolved, bringing each tooth in turn under the emery wheel. This emery wheel has two motions; one a circular motion and the other an oscillating motion, which enables the grinder i A Motor Driven Saw Sharpener in the Hawthorne Works of the Western Electric Company, Chicago, III. to cut one edge of the tooth and then the other. This is accomplished by a most ingenious system of levers and cams. One of these levers has a turnbuckle, by means of which any desired pitch can be given the teeth: The emery wheel can be raised or lowered to suit the diame- ter of the saw. The operation of this device is so simple that a saw can be keyed to the shaft, adjusted, and the machine started in a remarkably short time; and when once in operation no attention whatever is necessary. The smoothness with which this machine runs makes it free from vibration, assuring evenly and accurately ground saw teeth. This is made possible only by a posi- tive drive, such as is obtained by this motor. The motor THE IRON AGE August 13, 1908 is a direct current motor manufactured by the Western Electric Company. The wiring to the motor is inclosed in conduit, providing a fireproof installation, so essential in a woodworking shop. ——_—_-e— —— The Improved Grant Roller Bearing. The first conical roller bearing placed on the market is said to have been the Grant bearing, made by the Stand- Philadelphia, ard Roller Bearing Company, >a. This The Improved Grant Roller Bearing Made by the Standard Roller Bearing Company, Philadelphia, Pa. company has now brought out a new form of this bearing, which also has conical or tapered rollers, but is improved in several respects, and is claimed to be both theoretically and mechanically correct in construction and design. The new bearing, the three principal parts of which are herewith illustrated, has races and cones made of special steel, with the temper drawn, so that they are very tough end will not chip or break under very severe service. The cage or retainer holding the roller is of the same general type as that used by this company for many years on its standard journal roller bearing. It consists of in- dividual sockets or races, in which the ends of the rolls rest, and is made of solid steel with the two end rings riveted together by a special electric riveter, giving what is considered to be the strongest form of cage or retainer that can be devised. The hot riveting makes the cage sub- stantially solid or one-piece. It is practically impossible for it to twist or get out of shape, and, as there are no small journals or pins on the rollers, the bearing is ex- ceedingly strong. The cone has an especially wide shoulder, against which the rollers have a bearing from their ends prac- tically to their centers. The shoulder has the same de- gree of bevel as the ends of the rolls. The entire thrust is thus taken in a manner which makes the bearing durable and strong. This bearing is guaranteed to be capable of carrying much more than its rated load. Being made in standard sizes, it is interchangeable with any other form of conical or tapered roller bearing. a Om Cast Iron Brazing by the Weldarine Process.—The Buffalo Brazing Company, Buffalo, N. Y., has been or- ganized with a plant at 53 The Terrace, to do all kinds of cast iron brazing under the rights of the Weldarine Mfg. Company, Topeka, Kan., using the Weldarine proc- ess. By this process broken parts of cast iron can be brazed and made stronger at the union than the original metal, and cast iron can also be brazed to steel, malle- able iron, brass or copper, something that has not been successfully accomplished heretofore. The successful use of Weldarine for these purposes is due to the fact that the welding is done at a low temperature and the life of the iron is not destroyed by decarbonization. Weldarine is claimed to have a tensile strength of 20,000 Ib. to the square inch, making it practical to weld cast iron to steel and other metals of a higher tensile strength than cast iron. Many uses are being found for this process in the manufacture and repair of automobile’ parts, engines, gen- eral machinery, farm implements, &c. G. A. Kinkel, whe is president and general manager of the company, has also organized the Weldarine Agency Company and se- cured the Weldarine process rights for 18 Eastern States, Canada, Cuba and the West Indian Islands. The new company has disposed of the Canadian rights to Alderson, Hammond & Ritchey of Toronto, who expect to establish 20 brazing plants throughout the Dominion within the next year. August 13, 1908 THE IRON AGE 439 The New Dreses 48-In. Radial Drill. A number of the features of the new 48-in. radial drill illustrated in Fig. 1 and built by the Dreses Machine Tool Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, have been retained from previous designs of this company which have already been described in The Iron Age, These include the quick return of the spindle, the mechanism for starting, stop- ping and reversing the spindle, and the principle of the construction of the speed variator. The construction of the double column upon which Fig. 3.—Detail of the Speed Variator. the arm swings is shown in Fig. 2. The inner column is fixed and the outer column turns upon a roller bearing. It will be noticed that the clamping band a grips the inner and outer columns, but exerts no pressure on the top of the bearing. In the bearing large and small rollers alternate, so that there is no sliding friction between the load carrying rollers. The speed variator allows the machine to run always at the slowest speed, so that the momentum is not ex- cessive when making the changes. In this speed variator a new simple and effective overrunning clutch has been introduced. The gear b, Figs. 3 and 4, runs loose on the variable speed shaft, but is clutched by four pawls, p p p p, located in the fixed gears c. These pawls are kept in contact with the inner surface of the gear b by the spiral springs s, and by limiting their faces to about 5-16 in. circumferential width they will clutch the gear b to gear c when run in the direction of the arrow, but will release when c runs faster than Bb. It was found that the circumferential width of the faces of the pawls is a very important point; when made too small the CONICAL ROLLER BEARING Fig. 2.—Detail of the Construction of the Double Column. pawls make dents on the inner face of the gear b and when left too wide the pawls will not clutch at all. The spindle sleeve on this machine is made of bar steel and the bearings are lined with phosphor bronze Fig. 4.—Detail of the Over-Running Clutch. bushes. The rack is cut directly on the sleeve, which brings the pressure close to the center and allows a per- fectly round hole to be bored and reamed in the head- stock for the sleeve, which is impossible when a groove must be left for the rack. The lever shown below the arm stops, starts and re- verses the spindle by means of a friction clutch. The so- ealled back gears are on the rear of the headstock, and are engaged and disengaged by the handle shown at the left side of the head while the machine is running. The 440 THE IRON AGE feed mechanism gives four changes and is operated by the little handle shown on the worm shaft by means of a rack and diving key, The feed drive is of the all geared type, but a frictional connection is interposed, vielding just before the breaking point of the weakest gear. The quick return mechanism has four operating levers; each when engaged disengages the feeding mechanism instantly, and a locking plug keeps it dis- engaged when feeding by hand or when tapping. The elevating device of the arm is so designed that the gears are idle when not in use; the ratio is about 2 to 1 ascend- ing and descending. All the high speed bearings on this machine are lined with removable phosphor bronze bushes; all the bevel gears and pinions below 6 in. are of bar or forged steel. All gears which could possibly be dangerous to the oper- ator are thoroughly enclosed. It will be noticed that sim- plicity has been an object in the design, but not at the expense of the modern features which are regarded as necessary to rapid production. The Du Bois Suction Gas Producer. It would seem almost like “carrying coals to New Castle” to install a gas producer plant in the natural gas field of Central Pennsylvania, but the Du Bois Iron Works, Du Bois, Pa., considers that it has made such a commercial proposition. The suction producer which it now builds was designed by the company’s chief engi- neer, Peter Eyermann. and is an independent plant offered as a competitor in economy with dependent natu- ral gas plants. . Du Bois is located where natural gas can be had at 20 cents per 1000 ft. This fuel when used for power purposes is consumed at an average rate of about 10 to 12 cu. ft. per horsepower per hour. varying somewhat with the quality of the gas, the heating value of which often runs considerably below 1000 B.t.u. per cubic foot. In this same district hard coal can be had at about $4.50 per ton, yielding about 150,000 cu. ft. of gas in the suc- TN. ONE LB. COAL | =—{ CHARGED IN PRODUCER o—ArT 13600 8.T.U. ‘ . LOSS BY RADIATION OF ENTIRE PRODUCER 8610 B.T.U. LOS|S IN PIPING VAPORIZER W Bo [7 Ges UU Seeeresdpisassssessuatersnsausree oe ss ee GAIN TH VAPOR ae 7 ROM VAPORIZER) berrrerst rooster - 270 8.7.U. I om, > 1] GAS PRODUCER i it t , 270 B.T.U. 1} CARRIED AWAY BY COOLING WATER. ---} APP. 800 B.T.U. Fig. 2.—Diagrammatic Elevation of the Parts of a Complete Du LOSS IN PIPES AND IN CLEANING APP. 135 8.T.U. ee uo ITI i wv Se N s BN Rs . —_ _ I ta SCRUBBER Nor Frees DRY PURIFIER TRC TT TTT y | os - ——— = ew) ——__—— LOSS BY ASHES, ETC., IF =f) August 13, 1908 lost at different points, and the heat equivalent of the power realized at the engine, assuming the coal charges to have a calorific value of 13,500 B.t.u. In 4-hr. test runs of this plant the coal consumption ran as low as % Ib. per horsepower per hour. Fig. 3 is a view of the engine installed at the Du Bois Works, which as may be seen is driving an electric generator belted to the engine. The engine is of the Du Bois standard tandem type. The producer or gas generator is of the automatic suction type, in which the gas is produced as deter- mined by the suction action of the engine according to its load—i, e., the gas is automatically generated in corre- sponding amounts. The air for the combustion and gas- sa . = " ay On ending Tal - mi MaRS j 5 : Fig. 1.—An Installation of the New Suction Gas Producer Built by the Du Bois Iron Works, Du Bois, Pa. BRAKE H.P, OFF PULLEY 1.06 H.P. EQUIVALENT TO 2700 B.T.U. LOSs BY EXHAUST 2835 B.T.U. RANSFORMED INTO INDICATED H.P. 8510 8.T.U. FRICTION LOSS | IN ENGINE 810 A.T.U. ENCINE ==> 108s BY COOLING WATER DELIVERED TO ENGINE 2070 8.T.U. GAS OF 9855 B.T.U. Bois Gas Power Plant, Showing Also the Approximate Heat Evolution, Dissipation and Transformation. tion gas producer. Such gas would therefore cost 3 cents per 1000 cu. ft., as compared with 20 cents for natu- ral gas. However, the consumption of an engine run on producer gas is higher, so that approximately 70 cu. ft. per horsepower per hour is required, or in the neigh- borhood of six times as much as for natural gas, so that the fuel costs compared become 18 to 20 cents. On this basis producer gas for power appears to be as cheap as naural gas. Fig. 1 herewith shows the general appearance of a producer of the new type. Fig. 2 shows a sectional dia- gram of the apparatus as connected to a gas engine and also gives a thermal analysis of the heat supplied, that ification of the fuel in the producer enters the latter near its bottom, already warmed to a certain temperature pro- portioned to suit the conditions. The air is also satu- rated with moisture before it enters beneath the grate. The grates are of the plain horizontal type as used on ordinary boiler furnaces, and are easy to attend. Atten- tion once an hour is usually sufficient. Tests were made with a three-quarter load on the engine running for 16 hr. without any other attention to either the engine or the producer. The producer is contained in a single shell resembling a boiler shell, strong enough to withstand any explosion pressure which might be created within it from ignorant August 13, 1908 or careless attendants. The top of the producer is pro- tected from the intense heat of the inside fire by arch bricks which prevent damage to the upper part. On pro- ducers that are not protected in this respect it frequently happens that the top plate or the feeding hoppers crack, putting the producer out of commission. In this producer the cool feeding apparatus is simple, consisting merely of the upper seal, the middle bell and the lower magazine Poke holes are provided through which the fire may be poked as required by a bar which fits in ball joints ground in independent bushings, so that there is no inter- ruption to the continuous evolution of gas in the pro- ducer, even while the poking is going on. From the producer the gas is discharged near the top, and passes through the combined vaporizer and econo- mizer. This vessel is located between the producer and scrubber, and is made of cast iron to insure long life. Soft steel is not as suitable for this part on account of its being affected by moisture and sulphur. The device used in this producer plant does away with one usually inconvenient feature, since it has no stuffing boxes to repack or pipes to calk. The hot gas passes through a water seal, and automatically overflows to the vaporizer, THE IRON AGE 441 manufactures expanded metal for reinforcing concrete work, metallic lathing material and similar products. (‘ontracts were recently received from dealers in Cuba, Mexico, New York, Philadelphia, Boston and other Ame~ ican cities. —_———————_3-- oe ————__—_ The French Brill Company Organized. Compagnie J. G. Brill, 14 Place de Laborde, Paris, I'rance, has been organized to handle the business of the J. G. Brill Company, Philadelphia, in France and Spain. Brill trucks and equipment have been largely used for number of years in Paris and throughout France and Spain, and the formation of the French Brill Company is indicative of the growth and magnitude of the Brill in- terests in these countries. A plant is to be established and Brill trucks will be built by French workmen, under French supervision and with French machinery. As an indication of the extent of the use of Brill types of trucks in France, it may be said that the Brill No, 21-E type is in general use wherever four-wheeled carts are operated, and that the Maximum Traction and short base pivoted types are well represented in Paris and Fig. $.—The Du Bois Tandem Engine Installed ia Connection with the Producer Shown in Fig. 1. as the latter is constructed on the principle of a flash boiler. A large water volume is not required in producer veporizers, as is the case in boilers on account of the varying load on the engine. On the contrary, large water volumes are detrimental, as they require too long a time to be heated up properly for the start of a gas engine. The Du Bois producer is, therefore, admirably adapted to deliver the proper quality of gas at any time. The upper water seal allows also an entirely independent ex- pansion of the producer and vaporizer, avoiding leaks in the hot gas pipe flange joints. The scrubber and drain arrangements are designed in accordance with the best practice in such devices. There are no parts in them likely to become plugged, and after the water inlet valve is once properly regulated nothing further needs attention. Perhaps the most important fea- ture in this part is the water sprinkler, which can be taken out and cleaned from deposits while the engine is running and without interfering with the operation of the plant. The gas before entering the engine passes through a dry purifier to remove the last particles of coal dust or water which may have been carried on with the gas. ————— The Expanded Metal Company, Braddock, Pa.,; is op- erating its plant slightly below capacity. The company other large cities. The high speed truck of the No. 27-E t.pe has met with the approval of French railroad offi- cials and is in service on lines running out of Paris. The solid forged side frames used in the construction of all types of Brill trucks have had much to do with the high favor in which these trucks are held in France, and the foremost French truck builders have followed the practice. The stability and easy riding qualities of the Brill single truck have commended it for use under the double deck cars still used on a number of systems. In the larger cities the Maximum Traction truck is repeat- ing the remarkable success it has obtained in the United States and Great Britain. For faster and heavier traffic the equalized short base truck of the No. 27-G type, which the builder claims is used in larger numbers in the United States than any other one type, is coming into vogue in suburban service. The decision to erect a plant and construct trucks in France is apparently a