The Iron Age 1917-03-08: Vol 99 Iss 10

y 2, Crm £ a New York, March 8, 1917 STABLISHED 1855 Giving Metals a Rust-Proofing Treatment Developed by Parker Rust-Proof Compan) of America — Interesting Equipment for Sand Blasting Parts on a Large Scale PROCESS for the prevention of corrosion in able resisting surface rather thar coating or a A iron and steel has been developed by the metal plating. Parker Rust-Proof Company of America, The metal after the process is applied has Detroit. The process is now being offered on a gunmetal finish attractive in appearance. Its sur- commercial basis. In addition to the various ex- face is meshed with a microscopic etching which perimental tests, the process has been used com- is said to have adhesive qualities that form al! nercially in the past year by some of the Detroit excellent base should it be desired to provide some me Fa Malt PS Sk, In the Processing Department the Metal Parts Are Dipped in Tanks Containing the Rust-Proofing Solution and Are Ther Placed on Metal Racks to Dry automobile builders and by other manufacturers in special finish or color by applying paint, enamel) netal-working lines. or lacquer. In japanning it is claimed that the The process consists of immersing the article same results can be obtained with one coat as be rust-proofed in a chemical bath heated to with three coats when the metal is not rust <l12 deg. Fahr. The basic chemicals in the solu- proofed. The company is now working on a n are phosphoric acid and manganese dioxide, process for nickel plating the rust-proofed metal nese being compounded with other chemicals. In The Parker Rust-Proof Company has recently preparing the bath a tank is filled with water and built a plant on Conant Avenue, Detroit, where it per cent of the compound is added. Before the’ will engage in rust-proofing on a large commercial! rts to be rust-proofed are immersed in the tank, scale. This plant now has a capacity of 100 tons scale is removed either by sand blasting or per day and when all the equipment contemplated kling. They are left in the tank in which the is installed the capacity will be nearly 200 tons ution is kept at a boiling point from '4 te 3 hr., per day. An interesting feature of the plant is pending on the metal, or until the effervescence its very complete sand blast equipment providing ses. The parts are then lifted out and dipped a much greater capacity than is found in most a low-grade oil, the chemical action of the foundries. setting the process, which is said to be a chem- The plant includes the main processing build penetration of the metal that provides a suit- ing, 60 x 350 ft., the enameling, painting and tank = -— D3 i building department in a building, 60 x 300 ft., and a power house, 60 x 160 ft. The offices are in rooms at the front of the main building, but after the erection of an office building at the front, the present office rooms will be used as factory offices. The processing building is divided into two sec tions, the front, 60 x 192 ft., being the processing and the rear, 60 x 158 ft., is occupied by the cleaning department. The rear part of the juilding is two stories in height. The processing room, room is equipped with fou 7 ft. wide, 28 ft. long and 20 ft. deep, with a capacity of nearly 20,000 gal. The others tanks, one have a capacity of about 3000 gal. each. Nine more tanks will be installed, giving a tank capa ty of 50,000 gal. The tanks are of wood, lined vith steel, and have double compartments, a pat ented feature that is to eliminate sediment. [he small parts to be rust-proofed are placed in yaskets and the hung on racks After tanks they are placed on allowed to dry said larger pieces are being removed from the before handled racks and The metal being dipped in metal. material is vith a 5-ton electric -traveling crane that spans the building. It is the intention to install auto matic machines for treating material with soda and gasoline and for oiling it after it is rust proofed. Continuous processing equipment wit} conveyors will also be installed for cleaning with sand blast machines, processing and oiling auto mobile rims. It is expected that with this equip ment 4000 to 5000 rims can be rust-proofed in a day by five men. In the cleaning department there are designed hand sand blast that cannot be vlaced in barrels stands at the front of the booth, this side being covered with a curtain attached to sliding metal doors moving horizontally and allow- ing the helmet speciall booths for cleaning pleces The operator protected operator to move side THE IRON I 3 Preparator oO ! t n, ered by a Curtain, and the Finished Work Is Re AGE March 8. Operator Stands at the Front of the Sand Blast Booth noved Through a Door on the Opposite Side ways during his work. Material is placed in the booth by raising the door shown on one side and is taken out through a similar one opening on the opposite side. Ten of these booths are in use and four more will be installed. Two men are em- ployed in placing the material in the booths and two others remove it after cleaning. For cleaning larger pieces a Pangborn, tw New Haven and a Wadsworth sand blast barrels are used. In addition, there is a large sand blast room, 8 ft. wide and 30 ft. long, for cleaning heav) structural steel and ornamental iron work. The sand blast equipment is connected to four Pang born dust arresters. Air for the cleaning system is supplied b three Ingersoll-Rand two-stage compressors, with a combined capacity of 2000 cu. ft. per min. A large compressor with a 2000 cu. ft. capacity wi! be installed shortly. The compressors are drive! by Bruce-Macbeth gas engines ranging from 80 to 150 hp., and a fourth engine is used for oper ating a generator for supplying light. Two more gas engines, one 500 and the other 150 hp., will be installed. The gas engine jacket water is ut ized for heating the buildings. It is stated that the Parker process has been adopted by automobile manufacturers for rust proofing various parts and a wide field is expect for it in rust-proofing automobile rims. It pointed out that by using the rust-proofing pr malleable and gray iron castings and steel st: ings can be substituted in many cases for br aluminum and copper and various non-ferrous metals It is claimed that the temper of ' metal is not affected in any way by rust-proo! Among other uses, a wide field is expected to found for the process in rust-proofing build hardware, ornamental iron, stoves, typewriters phonograph parts, barn hardware, metal fu ture, electrical work, electric battery boxes, reh 8, 1917 ct, all metal that is exposed. In experimental it has been used in rust-proofing anything a sewing needle to a steel telegraph pole. addition to its main plant in Detroit, it is | that 25 processing jobbing plants for rust- fing will be maintained in the larger manu- iring centers, some of which will be operated e Detroit company and others by independent izations, and small! plants will be conducted aller towns. The process is licensed to man- turers who wish to operate their own plants, necessary equipment and chemicals being fur- ed by the company. [he Parker Company has a capital stock of 0,000. Clark W. Parker is president and an C. Parker is secretary and treasurer and eral manager. The company claims to hold fundamental United States patents covering rust-proofing as distinguished from iron plating Large Track Scale with Plate Fulcrum he first two-section plate fulcrum track scale ever is said, has been installed by the Pennsylvania ad Company at Pitcairn, Pa. It derives its name the shape of the fulcrum which is formed with a ely thin central portion connecting the two heav- yrtions or heads, as shown in the small insert cut. fulerums have been substituted for the regular edges and bearings formerly employed in track scale construction. The thin portion is relied upon to the flexibility desired, while the large heads dis ite the load on the supporting members by decreas- its intensity and also furnish a ready means for hment to the levers and supporting stands. The central portions are arranged to act in direct com- on and are subjected, it is pointed out, to a slight e as the weighing beam vibrates and the lever sys- responds to the condition of the balance. The scale built by E. & T. Fairbanks & Co. in their factory St. Johnsbury, Vt. Its development was due to col- ration of the builder, the railroad company and \. H. Emery, Stamford, Conn. installed in a concrete pit, measuring ) ft. inside measurements. The weighing rail is supported on cast-iron rail stands resting in turn upon ross-ties supported on the main girders. The idge is constructed of two plate girders, one on le of the scale, in depth from scale is measuring 62 in ( Levers Suffice in This Two-Section THE IRON : Track Scale to Transmit the Load from [ype of Fulcrum, the Construction of Which Is Shown in the Insert, Is AGE 589 back to back of the angles Che y i ed toget transverse diagonal bracing, which give a rigid bridge constructi that w resis tudinal and lateral strains The general arrangement of the scale is brought in the accompanying illustratior It is of the tw tion type. Four main levers trans! t » tw longitudinal extension levers that in t $ ‘ load to the weighing beam through a tra erse exter sion lever. The main and longitud stands are directly supported on base plat 1 in. dee] and reinforced by ribbing which rest t crete foundation. The four main levers are ste¢ stings and each is arranged to support three plat I I Phe longitudinal extension levers art omp i | ] 10-lb. Bethke hem girder beams and the t i se ex tension lever is a 10-ir H-bean \ e lever have heavy steel castings at the butt end to support the plate fulerums, which are supported in machined seat and are kept in place by a tapered p Steel castings designed wit! ld nected to a heavier lower flange are employed as th lever stands and are supported on base plates resti on the foundation of the pit. The connections betwee the tips of the main and the longitudinal extens levers are made by heavy steel castings with machined recesses for engagement with the heads of the plat The longitudinal extensior levers are connected to the transverse lever by struts hardened curved lower portion that engage with hardened steel bearing plates supported on a platen, which in t by rods from the bearing block engaging with the | extension lever The tra fulcrums of the levers. having steel surfaces in the ifn iS Suspena plate in the transverse verse extension lever is connected to the itt of weighing beam by two suspension rods supporting platen, which in turn supports a radial strut connectior directly attached to the end plate fulcrun The main bridge is fixed at one end and free to n at the other, the forme: I-beam resting directly on a set of special bear ing castings. The end of the ported on cast steel struts having hardened steel in with hardened peeing Ssupporte i DY 1 trans verse movable bridge 1s sup steel engaging bottom plates surfaces The weighing beam is of open-hearth steel, ; ce ee pt and supported by plate fulcrums. It provided with an indicator that graduated scale, notched moves over a and a locking device consisting of an eccentric engaging with a flat spring is provided to lock the beam when the scale is not in operation. An oil dashpot is provided at the tip end of the beam to steady its movement the Rails to the Weighing Beam, and a Employed in Place of the Customary Knife Edges The Maintenance of Factory Equipment Taylor Society Discusses Machinery Upkeep and Mutual Benefit Societies at its Winter Meeting in Boston AINTENANCE of factory equipment, the work- ing of factory mutual benefit societies and the relation of the manager, workman and social scientist were three subjects which held the attention of about 150 persons through the three sessions of the winter meeting of the Taylor Society in Boston, March 2 and 3. ch subject was limited not by the unwillingness of their views, but by the amount of time Discussion on ea those present to state available. The Maintenance of Equipment gers sessions were opened with the presentation of a paper by H. K. Hathaway, vice-president Tabor Mfg. Company, Philadelphia, entitled “Maintenance of Equipment under the Taylor System of Management.” [he author declared that the systematic maintenance »f machinery and equipment was a fundamental part of good management It was so regarded by J. W. CTaylor, who early in his work developed a system which provided for the regular inspection and repair of equip- ment. This feature of Mr. Taylor’s work has not re ‘eived the attention that it deserves, and has in many ‘ases been largely neglected. His presentation of the subject was substantially as follows: Maintenance is a function that falls under the juris- jiction of the works engineer. The accompanying chart shows the division of the work of the works engineer, and also of the maintenance department. Ground building l all piping and wir Provisior tT light ng forming part of the heat power, ventila buildings tion Machinery in all de 3 Operation of machine | partments, including Works and carpenter shop line shafts, piping and Engineer Operation of main-4j wiring pertaining t has juris- | tenance department machines liction over} Prosecution of devel Small tool equipment opment work including machine Fire protectior cessori¢ Sanitation Fixtures, furniture ther appliances not overed above [he object of the maintenance department is to maintain the established standards of equipment, with- out which the standards of performance of productive operations cannot be reached. The function of the maintenance department is preventive rather than cor- rective. For example, in the past the maintenance department, more frequently called the “repair gang,” paid no attention to the equipment until long after it had reached the point where it failed to operate effi- siently, or had actually broken down. It took no initiative whatever in making repairs or keeping equip- ment in order, but acted only on the direction of the superintendent or some one else in authority. Under scientific management the maintenance department as- sumes the initiative and takes the responsibility for keeping equipment in order. This centralization of authority, instead of its being scattered among a num- ber of foremen and department heads, prevents in a large degree loss of output and interruptions to manu- facture. This is so because the maintenance is entrusted to men who devote their entire time and energy to it, and who make inspections and repairs in an orderly and systematic manner. Functions of the Maintenance Department The functions of a maintenance department include: (1) The making of emergency repairs; (2) Systematic inspection of all machines and other equipment, at regular intervals, for the purpose of detecting any wear or incorrect adjustment which might ultimately result in-a breakdown or cause a loss of efficiency in operation; (3) Making the adjustments and repairs shown by the inspection to be necessary; (4) Maintaining all records, drawings, etc., that are of service in making repa in planning work, keeping inventories, etc.; (5) veloping improvements or changes in machines, fixt and tools that may be necessary to the manufactu: a new line of product, or necessary for increasing quantity and improving the quality of the pre product, and reducing spoilage, and also with the ol of decreasing the liability of breakdown and the nm sity of frequent repair and adjustment; (6) The op tion of tool rooms for manufacturing operations, the maintenance of an adequate supply of small too good condition. Mr. Hathaway discussed the foregoing functio considerable detail. He stated that the natur emergency repairs could seldom be forecast, and t} the execution of them must be a matter for the jud; ment of the head of the maintenance department, sideration being given to the urgency and nature of work, and to the possibility of preventing a repetit if the accident Periodic Inspections Periodic inspection of all equipment is one of most important functions of a maintenance department The work of the inspectors should be laid out da and detailed and specific instructions regarding th machines to be inspected should be given to them eacl day. These instructions should cover the nature of the inspection to be made, and the character of defects t be looked for. The primary function of the inspectors is that of inspection only, and their reports should furnis! the basis of instructions to the repair men for the remedying of the defects found. The inspectors, how ever, should be allowed to make certain minor repairs at the time of inspection, such as the replacement of worn-out set screws, etc., as well as the making of ‘ertain readjustments. Only such adjustments and replacements as do not require dismantling of thé machine should be made by the inspectors. The different parts of machinery will require ir spection at intervals of varying length. Parts subject to rapid wear should be inspected more frequently thar those whose service is not so severe. This feature may be handled by means of printed forms, which should show the different sections of the machine to be i! spected at one time, the symbol of the instruction card for these sectional inspections, the date of the last iz spection and name of the inspector, and designa tions, showing the detailed subdivision on the instruc- tion card of the item calling for inspection or repair There should be a detailed instruction card prepared for each of the parts of the machine to be inspected at one time. This should state explicitly what the inspec tion should cover, how it is to be made, the tools to be used, and the adjustments, repairs and replacements to be made at the time of inspection. The intervals at which the different inspections should be made must first be fixed by the judgment of the head of the main- tenance department, and later modified according to th: experience obtained in the course of the work. Th intervals should be fixed short enough to insure th detection or correction of wear or misadjustment before it has become so serious as to affect the quantity or quality of the work. Maintenance Records +h A tickler file should be operated in connection W the maintenance department. The various instructio! cards should be placed in it, to come out on the dates of the next inspection covered by the several cares, together with a maintenance inspection order. /1!5 when properly filled out, becomes the inspector’s repor' The report, when returned, should be checked to ascer- tain that all of the work called for by the instruction 590 Jarech 8, 1917 rd has been performed, and orders should then be ied for making the repairs needed. These are pref- bly reported by the inspector on a separate form, should state explicitly the nature of repair to be le, so that a second inspection for the purpose of eparing instructions for the repair man will be un- essary. After the entries on the inspector’s report e been copied on a machine record sheet the report filed under the machine symbol. At the same time date of the next inspection is fixed and the in- tion order made out and placed under the proper in the tickler file. Among the records which should be kept by the ntenance department are perpetual inventories of hines and equipment, drawings of machines, tools 1 other equipment, lists of parts of machines, etc., yrds of inspections, adjustments and repairs, and of r cost, plant layouts, including floor plans, showing hine locations, and such other records as may be eded to properly carry on the work of the main- nance department and to furnish information to other partments. Development of Improvements Regarding the development of improvements and of anges in machinery and other equipment, Mr. Hatha- 1y said that new processes of manufacture or changes old ones should first be worked out by the planning partment. After arriving at a decision as to the new s, fixtures, etc., needed, or as to changes in existing iis, it would call on the maintenance department to ke the necessary drawings and get out the work. same process is followed in regard to changes for purpose of improving quantity and quality of pro tion, or for decreasing spoiled work. Another im rtant phase of this development work is the making changes which will increase the durability of the lipment, and reduce the frequency of repairs and ljustments. These changes should originate in the naintenance department, which will be guided largely nan had been furnished with three green helpers. this matter by the inspectors’ reports, and the records inspection and repair. These will indicate those arts that receive the most frequent attention of the epair men and therefore require a change in design. The Expense of Neglected Maintenance [he discussion of Mr. Hathaway’s paper brought many practical suggestions regarding maintenance equipment, and showed that neglect of this feature shop operation might easily involve a heavy increase the expense of production. Lieut. F. G. Coburn, ival constructor at the Boston Navy Yard, cited as instance of this latter item an experience with the w chain-making plant at that yard.* A chain maker, ipposedly highly skilled, turned out a product which r weeks had a consistently bad record, the links ling on test, having imperfect shapes, poor welds, | other defects. The foreman had recommended his scharge. Before carrying out the foreman’s recom- endations, Lieut. Coburn caused an investigation to be ade, which showed that the oil used in the heating irnaces had water in it; that the dies in the steam immers had become slightly misplaced and that the On emedying these conditions the product of the chain aker immediately came within the requirements and ‘re was no further complaint. Lieut. Coburn called attention to the value of a iintenance system for auxiliary equipment, such as A delay in crane service affects the whole ranes. hop, and a crane breakdown may shut down a large irt of the equipment. To obviate these delays, and itdowns, he had instituted a series of weekly, quar- erly and annual inspections of cranes along the lines iggested by Mr. Hathaway, with a resulting almost tal elimination of crane failures. Belting Records The records which would be kept by a maintenance epartment, continued Lieut. Coburn, would substitute cts for opinions in many cases involving the ex- ‘nditure of money. For example, at the Philadelphia - *Described in THe IRON AcE, Dec. 14, 1916. THE IRON AGE 9] navy yard, a maintenance system was peration, and such records were available. At the Boston Navy Yard the question arose as to whether or not it would b ‘ feasible and profitable to substitute w belting the leather belting in use on certain machinery \ long report was submitted by &n official of the Bostor yard, showing why, in his judgment, the woven belt would not prove satisfactory. As woven belts had beer used at the Philadelphia yard, the re; sent there for confirmation. The surprising information cam« back that the records of the maintenance department showed that for the purposes mentioned the wove belting was not only cheaper, but gave superior servic« g on the sul Philadelphia as compared to leather belting. Continuir ject of belting, the speake r stated tnat at the regular inspection and repair of belts according t the methods formulated by Mr. Taylor had practically done away with belt failures, and had permitted th number of men who gave their whole time to lh maintenance to be reduced from four to tw Relation Between Maintenance and Tasks Lieut. Coburn then spoke briefly on the relatior between maintenance and the performance of tasks as laid down by scientific management, and also the rela tion between maintenance and adherence to shop sched ules. The tasks as set were based on certain standard conditions, and’ it would be difficult or impossible t fulfill the task if there should be any great departure from these conditions. Unless there tion and repair of equipment, it will is periodic Inspe ( time deteriorate from the original standard and men will fail to con plete their tasks in the allotted time, and thus their earnings will suffer. Similarly, schedules are based o1 the performance of tasks in the allotted time, and if these times are exceeded the schedule are throw: away and no reliance can be placed them Mr Hathaway corroborated these statements, and pointed out that while a man who was accustomed to a machine that had become worn or out of adjustm«e nt, often could complete his task with it, a the would utterly fail. W. O. Lichtner, of son, Newton Highlands, to the fact that often two inspections might be necessary to keep the equipment in condition, first the routine ir spection, which would discover defects, detailed inspection of these defects to Ik new man OI! machine the staff of Sanford E Mass., called Thomp attention and second, a ‘ar! the pest procedure to follow in correcting then Robert 1 Kent, consulting engineer, New York, advised the prepa ration of inspector’s report blanks with specific ques tions which the inspector must answer, writing dowr either “yes” or “no,” or entering a dimension which would show whether or not the part needed repair. He had often found that unless an inspector was required to fill in every space on a blank, items that should be examined were frequently overlooked. He called attention to the fact that delays due to worn equipment were more serious than was commonly thought to be the and cited a case where production studies revealed that the time lost in delays due to defective machinery amounted to over 15 per of the total time. Maintenance and inspection of smal! tools, fixtures, etc., was just as important as the maintenance of the larger and heavier machinery, according to W. A Schulz, of the Tabor Mfg. Company, Philadelphia. Im perfections in these affected production just as much as imperfections in machine tools. For this reason the tool room becomes an important adjunct of the shop under scientific management, and should be subject to the regulations of the maintenance department. Sanford E. Thompson pointed out that while the discussion apparently showed that the maintenance of equipment was poor in shops operating under scien- tific management, the facts were that scientific manage- ment caused all defects which hampered production to stand out more prominently than they did in shops not so managed. If a man lost his bonus due to poor equipment he would call the attention of his superiors to the fact so forcibly that the matter would receive attention, whereas if he were working for day wages he would permit his production to drop as the machine also case, time cent 592 deteriorated, without making any complaint short of an actual breakdown. As a matter of fact, said Mr. Thompson, the machinery in the scientifically managed factories rule found to be in much better shape than in those not so managed Was aS a The Mutual Aid Society in the Factory HAT the welfare of the workman is a subject to which manufacturers are giving close attention was made evident by the which followed the paper by Herman J. Hutkin and Nathaniel Johnson, describing the Mutual Benefit Society of the Tabor Mfg. Company, Philadelphia. discussion The Tabor society, according to the authors, is in reality a co-operative one, the company paying into the treasury of the society an amount equal to that paid in by the members. All employees of the company, from the president down, are eligible for membership, providing they have been in the company’s employ for thirty days. The dues are fifteen cents per week, with an entrance fee of fifty cents. There are three classes of members: salaried, hourly rate married workers and hourly rate unmarried workers. The society pays a death benefit of $75, and sick benefits for a period of 10 weeks, as follows: Salaried members, $5 per week; hourly rate married workers, $10 per week; hourly rate unmarried workers, $7 per week. In no case may the sick benefit exceed the weekly earnings of the bene- ficiary under hourly rate. Whenever there is in the treasury a surplus over $200 it may be employed in case of necessity for special benefits, such as payments for operations, hospital fees, etc. If no surplus is available, and the necessity of special relief arises, a meeting of the society is called and means are provided, usually by voluntary contributions, for affording relief These special benefits have proved of great service in many cases. Mr. Hutkin said, “Two members showed symptoms of tuberculosis, and were sent to a sani- tarium for four months, during which time their board was paid by the society and their families given from $5 to $7 per week, in addition. Another member had to have the services of a specialist, but was unable to pay the necessary fees. The society paid the specialist, and when he recommended that the member be sent to the hospital the society undertook to pay the hos- pital bill, and the man’s family received regular benefits until he returned to work.” An important feature of the society’s work is the provision of free medical service. A physician has been engaged, who is also a surgeon. He is paid ten cents per week per member by the society, and is required to advise and treat the members at any time and as often as may be necessary. He, however, not furnish medicines. The physician receives his fee in monthly installments, irrespective of the amount of work done. He visits the factory daily, and the com- pany pays the men for the time they lose in consultation with him. The society urges on the men the advantage of regular consultations with the physician in regard to conservation of their health. The physician is required to visit the home of all members who report illness. The free medical service does not extend to the families of the members, however. In addition to the medical] and death benefits, the society has other functions. It oper- ates a savings fund for the members, and receives deposits of any amount. When the amount of a mem- ber’s savings reach $25 the account is transferred to a regular savings bank, and placed in the member’s own name. The treasurer of the society will make deposits and withdrawals from these accounts for the members, thus avoiding loss of time by them. The society will also loan any amount up to one week’s pay to the mem- bers, the loan being repaid in weekly installments deducted from their pay envelopes. A visiting committee of three members is main- tained to visit sick members. This committee is the medium through which the benefits are paid. There is also a sanitation committee which inspects the sanitary arrangements of the shop and calls the attention of the company to any neglect of these features or to desirable does services sick and THE IRON AGE March 8, improvements in them. An entertainment com: looks after the social activities of the employees. The administration of the society is in the har a president, a secretary, a treasurer and seven tru The president and six of the trustees must be e from the employees. The seventh trustee is requir be an officer of the company. For convenienc: paymaster of the company is made treasurer of society. He is given power of attorney author him to deduct the weekly dues from the pay env: of the members. Aside from the material benefits resulting fro: activities of the society, Mr. Hutkin stated that a of co-operation among the employees and of lo, to the company had been developed which had pr of substantial advantage to all. Mutual Aid at Dennison Mfg. Company Arthur B. Rich, of the Dennison Mfg. Compar felt that the trustee representing the company mutual aid societies should be elected by the members of the society rather than by the company. HH: criticized the feature of the Tabor society whereby the company contributed an amount equal to that paid in by the members. At the Dennison Mfg. Company the sentiment of the workers was that any contribut from the company partook of the nature of charity and so was resented. Mr. Hutkin met these points by the statement that a company trustee elected by the members did not take his duties in the society very seriously, whereas his appointment to those duties by the company put them in a different light. The company contribution the men felt to be in reality their own contribution, as otherwise they would receiv: the money in the form of wages. As a matter of fact, the company contribution is charged to the wage ac count. Continuing, Mr. Rich stated that at the Dennison Mfg. Company it had been found unwise to include women in the same benefit society as men. They were the recipients of more frequent sick benefits, were more indifferent to the society and far more lax in keeping up their dues. A separate organization was maintained for the women, and its success was due largely to the entertainment features organized by the society. Dues to the societies were collected by collectors, the company insisting that the pay envelopes contain: the full earnings of the employee when they are delivered. Mr. Rich questioned the justice of the unequal benefits of the Tabor society, while the dues were the same for all classes. Reply was made to this that the benefits were apportioned more on the necessities of the case than on strict justice. A married man cer tainly had greater responsibilities than a single one, and had need of more assistance when his earning power ceased. A salaried man had less need of assist- ance than the other two classes, because his pay con tinued during his disability. Mr. Rich gave the practice of the benefit societies at the Dennison Mfg. Company in regard to spe cial benefits, as the setting aside of a reserve for such This reserve should amount to a certain proportion of the dues, or of a certain definite sum per member. In his company 5 per cent of the dues were thus set aside. cases. The Risk in Benefit Societies Inquiry was made by Henry P. Shelton, of the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration, Dartmouth College, as to whether the liability of the benefit so- cieties had been worked out on an actuarial basis. He cited the case of a number of fraternal life insuranc’ societies which had failed because dues and assess ments were too low to meet the drain as the older members commenced to die off. Reply was made that nothing had been done in this respect, and that the cases were not comparable. The older a life insurance society becomes the higher the proportion of men it wil! contain who would soon become a drain on its resources, which would have to be met by the addition of a larger number of new and younger members. In the mutual! society, the average age of the members re- d practically constant, due to the constant chang personnel. The Credit Union savings and loan features of the Tabor society ‘ommented on by Mr. Stanton, general manager Massachusetts Credit Union, Boston, who then ed the workings of that organization. This nstitution which has successfully combated the shark evil among working people. Briefly, the union establishes a branch in each factory which s for a charter, and which can satisfy the re- ments of the state banking department. Those oyees wishing to take advantage of it are required iy at least share of stock in the union g $5. This may be paid in installments of 25 per week. The shares draw dividends on Oct. 31 h year. The members of the union may deposit y with it, which will draw interest as in a savings and they may also borrow from it under certain The deposits may be made in any amount, ver small. one tions. oans are approved by a loan committee of mem and must be for a thrifty purpose, and must be The committee exercises its judgment as to the rity required. The members are encouraged to ww if they can, thereby reducing their net expenses example, they are encouraged to borrow in sum- order to purchase coal for winter use at the ower prices prevailing in summer. The rate of loans may not exceed 12 per per n, and is usually less. It averages about 8 per cent, low as 4 per Repayments on are made in installments, starting within a week vo from the time of the loan. [he control of each branch of the union is vested in ard of directors who elect the ofticers from their membership. There is the loan committee a supervising committee which acts for the mem- ers when they are not in This committee absolute power of suspension of any officer or lirector pending his trial on charges by the members for any dereliction of duty. Eugene L. Folsom, Waltham Watch Company, Mass., described how the branch of the lit union at that plant had grown out of vacation , Christmas clubs, ete., organized by the employees The credit union was deemed to be a safer and more efficient means of saving, and therefore established by the company. W. B. Fuller, Curtis Publishing Company, Philadel- described the activities of that company for the fit of the employees. These included a savings clation, in which the members bought shares, made sits and contracted loans in much the same manner the credit union above described; a mutual benefit ation; a vacation fund, and a Christmas fund. In tion a country club for employees was maintained 1 welfare and service department. All employees ent more than three days are visited by a repre tative of the welfare department st on cent has been as cent. also session. Waltham, } . selves. lhe directors of the Wagner Electric Mfg. Company, Louis, have ordered an 80 per cent special dividend ldition to the regular quarterly dividend of 2 per payable April 2. An increase of the company’s tal from $2,000,000 to $5,000,000 has been author- and made effective. The annual report showed the company’s net profits for 1916 were 87.4 per The stockholders have their option of taking the per cent dividend in either the new stock at par or in The company’s stock has been quoted lately at W. A. Layman, president, and all other officers re-elected at the recent stockholders’ and directors’ tings. (he Penn Iron Works, Lancaster, Pa., has com- ed the operation of two of its four mills. The er two mills will be operated at an early date, pro- ng a weekly total of about 500 tons of iron and bars. THE IRON AGE CATALYTIC ACTION OF GASES* What Takes Place in the Firebed of a Stoker Not Surface Combustion Some have atte mpted to expiall tne actior ot tne gases within the firebed of the inder-feed furnace Dy calling it a surface combusti effect, but I am afraid that I cannot agree with the The so-called surface combustion is produced by ging mixtu to) bustible gas with but slight excess of the required amount of air into intimate or penetrativ with some solid body of a more o1 ess porous, opel r gral il ructure neated » a high temperature, wnhict form of solid body is known as a catalyze The tend ency of the resulti hg chemical or cataly action tak ing place at the surfac: tic agents is to increase the velocit of cal Oo inatk while it, in itself, is left wu reaction Catalytic action may take a lump of liberated gases aré place on the surtace of glowing coal during the time its occluded or off by the action of the heat rive! but it does not follow that lumps of coal brought contact with other surrounding gas act to accelerat« very materially, in a similar manner, the reaction ne essary to effect the final product of combustion There are two ways in which the complete com bustion of gases takes place. The first a homogeneous ‘ombustion in which the velocity of the chemical change is dependent upon the order of the reaction, and com reactions occu! throughout the en mass; the which occurs in layers immediately bustion or equally tire second is a heterorveneou combustior in contact with a hot surface, and for this reason the term surface com bustion has been given to this form of combustion To obtain an effective combustion, a re fractory material is best adapted, and the activity of the surface presented is governed by the texture of the surface, the condition of the related to the kind of gas consumed and its retarding effect upon the films of gas formed. effected by forcing an explosive mixture of air and gas through refractory porous diaphragms, combustion surface surface as Surface combustion is cases the Suc h within the inte: and in seems to be concentrated stices of the fireclay body, and it intense on the outer surface, where Surface combustion is less effective is always the most no flame is visible somewhat and gas are forced incandescent obtained by a means where the air through a porous bed of granular refrac tory material under pressure and under favorable con ditions the flame disappears and a results at the surface of the With a proper understanding of what the term surface combustion is intended to convey, there can be but little reason for making a claim that the in the fuel bed of an under-feed furnace is one face combustion. In the under-feed furnace we find a number of reverberatory actions taking place throughout the fuel bed which rapidly raise the tem perature of the air and gases $y thus increasing their temperature we hasten the rate of combustion, and this tends to produce a higher temperature, the same as is produced in ordinary blow-pipe practice, where the flame is projected against a block having the capacity to maintain a high temperature, but it is not reasonable to call such an action bustion. also high temperature catalyzer. actior of sur great one of surface con The Gisholt Machine Company, Madison, Wis., estab lished its rank as the largest taxpaying corporation in the capital of Wisconsin when it paid its assessments, Feb. 27. Its taxes on net income under the Wisconsin income tax law amounted to $67,642.40, and its taxes on real estate to $14,178.21, a total of $81,820.61 *In tl course of discussion of a paper on “Pows Plant Efficiency presented by Victor J Azbe before the annual meeting of the American Society of Mechanical Pngineers, New York City, in December, 1916, Albert A. Cary, con- sulting mechanical engineer, New York City, contributed the above notes on what he urges is a misconception of the eatalytic action of gases in combustion, for example, in coal- burning furnaces under boilers An Investigation of Deoxidizers for Stee Relative Merits of Various Commercial Agents Used in Steel Making—Silicon and Aluminum Rank Highest—Titanium Discussed BY H. M. the subject of more investigation than that of making sound ingots or castings, and the means of preventing blowholes have been widely studied in this connection. Whether made by the crucible, the Bessemer or the open-hearth processes, steel when cast is subject to blowholes, and various devices have been employed, and all kinds of “physic” added, to prevent the occurrence of these cavities, which exist sometimes near the surface and sometimes near the center of the cast metal, rendering it in most cases of little value for cast- ings and for large ingots except where the carbon content is low. The cause of these cavities has gen- erally been associated in most minds with the pres- ence of oxides of iron, and the materials used for their prevention have therefore come to be known as deoxidizers. It seemed desirable to compare directly the ef- fect of the more ordinary so-called deoxidizers in pres problems in the steel industry have been BOYLSTON defect can generally be prevented by physical me: It- should, of course, be borne in mind that a agent may render an ingot or casting perfect sound as regards blowholes while adding mate: in the way of by-products of deoxidation wi would affect the physical properties of the met Hence the physical properties will be taken int account in this research. A Tropenas 2-ton converter was available this work, and it was not easy to make arrangs ments for the use of any other type of furnac: The choice was therefore controlled by practica considerations, yet as the Bessemer process is t} one which gives the most highly oxidized product perhaps, of any of the ordinary processes, it possible, by exaggerating the oxidizing conditions by the use of this method, as well as by overblow- ing the metal, to create conditions in which deox idizing conditions can be studied more effectivel) It should not, therefore, be inferred that the re Fig. 1 Is Raw Converter Metal Fig. 2 Is Raw Converter Metal verter Metal with About 18 Lb. of Washed Metal Containing with 0.05 Per Cent Aluminum and About 18 Lb. Washed Metal C Sections at Cropping order to furnish a scientific basis, first, for detailed experiment in any particular case, and second, to obtain a rough approximation of the relative merits of different agents. The fact that all the sub- stances used for this purpose have a great affinity for oxygen is further evidence that most metallur- gists have recognized the influence of oxygen on blowhole formation. The author realizes that the terms deoxidizer and deoxidation may be open to criticism. The terms solidifier and degasifier have suggested them- selves, but although gases other than oxygen prob- ably play considerable part in the formation of blow- holes, he believes that the term deoxidizer is so well established in its special meaning that it is the best word to use in connection with this research. Object of the Research The chief object of this research is to ascertain the effect of the various commercial deoxidizers in rendering steel sound, especially as regards blow- holes, and in removing oxides of iron which render steel red-short and unforgeable, as Bessemer found in his early experiments. The prevention of piping is not considered here except incidentally, since this *From a paper awarded a Carnegie by the Iron and Steel Institute in 1916. ciated with Prof. Albert Sauveur as Cambridge, Mass Scholarship Memoir The author is asso- Sauveur & Boylston, Point an with 0.05 Per Cent Aluminum Added Fig. 3 Is Raw Cor }.46 Per Cent Carbon Added Fig. 4 Is Raw Converter Meta ontaining 3.46 Per Cent Carbon Added All Are Transve About One-quarter Full Size sults obtained in these experiments are directly a] plicable in detail to all methods of steel-making, especially in regard to the proportion of deoxidizer added, but the author hopes that the results will point the way to similar work with other steel processes, notably the basic open hearth, which pro- duces the largest tonnage of any, at least in the United States. It was decided that the effect of the various deoxidizers on raw converter metal should first be determined, in order to select the proportion of each to be used for comparison with each other in the making of actual steel. Much thought was give! to the selection of the proportions to be added Where obtainable the advice of the manufacture of the deoxidizer was followed fairly closely, and in all cases the advice of numerous well-known met- allurgists and steel men was taken. It was finall) decided to cast 72 ingots of raw metal (from the Tropenas converter), to which the various propor- tions of the different deoxidizers were to be added. Four proportions of each were used, and the ingots were made in triplicate, the object being merely to determine which of the four gave the soundest ingot as measured by density and the appearance of a section. Vertical sections would have been more valuable than transverse, but their cost made them impracticable. 594 rch 8, 1917 fhe second experiment mercial steel from one heat, to which were ed the proportions of each deoxidizer which found to give the best results in Experiment fhe ingots in Experiment 2 were subjected to re complete examination, tests being made for ty, porosity, tenacity and ductility, in both and forged metal after annealing. All ingots ist in a steel foundry under works conditions included 15 ingots of Details of Procedure he first plans called for the use of steel (as sed to raw converter metal) for Experiment 1, the method was to add washed metal to bring the carbon content. Several preliminary experiments were therefore to find out what deoxidizing or solidifying t the washed metal itself might have, in order lecide the order in which the deoxidizer and the irburizer should be added. Twelve ingots, ghing about 150 lb. each, were poured, two of e being (1) raw converter metal, and the other having added to them (2) aluminum only, (3) hed metal only, 1) aluminum and washed 5) washed metal and then aluminum. In cases more than one ingot was made with a en addition. In Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive are shown photographs, it one-fourth natural size, of first four of these tion at the point of cropping. ingots represent- classes in transverse tne The amount of carbon in these ingots ranged 0.184 per cent and 0.17 per cent in ingots nd 2, and 0.33 per cent and 0.314 per cent in gots 3 and 4. It is interesting to note the comparative solidity the raw converter metal cast without additions, it it must be remembered that this metal contained out 0.184 per cent carbon, and could therefore hardly have been as much overblown as was in led. This is verified by the casting notes, which that the metal was very slightly overblown additions of aluminum, either alone or with shed metal added later (Figs. 2 and 4), produced eep pipe but no blowholes, whereas when washed tal alone was added an extremely spongy ingot produced. These preliminary ingots suggested that it ght be well to make an experiment with com rcial steel, adding the deoxidizers before making usual additions of carbon, manganese and sil It was finally decided to perform Experiment 1 raw metal instead of recarburized metal, so t a direct measure might be obtained of the xidizing and solidifying effect of the additions ier test. Proportion of Ferro-Carbon Titanium In order to determine what should be the largest oportion of fe