The Iron Age 1915-12-02: Vol 96 Iss 23

ESTABLISHED 1855 New York, December 2. 1915 VOL. 96: No. 23 Machining and Molding Cast Tunnel Linings Special Machinery Employed in the Manu- facture of the Segments for the Tubes Now Being Bored Under the East River BY LOUIS J. The manufacture and inspection of the cast- iron tunnel rings for the New York subway sys- tem for the East River | crossings between Whitehall Street, Man- | hattan and Montague’ | Street, Brooklyn, are | now in progress at the works of the New York | Car Wheel Company, Buffalo, N. Y. The con- tract calls for approxi- mately 40,000 tons of segments, to be deliv- rhe Molds Ready ered at the rate of 50 to 150 tons a day as required. On the completion of this tunnel and the Old Slip-Clark Street tun- nel, which is also under construction, there will be twenty-one subaqueous cast-iron tunnel-lined tubes in the United States. Two are under the St. Clair River, thirteen under the East River and six under the Hudson River. The following table enumerates all the important subaqueous tunnels built in this country in the order of their completion. Name of No. of Com- Constructed Chief Pur Tubes pleted Under Engineer Saint Clair 2 1891 St.ClairRiver Joseph Hobson Bast River Gas I 1894 East River Chas. M. Jacobs Hudson & Manhattar 2 1905 Hudson River Jacobs & Davies Pennsylvania 2 1906 Hudson River Chas. M. Jacobs paar lvania ‘ 1907 East River \lfred Noble — & Manhattan 2 1907 Hudson River Jacobs & Davies Batter 2 1908 East River Wm. Barclay Parsons ee. 2 1915 East River R. A. Shailer eee pe East River Alfred Craven 7 East River Alfred Craver These tunnels are admittedly marvelous accom- plishments as great pieces of engineering, but the foundries in supplying the tunnel plates are equally worthy of special recognition, as their product re- quired the most exacting manipulation of material and ma hinery, besides the utmost discrimination I SUC Ce ; , : . ” successfully meeting the extraordinary demands di om ntract, and this success secured a great stinction for the New York Car Wheel Com- ffalo, N. Y., that furnished a large per- the cast-iron lining used in the construc- pany, B centag: 1279 JOSTEN tion of these tunnels The various diam eters and sections used in the construction of the Whitehall-Montague tunnels are given in the following table. The heavy segments with 9 in. flange are used in the earth formation and the light segments with 7 in. flange in rock forma- tion. These rings are all designed on the same principle and are com posed of a number of segments with radial joints except for a key which tapers in the opposite direction to facilitate erection. Each ring is com for the Pouring posed of nine segments and a key and is 26 in 4 ‘ Veaght 18-0 g 798 1s—( 0 13. 700 { 14.7 long, except the ‘special 23-ft. 9-in. flange ring, which is composed of eleven segments and a key 30 in. long. Special taper rings are also required in connec- tion with the regular straight rings. The special taper rings are similar to the regular ones except that they are wider on one side than the other and are required for all the different types of linings to correct the deviations in line and grade and to pass around curves both vertical and horizontal. The rings are designed in two styles, symmetrical and non-symmetrical. In the latter case all the taper is carried on one side of the ring, while in the symmetrical the taper is divided equally between the two faces. The taper machined in these rings is effected by changing the thickness of the flanges in the segments or by altering the width of the web between the two circumferential flanges. They are ordered in three 1% and 2% in., meaning that the rings have the same width as a standard, straight ring on one side, the width on the other side being increased by *%4, 1% in.. as the case may be. sizes: %4, or 2 ly, 7 1280 THE IRON AGE Lifting and Turning the Table with the Mold Attached After Jolting Great precaution has to be taken in bidding on this class of work, a most searching investigation has to be made to ascertain approximately what is contained in the contract, as the tonnage of iron is taken at a unit price of so much per ton. In this total tonnage the light sections in rock, the heavy sections in earth, the different diameters and the special taper rings are all included. No extra com- pensation of any kind is allowed for the various rings, nor are itemized statements furnished as to the quantity of each. The New York Car Wheel Company has been en- gaged in the manufacture of chilled carwheels for the past thirty years, making wheels from 6 to 43 in. in diameter for service in industrial] railroad work, steam and electric railroad service, also double flange wheels for electric crane service and chilled castings in general. It has been manufacturing tunnel segments for the past ten years, its first order being given by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company in 1905. Various other tunnel contracts have since been taken from time to time, the cores being made and molded by hand up to the present contract, which are all made by machine, both molds and cores. The plant is situated on the shore of the canal, by which the seg- ments are shipped as long as navigation is open to New York City by boat. It is remarkable to note that these boats make | the round trip from Buffalo to New York City in one week. The equipment used, including pat- terns, core-boxes and core-prints, are all | made of metal, there- | by insuring the last December _ jg); curate as t! st. Ir obtaining at tract the Nw Yor Car Whee! se expended n $50). 000 for imp for handling ing these tings The prese: New York subway tunnels are the first segments made by chine. and from close obser. vation the achine- molded segments are a success, not only as to the quality and quantity of molds pro- duced, but also on ae- count of labor condi- tions as no experi- enced molders are re- quired to operate the machines, the only skilled molders em- ployed being those engaged in setting the cores and building up the runner basins. The building in which the segments are molded and cast is one especially erected for this purpose, being an addition built on the side of the main foundry in which the wheels are made. This build- ing is equipped with three overhead traveling cranes, two jib cranes, two Herman jolt machines for making the drags and one for making copes and the conveying outfit, which carries the sand to two large hoppers placed directly over the drag machines. The molten iron is brought in large crane ladles on buggies from the main foundry, which has two cupolas capable of furnishing 350 tons of iron daily. The quality of the iron used in the castings is de- termined by the “Arbitration Bar,” which has to withstand a minimum breaking strength under a transverse load of 3000 lb., a deflection of not less than 0.10 in. and a chemical analysis of not more than 0.6 per cent phosphorus and not more than 0.12 per cent sulphur. mold and core as ac- The Mold Receiving Table Lowered and the Pattern Drawn 1915 Decem! K ng the wooden deep is ; the flask iide, sand wn in the with the machine ed the re- nber of is usually » give the the mold he sand is off and board is sition and This board sufficient ess to prevent the mold k, which is currence rl designed irds in this work. The with the mold is fted and turned as shown. It will be seen that the follow board is securely fastened to e of the machine and the flask in turn is ned to the follow board, this arrangement giv- ng the maximum jarring effect. After the ma- ble is turned over to the drawing position, yhich is directly over the mold receiving table, able is moved upward by air until the mold ipon it. The two hooks on each side of the which hold the flask securely to the follow are now unfastened, the vibrator is then put tion, which loosens the pattern from the nd while the vibrator is in use the mold re- table is lowered and the pattern drawn he mold. No venting of the mold is neces- s dependence can be placed on the porosity of ling sand. The mold is gated in the center ircumferential flanges. The machine table the follow board and pattern is next swung to jar another mold. The mold is xen from the receiving table by a crane to ng floor to have the cores set. i piace Machining the Taper Rings with a Special THE IRON Three Rings Assembled it Hor AGE 1281 Determine Accura of Mac} nz The copes are made upon a plain jolt machine with a follow board of a curvature of one-half the diameter of the outside of the ring. The curvature of the flask is to match. After the mold is jolted the molder builds the runner basin for pouring. The cope machine is capable of turning out a greater number of molds in the same length of time than the drag machine and for this two drag machines were installed. The side cores required for the mold are also made by machine and the end cores forming the five bolt holes and bosses are made by The side The bolt circumferential and longitudinal shank of reason hand in one piece. cores are nailed so both the flanges are the bolt used in erection The machine shop at the as to prevent floating holes in cored '4 In. larger than the ; New York Car Wheel Company contains three specially constructed side milling machines, one end milling machine and a machine for finishing the special taper rings. These machines were all built by this company ten eived the first order from the Rail road At the present time it is not vears ago when it re Pe nnsy\ lvania nece sary to construct an spec ial side or end milling machines there are various types on the market suitable for this class of work The machine, even of to- that would re- quire special construc- that for ma- chining the rings. The machine designed and _ con- structed by the New York Car Wheel Com- pany for machining taper rings consists of a revolving table run- ning on 2-in. ball bearings. The table is made to revolve from a driving gear onl day, tion is taper Machine Sa ple a ea align Pea a ern nS © SN RIN Tractor as OI ee en et ener nce eer eee: vO ees ce ea eee —_ — 2 anne on Bes 1282 THE IRON AGE Decem meshed into the rack of the table and has numerous slots for clamping. It is made large enough to machine rings from 16 to 23 ft. in diameter and is built up in sections. The table is made to revolve between the cross-head and slide of an ordinary planing machine. The individual segments for a taper ring are first machined on one side of the circumferential flange on the side milling machine. After they are finished they are run through the end milling ma- chine to machine both the longitudinal flanges. The key is also put through this same operation. The segments and the key are then bolted up in a com- plete ring with the machined side next to the re- volving table of the taper machine. After this is done the ring is wedged up to the proper height and the taper machined in it, the ring being held se- curely to the revolving table by bolts and clamps. The regular straight segments are first run through the side milling machine to mill both cir- cumferential flanges at the same time, and after that both longitudinal flanges are milled on the end milling machine. From time to time as the engi- neer or inspector deems it necessary three rings are ordered to be assembled in a horizontal position as shown, under which conditions the faces of the rings thus bolted up shall be true surfaces. The outer edge of the face of any ring must not vary any- where more than )% in. from a true circle, nor shall the circumference vary more than 1% in. in any ring. The rings ordered assembled at the shop are erected by the broken joint method the same as in the con- struction of the tunnel. By this method of construc- tion where the adjoining segments span the joints, a rigid circular section is insured. It is absolutely necessary that all similar segments, except taper rings, must be of such uniformity in dimensions that they will be interchangeable with each other and with similar segments of other rings of the same type. The spacing of the bolt holes must be so accurate that any two rings can be bolted in any relative position. The machine shop must be equipped to machine a maximum capacity of approximately 144 seg- ments a day and 16 keys. This amount is based upon the amount of rings that are erected in each head- ing, which is usually 3 to 4 rings a day. As these tunnels are driven from both shores of the river at the same time, four headings will be in opera- tion. For this reason the foundry furnishing the segments, if it has the entire contract, must have such capacity to keep these four headings supplied when in full operation. Grinding Gas Plugs for Shrapnel Shells Charles H. Besly & Co., Chicago, IIl., have adapted their grinding machines for a number of operations on shrapnel and high-explosive shells. Among the work handled by these machines is the finishing of the inner face of base plates or gas plugs for high-explosive shells, removing the stub ends left for centers on 3-in. shrapnel shells and also facing the ends of both shrapnel and high-ex- plosive shells. In facing the gas plugs a special chuck is used for holding the piece while for the other work the shells are dropped into a circular recess in the workholder on the table and backed up by an angle plate. The grinding is done by vitrified ring wheels held in a pressed steel chuck. These wheels are 16 in. in diameter and 4 in. deep when new and may be worn down to 1 in. in depth before being dis- carded, as the wheel can be set out in the chuck 1915 4 Double-Spindle Grinding Machine Equipped with a § Rotary Chuck for Finishing Gas Plugs or Bas: High-Explosive Shells from time to time. The action of the grinding wheel rotates the work while the grinding of gas plugs is being done. The plugs are threaded and the inner face roughed off in a screw machi! The special rotary chuck used has three threaded to engage the threads on the plug and where unthreaded beveled base plates or gas plugs are to be ground unthreaded beveled jaws are su! stituted. The output of these machines is 60 to 80 plugs an hour for each operator depending upon the amount of stock to be removed. These machines are also supplied with work holders for facing the ends of high-explosive shells having a maximum diameter of 4.5 in. after | base plate or gas plug has been inserted in the sh« and the square projection on the plate removed sawing, twisting or grinding. After this has beer done a maximum of 1/16 in. of stock remains to be ground from the rear face of the gas plug, whic! 3% in. in diameter, to make it flush with the bas the shell. The hourly output on this work is fron 15 to 40 shells for each operator, depending on the amount of stock to be removed. The machine employed is of the double-spind type with oscillating geared lever feed work tables the spindle being 2 in. in diameter and running inserted renewable bushings. Hardened and gr tool steel thrust collars are provided to take th end thrust. All parts subject to wear are renewab' and provisicn is made to compensate for wear CT The Special Rotary Chuck with Three Thread Gripping the Gas Plugs while the Inner Face Is ! - oo 20 to 1 is provided for the geared lever od ti The machine is equipped with water d piping. Whe: used for removing the stub ends left for enters the shells workholders with a circular ae provided. The hourly output of this ma- in. shrapnel shells is 200 pieces. A 21-Ft. Pneumatic Riveting Machine What are believed to be the two largest pneu- atic riveting machines ever constructed have been lt by the Hanna Engineering Works, 2059 Elston Avenue, Chicago, Ill. The machines have a reach ¢ 21] ft. and are designed to exert a pressure of 100 tons on a rivet die with an air pressure of 100 lb. it is pointed out that by installing a pressure regu- ve in the air supply line, the air pressure t the nder can be changed quickly to vary the pressure on the rivet dies to produce the tonnage lered best by the operator for the size of rivet ng driven. This machine, which weighs 40 tons, is the same ts general design and operation as the one which iatic Riveting Machine Having a Reach Ft. and Capable of Exerting a Pressure of 100 Tons on the Rivet Die istrated in THE IRON AGE, April 8, 1915. In hine toggles, levers and guide links are ned to give the large opening of the toggle ement with its gradually increasing pres- the desired point is reached, after which simple lever movement through a consid- e under approximately maximum pres- cylinders of these machines have a piston 22 in. corresponding to a travel of the f 5°94 in. The toggle action takes place first part of the piston travel which rep- proximately 434 in. of the die travel. At the mechanism changes automatically into ever action without a critical point, and nch of the last 11 in. of piston travel ll move forward 1/11 in. or a total of } : last part of the piston travel. This ar- eliminates any necessity of extremely Decen 2, 1915 THE IRON AGE 1283 careful adjustment of the die screw on account of the relatively large distance through which the rated pressure is exerted. There is also no neces sity for striking a rivet more than once as the rivet is set with a predetermined pressure at each blow. While the lever action is taking place the die moves slowly, thus tending to provide time for the metal in the rivet to flow and to fill the hole com- pletely in addition to giving an opportunity for the rivet to set before the pressure is entirely released on the return part of the lever action. For this reason it is also possible to drive cold rivets due to the automatic slowing up of the motion which gives the metal time to flow. Controlling Rio Grande Flood Waters Reference was made in THE IRON AGE of Sept. 16, page 667, to the work of C. F. Z. Caracristi as special consulting engineer of the International Boundary Commission and the Santa Helena international dam in the Grand Canyon of Santa Helena (not Lajitas Can yon), Rio Grande River. This project will control 60 per cent of the flood waters of the Rio Grande and make the boundary permanent. The United States Govern ment alone has spent $800,000 in the past 40 years in studying this work, but the engineers failed to look for the flood area, which is in the Sierra Madre in Mexico, the flood waters reaching the Rio Grande through the Rio Conchos, Mexico. The Mexican engi neers in a like period spent $400,000. Thus the two countries jointly expended $1,200,000 on useless maps and official positions without reaching any practical re sult. As soon as boundary line maps were made—in fact, often before they were even compiled—the river would rise and this country would exchange territory with Mexico over night and the survey would be use less. The reservoir as projected will hold 13,600,000 acre ft. of water and in addition have a reserve ca pacity to be used in case of accident to the Elephant Butte dam in New Mexico and the Conchos dam in old Mexico, of an additional 5,400,000 acre ft. This is done to protect the lower Rio Grande Valley. It will be by far the largest reservoir in America. The whole pro ject will go before Congress as a part of the commis sion’s report next December. Radiation Pyrometers The Bureau of Standards has issued a bulletin, No. 250, on “Characteristics of Radiation Pyrometers,” by George K. Burgess and Paul D. Foote. It discusses the principles of radiation pyrometry, considering mainly the various types of radiation instruments, their calibration, sources of error, including the various factors which may influence their indications, and their adaptability to the measurement of temperatures. It is shown that when stitably designed, adequately cali- brated and correctly used there are several trust- worthy instruments of this type having many practical advantages, while it is also made clear that the radi- ation pyrometer is subject to many influences which may seriously limit the accuracy of its readings unless proper precautions are taken. In all some twenty in- struments are examined, including the Féry, Foster, Thwing and Brown pyrometers. The Timken Chicago office has been removed to 1335 Peoples Gas Building. This office, which is in charge of P. W. Hood, as Western representative of the Timken Roller Bearing Company and the Timken- Detroit Axle Company, was formerly at 1347 South Michigan Boulevard, which had come to be regarded as too far from the business center. As illustrating the far-reaching effects of the heavy demand for war supplies, it is mentioned that the Wenatchee Valley Box Agency, in eastern Washington, has recently closed a contract for thirty carloads of boxes for use in shipping shrapnel. a a ee « oT RE ee ee = er ne ne Errante aati lonearmsgapes PER RE NT AL IE aR 1284 OPEN-HEARTH FURNACE ROOF Orth Rib Type and the Better Furnace Produc- tion Resulting—Patching Eliminated Mention was made in THE 1915, of service ob- tained from open-hearth furnace roofs through the use of the Orth method of Citation was made at that time of an average pro- duction of 17,041 tons per roof increased to an aver- age of 24,600 tons. IRON AGE, July 29, the considerable extension of reinforced construction. Other reports show an average number of heats per roof increased from 387 with the ordinary construction to 537 with the reinforced roof. The securing of this larger production results from the retention of the open-hearth roof in service through the use of a system of reinforcement and repair beyond the point where, with ordinary con- struction, the burning away of the roof brought it to a condition of collapse. the _ reinforced roof and the ap- plication of its advantages to op- erating practice are indicated in t h e accompany- ing drawings. A s_ indicated in the cross-sec- tional view, the arch is built, preferably, with ribs of special brick shapes hav- ing a depth usu- ally from 3 to 6 would have The design of THE IRON in. greater than the regular roof brick. In some instances the con- Top View of a Newly Built Furn ‘ } ( Arch Constructior for Hearth Furnace Roofs struction is simplified to the point of alternating courses of 9 and 12 in. brick. These ribs, spaced at centers varying from 24 to 36 in., are relied upon to take practically all of the transverse thrust ce Roof with Ribbed Reinforcement AGE Decen 2, 1915 Rib Reinforcement STG: ces Sedna intermediate Section 4 ( j 4 Cross-Sectional View Showing Typical Exam, ing and Application of Rib Reinfor through also _—_ supporti! to a cons extent, the vening courses. VW the furnace r relieved of function of porting itself, the extent to which it may safely be permitted to be burned away, 0ob- viously, is in- creased. It stated that the ordinary furnac roof must be r placed when more than an a\ erage of 30 per cent of its thickness is burned away, largely for the reason that the burning of the r is excessive in patches, developing thin spots ove! an area, which, though limited, endangers the enti: roof. With the reinforced roof construction, thé average burning away of the roof, it is claimed, brought up to 60 per cent, and roofs have been tinued in service when burned to a thickness ‘ in. in the thin spots. The cross-section presents a typical examp! how the roof burns out in spots, generally at p' opposite the furnace doors, and the manner in whi the very thin remaining section of the roof is car ried by the rib courses. With the use of rib courses the line of thrust is raised with respect to the roo! cross-section, so that with the roof burned out, | a over a large area, there still remains the ful sistance to crushing, up to the strength of the fractory material. With the larger exterior sv! face exposure of the refractory, due to the contou of the ribbed section of the roof, the maximu! strength of the brick is more permanently effectiv Tests made on samples of refractory taken trom , upper portions of rib brick of discarded open-heart roofs that had been through a full term of ser\'™ and having the same area as the remaining porto” of rib courses at an ordinary thin spot in the! gave the following results: re r Sample Effective Orem, BG. I. ico csc scesss oan eed 3 Ultimate crushing load, lb. per sq. in.... 3,28 Ultimate crushing load, total Ib..........- 111,9 Speed of machine, 175 in. per min : eS ~A — 30% burned away fo. = ER Pee y : Be CVT. cd DcMeledad ne of ~A Sect.A-A Thrust ediate x Rib Reinforcement a tian ~*~ SS ty s S 08 burned away to this | a ‘ PELE LEED SE Cine of “~“B so to be noted that as the refractory burns remaining thickness of material increases yr the reason that radiation of heat from s greater and its reduction retarded. nethod of reinforced construction also ssible a system of repair, when it does be- essary, which, it is said, restores the orig- gth of the roof more effectively than is with ordinary methods of patching. The the rib courses, in the most approved con- n, is made with a slight draft, the brick wider at the bottom. A wedging action is set up sufficient to support new roof brick se- when laid in over any area between two ribs. s repairing may.be done over much larger areas ne time than is possible where in the common strains set up by the expansion of any con- siderable area of new brick would wreck it, for the n that the ribs not only separate the patched ons into smaller areas, but also take up the ists that are set up by the new brick as it be- es hot. It is also unnecessary, as may be readily lerstood, to cool down the furnaces to the point sary in the repairing of common roofs, and in fact alone a large saving is effected. The rib rcement is an essential factor in preserving a nace roof when for any reason the furnace has led down and reheated again, an operation with the ordinary roof not infrequently re- n collapse. With the division of the roof into by reason of the rib construction, a small { the roof may drop without affecting the re- ng portions. An additienal feature included in the improved struction of the Orth roof has to do with the n of the furnace binding. In the ordinary tion the burning away of the refractory at on of the roof and side walls of the furnace exposes the channels which tie in the roof, he result that they burn and are required to be ced. As shown in one of the drawings the eight or thickness of brick afforded by rea- the presence of the rib courses permits a ' the channels and a readjustment of the of the roof brickwork with that of the so that the thickness of refractory in front annel is greatly increased, prolonging the its protection correspondingly. ; nt F. A. Seiberling of the Goodyear Tire & mpany, Akron, Ohio, recently addressed a Goodyear men at San Francisco by tele- arrangement with the American Telephone ph Company sixty-five Pacific coast repre- were assembled in the telephone exhibit the- Panama-Pacific Exposition. In the Akron miles away, sat a party of officers with eceivers clamped to the ears, while the San ompany were similarly equipped. The tele- rence lasted for 30 min. THE IRON AGE 1285 Submarine Mining of Wabana Iron Ore Iron ore reserves of for the 90,000,000 tons were estimated ubmarine deposits of the Wabana (Newfound land) mines by Charles L. Cantley, assistant to the president of the Nova Scotia Steel & Coal Company, in an address before the New York Section of the Min- and Metallurgical Society of America, Thursday vening, Nov. 18. Mr. Cantley exhibited maps of the egion and gave an interesting account of early opera tions. Iron ore was mined as early as 1815 and in 1850 to 1857 pig iron was made in that region which was regarded as excellent for cannon, much of it being hipped to England. Coke was made in 1840 and coal washers installed in the late eighteen eighties. The Wabana deposits were discovered in 1895. They are 6 miles long and 2 miles wide and vary in thick from 114 to 14 ft The average composition is 53 per cent iron, 7 to 9 per cent silica and 0.70 to 0.85 per cent phosphorus. In describing the submarine deposits, which are eparate from the land deposits on Bell Island and which are being worked DY the Nova Scotia Steel & Coal Company through a land seam owned by the Dominion Iron & Steel Company, Mr. Cantley stated that developments so far bear out earlier estimates The deposit extending out under the sea, which was discovered in 1905, apparently reaches out 12 to 15 miles on the major axis and 5 miles on the minor. Present operations extend 1 mile from the shore with the vein of ore thickness. The composition is remarkably uniform and of one grade having not less than 50 per cent iror averaging 30 ft. in ind under 10 per cent silica. The slope is 17 ft. in the clear, on which 80-lb. rails.are laid, the power being el! electric. About 900 men are employed. Total shipments of iron ore from the district have averaged 1,500,000 tons per year, of which 1,000,000 tons has gone to Sydney, 250,000 tons to Europe and 250,000 tons to Philadelphia. Some 80,000 tons per year goes to Westphalia, Germany. Shipments have been made to Great Britain. That country is so wedded to the acid open-hearth process, the speaker said, that it prefers to use Norwegian and Spanish ores Fast steamers take the ore 400 miles seven months in the year to Sydney, Nova Scotia, where nine blast furnaces convert it into pig iron, the output averaging 450,000 to 500,000 tons per year This is all made into steel in that district, nearly 300,000 tons of rails and 60,000 to 70,00 tons of wire and bars being pro duced. In the last six or seven months at least 3,000,000 shell forgings have been turned out. The recent appointment of W. C. Dawson as Bo livian consul at Seattle, Wash., made by Ignacio Cal deron, minister to the United States from Bolivia, as a result of the work of the Seattle Chamber of Com merce, places that city strongly in line to become an important tin-smelting center. The tin smelter of the Jamme syndicate, at South Seattle, built about a year ago to treat tin ore from Alaska, is being enlarged to care for the new business. + s \Y « a) bCour a R Se f*. a - x a \ > he ‘ ~ a* 4 - r 5 | Lyx *& x 5 f as \ \.' 8 i “ ds \ \ 2. “2 ' 4 Sw + v5 4 "5 \ | f it) X \ % \ ‘ , Ww) f X ‘ £ Y ‘ , 4 i Za i Interm a” — a rzi® Intermediate = 2 Section ack Wall Leese The Orth Method of Supporting the Furnace Roof in Whic! the Channel Is Raised to Minimize its Exposure. The Practice of the Illinois Steel Company at the Right ig ee f . t | . : Te American Automatics to Rescue in Fr: nce The Shops of France Reorganized Through the Purchase of Production Screw Machines Under Direction of a Chicago Plant Foreman BY O. J. This is a story of Emerson’s beaten path to the retreat of the specialist. In this case the path had its beginning in France and it ended on the fifth- floor, screw-machine department of the Felt & Tar- rant Mfg. Company, Chicago. The specialist is William F. Carmody, foreman of the department. In the IRON AGE of Feb. 6, 1913, an article appeared dealing with the production of small parts on screw machines, being a description of some of the opera- tions involved in the manufacture of the comp- tometer. The work described was being done on a battery of specially-rigged Brown & Sharpe screw machines. The special features of these machines were the devices of Mr. Carmody, and their adapta- tion in a number of instances has become standard to the Brown & Sharpe line of tools, extending their automatic features and increasing their production. That is the prologue. When the war struck France her greatest need was ammunition. Her factories available for that purpose were too few in number. The machine tool equipment of such factories had been purchased from Belgium and Germany. Even had this source of supply continued to exist, the types of machines previously used, lacking as they did practically all automatic features, were hopelessly inadequate to the production requirements. Without knowing, ap- parently, just what they were seeking, the French Government turned to America for the organization of its factories on a rapid production basis. Orders for much of the ammunition itself were placed in this country, but the making of fuses has been largely undertaken by the French factories. For this work the Brown & Sharpe automatic machines, Cleveland automatics and Warner & Swasey turret lathes were immediately bought in large numbers. Manufacturers of the machines were then con- fronted with the inexperience of the French manu- facturer and the French mechanic in the operation of these high-speed large production units, and the problem became at once a question of making effec- tive the capacity of the tool. And here the Brown & Sharpe Mfg. Company turned to the man in Chi- cago who had so ingeniously adapted its machines to the work described in the article mentioned above. FRENCH MECHANIC LACKS APPLICATION Mr. Carmody has just returned from six months in France. His experience was interesting indeed. The French mechanic knows nothing about work- ing under pressure. Apparently he is unfit for it temperamentally, and he lacks the incentive of high wages. Unquestionably the failure of French man- ufacturers to adopt automatic machinery heretofore may be attributed, in the first place, to the limited cultivation of markets for their manufactures and to the fact that the cost of labor does not justify a high first-cost for labor-saving machinery. The French machinist on day-turn starts to work at seven, quits at twelve, resumes at two and continues until seven, a 10-hr. day. The night shift puts in the remaining twelve hours of the twenty-four on the same schedule. Cigarette smoking during work- ing hours is almost incessant. The average mechanic lacks application, and ABELL while the many romantic stories of the valour of th French and their patriotism are not to b: the threat of the trenches is the most pot: ence that the ammunition factory managers seep able to wield in securing from the mechanics that interest in their work which is necessary to operat. ing the high-production machines, that have heey installed, at their maximum capacity. Certain it is in the experience of those who have been in touch with conditions in the shops, that the men brought back from the front to work in the shops (and the; are paid at the same rate for this service as at the front) accept the opportunity with greatest eager ness. WOMEN BETTER OPERATIVES THAN MEN The women of France are being trained in t operation of these automatic machines and hav proved themselves much more trustworthy opera tives than the men, both with respect to the inspe: tion of the work and the operation of the machines The women seem imbued with their own responsi- bility as a factor in protecting the men at the front through their care in turning out only correct ma- terial. They also follow instructions to the letter The men seem unable to resist an inclination t tinker with the automatics after they are once ad- justed to a job, and when pieces begin to run under size or over size they are prone to attempt the remed) themselves rather than to call upon some one con- petent. One of the great prejudices that had to be overcome was the belief on the part of the Frenc! manufacturer that no operative could attend to more than one machine, and in one case it required ar actual demonstration by Mr. Carmody, who ran te! machines continuously, unaided, to convince a plant operator that it was possible. PRIMITIVE PRACTICES The extent to which hand labor and slow-spee¢ tools have been employed in France, up to the tim of the present emergency, has retarded greatly the development of transmission equipment. Industria France is keenly interested in electricity. Its eng! neers lean very markedly toward this branch. 1 consequence nearly all machine tool drive is elec- trical and individual, plants very largely purchas- ing their power from central stations. In most 0! the plants, however, in which Mr. Carmody orgat- ized the Brown & Sharpe installations, group drives were set up, but there are no adjustable self-oiling ball-bearing hangers to be had. Most of the hang- ers consisted of a piece of flat iron shaped to carr a solid box and bolted to the ceiling above. Thert has been no double-ply belting in use except wher in some instances single-ply belts have been crudely laced together. Instances are cited of variations in the width of a belt in service of from 1°: to 3 in. Belt lacing, either with leather thongs steel wire, using a belt lacing machine, seems ™ to have been practised at all. The usual metho’ was to lay the two ends of the belt, face to face, an° pointing in the same direction, fastening them to gether with clips about an inch or so from the en¢. Such a device was, of course, impossible with th 1286 pecerr er 2, 1915 | automatics where the clearances are belt-lacing machines were ordered from d States. PERMANENCY OF NEW METHODS vakening of France to the possibilities of machine production, if it is followed by a vy of such practice, may be largely cred- e specialist in the Chicago fifth-floor shop. in times of peace that are to follow the resent demand for greatest possible production, the f labor and the condition of industry will a continuation of high-speed methods is nen to question, but already the operators of many hich have been commandeered for govern- irposes are looking forward to the time shen they will use their new equipment in their own esses. The manufacture of motor vehicles will tract a number of them, and in this line there is ent opportunity for the automatic machine. eat variety of screws, studs, bolts, collars all parts that we are accustomed, in this try, to produce on screw machines, has, in been manufactured on ordinary lathes with oling, at which the French mechanic is par- larly adept. Duplex High-Speed Hack Saw Machine A hack saw machine employing two blades has eveloped by the Clarence E. Van Auken Com- “216 North Clinton Street, Chicago, Ill. The ades move up and down in unison, one cutting on down stroke and the other on the up. In this way the sawing operation is a continuous one, both saws feeding alternately into the stock and releas- the return stroke. When the machine is idle ere is no pressure on the blades. [he machine is equipped with the features found single-blade machines, including positive drive, automatic stop, adjustable tension ently Developed High-Speed Hack Saw ne Equipped with Two Blades for Cutting Material from Opposite Sides THE IRON AGE 1287 feed, stock gage, etc. The saw frames, which are of heavy seamless tubing, are operated by the cus tomary crank, cross-head and guide mechanism lo- cated inside the column, and the lower end of the frames have ball check valves which work up and down in the cooling solution contained in the hol- low machine base thus forcing the liquid through the tubing and down on the saws. In this way no lubrication is required for the saws as they are kept flooded with the cooling solution when the machine is running. By reversing the blades it is possible to secure full service from them. The vise screw has both right and left threads which actuate both jaws and keep the work in a central position. For handling short lengths of stock a hold-down attachment is provided and the handle of the operating device screw can be placed on either side as may be desired. The drive is by direct belt which can be led from either side to the overhead shaft by shifting the idler pulley and it is possible to operate the machine from either side. Two sizes of the machine are built, one for handling stock up to 4 in. square or in diameter, while the other will handle 8-in. stock. The stroke of the smaller machine is 6'% in. and that of the larger is 1 in. greater. The length of the saw blades is 12 and 17 in. respectively and the speed of operation is 135 r.p.m., which gives 270 cutting strokes. Both machines have the bottom of the vise 24 in. above the floor and the size of the floor flange in both is 10 x 16 in. If desired motor driven machines can be furnished, Some Pertinent Pig-Iron Figures From the market report, dated Nov. 27, of the 27, Matthew Addy Company, Cincinnati, the following is taken We—the United States—are now making approxi- mately at the rate of 37,500,000 tons of iron a year But because the first half of the year was dull, the year’s output will not much exceed 31,000,000 tons. In 1913 we had up to that time the greatest production— 30,966,000 tons. Taking the statistics by periods of ten years we find: Tons 1905 22,992,000 1RO5 9.446.000 188 4,044,000 In a period of 30 years the increase in iron produc- tion has been nearly 800 per cent. To get a compara- tive view of these figures in 1913—the last normal year abroad—the pig-iron production was: Tons United States 30,966,000 Germany 19,004,000 England 10,482,000 France 4 227 000 Russia 4,475,000 Oth ‘ 7.873.000 Ar the whole world 78,027 So to-day, on the face of the returns, the United States is making half the iron which the whole world produced two years ago. As a matter of fact, the pro- duction of iron has been so greatly reduced in Europe by the war there is no doubt that we are producing a great deal more than half the iron which civilization is making at the present moment. Iron prices are higher than they have been since 1908, but they are $5 a ton lower than they were in 1907. Speaking in a general way, prices are now about where they were in the early part of 1906. There is nothing abnormally high about them. Looking over the records it seems fair to say that to-day the quota- tions on iron are about in line with what they wer previously during periods of active business A motor truck of % to 1 ton capacity to sell for $1,250 has been eons out by the Kissel Motor Car Company, Hartford, Wis. It has a 32-hp. four-cylinder motor and a worm gear drive an a SEN aha PE TF A PS ey a Single Purpose Machines in Shell Mal.ing > What Machines and How Many Needed to Produce 100 Shrapnel or 100 High-Explosive Shells Per Hour BY C. A. TUPPER In the manufacture of projectiles for field guns conditions under which early contracts were taken necessitated the use of shop equipment already in service, together with such new machines as were then obtainable. At best it was a question of adapting existing plants to a new purpose rather than deliberately trying to plan layouts which would be most suitable. Now, however, that the first rush is over, many shops are being re-equipped along the lines dictated by experience in shell manufacture, and plants built especially to meet the require- ments of the new industry have been designed ac- cordingly. In the movement, the use of “single-purpose”’ tools has become prominent. The following is in- tended to show their application to the production of shrapnel cases and then of high-explosive shells from both forgings and the solid bar. Taking 100 shells per hour (single shift) as the output upon which, or multiples thereof, projectile making is now generally figured, we may evolve a com- bination of machines and A very simple cut-off machine, with suit ing attachment, will suffice. The operat rapidly performed and should take not 3 min. With a spare machine included ordinarily be required. re STOCKY LATHES FOR ROUGH CUTS OF Ey Equipment for the next stage after may consist of ten to twelve plain, stocky lathes One standard method used is to chuck each shel on an expanding mandrel and take a roughing rt over the entire exterior, at the same time re ing the band seat. Three tool posts can be simultaneously, with a more rapid feed for the band seat cutter than for the others if the band seat is grooved out at this stage. It is necessar to use machines which will stand up under heavy cuts. The material is likely to be very hard in spots due to unequal cooling of the forging. cut CeSS- ised as THE MACHINES FOR Ror. ING SHELLS . . B ie ie Ie Table N | Vachines for Shrapnel Vaking 100 Per y operations for, say, 3-In. Hou Roughing out and fip- ‘ shrapnel from forgings Additional tah? . sade — - P ra ° _ Equi] Maximum Machines : ishing the boring of the about as follows: ment Number of for Solid shell bodies will require Group Operatiol Machines 3ar Work : REFITTED STANDARD TOOLS sai 7 the use of twenty or $ ‘cough facing base 2 (or 4) (6 or more ( g ° \ 3 ais FOR PRELIMINARY fodiens more spindles, either OPERATIONS 2 Trimming and reaming open ee or multi- xe { . ead machines. This is rs s : " - o hnouegl turning shell body - ° = . ai . With one 01 two gang ah ‘nieaieiins Wii teks 12 an operation which con- millers (of so-called { Boring (roughing and fin sists of two cuts eacl ‘ 1 , x]< me ) shing interior of forging) 2 ‘ . , rs planer or slab = Po7s ib Boring (if from solid bar) 12 (heavy) for the powder pocket large a men S OI Nosing forging (in press) 2 and lower and upper dia- arge-swing lathes ar- : ‘ ; large wae . = es pumps and phragm seats, the dril! ranged with special cir- auxiliary heads being equally d cular chucks, as de- : — sii i a nt) vided hiahiiones the c a ° a ; inis voring, hreac iz an 5 ugn- scribed in THE IRON facing nos , 6 ing and finishi Thor ; ishing. There AGE, Sept. 9, the bases i Finishing turning bods , oo sane Sg 3 . . ‘inishing dand seat 0 : . « GALTalixt of the shell forgings can ’ Cutting the band es ment of tools held be economically faced. 0 Banding (in presses) Eo position for each cut ° . i 2 s ith 5 . 4 This, of course, simply pumps, etc = Horizontal drilling ma- means refitting standard if hy- = chines built. on the order tools for special service, 11 Profiling band ec nn = of a lathe, as well ali > j ff ac LZ Finishing base 5 f : ? F = making the oe effe ct 13 Grinding (if done) 6 : = lathes themselves, nav single-purpose machines. 14 Machining diaphragms 2 = been found verv effectiv De saa sie aq > ta Saw, drill, slotter and mil- = re If a central boss only i: ar Gat aen eee ' = for these operations. left, and the forging 1S 1 Tool room equipment, dupli = leading equipment nous otherwise satisfactory, a ed throughout, as ex e . . . ed in text simple type of facing Ss (or more) Says on this point: “We have always recon . ” a Table Vo. 2 luxiliaries to Machine and Tess Tork machine “ ill be be st on Shi om : ; ; . e mended lathes reast I P suited to the work; four Equil Num- 2 ably heavy — with tur weal . 2 ire ment ber of z ' "och : such being required. Group Apparatus Pieces = Yets and different tools Under ordinary circum- 17 Sand blast outfit with four pairs of noz- = for the different stances the use of the ee ne Sorel Sas ee gang millers mentioned [wo 5-hole or one 10-hole furnace for nos- => tion we have seen is at ee ee Rai ing, preferably the former Oss ee 2 3 ge : is the most economical. 19 Furnaces for annealing... sive nee 2 = the rate of five per h After gaging to 0 Furnaces for re-annealing or tempering. . 2 = per machine.” length from the inside + F ernan pee saaeee referal ly le “t n.. : 5 It should be borne 1! “~ urnace pyrometers, preferably electric.. 6 S ’ , sot of the powder pocket, the 23 Oil baths for tempering................. 4 = mind that we are con- m a ge acco 24 Scleroscopes ieor 2 = : . ° shells are then passed = 5 Seueies aul vases - & sidering the manufac- to a battery of cut-off = 6 Painting machines cacveuaens 3 = ture of shrapnel cases machines, each forging = 27 4 _ os jigs, fixtures, dies, gauges and = from forgings If made ° = DATO bb os K¥tg.cd Skee Se eRee dake eee = Ss. L ii being chucked by the 3 28 Equipment for making wooden shipping s from the solid bar, closed end and trimmed 3 WD ice CidchaasvaeintoanssaReeeae called for in many recent reamed at the open end. Zim tl is contracts, the boring be 1288 15 THE IRON AGF 1289 _ rate of produc be the | 2 CIM faa pore tion which we are that De considering. high- my i iH {| ” The banding shells, ie l operation tsel arther | requires furnaces - - 4-F and two special rming = | presses. In one -s of Lope LTT aaaaAQ.qaxzZAKZQ “iy of the latter two R3 R4 Rs Ra 23 : c which has been Irnacee DIAGRAM OF OPERATIONS ON SHRAPNEL SHELL ves successfully special used, the dies first esses oF swag Ths numbers refer te semmpment guns in Table No. 1, For banding and pro- strike a sharp g ichines R + F = roughing and finishing > blow and then ex- suld suffice. ert sufficient pres- ad baths, with pins over which to invert the shells, .y be substituted for the side-hole furnaces. The boring and threading of the nose, as wel! ing off its end, can be carried out on not to exceed six special machines for that purpose. Each shell is held by its base in a jaw chuck, and the parts of the operation take place with a single EQUIPMENT FOR SHELL BODY EXTERIOR FINISH nishing the exterior of the shell body, includ- ing the nose, which must naturally be left until fter the press-work of “‘nosing-in,” when shrapnel s are made from forgings, can be accomplished battery of machines similar to those used for rough turning, twelve to fourteen being neces- one or two spares are allowed for. Each is centered by a threaded driving plug in the end and held by a jaw chuck at the base. Manufacturing automatic” machines, if obtain- le for this purpose, will do the work in the least but only a very ordinary lathe is essential. The finishing of the band seat, undercutting waving, will take lathes of the same general as those for the roughing and finishing cuts body. A turret tool post enables all the iry operations to be performed at one setting, r waving there is a special arrangement has already been described fully in THE N AGE, June 24 and Sept. 9. This is essentially gle-purpose apparatus and can be nothing else. [he statement has been made to the writer from narily reliable source that these operations 100 shells per hour could be accomplished with ithes. This means an output of twenty for chine per hour, or one every 3 min., includ- nand