The Iron Age 1912-05-16: Vol 89 Iss 20

V ZL Z Established 1855 New York, May 16, 1912 Watching Details of Shop Management Vol. 89: No. 20 A Chart System Giving Intimate Knowl- edge of the Relation of Sales and Costs to the Normal and to One Another The management of a manufacturing industry must profit by a system which gives at prescribed intervals the details of the routine of business, simply, clearly and with exactness. The busy man resents the necessity of wading through statistical information, unless it is of the most skeleton nature, and to get at the required facts is often impossible unless the figures are somewhat profuse, neces- sitating painstaking study. The ideal system is one which gives sufficient detail, in a form easy of analysis, with bewildering data eliminated, An important house manufacturing machinery and iron castings has developed an effective method of getting at the essential facts of the progress of business by means BY JOHN NELSON In the illustration of this class portions of the record ot each element are given on a single chart for the sake of comparison. The second class of charts gives the fluctuations of all the elements from an estimated normal business. The normal condition is represented by a horizontal line. The variations in sales, and in each factor of cost, are indi- cated by the rise or fall of their respective lines. Were business absolutely normal the four lines would coincide with the horizontal line. Each factor has its own unit which regulates its fluctuation from the normal. For ex- ample, we will suppose that the normal line stands for $25,000 in monthly sales, $10,000 in labor, $5,000 in ma- of charts. The results from the cost system are plotted terial, and $7,500 in overhead. ' o| i pA = 4 -—— a ms nc ate pc pf ie Poa Late —f Nh 190 | __} 5. 4 —~ en i Pl st ge | jp} —— $f} ef —__t—_} —_}—__+__+_}—__—_}—__+-_4-—_ pa en ee ee ooh Pee Lee Pl ld Chart of Fluctuations of Divisions of Manufacturing Cost Referred tothe Normal to present a graphic history of each month. The system is exceedingly simple, so simple in fact that the manager himself charts the records. The keeping of the cost system is divided between sev- eral trustworthy clerks, neither of whom knows what the totals represent in their combination. The manager re- ceives these figures at the end of each month. A few dots and the necessary connecting lines bring the charts to date. They constitute an exact record of sales and of the three great items of cost—labor, material and overhead. The charts may be divided into two classes, illustrations o! which are given. One class is devoted to a comiparison ot totals of each of the several elements of business. That is to say, one complete chart is given up to sales, another to labor, still another to material, and a fourth to overhead. Each»becomesa record of a series of years. 1203 Each department has its own chart for each element of business and its own record of comparison with the normal. There is also a composite chart of each element, showing the relations to the normal of the works as a whole. It will be noted that the manager cannot fail to see any inconsistencies in the conduct of the works. Of course he is not wholly dependent upon his chart; he knows the business, its seasons and the market. He may look for a falling off in summer and for an autumn re- vival; for a first rate spring trade and a possible let-up during inventory season. He also has an intimate knowl- edge of general business conditions. He would be by no means helplessif he had no chart, nor any other general analyses of business into its various elements. But the charts enable Him to make his decisions more intelligently and more accurately. They give him. comparisons, prece- { as n eae a ae 4 - e FY ee a ote eee es | Re ta cats tier Tas eee a ean eye 2 ee Ca Te E aC a nerd 1204 dents, unusual current fluctuations, and abnormal dis- crepancies. They are a constant guide to his judgment and at the same time a constant check. They reveal mis- calculations and confirm wise decisions. As a manager glances at the results which come from the continuing of the lines to date, he may be made in- stantly aware that certain corrections in the conduct of his plant must be made. His overhead may be running unexpectedly high. Heavy expenditures for materials covering several succeeding months may indicate that the purchasing department is altogether too active. The line of labor may be too low considering the sales and what may be expected from the market in the way of orders. The charts shown represent two business years. Tak- ing the comparison chart for the year 1910 for example, sales chanced to be at normal when the curve was begun in January. Thé purchases of material and the overhead expenses were well above normal, while labor was below. The history of February, as shown by the lines, was that sales increased and with them the cost of labor, while the material purchased fell off because sufficient stocks were on hand. Overhead went down also. Previous to this THE IRON AGE May 16, i912 where a clerk has been actually stampeded by the sh wing of a loss instead of a profit. Having no knowledge of the actual condition of affairs beyond certain figures, he has gone so far as to abandon what seems to him a sinking ship, while his employer is taking the matter philosophic. ally as one of the necessary incidents of business. On the other hand, the revelation to the clerk that profits are growing much larger may lend to his belief that the time is ripe for a request for higher wages. Expansion Test of Kewanee Unions An interesting expansion test was recently made on various sizes of Kewanee unions by the National Tube Company, Frick Building, Pittsburgh, Pa. In making this test, the unions were placed at the ends of T fittings and at the open end of the header pipe was one of the com- pany’s regrinding valves. At the start of each test this valve was closed and the steam turned on, with the result that it would endeavor to escape through the unions, TE NATTA Chart for Comparing Divisions of Manufacturing Cost for Similar Periods month business had not been very good and extra efforts had been made to stimulate the company’s trade. With ascending business this expenditure was reduced, and stayed along below normal most of the year. The month of March was even more prosperous, and so were April, May and June. The labor cost followed clesely the line of sales. The materials purchased varied from-month to month with the intermittent buying. One can imagine that when June’s record had been plotted, with the sales at the highest point of the year, the management must have looked to see business fall off, for summer was at hand. The labor cost had already been reduced in anticipation of a decreased business. On September 30, the manage- ment’s policy of increasing production was indicated by the ascending line of labor. In the year 1911 the curve is purposely ended November 30 in order that the student may try for himself to find the lesson taught by the pre- ceding month. Originally, the company plotted these charts by weeks, but this was found to involve the system unnecessarily. Following a great principle of efficiency engineering, that a system should be made as simple as possible, the monthly plotting was adopted and has proved wholly sat- isfactory. No one else in the office has all the information that the manager obtains from his charts, which is in itself a most excellent feature. The experience of not a few em- ployers of labor is that their clerks know too much re- garding the actual figures of business, for occasionally some one talks outside the office, a practice more common than many owners realize. Certain office people must be trusted, but the fewer the better when it comes to the figures of costs and profits or losses. Cases could be cited Steam at 140 lb. pressure was left on for different periods varying from 5 min. to 92 hr. and the units became heated to a temperature which was practically equivalent to that of steam at this pressure. When the steam was turned off, the union joining the line test with the regular steam line was disconnected and the whole line immersed in a vat of water having an average temperature of 48 deg. F. The line of unions were allowed to remain in the water from 5 to 30 min. It was then replaced, the steam turned on and the water boiled out, after which the valve was closed and the test repeated. Although this was done 5° times, at the conclusion of the test, as far as it was pos- sible to ascertain by a very close inspection, the unions were just as good as new for holding steam at this pres- sure. A malleable union was inserted in the line after the end of the ninth test and failed after 18 quenchings. A new gasket was put in, which failed after 13 more immer- sions and had to be tightened, and at the end of the fiftieth test the gasket was completely ruined. The unions tested were taken from stock and no special effort was made to select them. The McKeen Motor Car Company, Omaha, Neb., builder of gasoline motor cars for railroad service, has opened a central sales district office in the Marquette Building, 140 Dearborn street, Chicago, with Edward E. Wright in charge. The district includes a wide expanse of territory, extending from Michigan and Wisconsin on the north to Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana on the south. The company states that 47 railroads are operating or have ordered McKeen motor cars, 16 of which have placed repeat orders. 1912 \ill Motors for Auxiliary Drives* BY BRENT WILEY, PITTSBURGH, PA.T application of motors for driving the auxiliary ‘us in steel mills has been a gradual process during the past twenty years. These motors are required to oper- in hot and dirty places and in the majority of cases gear drive. The mills are operated for 24 hr. per days a week, and the work is of an extremely nature, requiring frequent starting and stopping, rapid acceleration and sudden stops. These several ap- olications require motors ranging from 5 to 150 hp, with speeds of from approximately 800 to 450 r.p.m. Motors iesigned for industrial purposes were available only in a few types, and these were not very suitable for the severe requirements. The solutio. of the problem was to modify the series-wound direct-current motors used for street -ailway work for the siz.5 about 25 hp and the lighter types were used for these smaller sizes. Changes were made in the frames, the windings were made suitable for 250-volt circuits and the full load speeds were modified. Vhile these motors gave good service, the cost of main- enance was high, and for the most severe reversing ser- vice the reliability was often questionable. About 1905 a careful review of the situation was made n consultation with a majority of electrical engineers of the industry to ascertain the features which should be in- luded in a mill type direct-current motor, and thus, by mbining the skill and experience of the manufacturer nd a mill engineer, a satisfactory design of motor has een developed. In this motor duplication of parts has 1 followed to a large extent to simplify the construc- n and maintenance of the motor. Cast steel should be used for the frame and this part arranged for easy in- spection of parts. The armature should be so designed that the shaft can be removed without disturbing the wind- ings or the commutator, and its flywheel effect should be ow to minimize the power required for acceleration and reversing. The commutator should be of liberal design 0 overcome grounding, which was one of the most serious troubles in the older types. Commutation and the capacity f the motor from the standpoint of heating are the two principal factors to be taken into consideration in deter- mining the proper size. The advance in the art of elec- trical engineering in the steel industry insures a more iccurate selection of motor size for various applications, and the recently developed types of controllers provide special protection against unnecessarily severe conditions ing imposed on the motors. The steel industries have followed the lead of indus- rial plants and use alternating current on account of the nomy of transmission and the wide range of practical sizes of generator units as compared with direct-current power. On account of the slow motor speed sometimes required 25 cycles has been adopted as a standard. This power has been utilized as directly as possible, and for this reason alternating-current motors are preferable for the auxiliary drives except where very rapid acceleration and irequent reversals are required. Here the direct-current series-wound motor is best suited, and these situations are few. The sizes of motor are the same as for direct- ‘urrent, 5 to 150 hp, and the speeds range from 750 to 375 p.m. The general features of this motor should be the ime as the direct-current one and the performance. ‘Such that high starting torque is obtained with « ively low starting current. A careful study of | lirements and the motor characteristics is neces obtain the best starting conditions with the alt rent motor and is a much more important f ' the direct-current motor. Generally the torque of ternating-current motor is proportional to the current properly regulated resistance steps. The starting of the direct-current series motor is in a somewhat ‘Teater proportion, twice the full load current giving two anc one-half times the full load torque, and it is not neces- ‘ary to govern the cutting out of the resistance so accu- to insure a continued high torque, although these ‘ions can be provided for in the case of the alternat- rrent motor by employing magnetic controllers. The rent features of the alternating-current motors protect Er aper read before the American Institute of Electrical cers, ittsburgh, April 25-27. nmercial Engineer, Westinghouse Electric & Mfg. Company. THE IRON AGE 1205 the driven machines from abnormal shock as well as pro- tecting the motors themselves from mechanical abuse. “The series-wound motor has high speed at light load, which is a desirable feature for the hoist of a crane motor. The speed of the alternating-current motor varies but little with change of load, and as a result a somewhat larger motor is required to give a speed which will be equivalent to the average light load and the full load speed obtained with the direct-current motor. Motors designed with liberal starting torque will give satisfactory acceleration, and the proper application of the alternating-current mill motor to give satisfactory service is not only a question of motor characteristics, but more particularly includes a thorough understanding of the con- ditions to be met. Combination Punch and Shear A new type of punch and shear designed for accurate work in punching, shearing and stamping, has been re- cently brought out by the Bicknell Mfg. & Supply Com- pany, Janesville, Wis. One of the special features of the tool is the heavy reinforcement around the throat which it is emphasized prevents springing when heavy work is being done. This machine has cut gears, is double back geared and is practically noiseless in operation. It has a special strip- per, which can be adjusted while in operation, and will The New No. 92 Combination Punch and Shear Baits by the Bicknell Mfg. & Supply Company, Janesville, Wis. punch to the center of a 16-in. circle. The maximum size of hole punched is 1 in. in }%-in. stock, but it will cut flat material up to % in. thick. The amount of floor space re- quired is small, being only 51 by 27 in. The net weight is approximately 2500 Ib. New England Rémeinnaal s Association The New England Foundrymen’s Association held its monthly meeting at the Allyn House, Hartford, Conn., an automobile about the city, the opportunity being gi to visit the plants of the Pratt & Whitney Company Underwood Typewriter Company, Pope Mfg. and Whitney Mfg. Company. After the dinner Dr. i ley Stoughton gave a most interesting talk on “Principles of Blast Furnace Practice,” illustrated by stereopticon views. Among the guests of the evening were Mayor Cheney of Hartford, Colonel Pope of the Pope Mfg. pany, President William F. Henney of the Hartford ber of Commerce and President Clarence E. Whitney of the Employers’ Association. i The Allis-Chalmers Company has removed: its York office from the Empire Building to 30 Church street, i Mixtures for Chilled Car Wheels Comparisons Showing the Longer Life of Old-Time Charcoal Product—Chemical Analy- sis Not Conclusive in Determining Strength A communication from Asa W. Whitney in#rade papers of March and April gives many interesting @etails about mixtures for chilled wheels, but carries-the subject into such intricate conclusions that it is rather difficult to fol- low. Mr. Whitney cites and agrees with Alex. E. Outer- bridge, Jr., as to the number of chilled wheels made daily, considering 20,000 an excessive estimate. The annual re- port of the Master Car Builders’ Association for 1900 gave the names and daily capacities of the wheel makers belonging to the Chilled Wheel Makers Association. The total capacity was about 20,000. This did not include the capacity of makers not belonging to the association, nor the output of chilled wheel shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad, the Chicago, Mil- waukee & St. Paul Rail- road and other railroad ghops, nor the output of the Canadian wheel makers. Including these the daily output is easily over 20,000 wheels per day. Mr. Whitney’s estimate of the production of char- coal iron for 1911 at 400,000 tons was approximately the output for 1910, but it was largely of non-chilling grades, because the demand from chilled wheel makers was small. In 10% the charcoal iron total.was 278,- 000 tons. There is no doubt that. the demand for charcoal iron -from wheel makers is increasing and that the interest of many railroads in behalf of better wheels is growing.” Shorter Life of Latter-Day Wheels Mr. Whitney’s statements would seem to point to the conclusion that as good wheels could be made from non- chilling coke iron as from charcoal iron, although he refers to the better quality and longer life of wheels made from charcoal iron some years ago, when cold blast Fig. 1—Micrograph of A Wheel Made from Charcoal Iron. fication, 70 Diameters. Figs. 2, 3 and 4—Micrographs of A Wheel. —— BY “IRONKEM.” ————____—___- and warm blast charcoal irons were made and extensively used. He refers to the statements made that the life of wheels of the quality made in later years was very much shorter. The statement is made by railroad officials generall; that the life of wheels under heavy freight equipment is not over 30,000 miles, which is but one-half of the 60,00 miles always guaranteed and which good wheels traveled when charcoal iron was largely used. Investigations have been made with some rather interesting develop ments, and these are given herewith. How Prices of Wheels Are Fixed It is the general opinion that the price of chilled wheels has been regulated by the competition of the wheel makers and that the deterioration in quality is on account of such compe- tition. The fact is that the price of all wheels used for repairs to cars in transit is fixed by the Master Can Builders’ rules, and any railroad paying more than the price so fixed does so to its loss. It is true that any railroad might buy wheels of a special quality to be used under its own equip- ment, but it would be neces- sary to keep such wheels separate and use them ac- cordingly. This would be a complicated proceeding and not very practicable. Wheels of special quality Magni- Magnification, 330 Diameters might be ordered for new cars.’ As at least 50 per cent. of all repair wheels are charged to car owners under the M. C._B. rules, it is quite evident that the M. C. B. prices dominate the prices paid for new wheels. The statement herewith als@ shows ‘the annual pro duction of charcoal iron, and it is interesting to note that as soon as the M. C. B. price for new wheels was ' duced, as it was radically in 1893, and again very consider- 1206 Scrap Net Weight Price Annual Price allowance price max. 33” per _ prod. for new for wheel new diam., 100 Ib. Char. Iron wheels removed wheel lb. net Gr. tons .$9.00 0.00 $9.00 525 $1.70 283,789 9.00 0.00 9.00 525 1.70 261,963 9.00 0.00 9.00 525 1.70 320,422 9.00 0.00 9.00 525 1.70 479,963 .. 9,00 0.00 9.00 525 1.70 623,130 . 8.00 0.00 8.00 525 1.70 510,469 . 8.00 0.00 8.00 525 1.70 409,301 11.00 5.00 6.00 550 1.09 357,064 . 10.00 4.50 5.50 550 1.00 410,319 . 10.00 4.50 5.50 550 1.00 516,234 10.00 4.50 5.50 550 1.00 534,633 10.00 4.50 5.50 550 1.00 575,268 . 10.00 4.50 5.50 560 .98 628,145 . 10.00 4.50 5.50 560 .98 576,964 10.00 4.50 5.50 560 .98 537,621 , a 4.00 4.50 560 .80 386,789 . 8.50 4.00 4.5 0 560 .80 222,422 1895, the production rcoal iron fell off 50 nt. and has only be- reach its former pro- ions in the past three or years, when it has ap- mated 400,000 tons a [his later increase, vever, has not been in ction with the require- ments of chilled wheel makers to any extent until the last year or so, but on account of the demand from makers of high-grade cast- ings and for uses where steel has been tried and ound wanting. Price Reductions and Wheel Quality [o whatever causes the horter life of chilled wheels may also be ascribed, the nclusion is inevitable that the action of the M. C. B. \ssociation in 1893 vitally affected the quality and subsequent service results. No one can deny that the Fig. 5—Micrograph of B Wheel changes in chilled wheel THE IRON ~ AGE _ Price tor new Year wheels ORS ries ikices $6.50 Seay cee ces 6.50 BF wi kivicoovsdé 6.50 SDK ss we © 6 aia RPS ved e's 6 ck ee Saath etaccewe 8.50 PRE Ns andecvens 8.50 és vs on cease 8.50 SOUPS bs coded can 8.50 RE wn Sen udense 8.50 Dba cacwokd dee 8.50 Dees dist kee cows 8.50 Paes ba ten bok 9.00 PE pace seh iene 9.00 RY so o's eecadan 9.00 BORD « sewinw . 9.00 Made from Coke Iron. cation, 70 Diameters Prices for. New and Scrap Wheels Also Charcoal Pig Iron Production in the Period 1877-1910. Scrap Net Weight Price Annual allowance price max. 33” per prod. for wheel new diam., 100 %b. Char. Iron removed wheel Ib. net Gr, tons 3.00 $3.50 600 58 225,341 3.00 3.50 600 58 310,244 3.00 3.50 600 .58 255,211 3.00 3.50 600 .58 296,750 3.00 3.50 600 58 289,766 4.50 4.00 625 .58 389,482 4.50 4.00 625 -64 383,441 4.50 4.00 625 .64 390,169 4.50 4.00 625 .64 505,684 4.50 4.00 625 .64 337,529 4.50 4.00 625 .64 352,928 4.50 4.00 625 .64 433,007 4.75 4.25 675 -63 437,397 4.75 4.25 725 58 249,146 4.75 4.25 725 58 376,003 4.75 4.25 725 58 396,507 Magnifica- tion of charcoal iron, taken from the Annual Reports of the American Iron and Steel Association. Care and Wheels in Use Poor’s Manual of Rail- roads gives the total number of freight cars in service in 1890 as 1,061,970, which at the rate of eight wheels per car would make the total number of chilled wheels in use at that time 8,495,760. The same authority gives the number of freight cars in use in 1905 a8 1,757,105, making the total number of wheels 14,056,840. The total number of freight cars in use in 1910 was 2,297,620, making the total number of wheels in use 18,380,960. All other classes of equipment, locomotives, pas- senger cars, mail and ex- press cars are given in the Manual as follows, for the three periods mentioned: Figs. 6, 7 and 8—Micrographs in B Wheel. Magnification, 730 Diameters t ‘acture that were made about fifteen years ago must Year Locomotives Pass.Cars Bagg., Mail, Exp. een largely due to the new conditions brought about oe iene at Shae poe ear? Rho lucing the price of chilled wheels to one-half what 039 ............... 63,030 37,985 13.173 ' been during the preceding eight years and one-third it was during the eight years preceding the latter ae _ The accompanying table will show the M. C. B. Thus it may seem that the equipment outside of for car wheels in each year, as given in the annual freight cars at present amounts to about 114,000 in round “ts of that association, and also the annual produc- numbers, which makes the total number of wheels under 1208 such equipment about 900,000, as compared with about 20,000,000 freight car wheels in use at present, allowing for the increase in 1911. It is evident that the chilled wheel is the dominant fac- tor in wheel service. In a recent issue of The lron Age the Carnegie Steel Company gave the total number of rolled steel wheels in use as 450,000. As there are a great SECTION OF 33-INCH 600-POUND TENDER WHEEL, SHOWING ACTUAL WEAR AFTER RUNNING 108,964 MILES UNDER MICHIGAN CENTRAL RAILROAD LOCO- MOTIVE No. 338. « SPECIAL" SECTION OF 33-INCH 600-POUND « SPECIAL” TENDER WHEEL, SHOWING ACTUAL WEAR AFTER RUNNING 102.547 MILES UNDER MICHIGAN CENTRAL RAILROAD LOCO- MOTIVE No. 397. SECTION OF 33-INCH Goo-POUND ~ SPECIAL” TENDER WHEEL, SHOWING ACTUAL WEAR AFTER RUNNING 86,86: MILES UNDER MICHIGAN CENTRAL RAILROAD LOCO- MOTIVE No. 41. SECTION OF 33-INCH 600-POUND “SPECIAL” TENDER WHEEL, SHOWING ACTUAL WEAR AFTER RUNNING 137.835 MILES UNDER MICHIGAN CENTRAL RAILROAD LOCO- MOTIVE No. 318. SECTION OF 33-INCH 600-POUND « SPECIAL” TENDER WHEEL, SHOWING ACTUAL WEAR APTER RUNNING - ng.016 MILES UNDER MICHIGAN CENTRAL RAILROAD Loco- MOTIVE No. 335. Fig. 9—Actual Wear on ‘Tread and Flange of Five Wheels Made from High Grade Charcoal Iron many chilled wheels in use under freight locomotives and light passenger and other equipment, it is evident that 95 per cent. of all wheels in use are still of the chilled type and that such wheels must remain the leading type for many years. Efforts to Insure Better Chilled Wheels There has been much discussion of the quality and service of chilled wheels for a number of years and par- ticularly since the introduction of cars of 40 and 50 tons capacity. This discussion has been confined practically to the assertion on the part of railroad officials that the qual- ity of wheel now in service was not equal to the needs of THE IRON AGE heavy service, and to various statements from maker; or committees representing makers of chilled wheels, tha; seemed more calculated to answer the assertions of th: railroad officials than to indicate the means by which bette; wheels could be made. With no disposition to join in any arguments on th. subject, but for the benefit of all concerned, the Lake Superior Iron & Chemical Company in the past two years has made a comprehensive study of the whole question o{ quality of charcoal iron. Particular attention was given to the differences between products of such iron and those made from mixtures of coke iron or non-chilling metal, fo which an apparent chilling effect similar to that from char. coal iron is obtained by the introduction of steel scrap and ferro-manganese into the non-chilling iron mixtures. Work is being carried on in thoroughly equipped labora- tories at five of the company’s furnaces. Apparatus for taking physical tests is also used. Com- plete analyses, including carbon determinations, are made for every cast. This work is in charge of men of long experience, some of them standing high in the ranks of authorities on the metallurgy of iron. So satisfactory have the developments of this work been in the past two years that it has caused the remodeling of several of the com- pany’s blast furnaces along lines that include the best of the former practice in the making of high grade charcoal iron and all of the improvements that modern practice has developed. It would not be fitting here to go into details Of the de- velopments that have resulted, but as they are of great importance in the production of high-grade products it is well for the makers of such, material to know in general what has been done in this direction. Attention has been given to the study of iron used in the manufacture of wheels made in the period when char- coal iron of the best quality was used, compared with speci- mens of the wheels made from mixtures used in the period of minimum prices above referred to. Most interesting evidence of the great difference in charcoal iron and non- charcoal iron mixtures has been brought to light by these investigations. Comparison of a Charcoal Iron with a Coke Iron Wheel Many photomicrographs have been made and surpris- ing conclusions are to be drawn from them. Experience has shown that in ordinary cast irons the most information was given by a micrograph of about seventy diameters. Micrographs of these diameters were accordingly taken of two wheels, one of which, A, was known in practice to be good and to have had its parentage in charcoal iron of established reputation. The other, B, was an ordinary cast iron wheel of poor quality made within the last few years, of whose parent metal little good can be said. One had had a life of nearly ten years, the other of two or three. Fig. 1 is the good wheel; Fig. 5 is the poor one. The section examined was taken from a corresponding part in the edge of the gray in each wheel. Complete analyses were also made as follows: Analyses of Two Wheels, One of Charcoal Iron and the Other of Coke Iron A B wheel wheel Silees: 5. ci sbcvassvivussokamantites vale 0.73 €.73 Phosplsoras. 66600000 oe wend sconvewveseusy 0.32 0.39 Mamgemese oc cscccccedsseesceseeseseeuwenwes 0.46 0.48 SGN. i. ds'n.cavnd bdenengesetnbikheseesel 0.12 0.14 Total carbon «04000 cbseesneh Pad phervevys sass 3.16 3.10 Graphite Carbon. svi sev cveeccvitsusesyecene 2.70 2.60 Combined carbom: . .<:. ciwseeesnenbitarciaeebes 0.46 0.50 It must be confessed there is nothing in these analyses nor on these photographs to indicate the difference which the test of use had proved to exist between the wheels. Accordingly micrograms were made at 500 diameters, and as these cover so small an area it is desirable to group.them so as to get the effect of an area large enough to be repre sentative. Figs. 2, 3 and 4 constitute such a group for the A wheel, while Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are a similar group showing the structure of the B wheel. [The original magnification is reduced to 330 diameters in the making of the half-ton¢ cuts.—Ebtror. } cd yf The vast inferiority of the B wheel to the A wheel will be so obvious to those even moderately familiar = metallography as to need no further comment in an article of this kind. 1912 nnot be amiss, however, to call attention to the ner grain size of the A wheel than that of the B, rseness distinctive of the latter being associated in d of every metal worker from the molder and the ith to the trained metallurgist, with the idea of in- y in endurance and all the other qualities which are fundamental. rographs have also been made of the chilled portion same and other wheels, but this structure is so dif- that to explain the superiority of the charcoal iron would involve a mass of technicalities out of place [he black cleavage lines in the chilled parts of the tread, from which both specimens were taken, indicate the weakness of the structure of the wheel made from the y-crade mixtures used in later years, this wheel having been made since 1905. The homogeneous and solid metal wheel made from charcoal iron mixtures was indi- | even by the chilled metal without magnification. The illed crystalline structure was fine and needle-like, free coarse crystallization and any indication of cleavage. This wheel was made about 20 years ago by a wheel manu- Fig. 10—Close Grained No. 2 Iron tacturing concern in Connecticut, which also manufac- tured high-grade charcoal iron. The deductions that can e made in this case are illuminating. Exceptional Tread and Flange Wear g. 9 shows the actual wear on tread and flange of wheels made from high-grade charcoal iron, which used under 100-ton passenger locomotives between 0 and 1895. The high mileage of these wheels should noted. Out of one record of 300 of such wheels, in- ding the mileage of every wheel removed, the average eage was over 70,000. Out of the same record 250 ls averaged over 100,000 miles. Seventy of the wheels vere good for further service when removed, and were ack in other service. The actual wear on the five tions shown was less than an average of % in. \ test of this metal for hardness taken at the time by itside concern having apparatus to test chrome steel | for safes gave the following result: In a drilling test le with steel drills $4 in. diameter, hardened in brine that it would not scratch glass, and with drilling ma- € constructed so that a pressure of from three to five ould be brought to bear on the drill, two drills were nted after each one was used 10% minutes, without ng any impression upon the section of chilled wheel | except to cause a slight polished mark. in the records of the*American Railway Master Me- ics’ Association the report of a committee appointed report on the “Relative Merits of Cast Iron and Steel | Wheels for Locomotive and Passenger Car Equip- THE IRON AGE 1209 ment,” gave the following among other records of wheel service: Statement of Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Company, Showing average mileage of cast-iron wheels, 33 in. diameter, re- moved from locomotive tenders in years 1894 to 1898, inclusive. Year 1894, wheels removed, 2,719; average mileage, 78,770 Year 1395, wheels removed, 2,089; average mileage, 75,980 Year 1896, wheels removed, 2,276; average mileage, 82,464 Year 1897, wheels removed, 2,196; average mileage, 78,174 Year 1898, wheels removed, 2,741; average mileage, 86,793 These removals included all wheels taken out for every cause, including “slid flat.” While it is true that the load on chilled wheels used 15 or 20 years ago was not as great as it is now, the mileage records given are all for locomo- tive service, especially for engine tender service, long known to be the most arduous kind of service as to load and breaking hardship. Effect of Heavier Loads on Chilled Wheels Investigation is being made also concerning the effect of the increase in load on chilled wheel service. It has been pointed out that removals of chilled wheels on ac- Fig. 11—Open Grained No. 2 Iron count of “slid flat” have decreased to very low limits in 50-ton car service for the reason that the load point has passed the limit where the brake application can stop and slide wheels as readily. It has also been shown that the increase in the number of freight cars equipped with air’ brakes in late years under Federal requirements has dis- tributed the braking force over a larger number of cars and reduced extreme applications on a few cars as for- merly. We are told that the change in this respect is plainly evident on examination of wheels removed from 50-ton car service, and that a Nike reduction has taken place in “shelled out” wheels, a removal originating as to its cause in brake service which results in “slid flat” wheels. It is stated also that the removals from 50-ton car service for rapid flange wear or “sharp flange” have increased heavily. This would be accounted for beyond question if the hard- ness of the small section of metal at the throat of the flange and tread had decreased. Cracking of chilled surface of tread and flange have become serious causes of accidents, it is said, and the re- sistance of high sulphur metal in the present wheel, mak- ing the metal “red short” or weak when hot, will readily account for this defect. Salient Points in the Wheel Situation Many other very interesting developments of the sub- ject have been brought to light, but the points that appear of most importance may be stated in brief as At the present price basis established by the M. C. B. eae ae Pal arate t= Sa er eae ee en ny sag I210 rules, the chilled wheel makers can do little more than recast old wheels into new ones or use metal of no better grade. The average life of chilled wheels has fallen to about half of what it was 15 years ago, if the statements made are correct, at least so far as heavy equipment service is concerned. The lack of hardness of the non-chilling coke iron mix- ture is sure to lead to more rapid wear, and the high sulphur content in the present wheel is sure to produce more rapid cracking of tread and flange. Whatever the railroads may expect the wheel makers to produce at the present basis of M. C. B. prices, it is certain that wheels cannot be made out of good material at that price. It would seem very important to recognize facts of this kind and to return to the use of material that did give satisfactory service. Nothing can be gained in any way by railroads from the use of a short life, low-grade chilled wheel. At. % cent per Ib. net, the average price, a 725-lb. wheel for 50-ton car service costs $3.62. If it averages 30,000 miles of life the cost is I2c. per thousand miles. On the basis of the M. C. B. price, when charcoal chilling iron was used, or about ic. per lb. net at the cost of a new wheel, a life of 60,000 miles would cost no more, and as the value of the charcoal iron wheel as scrap would exceed the scrap value of the present wheel, it is likely that the mileage cost would be lower. The car wheel question will have to be dealt with sooner or later, and it is in some respects more serious than the rail question. Every railroad protects itself by the quality of rails it buys for its own use. But every railroad is at the mercy of the quality of wheel under any car that passes over its line. The writer believes there is a growing interest in the making of better chilled wheels, and his company pro- poses to do its part in helping the movement on. Chemical Analysis and Physical Properties There is one point in Mr. Whitney’s article to which decided exception must be taken. He implies and assumes throughout that the physical properties of an iron are de- pendent on its chemical analysis. The one fact which re- cent investigations and experience have demonstrated beyond peradventure is that the physical qualities of an iron do not depend on its chemical analysis. That there is a general variation in certain qualities, corresponding with a general variation in analysis, is admitted, but it has been found not once but many times that two irons of identical analyses made in the same furnace, from the same ore mixture, can have vastly different physical prop- erties. This point is so important that I think it well to give one proof out of the many that could be offered in sup- port of our contention. Herewith are given the analysis, breaking strength and photomicrographs of two irons, which we will distinguish as close grained No. 2 and open grained No. 2. These, as above stated, were made in the same furnace and with the same ore and fuel. Close Grained, No. 2 Open Grained, No. 2 RRL his wes oo case Peee ese cee 1.00% 1.10% RN oan SoS ak cepwkeee ec wane .38 53 PRIGOMES © oar vc cct oicieeccieneses -112 -116 SE © Side aucen ince nges chases .009 .023 Wika vasewseet uae bsdben Os andere 2.72 3.16 eins +<s chee sad paaatagnes'e f 3.71 3.84 ed be Coe eee esresesresseesesteeee .99 -68 Breaking strength of 1%-in. round pins on 12-in. centers: 4,950 Ib. 2.750 Ib 4,500 Ib. 2,700 Ib. 4,300 Ib. 2,700 Ib. 2,750 Ib The photomicrographs shown in Figs. 10 and 11 sup- ply almost at a glance a confirmation. of these physical results. The structure of the open-grained iron is very coarse, with long slender slices of graphite interrupting its continuity in all directions. The other iron is of close structure and the graphite tends to exist in pools or patches isolated from one another, thus leaving the continuity almost uninterrupted. Greater contrasts than this could have been obtained, THE IRON AGE but it would seem that those who consider the lence with an open mind will accept this as a satisfactory jroo; The above is no denial of the utility of analysis { many purposes, nevertheless nothing but error can come {rom accepting it as the only guide in matters of this kind Hand Power U Bender For making stirrups for reinforced concrete work a< well as other forms of U bends in general manu facturing a powerful machine capable of being operated by one man is being offered by the Wallace Supply Company, 108 North Jefferson street, Chicago, Ill. It is designed especially to handle heavy stock, and will bend 3-in. square twisted bars easily. It is also possible to bend round stock on this machine, and by substituting separate forming dies it js possible to handle larger sizes of stock. The jaws or dies can be easily set to suit the various sizes. The power is obtained from the lever at the right. to which a handle can be fastened by bolts. Thus the radial member carrying the bending jaws is turned through a sufficient angle to produce the required bend. This machine, which is known as the No. 2 U-bending tool, is a development from long experience in the manufacture of all kinds of bending tools. In addition the company A New Type of Hand Power Machine for Making U Bends in Round and Twisted Bars Made by the Wallace Supply Company, Chicago, Il. builds an extensive line of bar benders for forming bars into various angles, hooks, etc., and one of these, the No. 5 power angle bender, was illustrated in The Jron Age March 30, 1911. All parts of the new machine are very strong and the lever is fitted with anti-friction rollers, while all the dies have tool steel face plates at the corners. This machine will make bends ranging from 1 to 8 in. between the legs of the U. Among the pieces turned out by this machine are a series of U’s from %-in. square twisted high carbon steel, a 3-in. U in %-in. round mild steel stock and 1%-in. U and angle bends in %-in. round mild steel bars. Southwark Foundry Under New Control The majority interest in the stock of the Southwark Foundry & Machine Company, Philadelphia, Pa., has been acquired by persons identified with the Baldwin Locomo- tive Works. The following board of directors was elected May 7: Alba B. Johnson, Samuel M. Vauclain, H. De- Haven Bright, John P. Sykes, R. K. Johnson, J. L. Vau- clain and Andrew Vauclain. The new officers are: Presi- dent, H. DeHaven Bright; vice-president and treasurer, James H. Maloney; secretary, Alfred C. Maule. Mr. Johnson states that the purchase of this interest by per- sons represented in the Baldwin Locomotive Works does not mean that the latter company has taken over the Southwark Foundry & Machine Company. The transac- tion, he further states, was an individual enterprise and the company will continue to manufacture its line of ¢- gines and machinery as heretofore. The stockholders of Henry Disston & Sons, Inc., Phila- delphia, Pa., will vote July 9 on increasing the capital stock from $1,250,000 to $1,500,000 in order to provide for the construction of a new steel plant. Turbine at Calderbank Geared Steam Turbine for the Rolling Mill Steel Works, Scotland, Connected to Mill Through Two Sets of Reduc- ing Gears and Using Live and Exhaust Steam e months ago a paper was read before the West tland Iron and Steel Institute by A. Q. Carnegie application of a mixed pressure steam turbine + geared to the driving of a rolling mill. The mill r rolling plate and is three-high with rolls 28 in. in eter by 84 in. long. It is at the Calderbank Steel of James Dunlop & Co. It was first proposed to <haust steam from the existing mill engines for elec- driving the new mill, and to use a large flywheel, Jready present, to equalize the load on the dynamo and S eet \ Pe a tot ie 5c) fae ~h =e Lit vd io calculations were sufficient to show #hat the ‘heel was large enough to smooth out the load to an onstant value, and the idea presented itself of ng out the electrical portion of the scheme altogether, substituting mechanical gearing between the turbine the flywheel shaft. From an economical point of \ the possibility of eliminating a constant loss of some- like 15 per cent. in electrical transformations, and stituting a gear with a friction loss, including bear- of only 1% per cent. (to say nothing of the sub- al saving in capital expenditure) was very tempting; after very careful consideration the experiment was ded upon. order to lessen the risk the plant was designed so the event of the high-speed gear proving a failure, namo could be fitted im its place and the mill driven cally as in the original scheme. The second re- gear was an ordinary commercial proposition, involved nothing in the way of experiment, so that it be worked in any,case. Fig. 1 shows the general ngement in elevation and plan. The table rolls and lew Fig. 1—Arrangement of Turbine Driven Rolling Mill the screw down are electrically driven, and the lifting tables are driven hydraulically. The steam turbine is a Parsons mixed pressure type, designed to run at 2000 r.p.m., either with exhaust steam at a pressure of 16 lb. per square inch absolute, or with live steam direct from the boilers at a pressure of 60 Ib. per square inch above atmosphere. The turbine is provided with two steam inlets, one being at the high pressure end, and the other about the centre of the cylinder. Each inlet is provided with a steam chest con- taining a double beat balanced throttle valve, and an in- dependent emergency trip valve. The two steam throttle valves are con- nected to the governing mechanism by means of steam relays, and are ar- ranged so that preference is given to the use of ex- haust steam whenever there is any available. If this exhaust steam supply is insufficient, or if it ceases altogether, the balance of power required is supplied by the high pressure valve quite automatically, the distribu- tion of the load between high pressure and exhaust steam being effected by the decrease in speed. In addition to these valves there is a small device which causes the low- pressure throttle to close whenever the exhaust steam re- ceiver pressure falls to nearly atmospheric pressure. This is necessary in order to prevent air from being drawn in when there is a shortage of exhaust steam. The blading is of the usual Parsons reaction type, and T2105 a Ew USERS Rages the areas are proportioned so that when working at full load with ex- haust steam there is atmospheric pres- sure at the first row of low pressure blades. The high pressure blades are running idly in steam at atmospheric pressure. When the whole load is taken over by high-pressure steam, the pressure at the first row of low-pres- sure blades falls to about 8 Ib. ab- solute, so that the smaller quantity of steam is still able to fill the blades and maintain an efficient velocity ratio. In this way it is possible to obtain full efficiency on either live or exhaust steam. The full power of the turbine is available from either source of steam supply, or from any desired mixture of the two. The power required for the turbine was gone into very carefully, and the figure decided upon was 750 b. h. p. This power has been found ample in practice. The mill runs at a speed of 70 r.p.m., and the speed of the turbine is reduced from 2000 r.p.m. in two steps, the intermediate shaft running at about 375 r.p.m. The high speed pinion is formed solid with its shaft, and is made of forged chrome nickel steel. The pitch line diameter is 7.143 in., and there are 25 teeth with 3% in. diametrical pitch. The wheel into which it gears has 131 teeth, and has a 37.429 in. pitch diameter, with a total face width of 24 in. The second reduction gear has a forged mild steel Pinion, with 23 teeth of 2 in. circular pitch; the pitch diameter is 14.912 in.; and it gears into a wheel of 80.848 in. diameter with 127 teeth. The total face width of the low speed gear is 16 in. The double helical teeth are at an angle of 23 deg. with the axis of the shaft, and are cut in a special hobbing machine which automatically gener- ates teeth of the correct shape. Gears made in this way are found capable of running at a high velocity with very little noise. A plan of this gearing is shown in Fig. 2. Flexible couplings are fitted between the turbine and the high speed pinion shaft, and also between the first and second reduction gears. These couplings allow for small errors in alignment, and also give the necessary end freedom for expansion of the steam turbine shaft. The flywheel with its shaft weighs nearly 100 tons and is carried on two 22-in. diameter adjustable bronze bear- ings. The low speed gear wheel is keyed directly to the end of the flywheel shaft and is overhung from its bear- ing. The flywheel is of cast iron, built in two portions, which are fastened together in the usual way. The sides of the rim are turned true so as to form the track for a pair of hydraulic brakes, which enable the whole plant to be brought to rest in 25 sec. in case of emergency. The external diameter of the wheel is 23 ft. The energy stored in the flywheel is about 20 times that of the tur- bine and gears, so that the latter can get only a small fraction of the shock coming on the mill rolls. The first slab was put through the mill September 15, THE IRON AGE May 16 1912 Fig. 3—View of Turbine and Gear Boxes in Engine Room 1910, after the whole plant had been run slowly for sev- eral days to allow the main bearings to settle down into working order. Mr. Carnegie was in the turbine room at the time, but was not aware that rolling had been started until the slab had made six or seven passes. Up to 30 slabs have been rolled in an hour and the maximum size of plate has been 60 ft. long by 6 ft. wide by 3/16 in. thick. The lifting tables for some time worked too slowly, but they have now been speeded up and take 6 sec. for the lift and fall. Diagrams are shown in the original paper of speed and steam pressure variations. They show how quickly the governor of the turbine applies the amount of power re- quired by the mill and also how energy stored in the fly- wheel equalizes the driving power. The weight of the slab being rolled was 1590 Ib., its original thickness 4 in. and the finished plate 0.31 in. The power exert