The Iron Age 1917-05-10: Vol 99 Iss 19

SHED 1855 oe comnennensennasapeens POPML OM L SL OLLELLLO LOOM LLY LT New York, May 10, 1917 Machinery and Steel Plant Labor Extent to Which Brawn Has Given Way to Brains — A Factor with Present Labor Shortage and in Safe Operations BY CHARLES -YWHERE, on all sides, the advent ol ew machinery is making different demands on labor. What have been the effects of istrial evolution? Does the newer kind of for a higher or a lower type of employee ired by physical and mental requirements? tance, does a charging machine for the rth furnaces demand higher or lower ls of its operator than were required of vho put in the iron by hand? step in the direction of finding what re has happened to the workers due to ma- net ing introduced, a study has been made last furnace and open-hearth departments ron and steel industry. Twenty-five blast ind 38 open-hearth furnaces located a i different iron and steel plants were taken into ation. Observation was made of the me- inventions introduced from time to time corresponding changes in labor such in- demanded. Four definite factors were | throughout the investigation: T \ tl nec cal processes introduce s regards the problem of safet1 lower tvpe of worker demanded as il requirements, (6b) mental ontro!l cc) incomes rece nvestigation showed that: (1) In both mechanical methods have come in to amazing extent; (2) they call for fewer where modern machinery has been the work has proved safer to the employees; i great extent unskilled labor has been dis- nd a call for higher types of workers has ‘ Labor at the Blast Furnace e occupations around a blast furnace may eniently classified in three large groups: e centered in conveying the raw material stock-bins or railway cars into the fur- those which have to do with the actual n of the furnace; (3) those concerned iling the iron after it has left the furnace. Stocking the Furnace ng covers the conveying of the ore from ore-bins to the furnace bell, and com- ne work of unloaders, barrowmen, or bot- ‘, larrymen, top-fillers, cagers, weighers epers., economics, Wharton School of Finance and ersity of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 1125 REITELI Up to about 1895. 16 to 7) unioaders were Oo? nected with every blast furnace Unloaders at Steelton, Pa., in 1890-94 received 12 cents per hour, and each yang had a foreman receiving 15 cent per hour. The entire labor force, including fore men, were negroes or foreigners At furnaces where unloading is still done by hand the wage are at present 20 cents per hour In the more modern’ furnaces the raw mate rials are now handled by car-dumpers, requiring but one man, who has general charge of the stock ] et At most furnaces the stock man an American of moderate intelligence, and of a higher type than was employed in the earlier d: and earle} methods. One or two men per fu ce, who show a higher degree of intellectu power, are -now doing the work formerly carried « by, 12° td “20 unskilled laborers From 1851 until 1895, bottom-fillers . loaded large two-wheel barrows by hand from the variou stock p les of ore, limestone nd coke, moving them when loaded to the scales t e weighed, and then placing them on an elevator to,goa to’ the furnace top. A 150 to 250-ton furnace require 12 to 14 bottom fillers per turn rhe wage W:; the common, ordinary labor wage The same work at improved furnaces is nov carried on by two men who load sufficient stock. to make 250 to 300 tons per turn. The three mechan ical inventions ushering in tl change are: l The skip-hoist, replacing the elevator and top | fillers; (2) the larry-car, replacing the barrow men; (3) the automatic weigher, replacing the weighman. The skip-hoist also eliminates, two ar three top-fillers. As regards the operators with the old botton fillers, “no brains were required, only a big bod with lots of endurance,” while the larrymen to day must be about as skillful as a trolley car motorman. Larrymen at several of the newer fur- naces receive from 25 to 30 cents per hour. At most of the furnaces a larry helper is employed, who ranks as a common day laborer. Where the skip-hoist has not yet displaced the elevator, top-fillers work at the top of the furnace. They are common, unskilled laborers, and receive ordinary laboring wages. Their work demands tremendous physical endurance, but calls for no training or skill. Usually 4 to 6 top-fillers are needed for the daily operation. With the use of the skip-hoist no top-fillers are needed. An accompanying table taken from an older furnace and from one of the modern type shows i i 1126 from a cost basis the changing conditions. The older furnace costs are those for Nov. 6, 1916, and of the modern furnace for Oct. 28, 1916. Both furnaces are typical. Comparative Laho Costs (‘on ? \ } Ole / Woe Blast | ) Type Fur rn Fur Wag Wag Nu Rate Nu Rat hy ( e) qc’ t \ rH Me ‘er H Top-fille ‘ , ‘ Weighers 7 Bottom-filler Barrowme! Sweepers Larrymer Lar helpe! Unloaders Stoc k 1ore Total me Average wage Tot per il lal Actual Furnace Operation in blast-furnace operation we can distinguish as a Class those men who handle the molten metal. These workers comprise one blower or foreman, one furnace keeper, four keeper’s helpers, one monkey boss, two slagmen or cinder snappers, and one craneman. power-house men. In this group mechanical prog »ymparative Labor Costs for 24-Hr. Operation in Two Shifts Old Type Blast Furnac Modern Blast Furnace Nov. 6, 1916—Output 303 Tons Oct. 28, 1916—Output 409 Tons Number of Number of Job Workers Hours ite Amount Workers Hours Rate An Top-fillers f 72 $16.56 (None) Weighers 1 22 5.40 (None) See Larrymen and Bottom fillers 216 ] 15.36 (None) Larry Helpers Barrowmen it 182 20) 39.36 (None) Sweepers 2 24 20) $80 2 24 2, x Larrymen a » 24 261 r Larry helpers () 2 24 21 Scrap loaders ; 20 4.60 } 36 21 7 Stockhouse foreme 4 2.88 2 ts 22 Car unloaders t 2 25 18.00 2 24 23 Furnace keepers 24 24! 5.88 2 24 26 i Helpers, first 24 22 2s 2 24 23 Helpers, second j is 21 10.48 4 4S 20 } Cinder snapper j 21 5.04 Z 24 21 Clay-mixer .... 20 2 00 2 24 21 Hot oven tender 2 j 21! 16 2 24 24 Hot oven labor ( 20k, 2.05 4 24 21 Flue dust wheeler ‘ ‘0 2.00 2 24 21 Kngineers / 25 6.24 2 24 20% Oilers ; ‘ 21 5.04 2 24 ee Machinists ; 8.52 l 10 5 Machinists’ helper 2 1 10 26 Piggery foremen 2 24 s0 Moulder - 24 2 Viggery clay mixer ' is 23 Flow regulator (flowman) 2 2 22 Piggery tabor { +8 21 Totals if $197.18 l #22 $1 Average $0.22942 $0.2396 Casting Capproximate) 6.00 ‘ $ 2, 18 The prime duties of a blower are those of fore- man. The position requires high skill and ability to quickly arrange activities in times of emerg- ency. The income of these men ranges from $90 to $100 per month. With the growth of mechan- ical appliances more difficult tasks fali upon the blower, but no distinct change in type is observed. The keeper has charge of getting the iron from the furnace, of making the sand-runners leading to the sand molds, and of opening and closing the tap-hole. The opening of the tap-hole is a prolonged, hot, and laborious job. The in- vention of the oxygen drill removes to a great extent the great amount of physical effort some- times necessary to open the tap-hole. Worse, however, than opening the tap-hole was its clos- ing, until the advent of the mud-gun in 1895. This invention removed two men and greatly eased the work of the keeper. In most of the furnaces investigated the keep- er’s helpers were common laborers and received laborers’ wages. At some of the furnaces all the THE IRON AGE May 191] helpers were on a tonnage basis, and in tion with the pig-bed men received 12 « ton for all pig iron cast. Including the pig. there were ten men per turn. If the daily (ony was 500 tons, it would mean $3 a turn worker. An invention of no small benefit to the is the patent skimmer. This saves one helper ap lessens materially the danger in the casting The monkey-boss has complete charg: slag. Under his direction are usually two cinde) snappers, who break up the slag which ha; remain and become cold in the channelwa N marked changes due to the entrance of m: were to be noted in the work connected handling of slag. In summing up the occupations connected the handling of molten metal we find that n chinery has made the work much safer and less fatiguing. Inventions have done away wit} two three helpers, but have done little work which calls for any increase of. skill ability. Work After Iron ) Group 3 covers the occupations of pig-bed men pig-casting machine men, hot-stove operatives and or Leaves the Furnace ress has wrought many changes in the jobs ane the workers needed to fill them. Of the 25 blast furnaces studied, 10 had pig-casting machines called piggeries, 11 used pig beds, while 4 deliv ered the molten iron directly to the open-heart) furnaces. The men working on pig beds rans with the keeper’s helpers. The number of pit men differs with the capacity of the furnace usually from 6 to 15 are employed. The work ca!!s for great physical strength and endurance, no mental ability. Wage rates range from cents to 21 cents per hour. In some instances « flat rate of 12 cents a ton is paid to the pig-bee force for every ton of iron cast. If 20 pig-bed men cast 500 tons, they would receive $5 eac All the workers on pig beds are young or mice* aged. Pig-casting machines drive out pig beds # pig men, and demand a new type of worker. *™ piggery has eliminated brute force and unskilit labor. In lieu of 24 to 60 unskilled pig-bed mé for operating four furnaces, one piggery W!™ 10, 1917 handles the iron of the same easily ers ces. e labor force of the piggery at a Lebanon, irnace consisted of one hot-pot dumper, one regulator, one molder, two clay-mixers, two ers and one foreman. The foreman and er are skilled workers, the flow-regulator and ixers are semi-skilled, while the ladle- er and the laborers are practically unskilled. wages average: foreman, 30 cents per hour: ixers, 24 cents; flow-regulator, 23 cents; rs, 20 cents. Comparative labor costs show, pig-bed operation, a charge of $48 for a cast. The pig-casting machine to cast the 100 tons of iron would cost per day $33.60. In this group are included an engineer, an machinist, a machinist helper, a stove and a stove laborer. The machinist and ineer are skilled workers, and the oiler and nist helper, semi-skilled. There are few res demanded in the types of these workers iue to the use of machinery. accompanying tabulation of comparative .bor costs taken from an old type of furnace and from a furnace of the modern type shows the hanges that have taken place in furnace oper- nan The The transfer from the older to the newer meth shows an elimination of 37 men and a reduction of the total daily labor costs of $86.32. And furthermore, the 37 men are displaced from the lower-type jobs—bottom-fillers, barrow-men and top-fillers. This tendency toward higher types registers itself in the average wage rate of 23.9 cents for a modern furnace in contrast with 22.4 cents in an older type of furnace. it ds Results of Blast Furnace Inventions From the 25 blast furnaces investig ted the facts warrant the following conclusions: Mechanical invention is coming into every part if blast-furnace operation. rhere is a diminution in the number cf work- ers required. The average amount of labor to operate under the older method was 50 laborers per turn. The new methods call for 30 men per turn. The older form of furnace makes from 150 to 200 tons of iron per day, while a modern fur- nace makes from 400 to 500 tons per day. Machinery has made the work safer. About 5U per cent of the fatal accidents of a furnace cur to top-fillers, and the displacement of the top-filler by the skip-hoist eliminates these. Also the skimmer and mud-gun have made the helpers’ nd work immeasurably safer. st Mechanical methods demand a higher type of es worker with more intellect and less physical iv- power Top-fillers, bottom-fillers, barrowmen, and th vig-bed men are the men whose occupations call nk ‘or nothing more than brute force and physical ig: nergy. Yet these are the very positions that have ce veen displaced by machines. HI O . , pen Hearth Furnace Occupations 18 . the operation of the open hearth there are sa ‘ur distinct working levels of labor operations: ped ‘he Charging Floor. (2) The Ladleman’s ped ‘iatiorm. (3) The Ground or Pit Level: (4) The ch “tectric Cranes. dle- addition to these four there is much mis- é ‘us work, as skull-cracking, relining ladles, al , y brick, ete. od The Charging Level net labor positions on the charging level are hi etter, first and second helper, charger, THE IRON 1127 AGE pull-up boys, and gas-men, all of whom in turn are interested in getting stock and fuel into the hearth and in the actual operation of the furnace. Machinery has done little to change the funda mental demands made of the melter or his helpers, either as to numbers or qualifications; gards pull-up boys, although their work has been made somewhat machinery. The great labor changes are in the new conditions brought by the charging machine and the mechanical methods of operating gas producers. The charging of the furnace has had a marked influence on output and on labor conditions. The early method of stocking the furnace was by hand and the hardest and strenuous of the whole steel industry. Negroes and Irish were em ployed almost entirely. Six to eight men required to fill a 25-ton furnace by hand. To op erate six 25-ton furnaces about 40 unskilled work were needed. The charging machine has revolutionized the industry. One skilled employee operating a charg ing machine can stock six to eight furnaces which, filled by hand, would have required 40 men. Be- also as re easier due to improved powe! about was most were ers sides, the furnaces are now so large that it is doubtful if men could distribute the iron suffi ciently well to do good heating. Hand chargers at Steelton received 13 cents an hour; at Harrisburg they received 15 cents an hour. Everywhere the common labor wage was usually paid. At one plani to-day 27'» cents per hour is paid for the machine charger; at another 28’. cents is paid. At two other plants 30 cents per hour was received. The following table is an approximate comparison of the labor cost of charging by hand and machine: Number Total of Rate of Wages Ware (utput, Method Mer Common Labor Daily Tons Hand a) Then 1 4« now 20 $72.00 a0 Charging machine © 27 Ken aor Gas Producer Operation The introduction of mechanical methods of charging and poking gas producers has reduced the number of men required for a battery of 8 to 10 producers from 18 or 20 to 5 or 6. The work is common laborer’s work and the men receive 18 to 22 cents per hour. The men concerned with pouring operations are pourer or ladleman, nozzle-setter, and nozzle- setter helpers. The nozzle-setter has from four to as high as 18 or 20 men. The shift from the stationary ram cranes, which were situated at every furnace to the overhead traveling cranes, has reduced the number of helpers. Two furnaces fitted with stationary cranes re- quired 37 men in the pouring process, whereas only 12 men were engaged in the pouring work at Steelton, where the most recent types of open hearths with traveling cranes are being oper- ated. This change of crane operation was the only mechanical or labor change noted on the pour- ing level. The Ground Level Several mechanical factors have been intro duced which have decidedly changed the labor con ditions for pit men. They are: (1) The use of traveling cranes for cleaning-up work has reduced the necessary labor force of pitmen almost one- half. (2) The thimble has eliminated a great deal! of the slag work. The of ingot molds placed upon cars. (4) The mechanical stripper. This machine has removed both men and danger from the pit. (3) use 1128 THE IRON AGE May 10. 191; Where 8 or 10 pitmen were constantly at work to grow, to such extent that an increasing with a crane to do stripping, the mechanical of men is being needed. The work is saft stripper operates with only one employee. The popular notion that greater machinery operator of the stripper is treated on the same _ greater danger to workers finds no confi! basis as a craneman, receives the same wages, and in fact when the blast-furnace and open has the same ranking. industries are considered. As was seen blast furnace, so also in open-hearth pla: more, but fewer accidents occur with the in of mechanical appliances. The machine displaced dangerous occupations, as, for in the skip-hoist removing the top-fillers, a) stripper doing away with the need of pitn Another conclusion is that a higher t man comes hand in hand with machinery results in both industries, and especially open hearth, show without question that a Crane Level Cranes have been a marked influence in remo\ ing common, unskilled labor from the steel mills. The important thing to note in the coming in of cranes, especially the electric cranes, is the shift in type of labor needed. In every mill investi- gated the craneman, save for exceptional instances, were native whites receiving 8 cents to 10 cents per hour more than common labor. The great de- mands made upon cranemen in open-hearth work seal Pa ent and higher type of worker is needed. The is not physical power, but skill and vigilance. change observed is mental control removing Outside Labor ical effort, a general shift from muscular powe The lifting magnet has displaced earlier meth- intellectual skill. A step from heavy, cumbe: ods of skull cracking. Formerly 20 to 25 “Hun some, physical labor to alert, keen and ever-awake kien” were used at one works to break up skulls, mental activity represents a change from a lowe costing $30 to $35 a day in wages. With the mag- to a higher man, just as our civilization wit} net all the skulls were broken and collected with intellectual growth has advanced above the F but four workers, two skilled men to operate the Islander, who still depends on physical strengt! machinery and two laborers for helping. But observe the “higher type” from a far | Figures approximating this change were given practical point of view, namely, the increased as follows: of errors that comes with greater machines ' Hour the industries studied the costliness of mistak ss ae ” ae made by workers varies in direct ratio to th Lifting magnet ; increase in mechanical methods. In summarizing the labor changes character If no other proof se found than this BF istic of the open hearth in general, one finds a ‘78 costliness of error which comes with chinery, it would be sufficient to show the need o! more careful intellectual worker. Facts bear out Dr. Carrol D. Wright when he claims that large falling off in the number of unskilled labor required, and an increased demand for skilled or semi-skilled workers. Mental control is demanded 7 ea as ee 1] muddled brains are in danger when working near in lieu of physical power. It is impossible to ob ; 5 i ae omplex machines. Observe also that complex tain statistics Of comparative total income : ; ‘ machines are in danger when muddled brains op- open-hearth operation. Many men are paid on serrate ce erate them. A more complex machine an tonnage basis, others part tonnage and part me, . ; a +71] heat ‘ higher type of labor becomes the natural while still other groups work entirely on a time ; ; men schedule. pps ; Machinery is becoming more comple A comparison is possible, however, as reyaras : : : ; . more gigantic in influence; therefore the the total amount of labor required to operate an ; ; ev responsible the labor effort required in its ope old and a modern furnace. One employer gave : } ai es tion. And for labor to meet the needs the tollowing estimate from his experience: : ; machinery the call is for stronger mind O tronger muscles—for mental superiority, n N : physical prowess. } Hi eee 5 Amalgamated Association Convention Ladlemet The annual convention of the Amalgamated A Nozzle-setter . ‘ mr: r ‘ Nozzle-setter ciation of Iron, Steel and Tin Workers opened in 5 oor bo ' Louis last week. Wage scales for bar-iron, sheet a! tme ; tin-plate mills in the Central West that sign the A! Sty nw tnarot gamated scale will be formulated. It is probab! material increases in wages for all these scales be asked for this year. It is also not unlikely tha’ If we analvze the table carefully with a viev the Amalgamated Association will present scales signature to sheet and tin-plate mills which heret have been operating as non-union mills. Much qu work has been done recently by the associatio direction of unionizing sheet and tin-plate m1 Type of Wor Oo association believing it is an opportune time t Mental control (skilled labor) owing to the immense demand for sheets and ti! ' Dol ) and the very profitable prices ruling. to dividing the labor into that which predomi nantly is physical and that which in the main is mental, the above figures would give: Machinery and Man The American Forge & Machine Compa) y: ( : Ohio, is turning out forgings from % lb. up to The observations and data collected warrant weight, and has just installed some new equipmen' the statement that the mechanical inventions in- the way of large hammers and presses to tak« troduced require a far less amount of labor for _ its constantly increasing business. ‘arrying on specific operations. This does not ee mean that fewer men are working in open hearths The American Bridge Company has moved and blast furnaces, taking the nation as a whole. land office from the Rockefeller Building to the Guar These industries have grown, and are continuing Building. 10, 1917 ecial Coal-Handling Gantry Crane Cleveland Crane & Engineering Company, , Ohio, has furnished a special type of gantry handling coal to the Porto Rico Coal Company, P. R. The crane can be used for unloading boats and depositing it on the stockpile or oe ; —— ———— >— oe Lela eniet tenet al <n —— — THE IRON AGE 1129 New Storage Battery Industrial Truck An electric floor truck for use in industrial plants is being built by J. E. Haschke, 115 West Redondo Street, Los Angeles. The motor is mounted on the yoke of the front wheel, which is of the caster type, and a high-speed electric motor is used that can be Cr e Unloads Coal from Vessels with a ¢ d Delivers It to Railroad Cars Thre l nd Other Vessels Through a Port e H g coal from the pile and loading it into rail- or passenger and cargo vessels. Regener- ng is employed when the load is being lowered antilever, which is hinged at one end, can be wered. span of the gantry is 127 ft. and the trolley vhich has a gage of 8 ft., is 48 ft. above the The trolley wheels are 20 in. in diameter spaced on 14'4-ft. centers. The maximum 10,000 lb. on each of the four wheels, all ire geared to the trolley motor, this arrange- ng relied upon to insure quick acceleration to the maximum speed of 800 ft. per min trucks have a wheelbase of 12 ft. and are ween centers. Each of the trucks has four h are connected by gearing to two motors e on either side of the main girder toward end. Automatic rail clamping devices released by the operator from the control the gantry has to be moved, are provided ks. The mechanism for raising the 95-ft. s housed at the top of the main girder and from the cage under the hinge point of the all of the functions of the crane being con this point. rane is provided with a 3%-yd. clamshell ich is raised at a speed of 300 ft. per min ity of the crane when taking coal from boats iting it at the center of the gantry span is er hr. A 12-ton suspended hopper with two spouts over the railroad tracks provides r loading cars, while for fueling vessels a hopper with a telescopic spout is rigged up antilever to reach the chutes in the sides of r and cargo boats. The structure is designed a wind load of 50 lb. per sq. ft. of exposed 1 vithstand the West Indian hurricanes. Stellite for Metal Cutting nderie des Gobelins, Paris, France, has in- daily production of 155 mm. shells from gh-speed steel was used to 200 when stellite \ccording to Metaux et Alliages, of Paris, stellite for finishing 1000 shells of this size be. per shell. With a cutting speed of 17 bout 56 ft.) the roughing of the shell and ing of the shell each took 21 min. with high- eel. When stellite was employed, the roughing od consumed 11 min., while the finishing work t min., the cutting speed in roughing being s (82 ft.) and in the finishing work 37 meters Bu et Depos ] ~ | ‘ 5 t Hopy ul rw $ yy s I SI R { ( perates at various rates aie ge employ ng resistancs in the circuit or parallelir go tne eld coil or the cel the battery. The current is supplied to the motor from a storag battery at a value which is said to be below the normal! discharge rate, thus increasing the life of the battery and the radius of action of the truc! The motor, which is mounted on the yoke of the front wheel, tran mits power through a set of gears. As this wheel of the caster type, it is explained that the truck can be turned within its wheelbase, which is an advantage where the space available for operation is limited. The weight of the truck is approximately 1500 Australia’s Tin-Plate Supplies Reference was made in THE IRON AGE, Dec. 28, 1916, to the prohibition of imports of tin plate into Australia Representatives have been made to the governmenta! authorities on the subject, according to the Londo lronmonger, and a revision of the ord promised The maximum price to be charged for tin plates by the order in the different states of Australia was £1 15s for each box 20 in. x 14 in., net, delivered at all port of importation, with the cost of transportation added elsewhere throughout the commonwealth. This price has been challenged by importers as absurdly low. Ex tensive contracts have been entered into at much higher rates. Some shipments now arriving from England eost over 40s. to land. The embargo placed upon tin plates from other countries than Great Britain is also objected to as calculated to injure British interests Orders had been placed in America at comparatively low prices, and if these are disallowed the consume: will suffer as well as the merchant. Renewing Worn Rails by Rerolling Varied Designs, Covered by Patents Held by Ameri- can McKenna Process Company, Make Rerolled Rails Interchangeable with New—Adaptability to Curves OUR patents embodying new ideas in rail K section design whereby even badly worn rails are being successfully rerolled for railroad use, have been granted to George Langford, general superintendent American McKenna Com- pany. The company has mills at Joliet, Ill., Kansas City, Kan., and Warners, N. J. The process of re- rolling is conventional so far as equipment and methods are concerned, consisting of -bringing the entire length of the rail to a temperature short of materially affecting the quality of the metal. The heating furnace may be fired by coal, gas, oil, etc. The rail is passed through two sets of rolls which in practice have been placed in tandem. Only a slight amount of work is done on the web and flange, enough to avoid distortion of the rail section, and the original angle bars can be used with the re- rolled rails, the latter being an important consider- ation. Process SYMMETRICAL AND UNSYMMETRICAL HEADS The designs, for which patents were granted in January of this year, provide for two general types of rerolled rails, one being designated as symmet- rical, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and unsymmetrical, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Fig. 2 illustrates a symmetrical rail rerolled from a badly worn rail, and is designed for use on curves. Fig. 4, also rolled from a badly worn rail, has an unsymmetrical head, and likewise is applicable to curves. The advan- tages of the rails shown in Figs. 2 and 4, for use on curves, arises from their narrow tread. They are used as the inner rail on which it is desirable to reduce the bearing area so that as the wheels round the curve the inner wheel will slip because of the decreased amount of contact, and allow the outer wheel to run ahead. This is not a new theory or application, as there are other types of so-called frictionless rails. It will be noted that in the case of both of these rails the design is such as to pre- serve full surface for support by the angle bar, the support being greater on the gage side. In the case of the unsymmetrical type, the sloping side of the head is laid to the outside of the track, the gage side, of course, of all rails being in alignment. DISTORTION OF RAIL SECTION AVOIDED A feature on which stress is laid is that the heads of the rerolled rails are made to conform in j fi \ J f ) Pit + ao. ht p Gi \ = \ \ - - FIG . Silas «a, tte FIG. 2 Sections of rails rerolled from old rails of various degrees of wear by American McKenna Process. are determined by the area of the worn rails. Fi of the head may be varied to control the width of the tread on the gage or inner side of the track. The rail of Fig curve and tangent rail is on the outside of the track g. 2 shows a rail from badly worn rails for use on curves: All three sections of Fig. 3 are in alignment with eac! 4 is designed for use on curves: 1130 design to the shapes of the worn rails from whic} they are rolled, with a view of avoiding dist balanced. If it were attempted to make a bad worn rail conform to standard design there \ be danger, it is pointed out, if not the certaint excessive distortion, with a consequent impairment of the strength of the rail. Early attempts at rolling old rails has in view the restoration of t standard section, but the difficulties encountered with rails very badly worn were so great that the effort was abandoned, and.it was sought to make a svmmetrical rail with a taper on both sides. In the utilization of rails which are very badly worn, as they are likely to be on curves, the use of an unsymmetrical shape has been found accept- able, as the process in reality utilizes the absence of metal on the worn side. The changes in the es- sential portions of the rail, aside from reduction of the head are but slight. The object is to renew the rails with a minimum change in the physical struc- ture of the steel, and the process moves the metal to such a slight degree that the work can be done at a low temperature. When rerolled, a standard A. S. C. E. 100-lb. rail is reduced to about 92 lb., preserving the original length, or to a 90-lb. rail 1 ft. longer than the original, i.e., a 33-ft. rail becomes 34 ft. long after rerolling. Lengthening rails in this man- ner is proving of interest to the railroads. The Michigan Central Railroad is now having 100-rails rerolled to 90 lb., with unsymmetrical heads; the Chicago & Northwestern has used the unsymmetrical head, likewise the St. Louis & San Francisco. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul is using a rerolled rail with symmetrical head. GAGE-SIDE DIMENSIONS ARE STANDARD In his patent application covering the design of the symmetrical rail, Mr. Langford states that the finished product is substantially standard in all its dimensions except as to the head and the fishing on one side; the head, while being unsymmetrical, conforming on the inner or gage side substantially to the outline of a new standard rail. The outer side of the head slopes inward, but at its base it is substantially of standard width and contour, per- mitting the use of standard fittings, and being in- terchangeable with new standard rails. The patent application also covers the rerolling of badly worn rails to sections with unsymmetrical heads with bi FIG. 4 Contours A, B at ic the sloping Siu" the offset at the connection betwee 10, 1917 equal on both sides of the head, but greater that of the original rail. ter delivery at any one of the company’s the worn rails are carefully sorted, accord- the degree of wear, into separate piles desig- is A. B and C, each being suitable for reroll- to some one of the various types. In practice, B and C grades will average about 75, 15 ) per cent respectively. These lots are rolled pped separately into a series of A, B and C which all dimensions except width and head are kept uniform. The A section is rolled with a symmetrical head, the new ; being particularly directed at the more badly rails. Before rerolling, the rails are passed 1 a grinding machine which removes the fins resulted from the pounding of the Ss in have CLAIM ADVANTAGES OVER NEW RAILS comparing the rerolled sections with other ards of the same weight per yard it is claimed at the moment of inertia and section moduli of ise and head are greater in the rerolled section the standard sections of the same weight vard, and the neutral axis is nearer the base. It claimed that from a metallurgical standpoint the new sections have decided advantages that the shape of the rail head insures proper work upon it in the rolls; also that the reduced per- entage of area permits uniform cooling of head ind flange, thus minimizing the danger of internal strains and failure in service. na? ! is also Toggle Automobile Rail Forming Press \ new double-action toggle press designed especially forming rails for automobile frames and other forming work that requires accuracy and uniformity, and with which it is claimed very rapid production is possible, has been brought out by the Toledo Machine & Tool Company, Toledo. The first presses used for forming automobile rails were of the hydraulic type and later single-action crank presses were employed for this purpose. Both hydraulic and power presses are found in stamping plants engaged in turning out auto- mobile frames in large quantities, the two types being generally used for forming different kinds of rails. The first Toledo press of the double-action toggle type for rail forming was built for the Willys-Overland Company, Toledo, and was recently installed in that company’s stamping plant. This machine has a capac- ity for exerting a pressure of about 2000 tons. It will form pieces 17 ft. long of chrome nickel or other high- grade steels % in. in thickness. An idea of the size ‘f this machine will be gained from the dimensions. It 15 ft. front to back, 20 ft. 8 in. right to left and 31 from the base to the extreme top. It extends in i pit ® ft. below the floor line. The complete weight the machine is 650,000 Ib., or 325 tons. It is operated \25-hp. motor. It is practically all of steel con- tion and some of the single parts weigh approxi- y 40,000 lb. each. Six flat cars of a large capacity required for its shipment. the production of rails for automobile frames, nsidered essential that the vertical web be free warping or buckling. In this press the blank firmly between the top of the die and the blank during the process of forming, so that, it is , Warping or buckling is impossible, and all sub- nt hand straightening is avoided, thus eliminating pense entailed by this method of straightening. machine is self-contained and employs only two in the process of production. One slide comes nd clamps the flat blank or sheet without any ertion, holding the blank flat while the second nt of the machine forms the sides of the channel e, and continuing on to the completion of one vhen the finished channel rests free of all die tion on top of the die. The formed part is then + d THE IRON AGE ’ Tica | “i aT ag Ae “ S Pe ed Tee Loe Tt ' _ Ce ors | ee ee Se eee — Double-action Toggle Press for Forming Rails for Automobile Frames, Which Is Located in a Pit Extending & Ft. Below the Floor ready to be swept off without the necessity of prying off or stripping. The channel, frame, or other part formed on the machine is said to be free from buckle in the web and from twist in its sides. It is claimed that over 90 per cent of the actual labor required in producing forms of this type is saved because of the elimination of hand processes of straightening. The press operates at about seven strokes per min ute, producing two complete rails of normal size and shape, one right and one left rail at each stroke. It is stated that one operator and two to four helpers, de- pending on the size and shape of the rails, are suffi- cient to operate the machine. The frame of the press is massive in construction, and is securely held together by large steel tierods Upper oper ‘ Plater \ Platen and the Pune? of the Press ssive Position Assumed by the Die The eSucce in a Complete Cycle that take the stress. The crown, bed, blank holders yokes, links and smaller castings are all steel to give the maximum strength to withstand the enormous pres- sure required for the work, the machine being designed to provide ample power and strength. The shafts are of the eccentric type, are hammer forged of special analysis steel, high in carbon, and are of large diameters. The press is fitted with a Toledo friction clutch operated by a hand lever, which gives the operator control of the machine at all times and enables him to stroke. stop or start instantly at any point of the New Sidelights on Electric Steel Making American Electrochemical Society Discusses a New Form of Duplexing—Government Speci- fying Electric Castings—The Power Problem HE rapid growth of the electric steel industry, speaker said, suggested that an ideal arrangemé both in the steel plant and foundry, and various steel foundry would be to use a “reversed du; phases of that industry relating to the types of process. A nearly full presentation of the pap furnaces, their operation and product, were discussed where in this issue gives the details. at the thirty-first general meeting of the American Electrochemical Society held at Detroit last week. The Government Specifying Electric Stee! Aside from a short business session, one entire day was devoted to electric furnaces and electric steel making, and during other sessions papers of interest to steel Prof. E. D. Campbell, University of Michiga Arbor, discussed the reversed duplexing proce posed and suggested its use for the manufact high-grade steel, particularly tool steel. Mr. | mann said that he expected a rapid growth in mand for electric steel castings and that, si paper was written, he had taken a Government c for ordnance castings in which electric steel wa fied. . Considerable interest was shown in the exhil Mr. Flintermann, of a manganese steel casting for a clutch spider for an automobile. This spicd previously been made of an alloy steel forging hardened after being machined, but the loss is s: have been heavy. The manganese steel spider cast was \ in. thick in its thinnest section, and was over its entire surface, 1/16 in. of metal being removed It was free from imperfections, as required. Ths spider was tapped on both sides, the tap being of the inception of the industry, its early development ree of soft steel welded to the manganese. casth and present achievement. It was pointed out that the holes being provided for this purpose when molding the TY ; | casting United States has now taken the lead in electric fur : ] e 1 , : In reply to a question, Mr. Flintermann stated that iace development after a very slow start, and that the : : < corrosion makers, on acid resisting properties of alloys, of cast iron, and electrolytic picking of steel were read and discussed. The co-operation of the various technical societies with the Navy Department was referred to in reports and attention was called to the large representation the society has on the Naval Consulting Board. The meet ing was held at the Statler Hotel, May 2 to 5, and was attended by nearly 200 members. This number was somewhat smaller than the attendance at the last meet- ings held in the East, but the membership is larger in the East than in the Central West. The first paper, “Comments on the Electric Steel Industry,” was prepared by Dr. John A. Mathews, pres- ident of the Halecomb Steel Company, Syracuse, N. Y., but was read by Prof. J. W. Richards, Lehigh Uni versity, secretary of the society. This gave a review < a electric steel production is sin ieeink bite Minds he found the manipulation of an acid bottom much great as the crucible steel production and one-eightl easier than a basic bottom. Answering the quer; as to that of Bessemer production. The two latter processes how many heats the roo! lasted with . basic bottom wr are not declinine, bat ave. mere or leas aeetione. «A tated that he had a silica roof for a basic furnace large portion of this paper is printed in another part got only 60 or 70 heats on a roof and lining, but | of this isene. ; inderstood that some plants were getting 150 heats roof by changing the fluxes and making othe! Superiority and Cost of Electric Steel provements. In a discussion of Dr. Mathews’ paper, C. F. Lind Professor Richards suggested that er say, Ottawa, Ontario, said that all munition steel that trouble that Mr. Flintermann had experienced was not electric steel, which was used in Canadia thick basic slag might be avoided by adding silic: munition plants, had laminations and “ghost” lines, but fluorspar, thinning the slag and consequently maki that these defects were not present in electric stee] ™O0re liquid. He also stated that he had sent an it used for munitions. He referred to the new electr; to a large number of manufacturers and users steel plant being built by the Canadian Government. ‘astings, asking them how steel castings can bt and which will have 10 six-ton Heroult furnaces as the Proved and that about 19 out of 20 of the er ve largest electric steel plant in the world. Dr. Richards that the improvement would result from the us replied that this would be exceeded in capacity by the electric steel. 30-ton electric furnaces of the Illinois Steel Company. Protecting the Tilting Gears Robert Turnbull, Welland, Ont., stated that to-day steel can be made by the electric furnace cheaper thar The details of construction of an electric fu by any other process except the basic open-hearth. the electrical factors, the thermal considerations Electric steel is being made in Canada to-day at $15 to the chemical reactions were discussed in a paper el- $18 a ton cheaper than by tne acid open-hearth process titled “Notes on Electric Steel Making,” presented This difference in cost, it was pointed out, was due to J. L. Dixon, of the John A. Crowley Company, Detr the high-priced materials required for the open-hearth Referring to the mechanical features of a furnace, M2 process, and to the comparatively low-priced scrap that Dixon stated that the design and location of tilung can be used as the electric furnace charge. gears and electrode raising gears should be sue! In a paper on “The Electric Furnace for the Produc- they will be fully protected from any accidental break- tion of Small Steel Castings,” R. T. Flintermann, pres- out or overflow of liquid metal. The protection of th ident and general manager of the Michigan Steel Cast- electrode raising gears is generally a simple matt ing Company, Detroit, described the processes used in but this is not true of the tilting gear. He referred his plant for making small steel castings. He declared to a type of tilting gear giving excellent results that there is no question of the superiority of both acid mechanically that had*been abandoned owing to the and basic electric steel over the converter metal, and danger of the gear being damaged by liquid metal. enumerated various points of advantage found in the Mr. Dixon suggested that in designing a very !aTt* electric. He experienced much trouble with slag in the electric furnace requiring a large number of electrodes basic process, but these difficulties disappeared when difficulties that result in breakdowns might be overce! he changed to the acid process and he is now using by suspending the electrodes by an overhead device " only acid linings and bottoms. dependent of the overhead shell of the furnace Th was the most convenient arrangement for furnaces A “Reversed Duplexing” Process the stationary type. He strongly advocated the ™ The minimum of slag trouble with acid steel, the of the highest possible voltage for melting down ™* 1132 The higher the voltage, the smaller may be odes and the higher would be the power factor. ‘ussing the part of the paper referring to the if gears from hot metal, Mr. Turnbull said ronto a roof is being built over the tilting hat molten metal from the furnace will stay or fall back into the pit. Another solutior ‘lem that has been applied to a small furnacs fecting of the tilting movement by lowering the e furnace by means of two hydraulic rams. ed, however, that the Toronto method would plan of protecting gears. teel Instead of Copper Electrode Holders . inject of electrode regulation brought up it . n’s paper was discussed by Mr. Turnbull and . Seede, General Electric Company, Schenectady, [he former said that the tendency is to get m copper electrode holders and that he has g¢ cast-steel holders for over a year. He be teel would finally replace the copper holders. ull also said that a cast-iron roof cooler cai fe nstead of copper for 25-cycle current, but he recommend the cast iron if 60-cycle current He contended that there is not enough co between steel manufacturers and makers o and suggested that the furnace makers get vith the regulator makers, believing that regu be made that would avoid difficulties. He the furnace people tell their troubles to the makers and allow the latter to make the instead of trying to do it themselve | question from Mr. Seede as to whether stee holders were used on large furnaces Mr. tated that they are being used on 6-ton fur ir. Dixon remarked that iron cooling rings dvantage in that they are cheaper to replace it and eliminate the danger of a furnac: oming contaminated with the copper. m the “Bethlehem Ten-Ton Girod Stee epared by C. A. Buck, vice-president of the Steel Company, was read by Professor Ric} lescription of this furnace appeared in TH! May 18, 1916. In Mr. Buck’s paper we tails of the general operation using col he refinn Y by slags, composition of the sla riety of steels made in the furnace irious artificial abrasives and their uses were the manufacture of grinding wheels o pes was described in a paper by Richard G nechanical engineer, The Norton Company, Mass. The paper, entitled “The Grinding Connecting Link Between the.Electric Fu the Automobile,” was illustrated with lanter: ng some of the manufacturing processes nent used in making grinding wheels. The d that the art of precision in grinding has rapidly during the past few years and is of the automobile manufacturer should for a large share of the advance. It is to grind more than one diameter at one e wheel. This is an outgrowth of the uss wheels, taking extreme cuts without an) the table or the wheel. From 85 to 90 the grinding wheels in use are made by ocess, being designated as vitrified wheels ling material is composed of various rhe Modified Rennerfelt Furnace on “Rennerfelt Electric Furnace Operation,” Vom Baur, Hamilton & Hamell, New York, mprovements and changes in that furnace ipt the Swedish design to American prac- mprovements noted were as follows: The th is now circular with one set of electrodes, hape with two sets; the side electrodes are a vertical plane, allowing them to dip bath; the available power for a given sized been largely increased. the discussion of this paper Mr. Vom Baur melting the pure copper with the Rennerfelt e, the volatilization loss was found to be 10, 1917 THE IRON AGE 1133 } only two-thirds of 1 per cent in a six weeks’ run, but with a Heroult furnace the loss was great and the test abandoned. The question was raised as to how long the electrodes would last in a furnace of this type Mr. Vom Baur replied that a cautious person had broken two in a heat, but he had seen a furnace oper ated two days without breaking an electrode He referred to an electrode with a cone type of joint which had been brought out recently, and said that this typ seemed to be lasting better than the old type A paper on the electrical characteristics of electri furnaces was presented by A. A. Meyer, assistant ele trical engineer of the Detroit Edison Company, and +; contained data secured in an extensive electrical inves gation of Heroult and Grénwall-Dixon furnaces i operation at the plants of the Michigan Steel Casting Company and the Detroit pl int of the John A. ( rowley Company. The Society's Growth The society has experienced a marked growth during the past year, as is indicated by the report of the Board Directors read DY Prof. Richards, the secretary, howing a net increase of 184 in membership. This eport was supplemented by the secretary’s report, which showed the present membership to be 1541, o1 the greatest in the history of the ociety. Professor Richards read a report on the Naval Cor iltine Board, coveri! ge the personnel of the board, uutlining its functions and mentioning some of the work already accomplished by that body. The report tated that the irious committees have already done much valuable work for the Navy Department and that the committee on metallurgy has conducted an inquiry towards securing an improvement in steel castings for the Navy Department Attention wa called to the ict tnat he board, through it ecretary, had taken steps movement to f ire in adé late upply of nit I tn coul I With the view of encour iving tudent whose mear are usuall mited, to become mber of the society, the constitution was amended so as to permit the ad issk without initiation du iY men in actual i er nee ® ef eve The Niagara Power Problem eport of the Board « Director on wate! itlor read V ne etary} tated that ele hemical industries of tl country are sufferi: water power, and pre he belief that neans ‘ he provided for greater use of the water at Niagara Falls without interferi with it scenic effect The report suggested that a joint commission of Ame in and Canadian engineers be appointed to take up the matter of greater utilization of the Niagara Falls vate ipply, cons