The Iron Age 1917-05-24: Vol 99 Iss 21

BLISHED 1855 _~ a, tid = PR ns Bes LS SR ot ae” wD au New York, May 24, 1917 Kieth Bes VOL. 99: No. 2 a Forging Versus Heat Treatment of Steel Initial Which Improper Difficulties Heating Careful for Treating Responsible Heat Cannot Rectify—Human Element in Forging BY D. K O small percentage of the difficulty encountered N n heat-treatment operations is due to im- proper forging methods, and ofttimes the t-treatment operation is nothing more than a use- effort or attempt to get something out of a d piece of steel that is not actually in it. Thus, steel man is often blamed for the absence of ality which he actually put in it, and the heat- treatment man is blamed for his lack of ability to ocate such qualities, which he properly assumes to exist, but which, nevertheless, the forge man took it poor heating, unknown to himself or the tner two. it usually happens neither the steel ifacturer, nor the in charge of the ng, nor the man in rge of the heat treat- nsiders this point ery thoroughly or in- tigates it properly. result is that the rge man unconsciously tinues to furnish the ind for trouble, leav- BULLENS for rolling, and a great deal of the difficulty due to lack of uniformity could be eliminated by a better control of the heating in the mill when the ingots or billets are rolled, and in the forge shop when the stock is formed into shape. The heat-treatment specialist cannot be expected to get out of a piece of steel, or to put into it, some thing that the forge heater has taken out with im proper heating methods. His work is influenced greatly by the heating operations in the forge shop and the rolling mill and he properly cannot claim to have control of, or be required to control and as sume responsibility for, the heat treatment of his steel unless such con trol extends at least to the forge shop and, if need be, to the volling mill. This important ques tion of initial heating has been considered al together too lightly and the marked improvement that has been effected by special investigation r it for the other two along these lines indi fight out. Much of cates the necessity for he data gathered from improved methods and tests and the conclusions equipment for heating ira would appear in in the forge shop and ferent light if this rolling mill, neither of ry important operation which have kept pace ging were given with, or are up to the ittention. standard of those em Initia ita ployed for, t he heat | Heating of the treatment of the steel Steel Fig. 1—Fractures of Test Pieces of Seven Shafts Forge after it is forged. from the Same Heat of Steel, Showing the Effect of Treatmen aah i AS ‘ \ny heat-treatment This condition is 1) that does not involve thorough consideration lustrated by the test pieces shown in Fig. 1, to ntrol of the initial forging operation is in- gether with the photomicrographs in Figs. 2 to 8, te. Heat treatment begins with the heating and the following physical test results: steel preparatory to forging and ends with a a a inal cooling following the last heat-treatment _ Strength, Limit, tion, tor ion, assuming, of course, that the steel itself ‘x,. ‘Sate Gale indin. Por Cont Fracture roper condition with reference to uniformity $8,000 50,500 14.0 ir; 4 nemical analysis and homogeneity of metal ; + ie tg ms when charged into the forge furnace. cic Seog Siase ge ae inst of the irregularities in heating for forg- 6 95,900 54,000 12.0 56. Granular ig are common to the mill operations of heating ' ohery — =. ee on Oe sht, 1917, by D. K. eatment.” “Steel and Bullens, author of All rights reserved 1243 All of the shafts represented by these seven test pieces were made from the same heat of steel, were 1244 of approximately the same size and were subjected to the same amount of working during forging, and all were treated in the same manner at one time to meet the same specification. The steel represented by test piece No. 7 was properly forged; the frac- ture after heat treatment shows a perfect cup, with large reduction, and that the steel received the proper heat treatment is borne out by the photo- micrograph and the physical-test results. The first 3ix tests indicate a wide variety of improper forg- ing methods; some of the fractures were granular and showed “fire,”’ some were “dead” and showed no life; all showed severe overheating. Such conditions are by no means exceptional even in large plants where there is apparently every facility in the form of equipment and supervision except for heating in the forge shop. Heating for Forging Two of the weak links in forging practice from the metallurgical end are the lack of uniformity and the temperature of the heats. As a rule, the Figs. 2 to 5 Are Photomicrographs ‘our) Test temperatures are altogether too high, with the re- sult that, while the surface is apparently hot, there may be actually a “bone” on the inside. It is com- mon practice to see drawn from a furnace a billet that will drip and yet when placed under the ham- mer there will be indications of lack of heating on the inside. It is the inside of the bar that deter- mines the physical properties of the final forging and not the outside; there is nothing gained in quick wash or surface heats. The factors so frequently mentioned ture and time-mass-surface—are just as applicable to forging work as to heat treatment. Slow, soft, soaking heats, affording the steel plenty of time to heat up, are more desirable than the quick, higher heats. The idea should be to maintain the temper ature of the furnace as near as possible to that ac tually required to soften the steel to the extent necessary for its proper shaping in relation to the capacity of the hammer or press, and to give it plenty of time in the furnace to soak thoroughly at this temperature without overheating or oxidizing the outside. If the judgment of the heater cannot be relied upon, as is often the case with men accustomed to hammering “mushy” steel or working on a tonnage basis and if there is not a man continually to super- vise the heats, then the only alternative is to install recording pyrometers at each furnace and that tem- perature maintained which has been found the best for the particular work in hand. If the proper tempera- THE IRON tars of Fig 100 diameters AGE May 1917 temperature has been used, the steel saturated, and the fire soft and a litth carbon to reduce oxidation, the men will the steel actually will forge more eas greater production be obtained than under th, method. With proper saturation it als found that much lower temperatures may and that working conditions will be made mor; bearable. Such a practice not only is better for th, man but also is much better for the steel from th. standpoint of quality. It has the added advantage of being less costly, because it is almost impossih to effect these improvements without at the same time decreasing the operating cost. Finishing Temperatures The finishing temperature as well as the maxi- mum temperature to which the steel has heated for forging has a great bearing upon the final structure of the steel, and therefore upon the subsequent heat treatment. The heating and forg- ing should be adjusted so that the finishing may he been They are slightly reduced from an < completed at temperatures as near the critical range as possible. The higher the initial heating and finishing temperatures, and the smaller the amount of working which the steel receives, the larger be the grain size and the greater the difficult countered in the subsequent heat treatment. Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate most plainly the ference between proper and improper heating methods and their effect upon the steel. The phot micrographs were taken from large shafts of the same size, with the same amount of reduction, ane forged by the same men. The same tonnage s)* tem of wages operated in each case. The steel Fig. 9 represents the average result obtained | their old methods; that of Fig. 10 by heating furnace properly designed and operated so as ' produce the soft heats, lower temperature and t ough saturation discussed above. Forge Furnace Design The general design of a forge furnace |s | below the standard of heat-treating furnaces is a point usually left to the forge man or brick-layer. It is common to see furnaces hot one side and cold on another, or hot on the top * cold on the bottom. Also to hear complaints lack of ability to heat steel properly in a furnace” which the burners blast directly against the st which naturally keeps the stock nearest the burne cool and heats the pieces farther away. This ** common fault in many oil-fired forge furnaces Va 1917 rly those of “home-made” design, although e said that the products of many furnace re not free altogether from this criticism. igning and building a forge furnace the itely common method appears to be that ng a box with working openings at one ng a hole somewhere in one side through burner is inserted, providing one or more he roof, and calling it a furnace. All this thout any regard for the generation and plication of heat to the stock and without for the control of the air entering the or control of the hot gases leaving it. le it is possible in many instances to intro- through one burner all the fuel required to sufficient heat, it should be borne in mind furnace of any considerable size the heat localize and the blast is strongest directly of the burner. It is necessary to obtain sufficient heat but also to apply it uniformly iminate the evil effect of direct blast close Are Photomicrographs of the Bars 5, 6 ck. This cannot be worked out with set r formula; it is necessary to determine the er of burners and their location from a lay- r each individual furnace. ry cubic foot of air entering the furnace be under control, and unless this is done it nable to expect proper operation, because sive fuel consumption, oxidation, irregular { uncomfortable working conditions for the lly follow. Ample space should be left on the door openings so as to provide op- or good circulation of the hot pieces to be heated. + gases Forge Furnace Operation ge forge heater appears to believe that is incomplete without one or more vents ind its operation imperfect unless flame of the vents and working openings. hand, if the furnace is properly de- operated so as to produce soft “lazy” ecessity for venting is demanded only balancing the pressures between the P a tside of the furnace, and carrying off a order that a fire can be maintained. + ts project through the door opening, the ‘ uld be closed with loose bricks piled billets. When working in this manner be through the openings between the extra vents are unnecessary. llets are introduced entirely within the THE IRON AGE 1245 chamber and the door closed, then special vents may be employed, but these should not be located in a position which will permit the gases to “short circuit” out of the chamber without first having passed around the steel in the chamber and in cor taet with the chamber floor. Whether the furnace is operated with the door uy or down, one of the best methods is to make provisior for the gases to pass out from the chamber at the chamber floor level and discharge from the furnace without blasting into the faces of the operators. Such construction decreases the effect of the cold floor or hearth by bringing the hot gases in con tact with the chamber floor; decreases the heat loss through the “short circuiting” of the hot rectly through roof vents occasioned in the usual construction, and finally if the outlets are properly located in relation to the design and operation of gases di the furnace as a whole, a more uniformly heated product will be produced. In practice, these vents should be closed almost entirely when loose brick are employed around a projecting through the furnace opening, and only partially opened when the working opening is covered by a door. The opening must be varied to suit the requirements of the fire, being greater in starting up than when the furnace is up to heat. The outlet the exit of should be held to a minimum and damper should be provided and continually regulated to vary the out let of gases. A forge furnace in this respect i entitled to the kitcher stove, not only for the proper generation and con trol of the heat, but the other, fuel consumption varies with the outlet area piece area ior spent gases same consideration as a because in one case as In Human Element in Forging The strongest language that could be employed to describe the heat-treatment equipment, the methods of heating and personnel, as they are actually known to exist, would be alto gether too mild and ineffective for a proper de- scription of the heating methods and equipment in the majority of intry. As ir the case of machine work, the design of the ham mers, presses and other machine equipment has made rapid strides forward, but the two most im- portant factors of the forging operation from the metallurgical end—the man and the furnace—have either stood still or gone backward. Many well-informed and experienced men claim that the caliber of forge men to-day is not what it general average forge snops in tne ¢ Vig. 9—Photomicrograph of the Structure of a Large Shaft Improperly Heated it has bee reduced about one-fourtl tron al riginal of 100 dAiameter was years ago, and that a better quality of work was produced with the old-fashioned and compara- tively inefficient coal and coke furnaces, though at a higher cost, than at present with furnaces burn ing oil or gas. There appears to be something in this statement, particularly in view of the high quality of work turned out in Europe, where the use of high-speed machines, oil and gas fuel, and “effi ciency” production methods are not as prevalent as here. If such a difference actually exists it can be traced invariably to the personnel of the men or to the design and operation of the furnace, because, like in most operations involving the skill of the operator as against the fixed movement of a ma- chine, quality reflects the man and his knowledge of the work. But even so, we and should be able to do better with fuels so closely linked with uniformity of temperature, steadiness of operation and ease of control. If we do not, then it is up to the man or the furnace and not to the hammer or the fuel, which is in itself a good argument for im- provement of the heating and human equations in the operations. It appears to be almost impossible, or at least commercialiy impractical, to build forge furnaces of proper design that will produce and apply heat in the manner demanded by the requirements of mod- ern specifications, and expect them to stand the abuse and, in fact, the brutal treatment given by the ordinary forge furnace heater. The design of the furnace to-day appears to be made to fit the man, although the proper procedure would appear to be that of designing the furnace as it and adapting the man to it. The commercial value of ‘automobile trucks would never have been realized if men had not been taught how to operate and care for them, and the furnace and methods necessary to bolster up our weak forging practice will not be commercially pos sible until our manufacturers realize the actual ne cessity and profit that will demand and follow the one factor that can retard their development—the human element. The apparent advantages of the motor truck were not sidetracked by the fact that it was neces sary to teach men how to-operate them, and yet there is just as much, if not more reason men, and if necessary a different type of man, should not be taught how to properly heat steel. The motor truck had the advantage of being new and free from the precedent, tradition, prejudice and custom that hampers the development of the heating end of forge work, which is just as im- can should be whi THE IRON: AGE May 24 portant as any other branch of heating in meta). lurgy and exerts much influence over other oper, tions. The proper heat treatment of steel is n sible without proper heating in the rolling mil! ang forge shop and forgings cannot be produced as the should be without good men and good furn Heating is just as much of an art or trade as mold ing or plumbing or driving a motor truck, and y trained men are demanded for these operations, jt seems as though any kind of a man is good enough for the expensive operation of forging and treat ing. Weak Link in the Heat-Treatment Chain This factor is the weakest link in the of heat-treating operations and must be strength ened, not only because it is necessary from the technical side, but because it is profitable from the commercial side. The time and money that can be saved in scrap, fuel, power, repairs to furnac: other equipment, machining operations, lost bu ness due to defective material, etc., should certain! be sufficient inducement to bring about the char the necessity for which has been too long looked and the possibilities too little realized. There should be continual supervision of th heating operation in order to check the tempera ture, time of heating, uniformity of heat throug! out the chamber, the force of the fire, the amount of waste gases, the oxidizing effect of the fire, the Photomicrographs of the Structure of a Heated It has iron ar been reduced about one original of 100 diameters consumption of fuel and power and the repairs t furnaces and other equipment. Personal supervi- sion is made absolutely necessary by the very na ture of the work. Pyrometers and the like ars sirable and at times necessary, but vital errors Wi creep in, even though such appliances indicate th do not exist. The practice of delegating one or more men t supervise the work of heating by checking th points above enumerated, under the direct charg' of the shop foreman, is steadily gaining as " should. When properly followed it has invarial led to good results in the form of better product and saving in scrap, lost time, fuel, power, man tenance and better working conditions for the me! Forging has been neglected too long, and would seem as though the technical and commer possibilities are well worth the effort necessary ' bring them about. The first sheet of steel was rolled last week in ™ new plant of the Indiana Rolling Mill, Newcastle, '' The former plant was demolished in the tornad March 11 THE IRON AGE Work to Which Women Have Now Beet Called in England ] Indicated ! the Accompanying of Illustrations in Engineering. of Londor Showing Women Engaged in the M rns f Cy ders Engines, These Incidentally Required for Mine Sweepers Phe Pellin Hardness-Testing Apparatus, s shown in the upper corner of the lustration It is si easy to cut off the current instant between the elec a French Device tromagrnet and the ft piate DY meal of a circult ; breaker fitted to the base plate Che od, being lil rT ellin hardness-testing apparatus has attracted cn e211 . : ; erated, acts as a hammer and by falling upon the tention in England and has been described by : rae : ° . : » + specimen under test the ball form in this ar impres as follows: It is based upon the Brinell , : * : sion, the diameter of which varies according to the iethod and has been designed for the hard hardness of the specimen and the weights with which the disk has een loaded The makers of the machine are Ph. and | Pellir » Avenue d’Orleans, Pari ng of the different metals used for all in irposes. The apparatus is mounted upon a ase plate on which is fixed a forked spring ch holds the sample to be tested in posi ovetailed slide can be raised or lowered s Meeting of Tungsten Ore Producers at will the height of fall, its displacement ; : onus t a recent eting in San | Sci f the lead ilated to tenths of a millimeter by the aid of \t a eas meee 4 vw » of the , r : . : 5 ng producers in the United State of tungsten con scale. The slide is provided with an arm : ' heelit } . . . entrates a schedule of rices fol cheelite ore or1 cylindrical housing in which a steel rod ' fe ; M 1. 191 On - <a concentrate was adop da, @ tive a\ . Yli 1} but without play. The housing ends in en a tod , i ; . : cials representing three Colorado and four California ir electromagnet connected to one of the ‘ A all : ; " pint producing ‘omp: ie were present. repo 0 tre 1s shown in the illustration. The rod is pro- P'OCUCINS Companis Px : : . meeting in the Engineer , and Min ng Journal, May the top with a disk designed to carry a vari oe : . ; : 12, 1917, says that quotations were based on 5d pe s of weights, so as to produce any variation : 7 ' : 5 ent concentrate The schedule prepared | the s« impression under shock. At the lower part : ace s a ao ; eral companies for their individual use include i fitted a soft iron plate, the object of which ee 1 minimum of 40 per cent ar \ iximum of 70 pel the adhesion of the whole rod system when cent WO. and prices ranging from $:4 per unit for nt from a battery is closed on the electro co 4 ae The steel ball, 2.5 mm. (0.0984 in.), is held the minimum per cent and $25 p. a . oe ae er underneath the soft iron plate This holder mum per cent, the basi pri e vue rf) ww oD pel 2 - nd $20 for 60 per cent The price per ton for ore o minimum per cent 1s 4060; maximum, $1,610 Ore of H per cent WO. i cheduled at $1,017.50 per ton The producers are not bound by the decision of the meeting as to the schedule of prices, whic his s ibject to change without notice, or as to the terms of ile or pact king But it 1 expected that the leading pro ducers of the country wi ll maintain generally uniform prices and act in harmony in other matte discussed hy the meeting. It was stated that the freight rate from Boulder t Httehure j ahout 2h« ne? nit and from California ittsburegn 1 a i I points to Pittsburgh and New York districts about ih ner unit Importations of tungster it the first wuarter of 1917 were 1185 ton Of this amount 300 tons was in turn exported. The average importation is about 200 tons per montl The average production n the United States is about 500 tons per month, of which more than one-half is produced in the State of California An automobile tried to push a locomotive off the track, according to a letter recently received by the Chisholm & Moore Mfg. Company, Cleveland, from the superintendent of the Pennsylvania Railroad to the effect that “on Jan. 8 last, while our engine 7749 was passing over East Fifty-third Street very slowly, speed about three miles per hour, it was run into by your automobile truck No. 131,199, damaging our locomotive to the extent of $1.31.” It is stated that the truck suffered no injugy and the $1.31 was paid. : Pellin Hardness-Testing Apparatus Foundry for Making Small Castings Ladders Eliminated in Lunkenheimer Pat- tern Storage Building — Special Hori- zontal Non-ferrous Metal Melting Furnaces HE new iron foundry and pattern storage a. building of the Lunkenheimer Company, Cin- cinnati, contains several features in foundry construction. Probably one of the interest- ing is the installation of a creosoted wood block floor in the foundry proper and also in the machine room. The plant has been in operation for a num- most te TT aT n Special ber of weeks and this floor has proved satistactory, in several respects. In the former ferrous foundry that the mpan operated, a brick floor was used and when hot metal was spilled it almost invariably caused the brick to crack. and corners being chipped off and the renewal of the brick ‘floor proved to be a more tedious process than in repairing the wood floor. Also the use of There was also trouble caused by the edges a wood floor in the foundry enables it to be kept cleaner and at the same time the molders insist that it is much easier on their feet; this is obvi ously true of those operating molding machines. The foundry building proper is 100 and on the east side there are two 40 x 5( tensions in one of which there are a nun W. W. Sly Company’s tumbling machines of this extension is the washroom, which a sufficient number of steel lockers for all em; This washroom is also equipped with rm) n Room Having a Low Ceiling, Melting Non-fer! g the Cupola into Small Ladle Cars Running New Lunkenheimer Foundry shower baths and an attendant is provide vote his entire time in keeping the locker a! rooms as well as the different toilets throug! building in a sanitary condition. The extension next to the locker an Ingersoll air compressor that furnishe the various molding machines and for purposes throughout the foundry. The cor also in this extension. Located inside t roo! are dition are two 10-ton Newten cupolas, supplied air by a 30-hp. General Electric blower. T! las are close enough to the foundry proper § the metal may be discharged into mothe! 1248 M 1917 conveyed to different parts of the foundry istrial railway tracks. On account of the 3s of castings, hand pouring is employed ntirely. s same annex there are four horizontal achines of the company’s own make, which ipacity of 1200 lb. each. These machines structed so that they could be operated th gas or crude oil as fuel, and the plain | shape of the drum enables them to be relined when necessary. They are used special mixtures where only a small quan- etal is to be melted and the cost of main- as compared with crucibles has been proved siderably lower. four 20-ft. bays in the foundry The two on the east side are served with shepard electric traveling hoists with the regu- la indry type controllers. A number of Peer- ess chain hoists are used in the other two bays. One especially interesting feature about the foundry it 95 per cent of molding is done by machine. In fact, all of the equipment is arranged so as to -e transportation costs of both raw and fin- ed material. At each column in the foundry the different bays there are water lines as well as compressed air lines, and on the west the bay where a number of vibrating ma- nes are located, air can be obtained at every few are pattern storage building, which is 40 x 100 four stories, and of reinforced concrete con- struction throughout, represents an idea that is un- sual in the construction of buildings of this kind [he distance from floor to ceiling is only 8 ft., so that it is unnecessary for the stock clerk to use idders of any kind to obtain any pattern. A reg- lar card system is kept and the patterns are stored hen an order is received by the stock keeper for particular pattern. This building was also nned with foundations sufficiently firm to sup- rt two additional floors, in case they should be cessary later. Every precaution against fire has een provided both in the foundry and in the pattern torage building, each being provided with auto- sprinklers. At the north end of the plant there is a concrete re shed having bins for the receiving and ge of all material, such as pig iron, coke, sand, {a spur from the main switch to the Lunk- er plant proper enables all of these materials inloaded directly into the bins provided. A ile is also located under this shed and every | of material is weighed. Finished castings ed to the main plant in trucks, but it is handle these in an overhead tramway at in? ite ¥ ————————”—L v Uses for the Rennerfelt Furnace are being found for the Rennerfelt ele: The Central Steel Company, Massillon, tall a 1-ton furnace for melting ferro the Chile Exploration Company, New a 1000-lb. furnace for making mag (used in reducing copper ores), whic! obtained from Germany. es, one in Sweden and one in Finland, melting gray iron scrap for pouring The melted material will be brought position by proper additions, the new undertaken to avoid the use of hig! ’ above installations, 11 other furnaces or use in making steel in Denmark and Finland. THE IRON Norway, AGE 1249 A Difficult Steel Casting : would not be generally supposed that the ste« iT ig, here illustrated, would be a difficult one to make but the conditions to be met are so unusual and severe that extreme precautions were necessary to meet then It represents a 60-in. rotor, weighing 10,000 | whicl has been installed in a large ocean-going yacht as par irge Steel Casting for a Stabilizer for an Ocean-Going Yacht of a Sperry gyroscopic stabilizer \ oon as thi large casting was assembled, after extensive machir ing, it was found that no balancing at all was required This demonstrates that the casting must be as near absolutely flawless as possible and of uniform texture and metal throughout, for the ghtest blow hole or imperfection would have thrown the wheel badly of balance during the hig The of so nearly a perfect castir unusual ment and involves both the and metal problems a large Ea steel foundry. out speed run making 7 18 al idy of It was made achieve careful st molding ter? Zirconia as a Neutral Lining for Steel Furnaces The lining of a steel-making furnace with zirconia is covered by a patent (U. S. 1,217,972), issued Marc} 6, 1917, to George G. McMurt ry, decea ed The patent is the property of the United States Steel Corpora tion. The expectation is that a nia lining would be neutral and that both acid and basic processes of making steel could be carried on it ich a furnace The advantages are manifest; but while limited experi ments have tended to substantiate the theory, not enough of the mineral has been obtainable to try out the idea on a commercial scale. It has been found, however, that zirconia brick have outlasted silica bric when placed side by side in a hot part of ar open-hearth furnace A mortgage for $5,000,000 has been filed at Mount Vernon, Os eae by the National Conduit & Cable Com pany with which the National Brass & Copper Tube Company has bet dated ry companies have property at Hastings-o1 Hudson and the mortgage is to secure an issue yf gold bor ds, the pre eeds of which are to be used for increasing manufacturing facilitie to handle munitions cont which the company has in hand for both the Allies and the United States Government. 1250 THE IRON AGE May 1917 Revolving Sheet Metal Machine Standard for keeping machines that are not in use will not be damaged. When it is desired to A revolving standard for sheet metal machines has of the machines from the upper turret and been placed on the market by the Peck, Stow & Wilcox one that is mounted underneath, this, it is Company, Cleveland. It is designed to provide work- be quickly done. The lower turret also sup] ing space for from one to four operators, as well as_ for holding oil cans, tools, etc. Midway b: storage facilities for additional machines. The height two turrets are located two additional posts by brackets and intended for machines tha large to fit in the smaller turret holders. Machinery Frosting and Spotting For frosting and spotting finished mac} Jones-Mowry Company, Jackson, Mich., has cd special tool. The tool consists of two stee] the rod holding the cutting tool. Knurling or tube gives a hold for the hand while the w called frosting is being done. The inner ty The Outer Tube of This Tool for Frosting an Finished Machinery Is Knurled to Provide a H While the Rod Containing the Cutting Tool I | Necessary Vibrating Motion for Cutting by M Handle Up and Down hardened steel and has an angular groove in pin attached to the central rod travels. In operation the tool is held at an angle of appr mately 45 deg. The blade rests on the surface to be frosted and by moving the handle up and down the necessary vibrating motion for cutting is given to the blade. A great variety of designs, it is explained, car be obtained by honing the tool in different ways. Thread Milling Fixture for Shells Four Sheet M« M Are I Se Sn Oe ee) Se ee ee A fixture for producing threads on shrapnel and radiogs a aie eee a nase Gee aaeeie other shells is being manufactured by the Hall Gas Machines Is Provided Underneatl Engine Company, Inc., Bridesburg, Philadelphia. It is de signed for attachment to a lathe or milling machine from the floor to the working edge of the rolls is ap- can be employed for producing either internal or externa proximately 40 in., it being possible to raise or lower the threads on brass, aluminum, steel or other metals. lh machines to suit the operating convenience of eithe: addition to being used for munitions work, the fixture short or tall operators. is adapted for automobile, firearms, talking m The revolving turret holds four machines. It may and similar plants producing interchanegable part be locked in any position by a conveniently located Minute accuracy of adjustment for diameter and lea lever and room for one to four operators is provided claimed, as well as elimination of loose joints a: The machine holders on the upper portion of the stand vision to insure sufficient lubrication and prot ard can be lowered, raised, or revolved to suit the against the entrance of dust. operating convenience of the workmen. The lower The fixture is used in connection with a cutt turret is stationary with facilities for holding four ad ing several parallel rows of teeth so that a single r ditional machines. This is designed to provide a place lution of the work is sufficient to finish the thre: ‘ BORO ER RE ERE y KG lip llldltig Lt NS 7 . 5 ESS SS SSN The Work to Be Threaded | Mounted in the Collet at the Left Which Is Revolved by a Sleeve Upon Whic! Screw Is Cut 1, 1917 threaded is held in a collet at the left of the h is revolved by a sleeve upon which the cut. The elimination of loose joints and of inaccuracy is claimed to lead screw and the nut to less than reduce the e€ the A tic Eaves Trough Forming Press 70,000 and 80,000 ft. of eaves trough in a the output claimed by the O. O. Poormar New Bremen, Ohio, for its heavy-duty com press. Any gage material may -d, the machine being different from the oll machine and not embodying the prin old-style hand forming or rolling machine. vers either single or double eaves 1 natic trough inclusive, of either the lap type. Interchangeable dies for the differ suugh are furnished and are slipped in take-off end. to 8 in., rs suffice, one for feeding and one for finished product. Sheets, which have been e proper width, are fed in at one end, and es trough is automatically ejected fron end of the machine. ~ - Ball Bearing Firms United nent was made lately that the S. K. I Company had been formed to manag‘ cht Mfg. Company, Philadelphia, and S. K. Company. The directorate of the Ad Company consists of Frank A. Vanderlip, , , F. B. Kirkbride, S. Wingquist, Alex ler, Marcus Wallenberg, a B. G. Prytz, president S. K. F. Ball Bear " Plans are being perfected, it is reported, - ‘ plant facilities of the organization. Budd ; ident Hess-Bright Company, becomes er of the new company, and Mr. Prytz ' Bull, Ltd., Christiania, Norway, dealers i: - , announce the opening of their New York - Woolworth Building, under the manage- mas W. Schreiner. This branch will be oversea trade generally, exporting to and om Seandinavia, Russia and South Amer- ‘ y THE IRON banker of AGE 25 High Manganese Slags in Duplexing The recognized benefit of the presence of manganese naking steel has hee en ph .< ed val atent { I S No. 1,223,030—April 17, 1917) granted to F. D. Carney nd I B I ( iu! Bet} ehen Pa., inten led as al mproveme! n ipliex | Che patentees state that there ha bee n 1 \ ! produc ral ind ther 1 ed shapes f1 on ams or sn ne made I iupiex . a hat ften I ise nas beer i i Dac { the ope I irtn fur e, ipp? } pra " I rea B SS¢ ‘ ‘ tr re ning ‘ ne he rth f ice \ na uff onte ‘ i ines¢ K1ae t pe ry? t of ma ec enter r the rrié it tine tte 1 a tl 1u Lin LE 1» De cent ma ines¢ vy 0.70 per ‘ mr ¢ er ls do th he ice ist contall ! r tna LO ‘ ‘ t I inese In the dupl process the manganese li! the pig iron charged into the Bessemer converter is eliminated arly in the blow, except wher« ich iron contair from to 5 per cent manganese, which not a conditior existing this count no eisewhere except pernap Sweden and Norway The charge to the open-hearth furnace, which is en rely [ lown metal from the Bessemer converter, ex epting ore, alloy and other necessary furnace ad litions, will contain from a trace to 0.05 per cent manganese Since both the slag and bath of metal have had their manganese content depleted, iron oxide will be formed and will enter the bath, giving the steel an appreciable percentage of oxide, which in turn de stroys to a certain extent the good rolling qualitie of ingots cast fron In order to obta such a slag and such an ope! hearth metal, we hearth furnaces either before or with the during the materials, such as into the oper 1, troduce | charge, or refir ferromanga latter, in suffi ing stage, Manganese nese or manganese ore, preferably the slag having the manganes« ient quantity to prod ice a ontent desired Charles Zigman, Winchester, Ky., has sold his scrap N, Wides of Richmond, Ky 1] iron business to , who will connection with his Richmond operate the business in business. Mr. Zigman will engage in cinnati business in Cin 1252 ELECTRIC JAPANNING* Different Steps in Developing the Process— Various Types of Ovens Employed HE term japanning refers principally to the cover- ing of wood or metal with a coat of black varnish, which is hardened by baking in an oven. The process as used to-day can be regarded as a step between painting and porcelain enameling. Records show that as far back as 392 B. C. the Japanese cultivated a tree belonging to the same family as the sumach, which was tapped when about 10 years old and a grayish white juice drawn off that oxidized when applied to pieces of wood and formed a very glossy and smooth black lacquer. It was not until the fifteenth century that any record of this art is to be found in Europe, and in the seventeenth cen- tury the English and Dutch had made it into a regular profession, giving it the name “japanning.” The early Japanese product was costly and took considerable time, but articles finished this way were found to with- stand the elements for years. When Europe took up the work a substitute consisting essentially of the same constituents as our present day japan, usually an asphaltum base combined with oils, dryers and va rious oxides, gradually came into use. The action of this japan consists of two operations, one thermal and the other chemical. The solvent keeps the material liquid until it has an opportunity to spread or flow evenly over the surface to be covered, upon it evaporates, leaving a smooth viscou This is a physical process and is brought about by the application of heat. The material left after the ent has evaporated must be changed from a viscous to an elastic solid. This is accomplished by oxidation, the action being speeded up to give the material a more complete solidification by high This constitutes the chemical process. where covering. solv temperatures Present-Day Japanning Practice Some great strides have been made in the time of japanning operations in the last shortening few years. Formerly 5 to 9 hr. were allowed to complete the baking operation which is now being done in from 30 min. to 1 hr. Even better speeds are anticipated, and, in fact, at the present time laboratory tests have produced perfectly baked japan in 10 min. Here the heat is generated electrically within the part to be japanned, which is not the commercial electric japan- ning. In this case the oven is heated by energy ra- diated from the metal of the heating units and only to a slight degree by convection. The electric heating units consist in general of a framework of steel or cast iron supporting insulators on which a resistor, made from a flat ribbon of nickel-chrome alloy, is wound continuously. Where a number of _ these heaters are employed steel busbars are used, and all connections are mounted on insulators having the same characteristics as those supporting the heating units. The complete heater used in the ovens runs in units of from 2% to 10 kw. each. They are small and easily movable, thus enabling them to be placed anywhere on the walls or floor until practically a uniform tempera- ture is obtained. The control of temperatures in japanning is most essential especially where it is desired to secure uni- form production of duplicate parts. Electricity can be depended upon to afford a ready, simple and depend- able control and takes two distinct forms—hand and automatic control. The first consists of numerous switches connected with the heating elements so that the desired number of heaters to produce or hold a given temperature can be turned on or off. With the second method, a thermostat consisting of a capillary tube thermometer which actuates a contactor through a relay to throw off part or all of the heaters when the oven reaches the desired temperature and again throwing them in when the temperature falls has been found satisfactory. The bulb or sensitive member of *From a paper presented before the Cleveland Engineering Society, April 3, 1917, by C. D. Carlson, industrial heat engi- neer Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company. THE IRON AGE May 24 1917 the thermometer is usually about 15 ft. lo placed inside the ovens, an armored connect run to the indicating portion of the thermo: the outside of the oven. The actuating fluid i: which vaporizes at a temperature slightly a! of the atmosphere and the instrument has cator hands which are set at the maximum mum temperatures desired. Types of Electric Ovens Oven design is an important feature in a ning. The less the radiation and ventilatio: from the oven, the greater amount of heat a for actual work. The oven walls, roof and floo: be eonstructed of a high-grade heat insulating terial, and it is also important that the materia! | little mass to keep its heat absorption as low sible. Up-to-date practice shows that a 4 to 6 lined with diatomic earth or similar product to meet these requirements. As little metal sible should run from the inside to the outsid oven as the thermal conductivity of wrought mild steel is about 1400 times that of a good insula material, and a 4-in. bolt will radiate nearly th amount of heat to the outside air as a 7-in. s of good insulating material. Proper ventilatior requires attention. From both a baking and a point it has been found that just enough air n brought into the oven to reduce the vapors give by the japan to below a point where it becomes explosive mixture, but not enough to cool down oven and retard the baking. The best way to handk this problem is to base the amount of ventilating area upon the amount of japan to be baked, or for every gallon of japan baked within an oven at one time there should be 1200 cu. ft. of free air taken into the ove: during the vaporizing period. Japanning ovens in use to-day can be divided int three types: the box or kiln, the semi-continuous con- veyor and the continuous conveyor. In the first the heaters are usually placed on the side walls or floor to give the proper distribution of heat. The semi-con- tinuous conveyor oven is made as a rotary oven and also in a type with a conveyor which is moved as the operator desires. The former is cylindrical u shape with a heat insulating partition through the center, thus enabling the operator to be loading one half of the oven while the other half is baking. This oven is very convenient where many pieces of different sizes and shapes are to be japanned. The semi-con- tinuous conveyor box type has doors placed at both ends. A conveyor, from which the work is hung, runs through the upper part and is of sufficient length to extend the same distance beyond each end of the over as its length within. With this type one chargé baking in the oven while a second is being loaded When the first japan coat is baked, the conveyor started moving the baked pieces out of the discharg ing end of the oven and the newly dipped pieces brought into the baking chamber the first lot has va cated. These ovens are usually built either doubl triple, depending on whether two or three coat work is desired. This type of oven conserves the heat bet- ter than the ordinary box type. With a baking tem- perature of about 450 deg. Fahr. a new charge ¢a! be brought into the oven without the temperature dropping much below 300 deg. Fahr., while in the ord: nary box type the temperature must necessaril) h to a point where the operator can enter the ov box én ‘remove the baked pieces. The continuous conveyor type oven consists usua.) of a long inclosure through which the work is passe? on a slow-moving conveying apparatus, and if desired all handling can be eliminated by installing appara" for loading and unloading the conveyor automatica!' The heating of this oven has been worked out cal fully, in most cases the heaters being arranged wit" the different sections of the inclosure so that th coming work is brought up to its final baking *™ perature by steps. Usually no heaters are installe¢ ™ the first section. and when this is the case the ™ baked work is brought out of the oven in such 4 wa} + as to give up a good share of its stored-up heat ' May 24, 1917 incoming work. It is interesting to note that same amount of energy consumed as high as mes the amount of work has been gotten out nveyor oven as out of the box type. Fire Hazard of the Process electrically heated ovens have been looked m the first as the solution of the prevention and explosions which so often occur in japan vo kinds of fires are possible. When pieces dipped with japan are placed in an oven there be what is called a secondary drip when ths first applied. This waste japan will accumu he floor of the oven and bake, the deposit being | with each successive charge until a _ thick, ust of baked japan has been formed, which, eated from 500 to 600 deg. Fahr., in the pres xygen will ignite spontaneously. If this burn- re confined to the oven floor it would be harm it if it reaches the freshly japanned work quite strous fire might result. When the volatiles ff by the japan strike a surface with a tem- erature lower than their own they will condense and deposit on this surface, the flues of the over ly gathering most of the condensed volatile posit may ignite spontaneously, back-firing into or the flues may become clogged so that ventilation is cut off and an explosive mixtur: thin the oven. From an electrical standpoint y ire has been taken to prevent ignition, even he precautionary measures have been disre the heating units are designed with a tem not much over 100 deg. Fahr. in excess of baking temperature. This temperature, ex- isual cases, will be below the flashing point tric japanning is a new industry, having prac rrown up within the past three years. To date ses a connected load of approximately 50,000 tributed over 75 manufacturing plants in nearly ities. Among its largest users are firms lik« Willys-Overland Company,* which alone has a con ad of about 20,000 kw. in heaters; the Ford Company, which has adopted electric ovens fo1 its different assembly plants over the country, and the Brothers Company, which is baking its cars ntirely by electric heat. In Cleveland to-day 18 electric ovens, divided between the box emi-continuous conveyor types, in operation, is Many more are in the development stage. At nt plans are being worked out for several con- inveyor electric ovens, and these will be in Cleveland inside of a very few months. Lake Superior Iron Ores Lake Superior Iron Ore Association, Rocke er Building, Cleveland, W. L. Tinker, secretary, issued its booklet giving analyses of Lake ron ores for the season of 1916. The an- not show much difference as to the chemical! the ores in 1916 compared with 1915.- An ng feature is that the at one time much dis- baraboo range is represented by one ore, Cahoon, st time since 1908. On the Cuyuna, a new new ores are listed and none discontinued. ogebic, there are three new ores, while four r, making a net loss of one. The Marquette has res, with 15 discontinued, but this showing is favorable as it appears for the reason that ree of the ores now left out were ores listed shipped and should have been dropped from several years ago. The Menominee has 11 while four disappear. The great Mesaba “ge has 29 new ores, while 12 have disappeared. The 1on has added one and lost one. On the Ca- le the Michipicoten has one new and one dis- “ont , while Sudbury has lost one and added none. booklet has 326 ores, a net gain of 26 over = Cc istrated description of the electric enameling ovens ippeared in THe IRON AGE, Nov. 30, 1916 THE IRON AGE Wet Tool and Cutter Grinding Machine A wet universal machine for grit ters has been placed on the market ding tools and cut by the Factory & Mill Supply Company, 137 Oliver Street, Boston. It is designed especially for grinding small fixtures, gages, etc., and will also handle other work not exceed ing 10 in. in diameter or 15 in. The machine can be furnished with or without a floor stand, although it was designed primarily fo on a bench. The longitudinal and cross feeds provided are oper ated by handwheels with indicating the being 15 in. between centers while the cross feed, which has a micrometer adjustment graduated to within 0.0005 in.,is 6 in. The table has a travel of 30 in. The grind ing wheel spindle is 1 in. in diameter and pho phor bronze bearings having means for taking up wear tools, between centers use dials, former runs lf If desired the ordinary type of disk wheel can be re moved and an internal grinding t shown, substituted. The centers are % in. and are arranged for rapid adjustment. attachment, such as is in diameter \ special type of pump is employed to furnish water to the work that is being ground, the reservoir being located in the ma Sn re I W mx ling » J D Are H lied | rt chine base. This machine is claimed to be the only one on the market for doing light work that is equ pped with a pump and reservoir. A faceplate 9 in. in diam eter which is threaded for the hollow spindle of the headstock and is fitted for a No Morse aper is pro vided. The machine is belt driven by a 1%-In belt from two-speed counters