The Iron Age 1918-08-15: Vol 102 Iss 7

: SLs dle ‘ in, Me inet % £ Ne York, August 15, 1918 {ED 1855 ESTABLI Electric Treatment of Airplane Forgings Details of the Bailey Furnace for Heat Treating Axle Forgings at the Plant of the Ingalls-Shepard Forging Co. BY DWIGHT D. MILLER” HE use of the electric furnace as a heating medium, to carry on the various metallurgical processes involved in both melting and refin- ing ferrous and non-ferrous metals, as well as in their heat treatment, is coming more and more into general use by the more progressive companies who strive for quality production as well as for produc- tion in quantity. The reason for this is the superior results now senerally recognized, which are obtained from the ise of electric heat, in that the three essential and ontrolling factors necessary for the production of e highest grade material: Atmosphere, time and emperature are more easily controlled through this edium and with a greater accuracy than is pos- sible with any method of combustion heating. This is at once self-evident when one stops to onsider that heat produced from electric energy is produced with 100 per cent efficiency. It is merely h manifestation of electric energy in another form and is accomplished automatically under fixed con- lition beyond the posssibilities of the errors of the uman element, consequent on manual control, to fect, while on the other hand the utilization of he heat of combustion devices involves a large umber of variables, all of which either embrace he human element in their control or are beyond ts power to correct. The heat of electric energy is peculiar in that tcan be generated in any quantity regardless of emperature. This feature is unique and renders ts utilization much more flexible and its control hicer than is the case where the heat of combus- 10n must be utilized. The Continuous Furnace As an illustration, take the process of harden- hg and drawing a high grade alloy steel in an auto- latic pusher type electric furnace operating con- inuously, in which the heat is generated by the sistance of the conducting material to the passage Mf current and radiated mainly to the roof and rom there’ reflected back to the charge being processed. Q h £ . . . such a Turnace is further equipped with a spe- lal regulating transformer having nine secondary ‘PS in the form of selective, oil break switches “nually controlled for regulating the power imput mce the temperature of the furnace; pyro- tric control together with a time element mech- car . < department, Society for Electrical Develop- anism which, by means of suitable relays solenoid switches and control the various phase actuate of the process as the work passes through the fur nace. Thus it is seen that the operation of the furnace is entirely automatic except for the specia regulating transformer, which however is only used during the heating of the furnace, and occasionall to adjust the temperature to meet the requirement of operation. With a given furnace the electrical condition such as the line voltage and resistance of the leads, electrodes and resistor material are definitely fixed, so that upon closing the main line switch the sa amount of current will flow automatically, alway producing the same temperature to an exact degree since it is governed by the basic formula the flow of current through a known as Ohm’s law. human element has absolutely nothing to do, be covering conducting mediun cause as long as the voltage and resistance of the circuit remain constant the same current mu flow per se. It may be argued that the resistance does change, due to the negative temperature coefficient of the resistor material (broken carbon or graphite) and the wastage of this through long and con tinued use, but, as already pointed out, the fluctua tions occur only during the heating up of the fur nace before the charge to be treated is inserted and are easily and accurately controlled by means of the special regulating transformer provided for this specific purpose. After the conducting ma- terial has attained the desired temperature its re- sistance remains practically constant. The fluctua tions due to wastage are but slight and immediatel; shown by the instruments on the switchboard They are easily corrected either by a small addi tion of more material or by manipulating one or more of the selective oil break switches on the regulating transformer, thus adjusting the in pressed voltage and holding the current flow constant. Again, control of the furnace atmosphere is au tomatically taken care of by the resistor materia! in which the heat is generated, which, by its very nature, produces a reducing atmosphere and elimi- nates one of the main dangers of combustion fur naces—production of scale due to oxidation. On the other hand it must be remembered that heat obtained from fuel is the result of the cher ical processes of combustion with oxygen, and to have oxygen there must be air. Furthermore, that 381 With this fixed law the 382 solid or liquid fuel must be converted into gas and mixed with a cercain minimum quantity oj the oxygen of the air before combustion realiy takes place; that in order to get perfect and com- plete combustion this air must be mixed in Just the right proportion—a condition most difficult to contro! and seldom if ever met with in ordinary commercial practice, while electric heat is merely another form of electric energy, the conversion tak- ing place by simply throwing a switch. Electric and Fuel Thermal Efficiency In fact, it is by no means rare to find coal or even oil-fired furnaces today whose thermal effici- ency is no greater than 1.50 per cent, which means that 65 times as much heat, as is utilized in the useful work of heating, is discharged into the at- mosphere. This condition is brought about by the many variables incident to heating by combustion as well as lack of proper control due to the human element or to factors beyond its control. The dif- ference in the efficiency of utilization between elec- tric heat and that of combustion becomes greater as the higher temperatures are reached, since elec- tric energy is always transformed into heat a! 100 per cent efficiency, regardless of the tempera- ture, so that only the heat losses due to radiation and conduction must be taken care of, while in the case of combustion heating it is the lack of con- trol of the factors producing the heat itself which prevent perfect combustion and, combined with the additional heat loss of connection, renders its utilization much less efficient, and at high tem- perature extremely low in many cases. For instance the factors which are controllable in the case of combustion, but which seldom receive the attention which their importance demands, are: The proper mixing of the fuel gases with the correct proportion of the oxygen of the air, which vitally af- fects the degree of temperature attained. The volume and pressure of the gases. The rate of flow. All of these factors vitally affect the rate of heating, hence fuel consumption and furnace effi ciency. Yet, in the majority of cases in commer- cial practice, no special precautions are taken to accurately check and record them. In those cases where natural draft is used, the draft is seldom known and changes not only from day to day but often during each day in accordance with the varia- tions in the humidity of the air and velocity of the wind. This factor is beyond the control of the hu- man element. It is well known that the excess air used is far above that required theoretically, 50 per cent ex- cess being a low average. This practice greatly increases the danger of oxidation and renders the control of the atmosphere in combustion furnaces extremely uncertain and difficult. Nature of Heat Treatment The nature of the heat treatment with which this article deals is hardening and drawing, and while stress is laid upon the great importance of accuracy of control, the main object is to emphasize that this accuracy of control is best obtained by the use of the proper type and equipment of an elec tric furnace in that it allows of practice as well, thus placing commercial opera tion on practically the same basis as that of the laboratory and insuring not only the highest grade product but also duplication and certainty of pro- duction. Hardening of of absolute uniformit steel or other metal consists of THE IRON AGE Augus heating it uniformly to a temperatur above the upper critical range and the suddenly by planging the piece in w brine. Its object is to alter the existi; and substitute permanent changes in ents, size of grains and their network. eitect of the hardening process leaves ; its hardest and most brittle state. T, st degree this is attained depends upon the ¢} composition of the metal, the tempe: ITe@ Use the rate of both heating and cooling, the nein! of the quenching medium used, and the uniform; with which the process is carried out. The process of drawing involves the unifor: reheating of the metal after it has bee) quenched and thcn allowing it to cool slowly. Its object « to partially remove or mitigate the strains set " during the hardening process, while its effect ;. to leave the metal in a state intermediate betwee, that attained by hardening or annealing. Her again the state to which it is finally brought de. pends upon the treatment given, in which the de. gree of temperature used when reheating is the controlling factor, since upon this temperature depends mainly the fixed permanent physical char. acteristics of the piece. In all heat treatment accuracy of control as re. gards atmosphere, time and temperature, as wel as the uniformity and precision with which the process is carried out are the vital and controlling factors in order to secure quality production and duplieation of results. In general it can be stated that the best recognized practice of today, is to use the minimum temperature that will positivel) give the desired results; to subject each piece t a uniform rate of heating as well as cooling; to so handle the piece that there shall be adequate space surrounding it to allow of an even and wi- form penetration of this heating and cooling process, which should only be continued for a suf- ficient length of time to allow of the piece receivin the full benefit of such treatment. The Ingalls-Shepard Forging Co., Harvey, Ill, are heating forged axles for airplanes and trac tors for the United States Government. This work calls for the very highest grade production since human life is dependent upon the strength and re liability of the material so processed. There are various metals worked. Among them is an alloy steel containing nickel and chromium. To carr! out the work this company has installed an electric furnace of the stationary resistance reverberator’ type. Automatic Pusher-Type Continuous Furnace The furnace is further sub-classified as an al- tomatic pusher type continuous operating furnace, not because it must operate continuously 12 to 24 hr. but because, when once charged, the materi is automatically carried through the hardening 4% drawing process without interruption to its ©” pletion all in the same furnace which consists two parts, one for the hardening and quench:ng operation and the other for the drawing process. Both parts of the furnace are similar in © struction, shape and size, and consist of a stati ary rectangular metal enclosure containing @ heart! 20 ft. long and 7 ft. wide suitably insulate¢ means of high grade fire clay bricks which backed up with heat insulating material P# in between these bricks and the metal. The e” furnace has sufficient capacity to heat 72 tom 24 hr. to a temperature of approximatel) i deg. Fahr. The first part or section is rateé ™ 600 kw. and designed for two-phase, 60-cycle Te Motor ves Pul- the Various the Equip- the Outfit In- a Radial Drill ch and Time Element for Controlling the in the Quenching Bath omatic il in a secre eet he a is rated at 300 k. and gle phase, the heating troughs being lel. lengthwise Ww. sides along both of the heating troughs made of a highly re- m eee se be | mixed wit The de. fractory carl molded. can be readally the lar in shape, but open at tl or gr by means broken carbon material, finely resistor n a of , nn »), 384 THE IRON AGE August 15, 191 generated on account of the resistance it offers to the passage of current, which flows into the ma- terial through copper electrodes fastened to the ends. Brick piers are used to support these troughs and serve also to dissipate the heat gen- erated. In this manner hot spots in the furnace lining, in the immediate vicinity of the troughs, are avoided and the heat diffused uniformly. Also running lengthwise in each section of the furnace are guide rails, raised above the furnace floor, along which the shoes or chairs slide. These chairs are mounted in pairs one on each rail and carry the separate pieces, which are placed on them and forced by the pusher mechanism through the furnace. This method of loading or charging the furnace allows of ample space for the circulation of heat around each piece and its uniform penetra- tion, since the heat is radiated from the heating troughs to the roof and from there reflected down to the charge. At either end of both sections of the furnace are charging and discharging doors which are hea‘ insulated in the same manner as the body of the furnace. These doors are counterweighted and slide up and down in guides vertically, being actu- ated by separate hydraulically operated cylinders. The entire automatic operation of the furnace is accomplished by hydraulic power, with the excep- tion of the time limit device, used in connection with the quenching operation, which is motor driven. The Hydraulic Manipulator A hydraulic manipulator is located between the two sections of the furnace, that is between the discharge end of the heating section and the charg- ing end of the drawing section. This manipulator removes the material from the heating section, quenches it and places it on the operating platform of the drawing section of the furnace from where it is charged into this section by the pusher mechanism with which each section is equipped. The operating equipment provided with this fur- nace consists of three special regulating trans- formers as described in the first part of this article. Two of these are used for regulating the power imput, hence the temperature of the heating section by voltage control, and the other is used for the drawing section. Three-phase, 60-cycle current at 12,000 volts is supplied by the Public Service Co. of northern Illinois and stepped down to 320 volts at which pressure it enters the furnace through the special regulating oil switches. The actual voltage used in the furnace varies between 320 and 120 volts. The switchboard, located up in the operating gallery as showr. in illustration, consists of a main section and two auxiliary sections located on either side. There are three wattmeters, two pyrometer regulators with clock mechanism and two relays mounted on main section; on the left of the main section are mounted three single phase intergrad- ing wattmeters, while on the other section is mounted one double pole knife switch which con- trols a motor driven air compressor and one three pole double throw knife switch for starting and operating a motor-generator set which furnishes direct current used in the operation of the pulpit motors. These pulpit motors actuate the hydrauli: valves and control the entire operation of the fur- nace except the time element on the quenching tank, as already pointed out. The pulpit control consists of a master, mul- tiple-step controller which actuates through a ratchet solenoid switch, seven hydraulic valves by means of smail motors which are conn ot the valves by suitable tever mecn of the valves are four-way valves an entrance and withdrawal of the pu out of the two sections of the furnac five valves are three-way and contro artis the opening and closing of the turna Ore ts vertical raising and lowering of the well as its right and left swing betw sections ot the furnace, together with e} into and withdrawal from the heating sectjo) its quenching action. ‘The ratchet solenoid ¢o, switch of the master controller is actuated by ». lays which in turn are energized by the pyrome controlling mechanism. During the quenching period a motor-driven time element is connects: by this same master controller and holds the terial in the quenching bath for three minutes The individual motors which actuate the seve: valves are provided with dynamic brakes and |in; switches, thus the action of the valves is positiy and accurately controlled. For the purpose of supplying the hydra power for operating the various cylinders wh control the furnace there is provided a single ac. ing triplex pump, mounted on common bed-plate with and directly geared to a motor; a cylindr water tank in which the water is maintained stantly at a pressure of approximately 200 |b. per sq. in. by means of a belted, motor-driven air « pressor, together with the well known automat pressure control, furnished with tanks operating on the pneumatic principle. Two centrifugal pumps, mounted on a common bed-plate with and direct coupled to electric motors; a sump pit and a large cooling pond and supply reservoir 65 ft diameter and 16 ft. deep, together with the neces. sary piping and cooling sprays. The function of the pneumatic water tank to supplement the water supply, since the am required to operate the cylinders may exceed ' capacity of the triplex pump. One of the centrifugal pumps is used to cir late the water for the quenching tank, while the other pumps the water, which has been warmed ! the quenching tank, from the sump pit into wh it flows, to the over flow section of the cooling pone As the water flows from this section, which is at « higher elevation than the main reservoir, it is par tially air cooled. As soon as it enters the pond is pumped through spray nozzles and complete! cooled. In this manner the water is kept at a stant temperature and used over and over aga!! Operation of the Furnace The furnace is connected by the main switch, which is hand operated, and brought up ! the required operating temperature by means 0 © special regulating transformers. This temperat! is determined by setting a contact point on © pyrometer scale at the position corresponding the degree of temperature at which it !s °& to work. From this time on the operation tirely automatic. As the pyrometer needle s¥ across the scale, it is depressed every ten ‘* by its clock mechanism and in this manner con” with the céntact point as soon as that temper" at which the latter has been set, is reached connection energizes one of the relays. Wi" turn actuates the ratchet solenoid switch ™ | master controller. As the various steps ? controller are reached, they energize seria © various motors controlling the hydraulic valves 2 the work is carried through and out of the heating section of the furnace as described. ‘ 15, 1918 THE IRON AGE 385 oa econd or drawing section of the furnace is entirely filled, the chairs holding the incoming led in the same manner by a second relay, piece, push those at the discharge end onto the being carried through and ejected auto- transfer platform which has entered the furnace where it is allowed to air cool. from the other end, from which point the material yrometric control is governed entirely by is conveyed through the quenching bath onto the erature of the material being processed operating platform of the drawing section by the wtuated by thermocouples located near’ transfer as already described. arge end of the two sections of the fur- Great care has been taken in developing the [he points of these thermocouples are but automatic features of this furnace. Only the sin distance above the material being treated plest and most substantial actuating devices, well rister their temperature accurately. It known for their reliability, have been used, thus proximately three hours for the material insuring absolute uniformity of treatment of each through both sections of the furnace, in- piece as it passes through the separate phases of the quenching operation. It is treated at the process—hence certainty of production in that mately 1560 deg. Fahr. in the heating sec- the results obtained must necessarily be duplicated d drawn at 1020 deg. Fahr. While this is but a recent installation, still the nusher mechanism works at short intervals results obtained from preliminary tests give great ishes the piece to be charged into the furnace promise that the object for which the furnace was has previously been placed on the chairs on installed precision and uniformity of treatment nerating platform, so that after the furnace will be completely realized. TWO SHIPS ANSWER FOR THREE ship, the Santa Anna, is doing the round trip betwee: those two ports in 57 days or under. In the oil trade with Mexico the average turn-around Record Time on Trips in Manganese Ore, Coal has been reduced to 11 days, while now and then i ; tanker journeys from Galveston to Tampico and back and Other Trades within a week. WASHINGTON, Aug. 13.—By cutting the time spent In the Pacific Trade port, the Shipping Board is making two ships do the ; 7 work of three, according to a bulletin issued by the Over in the Pacific the average turn-arounds ar ‘ hoard. This increased service has been obtained by ac- steadily approaching the fastest times of pre-war elerating the “turn-arounds,” by hastening the dis- schedules. The Pacific trades, like the others, have been harge of cargo and the taking on of a new one. Al- combed of their swift ships for the line of supplies to though many fast vessels have been taken out of their Europe, but the vessels allocated to trade with the J old trade routes to be placed in the transatlantic serv- Orient and with Australia have saved time by stopping e, yet by the introduction of what may be described as at fewer ports and by loading and unloading more marine skip-stop system, by direct routing, unification quickly than they have done before. The Ventura went argoes, full loading and cutting down of time in from San Francisco to Honolulu, to Sydney, Pago Pago, rt. the slower vessels have made some of the fastest back to Honolulu and then te San Francisco in 62 arounds in the history of American shipping. days. The Sonoma, another combination freight and Despite the submarine menace, vessels in the coast- Passenger steamer, duplicated this feat. trade are working with hitherto unequaled speed. | The average round trip between San Francisco or (wo round trips a month between Norfolk or Baltimore Seattle and China, including days in port, has been eut | Boston were formerly considered good service fora ‘? 81 days. These figures cover. performances during : in the New England coal-carrying trade. The pace the past four months. Only 68 days on the average a v four trips, and one vessel, the Bristol, makes the y in 5% days. The famous speed ship Tuckahoe, built in the record-breaking time of 37 days, making four round trips a month. One day two at the most—is all she has required for or unloading. Fast Trips for Manganese Ore ause of the restrictions on European and Asiatic tations of manganese, the movement of manga- om Brazil to this country has become one of the mportant items of our foreign commerce. In ir times the long voyage to Rio de Janeiro and from three to four months. But the value ns has so much appreciated that only 85 days allowed for the réund trip. The Saga, a essel under charter to the Shipping Board, npleted the round trip between New York and, Janeiro in 55 days. Moreover, she was loaded cent of her capacity. ther important item is the nitrate trade with the manufacture of explosives as well as for The United States is absorbing practically output of Chilean nitrate, which is the great- world. Formerly a ship making four voyages \ntofagasta, Iquique and other Chilean ports, ded as rendering good service. The Commo- ns recently made the turn-around between and Iquique, even though stopping at Nor- argo of coal for the Canal Zone, in the re- time of 44 days. On her maiden voyage last newly built Santa Luisa established a record ys from New York to Valparaiso. Her sister are required for the round trip between the Pacific Coast and Japan. This time will be reduced when some of the newly built ships go into that trade. The turn-around between San Francisco and the Philippines, including as it does stops at Manila, Cavite Hong Kong, Shanghai, Kobe, Yokohama and Honolulu —all time-consuming factors in the schedule—ranges from 84 to 130 days. Between New York and Manila the average turn-around is 165 days—a long voyage these days, when only the vital need for certain com- modities releases shipping to get them. The turn-around in the British Indian trade, between New York and Calcutta, holds the recent record for elapsed time, an average of 207 days. The Dearborn Chemical Co., Chicago, has inaugu- rated a specialties department for the manufacture and * marketing of a number of specialties. rust ; preventative known as No-Ox-Id, to keep metal parts or finely finished surfaces of the completed machines free : from corroding. Another specialty is a cutting oil for : y } One 1s a use in metal cutting, quenching oils for heat treating, drawing oils and Dearboline, a preparation for cleans ing machined parts of emery or grease. 7 Te " : The Booth-Hall Co., Chicago, has contracts for Dae building Booth-Hall electric steel furnaces for the fol- 1 lowing companies: Consumers Steel Co., Chicago, one B® 3-ton furnace for producing tool steels: Ecorse Foundry > & Machine Co., Ecorse, Mich., one 3-ton furnace for pro- ducing steel castings. This makes a total of 10 Booth- Hall furnaces installed and building. » ne ~ — a ett al 4 : te a Constantly Increasing Demand for Coal Many Industries Call for Larger Tonnages— Director of Production Makes Appeal to All Operators and Employees to Do Their Utmost WASHINGTON, Aug. 13—The increasing shortage in coal, particularly in the great industrial districts of the East, is rapidly becoming so acute that it is now the most serious problem which figures in every conference of the War Industries Board. “What good is it,” declared Chairman Baruch im- patiently at the end of one of these conferences, “to give industries priority in steel and labor, and to allow them to extend their plants if we cannot supply them with coal enough to run these plants? Something must be done.” What this “something” is to be is still the big prob- lem of the United States Fuel Administration. At the War Industries Board conferences, there have been sug- gestions that manufacturers of non-war products, par- ticularly in New England, have been permitted to ac- cumulate a full year’s supply of coal. With this report comes the suggestion that these favored factories will have to give up a portion of their supply. At the Fuel Administration offices, it is denied that there has been any such favoritism. It is admitted that New England has been allowed to’ hasten its accumulations of coal, because that is the district in which cold weather ship- ments will be impossible. The fuel administrators de- clare that they know where every pound of coal has gone and are ready to direct its re-distribution if it has fallen into the hands of less essential industries, while war factories are threatened with a coal shortage. Demands Increasing Daily The greatest trouble, according to the representatives of the Fuel Administration, however, is that the war industries of the country as well as the war-making branches of the Government are daily increasing their demands for coal, far beyond the original budget. Every addition to the Nation’s war program is forcing a corresponding increase in the fuel demand. When the Fuel Administration issued its estimates of coal con- sumption for the year in April, they were looked upon as exaggerated. Now they have proved far too small. To make matters worse, the Eastern coal fields which must meet the chief demand are already more than 14,000,000 tons behind their original schedule, to say nothing of the daily additions to these demands. Even the present increase in output, declares the Fuel Administration, will not be enough to prevent a serious coal shortage next winter unless the strictest fuel economy is enforced throughout the country. Every means of coal conservation must be observed, and every wasteful and unnecessary use of coal must be elimi- nated. Demands of Industries Almost daily applications are coming to the United States Fuel Administration from war industries for allotments of coal in addition to those made at the be- ginning of the coal year. Some are from new plants authorized by the War Industries Board, not known to the Fuel Administration at the beginning of the year. The requirements for these plants are in addition to the original allotments. Other demands are from plants already on the preferred list of war industries, for in- creased allowances because of enlargements and exten- sions to original plants, made since the Fuel Adminis- tration compiled its estimates of consumption. The increased demand for coal for the Navy reached almost 100 per cent in July. Whereas 3,500,000 was allotted to the Navy in April, the requirements by the middle of July had reached a basis of 6,000,000 tons. By the end of the calendar year 1919, it is estimated that approximately 8,000,000 tons will be required to cover these demands. With the launching of new chips, the requirements of the Shipping Board have likewise grown heyond , expectation. When the annual allotment wa the first of April, 10,000,000 tons was assigned for +}, purposes of the Shipping Board. The actua! re ments as demonstrated by experience, and as a resy}t the phenomenal results being achieved by the Shipping Board, now place the figure at 13,000,000 tons. So, als coal for bunkering purposes, at first estimated at | 500,000, has grown in demand until present calculations call for 21,000,000 tons. New industries, not in operation at the beginning of the coal year, are now running full tilt or are abou to start. From these come demands for coal of larg, size. Some of these are, per month: The Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co., additional re. quirements, 45,000 tons for by-product ovens. The Cambria Steel Co., 27,000 additional tons { by-product ovens. The Edgewood Arsenal, 30,000 tons steam coal per month. The Perryville powder plant, 15,000 tons steam « per month. The Worth Steel Co., 6000 tons producer gas a: steam coal per month. These new requirements alone represent an annua consumption of nearly a million and a half tons. New and Enlarged Plants mad 1a Ut Wir AUITE But aside from the increased requirements originat- ing from new or enlarged plants, many old plants, rated at the beginning of the coal year for marked increases of allowance over the consumption of 1917, are now de- manding still more coal. Practically all the steel plants and furnaces are reported running on full time, 24 hr per day. There are no suspensions of operations s: for repairs and overhauling of plants. In some stances the yearly coal requirements are underest mated. In many others, enlarged production, under i creased efficiency, has created a demand for additiona coal. Invariably, increased steel production calls for increased coal production, demanding about five tons coal for each ton of steel produced. The source of supply for the particular new coal r quirements cited, is within a limited coal area. The extra allowances and demands there made, cal! for coa from New River and Pocohontas low volatile fields West Virginia; the low volatile fields of Pennsylva! and Maryland; and the high volatile fields of West \ ginia, Pennsylvania and Kentucky. These fields pro- duce the grades of coal especially needed for the wa! work. And it is from these same fields—with the excep- tion of Kentucky—that the calls of New England a the Atlantic States for coal for war use, must be swered. James B. Neale, director of production of the Fv Administration, has sent the folowing letter t coal operators of the country: “You must practice the highest degree of eff as to mine management and must see to it that employees are given fair and courteous treatmen'! you well know, there are two important factors production of coal. One, the operator; the othe! mine worker. The latter is helpless to do his part, matter how willing, if you do not provide him with | means with which to do it. Plenty of mine cars, & air, sufficient timber and other materials are a 1e" the things you must provide. There are many ‘ and you must exercise great care to see to it that | do not fail in your duties. a “It is true that each day throughout the cou! : many thousands of tons of coal are not mined, due t absence, inefficiency and short hours worked by the mim" employees; but it is equally true that each day ™4" 386 1918 f tons of coal are not mined due to the e operators have not made it possible for orkers to do as much as they are willing do. Both effective factors must be deter- better than ever before. I hope that a friendly spirit of rivalry will quickly de- en the mine management and the mine that each group will try its best to see that prevented a marked increase in tonnage and other hand, it has contributed the major urge increase in tonnage.” Advantages of Powdered Coal as a Fuel issing the problem of efficient combustion of the western New York section of the Amer- cal Society, W. G. Wilcox, advisory engineer Coal & Engineering Co., Chicago, urged the wdered coal to offset fuel shortage and outlined tials of good combustion, correct furnace and assumed, as: (1) Complete oxidation of all les in the coal to avoid loss in the ash and ick: (2) control of both combustion and air; | of flame length; (4) a flexibility in the which will permit of variation in heat input; of the nature of the combustion; (6) one- nbdustion, rring to oxidation of all combustibles possible practice, he stated that in tests at a plant carloads of coal per day and employing fuel taining 5% per cent sulphur, 34 per cent volatile {0 per cent fixed carbon and 18% per cent ash, ses with various types of firing showed: ictual perce ntage Percentadce Unburned of Fi j Carbon in Ash of coal lost a tokers 25 1.6 fired 35 and up 6.5 These losses are not encountered, it is inferred, in wdered coal combustion. Regarding the combustion of coal as a reaction be- d fuel and oxygen, he asserts that the velocity and its completeness depend upon: the e exposed by the solid, the pressure of the react- and the intimacy of the mixture. A 1l-in. cube ground to pass 85 per cent through a 200-mesh he estimates increases the surface of fuel ex- ym 6 sq. in. to 1800 sq. in., or 300 fold. Com- he states, can be proportionately speeded up ocity of combustion doubled with each rise of C., due to greater surface exposure. mparison of theoretical flame temperatures be obtained from various gases and from is given by the author in the fol- tween So reactlor irned coal. ea: aeg. ¢ 6 deg. 1958 deg. C i700 dew. ( { the helical screw feed controller and of pressure for blowing the powdered coal into tion chamber, are specified by the author as necessary flexibility of control of his opinion makes powdered fuel an ideal combus- d Motor Co.. ( he George A. Detroit, Mich., has awarded a Fuller Co., 175 Fifth Avenue, ‘or the erection of its proposed new plant N. J., to cost about $2,000,000. The initial nsist of a one-story brick and steel plant, 1400 ft., and will be used for the manufac- 1 boats and submarine chasers for Govern- The plant will be located on the Lincoln ear the Passaic River, and it is understood ge section of the new unit to be erected will ped for assembling work. THE IRON % AGE A 200-Ton Plate Joggling Press A plate joggling press for use in shipyards has beer brought out by the Southwark Foundry & Machine | Philadelphia. In addition to being employed as a press, it is also possible to render the machine available for use as a manhole punch by removing a section in the base. The equipment of the machine includes special dies consisting of a main lower die section and an upper pressure die which is fastened to the ram is cut away to permit channels and passed through the machine at The former bulb angles to be right angles to the A Removable Section in the Base Enables a New { Hydraulic Plate Joggling Press to | Emy ed 1M Punch Operated directly from a 1500-Lb. Pre Connection wit! Low Pressure Filling S horizontal center line of the machine. The capacity of these dies is 12-in. channels or equivalent sections, and the dies are arranged to joggle both right and left hand, the upper die being equipped with an adjustable slide and a taper wedge for changing the amount of the joggle The lower dies have three vertical rams and one horizontal one, the last being employed for clamping the work. Two of the vertical rams are operated by hydraulic pressure and are employed to hold the mate- rial straight while joggling 1s being done, as well as acting as stripping dies when the pressure is relieved. The center ram is operated by a wedge and handwheel at the front of the machine and the whole lower die block has a horizontal adjustment through handwheels and screws to center the dies for different classes of work, The machine main top and bottom portions, and the main ram, which nas open hearth steel stings for the is 20 in. in diameter with a 12-in. stroke, is equipped with hydraulic side pullbacks. The rams operate a hydraulic pressure of 1500 lb. per sq. in., and the clearance from the face of the ram The throat of the machine from the center line of the ram to the housing measures 30% in. and the table is 4 ft. square is approx 8 x 10 ft. A removable section in the base of the machine enables it to be used as a manhole punch. When han- dling this class of work it is normally operated direct from a 1500-lb. pressure line but may be operated with a low pressure filling system if desired. The operating valves are placed so as not to interfere with the oper- ator’s view of the work. Inder to the table is oY In. The floor space occupied mately t mi 2) me = é e 7 Si e 8 + ie oe 4 y = 388 VALUE OF ELECTRIC FURNACES Reasons for Encouraging Their Building and Operation Given to the War Industries Board Supplementing his letter of July 30 published in THE IRON AGE of Aug. 1 in which he protested against the discouraging by Capt. H. C. DuBois, Chem ical and Explosives Division, War Industries Board, of the installing of electric furnaces, Carl H. Booth, presi dent Booth-Hall Co., Chicago, under date of Aug. 6, has written a letter to the Steel Division of the War Indus- tries Board in which he contends that the Government should encourage (1) the expansion of the electrode- making industry, using methods similar to those used in increasing the output of other necessary materials; (2) the replacement of converters by electric furnaces for melting cold stock, so as to effect saving of pig iron, coke, manganese and steel; (3) the installation of elec- tric furnaces for the melting of manganese additions to Bessemer and open-hearth metal, and (4) the re- placement by electric furnace of small open-hearth fur- naces for melting cold stock, and of crucible furnaces for and tool steel. In support of these conten- tions, Mr. Booth says in part: brass Conserving Manganese here n an electric furnace s either neutral or reducing In either case there is no air draft to burn out the manganese contained in the steel or to oxidize the stee Consequentl less manganese need be added to make up losse ind to deoxidize the steel As contrasted with the electric furnace, the open hearth requires 50 per cent to 100 per cent and the steel converter 100 per cent to 200 per cent more mangane The electric furnace requires approxi mately 10 Ib. of ferromanganese per ton of mild steel sO that the saving will be from to 10 tons of ferromanganese to each 1000 tons of steel It is the usual practice in steel plants to add ferromar ranese id spiegeleisen to steel, either in cold or pre-heated forn B elting the manganese in an electric furnace and adding it to the steel in molten form, the quantity of mar ganese needed to deoxidize the steel is greatly reduced AT article in the De 15, 1917, issue of Metallurgical and Che cal Engineerin« n pages 702-704, gives figures showing actua Saving i4 per cent by adding molten ferro nan nese igainst adding pre-heated ferromanganese The figure question showed a consumption of lb. of pre-t le erro! vanese per gross to of te< grainst 9.9 b. « t erromanganese This repre nt i Saving of re than 60 gross tons of ferromanganese pe! iO OF t< of ‘ Compared with adding ferromanganese cold, the \ g will be even larger Conserving Pig Iron B e opel hearth and converter proce S whe Is€ or melting d stock, demand the use of pig on and steel Scra] The proportion of pig iron to ter ‘ in depend upon the individual plant practice, but it ma be 1id th ipproximately 40 per cent to 60 pe ent pig ( used oO} hea I pract ‘ The ele I pre 4 ows 1S¢ ( ! I ] re being ( Conserving Plumbago I v ‘ extensive i t inufactu ‘ Dl ( ised exe £ ‘ bra mducti« te ¢ being e vide f the } uc ‘ there s \ oul I oO rr swe < } inta Conserving Coke “4 f of mé« p ld I use ¢ on « eve! o1 of st The « tr l vhate Conserving Steel and Iron i ‘ é ng 1 oces there ars er le Melt ‘ ole te the . Crins ce large oper ! rom 10 hiel t fr mall ope verters I € fur ! demor é } ‘ ficur Great neering letter to Capt. H. C. plosives Division of the War Industries Board THE IRON t AGE Aug of any oxidizing dr to the electrodes of elect: Of electric px operation power and generated, there IS exceSS avail ntry, particularly in the South, Miad and West Of electrodes there tends the expansion of electrode manufact ep with the rapid expansion of the electric f o C Relative s00th { r t Booth tric Ww ree rather D furnace for making steel of whatever nature us ver 15 per cent scrap and in some cases all evident that the electric furnace to-day is one of onon factors in the iron and steel industry in Outside of the above, for instance, instea fro 17 to 19 lb. of either 80 or 70 per cent ferron a equal amount of ferrosilicon, only half a ised per ton to make electric steel, compared with the pe hearth figures The supplies also to keep el ! in operation are much less than for the ope even the Bessemer iS18, This « power is the only condition that must be taken of installing additional electric fur of condition easily conservation necessary materials the prod small investment remedied, as requires comparatively that has been process thoroughly wor! piants Pacific Coast H. Vom Baur, vice-president T. W. P; Co., Inc., New York, has sent the DuBois, of the Chemica] to that portion of your letter addr: Hall Co. of Chicago, regarding electric fu THE IRON AGE of Aug. 1, we would draw some other economic factors not dwelt with whose letter we are in entire accord have a case in mind where 5300 hp. wit! available on the Pacific coast and y shop These ypen hearth is now purchasing open-hearth from direct The great saving in freight ingot are usually made pig haul when making electric steel ingots or than buying them in the East, on a 16006/ s shown in the table below ase is typical of many others, and as Saving from Electric Furnaces on th ar Hauling thousands of tons of ingots to Seatt East entails a railroad and possibly a water | Great Lakes for ore; this, however, is not figured owing computation, nor is the higher ignitior open-hearth, as compared with the electric furnace Iron ore 5 per cent Fe : ta 2,000 t per cent crop of open-hearth ingots ot Coke, 114 per cent x 2200 tons (ac- cording to Forsythe) ... a ae 2 508 Coal, at least 133 per cent of coke 3.3441 mestone, 112 per cent of 2200 tons (Forsythe) Total 10,2 Ingots themselves 1,f 11 es crap hauled for electric furnace plant to Seattle from Pacific coast parts plus 10 per cent for crop Net saving l J j he railroad iul, average t.O7F xt) At er ) il $40.7 rh Ss practical the cost of hauling the railroads to-day, all of which will be saved, re of freight cars and their locomotives fo! ncereasing our steel output tremendously, besides better steel which up to 0.40 per cent carbon is tronger than open-hearth, this also not being fis tabulation Encouragement of the formation of a new \ ompanies to manufacture carbon and gr ‘ of the utmost urgency so far as our elect steel industry is concerned. An adequate plant W tate 4.300 kw. and cost ss than $600.000 for the! 0 tons of graphite electrodes daily The 1 for s is on hand ificient quantities = § plant could | id n a very short ti With our abundant waterpower and wishing wh possible and desiring also to save the e traffic we can, should not electric furnaces rather than be en yuraged Non-Crucible Melting Furnace fame, non-crucible, tilting-type furnace for ; and other nonferrous metals has been the Hausfeld Co., Harrison, Ohio. The ch has a capacity of 400 lb., employs either fuel, and emphasis is laid upon the fact that from one kind of fuel to the other can be should the occasion arise. Other features in for preheating and finely atomizing the ntroducing it into the furnace, the placing ng ladle directly over the hole while the ie melted, an arrangement which tends to heat within the furnace, and an easy method the furnace for pouring. furnace is equipped with a patented oil burner ides for preheating the oil before its injec he furnace. The needle point seat is located at end of the outlet, which gives a wide range { small division bar is located directly in the burner outlet to increase the range of the well as break up the larger oil particles. This nent, it is pointed out, preheats the oil thor- d finely atomizes it so that every drop is used ignition results. The oil feeder employed . lift of over 18 ft. and has a delivery pressure \ relief valve which is capable of regulation i, and the outlet is piped to the oil reservoir, tting the return of any excess quantity of oil e pipe at the right. The furnace is ordinarily on gas fuel, but should a change to oil be- essary in an emergency this is easily accom- by loosening two bolts and sliding the oil housing forward. This causes the gears on feeding device to mesh with those on the %-hp. tor used. The two bolts are then tightened and plug in the top of the elbow attached to the drum after which the oil burner is inserted. The whether from oil or gas, covers the entire inner face of the furnace and gives a uniformly distributed In this way it is claimed the metal is melted ely by the heat reflected from the walls, in much e way that metal is melted in crucibles. From 2 heats, it is stated, can be obtained every 9 hr., ng upon the character of the metal being melted. When the furnace drum is in a vertical position e can be charged with gates and other scrap, e blast is on. The metal is thrown on top of im, where it is preheated, and is then pushed the charging hole with a bar as fast as may red. The pouring ladle ‘is located directly over ng hole, and remains there while the entire being melted. In this way, it is pointed out, e is heated to practically the same tempera- he interior of the furnace, thus eliminating rate preheating furnace, as well as aiding in the heat within the furnace. ile providing the necessary leverage for easy ? } of Non-Crucible Melting Furnace the Speed with Which the Change fron ruel Can Be Made as Well as Arrangements z and Finely Atomizing the Oil Used 1918 THE IRON AGE 389 manipulation tilts the furnace, and a spring-actuate ocking arrangement which tends to keep a bar the frame in constant engagement with the teeth of a sector attached to the drum is provided to hold the drum in any desired position. This lock is released by pressure applied to a treadle at the base, thus leav ing both hands free for tilting or rocking the drum \ double treadle is provided, thus enabling the one whic! is the most convenient to be used when tilting. Whe: the pressure is removed from the treadle the sprin in the locking arrangement operates to hold the dru in the desired position. Hydraulic Accumulator Protective Valve A new type of valve which is designed to pro tect large accumulator systems has been developed by the Hydraulic Press Mfg. Co., Mount Gilead, Ohio. As long as pressure is maintained in system, it is. ex- plained, the liquid is permitted to flow, | while if the pressure should be lowered due toa break in the | piping system, for example, the main check valve is seated, this being relied upon to prevent fall ing of the accumu lator. The valve is in- stalled directly at the pipe outlet of the accumulator with a pilot line connec- tion to some distant \ACCUMUUITOR CONNEC TION ; PILOT LINE CONNECTION point of the piping system. The pres- A Valve Installed at the sure of the liquid ray . . Hydraulic A from the pump lifts wattage ef the Aasmentnian oe the main check and to Paihive of Lina Ps charges the accu- mulator. At the same time, the plunger in the cylin der is raised, thus holding the main check off its seat irrespective of whether the accumulator being charged or discharged as long as the pressure on the pilot line is maintained. If a break should occur in the piping system the pressure, of course, is im mediately lowered, and this loss of pressure in the pilot line and small cylinder is overcome by a spring, thus permitting the plunger to drop. The spring above the main check, together with the flow of the liquid fron the pump, causes the check to seat, thus it is pointed out preventing falling of the accumulator. A small tee valve can be installed in the pilot line and by openins it and relieving the pressure on the pil