The Iron Age 1919-12-04: Vol 104 Iss 23

New York, December 4, 1919 ESTABLISHED 1855 4 IRI O% Ei at te 1 ee a dL hd | 7 = - * ec _ VOL. 104: No. 23 New Plant of National Aeme Company Shop Built for Large Production of Screw Ma- chine Products Has Many Notable Features in Arrangement and in Convenience for Employees National Acme Co., Cleveland, is notable for its size, up-to-date methods and convenient arrange- ment for large production work on automatic screw machine products. Ground space being unavailable for further extensions at its Stanton Avenue plant, this company recently built a new products plant along the New York Central Railroad, at Coit Road and East 131st Street, Cleveland, to which it moved its entire products department and is now using its old plant exclusively for the manufacturing of machinery and self-opening dies and taps. The new plant occupies a 15-acre site, and includes a main one-story factory building of the saw-tooth roof type, with 335,000 sq. ft. of floor space, or about 7% acres under one roof. With other buildings the total floor space is approximately 8% acres. The size of the plant is indicated by the fact that it is equipped with 1800 machines, including 600 Acme and Gridley auto- matics of various sizes, and the average production per month exceeds 50,000,000 pieces. The plant is laid out for economical production by the reduction to a minimum of the distance of hauling material in the process of manufacture. Long hauls are eliminated by the direct routing of material. The general direction of stock in the process of manufacture Is crossways through the plant, from the raw stock room on one side to the shipping department on the opposite side. A great saving in the length of truck hauls and in aggregate haulage has been effected by having a centrally located cleaning department, and adjoining that a clearing house, from which parts go either to the storage and shipping departments adjoin- ing or back to machines for secondary operations. One of the outstanding features of the plant is its heating and ventilating system. Washed warm air is circulated by a fan system through the factory build- ings for heating, this being supplemental to steam radi- ation, and the foul air is exhausted by another fan sys- tem. When heat is not required, the blower system is kept in operation for ventilation. Another feature of the plant is the almost complete T's new screw machine products plant of the elimination of wood in the building and equipment, about the only wood used being for the factory floors. The factory offices have steel and glass partitions, one- half steel, one-half glass, and the storage bins for fin- ished product, tool crib equipment, foremen’s desks, sorting tables, lockers, etc., are of steel. The main building is approximately 600 x 480 ft. To this a two-story concrete building, 600 x 52 ft., is connected. The first floor of the latter building is used for stock room, and the second for the tool room. The main building is of brick, steel and glass and steel sash construction, with stone trimmings. Good lighting is provided throughout by an abundance of outside win- dow space and the glass in the saw-tooth building. The roof of this building is made in 16 saw-tooth sections, 30 ft. wide, with the sloping side facing the nort?. glazed with factory ribbed glass. The saw-tooth roof truss is formed so that the windows in the roof are at an of 30 deg. With the sloping windows the amount of outside light is largely increased over the amount that would come in through windows located vertically. Another interesting feature is the spacing of the building columns. One way the columns are 30 ft. apart, corresponding with the roof sections, and length- wise they are spaced 60 ft. Clear glass is used in the side walls. There are 140,000 sq. ft. of side wall sash, and in the saw-tooth roof 105,000 sq. ft. of ventilating sash and 10,000 ft. of window operators. The sash are of the Fenestra type. In the side wall sash there are 25,000 sq. ft. of crystal sheet plate glass. A wood floor is used throughout, 38,000 sq. yd., or 94 carloads of block, being required. The floor is laid on a concrete base, which is 12 in. in thickness in some parts of the plant where the heavier machinery is installed. Aisles, 20 ft. in width, are provided along the outer walls, and there are other aisles through the center, both crossways and lengthways. The 60 x 30-ft. bays are lettered one way and numbered the other way, as shown on the layout, the main building being dividgd into 180 blocks. This plan was adopted solely to con- veniently locate one section or piece of machinery. The 1111 Sec wrpeere Sadie rene gta io “Oe Eee + oe ~ementions ane 19 MM@menetesssse 88 BRRSRRERRaEgeeee =e Breese geur NG» Shaving 5 n 7 % += 5 wo For seconasry threed) nb nd grinding. 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The work is brought t vocscwsrvorvrriioriiirs |! wwersrrcvodrvereccoeedeiid LCC wwcoossoororrocobeicie LLOLLEOLOL OO Z <4] : COCO COA COTS « x : : $ =~— $$$ | wooorcrrrrrr PELL LNIWLAVASTIG INI Vf LAN ovsevvoreroveresr Aeenooonnnneyyayy “CC ECCECCEES CC OOCE ee ae lmmmnversr | ¢ «+ . w yp te - machines in the pails shown OT hed oh. ~~ F | Es 2 i . be =~ =“. | Thee) Vie Lilac LL extractors from the automatic MATERIAL . + . on Fam . . - si l om Att of Oil Extractors in Which the Oil Is Separated from the Parts and the Chi Battery coluaedal o ite bea sei Pi AS a ila te. aaa eet <x December 4, 1919 Rows of Auto- matic Machines The 24-in. au- matics are equipped with motor drive ¢ The two lower bape a a aS "ais j lustrations ow the %-in nd the l-in I itomatics. The Ss se g-in auto- € itics are shown in the oval aad vs ROUT! Tp nc cy, -* ae Le mbols indicating the bays or blocks are prominently ted on the columns, as Al, B4, etc. The automatic screw machines occupy about two- rds of the south half of the building and adjoining se, across the aisle on the opposite north side, are machines for the secondary operation, such as slot- gy, milling, threading, shaving and grinding. The general layout of the rows of machinery is indicated in lrawing. 16 The machines start on the outside with in., or smallest size of automatic, and the sizes ially increase up to 2%-in. machines in the last At the other end of the plant is the nut-making tment, the product of which is largely castellated This department occupies about one-third of the ling on the west side, and is equipped with batteries it-tapping machines and other nut-making equip- great deal of the machinery equipment was in- d during the rush of the war-time period, and lrive was used throughout, but this is now being 1 by individual motor drive, which will be used of the automatic machines. In the secondary tion department individual motor drive will be as far as is practicable, and in some cases group ’ drive. cleaning and sorting department and clearing are located between the automatic machine and IRON AGE 1113 7h nut departments, and adjoining these are the stock bins and packing and shipping departments. In the raw material stock room in the building on the south, adjoining the main factory building, large storage capacity is provided in two rows of bins, 131 bins in all, that are divided into three sections ind ex- tend the length of the 600-ft. room, along the walls, with a wide aisle down the center. The bins are built of 4-in. pipe posts, 4 ft. 4 in. high, set in cast-iron bases that fit on a bottom support. This support is built of two channel irons bolted together, but slightly separated by pieces of plate at the end. The bins are adjustable for width by loosening bolts that hold the bases to the channel. On the posts are painted the number of the bin with the kind and size of bar stock. An unloading platform and railway siding extends the full length of the plant, adjoining the stock room, the platform being on a car floor level. This platform has a capacity for handling 12 cars of material at one time. The platform and siding are used almost wholly for the incoming raw material, but when shipments of finished parts are made in carload lots, as is done for one large consumer, and for the company’s Chicago and New York warehouses, the product is carried in electric trucks across the plant to this platform. Smaller lots are hauled in motor trucks from a covered shipping platform on the opposite side to freight depots. sie ai ada ge eM nacre Regen eee e § et Poe tf ce # = in fe ce ry ied (te Ps 1114 THE IRON AGE December 4, 19 st \W t E Jiachines Steel bars and other raw material are unloaded he cars upon trucks or trailers, which are hauled stock room with electric tractors. From the trucks, material is handled to and from the bins with electric hoists, three Shepard hoists being pro- vided for this purpose, section. The hoist runways with necessary switches extend over all the bins and aisle, affording a con- venient and flexible handling The hoists are equipped with grappling hooks for handling the steel, which is weighed be ng placed in the bins and manufacturing depart- from T t into the o-ton . one over each through the center system again when being sent to the ment. There are 12 do unloading platform on the rs between the stock room and the incoming stock side, and five he adjoining factory is provided with 12 machines before going to the automatic The electric doors lead from the stock room tot The stock room pointing the building. for machines, a cut-off saw and emery wheels. bar S Are Separated Pass Through the a Parts, the Parts Dirt from the oval of Oil and Ren tractors and trailers are also used for hauling the st from the stock room to the machines. The day’s work is taken from the automatic ma- chines to the cleaning department at night. Here the pails of parts and turnings are piled up. The gross product for 10 hr. fills 4500 pails, and it requires a night gang of 20 men to truck these to the cleaning department. In the morning the oil is separated from the work in oil extractors, 12 of which are provided. From the oil extractors the work is dumped into power- operated separators of a special design for removing the chips from the parts. There are seven of these separators, which have perforated sheet metal screens through which the fine chips pass while the work is being shaken on the screen. The larger pieces of turn- ings are picked out by hand by the operator during the shaking movement. When the chips or turnings are separated from the parts, the latter are dumped from the lower end of the shaker into sheet metal shop boxes vidual Tables Go to the Sorting Department, Made Which Is Equipped with Specially Designed Indi of Sheet Metal December 4, 1919 THE IRON AGE 1115 aaa : Ed ee ota. ft t 8 - ‘ ’ ’ View S Method of H g Mater from the separators the parts go to Niagara steam Each sorter has a sheet metal table with a 36 x 36 hers, three of which are used for cleaning the parts. in. top. Good parts are pushed into a trough attached Before entering the washers the parts are dumped into’ to the front of the table and run into boxes. As the ; perforated bottom shop boxes, and the oil and dirt are boxes are filled they are piled on a platform at the side eaned from the work as the boxes pass through the of the table, and when the platform is loaded, it is car aning machine on a conveyor. On leaving the steam ried away by an elevating platform truck. The sorting iner the boxes are pushed along a roller conveyor department requires a force of 160 employees, mostly ' 1 the contents are dumped back into the original women. About 15,000 boxes of product go through the i xes, which are of the same size, but not perforated, clearing house daily. The plant operation requires the : 1a coating of light oil is sprayed on the work to keeps use of 25,000 shop boxes. ney . from rusting. After cleaning, the parts go to the The scrap in the form of turnings, amounting to 50 : aring house adjoining, where they are sorted and tons per day, is placed in dump hopper trucks, which ; ghed. If a secondary operation is required, they are are hauled | y tractor to an outside concrete pit, from sent to the secondary operation department. If which it is loaded on cars with a locomotive crane are not to be given a second operation, they are equipped with a grab bucket. The method of handling ey ‘t at spected after sorting and go directly to the shipping scrap in this plant was described in THE IRON AGE of ; 43 { partment, where another inspection takes place. If March 20, 1919 a: they are to be hardened and ground they are sent to An important advantage of the plan of handling the the hardening department and back for sorting and in work through the clearing house is that a constant spection before going to the shipping department. check is kept on production and shortages. As every edie, 7) ee F i w of Polishing Department Showing Special Flat-Wheel Polishing Machines Driven by Individual Motors for Pol- ishing Cap Screws 1116 THE IRON AGE December 4, 19) Are into Hoods the the Case Hardening Furnaces vented from Passi Out Lor ng day’s product goes to the clearing house the next day and from there on to the secondary operation machines, if additional operations are necessary, the only work that is in process in any department is the current day’s production. Consequently an inventory of the job can be taken in 2 hr. A record is kept of the pieces that are scrapped on the job on the automatic and secondary operating machines every day, and if there are short- ages due to scrapping of work, these are known at once and additional parts are started through the plant to supply the shortages. By following this plan the short- ages are promptly taken care of without waiting until the job is completed before they are discovered, and production is started on the required additional parts while the machines are still set up for this particular job. For storing standard screw machine products in packages, there are 48 sections of steel bins, two sec- ions being placed back to back with ample aisle space Room the Heat and Fumes, Which Are Pre Composed of Small ¢ Carrying Away by Screens ‘hain between the fronts. There are 72 bins in each section, making 3456 bins in all. These bins are 6-tiers high. The first three rows from the floor are 28 in. deep, 18 in. high and 24 in. wide, and the three upper tiers are about the same size, but not quite as deep. Bulk stock is stored in the shipping and packing department adjoin- ing the stock bins, the larger stocks being kept in floor bins. One of these bins contains 3,000,000 nuts in one size. The polishing department occupies an enclosed room adjoining the nut department and convenient to the clearing house and finished stock departments. Along one side are 31 standard double wheel polishing jacks, and on the opposite side the same number of a special type of flat wheel polishing machine for polishing cap screws. These machines have 28 x 3-in. wood wheels with an iron band around the outside, and leather on A fresh emery surface is rolled on the leather night. The wheel is direct-driven by a 5-hp. top. every The Parts After Being Hardened Are Dumped into a Riddle, the Compound Passing Through the Screen and the Parts into a Quenching Tank from Which They Are Raised by a Bucket Elevator Shown at the Right i ee ee," December 4, tor located at the top of the machine. In operation end of the cap screw is slipped in an iron tube, in hich it fits rather snugly, and the operator using the tube as a handle allows the work to rest against a imper located close to the wheel. These machines have proven very effective from a production standpoint. oximately 125,000 cap and set polished every day. Each row of polishing machines is connected to a exhaust system driven by a 50 hp. motor, the dust frem the two units being discharged into one dust col- ector outside of the building. The case hardening department is equipped with a attery of eight Frankfort furnaces that are used largely for case hardening nuts, reheating furnaces and -yanide pots. The furnaces are oil fired, but are ar- ranged for the use of gas, should this be available. An nteresting feature of this department is the arrange- ment of the case hardening furnaces for carrying away he heat and fumes from the furnaces. A hood is lo- pp screw heads are A Foreman’s Desk, and at the Rigl of the Sheet cated over the front of each furnace, and this connects to a 36-in. exhaust pipe that extends straight up above the roof and connects with a ventilator. Hanging down 40 in. from the bottom of the hood in front of the fur naces and 12 in. away from the furnace doors are small chains, placed close together, providing a screen that shuts in the front of the furnace, this screen being sufficient to keep nearly all the heat and fumes from passing beyond it, so that instead of going into the room, the hot air rises straight up through the exhaust pipe and passes out of the building through the ventila- tor. The ventilating equipment was installed by the Ohio Blower Co. Boxes of and other product that are case hardened are dumped on a riddle and the compound passes through the screen, the parts being raked down an incline into a water quenching tank. They are car- ried from the quenching tank by a bucket conveyor. The water in the quenching tank is kept cool by being pumped up through a system of pipes located under the nuts Metal Stands That Take the Place of Lockers 1118 Tz. 4 I rere o- a = —_— ad | ‘ ~ gy FS , wt oa THE IRON AGE December 4, 191y [LN —w j i. Above Which Are the Toilet Rooms, Is Illustrated in This Typical Picture rt N¢ ind Convenie Arrangement of the Washroom: roof, which are constantly being sprayed with cold water. A total product of 20,000 lb. goes through the hardening department every 24 hr. and 250,000 nuts are hardened per day. The tool room is equipped for making all the gages, taps, fixtures, machine parts and special tools used in the plant, and is provided with adequate sheet metal storage bins for the products of this department. A well-equipped chemical laboratory adjoins the tool room. In the operation of the plant 20,000 gal. of cutting and lubricating oil are used per week, of which 90 per cent is reclaimed. A basement room, 30 ft. by 50 ft., is provided in the center of the plant and in this are lo- cated a series of reclaiming tanks, oil pumps and soluble oil tanks. under the fac- tory floor on each side of the basement room. Oil re- covered in a separator passes into an overflow tank at each side of the separator, and from the overflow through three small settling tanks, each holding about 385 gal. The settlings are drawn from the bottom of these tanks every morning and thrown away. From the first series of settling tanks the oil passes into one or the other of two 800-gal. tanks, approximately 6 ft. high and 4 ft. in diameter, and from these two tanks to two other tanks of the same size. A Bowser pump is used for drawing the settlings from the larger tanks, which is done every alternate day. These settlings go into other tanks for further reclaiming. Under gravity pressure the good oil passes from the last reclaiming tank to the storage tanks for reclaimed oil, under the floor. There are five of these storage tanks, with capacities ranging from 3150 to 6000 gal. The reclaimed oil is pumped to a central station or into a tank car holding 100 gal., in which it is hauled to the machines. Seven of the oiling stations are provided, but only one is now being used because of trouble due to workmen sometimes taking the wrong mixture. The new oil tanks are located on the side of the base- ment settling room, opposite the reclaimed oil tanks. The new oil tanks include an 8000 and 13,000-gal. tank for engine oil, a 12,000-gal. tank for lard oil, a 12,000- gal. tank for paraffine and a 13,000-gal. tank for com- pounded oil. New oil is piped from tank cars in a 4-in. line and is pumped from these tanks in whatever mix- ture is desired into tank cars. The soluble oil, which is stored in small tanks in the basement, is used as a cut- ting compound on a great deal of the secondary opera- tion work. The fan heating and ventilating system consists of units located in different sections of the unit includes a main supply fan with a Oil storage tanks are located four complete plant. Each capacity of 100,000 cu. ft. per min., an exhaust’ fan with a capacity of 70,000 cu. ft. per min., and an air washer with a capacity of 90,000 cu. ft. per min. The heaters are composed of Vento cast-iron radiators, each heater having 7296 sq. ft. of radiation placed two tiers high. Air passes through the washer, being cleansed by a spray of water, and then through the heating coils and on into the ducts. The returns from the heaters are taken to a vacuum pump near the unit and discharged to the feed water heater in the boiler room. Each supply and exhaust fan is driven by a steam engine from one shaft. The supply fan is driven from this shaft by a silent chain drive, the exhaust fan by a belt, which may be removed, and an exhaust fan by a motor The latter drive is provided for use in case it is de sired to operate only the exhaust fan. However, both fans are kept in operation in the summer, the supply fan bringing in fresh air from outside to supplement the ventilation afforded by the windows. The inlets and outlets are provided with a damper so that all the air going through the warm air supply system may be taken from outside; all air in the exhaust system may be discharged outside or the exhaust air may be mixed with the fresh air in any proportion desired. As the plant is operated, a mixture of the outside and inside air is used in the winter, resulting in a saving of fuel that would be required for heating air taken entirely from the outside during the extremely cold weather. The warm air supply is carried from each heating unit to main ducts, 8 ft. 6 in. by 48 in., at the fan dis- charge and tapering down to 5 ft. 4 in. Channels are provided in the saw-tooth construction so that there is sufficient space for carrying the ducts above the lower cord of the roof truss. Branches lead from the main duct in alternate saw-tooth bays, and from the branches are horizontal discharge outlets. Each main duct has eight branches and 20 discharge outlets. Each of these has dampers for regulating the velocity of the air. The air discharge at each outlet is 1400 cu. ft. per min. The exhaust for each unit is taken from the floor through a specially designed wire screen and pipé frame, which extends down to the floor at alternate col- umns. There are four of these exhausts to each unit 58 in. square at the floor. The velocity of the alr through this screen is 200 cu. ft. per min. The mall exhaust duct is 8 ft. 6 in. by 3 ft. at the fan. This main duct is also provided with deflecting dampers and valve dampers. With the use of this system a complete change of air can be made in the plant in 18 min. The warm air heating system is supplemented by a low pressure vacuum system that supplies radiators locate¢ December 4, 1919 A .round the sides of the building and also furnishes heat r tne offices. The fans and heaters were supplied by the Buffalo orge Co., the engine for driving the fans by the Ball ngine Co., and the vacuum pumps for taking the con- nsation from the heaters by the National Steam Pump ' [he Carrier air washing system is used. In the tallation of the heating and ventilating ducts 235,000 valvanized iron sheets were used. Steam for heating and for operating pumps and er service is supp.ied by three 400-hp. Sterling iter tube boilers equipped with Riley under-feed ers. A tunnel 425 ft. long connects the boiler house th the plant. In the tunnel are the steam, hot water 1 ice water circulating lines and electrical conduits The electrical power is supplied by a commercial iit. A transformer vault is located in the raw stock ym, and opposite that is a main switchboard with a pacity of 5500 amperes. This has 21 600-ampere oil breakers. The power current is 440 volt, 2 phase, { wire, 60 cycle. This is distributed to 81 power dis- ition panels located through the plant. From these nels branch circuits go to the individual machines. The plant is lighted by 200 watt lamps spaced on ‘t. centers, 11 ft. above the floor and having 18-in Adams Bagnall Electrical Co. reflectors. Each light is individually controlled by a cord connected to a ceiling switch. General lighting is used throughout, with the exception of a few individual drop lamps for work in the tool room. Each column has a light plug which is provided for use in case extra lighting is needed in re pairing machines. In arranging the plant a.great deal of attentior “ given to the problem of feeding the large number of employees, and the method worked out has proved very satisfactory. On the north side of the main build- ing, near the offices, is a cafeteria with a seating ca pacity of 350. This is for the women employees and fice force, the former getting their lunches at 11.30 and the latter following at noon. In addition, five com plete serving units are provided for the shop men in the outside aisles and other parts of the plant, having capacity for feeding 850 men during the noon hour. The woman who has charge of each auxiliary serving init secures her supply of food from the kitchen adjoin- ing the main dining room and has everything ready to serve when the men quit work at the noon hour. Each unit has its own equipment for making coffee, and for keeping the food warm. Wooden tables and benches are provided for the men. These are kept stacked up in compact form when not in use, two workmen placing of the Five Serving Units Provided Aisles for th Main Cafeteria In the insert is shown the THE IRON AGE 1119 them out on the floor near the serving unit a few min- utes before lunch time. Workmen, as well as women employees, who eat in the main cafeteria, may buy their entire lunch or may supplement what they have brought from home with coffee or anything else they wish to buy at the cafeterias. All food furnished at the main cafeteria may be had at the smaller serving units. In place of lockers, portable sheet metal stands are located in the outer aisles and at other convenient points. These are 12 ft. long, with rows of coat hooks on each side and a shelf above for lunch boxes. A cover ex tends over the top of these stands, affording protection from dust for tne clothing and lunch boxes. In the main building, located at convenient points, are six wash rooms and toilet rooms, four for men and two for women. These are two stories, 30 ft. long and 20 ft. wide, the wash rooms being on the floor level and he toilet rooms on the second floor. The wash rooms are not enclosed, making them convenient for access from the different sides. Each wash room is equipped with 12 white-enameled wash basins, 6 ft. long, ar ranged in three rows, water being supplied through sprayers. At the side of the room a hot and cold water mixer is provided for each row of basins, and shortly before the men quit work the spray of water, at the proper temperature is turned into the basins. Stairs lead to the toilet room, above the wash room, each of which in the men’s department is equipped with 10 oilets and five urinals with high-grade fixtures. Fan ventilation is provided in each toilet room. Additional wash and toilet rooms are in the stock and tool room. Hot water is supplied for lavatory purposes in both ie factory and office buildings through lines connected to a circulating pump in the boiler house. Cold water for drinking is supplied by a Phcenix ice machine. A school for women employees is conducted in the plant, instruction in English and hygiene being given twice a week to a class of about twenty. Of the 1500 employees, 350 are women, representing 29 nationalities. Various sports are also provided for the women em- ployees, including base ball, volley ball, tennis, ete. <A well-equipped hospital is maintained with a nurse in charge and a physician in attendance during certain hours. The executive office building is located at the front of the main building, to which it is connected by a pas- sage way. The office building is a two-story and base- ment, reinforced concrete structure, 112 x 50 ft. The plant was designed by George S. Rider & Co., industrial engineers, Cleveland, who also had charge of ts erection. +} TN _ = nee Seeeteeeti ed ia ei et iia] i — a ee | a ~ a J e Men, Food Being Prepared in the Kitchen Adjoining the women employees being taught English and hygiene = . et Dey Le + Pay Disposing of Government Machinery National Supply and Machinery Dealers’ Associa- tion, in Session in New York, Considers Problems Growing Out of the War and Other Subjects HE National Supply and Machinery Dealers’ NY "Association, held its fall meeting at the Hotel Astor, New York, Oct. 15. The officers of the association, which numbers 240 dealers, are: J. D. Nicklis, Manning, Maxwell & Moore, Inc., New York, president; George H. Cherrington, Brown & Zort- man Machinery Co., Pittsburgh, first vice-president; Crannel Morgan, the Hardware & Supply Co., Akron, Ohio, second vice-president; Thomas A. Fernley, secre- tary-treasurer; and T. James Fernley, advisory secre- tary. The membership represents 30 States, the Dis- trict of Columbia and Canada. The meeting was opened by Vice-President Cher- rington, who delivered a few remarks on the progress of the association and the increased membership. The speaker of the morning session was Lieut. Col. A. La Mar, assistant director of sales in the War Depart- ment, who reed a paper on “The Disposal of Govern- ment Owned Surplus of New and Second Hand Machine Tools.” Lieut. Col. La Mar requested discussion of the possibilities of co-operation in these sales between the machine tool dealers and the Government. The discus- sion brought out the point that the National Supply and Machinery Dealers’ Association in May of this year submitted to the office of the Director of Sales, Wash- ington, a proposal that all machinery sales should be handled through dealers in various machinery districts of the United States on a commission basis. Although numerous meetings were held between representatives of the War Department and the association, the pro- posal was either rejected or never acted upon, as a con- clusive reply was never received. Lieut. Col. La Mar explained that the proposal had never come to his notice. The proposal suggested the appointment of one large machine tool dealer in each district with all other deal- ers interested in handling the sales of Government ma- chine tools as sub-agents. This arrangement would ne- cessitate the Government dealing with only about 25 or 30 companies, who would be responsible for the sub- agents. The proposal provided for a 12% per cent commission on all sales, the sub-agent receiving 10 per cent and the Government appointed dealer 2% per cent. The Rate of Commission Lieut.-Col. La Mar raised an objection to the rate of commission, suggesting that 10 per cent was a rather high percentage for the sale of second-hand machinery, but it was pointed out by several speakers that the rate was necessary, not only to cover the expenses of plac- ing one of the best salesmen in the organization in ex- clusive charge of the used machinery department, but to influence salesmen to push the second-hand machine with the same interest as the new machine. Another suggestion brought up by Lieut. Col. La Mar was that dealers, should they be appointed, carry types of: used machines in stock. After a short discussion, he con- ceded that this might be impossible. The chief question that prose was whether dealers should handle all ma-’° chinery or only the machine tool lines of companies they represent. A vote was taken and the result was a majority in favor of selling only those lines repre- sented. Questioned as to the amount of machinery still to be sold, Lieut. Col. La Mar estimated it to total about $35,000,000. In order to show what priced machine tools were represented, he read the inventory of three of. the largest plants. In the first were 395 machines valued at about $375,415; in the second 586 machines valued at about $975,700; and in the third 30 machines valued at about $108,646. This set a range of prices on machines of $950 to $3,600 each. Negotiations with the Government As the consensus of opinion was that negotiations should be reopened with the Government on the ques- 1120 tion of dealers handling the sales of machinery, in or to expedite the disposal of the large stock, Anton V negut of the Vonnegut Machine Co., Indianapo moved that a committee be appointed to draft a new proposal to the Director of Sales and that the comm tee should be empowered to close an agreement. Th: motion was passed unanimously and Lieut. Col. La Mar expressed the hope that the Government and machin tool dealers would find a satisfactory method of co-op erating. At the afternoon session of the meeting a short ex planation was given of the methods used by the Gov ernment in determining the percentage of servicability in machines placed on sale. In co-operation with sev- eral universities and technical organizations, the Gov ernment investigated various types of machine tools that have been in use over long periods and estimated the number of years of service in a tool. As a record of time worked was kept of practically a!l machines placed on sale by the Government, after any defects had been taken into consideration, the number of months or years the machine had been operated and the number of hours per day were subtracted from the whole estimated time of service and the percentage of remaining service found. Prices were established on the present value of the machine, less 10 per cent in the case of a new tool, untouched. These percentages of serviceability range from 90 per cent for the new machine to 8 per cent in the case of a machine to be sold for the value of the metal only. During an informal discussion of methods to be em- ployed in dividing commissions on sales made outside of a dealer’s regular territory, the opinion was general- ly expressed that all disagreements on such questions should be settled without bringing them to the atten- tion of the manufacturer, as has been the case many times in the past. The question of a standard type of contract between dealer and manufacturer was brought before the meeting, but received sma!l encouragement, most of the members favoring the oral agreement, rather than iron clad contract that might serve many times to tie their hands. Increasing Commissions The speaker of the afternoon session was C. 0. Dowding, Patterson, Gottfried & Hunter, Inc., New York, who read a paper advocating increased commis- sions to dealers in the sale of machine tools. In con- nection with the paper, which strongly advised action in the matter, the secretary read letters from a new local organization of machinery dealers, “The Machine Tool Dealers’ Association,” comprising dealers in New York. The letter suggested action in the matter of in- creased commissions by the national association by com- munication with the National Machine Tool Builders’ Association. In a heated discussion that followed the reading of the paper and the letter, such action was declared to be beyond the scope of the association and would probably be misconstrued by the manufac- turers. In referring to the proposition to attempt negotia tions on the subject, H. F. Allen, manager machine too! division Fairbanks Co., New York, explained that while an increased commission might be justified by increased overhead expenses in some instances, an increase could not be fairly requested for all tools. He further pointed out that many manufacturers have in the past few years shown a tendency to eliminate the dealer and sel! di- rect, and that action of the kind suggested, particular!y at this time, when manufacturers are facing increase overhead and labor trouble, would not be conducive t good relations between dealer and manufacturer. This opinion was concurred in by a majority of the members ana the proposition was withdrawn, although the justice December 4, 1919 f such an increase some time in the future was brought it in the discussion. The final discussion of the session was as to the ad- sability of featuring agents’ name in trade papers nd circular advertising of machinery. It was agreed at the publication of the names of agents by the Britain’s Experimental Foundry A short description of the foundry built during the ir by the British Government at Brentford, and the isons which prompted the British ministry of muni- ns in establishing it, were presented at the Annual nvention of the American Foundrymen’s Association, Philadelphia, by G. Ernest Wells, of Edgar Allen & Co., sheffield, England. During the war Mr. Wells was ntroller of castings for the British ministry of muni- tions. “Primarily,” he said, “the purpose was to enable researches to be made into all questions affecting the manufacture of malleable iron castings. In Great Britain the output of most firms is small and the result that with one or two exceptions, practically no pro- icer does sufficient business to enable it to conduct the ufacture of malleable iron castings on thorough | up-to-date scientific lines. ‘Before the war, makers of pig iron specialized in rons suitable for use in the manufacture of malleable n castings, and each maker used a brand or trade- mark by which his iron was known. The malleable iron founder made tests of the different brands and even- tually bought those particular ones which in his opinion best suited his methods. “After the outbreak of the war, many of our sup- pies of raw material were either cut off or sidetracked for different purposes with the result that although malleable iron founders still continued to buy the brands of iron which had given them satisfaction in the past, they found all sorts of new troubles cropping up for no apparent reason. Had 2!! the founders been in possession of up-to-date chemical laboratories before the war, they would naturally have quickly discovered that the analysis of their material had completely changed and would have acted accordingly, but in view of the lack of facilities for carrying out this work, it was felt by the ministry of munitions that the best thing to do was to equip a small foundry with trained technical staff, in order that the difficulties experienced should be submitted to impartial and independent in- stigation. “The plant erected contained an up-to-date cupola, a number of pot-holes, one or two different types of an- nealing furnaces, and a completely equipped physical and mechanical testing laboratory. This laboratory was put in charge of Mr. Mason, a skilled research chemist who had specialized in malleable iron problems, while the foundry itself was in charge of a malleable iron founder of considerable experience. “As the work developed, difficulties of all sorts ex- perienced by manufacturers were put up to the govern- ment’s experimental foundry for solution, and after a thorough investigation a report was made which was at the disposal of any founder who wished to see it. “In this way a great deal of valuable work was done, and in certain cases raw materials were successfully ised which hitherto had been considered valueless for the manufacture of malleable iron castings. At a later late, a good deal of help was given to firms who were experiencing difficulty in the manufacture of so-called ni-steel shell, and John Shaw arranged demonstra- tions at the Brentford foundry so that contractors were able to send their technical men to see exactly how suc- cess was to be attained.” Westinghouse Scholarships The awards of the four annual war memorial scholarships of $500 each, established by the Westing- fouse Electric & Mfg. Co., East Pittsburgh, have been announced. These awards, made by competitive exami- nations, were allotted as follows: Herbert S. Pahren, order clerk in the Cincinnati office, who has selected THE IRON AGE 1121 manufacturer would be to the benefit of all concerned, and while no action was taken toward bringing this to the manufacturers’ attention it was suggested that members sufficiently interested should write to the companies they represent, urging this use of their name in advertising. for his scholarship a technical engineering course at the University of Wisconsin; Arthur Marthens, cost department, East Pittsburgh, who has chosen a course in electrical engineering at the Carnegie Institute of Technology, Pittsburgh; Paul O. Langguth, draftsman in the engineering department, East Pittsburgh, who will take an electrical engineering course at the Uni- versity of Pittsburgh; Andrew P. Lesniak, production department, East Pittsburgh, who has selected a mechanical engineering course at the University of Pittsburgh. Commercial Analysis of Ferrosilicon A complete analysis of ferrosilicon involves the de- termination of many elements in aadition to iron and silicon, viz., carbon, manganese, phosphorus, sulphur, calcium, magnesium, barium and aluminum, and as direct determinations are difficult and laborious, some elements comprising silicon itself are sometimes esti- mated by difference. In bringing the subject before the American Electrochemical Society at one of its recent general meetings, Earl M. Anger, New York, insisted upon the necessity of very careful sampling of the ferrosilicon. In high-grade alloys the segrega- tion of the silicon from the iron silicide is very pro- nounced, the silicon going to the top when the cast is cooling. For the determination of the silicon itseif, Mr. Anger disintegrates the alloy with sodium car- bonate; in alloys of more than 25 per cent. of silicon, this would attack the platinum crucible so the car- bonate is replaced by sodium peroxiue rather than by sodium hydroxide, in iron (not in nickel) crucibles. These recommendations were questioned by H. R. Power of the Carborundum Co., who prefers nickel crucibles and the peroxide. Biakametal, an Alloy of Zinc and Copper An alloy of zinc and copper, the composition of which, it is stated, metallurgists have made every effort to determine without success, has made its ap- pearance in Italy, where it has quickly demonstrated its usefulness. It is called Biakametal and United States Trade Commissioner H. C. MacLean, at Rome, has sent a report on it to the Department of Commerce at Washington. A new company having a capital of 2,316,000 has been formed to carry on its manufacture. It is stronger than steel and less corrosive than copper according to the report. It is said to have a high limit of elasticity and high resistance to thermic and to chemical action. It can be cast, turned, drawn, forged, rolled and stamped and has proved useful in aeronautic and marine construction on account of its relatively light weight and unusual strength and anti- corrosive qualities. National Acme Co. to Film Processes The National Acme Co., Cleveland, manufacturer of automatic screw machines and products, is arranging for the filming of the processes in its plants, from the receiving of the order, through the manufacturing oper- ations, to the delivery of its goods. The projectors will be of small size, fitting into a receptacle the size of a suit case and each branch sales office will be equipped with a projector and set of films. Connection may be made in an ordinary electric light socket and a white sheet of paper, wall, or convenient blank space used as a screen. Pictures will be shown to prospective purchasers of the company’s products and all others in- terested. The filming is being carried on by the indus- trial department of the Universal Film Co. It is esti- ae that an exhibition will occupy about an hour and a half. = < American Gear Manufacturers’ Association Standardization and the Labor Problem Prominent Among the Topics of the Meeting at Semi-Annual T the third semi-annual convention of the Ameri- ean Gear Manufacturers’ Association held at the Copley-Plaza Hotel, Boston, Mass., Oct. 13, 14, 15 and 16, it developed that the various committees ap- pointed at the Syracuse convention in 1918 to work out a standardization plan for manufacturing practices made considerable headway along constructive lines during the past year. The census of opinion among those attending the convention was that it was in every respect the most satisfactory session ever before held. Much praise was bestowed on the local entertainment committee, who saw to it that sufficient relaxation was given the members of the association to make the work of the four-day session highly agreeable. One feature stood out conspicuously throughout the meeting and that was the eagerness to discuss thoroughly the many problems submitted, being largely at- tended. The on-their-toes sentiment was evident up to the time that President Sinram declared the convention cle ysed. Invitations were extended the members to visit gear works located at Wollaston, Worcester and Spring- field, Mass., and at Providence, R. I., as well as the Gen- eral Electric plant at Lynn, Mass., but so much impor- tant matter was booked for presentation the members of the association in most cases felt they could not avail themselves the opportunity to visit the shops tioned. The publicity committee came in for its share of attention and praise, the successful efforts in inter esting the Boston press in the doings of the convention being especially gratifying. Although standardization was the keynote of the convention, the labor problem because of the proximity of the steel strike, was widely discussed and consider each session men- able time and thought were given the question of manu- facturing costs and efficiency of salesmanship as well. Detroit, Mich., was the place selected to hold the annual meeting, and April 29 and 30 and May 1, the dates. Address The convention opened Monday morning promptly on schedule with President F. W. Sinram, Van Dorn & Dutton Co., Cleveland, in the chair. His remarks were confined largely to observations and suggestions which were well received. He said in part: “May I suggest that a spirit of give and take must characterize your deliberations, criticisms and conclusions,—all to the end that we may all work to something definite and specific in the interest of all, and that a gear standard to be a recognized standard shall be an A. G. M. A. standard. Let your consideration of the initial recommendations encourage greater activity and further progress. Per- mit me to remind you again that the success of the A. G. M. A. is the responsibility of every representative.” Frank Burgess, Boston Gear Works, Wollaston, Mass., chairman of the local entertainment committee then welcomed those present in behalf of the Boston members of the association. Hon. Andrew J. Peters, mayor of Boston, heing out of town, President Walter Collins, Common Council, extended the greetings of the city and praised the gear manufacturers “for the con- spicuous position they held in our industrial life and in the bringing to a successful conclusion the great war.” The rest of the morning was devoted to the reading and approval of the various official reports. The mem- bership committee’s report showed a strong healthy growth of the association during the past year, the in- crease in membership during that period rising from 92 to 130. The report also showed 69 concerns located in the four quarters of the country as members of the association, whereas a year ago there were but 46 con- cerns enrolled. President Sinram’s 1122 Boston During the convention the membership was creased by 12, applications being approved as foll M. F. Simmons, General Electric Co., Schenectady, \ Y.; A. A. Alles, jr., and Eliot A. Kebler, Faweus M chine Co., Pittsburgh; Robert Cromwell and Georg: Proctor, Grant Gear Works, Boston; C. A. Arn Warren Machine Products Co., Warren, Pa.; Walter Giele, Lebanon Gear & Machine Works, Lebanon, Pa.: S. L. Nicholsen, Westinghouse Electric & Mfg. Co., East Pittsburgh; David D. Sternbergh, American Die & To Co., Reading, Pa.; F. O. Hoagland, Bilton Machine Too Co., Bridgeport, Conn.; Oscar X. Buehler, Indianapolis Tool Mfg. Co., Indianapolis; Glenn Muffly, G. Bradum Co., Cleveland. Uniform Cost Accounting The question of uniform cost accounting attracted much attention. At various periods of the convention it was demonstrated beyond question of a doubt that the gear business is keenly suffering for the lack of uniform cost accounting. In one instance it was pointed out that bids submitted by various manufacturers on a small number of gears ranged all the way from $7.50 to better than $21 each. Such a wide discrepancy proved the need of all gear makers having a uniform scheme of accounting so that competitive bids can be brought within a narrower range and financial losses eliminated. A. A. Alles, jr., Faweus Machine Co., Pittsburgh, gave an interesting talk on the subject of uniform cost accounting Monday afternoon. He said in part: “One of the most alarming conditions that manufacturers in all lines of industry have had to face is reckless com- petition. There is a dead-line beyond which no manu- facturer can go in making prices. If h