The Iron Age 1915-09-02: Vol 96 Iss 10

New York, September 2, 1915 ESTABLISH VOL. 96 No A Flexible Heat-Treating Installation Quenching Facilities and Accurate Control of Furnace Temperatures Conspicuous Features of Equipment of Link-Belt Works at Indianapolis The products manufactured by the Link-Belt continuous sash hung to swing open on vet il ompan) ts Ewart Works, Indianapolis, are axes. Gas, oil and cyanide furnaces are installed, uch as to require the heat treatment of a wide but the special features of the installation have t ariety of parts. This variety not only involves do largely with the provisions for quenching the he question of size of the pieces, ranging from heated materials and for regulating the furnace mall pins 0.003 in. in diameter to pieces of various temperatures. hapes and weighing several pounds, but also covers In Fig. 1 is presented a view of a battery of e treatment of both hot and cold rolled stock, three large and one small, rotary, gas furnaces of eal 7 ee TS fe we Wh © ene WE g Carbonizing Gas Furnaces and Quenching Tank The vertical cooling tubes in the oil bath r e seen an be admitted into the tank in sufficient volume to change the bath in approximaté whi nh mus ‘ t be prepared for composite service. Con- the retort type. These are operated on city illumi- Inuouslv heat treatments for about 1100 different nating gas. The arrangement of these furnaces is parts are conducted. The equipment installed to interesting with reference to the quenching t meet this wide range of requirements is illustrated in the foreground. This tank has an overall depth in the accompanying views. of 7 ft. 9 in., is 48 in. wide inside, is built of 3/16 The heat treating department is located in one in. plate and can be constructed with whatever bay of a steel frame building, the other half of length is required by the number of furnaces in which ises the upsetting and forging depart- connection with which it is used. The tank itself o Maximum ventilation and light are obtained serves as a water cooling basin. Built in the tank, ) means f the sawtooth roof construction, which as shown in the illustration, are the oil baths. — s the length of the shop to give a north The details of this construction are shown on ight expos ire, the lighting panels being fitted with the accompanying line drawing, Fig. 2. Around the 507 | an Hye i! .. fi ie —— otha ppc re enn Fe ais asinine, ventana is Athenian enema tip cet tp cr i Liat Sele vis amen a ae aw ow Ae the aplenialnel ie canals eels een aa capt bapa shorty MA tin nanan a epee a AAO A ALAA EI pp RRR tani ea em enon" ee Gerth apn 5 oo ee on circumference of this oil bath, boiler tubes are in- serted vertically, and through them cold water con- tinually circulates. To enhance this cooling effect an air jet is directed in the oil so as to set up a circulation of the oil from the center of the bath outward toward the water cooling tubes. The con- struction of the cage into which the heated mate- rials are discharged from the furnace, to be quenched, also contributes to the desired cooling effect. The cage is of a diameter such as to per- mit its being lowered into the oil bath. The fur- nace discharges by means of the detachable chute shown in the foreground into the top of this cage, which is built with successive, conical baffle-plates which not only retard the passage of the parts through the oil to the basket at the bottom. but A, — -- ~~ | H tt “4 A S eeiiiieeaiaeaie namin cacaceenalliteskcoaed ieee ; i 4 A : | | | | \ | | i te | | 3 | | | | | fe otic off os 21 3 | See - <a Water Tank. Details of promote a much more intimate contact between the pieces and the cooling liquid. The entire cage can be raised and lowered out of the oil or the water bath by means of the overhead hoist as indicated. Another battery, of stationary furnaces, is shown in Fig. 3. These furnaces are used for treat- ing work of smaller size, and it will be noted that the cooling cage shown in the center of the view is enclosed with wire screen, to keen the very small parts from falling out. The quenching tank in this instance affords the same advantages as the larger tank serving the rotary furnaces. As may be read- ily seen, it is possible to quench either in water or oil, as desired. The more distant furnaces shown in the illustration are oil burning. These are converted, gas-burning furnaces, adapted for oil burning through the exnedient of increasing the combustion chamber size by raising un the back of the furnace. The type of furnace in which the larger pieces are heat treated is shown in Fig. 4. The arrange- 508 THE IRON AGE Sey ment of the quenching tanks on ; sides furnace, affording a water and . bath ona” manner in which the aprons jn nt of the nace provide for discharging the treated pieces al the interesting features. As showy in the dh: tion, the carbonizing compound dro; Pree is emptied, through the grating below for subsequent use. A hing: apron is turned up, preventing :; from rolling off. The arrangem: also permits of a slow initial coolj When the box a Teceptace Section of the Of the part Mere devises desired, as in the case illustrated j; this | ; S pnotg graph. It is also apparent that the eCes p ; ; 5 S may he emptied into the bath on either si; The design of the carbonizin: en ta: okt worthy. of being noted. On the of th 7 antici ee ry pny ¥ ee ' [ " N = Y mC Wy ' Y i+ —~ AT x 3 Doiler Tube Section atA cee oe j ¢c | | < 28 mem re Pa rs must |i ‘3 77 WwW 2 = | \ | \z : i ' | Sia o "| vide ee oe eee ee ng Equipment at the bottom, are lugs over which the long charging fork, manipulated by the heater, fits. By this means the box may be charged into the fur- nace and withdrawn very handily. On the bottom of the box other lugs are cast, just high enougi to permit a circulation of the furnace gases tween the box and the bottom of the furnace, %° that there is a similar exposure to the furnace temperature on all sides of the box. . fhe water supply is obtained from a driven W™ equipped with an air lift, which discharges Imo ® reinforced conerete storage tank built under | floor of the building. This tank has a capac! of 100,000 gal. The circulation of the water obtained with a 275-gal. motor driven, centriiuge pump which is run continuously. The air ane circulation supply units are combined as shown Fig. 5. This consists of a low-pressure © oe driven by Link-Belt silent chain drive from mov z and arranged with an automatic pressure — shown at the right. The regulator consists % ° +ne THE IRON AGE ting Very wall back of tat controlling the driving motor, the drives the blower, the oil pump is connected rheostat being swung by the action of a being driven from the one motor, a fixed relat a the small air cylinder mounted below the is thus established between the air blast and From the piston a counter-balancing flow of oil. hung, so that as the air-receiver pressure The provisions for controlling the furnace tem- ton increases the piston moves up and_ peratures are unusually complete. In Fig. 3, a ws down. To the same shaft which part of the row of lights suspended in pairs oppo 5h - ea ' Furnaces for the Larger Work, Equipped with Aprons and Quenchi ibility in Disposition of Materials dec Sinn tel i tacit [Tt - -s- - - —_ ms = Saeed | it ARE eee RT I ain ty Sear aes ess’ 5 Ae aD eee al nce atlellan h mle see terme rm 8 ae wo ale snr i elas NS as ane a RNAS NA OC LOE OCT 510 site each furnace is shown. Each pair consists of a red and a blue light. The lighting of either the red or the blue lamp is controlled from a switch- board by an operator located in a central pyrometer room. This operator notes the temperature of each furnace every fifteen minutes, and if it is too high he warns the furnace operator by throwing on the red light, and if too low the blue light. No light at all indicates that the furnace is at a proper temperature. Fig. 6 shows the instrument board at which the operator works, and also the record sheet of furnace temperatures, a detail view of which is shown in Fig. 7. This board provides three checks on the temperature. The pyrometer connection from each furnace is brought to the contact board shown in the center, which connects up with the pyrometer in the same case. Immediately above is another pyrometer, which may be thrown in on any one furnace by plugging in through the switch board at the left. A third check may be had by connecting uv the recording instrument above the switch board. The switch board control of the lights is shown at the right of the operator, who by means of the single-pole, double-throw switches 5/30/45) 9)15 30 as 1} ~“e ~ oo + * + ‘ Different Furnaces The sheets t THE IRON AGE notifies the furnace operators of the tempe conditions at any furnace. The record b| Mounting of Instruments and Swit and ¢ il in Fig. tures ‘ontrolling Furnace Temper was supplied by the Brown Inst i i s self explanatory, the actual being set down for each 15-mi! opposite each furnace, as designated by To equalize the temperature variations, th ends of the pyrometer couple for each furnace are broug! on the wall in Fig. 3. 17 i 4 ank + lett, to a central thermostat box shown mount » temperature slightly above the maximur of ture mediately below the set limit, and as the proper temp L, tne room. This thermostat is set f ror Enclosed in the box with the thermostat are two incandescent lights, whi light uv when the temneratur y ture in the box is resumed, the lights are auto- shut off. The maximum an matically ln ? temperatures of the cold ends are thus fixed wit! very narrow limits. terminals ‘ rade of the same met As a further safeguard, the in the box of the connections recording instruments are as the terminals of the couple, so that the tempera ture effects are identical. to equalize the resistances in all the circuits, the varying distances of the furnaces fro: Precaution is taken als pyrometer the thermostat box being compensated by Gern the crease silver coils. United States to Great Britain show over previous records. a le ial gross tons against only 2365 tons in July, 1914. total for one year of the war, Aug. 1, deman¢ has or ] A e 090 7° The bulk of these exports, or out since Jan. 1. 1914, to A 1915, is 217,673 tons against 23,759 tons for the yea preceding. This is an increase The Toledo Machine & Tool Company, Toledo 8-hr. vaca “l 1 Upper Part of Large Sheet for Keeping Fifteen Minute Re are filed in ding 5 30 ,Y Ly ; as effected an agreement with its employees and 48 hr. per week, with no reduc Tl, FURNACE RECORDS so as} 4] o 45)] 2 is) 3 ai e plant has been running 50 hr MONTH DAY year 5 30) 45/ 3) 15/30/45) Ai is| 30 a5] 5] 15] 30] «5| 6) 7 dherreeenet Furnace Temperatures, Letters | loose-leaf binder ee t } e / + t Large British Buying of American Billets War exports of steel blooms, billets and slabs f! For July, this y Great Britain imports from this country were 0», , of 89 per cent due to. 208,271 \] re NESS IN THE FACTORY uries to Workmen, the Machines and the Work Y ALBERT A. DOWD arelessness in the factory are far tinually felt in every department, ll or unimportant it may be. In- the human factor, it is a difficult autionary steps which will tend to without first analyzing the con- sponsible for the trouble. Effects the factory include injuries to the achine or tools and to work in and inaccurate work. ‘over practically all points which carelessness in the factory, and which produce the trouble it ¢ the root of the matter and apply of keeping the floors clean and free must not be lightly considered, y receive a serious hurt by slipping Several years ago I saw a man badly pump connections on his machine . dition so that the floor around the ‘ r less slippery. The operator was the machine and was engaged in tic ew in a tool holder, leaning over at it better. One of his feet slipped out of his hand as he fell forward, ming down with force on the edge hined surface which was as sharp Q the result that it was laid open to th e, | it was several weeks before the man ¥ to resume work. Neglect in repairing the cause of this accident, for if the f i not been slippery the man would not have happens that a milling fixture is $0 that an operator has to work rather close to t vhen tightening clamps or placing the w If the machine is stopped at the t danger of injury to the workman, practice to leave the machine running v replacing work. The foreman should procedure and should see that the r or it is largely due to a neglect of tr injuries result. fO MACHINE OR TOOLS e found that machine accidents are with men who are not entirely e construction of the machines, while e well posted in this regard seldom e. The natural remedy, therefore, hat each operator has a good working nachine on which he is engaged and nds enough of the construction to tance of the principal features. De- on nearly all machines of modern an operator from engaging two sets same time and to prevent breakages reach a certain limit, but there is noth- tool or holder from striking a revolv- ppens to be brought into the position e an interference. In turret lathe work e ometimes necessary to avoid inter- nd between the turret and cut-off here is no way of avoiding trouble e of the operator, and a moment’s ten sufficient to break or strain a such a way that repairs are necessary e used again. Mistakes of this kind man element to so great a degree that done to counteract them, except by to obtain men who are particularly work. a ) WORK IN PROCESS OF MACHINING ine, for instance, on which the knock-off atombt 915 THE IRON AGE 511 has a tendency to stick, due to a weak spring which should have been replaced with a new one. It is obvi ous that a condition of this kind might easily result in spoiling a piece of work. A report may have been sent in weeks before, calling attention to the defect in the working of the machine and yet the matter may be neglected, because it seems of so little importance. Che upkeep and general repair work in any factory is a factor of such importance that it s neglect is fre quently the cause of injury to work in process, and should therefore receive due consideratio! impr perly designed tools or fixtures are often the source of in jury to work because of imperfect locating I 1LINv OF Inset ire clamping. Lack of provision for chip clearance a tool or fixture is a frequent cause ible, and here the remedy lies in the design, which yuld have take these things into consideratio: ( in lo ing after important features in desig an effect on the production of the work, and too much attention cannot be paid to the points of an ind ng work, as scrapped material is not p INACCURATE WORK The type of carelessne which results in inaccurate work is very common and it is not altogether confined to the operator who is responsible for the production, although he frequently has a hand in it. I knew of one case where a lot of pulleys were machined to the correct size, with the exception of a few pieces it which the hole was from 0.001 to 0.002 j indersize An inspection showed that the work was al reamed with the same tool and this was found by calipering to be up to size, so that it was something of a mystery to understand why the holes should not all be standard. The pulleys were of steel and were ordinarily machined with a supply of cutting lubricant to keep things cool, but an inquiry developed the fact that the pump which supplied the lubricant got out of order during process of machining, and as a consequence: a rew pieces were machined dry. As considerable heat was generated before reaming the holes naturally con tracted after machining, so that those machined with out the lubricant were a trifle undersize. A few mir utes’ work in putting the pump in order would have obviated the trouble. Dull tools and carelessness in taking occasional measurements when a lot of pieces are being machined oftentimes results in inaccurate work and the department foreman who allows a lot of work to be machined without an occasional inspe tion is guilty of negligence, as also is the workman who does not keep his tools in proper conditior Inac curacies are often produced by improper methods of holding and clamping which cause distortion. This is especially noticeable on work of a thin and fragile nature. temedies for this kind of inaccuracies are obvious. New Forge and Heat-Treatment Plant D. K. Bullens & Co., consulting metallurgists, Frank ford, Philadelphia, have complete i the design and erec- tion of a forge and heat-treatment plant for Cann & Saul, Royersford, Pa. The present hammer equipment consists of two 2000-Ib., one 1200-Ilb. and one 900 Ib hammers, with a layout for tripling this capacity. The heating is done with Bullens oil-burning furnaces de signed especially for the work in view. The heat-treat ment furnace and equipment are of the latest type for accurate work. The entire plant has been designed along lines somewhat new in forge shop lay-out, aiming to conserve labor costs, develop the greatest efficiency possible, and yet provide pleasant working conditions for the men. The machine shop will be housed in a building 40x 116 ft. D. K. Bullens & Co. have also been retained as consulting metallurgists for the new plant. Frank Orth, Indiana Harbor, Ind., is installing the Orth reinforced roof in two open-hearth furnaces for the Kokomo Steel & Wire Company and has granted a license to the American Steel Foundries for the adop- tion of this construction for all of its furnaces, of which four are now being so equipped. > 7 : ® Equipment for Forging Shrapnel ( What Machinery Is Needed in a Given Plant to Make Forgings for Projectiles —The Processes Commonly Employed cee ers ae aS PRs oe Te 5 a Tee LAR te ~ Shape BY C. Now that the manufacture of projectiles for field guns has become sufficiently standardized in’Canada and the United States to permit a general survey of the situation, it will be in order to consider just what the industry comprises. Many owners or managers of general machinery building and metal- working plants contemplate entering into war con- tracts or sub-contracts. All such are naturally in- terested in knowing just what shop operations are comprised in shell-making, how far their present plants can be adapted to the process and what new equipment, if any, it will be necessary or desirable to secure; while those already engaged in the in- dustry are taking steps to acquaint themselves with the practice in other shops similarly occupied, so as to determine whether any changes or additional in- vestment will be beneficial. The following notes, devoted to the forging of shrapnel cases, have ac- cordingly been prepared with these questions in mind. Machining, heat treatment, finishing and assembling will be taken up later. OBTAINING THE BLANKS Specifications in detail are supplied by the war department of the nation interested and they must be rigidly adhered to. After steel of the proper quality—which will approximate 0.4 to 0.5 carbon, 0.6 to 0.7 manganese and 0.3 silicon—has been secured from the mill, the first operation in the manufacture of shrapnel is cutting forging blanks from round rolled bar stock. This can be done with a shear, with a cold cutting saw or with a gang saw. For the last named the bars are first sheared or cut to say 46% in. in length, and from this stock nine blanks of 47% in. length—for 18-lb. shrapnel—can be cut in multiple, allowing *, in. for the kerf wasted in sawing, which would be the extreme. The use of thinner saws, down to say 5/32 in. blades as suc- cessfuly practised, will effect an appreciable economy in stock. Waste at this point can, of course, be altogether eliminated by shearing. In Germany, where every detail has ben abso- lutely standardized, it is the custom to deliver blanks sheared to size directly from the mill. Under American conditons, however, the greatest aggre- gate saving in time, power and labor for the or- dinary shop is brought about by a special gang- sawing rig served by the table of a heavy, rigid reciprocating tool, such as an open-side planer or slab miller. Jigs on this table can be set in multiple, so that those immediately in front of the saws are always loaded, and the only time lost is during the brief period of table return. This makes the opera- tion practically continuous throughout the working shift. Indeed, there need be no stopping even be- tween shifts or for meals, as the slight attend- ance necessary can easily be arranged for. One rig will thus be able to supply several forging and machining units. THE SO-CALLED FORGING OPERATIONS The sawed or sheared blanks are next thrown upon a conveyor or set vertically on shop trucks, preferably in rough wooden racks, and taken to the *Consulting engineer, Chicago A. TUPPER” forging presses. This word forging a ith} but one generally used for convenience. operation of piercing can be effected of a press capable of holding the blank j; MOG ik piace and u h Alnd forcing a suitable punch down through the pre-determined point of knockout. The geo, nd operation, or set of operations, for which either a horizontal forging machine of the general bulldoze type or a hydraulic press can be utilized, js essen. tially drawing and forming. The difference jig principally in a reversal of parts of the process With a bulldozer the required base thickness js finally secured and the bottom formed at the end of the finishing punch stroke, while with the hydraulic press this is effected simultaneously with the dray. ing. The number of heatings and plunger strokes: necessary and the number of drawing dies required are naturally determined by the type, power and operating speed of the press, the last-named being also influenced largely by the skill of the operator. who soon acquires great facility for the work. Be ginning with the piercing of the blank, the oper: tions necessary for the finished “forging” range from three to six or seven, according to the class or classes of equipment used. The most economical work can undoubtedly be done on a special piercing, forming and short-drav- ing press, such as government arsenals the world over have long used for producing blanks for pro jectile cases—a press in which the various opere- tions are effected by means of forming dies clamped to the working surfaces of the movable and ste tionary platens. These presses commonly have effective pressures of 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450 and 500 tons, with some intermediate, at 15% lb. water pressure per square inch. An operation with two such presses working in tandem may be epitomized as follows: 1. Placing the hot blank in a die under the piercing punch 2. Descent of movable platen and punch until knock- out is reached. 3. Ejection of blank as a cup, which is then reheated for the second part of the process 4. Sealing. 5. Placing cup, closed end down, on base forming die in second press. 6. Automatic stop 4 base is formed. 7. Removal of first die and throw ing out stop. 8. Completion of stroke through three drawing and forming dies. 9. Reversing ram - stripping shell from punch; return of press to Drs position. In this process the quality of the steel is m* terially improved. The press exerts a continuous pressure which increases relatively as the sides ¢ the cup diminish in thickness, and the mass 0! drawn material flows under compression, making . denser and more homogeneous. On this —— is important to heat the cupped blank to 4 perature which will be just sufficient (after scaling by means of a water jet, striking and brushing side and out) to give the right fluidity. This ° reached at a furnace temperature of not to exceed 1000 deg. C. for the second operation, 2s compar with somewhat more than 1100 deg., say 1130, 10% the first. The critical point or limit, i+ its (f re ¢ which = ‘ary with operating conditions, facility of the ae men for quick handling of the equipment 4? 512 est be determined by tests made e maintenance of steady even pres- atter of the first importance, and be expected of presses if they are pumps or unreliable steam supply a system with defective piping, Hence, these subsidiary details looked to. The more positive steam accumulator has, in this ntages over the weighted accu- OF HYDRAULIC MACHINERY 4 su for the vertical press described is ush-bench, which has also been pping and short-drawing operations ing, as a similar extruding press has high-explosive shell cases to be Pier d drawing presses can be made with multiple ers and die seats, so as to take two be or cups for forming and drawing at one time th these a better balance can also be maintain The handling of the stops and strip- lo THE IRON AGE 513 Where hydraulic presses are not available, how ever, the work can be done by a series of simple up-setting and piercing operations with a stean hammer, drop-forge or powerful motor-driven punch press (anything exerting a blow or pressure of 4000 to 5000 Ib. or over), followed by drawing with the punches and dies of a bulldozer or other powe1 operated forging machine. The first operation con sists of heating the blank—unless sheared hot fron the bar—and reducing it to a thick, squat shap by hammering it on an anvil, then forcing it dow: on an anvil-supported piercing die. The cup, hot or heated, is next inverted on the first bulldozer or other forging machine puncl and forced into a die which partially forms the base, at the same time being lengthened by drawing. After heating again, as a rule, it undergoes a similar process with the die next in order, which completes the rounding-off of the base. The final drawing, with a third die, then takes place, and the shell bottom is pressed flat, the body being formed to the right diameters, inside and out, for machining. From the above it will be seen that the entire What Some of the Material Specifications Require One of the French shell specifications puts these chemical limits on the steel: Carbon, 0.34 to 0.42 per cent; manganese, 0.55 to .75 per cent; silicon, 0.15 to 0.25 per cent; phosphorus, 0.03 to 0.08 per cent, and sulphur not more than 0.05 per cent. A British high-explosive shell specification puts the manganese limits at 0.4 to 1.0 per cent and fixes maximum limits as follows: Carbon, 0.55 per pper, 0.1 per cent. nt; nickel, 0.5 per cent; silicon, 0.3 per cent; sulphur, 0.05 per cent; phosphorus, 0.05 per cent and respect to physical qualities, the French specification for the shells demands a steel which will w a tensile strength of 78,210 to 92,430 lb. per square inch and 18 per cent elongation after heat- ng to 1652 deg. Fahr. and slow cooling and 106,650 to 147,900 lb. per square inch and 8 per cent after heating to 1562 deg. Fahr., quenching in water and then drawing 15 min. in a lead 80 deg. Fahr. A British specification for high-explosive shells stipulates steel from ingots there has been a 20 per cent discard (as against 40 per cent recently obtaining) and a 12,500 lb. per square inch, a breaking point of 78,000 to 110,000 Ib. and elongation cent. The United States requirements were given in THE IRON AGE of Aug. 12. permissible where the facilities pro- nclude automatic appliances for this takes very skilled operators, and should be added wherever possible. tic operation is advisable. For the s a grade of self-hardening, heat- el equivalent to the well-known Crescent 2or H mb low-carbon tungsten alloy for hot give good satisfaction, although for white iron has been found quite e press platens commonly used are tings with low tension and compres- DROP AND OTHER HAMMERS ve of the hydraulic press over any nh can be substituted, as described the fact that a single drawing and tion through a set of dies suffices the piercing or cupping, thus com- il case forging; while with other e is a distinct operation and a sep- r holder for each die. There is also fit from forming simultaneous with ing the strains set up in the molecular i i seened and the subsequent heat treat- : effective, process, with whatever equipment carried out, very simple. Nevertheless, it is one requiring more than ordinary precautions if rejections of work are not to be expected. Alignment and rigidity of every machine part, as well as taking up the wear and adjustment of the punches, dies, etc., are factors needing constant attention. Lubrication of all parts including the punches and dies, and the use of suitable anti-scale compounds, also constitute in portant elements of success. Until, however, the final machining and heat treatment, which is of vital importance because it fixes the limit of expansion of the shell when fired from the field-piece, there is no need for any shop man to consider the work specifically in relation to its ultimate use. All he has to do is to take a forging blank of a certain size, pierce it and draw it to a specified base and wall thickness. The length will take care of itself. Any measures he can adopt during the process to increase the density and tough- ness of the material are so much to the good and will not pass unappreciated; but, beyond turning out a product that is fully equal to specifications and can be machined properly, he is not called upon to pay any attention to the purpose of the work. The hardness strictly required in the final inspection results entirely from heat treatment and has little h : + iy wes Glare os tee ne lil a Reet et 514 THE IRON AGE in common with the physical properties influenced by forging. It is determined by Brinell or sclero- scope tests. SPEED OF PRODUCTION Speeding up the work can be accomplished more by eliminating any loss of time between the various operating stages than by increasing the speed of any ef the machines used, as anything beyond ordinary good practice is likely to spoil the work. Among the causes of the latter are getting the punches too much heated and bent and both the punches and dies upset or edged enough—even though only slightly—to make the work inaccurate. None of these difficulties can be avoided altogether, so that frequent replacements are necessary; but they can be minimized by careful and moderately rapid operation. With two special piercing, forming and drawing presses of say 400 tons each, a minimum produc- tion of sixty shells per hour ought to be maintained, and that has been considerably bettered on the American continent as well as in France and Italy. English shops appear to be satisfied, as a rule, with thirty to forty shells per hour. This was also the case in Germany, Austria and Scandinavian coun- tries before the war, at the time the writer was per- mitted to see some typical operations; but, accord- ing to latest reports, they have recently gone the limit. Burst shrapnel cases fired from German and Austrian field guns, picked up on European battle- fields and brought to this country, show a structure which would indicate very hurried forging and rather superficial heat treatment. Taking the American minimum, the above means 450 io 500 shells for each 714-hr. shift, or something approach- ing 1500 shells daily for continuous three-shift operation for each two-press unit of production. This, however, can only be maintained by having at least one unit available for relief of the others, by changing about and giving each a periodical rest. The use of substitute machines for regular shell presses, such as hammers for piercing and cupping and bulldozers for forming and drawing will cut the production down about one-third to one-half for each unit. GENERAL WORKING CONDITIONS Any standard gas or oil-fired reheating furnace of sufficient capacity, with the proper pyrometer equipment, is suitable to put the blanks in condition for the first operation and the cups for the second. The presses should be placed as close as possible to them, so that there will be no appreciable loss of heat in transferring, and all tongs used must be kept in first-class condition, to avoid any fumbling. A desirable adjunct to each furnace used is an economizer shield over the working opening which recovers a large percentage of the heat ordinarily wasted and at the same time affords protection to all of the operators in the immediate vicinity. The spent gases discharged from the working opening are deflected by the blast and away from the men in the shop, against the tubes and heaters of the economizer through which the air for furnace com- bustion is circulated. This was described in THE IRON AGE of June 17, page 1340. Between the cup-heating furnace and the press it is advisable to place water jets for use in scaling and revolving metal brushes or burrs for cleaning. The working shifts ought to be made short, with rests and good food and drink for the operators in between; as the heat, the quick movements required and the strained attention which must be given to each operation soon put a man out of the condition essential to the best work. Frequi more in results than the extra labo; bere Good lighting and an exhaust-fan s¥ «jem +, tain air clear of smoke and dust are also an ., 5 investment. a CAST SHELLS RATHER THAN Forcrp In Europe a spirited discussion has poco, arisen which is likely to be heard from of». before long in the United States and Canada ys. whether forging is an absolute necessjt) ten hal nel or if, on the other hand, a shell case canno cast in its approximate final form and ‘a a no further operation to finish it n machinin and heat treatment, even nosing being provided fe in the mold. In practice it has been proved at the arsenals in Trubia, Spain, Genoa, Italy, and ea where that projectile steel derives the phy a. 4 . . 5 PHYSIC and mechanical properties required of jit—allog. ing for the basic chemical composition—froy eventual heat treatment. If, therefore, the founder can be relied upon to produce a ey. ficiently sound metal some prominent Europegy experts maintain that forging can be dispensed wu with. In that case, however, reheating for the purpose of annealing will still be indispensabie Where steel has been cast, annealing has the effet of restoring the molecular equilibrium that has been destroyed by the unequal cooling of the met in the mold, and this process puts the shell case in good condition to undergo the subsequent heat treatment. During the Russo-Japanese war cas steel shrapnel cases were made for the respective belligerents in Sweden and Japan, and lately they have been used by the French; but all of thes appear to have been emergency measures and not based upon any deliberate policy. Such a policy for the future has not been definitely settled. In conclusion it may be said that the production of hollow steel cylinders with one end solid, by means of a piercing, forming and short-drawing process, especially for small diameters, is esser- tially a specialized job and can best be handled in a shop equipped and trained for the work. Hence unless there is reason to keep certain presses 0 hammers busy, the average plant which takes 4 contract to machine shells will do well to obtain its forgings from some reliable source of supply, if possible, rather than go to the expense and u- certainty of putting in new equipment and trainin men for the work above described. Plants already suitably equipped can, on the other hand, so orgal ize their facilities as to turn out a maximum here tofore unthought of. The means of machining ani finishing projectile shells far exceed the possible capacity of existing forge shops, and the great demand is for the work of the latter. Hence, om of the best results of the period through which ve are now passing will be to put general forging operations on a plane of manufacturing efficient? which only drop-forging shops and a few large, highly specialized plants for drawing, forming, etc have known. In this there are possibilities for creased economy of production which will not lost sight of by managers of American and Cale dian plants when the industries of peace ag” hold full sway. The Thomas Iron Company, Easton, Pa., has made arrangements with the export commission firm of Hay & Sossidi of New York and Easton, Pa.. %0 ee Thomas-Vanadium pig iron in Greece and the Bake States. Hay & Sossidi will have their main office ® Salonica, Greece, and branch offices in the different Balkan States. YY fry ver 915 — d Countersinking Machine tapping and countersinking h work for tapping either blind ip to 1% in. in diameter has been he Poese Machinery & Mfg. Com- Building, Cleveland, Ohio. This ed to be especially adapted for d countersinking as it taps and ally, doing away with both hand nd allowing the operator free use handle the work. It is pointed the special uses to which the ma- to advantage is tapping the holes hrapnel noses. set in motion by drawing out a he shifting rod, as shown in the rting it in a vertical slot, which ment of clutches on the spindle. tapped to the predetermined depth erses automatically and the opera- ted. By changing the plug to its the spindle can be stopped at any spindle travel is regulated wo collars at the top of the shift- the depth of the thread can be d. The difference in the pitch of the by a compensator at the top of the machine is provided with a friction tap wil + rhe stop in case of an over- achine will continue to run and |. A lever is provided on the shift- sing the machine by hand. Two speeds are provided, the two pulleys on the ne shaft being belt driven from different sized s on the lineshaft. The machine is driven either pulley, one providing a speed of 300 1 the other 500 r.p.m. The driving pul- c Tapping and Countersinking Machine es up to \4 In. in Diameter THE IRON AGE leys are engaged by spring clut spindle bearings are roller bearings and all bearings have bronze bushings. The machine is of simple construction and is designed to combine durability, economy and rapidity of operation with accuracy, uniformity of work and saving of taps The machine is 33 in. high. The clearance from the tap spindle to the column is 4 n. The vert cal adjustment of the table is 8 in., and the d e from the table to the bottom of the spindle is 8 in The driving pulleys are 5 in. in d ter. Its net weight is 125 lb A Collapsing Tap for Shrapnel Shells The Victor Tool Con pany, Waynesboro, Pa., has designed a special type of collapsing tay hrapnel shells. It ma be used either in a turret head or attached to a live One of the points 1 } spindle. upon which special emphasis is laid is the adjust- ment provided for the tension of the throw-off or tripping spring. The body of the tap is made of machinery steel while the chasers high-speed steel. It is emphasized that they made very strong and will withstand the strain of threading shrapnel or high-explosive shells. from the front by a hardened set threads per inch. In this way it is pointed out a fine, accurate and positive adjustment secured and once the tap is set to size, it will stay without slipping. At the other end of the tap is a screw for adjusting the tension on the throw-off or trip ping spring, this being a new feature. When shell is tapped to the proper depth the tripping spring is actuated and the chasers are permitting the withdrawal of the tap without in- jury to the work or the chasers are of are The chasers are adjusted crew having 32 tne collapsed, Small Manganese Ore Imports Manganese ore the fiscal year per cent less than and 46.5 per cent less than those for the year ending June 30, 1913. For the year ending June 30, 1 imports to the United Stat for ending June 30, 1915, were about 28.5 those for the preceding fiscal year they were 206,859 gross tons, against 288,706 1 for the fiscal year 1914 and 387,196 tons for 191 In June this year the imports were 31,011 tons, practica all from Brazil, against 22,461 tons from Russia, India and Brazil in June, 1914. Of the total receipts to June 30, 1915, 58,090 tons or 28.2 per cent were re the period from Jan. 1 to July 1, 1915 The Northern Iron Company’s furnace: at Port Henry, N. Y., which has been inactive since Augu 1914, and meantime has been relined and repaired, wa blown in last week. 618 tenn cone et ta Ae ee ene aimee train met Sa sn pane ins iN i a tare pe neeemnettntie. ~tenteretahtltte tC TL! LE A A eee nme ise Oe meer mepnnnidenpetamreninntted ata LOR ae 1 it CIR a OATS | AO ~~ - ‘ns Reade Al) ANB eat eee iy aati at st oni ni a etme ae ee ine ha ee bmn ge pes 7 anata shpat iis onside 4 Pie ean RL Oe ES Singh Tin i Oc CORR k B=: eB poe = . wey =—* ln as Likely Storm Center if Balkans Join Allies BY N OCCASI The Resicza Steel Works in southeastern Hun- gary are regarded by military men as the coming storm center of immediate military operations in the event of the Balkan countries deciding to join forces with the Allies. The Resicza plant is located in the V formed by the frontier lines of Serbia and Roumania, and is directly in the fore front of any aggressive move of Roumanian or Bulgarian troops. The importance of Resicza as a great mu- nitions manufacturing works, apart from its iron and steel and railroad equipment building facilities, cannot be overestimated. The plant is easily the first of its kind east of Vienna. Its relation to Hungary is that of Le Creusot to France and Krupp to Germany. The possession of Resicza, it is contended in military circles, would be one of the immediate objectives of Balkan forces. There is not an iron or steel works worthy of the name to the south- ward of Resicza. At Galatz in Roumania there is a shipyard, and in Serbia a government small-arms plant, but Resicza represents the last available place for heavy guns and armor forgings after leaving Witkowitz in Moravia. The report of the movements of strong forces of German-Austrian troops recently into south- eastern Hungary may be taken to presage the de- termination to hold Resicza against any sudden on- slaught. It also emphasizes that the initial opera- tions will probably determine the fate of this great plant. Resieza Steel Works, a Likely War iron, Steel and Munitions Manufacturing Plant in Southeastern Hungary—Regarded NAL CONTRIBUTOR 516 Under normal conditions there ar v and 7000 men in the Resicza works r, but the total force including the mines and ployees of branch establishments approximates 18,000, The entire administration is under the direction of the privileged Austro-Hungarian State Railway Con. pany. 7 The location of the steel works is in the moun- tains which line the northern bank of the Danube The furnaces lie grouped in a valley, rock boung in its mountain fastness, and which is approached by a railroad coming from the direction of Vojtek. The country just behind Resicza is the termination yeen 6000 IN I ht nee coy of one of the most wonderful stretches of farming land to be found in all Europe. From Budapest t Temesvar, thence to Vojtek, one sees in harvest time waving fields of grain as far as the eye Ca! reach. The land there is comparable with the greal corn acreage of Kansas and Nebraska. It is ny territory that Germany and Austria have the facli- ties for drawing upon. . To reach Résicza one must traverse the wide grain belt, then climb through the foot hills up the level of the Resicza valley. The Resicza build: ings were acquired by the Austro-Hungarian state Railway from the Austrian Government in 159». The sale comprised about 330,000 acres ol bane. Within this great holding are numerous mines ane all the essentials for the making of iron and ~— with some nickel and chrome for special mixtures. Close to the iron mines are great lime deposit 115 The Blooming Mill at Resicza is probably unexcelled the manufacture of brick. The sup- ore in the vicinity of Resicza is seem- ngly inexhaustible. essentially a _steel-making plant, ilso undertakes large orders in turning out rails, bridge equipment, gas engines and ord- ' great variety. The annual produc- while tne Clay anvwnere Lor aN 1 a LS e work The Rail and THE IRON Structural AGE and Bloom_Sh« tion of steel under normal conditions 100,000 tons, the greater part of which is I roduced by the Siemens-Martin open-hearth process. About 25,000 tons of Bessemer steel is produced annually from three converters. The pig-iron ap proximates 110,000 tons annually. A recently stalled blast furnace is of Pittsburgh design. Resicza makes * bl a} »+ IS avpou output extensive use of Mill 518 THE IRON AGE Se gas, and has been doing so for the past 35 years. an annual output of about 300 i at A large proportion of the power furnished comes’ variety of coal. At Resicza ther: aoe “nig from gas engines. Both blast-furnace and pro- at Anina there are 84 ovens for rn Weithe. ducer gas are used. The Kerpely gas producer is_ coke. et a} employed. The electric generators in service were The ordnance work at Resic; =< all built at Vienna, while Long of Budapest has and siege guns, armor plates for yyy pce ‘ built all the engines. projectiles and transport wagons. Ordinary. 7 The blooming mill is electrically driven. The sicza employs 1400 men in the ma deal Ao 4 diameter of the largest roll is 1 meter and the ratio ment. Practically all the work in ¢} ach ie 4 of gears is one to two. The two motors yield 2000 is paid for on the piece-work basis. we i} effective horsepower, and give 10,000 hp. through The Resicza and Anina rolling I] ms ani} the help of a fly wheel after the Ilgner system. In on an average about 100,000 tons of rolleq cae 2 : the finishing department are a plate mill and a_ yearly. Of this quantity about 25 : se 7 4 ; 3-high rail mill of three stands of rolls. There 10 per cent plates, 5 per cent h , 20 ne a i is also a special tire mill where the work turned girders and 40 per cent various other kings , ; out is probably as fine as can be found anywhere in finished material. 7 } ee ee at en et The Gas Producer Plant Europe. Resicza is the only source in Hungary for The machine and forging shops combined afford t steel tires for railroad wheels. All the high-speed a yearly output of about 10,000 tons of materia, i equipment used on Hungarian railroads comes from consisting in the main of railroad carwhets Resicza. mounted on axles, steel forgings, rough and m* Not far from Resicza is Anina where the chined, and steel castings. The nail and screw 12 Resicza administration has important mines and an tory at Anina produces about 2500 tons of finished iron foundry for general castings. Anina is about nails and screws annually. fourteen miles to the southward of Resicza and The flour mills at Oravicza and Bogsan are may be said to be a complete plant in itself. There turning out about 10,000 tons of flour annuaty, are a blast-furnace installation, a very large coal while the cement works at the former place yie warehouse system and complete works for making about 2500 tons of cement. ; screws and bolts.- A little to the west of Anina Such, briefly, are a part of the produc ne : the Resicza company possesses a complete flour features of the Resicza district and which ma: in mill installation. This latter is at Oraviczabanya. its possession of paramount importance At Roman-Bogsan, in the same district, the Resicza struggle between the German-Austro forces directors undertake to turn out agricultural imple- those of the Balkan states. ments. : es The best coal in Hungary is reputed to come The Wellman- Seaver-Morgan Company, Cievela from Anina. About 15,000 tons of charcoal is pro- Ohio, will shortly begin the erection of two a Yor duced annually for the Resicza works. The char- UNloading machines at Constable Hook, in ont a ; coal plant also produces wood alcohol which is sold harbor, orders for which were placed some Ki These machines will be installed for the Bethlehem - St Company on the Lehigh Valley docks. It is = pected that the plant will be ready for opera tion t next spring. for the most part to German dyeworks. The alco- hol capacity is 845 quarts per day. The coal mined in Anina is especially suitable for coke. There is ex- nefore - A Rect oh-Speed Hack Saw Machine isetts Saw Works, Springfield, tly placed on the market a high- d machine for handling all metals “t e in any of the ordinary lengths. & absorber, an extension frame, a t. d vise and an automatic patent set low on a solid foundation I legs to provide rigidity and 3 rge pan for suds surrounds the bed i 9-gal. tank divided and screened t ank, the pan, the bed and the legs f asting. The power section or head swings on a shaft center, an ar- is relied upon to give a steady, th but little wear and to secure ke of the blade at any angle. The as far as possible, been made heavy machine and readily ac- for taking up the wear are shout the nents or the saw blade are provided, the ade by shifting the starting lever he machine to engage one or the illeys mounted on the driving shaft. are 65 strokes for hard }0 for the softer ones, the speed range ned by using pulleys of different diam- shaft. he descent of the blade is lever controlled and ishioned. The vertical movement of the blade be stopped at any point and a shock absorbing device permits the blade to engage the material gently, it being emphasized that there is no danger f breaking or stripping teeth regardless of the omme nded the main point from which the frame is started to drop. On the completion of the cut the machine stops, an lashpot under the bed acting as a cushion. The oil « extension frame will hold blades ranging from 12 17 in. in length. To vary the length of the frame, it is simply necessary to push a button h re es the locking mechanism and pull the frame out as far as may be desired after which le is inserted without any other manipula- An automatic patent lift which will clear irrespective of the position of the frame itent swivel-jawed vise has a capacity of the rear jaw may be set at any angle deg. in either direction. The front or will adjust itself to the angle of the Developed High-Speed Hack Saw Machine for \ll Kinds of Material Up to 9 In. Square lj ne 915 THE IRON AGE o19 fixed jaw or to an desired, the vise may be