The Iron Age 1916-06-15: Vol 97 Iss 24

ESTABLISHED 1855 operation and they con- sume over 40 tons of bar stock each day, using stock as large as 314 in. in diameter. The entire layout was carefully studied and the building designed to take care of the manufacture of these small parts. The method of conveying the stock, the steel shaving bins, handling the fin- ished product and many other labor-saving de- vices were provided for in the design of the building. Literally speaking, the building was erected around the equipment. A multiple-story building was chosen, as it allows the bar stock to be unloaded directly from the cars, then con- Efficient Handling of Screw HE huge industrial expansion which is now taking place was foreseen by only a few manu- 1, exactly 145 days after work was started on the facturers during the last summer. The few ment was one which received special attention. At present there are 210 automatic screw machines in rooms, these are located in a separate room built veyed to one of the finished product returned by gravity. It was head belts and other equipment decided to use reinforced concrete construction ceiling. owing to its fireproof qualities, durability, stiffness and freedom from vibration. This type of building given over to the making of small screw parts. At is also very light and sanitary. The building con- the present time the first, third and a portion of tains over 80,000 sq. ft. of floor space. It is four the fourth floor are used for this purpose. The bar stories in height, 70 x 180 ft., with an L wing 60 stock which is stored on the first floor is unloaded x 120 ft. Excavation was started on July 7, 1915, directly from the railroad siding which has the and the entire building was completed, including tracks elevated about 4 ft. higher than this floor wood floors, painting and the elevators in operation to assist in the unloading. The stock consists of Oct. 20. The machinery and fixtures were im- bars ranging from ‘, to 3% in. in diameter. It esident National Construc New York, June 15, 1916 Vol 97 N 24 ‘ a Parts Power and Gravity Conveyors at the Continental Motors Plant to Supply the 210 Machines and Deliver Their Output BY HARRY C. SPILLMAN mediately installed and placed in operation on De building. that were fortunate enough to plan for this im Concrete construction is used throughs mense increase are now fully organized to take care’ skeleton frame design and exposed exterior of the present demands on their factories. The umns, brick curtain walls and windows of ste¢ Continental Motors Company started to double its sash. The Kahn system of reinforced concrete plant at Muskegon, Mich., at that time and every- used throughout the structure Each floor i thing was planned to make each individual depart- equipped with washrooms, toilets and drinking ment more efficient. The automatic screw depart- fountains. Instead of taking space from the mail building for the elevators, stairways and toilet outside the main build ing lines This gives lean ininterrupted working floor space for the interior and simpli fies the general constru tion. Particular pair were taken with the ger eral design in order that i sheeie bees tn af tractive appearance B the use | concrete. pressed brick and red tile the desired architec tural effects were ol tained without the use of expensive material for this purpose The building was designed with a live floor load of 150 lb. per square foot and portions of the floor “rom Zar Stock Storage Space on the Ground Floor I i Erdleos Vertical r ‘onve you oT ikes the Stock to the Third or are overloaded 400 per Machine Floor and Delivers It to a Gravity Conveyor W1! cent without showing in Turn Transports the Mater to Points Adjacent to tl : —_— Machines any signs of deflection The ceilings are all 13 upper floors and the ft. in the clear, which gives ample room for over ispended from the In the near future the entire building will be : is stored in a vertical position, which gives far bet 1431 tion Com ’ Detre LL TT TT RN RE ee i A Rn — pete - wage = es 7 1432 ter access to the stock, makes it easier to handle and places the greater portion of the weight on the floor instead of the rack or the building. It also greatly reduces the weight of the rack and allows a greater storage capacity than racks holding the bar stock in a horizontal position. The machine tool equipment is located on the third floor, and consists of 210 automatic screw ma chines, including Cleveland automatics, which take stock up to 314 in., Brown & Sharpe automatics for small stock, National-Acme machines taking stock up to 2% in., Gridleys using stock up to 2% in. and Universals which are used on the smaller sizes of stock. Nearly all of these machines are new. The modern machine tools combined with the ef- fective manner of handling the stock and steel shav ings make this plant very ciency standpoint. A special designed endless vertical conveyor car- ries the stock from the first floor to the machine floor. The stock is dropped on hooks and it lies in a horizontal position. The hooks are supported on two endless chains which operate similar to a bucket conveyor. When the stock reaches the third floor it automatically falls on a horizontal gravity con- veyor which conveys it along the wall and allows the different sizes to drop into pockets located un- derneath the conveyor. The stock is taken these pockets and carried to the different machines. An electric elevator rated at 6000-lb. capacity is used for conveying the material to the different floors. The handling, conveying, cleaning and inspec tion of the product after being machined is done with very little expense. Power and interesting from an effi fron gravity con- <A J | AAA |] VT THE IRON AGE June 15, 91¢ veyors and other labor saving devices ar wherever possible. The material and stee! Ds are collected in small iron pails and placed horizontal conveyor which runs along the walls of the room and within a few feet of t! chines. This conveyor automatically takes the ma terial to the cleaning room. Here the chips and material are placed in an oil extractor where t! is reclaimed. Specially designed power shakers and fans separate the chips from the machine parts which are collected in perforated tote pans and placed on another horizontal conveyor. The latter passes through two long tanks containing a clean- ing fluid which is kept agitated by steam jets ip the liquid. As the steel pans pass through this solution it thoroughly cleans the machined parts, After leaving the tanks the boxes pass under a fine spray of thin oil. This process coats the parts with a film of oil and preserves them from rust Another conveyor takes the finished product to the top floor for inspection. The inspection room consists of series of individual metal covered benches and the work is done by girls under the supervision of a forewoman. Directly over each onveyor another is located which operates in the opposite direction. These take the empty pails and boxes back to the machines and the cleaning room. The chips are dumped into a steel chute which slants to a position directly over the railroad sid- ing. This allows a car to be filled right from the cleaning room without the necessity of handling the chips. In case it is impossible to obtain empty cars the chips are dumped into the storage bin which is directly underneath the cleaning room. This bin is built of concrete and is made a part of ; ie y Wi iat Hit] ane i] The Output of the Machines Is Collected in Small Iron Pails Which Are Placed on the Lower Conveyor for Transportat the’ Cleantr pI z Room, the Upper One Reing Employed to Return the Empty Pails ted Tote Pans and a Horizontal Conveyor Bring the THE IRON AGE 1433 Lt LLL Machined Parts through the Cleaning Tank and Deliver Then eyor at the Right Which Runs to the Inspection Department on the Fourth (Top) Floor, the Empt ns Being Returned by the Gravity Con lilding. It is divided into three compartments each compartment is lined with %%4-in. iron and le oil tight. A large door covers the front of compartment and is operated by a chain hoist. n the door is open it is over the center of the ck which allows the steel shavings to be easily ed from the bin into the cars. Each compart- holds two carloads of chips. This scheme roves a great labor saver over the customary method of loading steel shavings. The oil from the extractors is conveyed to the sement where it is thoroughly filtered and steril- ed by a temperature of 180 deg. It is returned to he machine floor by an automatic rotary pump. there is ample storage for a carload of cutting oil which, of course, is kept separate from the re- ned oil. Each machine is given a number and the weight he bar stock taken to each machine is carefully recorded. The pails containing the finished product steel shavings bear the same number as the ma- ne. This number remains with the product until nspected and weighed. At the end of each the amount of stock, finished product, steel ngs and other waste is easily ascertained. The int of scrap material from each machine is also | and reported ‘each day. By this method the does not lose its identity and the exact product each machine is easily obtained. Central Steel Company and the Massillon Mill Company, Massillon, Ohio, will install a as producer plant to supply fuel for the mills of mpanies. The contract for the equipment will ed shortly. vor Just Below the Ceiling Tungsten from the Argentine The Hansa Mines, Ltd., in Argentina, can produc« about 50 tons per month of tungsten ore, according to U. S. Consul General W. H. Robertson, of Buenos Aires, and until the outbreak of the war the entire output was shipped to Germany. The mine has been largely con trolled by German owners reported to be affiliated with the Krupp interests. The total Argentina exports of tungsten ore from 1909 to 1913, inclusive, amounted to 3319 metric tons, of which 3309 tons went to Germany and 10 tons to Great Britain, in 1909 and 1910. Ger- many in 1912 took 637 tons, with 536 tons in 1913 and 394 tons in 1914. In 1915 the United States became an importer, taking 135 out of a total of 158 exported. To April 1, 1916, the United States took 146 tons When the war broke out, cutting off the German market, part of the mine’s plant closed down reducing production to a limited figure. Now, however, the Hansa Mines are working at full capacity with the announcement that the entire output for 1916 has been contracted for in the United States. Western Demand for Producer Gas Plants The demand for producer gas plants has becom« heavy in parts of the Central West in which manufa turers have been depending largely upon natural gas for fuel. This is due to a considerable extent to the fact that one leading distributor of natural gas has given notice to its larger consumers that the supply of natural gas for manufacturing purposes will be cut off in the near future to conserve the supply for domestic users. Particularly heavy is the demand from the glass industry, which is now installing producer gas equip ment to replace natural gas. In this industry cold pro ducer gas is being used for the various melting annealing operations formerly done with natural gas, hot producer gas and fuel oil. =— moe 1434 THE IRON AGE June 1? 916 An Improved Bar Cutting-Off Machine A new size and different type of air-operated cutting-off machine for bar stock for projectiles is now produced by the Southwark Foundry & Ma- chine Company, Philadelphia, Pa. As compared with the one illustrated in THE IRON AGE, Feb. 3, One of the Heads of a New Air-Operated Cutting-Off Ma- chine for Bar Stock Ranging from 7 to 10 In. in Diameter Having Three Tools Cutting Simultaneously in the Same Kerf and Two Guides to Center the Bar 1916, the new machine is designed for stock 7 to 10 in. in diameter as against 14 in. The newer machine also embodies in its construction a differ- ent arrangement for feeding the tools into the stock and the incorporation of guide cylinders to handle bars that are not absolutely round. A heavy cast-iron bed supports at one end a quick-acting chuck for gripping the bar and the gearing to transmit power from the driving motor for rotating the stock. A number of cutting-off heads are mounted on the bed and consist of steel castings with five air cylinders on each. Three of the cylinders operate the cutting-off tools, as in the earlier machine, with the exception that for- merly each tool had a separate cylinder with an individual air supply, while in the new machine the air is admitted at the top of the cylinder and divides into three parts to operate the three tools, the one pointing downward being acted upon directly, while the ones at the sides are operated through a sys- tem of links. In this arrangement, too, the lower tools operate horizontally, while in the earlier ma- chine they were set at an angle. All three tools cut in the same kerf. The remaining cylinders operate guides which center the bar in the machine, this arrangement making possible the cutting of bars that are out of round to the extent of 1% in. in 12 ft. The use of compressed air to bring the tools in contact with the work enables the former to accommodate themselves to irregularities in the bar and in some cases bars that are chipped badly have been handled. The piping used to convey the air to the different heads is arranged in multiple, each head drawing its supply directly from the air supply line. All the gears are mounted between bearings and the pinions do not overhang. A flexible coupling is located between the motor and the pinion, the latter being journaled in ring oiling bearings, while a substantial cast-iron base is located un: the motor and pinion bearings. Air cylinders and a small roller table, placed in line with the end of the mach employed to handle the stock. This air \der pushes the bar through the bushings on the ¢. + ting. off head into the chuck and when the cut in ‘ wel has reached the predetermined depth the machine is stopped and the air cylinder at the chuck eng pushes the bar from the machine on the roller tabje from which it goes to the breaking equipment. As the bars are handled in full even after being cut. it is pointed out that the handling is rapid. The cutting time in seconds is approximatelh three and one-half times the square of the diameter in inches, the usual practice being to leave about 15 per cent of the original area uncut for the fracture test required by the specifications of the various governments covering the production of shel] blanks. For example, a round bar 10 in. in diam- Elevation Partly in Section of One of the Heads, Showing t! Arrangement for Admitting Air to the Horizontal Pistons eter will be cut from the outside to a point where it may be easily broken in about 350 sec. or a trifle less than 6 min. Dominion Steel Corporation’s Large Earnings The Dominion Steel Corporation, Sydney, Nova Scotia, reports for the year ended March 31, 1916, the largest profits in its history. Net manufacturing ear! ings rose to $7,004,316, an increase of $3,433,258, 97 per cent, over the previous year, and an increase of $2,290,000 or 21 per cent, over the banner year 1915 After providing for depreciation, interest charges, dis- count on bonds, etc., the balance available for dividends was $3,995,225, against $855,256 a year ago, an increase of $3,139,969, or 370 per cent. When the corporation preference dividend had been deducted, and allowance made for the full year’s dividend on the preferred stocks of the subsidiaries, the balance remaining as net surplus for the year was $3,015,225, equal to 9.39 per cent earned on the $32,097,000 common stock, on which dividends have been suspended for over two years. _ Discussing the general aspects of the year’s bus! ness, President Workman says: “The most importan' elements in the steel business continue to be those which have resulted from the war. One-fifth of the stee! shipped from the works was in forms suitable for the manufacture of shells. One-half the total output w% exported. The destination of the greater part of thls was Great Britain or France, but considerable tonnage were sent to South Africa, Australia and the United States. British consignments included many parce'® for reshipment to India and the far East.” 15, 1916 Power Soldering Press power-driven soldering press designed for join- ind soldering sheets of tin plate into a continuous for roofing purposes has been perfected by James ghue, 1407 East 111th Street, Cleveland, Ohio. Soldering Press for Joining Sheets of Tin Plate into a Con- ious Roll with Two Sets of Dies for Closing the Seams [he use of this machine will make it possible for mills furnish tin plate to the trade in continuous rolls in- tead of in the flat as at present. The machine con- sts of two presses or dies that operate simultaneously, one, at the right of the engraving, heated by gas or electricity and the other, at the left, cooled with water culation, both being mounted in one frame and oper- ated by rollers, cams and toggle joints. The sheets with a lock turned on the edge are hooked together and are fed into the machine, one seam being hot pressed while the seam before it is cold pressed. The movement of the sheet through the machine is con- trolled by a stop that holds the metal stationary dur- ng the pressing operations. After being seamed the sheet passes on to a reel on which it is wound up into a roll. The motion of the reel is imparted from an- ther underneath on which the upper one rests, the ower reel being chain driven from the main shaft. Punch am M J. Pw [E “ OTOL A Od OS ——er— — ae ae ee ee ~@ “De . . r r—? ; ' 2 i f <~Aa sc . : L LOLOL LION — QI OOOO TT ‘otary Punch Press for Turning Out Various Shapes in Metal or Fiber Up High Rate « One man operates the machine, hooking the sections f tin plate together and putting the solder and flux on he seam. The machine is said to have a capacity of four seams per minute or 20 boxes of tin per day. It claimed that with its use a better and more durable eam can be made than by hand for the reason that the am will be solid and alike on both sides, the solder enetrating and welding all parts of the seam. The Samuel Austin & Son Company, Cleveland, hio, has changed its name to the Austin Company. ‘his company has gained prominence as a builder of ctories, THE IRON AGE 1435 A Rapid Production Punch Press The Malm Machine Company, Dayton, Ohio, has devised a new rotary punch press in which the punch and the die drums are mounted on inde- pendent shafts. The punch drum is keyed on the punch driving shaft, while the die drum is mounted on an idler shaft, thus allowing it to revolve freely. Upon the punch drum are mounted multiple punches that engage a similar number of dies mounted on the die drum. The material is fed from the rear of the ma- chine by automatic feed rollers, and the punchings drop through the die slot into a chute and from there down to containers placed at the front of the machine. The machine is constructed with either one, two or three heads for either plain blanking or piercing and blanking or piercing, blanking and forming. In the last case the forming operation would be the middle one as the blanking operation is always the last. The punch shaft makes 50 r.p.m., and if the size of the part to be punched warrants putting 20 punches on the, punch drum and the corresponding number of dies on the die drum, a machine thus equipped will turn out 1000 complete pieces per minute. It is estimated that 162 hp. driving the punch shaft is sufficient for the heaviest work. The shape of the piece to be punched is imma- terial and the thickness of stock can vary from 0.003 in. up to \% in., and a width of 12 in. can readily be handled. This applies to the stock machine, but wider machines can be built. If the material is very thin and comes in spools, provision is made in the form of a winder designed to take care of the spool, but if the material is in sheets or strips, this is placed upon idlers and is automatically fed by the feed rollers through the machine. In addition to punching metal, the machine is said to be equally as good on fiber or other goods, and the speed in punching some classes of material is claimed to be very much faster than on a vertical punch press. For making washers up to % in. Production thick an output of nearly ten times the record of vertical punch presses is said to be possible. It is emphasized also that with the rotary principle ap- plied in this machine a shearing cut is always made even should the punch or die get dull. The Van Dorn & Dutton Company, Cleveland, Ohio, reports a good volume of business from Italy in motor gears and pinions. The company’s Italian trade has in- creased largely since the war broke out. Formerly Italy depended largely upon Germany for these prod- ucts, but it is now placing a large shart of this business in the United States. — —- -. soe 5 a ee tee ers a —T — oo 5 ” or 1436 Plain Cylindrical Grinding Machine A new 10 x 36 in. plain cylindrical grinding ma- chine with automatic and hand feeds, designed for general manufacturing purposes, has been brought out by the Perkins Grinder Company, 706 American Trust Building, Cleveland, Ohio. This is a self- contained machine, every unit, including the pump and oil tank, being a part of the machine. It has a maximum swing of 11 in. and a maximum grind- ing length of 40 in. The control is centralized, all levers and handwheels being on the front of the machine within easy reach of the operator. The machine can be driven either by a single clutch pulley through a belt from the lineshaft or by a motor directly connected to the main driving shaft. This shaft runs at a speed of 575 r.p.m. which is equal to the speed of a slow-speed motor. The control box is a separate unit controlling both the work speeds and table feeds and both can be stopped or started independently or together. Changes of speed can be made instantly while the machine is in operation. The transmission and automatic table mechanism are two independent units set in front of the machine, controlled by levers and handwheels, and entirely covered. This cover can be easily removed, making all the interior parts easily accessible. Hand feeds are provided for both the work and the table. No gears run ata speed of over 80 r.p.m. and it is pointed out that this means slight wear and long life for the gears. The transmission runs in oil and all gears are in mesh at all times and arranged so that quick changes can be made. The work speed changes range from 30 to 300 r.p.m. The table transverse speed changes range from 12 to 120 in. per min- ute. The automatic cross feed can be set to feed at either or both ends of the table trans- verse. A variable tarry device is arranged to tarry at each end of the stroke and can be regu- lated. The table transverse can also be stopped and started with the tarry lever. For grinding tapers up to 2% in. per foot, the table swivels and has two scales graduated in degrees and thou- sandths of an inch. The grind- ing wheel spindle is designed to be very powerful and is driven by a 5-in. belt from the main driving shaft which has two sizes of pulleys giving two speeds to the grinding wheel spindle. The work spindle is driven by a Link Belt, obviating any vibration, and is arranged for live and dead centers. The tailstock spindle has a variable spring tensior controlled by a handwheel and quick acting lever. The back rest has both vertical and horizontal move- ment capable of delicate adjustments. The bearings are lined with phosphor bronze, except the high speed bearings, which are of the ball type. The following table gives additional specifica- tions and dimensions: Swivel table graduated to included angle of, dé Diameter of headstock spindle, in Diameter of tailstock spindle, in.. Diameter of grinding wheel spindle, in Length of grinding wheel spindle bearings Diameter of grinding wheel spindle pulley ’ Least reduction of automatic cross feed, in Greatest reduction of automatic cross feed, in Diameter of driving clutch pulley, in Width of main driving belt, in Power required, hp Stet De SS Di on.6 05.62'a 0% A 6 Gross weight crated, Ib THE IRON AGE June 15, The equipment includes two grinding w! 18 in. in diameter, with either a 2, 4, or 6-in. wheel truing device, three back rests, pump and and set of dogs and wrenches. Pittsburgh’s Permanent Convention Commit The Pittsburgh convention committee, which rec: had charge of the entertainment of the conventio; the Machinery and Supply associations and the An can Iron, Steel and Heavy Hardware Association, | decided to make the committee a permanent orga: tion, composed of the five general officers and the ; committee chairmen. The general officers are: H. P Bope, chairman, Carnegie Steel Company; George T Bailey, vice-chairman, Oliver Iron & Steel Company: Charles J. Graham, vice-chairman, Graham Nut Com- pany; Charles L. Wood, secretary, Carnegie Steel Com- pany, and G. E. Benson, treasurer, National Tube Company. The committee chairmen are: J. E. Mc- Lain, Cambria Steel Company, automobile committee: A. M. Harper, Carnegie Steel Company, banquet com- mittee; H. B. Wheeler, American Sheet & Tin Plate Company, finance committee; J. M. Hansen, Steel Car Forge Company, hospitality committee; C. M. King, McKinney Mfg. Company, ladies’ entertainment com- mittee; E. S. Rooney, Youngstown Sheet & Tube Com- pany, publicity committee; J. F. Hazen, Pittsburgh Steel Company, reception committee; W. L. Rodgers, Pittsburgh Gage & Supply Company, speakers’ com- mittee, and W. W. Sanderson, Carborundum Company, dinner vaudeville committee. It is the intention of ndrical Manufacturing Grinding Aachine Equipped with Automatic and Hand Feeds the committee to secure for Pittsburgh as many con- ventions as possible of bodies composed of manufac- turers and consumers of iron and steel products and of other products as are of interest to Pittsburgh. By a decision of the Indiana Supreme Court the city of Indianapolis is entitled to the property of what was the Winona Technical Institute, in which the National Founders’ and Metal Trades associations were much interested. The city has at its disposal over $400,000 for new school buildings, and the probability is that the trade school will be re-established on the grounds. Charles A. Bookwalter, former mayor of the city, and receiver for the Technical Institute, says he expects, within 60 days, to petition for the closing of the ré ceivership, which he has had since 1910. It is reported in Toronto that four of Canada’s larg- est steel companies are contemplating a merger. Those nterested are stated to be the Dominion Steel Cor- poration, with a capital stock of $50,000,000; Nova Scotia Steel & Coal Company, Ltd., $8,500,000; Lake Superior Corporation, $40,000,000, and Steel Company of Canada, $25,000,000. The total capital stock of th: four companies amounts to $123,500,000. Jun 15, 1916 RAILROAD SCRAP PILE SYSTEM Re 1ation Procedure of the Delaware, Lacka- wanna & Western Railroad BY FRED WEST ystem to sort and market the scrap of a rail- requires the establishment of a yard with ge, floors, bins, sheds, roofed inclosures and service, together with a large force of work- The accompanying illustration shows the ar- nvement of the scrap yard of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad at Scranton, Pa. [he structural part of the yard, exclusive of the rane, is made of reinforced concrete. The floor the car-door level and has a length of 25 freight ears. The width of the floor is probably Reinforced Concrete Storage ft., with 30 ft. of this taken up by the bins and leaving a wide runway with its tram track to the siding for the freight cars. A travel- crane spans the floor and tracks, and an elec- magnet suspended from the bridge of this crane dies the scrap in unloading, sorting and reload- There are 25 open bins, each extending 10 ft. the track, and 30 ft. at right angles to it. (hese bins are formed by 6-in. reinforced concrete partitions, 6 ft. high at the back and sloping down } ft. or so at the runway. A 2-in. casting caps e partition walls, as shown, to protect them the abrasion when the stock is dumped into ins. The structure is continuously subjected ard knocks, and durable construction is re- a general way the following classification is of the railroad scrap: locomotive driver tires, tires, large wheels, small wheels, chilled iron els; axles, rods and forgings; sheets and plates; shoes, grate bars, large castings, small cast- gears, bridge material, switch material, pipe, ngs, brass and bronze, babbitt, rubber hose and ng, nuts and bolts, ete. Special assortments nade of car boxes, brake beams, bumpers and ers and car irons and also for steel, gray- THE IRON AGE 1437 iron or malleable castings, etc. The brass, bronze, babbitt, rubber stuff, small parts and the like are stored in the covered inclosures to protect them from the weather, as they represent higher values as compared with the coarser metals. There are two methods of handling the scrap at the yard. It may be sorted directly from the car or it may be thrown into a pile on the floor and sorted from there. The latter method is followed where the character of the scrap is such that the freight car would be held too long if the sorting were made from it. The scrap is sold on bids or quotations, depend- ing upon the quality and kind of the stock and the demands of the market. It furnishes a source of supply for foundries, such as those producing gear wheels and steel, gray-iron and malleable castings. The steel tires from locomotive drivers are largely Scrap Yard of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad, Having the Receiving Platform at Car-Door Level and Bins Protected by Iron Castings used in the making of hand shovels. The tires are heated and broken into lengths of 8 or 10 in. and again heated to bright redness and rolled into strip sheets. These sheets are then cut into suitable lengths for the shovel blades and formed by dies under powerful presses. They are then annealed, hardened and tempered, polished and mounted on the handles. One important feature of a railroad scrap yard is the reclaiming of good pieces that can be put into service again. Large quantities of bolts, washers, rivets and small springs are gathered from the gen eral pile. When these are properly sorted, they be- come useful stock. Then there are many castings that can be made good as new by slight repairs, and also small castings, or attachments to larger ones, that when properly detached and classified, become a good stockroom asset. Where there is any metal work carrying tin plate or solder, this is care- fully reclaimed. Furnaces; shearing, punching and metal sawing machines and gas torches are some of the equipment of a large and well regulated scrap yard. It should be well understood that such a yard must have intelligent and high grade supervision, and that quite a number of trained men are nec- essary in the crew. = So [phe 6 Determining the Capacity of Compressors A Method Offered Particularly for the User —Accurate Measure of the Machine Installed Without Requiring Laboratory Conditions BY PAUL DISERENS* ——————— Manufacturers of air compressors usually rate cylinder must be completely filled at each their machines in terms of piston displacement, but with air under precisely the same conditi since air is an elastic fluid, the amount of air which that delivered at the suction intake, but that Ae a compressor will deliver is always something less entire amount must be compressed and actually «& than its displacement. Thus, it often happens that livered to the line. There are a number of sources ys um the purchaser finds, too late, that the machine which operate to introduce volumetric loss. Thes; y which he has bought is too small for the service for may be summarized as follows: clearance. wir which it is intended. This is particularly true of drawing, heating of the air during admission to SSE eee SSN ae Hint $2 be eee epee SBS EES Sper eet et eee eee a = St tie pt ee it A ee eee iti Hid \N iN WY | ANN NG a NJ aN NN ih 7 SS h ng : YAR: SAS ee m es PT ‘f 3 - ERE * Tet se < ‘ a i 6 40 Ps it 2 OR sl | , tS a mw cee Soars ras Cy 2 Sen SEN “an ib are 78 > ; + Pas Sa see: bf” 0 <4 ; 4 * at SN Die ig ® 30 RS SLANIDESEREOTASI SINS t a tat Sh eh aes ey Sy) j- ’ ‘ ‘ y 0 Kr? be? fRR : Bee Bape Roe . atin ss oe 44) Dye his! | a , —E 2 ——_ ttt th y b - “Be rs A a NS uh SR ) 0 tn + . + > 4 +44 iS j ° : Ss e : tI KT 4 4 Ratio of Compressions FIG. 1 CHART FOR ASCERTAINING VOLUMETRIC EFFICIENCY OF A COMPRESSOR At the left of the chart select the line representing the intake air pressure under normal operation. Follow it tow ard the right until it intersects the diagonal line representing the delivery pressure of normal operation. From the point of in- tersection proceed vertically until the line is reached representing the absolute pressure which exists when the compressor is operated on closed suction The horizontal line passing through this point gives the volumetric efficiency, noted on the sca! t the right ; the smaller single-stage compressors generally used the cylinder, leakage past valves and pistons. The in the average machine shop or foundry. If in all effect of these sources of loss is discussed later. cases the volumetric efficiency were known, the mis- An accurate determination of the volumetric take would be avoided, but the difficulty in checking efficiency of an air compressor involves a careful it nearly always results in the purchaser’s accepting and precise measurement of the air at discharge the manufacturer's rating. pressure delivered to the air-line receiver. Methods The volumetric efficiency of an air compressor for making such measurements have been subject to cylinder is the ratio of the volume of free air, at much investigation in the last few years, and many intake temperature, compressed and actually deliv- valuable data have been published concerning them. ered to the cylinder displacement. Perfect volu- None, however, has been sufficiently simplified to metric efficiency, therefore, means not only that the insure accuracy in results except in so far as lab- eRngines? of testa, Laidlaw-Dunn-Gordon Company, Cin- oratory conditions may be realized. In view of the emnati. fact that for those interested in the purchase and 1438 Ju 15, 1916 metric Efficiency, 16 x 12-In Hoerbiger-Rogler Valves Temperature of Suction, Deg. F. §.0 76.0 0.0 19.0 7.0 sf) ft) S00 3.0 14.0 6.0 ) 4.0 it 0 0 SO.0 89 5 56.0 nf 87.0 S&_0 uum on cuum or Gaging Tank = & » ¢ g@ § = ne a = 7 S a Ba o Rn = a) 51.0 5.47 570 63.3 1.70 572 69.8 1.97 557 81.0 2.76 71 92.4 3.61 582 »0.0 0.83 576 65.0 1.43 582 65.8 1.74 »87 78.0 2.27 593 94.2 3.4 602 0.6 4.30 585 66.0 1.61 78 79.8 2.19 592 93.0 2.98 603 110.7 4.10 618 109.0 4.15 he 124.6 5.50 63e 144.0 1.89 643 50.0 3.47 560 65.5 1.10 4 81.5 1.762 607 96.2 2.70 629 110.4 3.58 643 49.3 Cre 126.2 ».05 602 137.0 832 644 $9.5 0.55 612 65.5 1.02 604 80.0 1.43 615 94.0 2.40 629 109.7 3.338 613 125.5 4.412 649 134.0 4.982 6465 closed suction 28.08 closed suction 28.10 29.48 1, Cor THE IRON AGE 1439 Air Cylinder with 433 5° wate EF co#°0 2 & eayv Se ~ Se on 55% 35 119.8 141.0 84.5 152.8 174.8 87.0 166.8 193.0 86.0 194.8 223.7 86.0 220.4 255.0 85.9 105.4 138.0 76.2 137.8 180.0 76.2 150.6 182.0 §2.8 170.8 216.0 79.1 209.8 60.0 80.4 106.0 140.0 75.8 146.5 182.3 80.0 168.5 2°0.0 76.5 194.5 257.0 73.0 226.0 306.0 73 7 224.0 302.0 74.2 256.0 343.0 74.6 266.5 298.0 66.8 97.5 138.5 70.6 120.0 181.0 66.2 150.0 226.0 66.4 184.0 266.0 68.4 206.0 306.0 67 93.0 136.0 68.6 252.2 - 350.0 72 256.6 379.0 69.5 83.6 137.2 66.0 118.6 181.0 68.0 133.6 207.0 64.5 175.0 259.6 66.4 203.0 303.0 67.0 248.0 348.0 65.5 242.0 371.0 65.1 at 100 r.p.m at 150 r.p.m maintenance of air-compression machinery there is but little opportunity to secure such conditions, there is a great need of some criterion which will accurately define volumetric efficiency or which will at least set a relative measure of efficiency not only applicable to the varying conditions of operation of any particular machine, but also capable of serving as a reliable basis of comparison between two dif- ferent machines. The practice of basing volumetric efficiency on measurement from indicator cards is the result of this need. Although some engineers and some man- ufacturers of air compressors follow this method in expressing guarantees for their apparatus, it is of little value. Many sources of volumetric loss have no effect whatever on the shape of the indicator ard. Others, which in some cases might be dis- ernible, are often neutralized by still other losses, and, in addition, the great difficulty experienced in securing accurate indicator cards, especially at high rotative speeds, throws an additional element of doubt on the results obtained. The force of this statement will be more fully appreciated by com- paring the volumetric efficiency as shown by indi- tor cards with that by actual orifice or pilot tube + tests, where such data are available. Invariably, the values fail to agree, the volumetric loss shown the indicator card usually being from 50 to 100 er cent less than that shown by actual measure- ant [he formulas and charts which are here pre- + ed show the volumetric efficiency in terms of im which the air cylinder can develop with suction completely closed. The values so de- ned show a remarkable agreement with the efficiency as determined by the actual measurement e delivered air. The test to establish the vac- ium developed with closed suction may be made by ng the intake of the compressor and allowing it to discharge into the atmosphere; or. if it is a ty tage compressor, by allowing the first stage cylinder to discharge into the atmosphere. This is a test which can be made with far less difficulty and far greater certainty as to results than even a simple orifice test. It requires no special apparatus other than an ordinary mercury column and a barometer or a small mercurial absolute pressure gage. The accompanying chart has been prepared, by means of which the volumetric efficiency of a com- pressor working against any discharge pressure and with a given suction pressure can readily be found. For example, take a compressor working under the following conditions: atmospheric intake pressure and 50-lb. discharge. With closed suc- tion, the compressor maintains a vacuum of 2845 in. with a barometer of 30 in. At the left hand of the chart select the line rep- resenting 1414-lb. absolute intake pressure; follow this line to the right until it intersects the diag- onal line representing 64'5-lb. absolute discharge pressure. From this intersection proceed ver- tically until the line representing 1'2-in. absolute on closed suction is reached. The horizontal line pass- ing through this: point represents the volumetric efficiency. Its value will be found on the extreme right of the diagram. If a compressor is of the two-stage or multi- stage type, it is necessary to consider the first inter- cooler pressure as the discharge pressure. The effect of clearance, wire drawing, etc., may now be considered. Clearance.—The compressed air occupying clear ance space at the ends of the stroke must re-expand before air from the intake can enter the cylinder. This represents a definite volumetric loss. 1 l © tf) Where le is the clearance loss the clearance space r, the ratio of compression n, the constant varying from 1 to 1.4 Loss Due to Wire Drawing.—Reduction in pres- sure due to friction may result in incomplete filling of the cylinder, and brings about a loss: p pa v le being the loss due to wire drawing, p absolute pressure at beginning of compression, pe ibsolute intake pressure. Heating of the Air During Admission to the Cylinder.—This loss is measured approximately by the ratio: 7 Ta la T T is the absolute temperature of air at the beginning of compression, and Ta is absolute temperature of intake air; ln is the loss due to heating Volumetric Efficiency, Per Cent 0 0 0 4 530 © 10 8 W 00 10 Pressure Lbs. per Sq. In. Fig. 2—Methods of Ascertaining Compressor Efficiency Compared Line A represents the theoretical volumetric ef- ficiency ; line B, the measured volumetric efficiency: line C, the indicated efficiency, and line D, the efficiency calculated from vacuum developed on closed suction 1440 Leakage Past Valves or Piston —With the pos- sible exception of the clearance loss, the loss due to leakage is perhaps the largest and, at the same time, the most indefinite source of loss in volu- metric efficiency. In a poorly designed and poorly constructed compressor, it may umount to more than all other losses combined. Its magnitude can- not be expressed by any formula, yet, in general, it can be said to depend upon the same factors which determine the flow of air through an orifice, and, loosely, it may be said to vary directly with the ratio of compression. Reviewing the several sources of loss as enu- merated above, it will be seen that where n is equal to unity, the clearance loss is directly proportional to r; the number of expansions, and that all other losses depend more or less directly upon the value of r. Each one of these losses is, in itself, relatively small. Therefore, taken in the aggregate, they can be evaluated very closely in terms of r, the number of compressions, as a straight-line equation. Thus, it will be permissible to assume that the sum of all losses is directly proportional to the number of on eA a7 IU Indicator Diagrams of ¢ compressions and to express volumetric efficiency in terms of the vacuum which the compressor will de- velop with a closed suction. This will be better understood if it is remem- bered that a vacuum pump is in effect identical with an air compressor. The only difference is that a vacuum pump operates from low intake pressures, compressing vapor or air so drawn into atmos- pheric pressure, usually through a high ratio of compression. It will be clear, therefore, that as the vacuum is reduced, or, in other words, as the intake pressure approaches closer to absolute zero, the number of compressions increases, and the volu- metric losses due to clearance, leakage and the heat- ing of intake air correspondingly increase, until a vacuum is reached where these losses are equal to the capacity of the compressor, or, in other words, where its volumetric efficiency is zero. Expressed algebraically the relationship is as follows: P2 (b—v) € 1—- a Pab Where e = volumetric efficiency, per cent. P: absolute pressure under which mally operates. Pa absolute suction pressure. v vacuum developed on closed mercury. b barometer, inches of mercury. compressor nor- suction, inches of THE IRON AGE June | Take, for example, a compressor workin lb. pressure with atmospheric suction. [1 closed suction, it is possible to maintain a vacuum with barometer at 30 in., the vo efficiency would be: 64.7 (30 — 281%) Taxa = 1— 0.22 = 78 per cent If the compressor discharges against pressure instead of 50, the volumetric efi will be: 10-]b Ne THUY 114.7 (30 — 28%) 2 a 14.7 xX 30 1 — 0.39 = 61 per cent As a comparison between the volumetric eff- ciency as determined by carefully made measure- ments of the discharged air and by calculation from the vacuum developed on closed suction, the follow- ing tests will be of considerable mterest. They were made on a 12 x 16 x 12-in. steam-driven com- pressor fitted with Hoerbiger-Rogler suction and discharge valves, imported from Germany. The 120 R.P.M., ‘ompressors at Various Speeds and Pressures tests have been selected as a comparison because they were made after the compressor had been in operation nearly a year and had developed consid- erable valve leakage, due to the slight dishing pe- culiar to this type of plate valve after continued running. The air was measured by means of low- pressure orifices, using Professor Durley’s formula and coefficients described in the proceedings of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. A general summary of the test results is given in Table 1. The measured volumetric efficiency is shown graphically in Fig. 2 as line B. This dia- gram also shows the theoretical volumetric effi- ciency (line A) calculated from the percentage 0 clearance; the indicated volumetric efficiency (line C), and the volumetric efficiency calculated from the vacuum developed on closed suction (line D)- The indicator cards at various speeds and pressures are shown in Fig. 3. The coincidence of the lines B and D showing the actual measured volumetric efficiency and that calculated from the vacuum on closed suction, not- withstanding the fact the leakage factor as stated above was unusually large, is evidence of the truth of the formula and chart. \ Congplete Blast Furnace in 85 Days ambria Steel Company Bre Blast Successfully on © ie | : \|N page 1401 of THE IRON AGE of June 8 ap- () peared a brief account of the record-breaking feat of the Cambria Steel Company in build- , complete its No. 9 furnace at Johnstown, Pa., eighty-five days from the time active work was tarted. The accompanying illustrations show the progress of the work. Building a complete blast furnace of the largest size in such marvelously short will no doubt stand as a record for some time taken on April 16, which shows the traveling derrick wi stack erected and considerable 1441 Records in Building No. 9 Stack—Put in [ee aks all Former - June 5. 7. and reflects great credit on the engineering and con struction forces of the Cambria Company. The work was instituted at a time when machine shops and foundries had been running night and day with their product sold up for months ahead. There were no plans in existence when the appro priation was made and a new start had to be made with everything. The blowing engine was the first ever built by the Hooven, Owens & Rentschler Com- hich was used in the erection work, the four stoves set progress made on the furnace a ee ee ee ee ; on 1442 THE IRON June 15 Ne ip AGE On April 26 two stoves were completed and work begun on the dust catchers and skip house columns pany, but :t was aided by the fact that E. E. Slick, vice-president and general manager of the Cambria Steel Company, designed the air cylinders. Other concerns that furnished equipment in remarkably short time are the Otis Elevator Company, Phila- delphia, which built the skip hoist, the Harbison- Walker Refractories Company, Pittsburgh, and the A. J. Haws Brick Company, Johnstown, Pa., the Babcock & Wilcox Company, the Pennsylvania Steel Company, the Southwark Foundry & Machine Com- pany and the Treadwell Engineering Company, which furnished most of the castings. Practically 12 the four On May stoves dust catchers were well underway were completely erected, the furnace shell and bleeders were complete, the three : and the skip engine house was roofed over all of the structural steel and the brick work was done by the Cambria Steel Company itself. Two gangs each of about 750 men worked night and day. The furnace is located at the company’s Franklin plant in line with furnaces Nos. 7 and 8. The cen- ter of No. 9 stack is 125 ft. from the center of No. 7 stack with cast houses between and in front of the stacks. The four 24 ft. diameter by 100 ft. high stoves for No. 9 furnace are to the right of the stack on 32-ft. centers, and are of standard two-pass, side- combustion type with Slick patent checker brick and improved gas burners. The stack has a rated ca- pacity of 500 tons per day, is 90 ft. high and 22 ft. at largest inside diameter. The hearth has a diam- eter of 17 ft. which gives the bosh an inclination of 78 deg. 14 min. The furnace shell is supported by six structural steel columns and mantle ring, is thick lined and water cooled to within 33 ft. of the top by means of 158 cast-iron cooling plates. The sh lining is 27 in. thick, is cooled by 131 bronze xes and has 12 tuyeres. The top of shell is of the castle type, which car- es the charging platform supporting the hopper r a 1l-ft. 6-in. bell with receiving hopper and — . Brn Fe a Le pee) eee 1 the blast and gas piping was finished. On June 5 the furnace was ready to be put into blast, as shown at the May 25 the dust catchers, the downcomers, the skip bridge were complete x THE IRON AGE 1443 and the ga piping from the third stove the boiler housé small bell above. The bells are operated through counter-weighted beams by steam cylinders mounted on charging platform. Below the large bell is hung a Slick distributor which has been successfully used on the other furnaces of the company. The top also carries four high bleeders with two cross pipes from which the gas is taken through two downcomers, one to each of two 24-ft. diameter by 30-ft. dust catchers. From these it passes to a third dust catcher of the same size and then to the boilers and stoves without further cleaning. The furnace is charged by a double skip oper el _— head of the article 1 : 7 . 4 ra | ; ~ Ue ee .-oegeen iif a 1444 THE IRON AGE June 1! 1916 ated by an Otis steam hoist. The stock handling system is an extension of the old equipment. The ore and limestone is taken by gantry cranes from an 800,000-ton storage yard at the rear of the fur- naces and loaded into bin cars. These cars in trains of twenty or more are shifted from under the cranes to the stock or warming house and discharged into electric skip charging larries as required by furnaces. The coke is hauled from the coke plant located near the blast furnaces in large bin cars, which discharge through a chute from a lower track directly into skip bucket. The stock house has been provided with additional warming capacity. Ex- tensions were made to boiler house building to take care of twelve 300-hp. B. & W. boilers equipped with superheat