The Iron Age 1914-02-12: Vol 93 Iss 7

5 Este ’ blished 1855 > t =e ene aa : A Later Day Type New York, February 12, 1914 of Gray-lron IRON Foundry Works of the Quigley Furnace & Foundry Com- pany at Springfield, Mass—Handling Heavy Materials—The Charging Floor and Its Service The Quigley Furnace & Foundry Company, Springfield, Mass., manufacturer of gray-iron cast- ings and the Quigley furnaces of various types, using coke, powdered or ordinary coal, gas or crude oil for fuel, is occupying its new foundry which is a fine example of what has been accomplished in recent years in the development of foundry build- ing construction and foundry equipment. Of par- ticular interest is the system for handling heavy materials and products, which has been worked out in careful detail. Manual labor has been reduced to a degree approaching that actually required in the processes of manufacturing. Traveling and jib cranes, an industrial railway and a monorail installation, act in combination to convey anything heavy from any one point to any other, not only within the building, but between it and the storage yard outside. The foundry is a large one for its purpose—the manufacture of machinery castings of high grade, with castings made in dry sand molds for pumps, ice machines and similar purposes as a highly devel- oped specialty. The two cupolas have capacities of 50 and 15 tons respectively. The building is 210 x 275 ft., of brick, steel and concrete, and fireproof throughout. The roof is of steel and concrete slabs, covered with tar and gravel, and so impervious to ignition that a bonfire, maintained upon it for an entire day failed to make any impression. As the illustrations show, a very large percentage of the wall area is occupied by windows and the high monitor provides ample overhead light as well as €xceptional ventilation. The windows are of ribbed glass, which greatly reduces the temperature in Warm weather and secures a much better diffusion of light as compared to plain glass. The main molding floor, where the heavy work is done, extends the entire length of the building, and 'S 66 ft. wide. It is served by two 10-ton electric traveling cranes, and by two jib cranes equipped with electric hoists. The space devoted to light work is 35 x 215 ft. The coreroom has a 3-ton traveling crane. An industrial railway traverses the works, connecting the departments and acting as the carrying link between the interior cranes and that which serves the yard and charging floor. A monorail system of large capacity indicated in the general plan is to be installed in the near future. The core ovens are of the Quigley type. Those for heavy work, two in number, are each 10 x 16 ft., and are arranged to fire with coke, powdered or ordinary coal or crude oil. The light work is cared for in a pair of Quigley furnaces of the reel type. The cleaning room, adjacent to which is one of the exterior loading platforms, is admirably ar- ranged and equipped to get rid of grit and dust. Exhaust tumblers are employed. The working floor consists of a steel grating below which is a subway reached from the outside of the building. All dirt falls through and is removed from time to time. The charging floor in its combination with the yard in which pig iron, scrap, coke and heavy flasks are stored, presents perhaps the most interesting feature of the plant. Its level is 25 ft. above the ground, its area is 50 x 60 ft. Its construction is of the stoutest, consisting of 24-in. I-beams 50 ft. long, upon which are heavy iron plates. At one side are the two cupolas, with space for a third, which will be installed when the need for increased capacity shall be felt. On the other side are the hatchways in the floor, through which the sand bins below are filled, a task quickly accomplished by the crane which transfers the contents of a car by means of grab buckets. The side toward the yard is open, excepting for an iron capped brick balustrade. The yard extends back 100 ft. and is 48 ft. wide, and is covered by a 429 2 oe = eee a ee Pe eet . = s fe ~. San Pre 430 10-ton traveling crane, the ways of which extend to the inner end of the charging floor. The larger cupola is served by a pneumatically operated charg- ing machine. The skips are loaded in the yard, weighed for their charge, both on platform scales and by the crane scales, for purposes of checking, and delivered to the car of the charging machine. One man only is permitted on the charging floor under ordinary conditions. With the machine to help his individual effort has been found ample in keeping a cupola charged. ELECTRICITY IN THE FOUNDRY Lighting, Speeds of Crane Hooks and the Electric Tractor Truck Discussed From a paper read by R. H. McLain of the Power and Mining Department of the General Electric Company, Schenectady, N. Y., before the Philadel- phia Foundrymen’s Association, February 4, the following notes have been taken: THE IRON AGE February 12, 19)4 A careful analysis of the amount of work to }. and the delicacy of the operation should be and proper speed determined from this. is clearly evident that a locomotive geared to run at 69 miles per hour would not pull uniformly and sjowly enough when drawing a thin pattern and this speed would be of no advantage in hastening the work A speed of 40 ft. per min. has met with very cep. eral favor for 5-ton cranes and even 60 ft. per min. is in use in a merchant foundry where every cop. ceivable kind of work is done. Fifteen ft. per min. is quite common on larger cranes. The only trouble with the higher speeds is that at times speeds of 1 to 5 ft. per min. must be obtained for drawing patterns, etc. With direct current it is not so hard to obtain this speed, whereas with alternating cur- rent it is very hard, unless the crane is geared for a slower speed than the direct-current crane, even though the best of cranes, brakes and controllers are used. I know of a case where a crane is designed to take care of just one kind of work. It was at first thought that 40 ft. per min. hook speed should be Jne ade S le The Yard from the Charging Floor of the Quigley Foundry, Showing Crane and Its Long Runway FOUNDRY LIGHTING For general illumination, a very powerful pene- trating light is needed. The yellow flaming arc is considered best for this in large rooms where the lamps can be hung 20 ft. or over above the floor and the 500-watt Mazda in reflector covered with porcelain is best in small or low rooms and side bays. Yellow has a peculiar ability to penetrate the fumes and dust. The lamps should be spaced symmetrically, but care should be taken not to make the illumination too even. Many units hung too high cause such an even or well diffused illumination on the working plane that the imolders cannot clearly see the lines and curves of molds and patterns. It is, therefore, better where possible to use a few large units than many small ones. However, no general overhead illumination can take care of all requirements and it is wise to provide plugs at convenient places so that workmen may use small lights for working on the inside of molds. CRANE HOOK SPEEDS Hook speed of‘the crane is of vital importance. used as a matter of course; but on investigation it was shown that 12 ft. per min. would do just as much work in a day and would give ideal control on delicate operations, whereas 40 ft. per min. would have caused a large percentage of lost molds. As mentioned above, direct current is better as regards creeping speeds than alternating current, but if the mechanical load brake is good and if the proper hook speed is used, there are few cases where it is necessary to go to any extra expense to obtain direct current if alternating current is the form in which power is generated. In general alternating current is the best form in which to use power, because it is cheaper than direct current. On all other machines except the crane there is no doubt that alternating-current motors are better than direct current because noth- ing about them except their bearings is hurt by foundry dust, whereas direct-current motors must be enclosed on account of their commutators, if they are exposed to this dust. Any large continuous run- ning machines like the air compressor may well be driven by a synchronous motor and they should be installed as far away from the dirt as possible.. This a February 12, 1914 THE IRON AGE 4131 ns teen serene rr ~ . oo < ker - | nN | Coke Bin \ General Plan of the ‘UT ype of motor can be made to have a leading power tor and thereby compensate for the lagging power factor of the induction motors which are used in other parts of the shop. This feature is especially able when central-station power is used or where the motors are installed at a great distance from the power station because it helps the line regulation and reduces the line losses. In many places the storage-battery locomotive may be used. As a truck it may carry 20 tons, or as a locomotive it may develop 1000 lb. draw-bar pull. To economize on batteries and still have a large draw-bar pull, a low speed of 21% to 4 miles per hour is used. Electric automobile motors with ball bearings and journals with roller bearings are used } valy Valu Plant of the Quigley Furnace Yompanys & Foundry to eliminate friction and thus save the batteries. The weight of a locomotive is 10,000 lb.; the gross ton miles, 265; the charge requires 45 amperes at 133 volts for seven hours. The Ferguson Steel & Iron Company, Buffalo, N. Y., which entered the steel jobbing and warehousing field on July 1 of last year, is doubling the size of its ware- house at Bailey avenue, Stanley street and the New York Central Railroad, at a cost of $12,000. It is making this part of the plant 165 x 200 ft. under roof, with a crane runway 485 ft. in length and 80 ft. span. James E. Ferguson, president of the company, reports that current business is exceedingly good and the out- look very favorable for a large increase this year. Charging Floor of the Quigley Foundry fe a} a 432 THE IRON AGE MAKING THE FOUNDRY PAY* Increasing the Individual Output and Decreasing the Cost of the Iron Mixtures BY STUART DEAN Three points that make every firm’s success seem to be carefully avoided by all writers and speakers on foundry topics. These points are: 1. Very capable assistants who insist on having only capable workmen under them. 2. Strong pressure from the manager brought to bear on these assistants, forcing them constantly to do their best, and 3. Allowing these assistants free hand; never handicapping them in the least. I will repeat these three points: 1. Assistants many times more capable even than the manager himself. 2. Simple statisti- cal reports that state the total amount of work turned out by each one of the de- partments, so that constant pressure can be brought to bear on the department heads. These reports will be total tonnage reports com- pared with total hours labor. 3. Department heads made to understand that since won- derful results are expected from them, they will be given free rein to make improve- ments, to drop poor men and put on better. THE MANAGER OF THE BUSI- NESS In our town there was a man who never attended very closely to his business. You could generally find him Core down at the club playing pool during business hours. He was in the paper mill business. He made quite a success of his busi- ness. He depended on a splendid manager, whom he employed to attend to everything. After the owner died, the business went on about as usual until the widow of the owner called in a lawyer to look over the business and see if everything was running straight. This lawyer was astounded at the salary being paid to the manager. The manager was a very unprepossessing looking man. As some- one once said: “Nature often wraps up her most valuable packages in very poor looking covers.” Such was the case of this man. The lawyer could not believe that such an un- couth looking fellow needed such a large salary, so he advised the widow to reduce the salary, which she did. The manager quit. The firm failed. The widow lost her big house—moved into small apart- ments and tried to make a living teaching bridge. My brother met the widow’s son the other day on the streets of Louisville, and gave him a dollar. He was down and out. The paper mill had lost its managing brains. The question is, How are we going to find these wonderful geniuses to revolutionize our business? There is only one absolute true way of finding out and that is to split the foundry into small units, each as nearly independent and separate from the others as is practicable, with only 20 or 30 men in *From a paper read before the Pittsburgh Foundrymen’s Association, February 9 February 1° each unit. I say 30 because that is as number as ever should be under one overs one runs nine hours a day, and if each f, could give all his time to overseeing th: work—which, of course, he cannot—it woul him only about 13 minutes’ time in the pn and 13 minutes’ time in the afternoon to each work. man. In this system of small separate foundri you do not care how each small foreman manager ar. rives at a low cost of castings and a perfect product. It is up to him. As far as you are concerned, he can get it by replacing his poor men with rapid producers, or he can get it by constantly digging at his poor producers and teaching them where they fail. Each little foundry division is under the strongest kind of competition with its neighbors. There will be the greatest exchange of ideas between the different foundry foremen as to how they make Ovens for Heavy Work, Quigley Foundry good. The capable foremen will automatically come to the top. THE METHOD OF RATING FOR MANAGERS The method to use to bring strong pressure to bear on the department heads is this, Make up the following tabulated records: 1. Number of pounds of good castings turned out each month by a department. 2. Total foundry hours of the department per month. 3. Molders’ hours only, per month. 4. Helper’s hours per month. 5. Coremakers’ hours per month. 6. Casting cleaning hours per month. 7. Hours of any other class of help, such as cupola, crane men or foremen. Divide the first item, or the number of pounds of good castings turned out by the department, by each of the following items: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 and multiply by the hours in the work day, which gives the following records: 8. The day’s output for each molder. 9. The number of pounds of castings each foun- dry helper helps on each day. 10. The number of pounds of castings a day each coremaker makes cores for. 11. The number of pounds of castings each cast- ing cleaner cleans each day. 12. The number of pounds of castings turned out per capita of all other help (cupola, crane, foremen)- Febru 12, 1914 THE Comparison of these department records month will soon tell which department head is aking the best showing. 0 a change in the class of work will inter- fort | a department making a good record, but in who is a real genius will improve his canta the face of a change in the class of work tha iires increased labor per pound of product. hese tables should be kept graphically, because present a picture of conditions in the most nrehensive manner, where more tabulated fig- a splendid idea to give each foreman a written statement of the pounds output ner Nn for each class of the help he has under him. This acts as a spur to the foreman. The fore- en take the keenest interest in these reports. To the reports are a tangible statement which Ovens for Core Light Work, Quigley they can compare with their records of previous ears. These reports keep reminding them that wasted will injure their record. A lazy man, who spoils work, or a slow man will not be tolerated, because such men increase hours without ncreasing the pounds output. The foreman will all the manager’s attention to ill-shaped castings, tterns with lack of draft, the unnecessary hang- ing of cores in the sides or cope of molds under or designs where loose pieces are used on erns that could be eliminated by a change in (rT) nat ANALYSIS IN MAKING CUPOLA MIXTURES second most important thing in making is the use of analysis in making iron mix- because this reduces the material expenses proves the product. All the material bought indry may run a little over one cent for ind of castings, yet a foundry will try to the output per man up 10 per cent and pay (tention to the heavy expense of running a half of which is costly pig iron. foundry before mixing by analysis used *) to 50 per cent. scrap in the mixture. After it d over to mixing by analysis, we ran four averaging 7414 per cent. scrap, or off-grade scrap-iron prices, in the mixture. Three of this time the mixture was 80 per cent. le iron, three weks 77 per cent. off-grade nree weeks 73 per cent. off-grade iron, and veeks 69 per cent. off-grade iron. y IRON AGE 433 CHARGING THE CUPOLA The two main points in charging a cupola are: keep the charges absolutely level throughout the heat and charge the coke and the large pieces of iron around the very edge, and the small pieces, that is, the scrap, in the center. To keep the charges perfectly level, the kindling must be in short pieces, 2 ft. long and no longer. The kindling must be put in and leveled absolutely, otherwise when it burns out it will tilt all the charges above. Each succeeding charge must be put in abso- lutely level. The coke against the wall of the cupola and nowhere else so that the strong air blast from the tuyeres will strike it and thus make very hot iron. The pigs and heavy scrap must be put in around the edge, as they are the hardest to melt and must be placed where the greatest heat is. The pigs should lie around against the wall in a perfectly neat ring, the end of one pig butting against the end of the next. Light the fire after two-thirds of the bed coke is charged. After lighting, charge the other third coke. A new type of electric drill ing machine is being manufac- tured by the United States Electrical Tool Company, Cin- cinnati, Ohio. It is especially adapted for metal drilling or wood boring, and is equipped with a universal motor for oper- ating on 110-volt direct or alter nating current circuits. Chrome nickel steel is used for the gears, which are hardened and run in grease, and all the _ spindle bearings also run in grease. The motor is of the series wound type and is air cooled. A-new and simple type of switch is ‘used in connection with the machine Foundry Electroplating Zinc Alloy Die Castings A pamphlet has been issued by the National Lead Company, New York City, describing the electroplating of die or pressure castings, made from alloys of zinc and varying proportions of copper, tin and aluminum. These castings are used as a substitute for numerous small parts: that were formerly cast in sand molds of iron, brass or bronze and come from the dies as per- fectly machined castings, requiring only a small amount of labor to assemble. A detailed explanation of the cleaning and polishing is given and it is pointed out that caustic soda or potash should not be used in cleansing zine on account of the reducing action they exert upon the metal which destroys the polished sur- face. Solutions for plating the castings with copper, brass, nickel and silver are given, together with in- structions for their use. Directions for gilding die cast- ings, which must previously be coated with brass or copper, are included, together with the composition of the solution employed. The customary lacquers are ap- plied to the metal finishes and the several antique fin- ishes can be applied to the articles after plating in the requisite solutions in the regular way. At the annual meeting of the Smith & Mills Com pany, manufacturer of shaping machines, Cincinnati, Ohio, held February 5, the following directors were elected: Albert S. Smith, Ernest Mills, James E. Mills, William Schuchardt and Oscar P. Soden. The board organized by electing Albert S. Smith, president, treas- urer and general manager; Ernest Mills, vice-president, manager and, superintendent, and James E. Mills, secretary. Pure Drinking Water from Waste Heat To Reduce Absences of Factory Workers and to Utilize Exhaust Steam, the Installation of a Water-Distilling Plant Is Justifiable mia . BY STERLING H. BUNNELL —_____— The last ten years has witnessed a great change in water supply practice. Not many years ago the American city with a water supply from a source really pure was the exception. Quantity, not qual- ity, was the chief end sought. Some cities took their supplies from lakes at points adjacent to sew- erage outlets, depending on dilution to protect the water from an oversupply of bacteria. Others pumped from canals or shallow streams which served also as drains for populous parts of the country. Better sources of supply, being more distant, were deemed too expensive, for an unlim- ited quantity of fair water was often preferred to a limited supply of good water metered to prevent waste. It required many epidemics of typhoid fever and other diseases spread by germs in water sup- plies to eradicate this fixed idea and cause the gen- ,eral demand for pure drinking water which today exists nearly everywhere. While water works engineers are working out great problems of purifying city supplies by fil- tration or bringing water from far distant moun- tain lakes and streams, the present need has been met by an astonishing development of the sale of pure spring water, or of distilled water, in bottles. The supply of ice for water coolers has been ex- tended to include the supply of the coolers and stands, and then to the supply of the drinking water as well. While ice and water have been sold at reasonable prices, and coolers often loaned or given away, the profits from the business when well man- aged are enormous. This fact would not seem sur- prising in the cases where natural springs close to town have been found and utilized. Such springs, however, exist in but few of the localities where pure water is needed in great quantity. Much of the water supplied at good profit for drinking pur- Gl EVAPORATOR non EXH. STEAM ‘| TO COILS * | | } } rf TRAP BY-PASS | CONDENSATE FROM COILS poses is obtained by distilling. Its low cost is gen- erally due to the use of the waste heat obtained from exhaust steam, to furnish the heat necessary Diagram Showing the Arrangement of the Various Parts of a Typical Exhaust Steam Single Effect Plant 434 for distillation. As exhaust steam is discharged from every factory power plant during those months of the year when drinking water is most in de. mand, it is evident that pure drinking water can be supplied in the factory at trifling expense, An evaporating plant for factory water supply is an extremely simple apparatus. It consists of a shell of steel or cast iron, kept partly full of raw water by a float-controlled valve, and a set of steam-heated tubes of brass or copper, submerged in the water. The heat of the steam in the tubes is given up to the water surrounding them, heating and evaporating a quantity somewhat less than the amount of steam condensed in the tubes. Distilled water is thus obtained at two points, one the drain from the tubes, and the other th2 drain from a con- denser in which the vapor from the raw water in the shell is received. The steam supply, if from an engine or pump exhaust, is passed through an oil separator before entering the evaporator tubes, and so purified before condensing into water. The vapor from the raw water is essentially pure, and needs only to be condensed into water. The two streams of water issuing from the apparatus are joined and passed through a charcoal filter which removes the flat taste peculiar to boiled water. The filtered water is soft, absolutely pure, and faultless in taste. Evaporation, it will be noticed, is performed by the exchange of heat from steam condensing to water into water evaporating to steam. The ex- change can be effected repeatedly, with the pro- duction of an additional quantity at each repetition. Thus, steam at 100-lb. pressure may be condensed in tubes while evaporating water at 70 Ib. around them. The resulting vapor at 70 Ib. may be led into another evaporating effect and condensed in EVAPORATOR ‘ CIR, WATER VALVES TO SHUT _ OFF AUTO, FEEDER * ak eY hAND FEE a DY-FASS & CLOW OFF tubes while evaporating water at 45 Ib. and so on until the last effect in the series works under a vac uum as low as can be easily produced in a surface gebruary 12, 1914 condenser Which follows the last effect and col- cts the distilled water produced there. The proc- aac be started at any pressure and carried own to any desired one above atmospheric pressure. fect produces 80 or 90 t. as much steam as it receives in its tubes, the exact ratio depending on the feed tem- perature, the quality of the lag- ging protecting the tubes from heat by radiation and other details. Therefore, with a small quantity of exhaust steam, two, three or more times the quantity of distilled water may be produced. The ordinary steam pumps of a factory will generally furnish ample exhaust to supply all the drinking water required. If, however, the ex- steam is not sufficient in quantity, steam may be taken direct from the boiler and made to produce five or more times its own weight of distilled water by condensation. The gain in the efficiency of the working force when supplied with pure soft drinking water has been in many cases surprising. It is not necessary ) become involved in the technical controversies of medical authorities, some of whom advocate the exclusive use of chemically pure water, while oth- ers profess to observe some virtue in hard natural waters. It is safe to say that pure, germ-free water is always preferable for drinking purposes to natural water of suspected impurity. If one be- lieves there is benefit in drinking some natural water, he may be content with the knowledge that the supplying of distilled water in the factory does not prevent the employees from averaging up their drinking water by taking what they want from natural sources when away from the works. The distilled water should be supplied at convenient points by eireulating pipes from a cooling device and through sanitary drinking fountains. The fact is that where pure cooled water has been so sup- plied throughout a factory, an important decrease in loss of time by absence caused by digestive dis- orders has been observed. An increase in the work- ing efficiency of the men generally may be confi- dently expected, though this would not be easy to Eat h ‘ per cel oss ( naust A Quadruple-Effect measure. The gain in attendance is not only ob- servable but is large enough to be conspicuous. Further, the men soon learn that the water is healthful and often carry home a supply, which practice should be permitted and encouraged. Small evaporating plants are inexpensive and simple to operate. They have no moving parts, ex- cept a feed pump, if the factory service pressure is hot high enough to feed the evaporators, and an air pump; and single-effect exhaust-steam plants may dispense even with these. The only matters requiring any care at all are to permit the escape of the organic gases in solution in natural water, 0 blow the evaporator down at regular intervals, ence every hour in most cases, so as to keep the Water in the shell from becoming too dense with ‘oncentrated solids and to clean off occasionally any scale which may be deposited on the tubes. These details are provided for in the design of the apparatus. The Darts ¢ diagram shows the relation of the several ' a single-effect exhaust-steam evaporator, and the halftone engraving is reproduced from a Photograph of a quadruple-effect plant as actually THE IRON AGE 435 installed. Larger plants are made up of a series of similar evaporating units or effects with but one condenser which follows the last effect. But Plant Pure Evaporating Supply of Installed in a Factory to Provide a Drinking Water whether single or multiple effect, an evaporating plant in the factory will be found a useful means of making a valuable by-product—pure water, from a factory waste—exhaust steam. Furnace Slag for Street Foundations Some observation on the use of blast-furnace slag as a foundation for paved streets were made in a recent issue of Engineering News, by Harvey F. Brown, engineer, borough of Charleroi, Charleroi, Pa. He ap- pears to have had success with ordinary bank slag, the rough product from the furnace as it is deposited at the slag bank, used with a top coat of screenings, the residue from crushed slag passing through a 1-2 in. screen. The combination of the bank slag and the top coat of screenings is rolled by a 10-ton tandem roller to a compact thickness averaging 7 in. The slag, because of its keen edges, takes more rolling to compact it than is required for broken stone or gravel, and, owing to the labor cost and the cost of the screening, is limited to use in localities having low freight rates from the steel mills. Mr. Brown adds that the rail- roads have discovered that fills of granulated slag, the product of pouring molten slag into water, settle little and become more ‘compact than other material. The Steel Improvement Company, Cleveland, Ohio, is placing in operation what is said to be the largest heat-treating furnace ever installed in a commercial heat-treating plant. It will be 21 ft. deep, 6 ft. wide and 4 ft. high inside dimensions. It is a double end furnace of the semi-muffled type, fired by natural gas. It has six burners on each side. Instead of having the flames enter both sides, they will enter the furnace chamber on one side, the outlet being on the opposite side. A 2-ton electric hoist and trolley will be used in charging and discharging. Each door will be oper- ated by a hand wheel in connection with a counter- balance. In the construction of the furnace 16,000 brick and 20 tons of structural steel were used. It will be used for heat treating shafts and large gear work, such as rolling table gears from 200 Ib. to one ton in weight. The Duff Mfg. Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., builder of lifting jacks, has opened an office in the People’s Gas Building, Chicago, and will also have a warehouse in that city to enable prompt deliveries to be made. G. W. Parsons has been appointed district sales agent, with of- fices in the Pioneer Building, St. Paul, Minn. By mu- tual agreement Fairbanks, Morse & Co. have discontin- ued acting as exclusive steam railroad agents for the Duff Company. SPAR as: Se 5 ; ru au nw ue The Theisen Process for Cleaning Gas A New Type of This German Washer—Description of the Ma- chines and Some Practical Results The Theisen process for cleaning gas, especially blast-furnace gas, is known by name to most iron and steel men, because Theisen was the first to put a practical washer on the market capable of dealing with the enormous quantities of gas given off by the modern furnace. The first washer was mounted on a vertical axis, but this was soon followed by the horizontal type, of which more than 500 have been built and put in operation. In order to meet modern requirements a new type of Theisen washer has been worked up during the last few years, known as the disintegrator washer. It uses much less power and water, and on account of its efficiency has been very well received. This new type of washer is described in Stahl und Eisen for December 18, 1913, and operating results of various plants are given. DESCRIPTION OF MACHINES The apparatus is built on the joint-current and counter-current principle. It fulfills in the one machine all the requirements of economic gas clean- ing by thoroughly mixing and forcing the gas and water together through the disintegrator arrange- ment. It also causes the gas to repeatedly strike against suitable washing surfaces, as well as trans- ports the gas and increases its pressure. In the joint-current disintegrator shown in Fig. 1 the gas and water travel from the inside to the outside of the disintegrating arrangement, while in the coun- ter-current type shown in Fig. 2 the gas flows in opposition to the water through the disintegrator from the outside to the inside. In general the first type is used for gas already cooled, while the second is used for hot gas. The casing of the joint-current apparatus re- sembles that of a fan. The gas enters from both sides to the middle. On the outside of the entrance passages are the castings containing the ring bear- Fig. 1—Theisen Joint-Washer with Disintegrator Construction ings, through which passes the shaft to the center of which a cast-steel disc is fastened. On both sides of this revolving disc a cast-steel ring is 436 arranged which bears cylinders of angle iron. Sim. ilar rings are fastened to the inner walls of the casing carrying stationary cylinders. The rotating and stationary cylinders are arranged concentric. ally one inside another. The water for washing js carried through siphon tubes to the interior of a distributing cone on the shaft, which is pierced with holes and provided on the outside with spray plates. Here the water is finely divided, and strikes the first rotating cylinder. The gas and water mixture are then hurled against the recoil surfaces of the stationary cylinder by the centrifugal action, whereby the water is broken up to extremely fine vapor and intimately mixed with the gas. This brings about a thorough moistening of the dust particles in the gas. This action is repeated by the succeeding revolving and stationary cylinders so that the dust particles in passing through the disintegrator are taken up and retained by the water. METHOD OF OPERATION The gas-water mixture is sucked through the disintegrator by the fan blades mounted on the outer part of the disc. The inner part of these blades is inclined and open so that the mixture is hurled sideways against a washing surface built concentric to the fan blades. The water vapor sat- urated with dust particles separates and moves to the outside as a fluid sheet. The gas is repeatedly forced violently against this sheet of water as in the known and proved Theisen centrifugal washer. The water moving outwards is caught at the edge of the surface in a groove and led away, and be- cause of the arrangement of the groove does not reach to the real pressure blades. This explains the smaller power requirement and the higher pres- sure produced. The outer part of the fan blades are shaped radially, formed as pressure blades, so that they are closed sideways. They force the highly cleaned gas to the fan casing, from which it passes under pressure to the mains and the places where it is used. In the case of the counter- current washer shown in Fig. 2 the gas enters underneath and at once meets the water spray from the disintegrator, so that even in the large gas entrance consider- able cooling and cleaning of the gas takes place. The gas then passes through the disintegrator in the opposite direction to the washing water. An_ intimate mixture and violent agitation of the gas and water takes place as in the previously described ma- chine. Because of the cooling and cleaning of the gas as it en- ters the washer, and the counter- current principle, it is possible to deal with hot and very dirty gas without special pre-cooling and pre-cleaning. After passing the disintegrator the gas is subjected to repeated violent rebruary 12, 1914 ‘pulses against an inclined washing surface as in the other machine. The water is introduced as shown he diagram, and also sideways to prevent any ashed gas passing hroug The Theisen disintegrators thoroughly reliable, as has gre Ui been proved by operating rec- rds of over a year. All ro- tating parts are mounted on a common shaft, that revolves in water-cooled ring bearings, end is directly coupled to the driving motor. It requires the least space of any gas washer because the cooling, ceaning and compression is carried out in the same appa- ratus and with one driving motor. Very little attention is therefore necessary, by no means the constant service of an operator. The wear and tear, and oil consumption, are also reduced to a minimum, Fig. 2—Theisen for in the whole apparatus ere are only two bearings. No growth of dirt form because of the powerful washing and rmsing of all parts of the machine. As men- ned before, these points are confirmed by oper- ting results. The fan blades are shaped so as furnish gas at the pressure required, and there s no difficulty in giving clean gas up to 0.57 lbs. per sq. in. Theisen water separators are also uilt to dry the washed gas to the saturation point or lower. They are built on the principle of change if velocity and direction, and furnish dry gas, which is very important. Such driers are necessary for all gases that are cleaned by being brought into intimate contact with water. OPERATING RESULTS rhe first Theisen disintegrator was tested at the plant of the Schalker Gruben und Hiittenverein t Gelsenkirchen in 1909. The results showed a reduction in the dust from 4.0 to 0.031 g. per cu. m. 1.75 to 0.013 g. per cu. ft.) At the Differdingen vlast furnace plant a Theisen disintegrator and water separator has been in operation since 1912 without interruption. It was furnished as a pre- cleaner to lower the dust from 4.0 to 0.3-0.5 g. per ‘u.m. Due to good pre-cooling, however, the gas y has trom 0.88 to 1.46 g. per cu. m. as it enters machine, so that much better results were THE IRON AGE obtained than guaranteed. Counter-Current Washer with Disintegrator Construction Theisen has built for Differdingen large disin- tegrators for 50,000 cu. m. per hr. capacity (1,765,- 700 cu. ft.) furnishing clean gas at 0.54 Ib. per sq. in. At the Rombacher Hiitte at Rombach there are two Theisen disintegrators each of 30,000 cu. m. hourly capacity. One has already been steadily in operation for 14 months, and the other was started about June, 1913. This apparatus should clean the gas to from 0.1 to 0.2 g. per cu. m. with a maxi- mum water consumption of 0.7 litre per cu. m. Very exact tests were carried out, the results of which are given in Table 2. No. 2 machine did not produce so high a pressure because a washing sur- face was built concentrically around the fan. The increased power consumption is partly due to this cause and the fact that more water was used. This surface was later taken away because the required cleanness was more than reached without it. The temperature measurements show that with gas and water entering at almost the same temperature the outgoing gas is slightly hotter, due to part of the energy being changed to heat. Three more Theisen washers, each of 45,000 cu. m. per hr., have now been installed. Illustrations are given in the original paper of one of two similar machines of 40,000 to 45.000 cu. m. hourly capacity that have been in operation Tattle 1 Results at Dijerdince: GAS PRESSURE Dust CONTENT Gas TEMP WATER Temp. | ae Water Total In pipe | BETWEFN WASHER BEFORE AFTER ae ‘ Soenee . > | om halter AND SEPARATOR | 1 uage | WASHER WASHER Before After Before After tion, tion, R.p.m washer, mm washer, | washer, | washer, | washer, liter hn. per mmm. Mm. Lb. water G. per G. per | G. per | deg. C. | deg. C. | deg. C deg. C cu.m 1000 cu.m water water Sq. in. cu.m. cu.m. cu. ft. 70.5 +130.3) 0.185 200.8 1.080 0.020 0.0087 40 er. 40.5 30.0 39.3 0. 684 5.55 668 90.0 | +150.0| 0.213 | 240.0 | 1.000 | 0.012 | 0.0052 | 32.5 33.5 29.0 33.0 | 0.555 5.43 658 85.0 | +153.0| 0.217 238.0 | 0944 | 0.018 | 0.0079 | 33.3 34.5 29.5 33.8 | 0.550 5.22 649 85.0 | +158.3) 0.224 | 243.3 | 0.880 | 0.008 | 0.0035 | 32.5 33.5 29.0 33.0 | 0.430 5.00 677 Table 2. Results of hour teats at Rombach Gas PRESSURE” s«dDust content” / Gas TEMP WaTER TEMP. | Ww i A , — SS aaa = ‘ ater Total os In pipe | BETWEEN wasnen | BEFORE | AFTER AFTER ten enmune ; ND 8 / i AS IAS | ; , Me coun aoe ee | Increase ——— henge —s rare earner | Before After Before After tion, tion, washer, / mm. | | l washer, washer, | washer, washer, liter Wp. per. = _—~- | Lb. | water G. per | G. per | G. per | G. % deg. C. | deg. C. | deg. C. | deg. C. | cum. | 1000 cu.m we water sq. in. | cu.m. cu.m. cu.m. cu.ft. ———'____ i ptnainensierenimonstemstagicti [EE ; ~30.0 | +196.5| 0.279 | 226.5 | 0.22 | 0.014 | 0.011 | 0.0018 | 29.0 | 31.0 | 27.0 | 304 | 0.549 | 4.1 22.9 | +137.1) 0.194 | 160.0 | 0.35 | 0.016 | 0.012 | 0.0052) 30.6 | 31.3 | 26.4 30.8 | 0.609 | 4.5 55.0 | +130.0| 0.184 | 180.0 {$e 0.019 0.019 ood} 0.387 | 2.9 10.38 | 0.018 | 0.015 | 0.0065}) 437 Very many tests have been made at Differdingen, the average results of which are given in Table 1. Based on these results ry — eg ow 488 THE IRON AGE February 12, 1914 e since the beginning of 1912 at the Hasper Eisen Tinplate Cieaning and Polishing Machine und Stahlwerke. The dust is reduced from about : ie : 2 g. per cu. m. to 0.017 to 0.018 g. per cu. m. The For cleaning and polishing tinplates in the ‘ results are also given of a disintegrator applied to ™anufacturing process, the Elwood Iron Works = pre-cooled producer gas. The tar was reduced to Company, Elwood, Ind., has developed an inter. ‘ 0.2-0.4 g. per cu. m. from an original of 45 g. esting machine. After the sheet of steel, which ¥: The results are also given of a small machine at the forms the basis of the tinplate, has passed through Krupp Rheinhausen plant used for blast furnace gas. Finally figures are given from an Austrian plant that uses a Theisen machine in a strictly comparative manner with a Swartz-Bayer disinte- grator, the results being greatly in favor of the former. Germany’s 1913 Iron and Steel Exports The following table gives some statistics of Ger- many’s exports of iron and steel in December, 1913, and for the entire year 1913, in metric tons (2204 lb.): the tinning pot and is coated, it is autom atically lifted to a conveyor which varies in length from 12 to 14 ft., according to local conditions. This conveyor takes it to the intake rolls of the clea ining- polishing machine, which comprises 12 rolls made up of Canton flannel disks. The machine hag q hopper and screw conveyor of sufficient length to pass the cleaning material to the elevator, which in turn brings the material back to the machine. The gearing of this machine is proportioned so that each pair of rolls runs at different speeds. The tcp roll of the first pair runs at a speed of approx- imately 200 r.p.m., while the bottom one makes pe. ee oe only 50 r.p.m. In the next pair the top roll has STE. 5 6.vsnvnwbee ...+-90,259 57,886 1,058,843 856,431 the slow speed and the bottom one operates at ae ND sinh cis nieearien ana 17,842 18,807 160,732 196,221 a. a : : ti Semi-finished steel... ...1181'459 63969 695,263 700.779 ee a aan a 1S . out that i OGING os cw 50s bens seceness 47,769 25,400 497,023 446,859 is arrangement makes 1 ossible t Other structural shéz apes... .83, 202 116,218 846,814 1,172,626 h h g ‘leani f La ° complete _ oy ree 27,471 48,923 298,674 460,817 the thorough cleaning of the sheet on both sides, as me Ee: OND so cikciewaies tap Sie 10,835 15,861 25,228 149,362 . oct . hee Wire, rolled or drawn, plain.23,811 24.787 2815268 275,803 the first four pairs of rolls alternate In speed. cae Wire, polished ...........- 14,114 19,030 152,445 186,028 The cleaning material used in these machines * ir MEE |g. cksd odu% baw ees 2 5,091 54,482 55,862 . ° ‘ ‘ : er Tubing Ses ein tedeeeoaees 15/619 18,641 169,764 2091457 iS furnished by the mills in the Northwest and is - ee a 48,115 43,824 523,218 500,835 © 2 ; , y . ‘ Steel railroad ties .........21,885 16,880 191,590 134,293 of an especially prepared type, being of a grade The total exports of iron and steel for the year amounted to 6,497,000 tons, as compared with 6,- 042,000 tons in 1912, an increase of 455,000 tons. Imports were 618,000 tons in 1913, as against 674,- 000 tons in 1912, a decrease of 56,000 tons. A new cast-iron brazing material is announced by the Phillips-Laffitte Company, Pennsylvania Building, Philadelphia, Pa. It appears to be a chemical paste known as Unifonte, produced by the Paris laboratory of the company, and this paste with flux and spelter is employed to repair a broken part without, for exam- ple, moving the casting affected and, it is emphasized, without warping or deforming the broken article. In i ae A wat cans enn A, ™m) rv , * between high-class middlings and low-grade flour. This material is evenly distributed from the down- spout as it is received from the elevator, and this is one of the features of the machine. It is pointed out that the mechanical distributor, which consists of a right and left hand screw inclosed in a 6-in, pipe, with openings directly over the rolls, will deliver the material in exact proportions on all parts of the plate, instead of allowing it to pile up between the first two pairs of rolls, as was formerly the case, and then distribute itself by gravity on the plate as it was passing through. After the sheet leaves the cleaning end of the machine it goes to the polishing compartment, first Elevation of an Automatic Machine for Cleaning and Polishing Tinplates applying the-paste a brazing torch or gas blow-pipe is passing under a brush between the two sets of rolls. used. It is claimed that a joint brazed with this ma- This brush is relied upon to sweep off any particles terial is about three times stronger than the original of the cleaning material that may adhere to the metal. sheet during the cleaning operation. In the clean- rebruary 12, 1914 ~nortment the first pair of rolls runs at an sternal speed of from 25 to 331/3 per cent. ‘bor than the rolls in the other compartment, the Machine Showing the Elevator for Handling the Cleaning Material rrangement which is relied upon to deliver the thoroughly cleaned and polished condi- brush at the exit end of the machine serves practically the same purpose as the one two groups of rolls. This brush is frequently either the material is carried through on the plates themselves or small particles it in the air and settle down on the plate while ging through the polishing end of machine which contains the two pairs of rolls. [his machine is driven by a chain and sprockets. It is stated in connection with the type of drive that only slightly more than one-half the horse power usually required by this type of machine is consumed, and in addition, noise is practically) diminated. twee tne ' 1oct eegdead a A New Lathe with an All-Geared Head The Canada Machinery Corporation, Ltd., Galt, Canada, has recently brought out an all- geared type of lathe. The special feature about the tool is the use of a totally inclosed all-gear type f headstock, which makes 18 speed changes avail- A Lathe Having all the Speed Changing Gears Entirely THE IRON AGE 439 able from any one speed of the driving motor or pulley. It is possible to interchange the geared heads with the three sets of regular double-back geared headstocks built by the company. As illus- trated, the machine is equipped with a direct- current constant-speed motor, but if desired, it can also be arranged for a single pulley belt drive. Another feature about the lathe is the possibility of locking the spindle when the faceplate is being changed. The 18 speed changes that are available are secured through 13 gears arranged in two sets and a double jaw clutch. Steel forgings, which are hardened when necessary, are used for all the gears, which have the ends of their teeth rounded. For releasing the load when the gears are being changed a friction clutch is provided for the driving pulley. It is pointed out that it is impossible to engage two different sets of gears simultaneously. The tooth clutches are made of hardened steel and the spindles, which are of high carbon steel, fin- ished by grinding, run in bronze bearings. To indicate the positions of the different levers for securing the various speed changes index plates are provided on the headstock. As the headstock to- tally incloses the gears, an oil bath is thus provided for the gears to run in at all times. When changing the faceplate means are pro vided for keeping the spindle in one position. This consists of a special locking pin, which enters a corresponding hole in the sleeve clutch of the main spindle, an arrangement which is relied upon to keep the spindle from rotating in either direction. A National Conference on Unemployment has been called by the American Association for Labor Legisla- tion, to take place in New York City on Friday and Saturday, February 27 and 28. According to the pre liminary announcement made by Prof. Henry R. Seager, Columbia University, the president of the association, it is intended that the conference will come at a time when emergency relief will probably have been tested in most American cities and when it will be favorable to draw up a programme of practical action to prevent what is referred to as the serious irregularity of em- ployment which is not temporary in America. Governors and mayors have been invited to attend or send dele gates. Inclosed Social Side of a Grand Rapids Brass Plant Provisions for Employees’ Welfare a Not- able Feature at the Plumbing Goods Manu- factory of the Wolverine Brass Works The fascination about a manufacturing plant tion rooms, one of which is shown in an a which takes a mass of raw material and converts it ing illustration, and a large dining room and 4 i by successive stages into a finished product, ready kitchen. Meals are prepared and served | em. ployees and the latte, not ss ce eee aS | need to leave the plant during the noon hour. Athletic ae. tivities have developed indoor and outdoor baseball teams. both of which are members of the factory league, and last year one of these teams was successful in winning the Grand Rapids Manufacturers’ League cup. Opportunity js given to employees