The Iron Age 1915-08-12: Vol 96 Iss 7

THE IRON AGE New York, August 12, 1915 VOL. 96: No. 7 ESTABLISH ? Dissolved and Self-Generated Acetylene Advantages and Disadvantages of the Ways of Securing Acetylene for Welding, Ete.—How Pres- sures Affect Economies and Gas Purity Is Important BY M. wcetylene, or tank acetylene, as it is called, has been widely adopted in ears by users of the oxy-acetylene he fact has created considerable discus- on relative to its cost, safety and purity in on to acetylene generated on the premises. f the claims made for it are wildly exaggerated yainst it are others equally misleading. A arison, therefore, of the two methods is of interest ) the present or prospective user of me process Disst ive nore CO! e last ame, al rela- some com- the oxy-acety- GENERATORS AND THE RATE OF GENERATION Generators are of two types: one, the low-pres- bre, delivering the gas to the welding torch under pressure of a few ounces and requiring the use of injector principle torch to secure the necessary lume and speed of acetylene; and the other gener ting the acetylene up to a pressure not exceeding lb, the latter using a welding torch of a bedium pressure type, or as it might be called a art injector, since it is still necessary to carry the kygen under a higher pressure than the acetylene Dsecure the necessary speed of the gases. Well constructed, passing the requirements of e fire underwriters and using lump arbide, manufacturers of these types estimate the ist of acetylene at 0.9 cent per cubic foot, bas- g the price of carbide at $80 a ton and the gas leld at 4'. cu. ft. to the pound. In practice, how- er, it would be better to figure the actual yield t not more than 4 cu. ft. to the pound. Add to this gure the slight expense of charging and cleaning me generator, and it will total a minimum of one ent per cubic foot, probably a little higher. The insurance requirements provide that the ferator be separately housed in a building which lst be heated by steam or hot water, and elec- ically lighted, and from this building the gas is iped to the welding room. A further requirement fone which is of the utmost importance to the Ser, is that the carbide capacity be sufficient to low the cool generation of the gas. Specifically, us calls for a gallon of water to a pound of car- hide, and does not allow the hourly consumption of aS to be greater than 1 cu. ft. to the pound, that 4 generator with a 50 Ib. capacity shall not “merate in excess of 50 cu. ft. per hour. To mteed this materially means undue heating, im- - gas and consequently poor results in the weld. insurance neer, 50 Church York Street, New KEITH DUNHAM” Carbide is a manufactured product, made fr coke and limestone. It is wholl these materials chemically pure, and the gas impurities ated must contain some their exten course depending upon the purity of the carbide. Abroad, where oxy-acetylene welding made { start, and whence many of our ideas are import a chemical purifier is universally used IMPORTANCE OF A PURE GAS In this country such a purifier is not employed, except by manufacturers of dissolved the fact this country is of : ; acetvi« ne, ve cause of that carbide manufactured in >. a much higher grade than that made abroad. But is it of such high grade that a chemical purifier is unnecessary? There can be ni question that the gas generated does contail ul phurous and phosphorous elements, and ments, even In to a steel weld. The generator is equipped with a vice, such as felt, to remove free particles of lime dust and dirt, which may come from the carbide, but the introduction of a chemical purifier, while not costly or expensive to deemed unnecessary because the phosphorous or sulphurous elements are present in such small quantities. The determine, on his particular needs, whether such a purifier is Fortunately, he able to do so by a simple testing device later described An apparatus passing the requirements of the fire insurance underwriters is practically aut matic, the only labor required being the charging with carbide and water and cleaning. There are of course generators of the non-automatic type re z quiring constant service of an attendant, but com # minute quantities, are det screening de maintain, has been by generator manufacturers + user mus necessary. 2 parisons should be made with the automatic type working under permitted conditions. There can be no question that the manufactur- : ing cost is at least one cent and that to this price , must be added depreciation and interest on invest ment, which, however, will not materially increase the price per cubic foot. There remain to consider safety and convenience. THE QUESTION OF PRESSURE GENERATORS Undoubtedly, those generators passing the re- quirements of the underwriters must be classed as safe—yet it is always well to remember that the generating of acetylene gas may be attended with some danger. If we could be positive that at all 4 1 1 ek Sap 33 1; x : 4s ed. i by} } 5 BalS os Ae NE, peas $ Wee : , tet 4 i ; it ~* te ‘ ee 5 ie a Re ia hes ae | st Bye. } +31 ; te { -2 i 3 Aa ARNT A EPONA. ple ame 7% ‘ OS TA. SPE ERIM II ohn Ks ecm peeing ont TS ae relly etre 352 times safety devices would operate, and if we could remove the human element, with his match or can- dle and his ingenuity to “improve” the apparatus, acetylene generation would be ideal in its simplicity and safety. We must consider, however, that be- yond 15 lb. pressure, acetylene gas begins to be dangerous, and that the failure of a safety device to act at this pressure would mark the beginning of a danger point rapidly increasing in danger as the pressure increases. It is because of this pressure hazard that the low-pressure type of generator is always used in the lighting field, and in many foreign countries the laws are such that the use of a pressure gener- ator is forbidden, or restrictions made exceedingly difficult to meet. Why then, use the medium-pres- sure generator at all? Because undoubtedly a bet- ter welding flame is obtained under ordinary work- ing conditions with both gases under pressure than where the acetylene is practically stationary and the velocity of the oxygen must be used to inject the correct proportion of the combustible gas. It is a fact that where the acetylene is under a very low pressure, the welding torch may consume double the volume of oxygen it properly should, unless the torch is made under the most careful conditions and as carefully used; that a torch with both gases under pressures comparatively equal, with the proper mixing device, will consume the correct pro- portions, and that a part injector torch—one with the acetylene under some pressure but the oxygen under a greater one—may use from 15 to 50 per cent more oxygen that it should. These conditions have a direct bearing on the cost and quality of welding. If the torch used con- sumes a large excess of oxygen, steel welding is made difficult by the tendency of the flame to burn the material and oxygen, costing from 11% to 2 cents per foot, is wasted, so that it is highly important then to ascertain the consumption of oxygen, and the quality of the flame in choosing the acetylene supply, because under some conditions acetylene at 115 cents per cubic foot would be cheaper to use than acetylene at 1 cent per cubic foot. There can be no doubt that the so-called me- dium-pressure generator offers the advantage of pressure and possesses the disadvantage of having a safety device acting very closely to the danger point. The low-pressure generator has the advan- tage of its safety device being set away below the danger point and the disadvantage of delivering the gas to the welding torch under only a few ounces pressure. The convenience of the generator system is a big one. Carbide is easy to secure.- There are sta- tions in all the larger cities of the country, it suf- fers no depreciation if kept in a tightly sealed can, and the manufacture of the gas is simple and prac- tically without care. MANUFACTURE OF DISSOLVED ACETYLENE Dissolved acetylene has been much better known in this country in the lighting industry than in the industrial world. The small copper plated cylinder has been a familiar sight on the running board of the automobile; larger tanks have been in wide use for buoy and lighthouse illumination, for block signaling on railroads and locomotive headlighting. The proper manufacture of this cylinder pre- sents difficulties not realized by the outside appear- ance. Acetylene in a free state becomes dangerous at pressures greater than 15 lb., yet the pres- sure in a dissolved acetylene tank will vary from 150 to 250 lb. To effect safety, the gas is absorbed by a liquid, much the same as water absorbs salt. THE IRON AGE Aur iist In practice, it would not be possibk inder completely filled with a liquid as t to dissolve acetylene, because of its very , = nature; therefore, to prevent any waaall the cylinder of any extent, it is c letel, an with a porous material. ile. Different manufacturers use vary iny fillers ens as asbestos, charcoal and infusoria! earth 2 waste, etc. The point of interest to the user is a that this be sufficiently porous to allow the gg escape of the gas and that it does n © or del and leave a free space in the top of the tank _ ’ Acetone, a product of wood alcohol, is the sorbing liquid usually employed. It has the oak erty of absorbing twenty-five times its own volume of acetylene with each atmosphere of pressure, ppp. viding temperature is normal and the acetone rege sonably pure and free from moisture. The manufacture of acetylene for this systey should be carried out with at least the same ge, eral care as with the welding generator, then the gas chemically purified for two reasons—one to m. move the dust, sulphur, phosphorus and ammonig elements to secure a pure gas, and the other to re move water vapors, since moisture materially |oy. ers the soluble qualities of the acetone. Contrary to the general belief, I have very good reasons to know that all dissolved acetylene is no necessarily pure, basing this knowledge on a visit some time ago to a factory where the generator - was a 50 lb. one. Yet the average filling pr hour was about 200 cu. ft.—the gas passing directly from the generator into the gasometer, and thence to the compressor, without the interposition of a purifier Such a gas is dear to purchase at any price. It would give the very poorest results, and yet of course was sold as dissolved acetylene, which the user supposes, or is led to believe, is purer than generated gas made by himself. TESTING ACETYLENE GAS FOR PURITY The user of acetylene must then frequently test the quality of the gas, whether it be generated m the premises or purchased in cylinders. Here is simple test: Put a few drops of a 10-per cent solution of silver nitrate on a white blotting paper and hold it front of the acetylene opening—the regulator or hy- draulic valve. If the paper turns dark quickly, te gas is impure. If it changes color slowly, there are impurities present but not in sufficient quantities to materially affect the weld. If the paper remains white, the gas is free from foreign elements. There are three large companies manufacturing acetylene, two of which have been actively interest ed in the automobile lighting industry. With the apparent general trend of the use of electricity 10 this purpose, these companies are entering the field of the oxy-acetylene process. Their competition nas led to very liberal concessions in the loan or rem tal of cylinders and it is no longer compulsory \ formerly) for the user to purchase these cylinders Depending upon the size of the tank and quant ’ used, the gas may be purchased at 1% to 2 cen per cubic foot, the latter price applying i in small ¢) a inders, the use of which is not to be recomm vended. The Bureau of Explosives of the Interstate C merce Commission provides certain specification covering the safety of the cylinder—strength 0 shell, fusible plugs, porosity of the ing, oe amply protecting the user so far as danger }s com cerned. CONSIDERATIONS IN USING DISSOLVED ACETYLEN! The porosity of the cylinder has a direct THE IRON AGE the gas used. If the packing is ther words, the pores too close or the cylinder makes its way out when the pressure becomes low time carries with it some of the luces the heat of the flame and the metal. An operator using a d usually complains of “lack of pressures, and is likely to have naking the weld, and usually will tank, marking the other one as ing no credit given on gas re- rs, this gas of course is a total loss nders of this type also are not e acetone to permeate the filling esult in considerable of this liquid with the gas to the detriment of alve must also be large enough to volume to pass through at low tank etvylene is absorbed, the tank pres- licate the cubical contents of the me size cylinders may in one in- 250 Ib. pressure and contain 150 cu. the next have only 150 lb. pressure It depends entirely upon the d dryness of the acetone. Weight al method to determine contents. ler full, less the weight empty, times er of cubic feet to the pound) gives ntents. | give up the acetylene freely only at peed, this speed being estimated at an imption not greater than one-seventh of ntents of the cylinder. That is, if a nder is being used, the welding torch nsume more than 32 cu. ft. per onsumption is exceeded, the acetone out with the gas. More or less, how- will depend upon the purity of the the packing of the cylinder, and in desirable to reduce this consump- al results are to be obtained, es- porosity of the cylinder is insuf- hen various qualities of dissolved the purity of the gas, the acetone, the packing—must all be taken into a comparison of the methods of etylene supply. \ND THE ECONOMICAL USE OF GAS igh, the one big factor in compar- to be entirely lost sight of by every- factor is pressure. Using dissolved same degree of pressure, resulting equal consumption of both gases, hamber embodies the correct prin- rch will produce a better welding e oxygen is not used in excess, and e flame be about neutral, and will vgen. dissolved acetylene, therefore, if are to be taken into consideration, nvestigate the apparatus to ascer- nsumption of the welding torch; to nstructed on a low-pressure princi- possible, is extremely wasteful hosen must take advantage of the lved acetylene to effect the proper en. figure the cost of dissolved acetylene e at 154 cents per cubic foot. Re- ~~ a) filling stations are so numerous that practically all the larger cities of the country are within trucking distance. In isolated instances, the cost might reach 2 cents. The advantages of dissolved acetylene are the elimination of the initial investment, consequently no depreciation; safety; purity (if properly manu- factured), and simplicity and ideal operating con- ditions of the apparatus, if it is made to take ad- vantage of the importance of pressure. Its disadvantages are a higher cost per cubic foot; the absolute dependence of the user on the factory efficiency and shipping facilities of the manufacturer, and the waste of the gas left in the cylinder. In general, then, the user must realize the im- portance of the purity of the gas and frequent) test it; he must determine by a meter, or by as- certaining the relative consumption of the gas in the welding torch, how many cubic feet of gas he is getting per pound of carbide; he must weigh, full and empty, each dissolved acetylene cylinder, to definitely determine cubic feet, and finally, he must be very careful in his choice of apparatus to have the welding torch construction in harmony with the acetylene supply. It is idle to figure the cost per foot of the gases used, if in their use, a large percentage is wasted It is equally idle, then, simply to estimate that gen- erated acetylene costs 1 cent and dissolved acety- lene costs 2 cents. The chief thing to determine is the Gost and quality of an actual operation, and to ascertain this the entire apparatus—not merel) the acetylene supply—must be considered. Thermal Insulation for Furnaces 4 A paper entitled “Thermal Insulation of High- Temperature Equipment” is to be presented at the San Francisco meeting in September of the Amer ican Institute of Mining Engineers by P. A. Be chemical engineer, Kieselzuhr Company of Ame New York City. It is devoted mainly to the app tion of an insulating medium known as Sil-O-Cel manufactured from deposits occurring, for examplk on the Pacific Coast and worked by the Kieselgul Company. From the paper the following hi: ee! taken: The insulator used, known as celite, on account of its extremely cellular nature, is a mineral product of a highly siliceous composition and of very light weight, which occurs on the Pacific Coast in an ex- ceptionally pure state. It is composed of numerous hollow cells, and weighs, in its natural rock form, air dried, from 25 to 30 lb. per cubic foot. Wher this material is ground properly, so as not to destro its cell structure, Sil-O-Cel powder is produced, which weighs but 8 lb. to the cubic foot and has a thermal insulating power about equal to that of i cork, or from ten to twelve times the insulating power of ordinary firebrick. In other words, a \ l-in. layer of this material is the equivalent in insu- : lating value of from 10 to 12 in. of firebrick. Being almost pure silica, its melting point is high, 2930 deg. Fahr. (1610 deg. C.), as reported by the sureau of Standards, and it can be subjected to high temperatures without fear of alteration. It has been found advisable, however, not to use celite as a refractory at extremely high tempera- tures without some direct protection. This is read- ily accomplished by using it as a backing material for more refractory and highly conducting bodies. Owing to its remarkable non-conducting properties, the accumulation of heat on its face is so great, owing to the fact that the surface is not cooled by we awe) 4 354 THE IRON AGE 3 att : j ; : : : } ; a4 tt ok A ' lE - ud conduction, that a “flash” of flame or gases might easily exceed the melting point of silica and cause failure. If it is protected, however, only modified and uniform temperatures are encountered, which are maintained without risk or damage. It is possible further to prepare bricks and blocks of various sizes and shapes by sawing the natural material by means of gang saws. Standard 9-in. straight Sil-O-Cel brick made from natural celite weigh from 115 to 2 lb. each and are equiva- lent in insulating value to many times their thick- ness of ordinary firebrick. In crushing strength, these brick withstand over 400 lb. per square inch and are sufficiently strong to stand transportation and handling. The cost of these insulating bricks is but little more than that of firebrick, and of the powder about one-third as much, so that the first cost of this in- sulation is comparatively low. In fact, instances 4 are on record where the entire cost 17 rilati 9 i isulation nas BRABANT USE OF HEAT INSULATING BRICK AND POWDER been saved in fuel in the first few weeks of opera- tion. GENERAL TYPES OF INSULATION In general, there are four forms of construc- tion for high-temperature insulation which can be adapted to almost any character of equipment. Fig. 2 indicates the usual method of using Sil- O-Cel brick interlaid between a course of firebrick and red brick for the prevention of heat leakage through walls. This form of construction is largely used in boiler settings, bakers’ ovens, reverberatory- furnace walls and roofs, etc., and is generally ap- plicable where a strong, solid, nonconducting wall is desired. Fig. 3 indicates one of the methods of construc- tion of an insulating wall in which an otherwise hollow space is filled with insulating powder. From 2 to 4 in. are usually sufficient. The powder i L A 119 packed slightly to a density of app: to the cubic foot, at which point it mum insulating value and is not su or contraction due to either vib: Where this form of construction vere service in high-temperature period of years no contraction or set place. Fig. 1 indicates the method of walls which are already in place. T} sulation can be applied to old const) as new. In this method, expande erected on angle irons at the required the outer wall and coated on the « or more coats of portland cement pl: a small amount of Sil-O-Cel powder, 20 per cent by volume, has been greater plasticity and ease of worki: crease the heat-resisting properties the Sil-O-Cel powder is packed to a densit 7 s A i + Fig.3 ; Fig. 5 G Cement Fit Fig. 2—Insulating cubic foot between the brick wall and the expa metal lath. In reverberatory furnaces Sil-O-Cel has application as an insulating material for roo! furnace walls in the manner indicated in Fig. 4 An application of the use of powdered Si-U-\' in annealing castings and other heat-treated ! forms is illustrated in Fig. 5, which shows ! nealing pit partly filled with Sil-O-Cel powee! which the castings are placed or suspendee chains until they are cooled to the proper degree working. The annealing pit is built of Drick the depth of powdered Sil-O-Cel which 1s use® determined by the size and shape of the castings” be annealed and the rate at which cooling !s ¢& 7 This material has also been used as a packing * terial in boxes in which the metals to be heat ed are placed, the entire box being heated an¢ * lowed to cool slow. ' Qi: 7 v9 ; ‘MME ppayiNG SHRAPNEL SHELLS Machine for Giving a Measured iting to Inaccessible Spaces ' de of shells, or for that matter essible surface, with an asphal- rrosion material, and to do the rmly, and without waste of the Engineering Com- has developed an interesting the Spray ooks not unlike a strongly built circular recess in the top. The shell over the recess, pushes it so in the recess, lifts it from the ration is completed, the shell hav- oating. He is then ready to tion with another shell. As the thus spraying a shell is 2 sec., or per minute, the capacity of the ng is placed at 1500 per hour. hing the shell downward admits a essed air to a definite quantity of iid, which is driven through a The apparatus is supported under what is substantially a which holds the protective liquid It includes the channel between the com- and the nozzle when the shell speak, and which receives the meas- for the next shell when the the operator’s hand is removed; that he coated shell is removed. The fact that red amount of liquid is admitted each particular feature and application has le for a patent covering the device. The rts are counterbalanced as far as possi- ninimum pressure will suffice to push he spraying position. It is obvious the kely to find fields of usefulness outside it has been brought into being. inying reproduction of a photograph an idea of the machine. The sup- j contained in the tank supported by its delivery pipe. nderneath the table top, the paint is igh the Y fitting to the measuring er, the straightaway branch shown empty the machine of the paint The measuring chamber is indi- the valve controlling the admis- air through the measuring e to the spray head. The down- the shell, by means of a simple irns the measuring chamber so the air line into communication line, and it also opens the air valve hell is then sprayed, in a substan- shion. At ¢ is a counterbalanc- n works to bring back the mech- sition for receiving another shell time turning the measuring cham- take its next supply of paint. the spray head is adjusted to coat irface of the shell and the extent ‘or e with the prescribed thickness of the d mes 0.00025 in., gives some meas- The amount of paint is corresponds to a plunger at the ay be screwed in or out, decreas- the contents of the measuring given size of shell and a given al- * ness of film, it is found that one : easuring device suffices to insure liquid h The desl Y paint is t 1 .e re ssed + ; rements. »?f THE IRON AGE 355 that not only is sufficient paint sprayed upon the $ shell surface but there is no excess which has to be disposed of. The machine thus aims at a maxi mum economy of the protecting compound beside allowing for high working speed. It is expected that the fundamental elements of the machine, the use of the spray head, and of the scheme for automatically measuring out the quan tity of material to be sprayed, may have applica tions apart from war munitions. However, at this writing the company is engaged on working out details for utilizing the machine for spraying the small annular passage in the timing device or nos« portion of the shell. This passage, which receives the timing fuse, is small and somewhat inaccessible, and to swab the passage with a hand brush cor sumes too much time in view of the demands for high quantity production. It appears that in spite of the fact that the timing parts of the shell are of brass, the powder has a corroding influence, which fact makes it desirable to protect the brass work. The Spray Engineering Company, which is lo cated at 93 Federal Street, Boston, has been in business a number of years as an engineering firm : specializing in spraying applications, as for cooling ‘4 ponds for power plants, for air washing, and for ; spreading heavy oils in road building, and has man : ufactured its spray head. This develops a helical ‘ current or stream as well as a straight line current within the nozzle, so that on issuing the nozzle discharge may be termed a solid cone as differen tiated from a hollow cone. Lee H. Parker, for ten years with Stone & Webster, Boston, is president of the company, and John T. Clark, treasurer. The conversion chart of Centigrade and Fahrenheit temperatures, which was printed in THE IRON AGE of July 1, 1915, is now available as a reprint and those of our readers who desire copies will receive them without : charge on application. THE IRON AGE HOT-BLAST STOVE GAS BURNERS quantity of gas requisite to perf; As a result, either gas was wasted , Special Type for Power Boilers and Stoves Using © Was burned with singular ineffi rom linet Mien Can standpoint of resulting temperatu With at placing of a greater value upon « = a4 The increasing importance of blast-furnace gas burning of gas, it has also come to a for power purposes places a premium upon its’ the supplementary burning of gas L Coa a economical use as fuel, not only in the heating of boiler is necessarily attended by shah hot-blast stoves, but also where it is burned under’ bustion because of the essential pri ns for alee m : Pt is aa h pas « Be ‘ist jay: An Installation of Birkholz Burners at the South Chicago Plant of the Wisconsin Steel Company Where T: % Four $00-Hp. Boilers Are So Equipped | ‘ > boilers. In the operation of the hot-blast stove firing, which preclude proper regulation of air sup closer attention is being given to the efficient heat- ply for gas firing: It is now accepted as the best ; ing of the checker work, both with respect to the practice at plants where gas is burned to equip iG temperature and analysis of the chimney gases and as many boilers for the exclusive burning of g DE the cleanness of the brick. A greater appreciation as can be taken care of continuously with the of the heat losses in the stoves is apparent also, and assured supply of gas, thus securing a maximut what was a tendency in the direction of a larger economy. For the burning of excess gas or the Has | number of stoves for each furnace is now a move- handling of peak loads, boilers equipped for ment in the direction of the least number of stoves bined burning of coal and gas may then be used compatible with the necessary blast temperatures. An important requisite to maximum economy in the heating of stoves is the effecting of a complete combustion of the gases through the use of an pay i efficient burner. To meet this need the Birkholz er ite ‘i Terbeck burner has been installed at a number of : al te. steel works, and to provide for a like efficiency in go —-—** oy ' the equally important operation « burning gas es a ied under boilers a Birkholz burner of similar design | ieee a has been installed at some of the boiler plants of oe eee it ey) Ss — i 44 the steel mills at South Chicago. Admitting the gas * Ls Ae Pa | in a stream through a rectangular box with no =] \e : 4 a other attention to the quantity of air available for 4 combustion than is represented by such openings ie Bob as chance to remain around the gas burner, or by ifs ; the crude regulation obtained through stopping up tes ; these openings with an occasional brick, has been ¢ the common practice, whether the gas was being ia = oc burned simply as a supplement to coal-fired boilers or for exclusively gas-fired boilers. Such a hit-and- Re miss arrangement actually took no cognizance of [#'tial, Cross-Section of the Atmospheric F eke : : = : Fired Boilers, the Burners Being Arranged the definite relation between quantity of air and One Set for Each Boiler Soha ong =>? Gir g ly intil additional exclusively gas- x be installed. iy with the boilers burning gas ex- he . nade for the Birkholz burner are “Ne ized. Thus burner makes use “te nciple, and is designed for opera- that I Se Sa a ol ‘ea deae fa nditions: the atmospheric burner, - addition the pressure burner and a burner for the hot-blast stove. A od rawing of the boiler burner is the accompanying line drawings. — y Minen 4 the first two are similar in all re- pressure under which the mixture s effected. In the natural-draft ngs in the burner the primary air with which it nixes in the mixing tube, with a violent whirling notion. Through other openings at the end of the nixing chamber, secondary air is introduced in just juantity to complete combustion. The xdmission of both primary and secondary air is ontrolled by rotating slides which ad- entrance ports to the right aperture to admit t iired amount of air. Determination of the the gas is rendered exceedingly 1” of a large sight glass in the end ost pf t irner through which one may look directly iip tothe mixing tube at the combustion flame. When ' ng, this flame is colorless, as is nor- the th the Bunsen type of burner. Adjustments > ntrolling slides immediately produce haracter of this flame so that optical proper adjustment becomes easily sed ! en to the common laborer in whose er room may be. the burner with respect to the xing tube contributes to the whirl- the gas and air and their intimate result a very short and exceedingly produced, thus eliminating disadvan- flame or of the delayed combustion n the boilers and in the hot-blast where brickwork is costly to re- to clean. In the experience with the boiler plants of the steel mills stated that a saving of about 20 has been effected through the secur- ore perfect combustion and higher tures. Frequent analyses have shown ases nearly 27 per cent CO,, no CO oxygen. pressure burner is used the primary is brought from a fan, and the 0 rina of ghtly closed, a positive pressure is de. Thus, channeling of the gases rely eliminated, and a more efficient t from the gas to the checker work , THE IRON AGE 35 is accomplished. With such a burner the amount of checker work in each stove can be increased, par ticularly in the combustion chamber, a saving im possible under other conditions of gas burning. The interval in which the stove is on gas can be reduced very considerably, instances being recorded wher: this time has been cut from 236 to 125 min. With these economies it is quite possible to reduce the number of stoves, and at one plant three stoves are now used for a 600-ton blast of five, as formerly. In the case of the induced draft burner, air is admitted to the burner under pressure through connection made from the cold-blast furnace instead rk alr line. Che Draft Burner for Hot-Blast Sto ( ~ t T th | l j wner the kinetic energy of the gases, ejected hrough a circular nozzle, draws in through open- relative cheapness of the air compressed in the blowing engine as contrasted with any other method makes this arrangement exceedingly economical. \ American Uniform Boiler-Law Society At a meeting held in New York City on July 28 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, an association wa formed under the name of the American Uniform 3oiler-Law Society. Plans were outlined for the rais ing of at least $12,000 annually to promote the use of the standard boiler code established by the Americar Society of Mechanical Engineers. The following wer: elected and appointed on the administrative council, and it was decided that the members of the administrative council representing the respective branches should see that the contributions were made by the different interests: Water-tube boilers—Isaac H Locomotives—John W Material manufacturers and dealers—D. J. C American Boiler Manufacturers Associatior I ar Tubular boilers—T. E. Durban Threshers and road rollers—H. P. Good Hoisting engines—H. N. Covell Cast-iron heating boilers—Frederick W Her Steam shovel interests—Walter Pleh1 Insurance interests Chas. 8S. Blake ow-pressure heating boilers—M. F. Moors The Art Metal Construction Company, Jamestown, N. Y., held a convention of its selling force, beginning - July 21 and continuing until July 24. The salesmen assembled from all parts of the country, and the ses . sions were of a highly practical character. Demon strations were given of various products of the com pany and numerous addresses were made by the mar agers of its departments W. M. Duncan, receiver for the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad, has filed an application in the United States court in Cleveland for permission to sell $2,- 000,000 in receivers’ certificates, the proceeds to be used : in purchasing 1700 freight cars. t + ¢ rere para erme etre eatmett st see re <a eappetn owes ee ee oe " 9 cite tag Ob Making of War Munitions at Private Work GOVERNMENT SEEKS DATA ON AVAILABLE CAPACITy Not Now in the Market but an Emergency May Arise — Details Herewith Indica, Character of Munitions That Would Be Required—President to Confer oy Defense Program with Chairmen of House and Senate Committe: With Supplement) WASHINGTON, D. C., Aug. 9, 1915.—The Govern-_ tive capacity of your own plant fo ment has always recognized that its own arsenals would “3. A blank for this purpose is iy be entirely inadequate for the supply of war material will note that provision has been mac which would be required to meet an emergency of war, the capacity of your plant for the forgi and it has been its usual practice, in time of peace as Machine work, for the machine work o1 well as in time of war, to call upon the private indus nishing the completed article. Of cou tries of the country for the supply of a good deal of understood that the department is n¢ material of this class. To this end the Ordnance De- market for this material and that no pro: partment endeavors to keep itself informed as to the order is involved in this inquiry. establishments in the country which are able to produce “4. Where more than a month is reqy tea war material of various classes, and their capacity for receipt of order to reach the maximum p such production. The demand for war material by kindly state the output for each month unt European belligerents has caused such kaleidoscopic mum shall have been reached. changes and such an unexpected expansion of the facili- “5. Any reply which you may make t ties of American manufacturing companies, particu- will be considered as confidential if you so d larly for the production of certain classes of ammuni- Accompanying each inquiry is this schedu the tion, that corresponding increase of activity on the part items concerning which the bureau desires the of the Ordnance Department is entailed in order that tion as to the manufacturers’ capacity: its. information may keep reasonable pace with this expansion. While this expansion has probably not yet . . Name and Location of Plant war material ceased, it has reached such a stage as to warrant some thing like a general inquiry on the part of the Gov ernment as to the manufacturing facilities which have already been called into existence, and to this end letters of inquiry are being sent out to manufacturers, accom- Montuty Rare or Prot panied by certain illustrative sketches and forms fo1 — 4 the purpose of making replies easier. f Art NE SHI It will be understood, of course, that the War De i partment is not now in the market for such material, having no special funds which are applicable for its Forgir Ma- | Opera- | Fo purchase, and the limited funds which are at its dis ee posal from current appropriations not requiring any special inquiry for their expenditure. Text of the Letter of Inquiry The letter of the Ordnance Bureau addressed to manufacturers is as follows: “GENTLEMEN: 1. Prior to the outbreak of the present European war the Ordnance Department con piled from the best data then available the probabl output of ordnance material from establishments in this country that might be expected, in the event of ar emergency. The enormous expenditure of such material in the present conflict abroad, however, indicates that the estimates of the department for a reserve supply and for an increased output in case of war have been too low, and a larger production must be provided for “2. While it is generally understood that the increased demand for war material has resulted i lants of this country for the production of this class of material, it expansion in many of the commercial p is believed that there are a number of plants not now so engaged, which with their present equipment or rela tively minor additions thereto, could undertake the manufacture of certain articles, which in the event of an emergency would be required in large quantities Among the articles large quantities of which would bs needed, are shrapnel cases, shrapnel heads, commor steel shell, parts of fuses, and brass cartridge cases. These articles with their principal dimensions and gen- eral specifications are shown on the inclosed print and this department would appreciate any information ront J - you may care to give concerning the present or prospec- 308 HE IRON AGE, AUGUST 12, 1915 Rotating Band cut from Copper Tubing forced into seat at red heat with Lie or Hainer bo Mee 54 ; r a i} i ~ wees at an NS Pthreadspern | = a z theeods pe t al a jetta ieaienel pein KS en Y Y EEE a a pee op eens taiiaaienaeg ae sail e Note A D wee - CARTRIDGE CASE COMMON SHELL a . Drawn Cartridge Brass ; B C D Note A—3-in. have closed in . ; i5 2 3 il 6 ase, . Caliber \ B ( D is 2s 2:8 (ne? 3.8-in made with either closed = ie ie m at a ~ - . » in 0.9 0.4 in a sf 15 2.8 4.7 18 ) in base or base plug. 2 Sin 13 105 0.07 O04 37 15 4.5 6. 2 ; 4.7 and 6-in. have base plug. 4.7 in 5.25 5 0.1 0.05 47 se . ; 6 in 6.75 6.5 0 OS 0 04 §.2 No physical qualities are prescribed for the steel in the shell, - stic tests are prescribed which require that a high grade rged steel, preferably alloy steel, be used. All shells are subjected to an interior hydraulic pressure of 2000 lb. per square inch and to an exterior hydraulic pressure as follows: 3 in. and 3.8 in., 20,000 Ib. per square inch; 4.7 in., 15,000 lb. per square inch; 6 in., 20,000 lb. per square inch on the base and in rear of the rotating band and such lesser pressure as will not deform the shell, over the remaining portion. The 4.7-in. shell is tested by firing it through a 3-in. medium ship plate. This requires a heat-treated projectile. Rotating Band cut from r Tubing forced Te hte a io or Halamer yt I | | iA -ty 7 + E " | | 4 threads | | per in _ US St a ~ E —_ e C oa SHRAPNEL CASE SHRAPNEL HEAD Commercial Cold Drawn Steel SHRAPNEL CASE SHRAPNEL HEAD DIAPHRAGM FORGING Shrapnel case forgings will have t ‘Le £ D E a #-.¢ A B A B properties and permit of finish machining cases will have the same physical propert 0.3 22 20 2.95 7.2 2.85 1.7 1.05 ||2.5 0.45 1.20 3 0.375 2.1 2.375 3. 8.5 || 2.73 1.7 87 || 2.36 0.45 8.66 3.05 0.5 2.5 2.9 3.8 10.12 || 3.51 1.7 1.4 2.89 0.55 || 10.3 3.85 1 Plastic 06 3. 35 47 13 4.25 1.7 2.3 || 3.52 0.7 || 13.2 4.75 iat rn Limit 08 39 46 6 16.45 || 5.33 1.7 3.35) 46 O08 16.6 6.05 Caliber Strength Am 2.95 in 120,000 90,000 3 in 120.000 00.000 3.8 and 4.7 in 110,000 80,000 6 in 110,000 0). O00 Forged Fiish Inside-----~ The maximum elastic limit for the cases shall not exceed 115,000 Ib. per § 3.8-in., 4.7-in. and 6-in. shall not exceed All shrapnel cases will be subjected t of 20,000 Ib. per square inch up to thé interior pressure of 1,000 lb. per square A certain number from each 1000 are by firing completed shrapnel from a g4 37,000 Ib., except for the 6-in., which 22,500 Ib. per square inch. j A« ew >| SHRAPNEL CASE FORGING Ammunition Components, United States Army—Principal FUSE PARTS ee —— rai 4 1 none icaniieenet ; it | | t -& “ C | ™ = SRR eR Se - ! stein a y | | Stock—Large Caliber Forged Steel E I Treated after machining for the following physical a qualities ; 10 . ’ pt}? 05 7 ; Elastic limit 120,000 Ib. per sq. in bins 16.8 Te nsile stre ngth 140.000 lb per sq. in ime ae 10 Elongation in 2 In 12.5 per cent : ». aoe) : ” Contraction of area 20 per cent ) } ( 2.2 2 1.15 7 Stock—Medium Caliber Commercial Cold Drawn Steel . Some also required of forged steel with above i oi physical qualities. . A RB / D jog 2 1.5 | Pe | Le ee 24 threads : a a O25 , ; I us sry L Hf m - ! ; ) I i I 4 threads ; | ‘ e per in 128 f > | +) US Sta ; * For Diaphragm a J e good grade arop Torging an | \ 3 | 4 a4 | | ; Y y — LJ ¥ ? ie Ph +a: iia a AY REAR PLUG FRONT PLUG i ; DIAPHRAGM Poy Forged Steel Forged Steel 4 LARGE CALIBER the following minimum physical . Ais A B ( ng with reasonable ease. Shrapnel erties. 1.2 1.065 0.5 MEDIUM CALIBER Elongation { B ( in 2 In. Contraction 4) 16 per cent 45 per cent 1.25 0.94 0.375 ) 16 per cent 45 per cent {) 15 per cent 40 per cent aw 15 per cent 40 per cent 1e 2.95-in. and 3-in. forgings and r square inch, and in case of the ed 110,000 Ib. fi to an exterior hydraulic pressure the rotating band seat and to an re inch. OE “—- ee Zt Rata oon, are also subjected to a ballistic test gun with a maximum pressure of will be fired with a pressure of THE IRON fer with Committee Chairmen vill return to Washington this e take up what he regards as the now before the Administration, Ol a “Sane, reasonable and the national defense.” Announce instructions to the Secretari y ha eC followed by a vas hich the Preside nas very at Public opinion appears to be ove! he President’s pla is a broad e al arg seem to prenare influence with then irry out a comprene! ‘ iem re Ol a large im of money, Du ingly any new fiscal legisla ry to provide funds for the tary expansion. At the am ie pert tly clea that the adv ) ce policy Wl nave considerable i tha i one easo or inotne ifluentia representative ind the program of the onditio1 President Wilson ha macy 1 east i u! outset, 1 factions in Congre There hat he is prepared to make a last ne egislation he desires in the win over the Oppositior Within he Pre Chamberlain of ident has addressed personal Oregon, chairmar ommittee on South Carolina, chairman of Naval Affairs; nan of the Military Affairs; Senaton the Senate Representative Hay of Mili d Representative Padgett of Tennessee, Naval Affairs, Washington at an House Committee on the House Committee on come to early pose of conferring on the subject of Preliminary the inquiries in the War and Nav the President, have Secretaries and voluminou national defenses entlv directed by rnished by final reports, Garrison which are \ be laid before the President pl 101 with the chairmen of the Senate y and Naval the that with them the committees. It is hefore the their hearty these data recognize demands of del will will pledge co-operatio! on in the effort soon to be made ons at the coming session that will e of any previou Congress Eve ry e to avoid friction in carrying out the esident has no intention of yielding alient features upon which he and rree No Plan of Militarism is disposed to be a little impatient some quarters that his policy “tend There is, of When it ditures for both the military and naval the popu per capita thus would not increase this tax beyond $5, tion with the positive that no absolutely no course, is remembered that charge upon ted States of less than $3 scheme of iberal enlargement statements of fficials form of compulsory contemplated, the absurdity of any the ilated will be appreciated. irism in connection with program AGE 359 It Is reported o good authority hers rresident will seek to impress Congress wit! portance of putting the country i ett ate defense by confining his forthcoming to this single topic, ignoring all othe yutine n [This method of fixir ef tne attention of Rex ese i ind Senate na neretotore WW i iccess, ( ADLY whet P esl ( t nd te orwardll to te " ia rY j id devoted to a score more ( pave i i! electri noc} ending ’ E . : : of a few hundred words dé ind 1 re tariff. The me age et the whok l! , a ought such pressure upon Congress that a new aw was speedil enacted The announcement of the e confers et he Presider and the n ajority leader l Ls ‘ naturally has started new rumors of a special s« The fact that ne v $200.000,000 will be added t« ent expensé the President’s prograt adop aken in cor ectior vith th enorn i he | iry 1s no Cll iew of the expil ( emergency war revenu and the repea he duty, makes it probable that the conference with ‘ Military and Naval chairmen of the two housé ‘ followed by others with the chairmen of the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means committe Rey resentative Kitchin of North Carolina, who at the head of the Ways and Mear S Comr ittee, na alread\ expressed the opinior that Congres will be illed gether in October and has given some co! erat revenue problems, which must soon be take treatment. Treasury McAdoo Cornish in the Secretary of the ferred with the President at on the state of the finances and it is believed wi formulate a tentative plan for increasing the revs 4 The fact that the first month of the new fiscal closed with a deficit of approximately $17,000,000, compared with a substantia irplus a year ago, mers confirms the impression long entertained here that thi present revenue laws are hopelessly inadequate eve for existing conditions, to say nothing of the propose expansion of the milita and naval establishment WwW. L. ¢ British Steel Trade and the War In the eleve montn vf the Val Aug. | 14 July 1, 1915, Great Britain’s exports of iro! ind stee including scrap, have averaged 239,073 g¢ te Dé nonth compared with 405,897 tons per month in th same pe riod in 1913-14, a decrease of about 41 per cent The London Jron and Coal Trades Review estimates t} bulk of the export losses to be apportioned as follow Pig iron, 344,000 tons; nails, 137,000 tons; galvanized sheets, 212,000 tons and tin plates, 57,000 to In British imports of iron and steel the monthly erage for the first eleven months of the war to July 1 was 75,070 tons, compared with 202,513 to 7 the same months in 1913-14, an average decrease of about ; 63 per cent. In May and June this falling off was o 4 34 and 25 per cent respectively from the imports May and June, 1914, in view of the receipt of consider . able semi-finished material from the United States those months. Italy has declared the owing a ontraband of war: Ferromanganese, ferrotungsten, ferromolybde num, ferrovanadium and ferrochrome; tungsten-mo denum, vanadium, nickel, selenium, cobalt and i ganese; wolframite, sheelite, molybdenite, manganes« ore, nickel ore, chrome ore, hematite ore, zinc ore, lead ore and bauxite: aiuminum, antimony, in¢ uding sul phides and oxides, copper wrought or unwrought, cop per wire, barb wire, iron pyrites, chloride of tin and é tin ore. : 7 ft iy eee ; \ ‘ : : an i : ; ; : * » ‘ + ; 2 ‘3 bey Ey i; if f ; : reed ; ?. a ape i itt ‘ é 3 f; ef rs 2&5 7 Factors Influencing Its Success in This Country—An Analysis of Conditions and Costs—The Ferroalloy Industry DORSEY A. LYON Reduction processes, as a general rule, require very low power cost, especially thos« operations pro ducing a large tonnage of a comparatively cheap product which compete with combustion processes, as, for example, the electric smelting of iron ore and zin ore. On the other hand, electric-furnace refining processe ao not require for commercial success an ex tremely low power cost. Many electric steel furnaces are operated at a profit on a power cost of lc. ps kw. hr., or $65.70 per hp. yr., while few electric-fu1 nace reduction processes can operate profitably with a power cost of over 0.5c. per kw. hr., or $20 per hp. yr., and for complete assurance of commercial success the power cost should be as small as from $10 to $20 per hp. yr. But the commercial success of an _ electro-metal lurgical enterprise does not depend entirely upon the cost of power. Freight rates have a large influence on it. Generally speaking, in the Western part of the United States no such enterprise producing a large ton nage would have much chance of success unless located within a few hundred miles of the sea-coast, becaus« of the high freight rates prevailing in the West as com pared with Eastern rates. The short distance to water shipment has been a large factor in the success of Norwegian and Swedish plants, as well as of those i1 Switzerland and the French Alps. Practically all of their product is exported to foreign countries by water, while most of their ore and coal or coke is shipped to them by sea. With the exception of some specific raw material near by, the cost of raw material will depend largely upon freight rates, for in the majority of cass at least the ores used must be brought from a distance FERROALLOY PRODUCTION The growth of the ferroalloy industry in Europe ha been rapid since 1899, but comparatively slow in the United States. There are about twenty-five Europea: plants engaged in the manufacture by the electric- furnace method, as compared wit