The Iron Age 1919-12-25: Vol 104 Iss 26

GE VOL. 104: No, 26 A TT Forging Plant in Wisconsin \ | ANY industrial institutions which materially enlarged their facilities to help win the war now find themselves equipped for increased peace- time business. Among the plants which expanded to meet the emergency needs of the Government was the forge shop at the West Allis, Wis., plant of the Allis- Chalmers Mfg. Co. This company first engaged in the production of its own forgings about 12 years ago when the development of its large units for steam, electric and hydraulic plants brought it face to face with the alterr=tive of buying in the East, or even from Krupp’s, to secure the large forgings required, or ex- pending a li sum for the construction of its own forge shop. in view of the delay and inconvenience which it would have experienced had it elected to pur- chase its forgings from distant plants, the management decided on the latter course. At the time war was declared, the company’s forge shop was approximately 160 x 446 ft. and was equipped with a 3000-ton hydraulic press, a 6-ton, a 3-ton and a number of smaller steam hammers. When it became apparent that this country would become involved in the European war, a 100 x 346-ft. addition was erected to provide space for the installation of a 1000-ton hy- draulic press and horizontal heating furnaces, and the roof was raised several stories at one end of the plant to permit the construction of two large vertical fur- naces. Fora period of 14 months prior to the armistice, the plant was operated 24 hours a day. The forgings it produced included guns and tubes, torpedo cylinders, recoil cylinders and pistons for the largest navy guns, shafting for battleships, cruisers and destroyers, as well as shafting, connecting rods, rudder stocks, etc., which it furnished the Emergency Fleet Corporation. The 3000-ton hydraulic press, shown in one of the accompanying illustrations, is located in the older sec- tion of the plant. It is a Niles-Bement-Pond machine equipped with a United Engineering & Foundry Co. steam intensifier. In the same aisle are located a 6-ton steam hammer, a 3-ton hammer, two 3590-lb hammers and a number of smaller ones. A 1000-ton United Engineering & Foundry Co. hy- draulie press of the steam intensifier type is situated in the newer section of the shop. When it was decided to install this machine, it was found that the manufac- turer would be unable to deliver for months on account of previous commitments. This obstacle was overcome by the Allis-Chalmers company by securing the loan of the designs. Within a period of 45 days the company By Developing for Its Own and Government’s Needs, Allis-Chal- mers Co. Has Facilities Com- in East parable With Best Interior Is Housed in the of Vertical Heat-Treating Department, Seven-Story Building. The suspended shaft hangs above a vertical furnace 706-ft. deep. A 50-ft. furnace is located between the larger furnace and an 80-ft. quenching tank shown in the left of the illus- i Both furnaces are set 25 ft. in the ground, le the tank extends 37 ft. below the floor level. Which made the patterns from the drawings, poured the cast- ings, did the necessary machine work and erected the press. Within 60 days the press was in operation, the entire machine with the exception of the valve mech- anisms, having been manufactured in the West Allis plant. For 14 months thereafter the press was operated night and day on Government work. For heat-treating purposes the plant is equippe: with three car-type box furnaces, 8 x 12 x 16 ft.; two car-type furnaces, 6 x 8 x 30 ft.; two car-type furnaces, 6 x 8 x 45 ft.; one car-type furnace, 6 x 8 x 50 ft.; one open-top furnace, 5 x 7 x 16 ft.; one open-top furnace, 6 x 8 x 50 ft, and many other furnaces of smaller di- mensions. All of these horizontal furnaces are of the semi-muffle car type, i.e., containing interior baffle walls which deflect the flames from the oil burners so that 1315 1516 Turning a Two-Throw Crankshaft they pass above the steel being treatad. of burners or thermocouples, 5 1 Dea PIS ' Overharging -— K “SS furnace & 4 & a + % | Ps. 8 | ra 3 ar S | ‘ £| 3 . . mS | : R eu S | SS ‘S Ss + a \ j s é 3 & ‘ 8 - x ‘ q “| ry! | WIR ITA IIR Wd * LW sZi bs The Large: and Aft Insertion in the Heating Chamber THE IRON AGE At 3-ft. inter- vals along the furnace walls are sockets for the insertion both of which are A Furnace, Showing Two Shafts Before December 25, 1919 Forged in the Allis-Chalmers Shop gered, a burner being opposite a thermocouple in the other wall. This arrangement is followed to make for an even distribution of heat. The thermocouples are connected to Leeds & Northrup pyrometers in a pyrom- eter house where temperature readings are recorded every 30 seconds. The pyrometer room is also equipped with a potentiometer, from which a magnified reading can be taken at any moment. Through these indicators tue temperatures at the various furnaces are continually under observation. Between the tracks leading into the two 45-ft. fur- naces is a horizontal quenching tank which is 45 ft. in length. The most interesting section of the forge shop from the point of view of design and equipment is the ver- tical furnace department, which is located in the west end of the older portion of the plant. Here the roof was raised several stories to provide room for handling forgings upon their insertion and withdrawal from the furnaces. This department was provided for the heai treatment of hollow shafts, and contains two larg: semi-muffle cylinder vertical furnaces, one of which is 14 ft. in diameter by 70 ft. deep, for treating shafts up to 60 ft. long, and the other 14 ft. in diameter by 50 ft in depth. Both furnaces are set 25 ft. in the ground so that they project 45 ft. and 25 ft., respectively, above the floor level. The furnaces are surrounded by a structural steel scaffold, which carries the working galleries and sup- ports the various auxiliary facilities required for the operation of the furnaces. This framework is tied to the steel work of the west wall of the plant. The furnaces are enclosed in steel shells, lined with brick 18 in. thick. On the inside of the brick insulating wall is a brick baffle wall 4% in. thick. The chamber is 8 ft. 4 in. in diameter within the baffle wall. Between the latter and the insulating wall is a 4%4-in. annular space for the circulation of the heat before it passes through numerous apertures in the baffle wall into the interior of the furnace. The illustration showing a horizonta: cross-section of one of the furnaces indicates the loca- tion of the thermocouples and the oil burners. It will be noted that the burner inlets are set on a tangent so that the heat will strike the baffle wall at an angle and circulate around the furnace, thereby insuring an even temperature. To the same end the holes in the baffi wall are arranged so that they will not receive the ful! force of the heat as it enters from the burners, th« wall at these points being solid. The vertical cross-section of one-half of the smaller furnace gives another view of the burner inlets, locates the observation holes of which there are four on each December 25, 1919 THE IRON AGE 1317 PLAN VIEW OF FORGE ee es SHoP AND StocK YARD. THE DEPARTMENTS ADDED FOR WAR PRo- CTION ARE ABOVE \ND TO THE RIGHT OF HEAVY DOTTED LINES . 7 ypping Fark ¥ (rT ¥ 4 o ~~~ «i COAL BRICK SO ee we ee Seen nw ge dee me ques =e ¥ ba SHED ~ suep ; Ir: = ft ' = 7s Ki ny Se > ie ' 7 a ; — ae —_ ' ™ . Try n : 0,4 ~ ial — ee ele rv, Ot A r ; , at , : ’ 34-707? « oe I K K K ‘ P i i Ms K ' Crane i j - ' “9 ¢ » ; é P . & . i { 3 ~ - L Ss bt a "9 ‘ - t [ 1- S y ry 40-707 Crane i ‘ * mM: 1 : SCAIC x ¥ r * Jurrung g > - : H { ot Nig y L N ' J x 7. » ' & a NEL est i . } I s& Rigte u ; s : ‘ : a ; . \ ; lank: \'& cd Pe: R : . ; tc 6 fw, eR A i | bf] a 6 ’ Exq s L - - L o orn : % \ Fo K - ' - | i 1d orge 76 ¢ « MS : z . forge k . Pp as - i: : ad . ' a ia . + ll el ee ee ee ee ee ee ee ee ee ¥ - | y j ie RP , s T Oo Cc A Y \ 2 D , y G $a . » & FA: : %, 18 aa ¢ Rs 1) ‘ ¥ a \ Melting Furnace L.—Hammer 4 > si. I Annealing Furnace M—Bull Dozer 13 : = C—Drill Press N—3000-Ton Hydraulie | ee > E 000-Ton Press Press “4 F—Grinder P—Intensifier Accumulator hs ss: eet coined lean ceili UM tain —_ : Jead H—Two 400-hp. Boilers S——Heat - Treating Furnace on K—-Furnace Pit Ls gallery, and shows the numerous openings in the baffle naces hand operative beams open and close the covering wall. doors, which are lined with brick 3 ft. thick. There are two sets of four burners, or eight in all, Shafts to be heat-treated are fitted in crabs on a on each gallery level, there being nine gallery levels in shaft loading platform, of which there are two in the the case of the larger furnace. At the top of the fur- department. Suspended from the crab, the shaft is A 1000-Ton United Engineering Hydraulic Press of the Steam Intensifier Type. Having secured the loa. of the designs, the Allis-Chalmers Co. built and erected the press within 45 days 1318 THE IRON AGE ___ lp ot furnace “a VTT7, a XK eZ. N * 4 AR -- ¥ - } ; ¥ + | Ts eierastive enatreenebeiataiy ' Os o°°**%4 Burner : ; . /nsulatirn Molt “as Thermocouple > OV! Burner ee ee ae A ~. - c c. z Hol Ae a> i 5 ey Re eho" _ * TIS RRELE LEE y Ly AL . LPT, ” - y j ¥ . > * ~s >>>». me a ake aie Y CE < Pr } at 7 Yee A Mp hhbidl pdb ddaiaidiguididiidin = PT PO, er per OS ee Lhe! 8 Oey Vertical Cross-Section of One-Half of Smaller Up- right Furnace and a Horizontal Cross-Section. The tangential openings in the walls of the furnace admit the heat from the oil burners. The observa- tion holes and the thermocouples are set, radially from the interior of the furnace lifted by a 50-ton Alliance crane and then lowered into the furnace, flanges on the crab resting upon the beams which extend across the doors. The crane serving the furnaces is 135 ft. above the floor level and has a lower- ing speed of 175 ft. per min., insuring the expeditious handling of material to be treated. The crane is under remote control, being operated from an enclosed ob- servation box, which may be seen in the illustration of the vertical furnace department on the right-hand wall just above the lower crane. Here the operator has an excellent view of the furnaces and the quenching tanks. He is not, however, dependent upon his eyesight to control the movement of pieces to be heat-treated. Through the simultaneous flash of a pair of lights for each furnace and the large tank, he is advised when the shaft is suspended directly above the furnace or tank ink ‘ich it is to be inserted. To facilitate intra-shop communication telephones connect the observation box with the floor and with the platform joining the top of the larger furnace with that of the larger quenching tank. The high crane is also equipped with a telephone so that repair men may call for necessary tools without leaving their work. An automatic electric elevator serves the furnaces and the quenching tank. This insures the attendants quick access to all parts of the furnaces and tank, both above and below the floor level. Each furnace is pro- December 25, 19 vided with a main shut-off on the fifth gallery le, which is just above the floor. This enables the op ators to extinguish the burners promptly in case emergency. The larger quenching tank, which is used in conjun tion with the furnaces, is 14 ft. in diameter by 80 ft. depth, extending 37 ft. below the floor level. Wat inlets are situated at equidistant points up the side the tank. The water, as it enters, is deflected by shield which cause it to assume a circular motion in the inté rior of the tank. This arrangement makes for a mor uniform temperature than woulfl be otherwise possible The control valves for all of the inlet pipes are located on the floor level. To the north >f the forge shop is the stock yard, where materials are arranged according to size, the smaller sizes being placed towards the end of the plant where light forging is done, while the larger sizes, in- cluding billets up to 24-in. square and ingots up to 62 in. in diameter, are piled adjacent to the section of the shop where the hydraulic press and the heavier steam hammers are located. The yard is 66 ft. wide and 446 ft. long, running the length of the older portion of the forge shop. For handling material within the yard a 40-ton Niles-Bement-Pond crane has been pro- vided. Three railroad tracks connect the yard with the shop. The company maintains a unique record system to keep track of its raw material. As soon as new stock arrives, it is painted with its heat number, which is also entered in a journal in one of a number of columns designating the character of the steel—whether it be low, medium or high carbon material, or a special steel alloy, such as nickel, chrome, vanadium, or chrome vanadium steel. The heat number also serves as a page number for a detailed record of the material, a sample of which is reproduced. These record sheets give the name of the manufacturer furnishing the material, indi- cate the grade of the ingot or billet, its size and weight, the date of receipt, the car number and initials, and the number of the bill of lading. Space is also provided for entering the results of the manufacturer’s chemical and physical tests, as well as the chemical test of the forge shop, if such a test is made. Or the same sheet a record is kept of all forgings from the material, in the order in which they are made. Here are entered a brief description of the work, the name of the company or- dering the forging and various other details, such as the order number which the shop has assigned to the work, the test bar number, the maximum dimensions, the weight, date of forging and the capacity of the press or hammer used. Detailed information regarding View in Machine Shop Serving Forge Plant, Showing Lathes Used for Boring and Turning Large Forgings December 25, 1919 . THE IRON AGE 1319 , ALLIS-CHALMERS MANUFACTURING COMPANY FORGE DEPARTMENT RECORD (Grate tog Car Lastiole Ca Be MANUPACTURERS THSTt CREMrcal Cart Pe See Mase -“ Recmel af 050. 029 G/ 4/7 346 Corum, Venee isotee Law DESCRIPTION | Sem Tube Shaft “4 ow . . ' ‘ . ’ “9 . ’ 0 $8, MEAT TREATMENT J6$00 ? SIPSO GoMSe « GS2FO9 SPFOO SH¥FOI *9Y ~¢ »S#FSO JOTIO 2 H6S0 thet : (. GPE PHD 10hr left in f/a0/ $6 27 EEE ‘ ? = A Sample Forge Sheet. Here facts regarding ) } ) ) j the time and manner of heat-treating and the results of the physical tests made thereafter are also reg- istered. This scheme of accounting gives the forge shop a ‘omplete check on the results achieved with all the materials it uses. If an ingot or billet does not run uniform, it soon becomes apparent and an inquiry can be directed to the manufacturer to ascertain the source of the trouble. By showing the weight of each piece of work, the record of forgings taken from a given ingot indicates the amount of material not yet utilized. In handling stock the company keeps an equally careful record, under which no piece of material, no matter how small, ever loses its identity. As soon as an unused portion of a billet or ingot is cut off a forging, Chicago and Meriden, Conn., Plants Taken Over The Ayer-Kempton Corporation, capitalized for $700,000, has been organized to take over the business and plants of the Ayer-O’Connell Co., Meriden, Conn., and the Bennett-O’Connell Co., Chicago, manufacturers of polishing wheels. The Ayer-Kempton Corporation recently acquired the Pfleghar Hardware Specialty Co., New Haven, Conn., which manufactures a line similar to its own. The merger of the three companies becomes operative Jan. 1 next. The Ayer-O’Connell Co. oper- ates a factory and storehouse in Meriden, and the Ben- nett-O’Connelk Co. a three-story factory in Chicago. These plants were taken over on a $450,000 net basis. Steel Heat-Treatment Chart A heat-treatment chart which embodies in compact form the factors that are ordinarily involved in the heat treatment of steel, is being distributed by W. S. Rockwe!l Co., 50 Church Street, New York. The chart gives Fahrenheit and Centigrade temperatures, with corresponding heat colors, tempering colors and the (V2bS 2-5/9 PAAR IS4TFS 93M 14236 are the character of the raw material and data concerning the forgings made therefrom SemMante & ¢ coe Tet Pursicas mn ak Tooele Menge n~ ae . = : tae Yo J rellengs Jawen hee teeet PORGINGS eine Te Mas. Dee 29 /SOF 1/2 oT 3 7 oe poets teen = Pee LOG” S278 06000 SPP BOCOton PHYSICAL TRST Meat TRRat weet tones mg Temp Howe 6 Temeerms Renee Drew ae Department fecord entered important its weight, the heat number, the size of the original billet, and the most important chemical characteristics are painted thereon by an employee assigned solely to that duty. For instance, the characters “tr. van. 56” 680 lb. C 33 H 3640” indicate that the heat number of the material is 3640, that it contains 0.33 per cent car- bon and a trace of vanadium, weighs 680 lb. and was taken from what was originally a 56-in. ingot. So carefully has this method been followed that the loss of material has been reduced to a minimum. In handling 98,000,000 lb. of forgings in the forge shop, the loss in stock was less than 0.1 per cent. As a check on its own work, the company stamps each finished forging with its order number, test num- ber and heat number. list of tools to which they are ordinarily applied, and figures for carbon content with trade classifications of and uses for steel of corresponding carbon content. A critical range diagram covers temperatures as related to steels of various composition with regard to har- dening and annealing conditions. Data on specific heats and melting points, conversion table of equiva- lents, heat equivalents, and a chart showing degrees in Centigrade, and equivalent degrees in Fahrenheit. November Structural Contracts Less The bridge and structural shops of the country took on contracts in November for 124,200 net tons of steel work, equivalent to 69 per cent of the full shop capac- ity, according to statistics of the Bridge Builders’ and Structural Society, 30 Church Street, New York, com- piled by its secretary, George E. Gifford. This is a slight recession from the average of about 78 per cent that has held for the previous three months or more. Should December business approximate that booked the past month, the average for this year will be about 50 per cent of capacity. 1320 THE IRON AGE BOLT AND NUT MACHINERY A New Line With Bearings Specially Bushed to Resist Wear A line of machinery for hot forging bolts and cold punching nuts has been placed on the market by the Wm. H. Haskell Mfg. Co., Pawtucket, R. I. The general design is aimed to provide especially durability and economy of operation, and with this in view, bearings carrying heavy loads or those that are subject to se- vere stress are bushed with either babbitt, bronze, steel or cast iron. For hot forging square, hexagon and a large variety of special heads on all sizes of stock up to and includ- ing %4-in. in diameter, a standard type machine is offered of a design providing a spread‘ of 24 in. across the legs to afford an especially rigid support. The die- opening handle is 3 ft. 9 in. long, making the dies easy to open without recourse to the use of short pipe lengths or other expedients for extending the lever length to provide desired leverage. The balance wheel is bushed full length with hard bronze, all link connections are bushed with hardened steel, and the levers and cross- head are bushed with steel to eliminate the cost of bor- ing out when making repairs. The operation is by con- tinuous belt drive. The No. 2 upright shear for cutting round bolt stock, studs, etc., with practically square ends, can be fed two %4-in. soft steel bars at a time through stationary tool- steel bushings. To prevent creeping under the thrust of the shearing an adjustable yielding gage is provided to insure the cutting of all pieces practically square across and exact to length. The machine is belt-driven by 26-in. tight and loose pulleys carrying 5-in. belt, the tight pulley acting as a balance wheel. The shear stroke is 2 in. Gearing is machine molded. The pinion is of gun iron and the ratio between gear and pinion is about 4 to 1. For safety the pinion gear is enclosed in a special cast-iron guard. An adjusting clutch allows the operator to rotate the gears one- quarter of a revolution to vary the tooth contact pre- venting uneven wear due to the impact of shearing. To avoid the necessity of upsetting the machine to 7 a December 25, 19) tighten the bolts holding the body to the base, t! castings are designed so that the bolts are outside t! standard. Both eccentric shaft and balance wheel shaf bearings are bushed. Its No. 2 metal press for %-in. standard squar or hexagon nuts can be used for all kinds of punchin, within the capacity of the machine. It is clutce} operated by foot treadle. The machine is driven by, 26-in. tight and loose pulleys carrying a 5-in. belt The drive shaft is extended beyond the pulleys to floor stand support, eliminating uneven wear on thx intermediate bearing due to the weight of the balance wheel. To further insure low power consumption the intermediate bearing is babbitted. All other bearings are cast-iron bushed even to the eccentric shaft bea: ings. The large gear is of gray iron and the pinion of gun iron, which, it is stated, gives 50 per cent greater strength than gray iron, both being machine molded. The gear ratio is 5% to 1 and the stroke is 1% in. The body casting is heavily ribbed inside for additional strength. In addition to the two die-block bolts four studs are employed for positioning the die-block. To prevent injury to the operator’s hand by jamming be tween the front shaft bearing and the capstan fo1 adjusting the plunger to permit insertion or removal of tools, the latter is made circular in shape. For trimming the flash from bolt heads and for bending parts, the company has designed a long stroke press with a 7-in. stroke. In place of an eccentric sliding box, it is equipped with an eccentric crank and pitman, with friction band on clutch block. Balance wheel shaft is supported on the end by floor stand. The line also includes a 2-spindle horizontal type bolt milling machine, both the spindle and feed being driven from a three-step cone pulley. The driving shaft turns an 8-in. gear through two 4-in. pinions meshed with two 6-in. gears on the main spindles. The feed is by a worm and worm gear through another pair of gears to a rack and pinion, giving a carriage travel of 14 in. Bearings are cast-iron bushed throughout. The feeds are independent of each other and the duplex mhchines are customarily set up in pairs, one operator tending 4 spindles. As desired, hand feed may be substituted for power by employing the star wheel. No. 2 Nut Press for %-In. Standard Square or Hexagon Nuts, Also Adaptable for Various Other Punching Opera- tions No. 2 Duplex Upright Shear for Round Bolt Stock, Studs, Ete., Up to %-In. in Diameter TO December 25, 1919 | nanan = J Long Stroke Press Equipped with Eccentric Crank and Pitman Instead of Sliding Box Automatic knockout for the feed stops the milling as the tool approaches the bolt head, the finishing of the head being done by the operator employing the star wheel. Hindley Worm Gears The grigin, method of production and advantages of the Hindley type of worm gears were discussed by H. Fleckenstein, Hindley Gear Co., Philadelphia, at the recent convention of the American Gear Manufacturers’ Association at Boston. This type of gear was designed by an English engineer, named Hindley, about 1857. The gears are cut from solid blanks, and are explained as being theoretically correct, as the cutters which pro- duce the worm and wheel are rotated on their own axes and are positive driven. The gears are ground together after they are cut, thus to give good contact and smoothness of motion. This type of gearing was pointed out as being par- ticularly adaptable for valve motion drives, as they can be designed so that the wheel can be the driver and the worm the driven member. They have been used, Mr. Fleckenstein said, on special tire-making machinery, for mine hoists, gantry cranes, coal pulverizing machin- ery, horizontal boring mills, and other machine tools. Because this worm gear was found to stand up so well against the recoil of the guns, they were used by the United States Ordnance Department for elevating, traversing and sighting movements of guns. As an example of the load a Hindley wheel can carry, it was explained that the load due to the firing of a gun in one of the battleship turrets is 350,000 lb. This load is carried on the pitch line of a gear 25 in. in diameter. The advantages of the Hindley type of gearing over the ordinary straight worm gear were explained by Mr. Fleckenstein as follows: They have a greater number of teeth in contact for a given pitch; they can be made with a greater depth of tooth; the teeth on the wheels have a straight side, which produces a flat bearing surface between the threads on the worm and the wheel teeth. On account of this, they have a greater bearing surface and slide together correctly. Therefore, there is only one action on the teeth of these gears, that is THE IRON AGE 1321 a sliding contact at right angles or neatly so to the worm shaft, whereas the ordinary straight worm gears have practically two actions—a sliding contact at right to the worm shaft, and a rolling contact (the action of the teeth of the wheel, rolling in and out of the threads of the worm, similar to the contact of the teeth of two spur gears). It was explained angies that on account of the greater surface of the teeth a greater load can be carried on a Hindley worm wheel than on an ordinary straight worm gear of the same size. The given load is distributed over a greater bearing surface, thereby the carrying of a greater pressure on the if the same load is carried as on a straight the bearing pressure is greatly reduced. Hindley worm gears, it was stated, are especially adaptable for large reductions and high speeds. When run at slow speeds bearing pressures almost equal to the breaking strength of the metals can be carried. pearing allowing teeth, or worm gear, Fuel Oil Heater for Power Plants When fuel oil is burned under boilers it is sary to preheat the oil before it goes to the furnace in order to insure proper vaporization and therefore good combustion of the fuel. <A device for this pur- pose, known as. the Reilly fuel oil heater, is stated by the manufacturer, the Griscom-Russell Co., 90 West Street, New York, to have been in use for a number of years in the United States Navy and merchant marine vessel It is now being marketed for general use in stationary power plants. The shell of the heater is of cast iron, said to be suitable for a working steam pressure of 250 lb. per q. in. The oil is pumped through the coils of seam- less drawn steel tubing, which constitute the heating neces- ‘ Heater Are Eliminated of This Fuel Oil Thus to Eliminate Contamina- Oil Joints Inside by a Special Construction tion of the Condensed Steam by Oil Leaks surface. The coils are helical in form and are inter- changeable. Inasmuch as high pressure steam is generally em- ployed as the heating medium and as the condensation from this steam is returned to the boilers, it is neces- sary that the construction of the heater be such that there is no danger of contamination of this condensed steam by oil leaks, for this would mean that oil would be carried into the boiler. It is explained that the heater is built so that there are no oil joints inside, due to the use of a patented oil heater joint, shown in the accompanying illustration. In 1918 Brazil exported 393,388 tons of manganese ore. For the first time in five years the shipments showed a decrease. = 2 a ay oe aw 5 Sandi Sangli, 6, 3 = ATE Oe ee : s! 1322 THE IRON AGE ACCIDENTS DECLINE Statistics as to the Steel Industry Before and During the War WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.—The Bureau of Labor Statis- tics has completed a new study of the accident rates in the iron and steel industry, based particularly on a comparison of the five-year: period before the war (1910-1914) and the war-time period (1915-1918). Considering the unit as a whole, both the frequency and severity were less in the war period than in the pre-war period. A closer study of the figures reveals that the 1910 high-water mark was so much above any of the succeeding years that it alone was sufficient to account for much of the discrepancy. The frequency rate declined from 177.7 cases per thousand 300-day workers to 129.6 cases in the war period. The severity rate declined from 12.3 per worker to 10.9. In 1910 the figures covered 202,153 300-day workers of whom 3273 were killed, 848 were permanently disabled—with an average disability per worker of 15.9 days. In 1911 the number of workers increased to 231,544. But of this number only 204 were killed; permanent disability figures rose to 931, and temporary disabilities fell. to 34,676, with an average for all disabilities of 10.4 days per worker. In the first year of the war period, 1915, the total number of workers slumped to 116,224, with 87 deaths, 372 permanent disabilities and 13,481 tem- porary disabilities, and making a low-water mark of 119.9 disabilities per thousand workers and a disa- bility record of 8.1 days lost per worker. In 1918 the industry had reached its high-water mark of employ- ment, with 455,360 workers; 496 deaths; 1209 per- manent disabilities and 52,896 temporary disabilities with a disability loss per worker of 10.6 days. The blast furnace record shows an even more decided improvement than the industry as a whole. Its accident frequency rate dropped from 186.7 cases per 1000 300-day workers in the pre-war years to 118.3 in the war period, while the severity rate dropped from 21.4 days to 15.7. In the Bessemer furnaces the frequency rate fell from 269.3 to 196.3, while the severity rate increased from 19.0 to 22.8; and the open hearth furnaces fell in frequency rate from 224.9 to 155.2; but again the severity rate in- creased from 19.7 to 21.0. In the foundries the frequency rate for the pre-war period was 190.8 and during the war interval it rose to 194.0. The severity rate increased from 10.0 to 11.5. The record for the heavy roll- ing mills showed a frequency rate of 138.0 and 97.5 during the war, while the frequency rate rose from 11.0 to 12.0. The frequency rate in the plate mills was 149.1 before the war and 132.0 dur- ing the war, while the severity rate fell from 11.4 to 8.4. The sheet mills re- . . P oer Q<« The Pneumatic Cylinder of the Clamping Device on This Heavy Duty Radial or¢ 53.¢ : a . : : : : a ¥. cord a frequency of 153.3 before the Is Located So as to Bring the Pressure Directly to the Point of Clamping and Eliminate a Number of the Usual Working Parts. war and 107.7 during the war, with severity rates of 7.7 and 6.0 respectively. The lowest record is that of the tube mills which showed a frequency rate of 121.5 before the war and 68.1 for the war period, with severity rates of 6.6 and 5.4 respectively. In the fabricating shops the frequency rate dropped from 239.7 to 172.7, and the severity rate from 10.4 to 8.7. In the unclassified rolling mills, the frequency rate decreased from 219.8 to 128.5, and the severity rate from 10.8 to 6.5. The wire-drawing industry showed a decrease from 197.1 to 150.0 in the frequency rate and from 9.5 to 8.5 in the severity rate. The heaviest mortality as well as accident rate is that in the erection of structural steel. Out of 2157 300-day workers in the years 1912-1913-1914 there were 26 deaths, 24 permanent disabilities and 738 temporary disabilities, which gives an accident fre- quency rate of 365.3 per thousand 300-day workers and a loss of 94.2 days for each 300-day worker. In 1918 the figures decreased slightly. Out of 1234 300-day workers, there were 10 deaths, three permanent disa- December 25, 19 bilities and 364 temporary disabilities, giving an a dent frequency of 30.5 and a disability rate of 58.8. The death rate in the erection of structural st is markedly in excess of that in coal mines, says t report of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Combination Pneumatic and Hand Clamping Device A pneumatic device for clamping the column and which can also be clamped by hand is announced by th Fosdick Machine Tool Co., Cincinnati. It is for use with the company’s 4, 5 or 6-ft. heavy duty radials. A notice- able feature is the location of the cylinder, which, it is pointed out, not only brings the pressure directly to the point of clamping, but also eliminates a number of the usual working parts. It is explained that the cylinder will operate equally as well on very high or very low pressure, and during tests operated successfully on 45 lb. pressure. Relief valves are provided for each end of the cylinder and are regularly set for a pressure of 45 lb., although 150 lb. or more, it is stated, will show no shock or jar in clamping or unclamping. This is ac- complished by an air cushion at each end of the cylinder formed by additional ports in the valve to cause a com- pression at the proper termination of each stroke. The valve, a six-ported flat disk valve, is operated by mechanical connection to a horizontal shifter bar run- ning along the entire length of the radial arm. The advantage of this device is that it has no connection with and does not interfere with the moving of the spindle head. In case of failure of the air, pet cocks at each end of the cylinder are opened and the ordi- nary method of clamping by hand is used. The method for disposing of breeze from blast furnace coke in use at the plant of the Weirton Steel Co., Weirton, W. Va., is described in No. 8 of Depere Service, published by Depere Mfg. Co., Chicago. The coke breeze is screened out just before the charging skips are loaded, and is delivered by auxiliary skip equipment from the pits beneath the screens to bins whence it can be spouted to cars for disposal. The Navy Department has announced that sales of surplus iron and steel will be made at the office of the Board of Survey, Navy Yard, New York, on Dec. 30. Included are scrap iron and steel, bolts and nuts, drop forgings, boiler tubes, etc. Inspection may be made by application to the Navy Yard, New York. Pulverized Coal in Open-Hearth Practice A Review of the Experience of Eighteen American Steel Plants—Feeder and Burner Mechanism — Proper Furnace Design — — ——BY W. H. FITCH which have been operated with pulverized coal, the basic open-hearth has presented the most interesting study, due to its complexity of design compared with the reverberatory or non- reversing type. The principal concern in the begin- ning was what effect, metallurgically, the ash would have when coming in contact with the bath. This, however, was soon established to the satisfaction of those concerned. A search for information as to how a furnace should be designed to properly burn pulverized coal proved unavailing. As was to be expected, this resulted in the application of pulverized coal to some existing furnace, which after a short run developed numerous difficulties, the most annoying of which was the clogging of checkers in the regen- erative chambers with ash and the filling of ‘slag pockets, either one or both of which were the con- trolling factors in the number of heats that could be made without shutting down the furnace for cleaning. Prior to the advent of pulverized coal firing, producer gas was the generally accepted form of fuel for steel melting in open-hearth furnaces, and for this reason the average furnace met with, in the application of pulverized coal, was designed for producer gas although in some cases the fuel was natural gas or oil. Upon investigation we find a difference of opin- ion as to.the best design of furnace for producer gas, even where the furnaces are of a _ given capacity and have been operating under similar con- ditions for several years. Some melters claim better results are obtained with one air port, others with Q* the several types of metallurgical furnaces two; bath areas vary from 6 to 10 sq. ft. per ton of steel in figuring capacity; opinions differ as to the cubial capacity of regenerative chambers—slag chamber and height and shape of roof. In many instances we find the furnace above the charging floor has been changed from time to time to increase capacity without increasing the capacity of regene- rative chambers. Steam boilers are in favor with some and net with others, all of which have their influence and assist in explaining why the results are so variable. In almost every instance where a change of fuel had been made, as in the case of natural gas taking the place of producer gas, we were told considerable trouble had been experienced in learning the most economical design of neck, port, etc. Therefore, it is to be expected that a change from producer gas to pulverized coal as a fuel would require a very careful study in design to meet the new con- ditions. Advancement in the art of applying pulverized coal during the past two years has undobutedly been retarded due to the abnormal conditions in the steel trade and the unwillingness of the opera- tors to make changes in furnace design and thereby* interfere with production. With these facts in mind let us proceed to inves- tigate the application and use of pulverized coal to open-hearth furnaces in several different plants that formerly used producer gas, natural gas and in some instances fuel oil. There are about 18 plants with a total of 70 furnaces operating with pulverized coal which will be referred to as A, B, C, etc., as a matter of convenience. Reference to two installations is omitted by request. Experience of 18 Plants Using Powdered Coal Steel Plant A Billets, sheet-bars and cotton-ties. basic and 3 acid), Product: Six 30-ton furnaces (3 built for producer gas. Pulverized coal was applied to furnaces designed for producer gas and subsequently fired with fuel oil. Before starting with pulverized coal the checkers were removed and baffle walls substituted. Coal dust was conveyed from the pulverized coal bins to the burners by air at 6 oz. pressure. Com- pressed air at 80 lb. pressure per sq. in. was intro- duced at the burner. The downtakes were narrow and slag pockets small. The bulkheads burned out quickly. Flues leading to stack had to be pumped out occasionally. Heats were made in 8 to 9 hr. with 600 Ib. coal per ton metal poured. Quality of metal from basic furnaces was first class, while the acid steel was not satisfactory. After some months of operating with pulverized coal the fuel economy was offset by disadvantages that could not be changed or corrected conveniently, and fuel oil, which had been used and was well adapted for acid process, was again resorted to and applied to all furnaces. Steel Plant B Product: Steel castings for railroad use. Four 30 and three 15-ton basic furnaces, built for producer gas. *Manager, metallurgical department, Fuller Engineering Co., Allentown, Pa. . 1323 These were all originally built as acid furnaces, producer-gas fired. They were then converted to fuel- oil fired and basic bottoms installed. Since 1913 they have been in continuous use with pulverized coal as a fuel. The separate gas and air checker chambers of the original furnaces were changed by throwing them into one chamber at each end of the furnace, although imme- diately under the furnace, a small slag car being lo- cated directly under the down comers in this chamber. The checker brick are placed to form large flues with a direct vertical passage at quite a sacrifice of checker area, but without the effect of losing time in making heats. The same time was maintained as that when fuel oil was used, three heats in 24 hr. The coal varied from 0.50 to 1 per cent sulphur, and the ash from 4 to 6 per cent with normal coal. This did not apply to coal received during the war, however, as the ash content went very much higher, due to poor mining practice. The smaller furnaces were used for pre-melting steel for electric furnaces, each furnace making from five to six 10-ton heats in 24 hr. No finishing, of course, was done in the furnace. The net saving by using pulverized coal compared with fuel oil during the past two years has been very great., Heats to the number of 250 to 300 are made without rebuilding roof; the roof forms a straight line from bulkhead to bulkhead. Fuel consumed averages 550 Ib. per ton of steel tapped for the year. This is a little higher than ia. hae — ia i" re ye Set. ¥ ear " it a ode 3 A eS ban jee ta ot rs ss tc ae a re i peg SF at aon ig i re cer ai mmm oe eee canis Ay sans 1324 would be the case in making ingots, as the metal must be hotter for pouring castings and, further, the heat is held longer for obvious reasons. Steel Plant C Product Steel One 25-ton basic ized coal. furnace, built for pulver- The slag pockets are larger than those originally on this furnace for oil firing. The regenerative air cham- bers are built back of the slag pockets and are longer than on the original furnace. These chambers each have a capacity of about 80 cu. ft. per ton of metal melted. Much trouble was experienced with the coal feeder, a double screw type, one screw above the other, with an air column passing between the upper and lower screw, it being intended to return the surplus coal dust by the lower screw. This arrangement was finally removed and a modified screw and air syphon feed substi- tuted. There were 162 heats made without a shut down. Fuel consumption averaged about 700 lb. of pulver ized coal per ton of charge. Much to encourage the management in using pul- verized coal resulted, but the need for steel became so urgent, and as the other furnaces were operating on oil, it was found desirable to operate all furnaces on one class of fuel only at that time, and the furnace was changed back to oil. Steel Plant D Steel eastings acid furnace, built Product: One 20-ton gas for producer The furnace design was not altered and the slag pocket and checkers soon became clogged. The coal was pulverized at an adjoining plant and carried to the furnace in steel containers which were placed at the end of the furnace and then connections made to burner Coal was not pulverized to the proper degree of fineness. After one week’s operation it was pronounced unsat- isfactory and discontinued. Steel Plant E Product: Ingots. One 30-ton basic furnace, built for producer gas. This furnace has small slag chamber. No checkers used. Regenerative air chambers so arranged that they may be cleaned during operation of furnace. Coal consumption averaged 650 lb. per ton of metal poured. Charge is made up of cold and hot metal. There were 75 to 125 heats made before repairing the room. Quality coal used covered a wide range from 1 to 3 per cent sulphur and 7 to 14 per cent ash. Steel Plant F Product Ingots for wire and wire One 35-ton basic furnace, built ized coal, nails. for pulver- When it was decided to install pulverized coal a fur- nace was rebuilt to conform to the requirements as they were then known. The walls and roof were 9 in. thick; combination screw feeders and burners were used; the coal averaged 1 per cent sulphur and 6 per cent ash; slack coal was used for pulverizing, the lump coal going to the gas producers. After a several months run it was found that the quality and quantity of steel produced was satisfac- tory compared with that made in the producer-gas fired furnaces, but an average of 4 days a month was re- quired for cleaning slag pockets and checkers. Various arrangements of checkers and baffle walls were em- ployed; the latter, however, were found faulty and abandoned, using checker brick arranged with vertical and horizontal openings. The slag pockets were too shallow and were deepened with improved results. By the end of the first year it was demonstrated that the walls and roof were too thin, that the steel binding was too light to hold heavier walls and roof and the furnace was torn down to the charging floor and re- built with 13% in. walls. The next period of operation—12 months—resulted in an average production of 2800 tons of steel per THE IRON AGE December 25, 1919 month and fuel consumption of 490 lb. coal per ton of steel tapped. The best monthly production was 3300 tons of ingots, while 9000 tons have been produced in three months with an average coal consumption of 440 lb. per ton of ingots poured. The slag chambers are being made wider, it having been found desirable to make these the maximum per mitted by building conditions, as past experience indi cates that the number of heats that can be run with out stopping is limited to the capacity of the slag cham bers. The checker space as arranged at present is about 50 cu. ft. per ton of metal poured. The space available makes it impossible to enlarge the checker area and improve conditions in this direction. The results of three years operating with pul verized coal are very satisfactory and plans are being made to install an additional furnace designed with a dust chamber to burn pulverized coal, sufficient space being available. Steel Plants G, H, I Product: Ingots and billets, ete. : Thirty-five 50-ton basic furnaces, built for producer gas. These plants employ furnaces of practically the same capacity and design operating under similar con ditions, therefore it will be convenient to refer to them collectively. Although the furnaces were designed for producer gas, natural gas was used. The bath area is approxi- mately 480 sq. ft. or 8 sq. ft. per ton of metal. The ports were four in number and so arranged that the necks of the furnaces were 15 ft. from the bulk- head to the bridge wall, much longer than furnaces that had been previously fired with pulverized coal. Slag pockets were of small cubical capacity, while the checker space in regenerative chambers (air and gas combined) were very large, approximately 150 sq. ft. per ton of metal. A semi-duplexing process was the practice, charges consisting of 50 per cent cold metal and 50 per cent hot metal, on the average. At times as high as 80 per cent hot metal was charged and oftentimes this was blown. Heats were made in 5 to 12 hr., according to the charge. During the winter of 1916 there was a scarcity of natural gas and the management became interested in finding a substitute, fearing the necessary supply of gas would not be obtainable. The encouragement received from visiting several small plants using pulverized coal, as well as results obtained by their own experiments, influenced them to install pulverized coal equipment. In one case the steel company let a contract to an engineering company to install pulverizing machinery, distributing system and furnace fixtures and in the others purchased the equip- ment and installedit themselves. We refer to the plant that was built by the engineering company. It was the consensus of opinion of the several in- terested parties that furnace design was the principal factor that would require careful study, and it was de- cided that it would be best to make as little change as possible to begin with, allowing result of experience of applying coal dust to one furnace to point the way and nature of changes necessary. Pulverized coal screw feeders of the single screw type and combination burn- ers were used. The distance between the bulkhead and the bridge wall was too great for the design of burner, resulting in combustion being too far advanced before the gases reached the bridge wall. To overcome this a dog house was built and the burner was equipped with a tele- scopic device projecting the coal further into the fur- nace. The result of all this was unsatisfactory, due to the dog house burning out every few heats, and it was abandoned. The necks of the furnace were shortened a little, improving flame conditions and control and decreasing time of heats proportionately. This condition was im- proved by widening the necks of the furnace to obtain greater port area. Improvement was continued until the division walls between the ports were removed, a water cooled heel-wall being found a satisfactory sub- stitute. , I ecember 25, 1919 The best arrangement that could be made, however, did not produce results that were as satisfactory as was desired, the objection being that the roof over the neck burned badly. A siphon burner was substituted, which brought relief so far as refractory trouble was con- cerned, as it was possible to project the coal further into the furnace; on the other hand, unburned gases passed through the furnace and burned in the slag pockets. The latter was the least objectionable, as the fuel ratio was less important than production. Due to a number of furnaces being in use it was pos- sible to make minor changes at various times when a furnace was down for repairs, and in this way dif- ferent arrangements of checker brick, ports and roof were experimented with. Changes that could be made easily to the furnace above the charging floor were limited, due to the necessity of making very radical changes in steel work, which for the time being were prohibitive. The checker chambers of these furnaces being large afforded ample space to experiment with arrangement of checkers. Large flues, small flues and a combina- tion of both, as well as different depths of checkers, were tested, with the result that the combination gave the best results. Eventually the slag chamber was found to be a very important factor, as its capacity decided the num- ber of heats that could be made without stopping the furnace for cleaning. When the slag pocket filled it obstructed the area of fan tail or permitted the gases to carry oxides and ash directly into the checker cha