The Iron Age 1917-10-18: Vol 100 Iss 16

VOL. 100: No. 16 SIS OER amen Plant for Large Output of Die Castings Arrangements to Reduce Production Costs of White Metal Parts in Toledo Works of Doehler remarkably fast in the past few years as a result of their increased use in the automobile and other industries that have experienced a marked development, and the growth of the die-casting in dustry has kept pace with the demand. The in creased use of these castings can also doubtless be attributed to some extent to improvements in the die-casting process, including the development of better machines and the making of larger and more complicated die castings than formerly. Five years ago the Doehler Die-Casting Co., Brooklyn, N. Y., established a branch plant at oledo, Ohio, the location being near the center of he Central Western automobile field. That plant, which occupied 20,000 sq. ft. of floor space, soon proved inadequate to supply the growiny demand pf its trade and a new one has been built recently) vith 80,000 sq. ft. of floor space.. This is of the a re demand for white metal castings has grown Or Six Furnaces Each with a Capacity of 1000 M the furnaces is & to 160 Ib. ingots ready to go to 923 ¥ * Die-Casting Co. most modern type of this industry, and provides for economical tity production by the arrangement of its vari departments and the routing of material in the process of manufacture, without the loss of and labor. Its products include die , designed to meet the special net quan time castings ol white metal alloys used for various automobile parts and automobile accessories, such as parts for igni tion and lighting systems and eter parts, gears for oil pumps, fuse plugs, etc. Outside of the large quantities of white used in talking and machines, and the process is now used to some extent in making muni tion parts. Another important product of the plant is bronze back babbitt-lined bearings that are largely\ used in automobiles. The plant consists of two parallel buildings sepa rated by a wide paved court. The main building is magnetos, speedom windshield automobile castings are nuts, field metal now vending Lb. and Using Either Coa! o xing the Metals That Form the Various Alloys En tering into the Productior the melting note of the alg eR roe at + ieee em. peed sett SN TTS halen ey ~ rare ee eee a hap es 7 a se THE IRON AGE Most of the M } es in tl Dbie-Casting Roor Are of an Dies by 420 ft. long and 50 ft. wide in length, is a 150 ft structure The remainder is two stories and basement and is used for various manufacturing departments, inspection and ship ping rooms, and for office purposes, the offices occu pying the first at the front of One end of this, and basement that is occupied by the casting room. one-story floor the building. The second building is 200 ft. long and 50 ft. wide, one story in height, and contains the brass foun- dry, mixing and metal storage departments. A rail road siding adjoins this building into which raw stock is taken directly from the cars. The build- ings are of brick and steel construction. The win- dows are of factory ribbed glass and steel sash, and the floors are of concrete. Metal is received in the metal storage room in the form of zinc, tin, copper and lead ingots, and In the Cleaning Room a Band Saw Is Employed for Cutting the Improved Air Type in Which Pressure the Molten Meta Is Fores after being weighed on a Toledo automatic scale to the stock room. The various alloys are made of a composition to meet specifications. The metals are combined into alloys in a battery of six furnaces, each having a melting capacity of about 1000 lb., and arranged so that they can be gas 0: coal fired. One furnace has a power-driven mixer or mixing blade that revolves in the pot, being geared to a motor. The metal in the other furnace pots is stirred by hand while melting. The alloy is taken from the furnaces in small ladles poured into water-cooled, cast-iron molds, where it is cast into ingots weighing from 8 to 10 lb., i which form it goes to the melting pots of the cast- ing machines. The ingots pass down chutes into sheet-meta shop barrels having a capacity of 700 to 800 Ib. each goes and Gates from the Castings ner 18, 1917 weighed and tagged, and vered to the casting department. ar are if cated at Right Angles to tl Continuous Are La barrel bears permanent stencil number placed on the barrels which are sealed a receipt is given for when the barrels are Here the bar- distributed to the machines and their con- used as needed. This care in checking up is due to its high value. To prevent the e of burglars the windows in the metal stor partment are covered with bars of the type pr a are its contents arrel and e tol al isons. ts are handled in the mixing and storing ments on elevating platform, hand-operated A monorail track connects the two build- and a hand hoist equipped with scales is pro or conveying the barrels containing the alloy from the mixing to the casting department. The Machining Department in Which THE IRON le Bench the AGE Separate gas-fired fur department for remelting Adjoining the me foundry used ings. This three Hawleyv-Schw: ting f are made on three Os! An dling the pouring ings with a punch press artment xe shells pit Turnace urnaces ramming mold ’ NoOst used f oft chines. verhead | , ladle rate cut the ca are they leaned and the laboratory, tnen are « ; in the Pangborn sand-blast barrel two end are ground. A the foundry building The casting department ? hemical is also located ry) equipped with 35 dis the company and a1 the t casting machines designed by ranged in three rows extending the length of room With the exception of a battery of grav Receive the Finishing Touches Castings 926 flow machines the casting machines are.Of thé latest improved power plunger type, the metal being forced into the die at a pressure of 1000 lb. per sq. in. by an air cylinder above the machine. Each machine is operated by two men, one of whom handles the valve that controls the air that forces the nietal into the die, and the other takes the casting out of the die, the two together changing dies when required. The casting room is entirely free from piping, all pipes for water, gas, air, and for taking away the products of combustion being carried beneath the floor with connections through openings in the floor under each machine. Products of combustion from the melting pots, which are a part of each machine, are removed by four 8-in. pipes that run the length of the casting department under the floor and terminate above the roof at the end of the building. The ventilating system provides a natural draft, and the casting room is free from smoke and yases at all times. The castings go from the machines to one end of the casting room, where they are counted and are given a preliminary inspection. Then they are taken to an adjoining cleaning room where the gates and fins are cut off and they are sent to the machining department. The cleaning department is divided into three sections, one for lead, one for zinc, and one for babbitt alloys, so that scrap metal in the form of chips from each cleaning department is kept separate. Bronze shells used in making bearings go from the brass foundry to the bronze babbitting room on the second floor, where they are lined with babbitt. ‘he shells are first cleaned by being dipped in acid. Chen they are dipped into solder pots, after which they are placed in fixtures in special babbitting machines. A nozzle cap is placed over the casting in the fixture and clamped in place, and the babbitt is poured into the mold formed by the shell, a lin- ing of babbitt from 1/16 to 3/32 in. thick being cast on the inner surface of the bronze shell. The molten babbitt melts the coating of solder and causes the adhesion of the two metals. The babbitt, after being poured, is air cooled in the machines. One man operates a battery of four babbitting machines. After babbitting, the gates are cut off on a band saw and the bearings go to the machining room. Here the outside of the bearings is machined on special. turret lathes, the work being held in place by pneumatic power, and other machines are pro- vided for boring, face milling and making the oil grooves. After these operations the bearings go to the inspection and shop departments. The die-making department is one of the largest und most important departments of the plant, owing to the large number of dies required, some of which, particularly those for magneto parts, are very com- plicated and require weeks to make. Accuracy is maintained within 0.001 in. and an allowance must be made for the shrinkage of the casting. Dies are designed in the engineering department on the first floor, and the drawings are sent to the die room which occupies a large part of the second floor. One section of this room is used for machine work for repairing parts of casting machines, and the other for making dies. Each die maker and his assistant have a bench 8 ft. long and 3 ft. wide, one side of the die room being occupied by these benches, which are placed 7 ft. apart at right angles to the side wall. Each bench is equipped with two drawers, one for the die maker and the other for his assist- ant. Dies are designed so that as many small parts as possible are cast in one die, and thus in one oper- ation of the die-casting machine. One of the recent products is a washer about %4 in. in diameter made THE IRON AGE OctobeF 1» 1917 in large quantities for a munition part. these washers are made in one die, the casti ing from the machine with the washers atta: hed ; the leader through a thin surrounding we} ay gates. The washers are cleaned and cut from th attached metal on a punch press with a special fix ture that cleans both the inside and outside cireyp ference of the washer, 10 of the washers bein, cleaned with each operation of the press. The air compressor equipment occupies a bas ment room. This includes a Bury two-stave 7', 14 x 14-in. compressor, providing 150-lb. pressur, for operating the air cylinders of the casting n chines, a 14 x 14-in. Bury compressor supply 60-lb. pressure for blowing dust from the dies | tween operations, and an American Air Compress: Works’ 200-lb. pressure compressor that supplies the air for the machines that make die-cast bearings In the basement are also located the steel st room, the dieroom and the salvage department bearings, where bearings rejected by the inspe tion department are again inspected and those ha ing defects that can be corrected are reclaimed, white metal inspection room, factory serve-sel! restaurant, a locker room with steel lockers, lava tories, and a shower bath room with 10 showers SHIPBUILDING AT MOBILE Southern City Suddenly Becomes Important Manufacturing Center Mosite, ALA., Oct. 15.—Since the United States Steel Corporation recently purchased a site near Mobile for a great shipbuilding plant the importance of this city as a shipbuilding place has grown rapidly. For years Mobile has had several small plants that built small wooden vessels, principally motor boats, and one large concern, the Alabama Dry Dock & Shipbuilding Co., that has done work in steel ships, mostly repair work, but not until recently did shipbuilding attain « large position. First recognition came from the navy department which gave a newly formed concern, the Barret Shi building Co., a contract for four submarine chasers This contract was sublet to the Henderson [ron Works which has almost completed the four vessels. This concern moved its plant across the river to Pinto Island enlarged it and reineorporated under the name of the Henderson Shipbuilding Corporation. It is now « tively launched in the shipbuilding business, with 4 capital of $250,000. Some time ago representatives of the Kelly-Atkin son Construction Co. of Chicago came to Mobile to s<¢ the agent of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad con cerning rates on lumber and other materials necessar) in the construction of ships. They were contemplating a ship yard at Pascagoula, Miss., 40 miles below Mobile Upon suggestion they looked over sites in Mobile, wer pleased with the old Heironymus Docks property, an¢ entered into a two-years’ lease for it. This compan) holds contracts for building 18 merchant vessels [0 the government, to be completed in 18 months, at : cost of $10,000,000. It will build six marine ways an¢ will erect machine shops costing $50,000 on the pro} erty. The first keel was laid Sept. 15, and the wor is rapidly progressing. Through the Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad \ the Steel Corporation has purchased 11,500 acres eg” miles above Mobile, paying $780,000 cash. This !2! is said to be for a shipbuilding site. While the plans of the Steel Corporation for ™ development of its Mobile property have not been mae public, it is generally understood that they include plants for the manufacture of nearly everything '"® goes into the composition of steel ships, except ‘"* plates. The plates will be rolled at the steel p-ant * Fairfield, near Birmingham, for which the Stee! °° tr er 18, 1917 recently appropriated $11,000,000. Twelve ways will probably be built and 12 ships fabri- a time. It is understood that, in addition to arious mills and shops, the Steel Corporation d a model city near the ship yard. So large a as has been purchased would not be needed hip yard alone. Government has spent in the neighborhood of 1000 canalizing the Warrior River up to the cham district, and it offers cheap all-year navi- to the products of that district. It is said that ates can be shipped by barge to Mobile for 40 ton, against a rail rate of $2.80 a ton. Coal Distribution Ordér Issued WASHINGTON, Oct. 16.—The first of a series of to distribute coal on a priority basis and regu- he movement of coal cars, issued by Fuel Ad- trator Garfield, provides that the Pennsylvania ad. which serves about 7000 mines, shall have its properly taken care of. Other railroads will be ed through similar orders soon to follow, which will se the first series. \ll producers of bituminous along the Pennsylvania will contribute pro rata to the fuel needed for its ration. The amounts required will, in some in- interfere with delivery of full consignments for by their contracts with customers. But the roads must be kept running. The Fuel Adminis- suggests that operators withhold coal from or corporations needing it least, and that they particularly to the supply of other railroads the Pennsylvania. s deemed particularly essential that coal needed y the United States Government be not interfered th. The Fuel Administration may make a special riority order in special cases and intends to care fully - domestic users. Munitions plants and firms manu- turing necessities of life would come into the pri- order class. The plan is expected to show im- ite results in an jncreased supply of coal cars and teady, equitable flow of fuel to the railroads. The tremendous increase in manufacturing and portation activity this year has created a demand ft coal in excess of any in the past, an increase in d that is difficult to measure in terms of tons but certainly more than the 10 per cent by which tion has increased. To meet this demand the have been producing soft coal at a rate never equaled. In the second week of July, 1917, the ige daily production was more than 1,900,000 tons, ghest point yet attained; in the middle of August, owest rate for the summer, 1,638,000 tons, was re- led; and in the last week in September the daily was 1,823,000 tons. In the first eight months of the output of soft coal was 363,500,000 tons, or 000 tons more than in the first eight months of In the same period shipments of anthracite in- 16 per cent over those of 1916. t Filer & Stowell Co., Milwaukee, manufacturer ichinery, engines, etc., has filed suit in the Circuit at Milwaukee against fifty-two fire insurance nies, to recover sums aggregating $352,373, » be due upon its loss by fire on Dec. 15, 1916. ihe plainant states that it carried insurance to the nt of $760,000 and that the fire damage amounted 6,296, and the amount of damages claimed is to be the difference between the sum of its s and the payments thus far made by the com- on the loss. tric steel founders and other large consumers rrent in Milwaukee and immediate vicinity are ted by a sharp increase in the cost of current by n of the Railroad Commission of Wisconsin in “ ng the Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light Co. ‘her electric power companies an increase amount- approximately 22 per cent in charges for current, ve immediately. The increase affects all con- rs who use 1000 kw. or more per month. THE IRON AGE A War Time Industrial Lift Truck A form of high lift industrial elevating truck in- tended for light duty has been placed on the market by the Lewis-Shepard Co., 48 Binford Street, Boston. The maximum capacity of the truck is less than the earlier one, which was illustrated in THe IRON AGE, May 4, 1916, being 2500 Ib. as com pared with 5500 lb. The load is lifted vertically by a combination of leverages secured by from four to six short strokes on the handle, and as the ratio is 40 to 1 it is emphasized that women and boys can operate the truck, thus re leasing men for other work. A uni versal joint secures a free lifting and steering handle, which is a fea ture that permits the load to be elevated with the handle of the truck \ Lifting Ratio of 40 to 1 Enables Women and Boys to Operate This Truck turned to the side. In this way it is possible to raise or lower a load in narrow aisles or other congested places. The load is lowered to the floor by a release check controlled by a pedal located on the front of the truck. Placing the check in a vertical position, it is pointed out, eliminates the probability of leakage at the piston end or the buckling of the plunger. The neces- sity of changing leather cup packing is also done away with as all the parts are of metal. This truck is made in six models, three having wheels 6 in. in diameter, while those of the other three trucks are 10 in Automatic Oscillating Radial Grinding Machine For grinding radial thrust bearings, large diameter spherical shapes, external and internal ball races and spherical sockets, the Rivett Lathe & Grinder Co., Boston, has brought out an automatic radial grinding machine. It can also be used for all classes of radial grinding work and has an adjustable cross feed for the workhead and a fixed rate of travel for the oscil lating head throughout the latter’s stroke in contra distinction to the general design of this class of ma chinery. It is pointed out that with the variable cross feed, which can be procured through a simple adjust ing collar and is automatically decreased as the grind ing proceeds, it is possible for the operator when start ing work on a bearing race, for example, to remove the metal rapidly and take a fine cut while finishing Greater uniformity in the work is said to be secured as a result of providing a fixed rate of travel for the oscillating head since the grinding wheel remains in contact with each portion of the finished surface for the same length of time. Brass Flux to Reduce Silicates In a paper presented before the American Institute of Metals at its annual meeting in Boston, E. D. Froh man, S. Obermayer Co., Pittsburgh, claimed for the Rillton brass cleaner, a flux made by that company, re duction of silicates of copper as wel! as oxides in the process of melting brass. He said that in one case a melt in an open-flame furnace contained considerable slag and in this case the addition of 2 to 3 lb. of the flux to the charge enabled the furnaceman to tap 530 lb. of metal, though the original charge of metal was only 500 Ib. This he claimed resulted from the reduc- tion of the non-ferrous silicates in the slag. ope RAT TAR) rot ey a 1 a ee 1 ofa. mea Per Oe rd The Leather Belting Makers’ Associat ion Operation of the Leather Belting Exchange Under petition and the BY LOUIS HE Leather Belting Exchange is a trade organiza- tion composed of 37 manufacturers of leather belt- ing, and representing 60 to 65 per cent of the leather belting product of the country. The efforts lead- ing to its organization began in September, 1914, and the following months were devoted to a careful study of the conditions of the trade and of the methods which were in use by other trade organizations. For a number of years prior, the conditions in the leather belting trade were very bad. There were 160 concerns in the coun- try competing for the business, many of them getting but a very small share, and most of them very ignorant about their own costs of production or their competi- tors’ selling prices. Of the latter, the only information available was that gathered by salesmen from buyers and, as the buyer is always an interested party, this information was often incorrect and extremely unre- liable, but as there was no other source it formed a basis for all the quotations which were made. The Basis of Operation The system in use by the Exchange is a composite, embodying the best practice and the best thought and the experience of other trade organizations, adapted to the peculiar conditions of the leather belting busi- ness, and, after an experience of nearly two years, has proved satisfactory. It is founded on the principles promulgated by Arthur J. Eddy of Chicago, and ex- plained and elaborated in his book, “The New Competi- tion.” The fundamental principle is that of pub- licity, the supply of accurate information to members regarding sales which have been made. This informa- tion is derived from the seller, and not from the buyer, and passes through a routine by which it is audited, classified and tabulated, and then goes to the members. It was believed at the time of organization, in con- sonance with the Eddy theory, that when a seller had accurate and dependable information regarding the prices at which similar goods actually had been sold, his logical impulse would be to demand for his goods prices on a parity with those at which he knew that other houses had sold, or approximating thereto. This is the same principle which has worked successfully in the grain and stock exchange The prices at which belting has been sold are open and above board, and the Exchange is therefore an “open price association.” In an organization of this character it is of first im- portance to secure the confidence of the members in the inviolability of the information which they impart to the Exchange, by establishing safeguards which will satisfy them that their business will not exposed. S secrets be Advantage of Meetings A very important feature of trade association work is the meetings, the purpose being to bring the mem- bers together as frequently, and to get them into as close touch with each other, as possible, so that they may really know each other intimately; and this close personal touch is of the utmost importance. This is difficult in such an organization as the Leather Belting Exchange because the members are located at points so far distant, but an effort has been made to accommo date the meetings as far as possible to the convenience of the members. Annually there is one meeting ar- ranged for a week end at a resort, and the members with the ladies of their families are together three days. Though this meeting is largely social, it is the most impertant meeting of the year in producing those relations among the members that take the sting out of competition. Men who spend three days with each other golfing, automobiling, walking, etc., and the members of whose families develop friendship for each *Secretary Leather Belting Exchange, Forrest Building, Philadelphia Open-Price Com- Results Attained W. ARNY* - other look in a different light upon their competit relations. All these meetings are reported st: ically and every member, whether present or a is in close touch with everything that has been said done. They are held with open doors and any is privileged to bring a non-member competitor, or a friend. The Matter of Price Reporting In the operation of the Leather Belting Exchang as regards the price at which its members sel] th¢ goods there is no compulsion, coercion or restrictioy or even influence, implied, expressed, understood or intended, and every member is absolutely free to make any classes or grades of goods that may seem best t please his trade and to sell them to any buyer any. where at any prices and terms that may seem suitable to him. It must be emphasized that the Exchange does not concern itself in any manner about prices to be made or quoted in the future and it makes no effort to control or influence prices, but concentrates its work on reporting prices which have been made on trans actions which are completed, trusting entirely that the price question shall adjust itself through the logical results of the information concerning what has beer done. The only requirement of the Exchange is that, after the sale has been made, a duplicate copy of the invoice shall be forwarded to the office. At the meetings there is no discussion whatever of price, and lately there has been very little private discussion among the members, principally because they have all the data regarding prices, and there is little to be said on the subject, but any information that any member at any time may want about prices or quotations which have been made by member houses can always be had for the asking When a salesman reports some fabulously low pric from a buyer as having been quoted by a competitor the inquiry sometimes is made as to the accuracy statement, but usually for the purpose of exposing its falsity: Buyers are not so active in their effort: to break down prices by reporting fictitious quotatio! as they once were. Further, the price question looked upon as having been settled in the automat! control exercised by publicity. In view of the hig! prices of material, prices for the product are not re garded as being satisfactory, but, considering all th factors of the case, they are probably as nearly sat factory as reasonably can be expected. Daily Charts to Members In actual working, every member sends to the secre tary every day a carbon copy of every sale of leather belting that he has made that day, this carbon copy being identical with the sales invoice, giving the name and address of the buyer, a description of the goods sold, the quantity, price, discounts, terms and weights omitting only the name of the seller, but substituting for it a number, by which it is identified. The Ex change then assorts these invoices and calculates fro! the data thereon the weight per square foot in ounces and the price per pound realized, and all these, excep! ing only the name and address of the buyer and th name of the seller, are reported on a chart which go to every member every day. These sales cover " entire country and some little delay in the receipt ° the invoices at the office is unavoidable, but this wor is now so managed that the charts are just ten da behind the actual sales, so that the members are possession on the eleventh day of the month ° full report of all the sales which were made on © first day of the month. The only exception is that “ Exchange limits its publication on these charts to su” items as amount to more than $60, because there ® a vast volume of these small sales which are 0! 928 e r OL tne ys ne m- Ih er 18, 1917 competitively, and their omission reduces the the Exchange and concentrates upon the charts se items of most interest. leather belting product is divided into four qualities, and on these charts each one of rades is reported separately, and all the items ilar grade are grouped under one heading. In to these reports of sales, the chart each day summary, which supplies the following in- n: total sales of that day, including invoices of al total sales for the month to that day, inclusive total sales to the same date, inclusive, of the . as price per pound realized in all sales for he four grades mentioned. average price per pound received for all classes e country is divided into geographical districts, f which embraces a number of States, and the tion of the goods in these districts is indicated it, though the members do not know the buyer or address, they know that certain volumes of goods have gone into New England or the Middle West, and trend of demand in these various geographical dis- tricts may be watched. Incidentally, the routine of the Exchange also supplies an additional audit on these ices and it discovers many errors, some of them of considerable importance, which might otherwise re main uncorrected. A Monthly Report to Members In addition to the charts which go out every day, described, the entire business for each month is tabu { and summarized in a monthly report, which is ssued as soon as possible after the sales of the last of the month are reported. These reports are .de up separately for each individual member and they give the following information: Total business done by all members of the exchange s compared with the total business of the previous nd of the corresponding month of the previous year variations expressed in percentage. total business of the individual member addressed, ompared with his total business of the previous nd for the corresponding month of the previous year riations expressed in percentage H proportion in percentage of the total business done members, with a comparison of his similar propor- the previous month and the corresponding month of vious year maximum average price obtained by any one mem- eh of the four grades of belting mentioned The minimum average price obtained by any one mer h of the four grades of belting mentioned average price obtained by all members on each one ir grades named The verage price obtained by the individual member the report is sent, and as compared with the average ed by him during the previous montn and during ponding month of the previous year, with variations in percentage average price obtained by all members for all rr grades of belting, and as compared with the s month and the corresponding monctn of the previou th the variations expressed in percentage monthly report also gives the average total per working day for the month and the total sales one of the nine geographical districts men- and also gives the figures of the previous month other months for two years, so that the trend ime of sales in each one of these districts is What Results Have Been Attained information of the charts has been of much stimulating the sales departments to larger vood prices. It is a ready answer to the sales- who always complains that his prices are not It is also a check on the factory in the main- of goods to standards of weight, as any varia- quickly shown in the price per pound and, as a there has been a better standardization of . leading to closer uniformity in product. With- agreement or understanding about prices, the on of accurate information regarding the prices h sales have been made by competitors has led THE IRON AGE 929 to a material reduction in the spread of the variation in prices, and making due allowance for the differences in the merit of the goods offered, and of the different methods and qualities of salesmanship employed, and of other conditions which enter into the problem of price, it fairly can be said that the system has accom plished results that may be considered as being highly satisfactory. There have been at work, too, other forces besides those of information and possible emulation in the at tainment of better prices, for the Exchange has con stantly urged upon its members a betterment in the ethics of business. As a result of the higher ideals which it has tried to inculcate, there are to-day a num ber of houses who are selling their goods at fixed uni form prices for the same grades to the same class of customers everywhere, which has done much to unify prices. Formerly every price was the result of a haggle between the salesman and the buyer, but now, as a general rule, the more important concerns make prices that are beyond the power of the salesman to change or alter, and there are no special prices or considerations to be had. Further, the Exchange has labored toward the production of a more uniform high quality of goods, discouraging in every way any at tempt at substitution, or of cheapening of qualities, and this in turn also has had its effect in unifying prices Standard Contract Form and Cost Accounting The Exchange has adopted and put into practice a standard contract form, which is now being used by a large majority of the houses engaged in the busi ness. This form reduces the length of time of the contract, obligates the buyer to take a specified quan- tity of goods within that time and limits the obligation of the seller to a stated amount, all of which are dis- tinct improvements over the old form of contract agreement previously in force. Another activity of the Exchange has been the de- velopment of a uniform system of cost accounting. This has been a work of much labor, because of the variation in the methods of the various members, but it has been accomplished and the Exchange’s ac countants are now at work installing this uniform sys tem in the houses of the various members. The accept ance of this system is purely voluntary and there is no intention to make any use of it in any effort to contro! prices, but it is readily conceivable that when it is in full operation many members will learn that their pro duction costs are quite different in some particulars from what they thought them, and it must have an in direct effect on the prices which, in the future, they may be willing to quote. It also must lead to the exposure of wasteful and inefficient methods and to the discovery and employment of better processes and to a better standardization of product. Members of the Exchange discuss with each other very freely their production problems, and welcome each other to an inspection of their plants, and the establishment of a uniform sys tem of factory accounting will make it possible for them to discuss with each other these problems in terms which readily may be understood. Scientific Research Undertaken Another most important work which the Exchange has undertaken has been that of a scientific research into the nature and characteristics of its material, look ing toward a betterment in the process of manufacture, and the production of a leather belt of greater effi ciency, and possibly at a lower cost, and the develop ment of real data on the subject of belt engineering There is no satisfactory information on this subject, due to the fact that comparatively little work has been done upon it, and this little has been done by those who were not well informed regarding the nature of the material of which belting is made. It is the purpose of the Exchange to develop a standard belt of the greatest efficiency and economy, and to then formulate and classify the scientific principles under which this standard belt may be most successfully operated. This is a large work, involving much ex- penditure, but the Exchange has undertaken it with the purpose of placing the business on a higher plane than it has ever occupied. WT Investigation of an Acid Open-Hearth Heat’ Uniformity for Shell Steel Demon- strated for British Government—Ingot Mold Large End Up with a Hot Top BY T. D. MORGANS AND F. ROGERS \ HE work described in the present paper was un- fall of sulphur and manganese during the tu dertaken at the special request of Colonel Stans- the ingots, a period of about 20 min. The fa feld, C.B., deputy director-general of munitions phur (0.009 per cent) is much lower, howeve inspection, with a view to determining the general tion to the fall of manganese (0.11 per ec quality and uniformity of the acid open-hearth steel would be the case if the removal of manganes: made at the Blaenavon Co.’s works for the manufacture were the sole action. of high explosive shells. These, therefore, give very strong evidence ¢| The plan of the investigation consisted in making the fall in manganese is mainly due to the contin, the following analyses and tests from pit samples and ance of its deoxidizing action. The drop in sulphur ar from the top, middle, and bottom billet from one of the manganese in the ladle has occasionally beer 10-ton acid open-hearth furnaces: other observers. Analyses of pit samples taken immediately before casting Top, Middle, and Bottom Billet of each Ingot each ingot (Table 1) Analyses of the top, middle, and bottom billet from each ingot [he primary feature of the analyses of the top, n (Table 2) dle and bottom of each ingot is their regularity. Th Tensile test from the top, middle, and bottom billet fron variation of the sulphur no longer follows a defi each ingot (Table 3) Brinell test from the same (Table 3) rable 1 ' } ; , ‘ ‘ alyse it Nan €8 Microscopic examination of the same is NarYyses Of ; ats Phos Mar [The results of the tests are plotted in a diagran Carbon, phorus, Sulphur, ganese, $ j . ngot Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent and a representative selection of photomicrographs are i 0.506 0.042 0.062 <2 reproduced in the original paper.] 0.512 0.044 0.063 87 F ; 0.497 0.04: 0.060 82 ~ . j 0.508 0.043 0.063 78 Experimental Heat 0491 0.042 0.057 a as . th 0.521 0.043 0.060 O.R845 The following are the general particulars of the 0.513 0.039 0.059 785 heat investigated: . 0.500 0.042 0.059 1.790 ; 06.526 0.040 0.061 840 Composition of the Charge Lf 0.517 0.041 0.061 840 To Cwts. Qr 11 0.509 0.042 0.061 1.790 7 Pig iro l ( 1 0.496 0.040 0.056 0.795 Heavy scra] 5 ( | 0.499 0.040 0.057 0.765 Shell steel turning ( ‘ 14 0.526 0.042 0.060 81K Ferromingans ( 1 0512 0.042 0.057 810 Ferrosilicon (50 per cent on) 16 0.541 0.042 0.062 840 Iron ore 0 j 0.526 0.041 0.060 80 ) Limestone, about | ( 12 0519 0.044 0.060 79 rv 19 0.551 0.044 0.055 0.795 Total t ) 0 0.507 0.04: 0.055 O.RO5 0.512 0.042 0.054 0.765 - - “ 0.519 0.044 0.054 ) 7R5 Commenced charging Val Maximum 0.551 0.044 0.06! ) 87 Finished charging t ( ! Minimun 0.491 0.039 0.054 765 *} o Ited Range 0.060 0.005 U.bu9 j Charge melted Mean 0.544 0.045 0.059 810 Charge boiling lan Tap i Opn 2 ; i : Total tin eal fall. This is possibly because the ingot is drawn ota l é Ke ) ( ire ] ? 1 | ferre i : in ; : eam used RemreetGhinnrs ‘wri Berk Aeihes (tba 5 tb ae a considerable part of the ladle, while naturally the pi idle sample can only represent a small fraction near to the Analysis of slag take) he end of t fter the nozzle at the moment of taking it. The agitation ir iddition of the alloys the ladle during teeming the ingot would possibly ge sufficient to mask the tendency evidenced only in the Silica (Sif ) . * vies a et pit samples to removal of MnS. tumila ( do) 5 _ 2 (iid nt isan Ton’ 76 Manganese in each case appears definitely to fall Lime (CaO) 10.04 (he removal of manganese in the ladle may be take! Manganese oxide (MnO) 13.0 as distinctly established throughout the present exper Sulphur and phosphorus (S,and P) Prac ments and this is mainly due to the continuance of Its Magne (MgO) 0.82 deoxidizing action. In the bottom bars silicon also 4} ee OCUE-Erer pears to have fallen, but we consider that an explana : he tion founded upon this result might be rather haza size ol moiada h ! | } ] (nottom) gue . 7 oe r “epaer eae oe a a ae ae ous. The mean results are assembled in the following op o noid rich i ee >» Tihve aepti oO il ; Total length of ingot ft. ¢ ! (including head) Ingots table: 1 ~- 4 ’ : ae ion 10 il TY} Phos Sul Mat ‘ teemed in pairs ee eoeneres weignt Of ingot, } cv 1e Carbo phorus, phur, gan Q time taken to tee om the whole cast w: 20 n Pe} Per Per Pe Slag was taken for analysis after the vdditi« ot the illoy Cent Cent Cent Cent and after teeming metal into ladle The bath was caught Mean, top bars 0.542 0.045 0.058 84 coming down (no pigging back) Mean, middle bars 0.524 0.043 0.055 ).831 z — 7 es eet Mie Bie oe ' ; 2 si Mean, bottom bars 0.519 0.039 0.051 0.82 Ore not used after carbon i at eached 6.70 pe el Range of means 0.023 0.006 0.007 0.01 . . . Mean of means. 0.528 0.042 0.055 0.83 Analyses of Pit Samples Pit sample means ..0.514 0.042 0.057 © 0.81 These figures will be readily appreciated upon refer- This shows distinctly the usual slightly higher per ance to the mean, maximum, minimum and range of centages of elements found in the upper ends of ingo* variation shown at the foot of Table 1. Practically The comparison between the means of pit samp! the irregularities in carbon, phosphorus and silicon are and of bar samples shows fair consistency in view negligible. The variations of sulphur and manganese the much superior nature of the general sample ©” are more noticeable, but on reference to the table, it will stituted by the means from the bars, as compared W!! at once be seen that there has been a fairly general the mean pit sample. oe It should be noted, as a rough generalization up *From a paper presented at the annual meeting of the sation Iron and Steel Institute, London. Sept. 20 the whole of the analyses, that the range of varia 930 er 18, 1917 jnalyses of 4-in. Billets—-Finished Top Bars Billet No. 7 0.563 0.048 ».059 v.875 U.Ls2 0.525 0.043 0.055 0.785 0.175 0.038 0.005 0.004 0.090 0.007 0.542 0.045 0.058 0.840 0.177 Finished Middle Bars—-Bar No. 4 0.541 0.045 0.058 0.845 17 0.509 0.039 0.052 0.775 171 0.032 0.006 O06 0.070 O.004 0.524 0.043 0.055 0.831 0.173 Finished Bottom Bars—Bar No. 1 0.536 0.042 0.054 0.865 O17 0.507 0.037 0.047 0.780 O.166 0.029 0.005 0.007 0.085 0.013 0.51% “H.039 O.0oal1 0O.829 O.1687 element is of the order of one-tenth of the t of the element present (that is, 5 per cent each from the mean value), with the exception of silicon top and middle bars, which is less than this pro n. and earbon in all the bars, which varies only 3 per cent up and down from the mean. The rs point out that this degree of variation com- Tensile and Brinell Hardness Tests on 4-In. Billets Billet Position 1 (Bottom) Brinell Test on Yield Maximum Elonga- 3000 Kilos Stress, Tons Stress, Tons tion, Hardness per Sq. In per Sq. In Per Cent Number 23.15 16.82 21.94 208 24.4 £8.08 23.5 212 22.4 $6.2 20.5 201 2.0 1.88 3.0 11 Billet Position 4 (Middle) wre 25.1 $7.12 21.5 210 im 24.2 47.88 24.0 217 im 22.0 16.0 18.5 207 29 1.88 5. fi 10 Billet Position 7 (Top) ge 23.49 47.5 21.7 210 mm 24.6 18.6 23.0 217 n 22.4 16.48 20.5 207 2.2 2.12 2.5 10 ge yield stress of whole cast, 23.21 tons per sq. in \ ige maximum of whole cast, 47.15 tons per sq. in \verage elongation of whole cast, 21.71 per cent. ge Brinell hardness number, 209.0 Ingots 3 and 4 Electric power failed at roughing of ind bottom billet of Ingot 4 too cold to finish. Hence ssion of these tensile and hardness tests pares favorably with tests upon single casts which thin their experience have been obtained in works tice and is closer than is usually obtained upon essive similar casts. rensile, Hardness and Forged Shell Tests [he tensile and hardness tests, in view of their tically featureless uniformity, call for very little ment. It is seen that the tests are well up to stand irds for this class of steel without further heat treat after rolling to 4-in. square billets. lt has been possible to add some results of tests from the walls of the shell which were forged this cast, Table 4. is seen that these results are well in accordance the usual specifications for steel of this class; and show the maintenance of that regularity in quality h was indicated in the more exhaustive tests upon emi-finished steel already discussed. lable 4—Tensile Tests on 4.5-in. Shell Forgings Limit, Maximum Stress, Elongation, Sq. In Tons Per Sq. In. In 2 In. Per Cent rig {8.1 21.6 ver 19 47.6 21.6 Che illustration shows a photograph of a section of got from another cast, A20, the particulars of anufacture of which are practicaliy identical with of the experimental cast, all the ingots of which rolled into billets. This ingot was teemed in 2% its weight was 1 ton 18 ewt. 0 qr. 18 lb.; and the of top discard was 4 ewt. 2 qr. 20 lb., which is per cent of the total weight of the ingot. The fol- s the chemical analysis of this ingot: Silicon Sulphur Phosphorus Manganese Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent 0.164 0.050 0.045 0.820 ne tensile test from the same cast rolled to 4-in. was: Limit, Maximum Stress, Elongation er Sq. In Tons Per Sq. In in 2 In. Per Cent i. "9° $3.4 oe THE IRON AGE 93 The pipe was very satisfactorily located in the head and its form indicated no tendency to secondary pipé¢ Microstructure of the Steel Photomicrographs were taken under comparative conditions from 17 of the billets at random. The posi tion of the field photographed was in every case ap proximately upon the continuation of the axis of the tensile test piece and near one corner of the section of the billet, about % in. from each of the two neighboring sides. The magnification was 50 diameters. The structure consists of a ferrite network, which is partially discontinuous in places, whose meshes are filled with generally lamellar pearlite. Toward the edges of the billet the network size is smaller, and toward the center larger than at the field adopted as standard for the photomicrographs. In many places Section of An Acid Open-Hearth Stee! Ingot Cast at the l’lant of the Blaenavon Co. for Making High Explosive Shell The effect of the hot top and casting large end up is reve lec! by the extent of the p.pe there are isolated large meshes, or local discontinuities of the network according to the point of view. Through out the general microscopic examination of all the pieces, no features were encountered which could b: classed as defects in a steel of this class. The variations of structure which were found were such as ordinarily occur in good steel of this class Such variations, including local differences of network size, were not in any instance of a nature which would prove detrimental to the steel for the purposes for which it was intended. It is announced in Wheeling, W. Va., that a new com pany for the manufacture of airplanes will be organized there, of which A. P. Phillips, for a long time associated with the Curtiss plant in Buffalo, will be general man- ager. A plant will be established, but for the present this will be devoted only to the manufacture of airplane parts. “i » ais a SIPS Se =e? ~——— ge tage ¥ G i - i CASTING BEARINGS Molding Practice—Segregation in High-Lead Alloys—Sand versus Metal Molds OUNDRY problems in the use of both sand and metal molds for casting bearings of nonferrous alloys were discussed by R. R. Clarke, Pennsylvania Lines West, Pittsburgh, in a paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Institute of Metals, Boston, Sept. 26. He explained some methods of avoid- ing difficulties commonly experienced in molding each of three groups of metals; those containing less than 10 per cent lead, those containing between 10 and 15 per cent lead, and those containing between 15 and 50 per cent lead. An abstract of his paper follows: Low-lead alloys, if the phosphorus and the ratio of tin to copper are held to safe limits, offer no great diffi- culty. The 80-10-10 alloy with % to 1 per cent phos- phorus is easily handled. It works best on second melting, though satisfactory results are obtained by combining and pouring direct. We have found that adding the tin and lead in combination to the copper bath together with vigorous stirring improves the product. In making the mold, the sand should be of good body and rather dry. Also, it should be tamped until hard, as this causes the metal to freeze rapidly. Facing the molds well with plumbago has the same effect and also makes for a smoother casting. The mold when of suffi- cient depth should be gated at or near the bottom and the metal should be poured at a low temperature, as hot metal favors lead segregation. Also, the castings should be left in the sand until cooled below the freez- ing point of lead. A horizontal molding position with the journal core in the drag is preferred, although mold ing castings such as crown brasses in a vertical posi tion or “on end” is sometimes countenanced. It is a method we have tried and discarded. Products of medium lead content require the same measures. Phosphorus should be kept to a mere trace, melting and pouring should be done from medium sized rather than large crucibles and stirring should be vigor ous and from the bottom up. Practice with high-lead alloys varies only in a few details from that of lew-lead alloys. The inclusion of phosphorus is prohibitive, the use of low-grade material is more markedly detrimental, and the constant building up of scrap with new material is more imperative. Cope shrinkage also is more pronounced and calls for higher and more powerful pressure gates. Castings of high-lead content should be shaken out cherry-red rather than left in the sand until cold, as this prevents excessive segregation. It is found that the metal casts as well using the direct method as by first pigging and then casting. When working new metal with scrap a good method is to first reduce the copper and then add the scrap, followed by the lead. High-lead alloys should not be: subject to air and oil methods, at least not in the type of furnace we operate. Also it appears that the electric furnace is satisfactory. Regardless of practice, absolute exemption from segre- gation in high-lead alloys has not been our experience. Metal and Sand Molds Compared The chill-molding idea applies chiefly to the crow: brass variety of work embodying heavy duplicate cast ings. Locomotive driving-box shells are an example They run from 50 to 200 lb. and represent almost ex clusively our experience in chill-molding bearing metals of copper base. With metals of low or co