The Iron Age 1915-04-08: Vol 95 Iss 14

vy) RNGDDERENUDENAORODUDONYOUENDENADONYOONOAUOTORONPEOADEOQOENIOEDYORTIOOOOOONEUOGQOEOOONOUDOGOOORUDNOUOSAOUREAOUATEEOODULAAAUUDERHUEGDEEEDOOETTOROLEGTTEGTUT ARE EAT EET ERED LEED ORE AEA CEAD MEARE EAH EHH HUNNOOURDDDAGECOOOUDDOAANSEDODOOUTONERDULEDLAUDOOUEETEETEROOE PDO oE EG tt ——_—_—_—— THE IRON PEULEDEDAAA AAAS TEATS EE es | i Established 1855 HHUEUEVEUEVULUHLOVEVOTUEYOREAODEEDUOOED OOS APL O OED ORAEDAEEE OUTED EEDA EAE EA THEATER New York, April 8, 1915 PUDUUDAREDATE RT EVETUREREOOOOEDE LP he Vol. 95: No. 14 Preventing Losses in Factory Power Plants Savings Effected in Power Transmission by Shaft- ing and in Boiler and Engine Rooms—The Super- vising Engineer as an Industrial Plant Necessity BY S. J. Many very serious and costly preventable losses exist in the majority of power plants. They may in the course of a year amount to hundreds or even thousands of dollars and may be easily detected, located and removed by simple and inexpensive methods as a rule. By preventable losses is meant those losses resulting from carelessness, lack of methods, poor design or selection of apparatus, im- proper handling, improper selection of fuel, oils, etc., and very largely the absence of proper records by which daily comparisons may be made of plant performances. Usually the local engineer in charge and the manager of the plant have no knowledge of the wastes going on every day or perhaps every minute; neither is the slightest effort made to determine if any such losses exist. Occasionally one finds a plant keeping fairly complete records of daily perform- ances, and a capable man in the capacity of super- vising engineer to make daily comparisons of opera- tion performance of furnaces, boilers, engines, generators, etc., but such cases are probably an ex- ception to the rule, particularly in the smaller or medium sized plants, where the percentage of losses s usually the greatest. One of the chief reasons for this condition is the fact that it is usually difficult and frequently im- possible for an engineer, no mater how capable and ambitious he may be, to persuade the general man- ager of his plant to furnish him with the necessary instruments and devices to make daily tests, and the printed forms on which to record the data secured. Yet the resultant savings of such daily tests and comparisons fre- juently will pay within one month H. WHITE vice is soon forgotten even if willingly accepted The only successful way to keep down the variable and preventable losses is to hunt for them daily; the cost of hunting them is far less than the cost of ignoring them. Hence the services of a con sulting engineer will give very good temporary re lief but no more, while a supervising engineer will give results in improved conditions and efficiency, and save his salary many times over in many plants. In all plants using steam even if only for heat ing purposes, scales should be installed to weigh coal as used, and to weigh ashes daily; in the event that crude oil is used for fuel install a meter to measur« the oil consumed daily; a hot water meter should be set in the’ boiler feed line to measure all water fed to boilers; a recording watt-hour meter should be installed to measure the electrical output and a re cording steam gauge to check the work of firemen; steam meters for each boiler are advisable; ther mometers to test temperature of boiler feed water, condenser cooling water, etc., are also advisable, and such other instruments and devices as the size and nature of plant would justify. Printed forms should be furnished suitably de signed to record the rate of evaporation of water per pound of fuel; the number of pounds of refus« from furnaces; per cent. of refuse of total fuel con sumed; total pounds of fuel consumed; rate of com bustion per square foot of grate area per hour; boilers output in pounds of water; average steam pressure carried; hours of operation; temperature of feed water; inches of vac uum; pounds of fuel per kilo watt-hour; and all similar data for all the additional expenses in- irred within a year. WHY A SUPERVISING ENGINEER Occasionally a consulting, ef- ency or industrial engineer is called on to test the plant. He will ‘submit a lengthy and _ excellent technical report in which several recommendations may appear, ch if carried out will probably sult in appreciable or possibly rge savings. He will also usually ve much advice as to handling plant. But how long will the provement due to his work last? very short time as a rule, as ad- Though the power ex pense may be a small part of the unit cost of the product of a factory, it may be reduced by a cost- keeping system, which, unlike the general factory cost-keeping system, al ways effects economies more than meeting its ow: cost. A supervising enginee! is indispensable, as one whose training allows him to comprehend the possi- bilities of each condition or suggestion. which local conditions would sug gest. These records should be as complete as the nature and size of the plant justifies; but in all cases sufficient data should be recorded to make daily comparisons of value in detecting any increase of losses which may arise within the course of a day’s run. NEED OF OBSERVATIONS CONCRETELY EXPLAINED Suppose you note from the daily records that the boilers evaporated 7 lb. of water per pound of fuel to-day; while x 778 THE IRON yesterday 8 lb. of water were evaporated; there is a cause for this difference, and the right kind of man will not rest until he locates and removes the cause. It may be due to a new car of coal just received, the quality of which is not so good as former cars. Perhaps the firemen were too busy to scrape the boiler flues; show them how to be more systematic in their work, so they will have time for this work in the future. Above all things, make them understand that you know what is going on in the boiler room and cannot be fooled. Perhaps the load was much lighter; then take it up with the works manager and show him the advisability of balancing his operating conditions to better advan- tage. Some boiler plants are so located with rela- tion to adjoining buildings that when the wind blows from certain directions the draft is seriously af- fected, resulting in poorer furnace efficiency ; watch this point and if it applies to your case, estimate from the records how long it will take the possible savings resulting from a higher stack to pay for the cost of fifty or more feet of additional stack, and put it up to the general manager as a dollar and cents proposition. There is a cause for every effect; the daily records show each effect and it is up to you to locate and remove causes of loss and to develop all causes bettering the efficiency—it is a very interesting study. Suppose the records show 8 lb. of fuel per kw-hr. today and only 6 lb. yesterday; what causes this effect? Assuming the load conditions, and the boiler evaporation were the same both days, there evidently has occurred a change in the engine econ- omy; this may be due to one or more of several things; perhaps a piston ring broke; or possibly an eccentric has slipped; the fact there is an apparent change in the engine economy would, or at least should, start an immediate investigation to locate and remove the cause for this very apparent loss. Without the evidence of the daily records the costly loss probably would not be detected for weeks, per- haps for months, or possibly not at all. The writer knows of one case where a 16 x 36-in. Corliss engine was run for three years without any piston rings; of course this was an exceptional case, and the man- ager and engineer were unusually incompetent, the load unusually light, etc., but there are many plants suffering from nearly as severe losses caused by nearly as foolish lack of observation. It is not always easy to locate the immediate causes of these variable losses, especially the smaller ones, but daily analysis of operation performances will soon make a man very quick in running down losses and their causes, and further will train him to take the necessary steps to prevent their occur- rence. A WAY OF ENLISTING CO-OPERATION OF EMPLOYES The knowledge that a capable man is daily com- paring the operation records also has a very decided and excellent effect on the engineers and firemen; at first these men will usually resent the idea of being so closely watched, but by taking them into your confidence, showing them the daily records, compli- menting them upon an improvement in economies and consulting with them in an effort to locate un- due losses, they soon learn and realize that this watching is a personal benefit to them, results in making better men of them and is a decided help to them in gaining knowledge. Frequently it will re- sult in a friendly competition between shifts, and between their plant and their neighbors’ to secure more work from a pound of fuel than the other fellow. Of course occasionally men will resort to tricks to deceive. In one experience of this kind the write, found a fireman who thought he could raise the ra; of evaporation by blowing off the boilers, and the pumping in fresh water; it raised the rat evaporation slightly, but also started an inves: tion of the engine economy, as apparently th; gine was consuming more steam than ordin: The engineer discovered the cause of the discrey and the fireman lost his job. A fireman in another plant was complimented oy improved evaporation due to his permitting the safety valve to open too frequently; of course fy was wasted and two or three days’ records were ficient to put a stop to it. Frequently the power consumed shows a slivht increase from month to month, or perhaps day to day, with the same factory production output. It is seldom an error develops in the meter. In elec- trically driven plants, and as most managers are in- clined to believe, probably several adjusting screws or bolts have worked loose in shafting hangers throwing the shafting out of line; possibly some oiler noticed some bearing caps were loose and tightened them down too much; perhaps the mill- wrights to please some workmen have made some belts too tight or possibly the purchasing depart- ment thought to save money by buying oil at a little less per gallon than had been paid. The losses in line shafting are the hardest to locate, but they cost a lot of money if permitted to exist, and should be run down and removed promptly. Daily tests and records will show their existence and development. Frequent testing for losses of line shafting is advisable; the tests are simple and inexpensive in cases of group drives by electric motors. Daily hunting for preventable losses is far less expensive than ignoring them. The load condition very seriously affect the effi- ciencies of furnaces, boilers, engines, etc.; it is well to remember this point and attempt to balance pro- duction of factory to keep the load on power plant up to an economical point. The practice of working one or two departments overtime frequently is very far from good management as a rule; it would be much better economy to increase equipment and number of workmen in those departments, so that all departments would be balanced in output and capacity, and overtime of any one department would be unnecessary. HOW A 25 PER CENT. SAVING WAS MADE A few years ago the writer supervised an iso- lated power plant which was entirely too large for the requirements of the factory; the load factor was only about 18 per cent. of the plant rating at that time. The losses as a consequence were tremendous. The engine was a simple Corliss type belted to an alternating current generator; the boilers were of the regular horizontal return tubular high-pressure iype; the engine was designed to operate at 105 r.p.m. and was operated at this speed when the writer took charge. He ordered the necessary generator and engine governor pulleys to drop the speed to 82 r.p.m.; made tests to determine what steam pres- sure to carry at various loads in order to secure the most economical cut-off on engine. The drop in speed of engine and reduction in boiler pressure to meet load conditions, resulted in a saving of 25 per cent. of fuel consumed. This saving was &?- tirely due to an improvement in engine performance by maintaining the most economical point of cut-off. The rate of evaporation was at this time only approximately 3 lb. of water per pound of fuel; ril 8, 1915 ently then more load was necessary to improve boilers’ efficiencies. The factory was fully pped with machinery and workmen, hence there ed no opportunity to secure more load in the But gas was used for heating the Japan bak- evens, and the writer designed and built in the , an electric baking oven. It was so successful t six more were built within a short time. This tric oven load brought the total load factor up 11.4 per cent. of plant rating, and the boilers | this load evaporated 6.5 to 7 lb. of water per nd of fuel. As the rate of evaporation more , doubled and the load was practically doubled, equired no additional fuel to carry the load of ovens. The work of the electric ovens gave far yerior results to that of the gas ovens, and fur- ther saved between $5 and $6 per day for gas. rests proved that the best furnace efficiency was tained when the rate of combustion was about 18 20 lb. of screenings per square foot of grate area per hour. An increase in the combustion rate howed a more marked loss than a decrease to cer- tain limits. Previous tests on the boilers showed at their evaporative efficiencieS fell very rapidly elow one-half load, whereas the curve of evapora- m rate was fairly flat from 4% to 1% load. The load on one boiler tended to give higher boiler efficiency than when carried on two boilers, but with one boiler the furnace was forced to burn 35 to 40 lb. of fuel per square foot per hour, re- sulting in serious losses of furnace efficiency, hence t evidently was a stack problem—forced draft or more grate area. A higher stack would have in- creased the economical rate of combustion, or a suitable forced draft would have done so. But an increased grate area seemed worthy of trial and new grates having 20 per cent. more area were installed n one furnace; this resulted in a decided saving during the day load, but a loss during night run when the load consisted only of maintaining steam on the fire pump for sprinkler system. The net gain, however, soon paid for the cost of installing the larger grates. The company was at this time con- templating a move to another city, and for this reason the writer did not recommend a higher stack, which was after all the proper solution of the prob- lem, as it is in a great many plants. DAILY RECORDS SAVED $1000 ON COAL ALONE The losses detected and removed by the daily records and by the writer in this plant amounted to over $1000 per year on coal costs alone, with an annual output of approximately 231,000 kwhr. This is a saving of approximatedly 0.43 cents per kwhr. or about 31 per cent. of the total cost of production, including fixed charges, and about 70 per cent. of the cost for fuel, labor, oil and waste. The cost per kwhr. during 1913 in this plant, including fixed charges of 14 per cent. on the investment, fuel, labor, oil and waste was 1.07 cents per kwhr.; con- sidering that the load factor averaged only 41.4 per cent. of rating, the record is indeed an excellent one and was made possible only by the closest daily Supervision. The weighing of coal as used was proved valuable n another way. The management closed a contract r coal supply with a certain dealer. The writer de- ‘ected a very decided difference in the quality of the al and a shortage of weights after the third car iad been shipped on this contract. He reported ‘ne matter and made complaint to the management ut the matter was not attended to as it should have seen. Inside of a very short time the company had een billed with and paid for 70,000 Ib. of coal which THE IRON AGE 779 it had not received; in short the weights given on the bills had apparently been raised 10,000 lb. per car, and further the coal had not been shipped from the mine specified in the contract. The daily records showed this all up very plainly Without these daily records these facts would not have been detected for months if ever. How much would the company have lost on short weights alone in the course of a year, to say nothing of the losses resulting from an inferior grade of coal causing the rate of evaporation to drop from 6.5 to 4.5 lb. of water per pound of coal? Of course this contract was canceled and coal purchased elsewhere of much better quality and on a square deal basis. The proper selection of coal for each plant is es sential to secure the maximum economy. Some plants will find screenings to be the most economical, while a plant in the same block may find run of mine to be the best. Still another plant might find nut, pea and screenings the best. Local conditions must be considered, and tests are the only way in which the best. kind of coal can be determined. What your neighbor finds to be the best may be the worst for your plant. Price per ton has very little to do with this matter; it is purely a case of the cost of fuel per pound of steam. On testing several plants the writer found that run of mine gave higher evaporative efficiency than screenings, but the higher efficiency was not pro portional to the higher cost per ton of run of mine, hence the screenings proved to be the more eco- nomical. This is not necessarily always the case however. Coal prices unfortunately are not as a rule based upon the relative values as steam pro- ducers. Before deciding on any particular class of coal, or upon any particular mine for supply, tests should be made on several classes of coal from sev- eral mines, and that class and mine selected which shows the most economical results. It certainly is profitable to keep these daily rec ords; the cost is not great, and the possible savings enormous when compared to the cost of keeping the records. Most factories maintain a cost keeping department at an expense of several hundred dollars per month. The object is of course to ascertain the cost of producing each and every part manufac- tured and to prevent unnecessary costs in manu- facturing; but at the best his department can hardly be expected to save an amount equal to its cost of maintenance, as it has as a rule no authority over the production departments and can only call atten tion to an increase in costs. This expense of main- taining a cost keeping department is nevertheless apparently justifiable even in smaller plants; but the maintenance of a department to keep costs on power, heating, lighting, water supply, fire protec- tion, etc., under the supervision of a capable engi- neer, is seldom attempted, though the resulting savings almost invariably will result in an amount far in excess of the cost of maintaining such a de- partment. (To Be Continued) The E. Keeler Company, Williamsport, Pa., after a long series of experiments, has perfected interesting models of the Keeler water-tube boiler. They are con- structed largely of glass and are so arranged that the circulation is clearly visible both in the tubes and the drum. Important facts are demonstrated conclusively with these models under steam pressure. The model of the Keeler cross drum boiler is particularly noteworthy from an engineering standpoint, showing why this type furnishes such dry steam. In cities where the company maintains an office demonstrations will be given to in- terested engineers and associations. + ee a es eek rea He The Electric Furnace in the Foundry Points of Superiority of Electric Steel Castings Over Those Made by Other Processes—Power Consumption for Both Hot and Cold Charges BY WILLIAM The increased service demands on some of the products of the National Malleable Castings Com- pany, prompted it about eight years ago to inves- tigate the electric furnace, both in America and in Europe. The process had already been sufficiently developed in Europe to lead us to believe that the electric furnace would most nearly meet our re- quirements. After further investigation and con- sultation with the highest authorities on the sub- ject, we decided upon the Heroult type as the simplest and most practicable. In 1910, we built a furnace of this type, of 300 lb. capacity, for experimental purposes, and al- though it was crudely constructed the quality of the material we were able to make justified the instal- lation of a 6-ton Heroult furnace in 1912. This furnace has three electrodes, 17 in. in diameter, uses three-phase, 60-cycle current, and is equipped HP HE ae il] MMs ao AA Le His ibvblii! Fatigue Test on an Upton-Lewis Toughness Testing Machine Annealed electri lurnace Basic Open-Hearth Steel C, 0.23; Mu, 0.53 Si, 0.24: P, 0.011; S, 0.038 Elastic limit, lb. per sq. in . 34,800 Tensile strength, lb. per sq. in.. Ee ee ; 63,000 Elongation, per cent ‘ ; ; dig ae 2.95 Reduction of area, per cent....... Ee 35.0 Toughness test (fatigue) to break, cycles 213 with Thury regulators, which give us good regula- tion and a uniform load on the line even when cold melting. The power factor of the furnace is 94 per cent. Since July, 1912, the furnace has been in con- tinuous operation, producing up to the present time over 20,000 tons of both carbon and alloy steels of varying analyses and of exceptional quality. Both cold- and hot-metal charges have been used, with a power consumption of about 150 kw-hr. per ton in the case of hot-metal charges and from 500 to 600 kw-hr. per ton in the case of cold charges. The electric energy consumed varies according to the final analysis of the steel and the amount of refining required. Too much cannot be said about the re- fining possibilities of the electric furnace, for no other method of steel manufacture can compete with the electric in this respect. In proper operation lies the whole secret of suc- cess. That steel has been made electrically means nothing, for when the furnace is operated under oxidizing conditions the quality is no better than that of open-hearth material; but when properly made, electric steel is as good as that made in the *A paper to be presented at the one hundred and eleventh meeting of the American Institute of Mining Engineers at San Francisco, Cal., in September. The author is manager of the National Malleable Castings Company, Sharon, Pa. 780 (upper), 213 cycles steel (lower), 345 evcles Electric Furnace Steel C, 0.24; Mu, 0.52; Si, 0.25; P, 0.010; S, 0.019 Elastic limit, Ib. per sq. in ‘ . 36,400 Tensile strength, lb. per sq. in........... 65,300 BAOUNPALION, DOP OGNE. «so. cciccccsne vias ee aes 36 Reduction of area, per cent........... bees Toughness test (fatigue) to break, cycles. . ‘ G. KRANZ crucible, and very much less expensive. The o; ation of the furnace is simple and the resultant position is scientifically accurate. I might cit: example in this connection: On a heat of steel treated under a slag of high- silica content some metallic aluminum was added in order to reduce the silicon from the slag in accord ance with the following chemical equation: 3Si0 4A] = 3Si-+ 2AL0,. Upon final analysis it was found that the amount reduced was theoretical]; correct in accordance with the above equation. POINTS OF SUPERIORITY The most important of the many advantages of electric steel castings over those made by the ordi- nary processes are briefly summarized below, and it should be kept in mind that these apply not only t -arbon steels but to the alloy steels as well: Annealed basic open-hearth steel Absence of segregation, elimination of oxides, and absolute uniformity of composition regardless of at- mospheric conditions which affect open-hearth furnaces. Almost entire elimination of sulphur is possible (an important consideration in steel castings) and complete control of the other elements. Great tenacity, giving ability to withstand much more abuse and fatigue without rupture. High ratio of elastic limit to ultimate strength. A more ready response to heat treatment and with much more uniform results. Perfect control of pouring temperature, combined with ability to obtain very hot metal, so that light ane intricate shapes are readily cast. Let us take up the advantages of the more im- portant of these qualities of electric steel, and in- vestigate them more fully. Absence of Segregation, etc-—Absence of segre- gation and oxides has been firmly established by 4 great many investigations in our chemical and microscopical laboratories. As a more practical proof of the elimination of oxides, we know that ad- ditions of any of the ferroalloys to the bath will be found alloyed with the steel in their theoretical amounts. This is even the case with elements, such as aluminum and titanium, which are so susceptible to oxidation, proving conclusively in our minds that there could be no oxygen present in the steel. i - i] 8, 1915 ing authorities have agreed for some time that electric steel furnace is the one means of pre- ng segregation. Vv. R. Walker, in May, 1912, read a paper on tric Steel Rails” before the American Iron and Institute, in which he stated that “Ingots of eight tons had been produced electrically h were practically free from segregation.” Elimination of Sulphur.—We know of no au- rity who doubts the practical elimination of sul- in electric-furnace operation. We have re- tedly reduced the sulphur to a trace in irons taining as high as 0.30 per cent. sulphur. The nidity with which this reduction takes place de- nends somewhat upon the carbon content of the ma- terial, the sulphur reducing very much more rapidly the higher carbon materials. Tenacity.—To illustrate the great tenacity of electric steel we submit, in the illustration, exact reproductions (reduced) from two tests of two similarly treated specimens of steel, which are typical of a large number made on an Upton-Lewis toughness testing machines. One of these is elec- tric and the other open-hearth, of almost identical analysis. The marked superiority of the electric steel specimen, especially as to its tenacity, is manifest. Unusual Physical Properties.—During the past vear we have developed an electric steel having re- markable physical qualities after heat treatment. [his was accomplished without resorting to any of the high-priced alloys. The steel, when subjected to shock or static pull, will stand from four to five times as much stress without distortion as the ordi- nary open-hearth product. This assertion is not based on a few tests, but on over 3000 made up to the present time. We have made a great many similar tests of heat-treated open-hearth material, and have invari- ably found that in certain specimens the physical properties are impaired by the treatment rather than benefited. This is not, however, the case with the electric-furnace product. The old saying that “In order to make good bread you must start with good dough,” we believe applies to the steel industry as well. CONCLUSIONS The greatest advantage of the electric-furnace process over all others is its uniformity of product. The open-hearth under certain conditions will, we know, produce steel of very good quality, but there are so many contingencies, such as atmospheric con- ditions, stack-draft, fuel and furnace variations, be- yond the control of the operator, that absolutely uniform results are impossible. Electric-furnace products are looked upon by some with skepticism, due to those who have adopted the process thinking it a panacea for all of their ills, and who have furnished the trade with products not worthy of the name. The lack of knowledge and the inexperience of the operator should in no way condemn the process. The produc- on of perfect castings does not entirely depend ipon the quality of the material of which they are made, but upon the foundry practice to a very great xtent. Frequently excellent material is ruined by .d foundry practice. Nevertheless we feel that the electric furnace, with its perfect control of com- sition and temperature, fills a long-felt want in he industry. The American Metal Company, whose St. Louis ‘ices have been in the Third National Bank Building that city, has leased a large suite on the sixteenth or of the Boatmen’s Bank Building and will remove ere shortly. THE IRON AGE 781 Painting Machine for Shrapnel Shells For applying the rust preventive paint required by government specifications to shrapnel shells, the Canadian Fairbanks Morse Company, Toronto, Canada, has developed a portable machine. It is mounted on wheels and can f be moved around | the shop from place to place wherever work is to be done. With this ma- chine it is possi- ble to apply three coats of paint to a shel) in less than 1 | min. The machine consists of a table with six sockets, and a driving motor which takes its power from the nearest lamp socket, the con- nection being made at the top of the central \ Por ible Machine That Has Been Developed for Use in Connection with standard. The the Painting of Shrapnel Shells table is mounted on ball bearings and the sockets are driven from the motor through a silent chain drive at a speed of approximately 250 r.p.m. The helper places the shells in the sockets and rotates the table, if necessary, to bring a shell directly in front of the painter. The motor is started and the shells begin to spin, the weight being sufficient to keep the shells in place and withstand the pressure caused by the ap- plication of the first coat of paint with a cloth. After one shell has been painted, the table is revolved to bring the next one in front of the painter, and the painted shell is moved out of the way, its rapid rate of rotation being relied upon to cause the paint to dry rapidly. The second coat is applied with a brush, and a brush containing red paint is held against the upper end of the shell to place a red band on it. After the required number of coats of paint have been applied and are thoroughly dry the shell is removed and another one substituted, the process being a practically continuous one from that time on. The shells are handled by a pair of tongs, which is used to catch them on the copper band. The base of the machine is entirely inclosed with a view to guarding against accidents. The newly formed Spray Mfg. Company, contracting engineer, has started in business at 201 Devonshire street, Boston, Mass., with New York and Chicago branches. It is making a specialty of spray cooling ponds, spray air washers and gas scrubbers, and vari ous engineering applications of spray devices. A. G Eneas, who organized and developed the Spray Engin- eering Company, has severed his connections with that company, and taken charge of the engineering depart- ment of the new company. Among new orders issued by the Industrial Com- mission of Wisconsin, based on recommendations of the auxiliary committee on safety and sanitation, is one providing that employees engaged in work whereby any substance is thrown off which may injure the eyes must be provided with suitable goggles by the employer. Failure to wear the goggles is subject to a 15 per cent. penalty in any resulting compensation. . ef ae A Factory City Beautiful at Low Cost Townsite for the Southern Aluminum Company —Group Dwellings with Variation in Work- men’s Houses In North Carolina, near its plant for the manu- facture of aluminum, the Southern Aluminum Com- pany has built for its 3000 employees the industrial town of Badin, a noteworthy realization of an in- dustrial community aiming at attractiveness and built at low cost. The entire town, planned and constructed under the supervision of Pierson & Goodrich, Inc., New York, is a development embody- ing the best of European ideas with American home conveniences. The town is placed between the company’s two groups of factory buildings, 4 mile from the offices and electrode buildings, and 1144 miles from the dam and furnace buildings on the Yadkin River. The main street, which passes the civic and commer- cial center, runs between these two points and gives the workmen direct routes to them, due considera- tion being given to the topography of the ground affecting the economical construction of roads and sewers. Existing county roads through the town- site have been maintained. The universal gridiron type of street planning has been cast aside for a more natural layout that avoids the monotony of the rectangular arrangement. The blocks are laid out of sufficient size to leave Substantial Savings Effected grounds, tennis courts or extra ground for tenants desiring more land for cultivation. All trees are carefully preserved and wooded areas utilized as parks. The negro quarters are so located that, although the negroes are segregated, they also have direct routes to and from their places of employ- ment. They are placed to the north of the main street, which is devoted entirely to business pur- poses. No residences face it, and therefore negroes do not need to pass through the white residence districts. The streets all have a wide grass parking strip and grass gutters along their entire length, with shade trees on the side of the parking strips ad- joining the sidewalk. The roadway proper is kept narrow to save in cost of construction and to do away with unsightly expanses of pavement. In this one feature alone a large saving has been made, and yet any roadway can be widened without requir- ing additional expensive grading, setting back of sidewalks or moving of trees. The upkeep of this type of roadway with its parking strips is small as compared with the interest charges on the much larger initial cost of the standard American road- way, which is paved from curb to curb. The main ‘ . open spaces in the centers for children’s play- street is built very wide, as provision has been made I * Ht oa —y a = = ‘ Living Living io Room tein Roont Y P € | 7 : . — . . *. I . fio fone ao hb \ I ia 1 fe Se ‘+ SSE aia SN} h +. ——— Floor Mal? Ringe Elans Second Floor _— Second o irst Floor Plan 6 Boor House Second Floor 4 Room House cla esiesipaiilicatta od gee ee q 5 Room House “J Standard Floor Plans of the Workmen's Houses All Variation in the Plan Has Been Made by Increasing the Dept" © the Houses by the Addition of One or of Two Standard Stud Spacings In the Case of the Six-room Houses the Dept Great Enough to Allow the Porch to be Set In. On the Second Floor the Increased Depth Allows for More Bedrooms 782 , 1915 OO i] double-track trolley, with 16-ft. roadways on side, parking strips, etc. he sewer system is what is known as the rate system, because the surface water is kept f the sewers. The sewage is collected in the s and runs by gravity through a septic tank spraying coke filters for the subsequent sewage itment. This, it is emphasized, makes the up- economical, as there is no machinery to wear nd no supplies are required. he water system is designed with a minimum THE IRON AGE 783 12-in. penstock supplies water to the turbine, which makes the water supply independent of the main power plant. Another important factor of safety exists through cross-connecting the raw-water main that runs from the river to the factory with the filter-water main, so that if by any chance the 250,000 gal. storage tank should be emptied, raw water can be run into the street system as an emergency. The buildings, most of which have already been constructed, consist of a fireproof general office a | | 7 mee <> ee oe ACTORY BUILDINGS Raicroao / STATION i RESERVED FOR | ACTORY EXTENSION %, °-su N tg Sleenneew)) eee ey < +4 j 44 ~ 4, > my ! ¥, PS - 2 By Se, aft SS ie ~ : wy > a ; - \ 5% 3 > 0 4 | Pei it ) \ i 4 >” 29, 3 5 NNLULLL LL ee y -9% | \ se a A of 4 @e 4 | * ’ Aj 4 J Ge \ : a & > 4s a4 r s ° AC e TE RE eet | I< ane / ta 2 & 7K yw J 3 Septic { ( A) e iff y “ee } 5 ig | Cres “e j TANK 2 i? pa v \ wy” \ ae ; he has Vato RY 2 4 4 —_ : \”, . 4 - | oe ) CX, i +, Pay ek Q v wn of Badin, N. C., Built for the Southern Alumin rich, Ine nain of 6 in. Hydrants are placed to make it pos- ie to get three streams of water on any point of nterior block with not over 1000 ft. of hose in line. The water supply is pumped from the 1adkin River by turbine-driven pumps, placed in ‘ne power house below the dam. It is pumped to 100,000 gal. tank. Thence by gravity it goes rough a coagulating basin and quicksand filter 900,000 gal. daily capacity, to a 250,000 gal. rage tank, and from there into the mains. The “ssure varies in the town from 40 to 60 Ib. A um Company to House Its 3000 Employees, by Pierson & Good building, a clubhouse for the unmarried office staff, executive houses for the resident executive officers and department heads, foremen’s houses, workmen’s houses of three different sizes, and negro cabins, all electrically lighted. The general office building is a substantial fireproof brick structure with all the latest conveniences. The clubhouse, of plain construction and fireproof roof, has an entrance hall, library, billiard room, dining-rooms, kitchen, pantry and servants’ dining room on the first floor; 23 bedrooms with bathrooms and showers on the emt ap etna: im Se cea bs a0-5 TR4 THE IRON AGE April 8, ’ saison aseaatitls ee ie heecaeiesiisind : Housing Arrangement: At the top of this page is s group of the houses for the wi ployees and at the top of the fac the negro quarter, with classified ing materials cut to size in the ground beside a temporary railroa ing. Five of the six smaller workmen's houses, each comprisir units or homes set side by side types of the four-room house, oe left-hand page, illustrate the var in the roofs and porches to monotony in appearance The _ —- a ; these three occupies a level plat other two show how buildings have | second and third floors. Two ten- | nis courts and ample space about the building are provided for out- door recreation. The company re- serves two rooms for guests. The executives’ houses are seven to ten room dwellings on large lots, equipped with steam heating and all other conveniences The foremen’s houses are twin or semi-detached houses, each half seven rooms and bath, with hot- air heating and fireproof roofs The workmen’s houses ar frame with fireproof roofs. There are three designs or units, com prising living room, kitchen, two three or four bedrooms respect- ively, and a bathroom. Four units of the same design are com- bined into one building. The front and rear dimensions of al! ry THE IRON AGE 785 Factory Employees lopes of different pitch by steps the units On the right hand a five-room workmen's hous¢ brown and a six-room house gray, with porch set in because greater depth Immediately be of the negro cabins, all built s with entrances at each end to rreatest possible privacy bottom of the left-hand page be seen a street of foremen’'s showing how attractive natural ns have been preserved, and at om of the right-hand page is one houses, which are double, ac dating two families ree units are the same, the i\riation in size being attained by hanges in depth. Variation in pearance is obtained by changes design of roofs and location of d windows and porches. All the framing was cut at the mill nd plans and lists were used for erection. No cutting or lay- out of framing at building e was necessary. The usual ays and mistakes in erection re reduced probably to one per nt. of what they usually are. tter a foreman had framed one r two buildings, he could gener- ly frame similar buildings from nemory. It is related that the ngineer in charge heard a fore- in ordering material from mem- ry, saying “Get me a piece 14 ft. - , n. That goes there.” ea TCLs. Te heer “e 4 . . 786 An Executive's House The interiors are finished with moisture-proof wallboard, painted with washable flatcoat paint. This finish was decided upon after much consider- ation, and is an important economy, for the reason that the interior repairs in houses of this character are always expensive, and repairs to the materials selected can be made much more cheaply than to plaster or other finishes. A standard framing plan was adopted, studs were all spaced 16 in. centers and wallboard was all cut 3115 in. A stock of such wallboard in standard sizes and painted one of the three or four different shades of interior finish adopted, is held in reserve for repairs. The outside of the houses is stained with creosote stain, not painted. Most of them are colored brown; but for the sake of variety two groups at either end of the town are stained an agreeable gray. Every unit is equipped with a complete bathroom, kitchen sink, range and hot-water boiler. The negro cabins are built in pairs, each unit consisting of a living room, bedroom, kitchen with range and sink, and an anti-freezing water closet, opening on the rear porch, thus facilitating daily inspection without entering the cabin. It is essen- tial that inspection of sanitary conditions among these people be made without notice or difficulty. In building negro cabins throughout the South the framing is put up, interior wood ceiling is nailed inside and clapboards outside. When these materials shrink and curl, cracks are opened up, letting in the cold. In constructing the negro cabins in this case, the studs were finished four sides, the ceiling nailed on the outside, then a layer of water-proof building paper and finally the clap- boards. This construction costs the same as the usual finish, but has proved itself absolutely weather-tight. In the construction of the buildings standard plans were used, pieces were cut to size and a mill erected for the special purpose. In locating the town, as has been stated, streets were laid out according to the topography, which enabled the construction of a gravity sewer without any deep cuts. Grading was eliminated in constructing the buildings by facing the houses somewhat at an angle to the street, wherever by so doing cut and fill could be avoided. This fitting of buildings to conform to the landscape went a long way to pre- serve the natural beauty of the location. Group dwellings, which are characteristic of the town, were selected in preference to separate housings generally used in this country. In the separate house system the average house built upon THE IRON AGE April 8, 1915 a 30-ft. lot allows about 10 ft. of space between neighboring walls. Such an arrangement gives only limited sunlight and ventilation, and the el) se- ness of the dwellings with facing windows uni: sally stimulates an unhealthy curiosity and quar and tends to lower the moral standard of the « munity. Therefore good practice requires 5(-{t. lots. In group buildings, on the other hand, the windows do not face each other. This promotes privacy. Unlimited air and sunlight are available in every room and porches are for the most part separated. This arrangement also allows dwellings to be built on 30-ft. lots, whereas, by separate hous- ings, 50-ft. lots are required to conform to the fire underwriters’ requirements. Many other economies were attained. For in- stance, in the 4-unit building three partitions re- place six exterior walls. This reduction of front- age, and the fact that one lateral from the sewer was used to serve two housing units, made a saving of about 40 per cent. in the cost of sewers. A similar arrangement of the water main and feeders gave a saving in the cost of water installations of like amount. The same factor made a saving of 40 per cent. in street improvements, sidewalks, etc. Bathrooms in adjoining units use one vent and one lateral, thus saving about half the cost of laterals and plumbing roughing, for both waste pipe and water supply. One economy, finally, which cannot be measured in dollars and cents, but which has a great deal to do with the employee’s welfare, and therefore his efficiency, is the esthetic and artistic arrangement of the community. The Pouring of Babbitt Metals In a treatise on the pouring of babbitt metals the Syracuse Smelting Works, 149 Jewel street, Brooklyn, N. Y., offers practical suggestions of value to engi- neers. The following advice is given as to pouring: “Bet- ter service will be obtained if you will learn that it is of utmost importance to pour babbitt metals at low temperature.” This is explained by the fact that a metal poured at high heat will be brittle and open- grained. The cast liner will be tougher and denser in proportion to the reduction in heat. Another good suggestion offered is: “When practical, take the chill off the mandrel and shell by warming, as this will dry off the moisture which causes blowholes and also make the metal flow better.” On the subject of remelting metals, the treatise says: “Instructions are generally given to stir before pouring. Those who give these instructions intelli- gently do so because the tendency is to pour metals too hot and the stirring lowers the heat.” This dis- pels the idea, which many engineers have, that the pur- pose of stirring is to reunite the separated alloy. To determine whether the melted metal needs cleaning, it is advised that the surface of the metal be examined while it is at a fair pouring heat. If fine spider-web lines appear on the surface after skimming, the metal is clean; if the tell-tale lines are not there, the metal requires a Turkish bath. A number of other valuable pointers are given, and the Syracuse Smelting Works will, no doubt, welcome inquiries from those interested in bearing efficiency. The U. S. Reduction Company, Chicago, calls at- tention to the great advance in values of constituents of babbitt metal within the past few months. The com- pany states that when it secured its U. S. trademark on its Advance anti-friction babbitt, and put the metal on the market, the mixure was based on the following prices: Tin, 30c. per lb.; antimony, 7c.; lead, 4c. Prices paid last week on the same mixture were as follows: Tin, 55¢.; antimony, 26c.; lead, 4.05¢. The company states, however, that it will not change its original price of 10c. per lb. on this product even if tin and antimony should go much higher. j } | 8, 1915 REE NEW WELDING MACHINES er Cooling of Dies and Inclosing of High- Tension Wires Two Features new line of electric welding machines has been brought out by the Agnew Electric r Company, Detroit, Mich. The most impor- types are two spot welders and a butt weld- nachine. An important feature of both spot ng machines is that the working points are r cooled by hose and pipe inside the machine erneath the transformer. The high-tension are also housed inside the frame so that ac- ntal contact with them is impossible. The regu- g panel is inside the frame, access to it being igh the door on the side of the frame. All orking parts of both types are accessible and de- ned for hard service. [he smaller or No. 10-D machine is of the ted type. As it is equipped with a foot lever which automatically applies the current, the THE IRON AGE A Group of Three Welding Machines. Right, They Are Type, a Spot Machine justable Horn for Welding the Bot tom of Deep Cylinders and a Butt Machine in Which the Rear Carriage Is Pulled ~] ~) of throat of 18, 24, 36 and 48 in. The adjustment of the horn is 10 in. and the hight from the floor to the working points is 40 in. The transformer capacity is 20 kw. The machine will make 160 welds on No. 10 gauge steel; 350 on No. 16 gauge; 900 on No. 22 and 2250 welds on No. 28 gauge steel with a 1-kw.-hr. current consumption. The butt welding machine, designated as the No. 20-C, has a number of special features includ- ing an extended movable rear carriage which is pulled against the work instead of being pushed, to prevent any tendency of the work to buckle under heavy pressure. The carriage slides in ways lo cated at the front and rear of the opening. The extended movable carriage adds to the rigidity and allows the bearings to be located so that particles of chilled metal cannot get to them and cut the bearings. The movable carriage is gibbed to take up the wear. The forward carriage is adjustable vertically and crosswise, making it unnecessary to shim or remachine this to correct alignment. The necessary pressure is applied by a vertical lever operating a compound toggle movement that is ad New Elect From Left Pivoted Spot with an Ags Against the . oe Work Instead of Being Pushed operator has free use of both hands. A regulating switch for welding any thickness of metal within ts capacity of No. 18 or 14 gauge steel is provided. The depth of the throat is 1044 in.; the adjust- ment of the lower horn, 6 in.; hight from floor to work points, 41 in., and transformer capacity, l2'» kw. This machine will make 500 welds on No. 18 gauge; 900 on No. 22 gauge; 1500 on No. 26 gauge, and 3000 on No. 30 gauge steel with irrent consumption of 1 kw.-hr. The larger type of spot welding machine, the 20-D, has an adjustable horn so that with the se of a long point welds can be made at the bot- m of deep cylinders, battery and tool boxes, etc., | the horn is arranged so that any kind of at- tachment can be put on it for welding on the ‘ide of odd shaped pieces. In this machine the and down movement of the upper electrode is ired by toggle joints. It is regularly equipped th a foot lever which automatically applies the rrent, but a hand lever may be attached if de- ed. Regulation is provided so that metal of light kness may be welded without danger of burn- The transformer is designed for continuous rapid service up to its capacity without over- ting. Its welding capacity is No. 10 gauge steel | lighter. It is made in four sizes with depths ‘ + justable to secure the greatest leverage at any desired position of the carriage. A second lever is attached on the rear and the machine is operated by two men, avoiding the necessity of using a hy- draulic ram on heavy work. It is equipped with clamps for weldi