The Iron Age 1920-01-15: Vol 105 Iss 3

b ft T ae | On A he g _ 4 a 8. @ yaw am 2. 7, Se gE tin Gn =~ a ha *y han New York, January 15, 1920 ESTABLISHED 1855 2 VOL. 105: No. 3 ca Galvanizing Plant Handles Large Work Kettle of 100-Ton Spelter Capacity, Gas and Coke Fired—Side Thrust Braces and Their Design—Details of Process BY A. H. MYERS* parts by the hot process for vessels of the United States Navy, was built during the war at the works of the Wellman-Seaver-Morgan Co., Akron, Ohio. The extreme dimensions of ma- terial which can be handled are 19 ft. 6 in. in length, 3 ft. 4 in. in width and 7 ft. in height. In the case of steel plates the length can be increased to 20 ft. The hot galvanizing or zinc process for the protection of metals against corrosion consists, PLANT designed for galvanizing large steel Material 19% Ft. Long, Over 3 Ft. Wide and 7 Ft. High Can pacity. Rupture of the side walls by the pressure due to the of specially designed essentially, of thoroughly cleaning the article to be coated of all rust, scale, grease, etc., and then pass- ing it through a flux into a molten bath of zinc, or spelter, as it is generally called. After being in the zinc the proper length of time for the coating to thoroughly adhere, the article is removed and left to cool. The parts to be galvanized can be worked into *Chief inspector, marine department, the Wellman-Seaver- Morgan Co., Akron, Ohio. shape before or after galvanizing, depending on the size or the final shape into which they are to be made. For instance, steel plates, 18 ft. 6 in. long by 6 ft. 6 in. wide by %4 in. or so in thickness, are galvanized before rolling, while plates of a lesser width may be rolled first and miscellaneous parts riveted thereto before galvanizing. Steel tanks 3 ft. 4 in. wide by 6 ft. 6 in. high by 7 ft. 6 in. long, made of %-in. plate and angles have been galvanized inside and outside as one unit, or again, the various parts have been worked into shape, i ee sae Eh. Be Hot Galvanized in This Kettle of 100-Ton Spelter Ca- great weight of the spelter was remedied by the installation cast-iron braces galvanized, and then assembled. Steel pipe is bent to shape before galvanizing. The article, whatever its shape, must first be thoroughly cleaned before being immersed in the pickling or cleaning solutions. Marking paint, if present, must be removed by a wire brush or a cleaning agent such as lye, or by the use of both. If there is heavy rust its removal can be accel- erated by using a wire brush before immersing, The pickling solution is composed of sulphuric 181 Reet ae 8 a tte, eS Ei eaks ts ne hyp ee cea aren nae an scion a ave erecta we a it ites wing to - ay a et eS ee roman qatillitondireiain — Sige enc pa tpaep ae rm 182 THE IRON AGE x Ss 7] . — - Sp - at - __} - MURATIC ACID TANK: { January 15, 1920 Floor sine = . * a r Overhead I-Beam track Section C-C 2 "Plank Floor aE cil Section B-B acid and water in a proportion of about 1 to 15 by weight. An average of 75 lb. of acid, 66 deg. Baume, is used per ton of steel. A new solution is made up about once in three months, the solution being strengthened in these intervals according to the amount of metal pickled. The acid is received in carboys, each containing, approximately, 200 lb. A hot bath is used to accelerate pickling, the heat being supplied by steam coils placed on the bottom of the pickling tank, which maintain the tempera- ture of the bath at about 100 deg. Fahr. The artilcle must be kept in this pickling solution until all rust is removed, without having any action on the metal itself. The moment when pickling is complete is best indicated by experience. Over-pickling can be ascertained by the fibres of the metal being visible. An over-pickled article will take a heavier coat of zinc when galvanized, which is liable to peal off through vibration. From the pickling tank the article is taken to the wash water or rinse tank for the removal of the sulphuric acid which is detrimental to galvanizing. The wash tank is also used as a storage tank when pickled articles are to be held for a short time before galvanizing. The water in the wash tank is also kept hot by steam coils, so that the articles will keep warm and thus:dry faster. After washing, the article is immersed in the muriatic acid tank, which contains acid and water in a proportion of about 1 to 15 by weight. This removes water rust and all traces of sulphuric acid. This solution is also kept hot by the use of a steam coil. An average of 75 lb. of muriatic acid is used per ton of steel. A new bath is made up about every three months and is strengthened at intervals as required. Muriatic acid is received in carboys containing 125 lb. of 18 deg. Baume acid, each. The article may now be placed over the galvan- izing kettle where radiated heat thoroughly dries it, before immersing in: the bath of molten zinc (spelter). This practise may vary somewhat, ac- cording to the nature of the part to be galvanized; a steel plate 18 ft. 6 in. long by 6 ft. 6 in. wide by 14 in. thick, before being placed over the galvan- Floor Plan of Hot Galvanizing Plant for Large Parts at the Plant of the Wellman - Seaver- Morgan Co., Ak- | ron, Ohio. The tank pit and the founda- tion for the heavy galvanizing kettle are shown “Floor line izing kettle to dry, is sprinkled with fine salammo- niac which forms a flux when the sheet is being im- mersed in the zinc. It takes four men to handle a sheet of this size, two at the rope blocks, one on each side of the kettle to skim zine oxide and one to handle salammoniac. After the sheet is thor- oughly dry and before immersing, the surface of the zinc bath is thoroughly skimmed of zinc oxide, after which the sheet is immersed at the rate of about 10 ft. per minute. The zinc becomes greatly agitated at the points of immersion, the sheet not being withdrawn for examination for several mo- ments after this agitation ceases. In withdrawing, the sheet is scanned closely for spots that may not be coated. If any are found, salammoniac is thrown on them and the sheet again immersed. Withdraw- ing is done at the same speed as immersion. If the sheet is found to be thoroughly coated, it is taken to one side and laid down to cool, after which it is sent to the erecting department. Better results are secured by this method than by passing the sheet through a prepared bath of flux (molten sal- ammoniac) during immersion. A difficult piece to galvanize is the steel tank, shown in an accompanying illustration, which had to be thoroughly coated both inside and out. This was accomplished by thoroughly sprinkling with salammoniac after leaving the muriatic acid solu- tion and before drying over the galvanizing kettle. Articles of a more or less enclosed nature, such as tanks, bent pipes, etc., are sometimes very danger- ous to galvanize by the hot method unless proper precautions are taken as regards vents, which will permit any steam or gas to escape that may be caught in a pocket. The method of passing articles through a coat of flux, while immersing, is used for small miscellaneous parts only. Salammoniac, or ammonium chloride, is received in crystal form in hogsheads containing about 720 lb. each, and contains about 8 per cent moisture. It melts when thrown on molten zinc, and gradu- ally dissolves some of the zine oxide until it be- comes an impure and sticky mass. This is skimmed off and sold as salammoniac skimmings De ay ea ae pe a epee Es RON January 15, 1920 to chemical manufacturers. In galvanizing large sheets and tanks, an average of 5 lb. is used per ton of steel. Zine or spelter is received in 50-lb. pigs of the following ‘composition, in per cent: Zinc 99.77, lead 0.19, iron 0.04. This is an exceptionally good grade of spelter. The amount of zinc per sq. ft. of surface galvanized averages from one to two ounces, depending on the texture of the metal to be coated and the length of time immersed. The work- ing temperature of the bath is about 800 deg. Fahr., depending on the gage of steel being galvan- ized, light gage steel requiring a somewhat higher temperature. A pyrometer is used for determining the temperature of the molten spelter. A great im- provement can be made in the appearance of gal- vanized surfaces by adding a very little aluminum to the molten bath. Zine oxide (oxide ashes) is formed on the sur- face of the molten zine by its contact with the at- mosphere when a prepared bath of flux is not used. It is a scum and must be skimmed back before the articles are immersed. In galvanizing, some sal- ammoniac (chloride of ammonia) combines with the zinc ashes. These are sold to chemical manufac- turers for the extraction of the chloride of am- monia. A floor plan of the galvanizing plant showing the tank pit and the foundation for the galvanizing kettle is shown in an accompanying line drawing. The pit and foundation are concrete. The pit floor has a slope of ¥% in. per ft. toward a 6-in. drain. The pit bottom and sides for a distance of 1 ft. in height are coated with light grade pyrolite, so as to protect the concrete from the action of acid from the tanks. The flue for the fire chambers of the galvanizing kettle is of common brick and leads to the outside of the building. A steel stack 16 in. in diameter by 35 ft. high, of 16 gage plate, pro- , o Fire Cay flush = | : with this line ca ne = . | vat TT : Sires con } 2 ~~, ! x.{ — { | iol « 4° > eg i Ba Baffle Plate q » 6 THE IRON AGE ie FLUE TO STACK. End Elevation of Flue Pipe Clamp There Are Ten Fire Chambers on Each Side of the Kettle, Five Being Gas Fired and Five Coke Fired The of the fire chamber are cast iron, with three 6-in. holes for the passage of the fumes to the flue. The cast-iron traces ‘tn stalled to prevent rupture due to the pressure of the molten spelter are shown by dotted lines 9 lh sg 29 he 18 vides an exit for the fumes from the gas burners. This stack is anchored to the flue by four %4-in. anchor bolts, 18 in. long, and is also braced to the eave of the roof. An 8-in. I-beam overhead track is fastened to the roof trusses and passes over the center lines of the galvanizing kettle and tanks. This track contains two 1-ton chain hoists and two '4-ton rope blocks. There are two acid tanks and one water tank, each measuring inside, 19 ft. x 4 ft. x 7 ft. deep. The two acid tanks are of 6-in. double-keyed Oregon fir, heavily braced and bolted with steel bolts and nuts encased in lead to protect them against acid. The water tank is of 3-in. Oregon fir. The acid tanks were built of the heavier material as pre- vious experiénce proved that the lighter tanks would not stand up under the service demanded. All joints are made with white lead. The tanks are so located as to be in line with the various stages of the process. Each contains a steam coil composed of 1-in. lead pipe, about 50 ft. long, laid around the bottom with both ends coming up over the top of the tank to the steam main. There is an inlet and outlet valve at the top of each tank. The galvanizing kettle has inside dimensions of 20 ft. x 3 ft. 6 in. x 7 ft. 6 in. deep. The side plates are 114-in. fire-box steel, and end plates and bottom plate 1-in. flange or boiler steel. The 1%-in. fire-box steel has a tensile strength of 52,000 to 62,000 lb. per sq. in., a yield point not less than 50 per cent of the tensile strength, and an elonga- tion in 8 in. of not less than 24 per cent. The 1-in. flange or boiler steel has a tensile strength of 55,000 to 65,000 lb. per sq. in., a yield point of not less than 50 per cent of the tensile strength, and an elongation in 8 in. of not less than 24 per cent. There are ten fire chambers on each side of the kettle, five being gas fired and five coke fired. The partitions of the fire chambers are cast iron with ,* aa 6-63 ; Section A-A Baas] RANE rrr CLIT Rie SRLS pits gaesh sy rh ‘ TSF - 5 Si9 NH s si . MRR aye wt LAL Es.” 183 ™ HE 3 et t ) fit ae ey Coa at ’ Pu aahi. Tanase S Beh a ip 4 Perea non -- — iS f ar Rewer ys rom SiaeSe es et tet Ee Re a age Agra Phe a Ny on op my enepeee 184 THE IRON AGE ail Used .or Emp- tving Kettle of Spelter. It will hold 2°95 Ib. of zine three holes, 6 in. in diameter, for the passage of gas fumes to the flue. A sectional grating formed of 1% x %-in. rectanglar steel bars bolted together with 1%-in. bolts and pipe spacers is used for a grating over the fire pit. The gas firing system is unique in that it is the only one of the kind installed, to the writer’s knowl- edge, although the principle may have been applied before, but perhaps not in so simple a way. The burner is made up of standard pipe and fittings. The mixing chamber consists of a piece of 2-in. standard steel pipe screwed into a_ standard 2x 1x %-in. tee, into which a *4-in. standard pipe for natural gas enters from the top and a %-in. standard pipe for compressed air enters from the rear. There is a:4%-in. pipe underneath the burner for a pilot flame, which is used as a safety measure in case the burner has any gas leakage or a tendency to go out due to the admission of too much air. Regulating valves for the air and gas are con- veniently located at the burner. A cast-iron baffle plate filled with fire clay is placed at the side of the galvanizing kettle and in front of the burner to protect the steel plate from the direct action of the flame. Either one of the firing systems operated alone is ample for the oper- ation of the kettle. The covers for the fire cham- bers are 10 x 24 x %-in steel plates. It requires approximately 2000 lb. of by-product coke or 40,000 cu. ft. of natural gas per 24 hp. to operate the kettle. The great advantage of the natural gas firing system is its cleanliness and lack of attention required, as the gas and air are main- tained at a constant pressure by automatic regu- lating valves in the main lines. The starting of a kettle of this size requires about seven days from the time that spelter is being put in to the burning of zine ashes. The kettle when full contains 200,000 Ib. of spelter. In starting, the pigs are carefully piled endwise into the kettle until full and pieces of sheet iron are placed over the top to retain as much heat as pos- sible. The gas burners are then lighted and a very January 15, 1920 low heat is maintained at first, so as to thoroughly dry out the brick work and heat the kettle gradu ally. More heat is applied from time to time as the spelter begins to melt and the kettle fills up. From the time of applying the heat to the time the kettle is full requires about four days. When the kettle is full of’ molten spelter, there will be quite an accumulation of zine ashes (zinc oxide) on the surface of the metal. These ashes sometimes contain considerable spelter which is melted out by throwing on several handfuls of resin which is ignited by a match or other source of flame. The burning resin creates considerable heat which melts the spelter in the ashes and allows it to trickle down into the molten spelter in the kettle. The zinc ashes are raked over with an iron rake during the burning of the resin to shorten the time of operation, and are then skimmed off. After the kettle has been cleared of zinc ashes it is ready for duty. In adding new spelter to the kettle when in operation, a good plan is to lay the pigs on the kettle cover plates, to be heated during the day and then added to the kettle in the evening. New spelter should be added frequently and in small quantities so as to not to cause sudden great changes of temperature in the bath. While a galvanizing kettle is in operation there is a continual waste due to dross which settles to the bottom, and can be felt with an iron rod the same as sediment can be felt at the bottom of a pond of water with a stick. Dross is an alloy formed by the zine and the iron of the kettle, about 10 per cent of the spelter being lost in this way. Galvanizing kettles are not heated at the bottom for the reason that dross can then settle and not be disturbed until removed. The dross is removed from time to time by the spoon shown in one of the illustrations, and is then packed into the cast- iron molds or pans, the pigs formed weighing 125 Ib. The life of a steel galvanizing kettle is from six to twelve months, depending on the speed of action of the zinc on the iron. A leak can happen anywhere in the kettle and is generally first indi- cated by the appearance of the spelter in the fire pit. When a leak does occur, the kettle may as well be dipped immediately and a new one installed. It is good policy to have a new kettle at hand to provide for such an emergency. Depending on the location of the leak and if it is a mere trickle, temporary repairs may perhaps be made. However, if the leak is in a seam, preparations for emptying the kettle should be made at once. If the leak is not very far from the surface, the zinc can be dipped out until the sur- face is carried below the leak, the dross and then the remainder of the zinc removed. The zinc and the dross should be poured into molds as it is re- moved from the kettle, thereby making handling easier. Should it be deemed advisable to make tempo- rary repairs to a kettle, it may be done as follows: If the leak is caused by a small hole, a tapered soft steel plug may be driven from outside of the kettle, well into the hole, providing there is still sufficient thickness of metal to withstand the driv- ing. A plastic patch should then be applied over the plug and held in place by a steel plate about 12 in. in diameter and 1% in. thick, the plate being dished in the center to about 34 in. and thoroughly braced by a stout steel strut. The plastic material for the patch should be made up beforehand as follows: First mix pow- dered cast iron (iron borings) and fire clay in equal proportions by volume, then add silicate of ins oat co Reel Se sees ae Sas January 15, 1920 THE IRON AGE 185 b + es Cd P i i Y nT iP | ae f we A i ca ‘| i Ff e \g ~ : * ar 3 ; ae 4 iF tk a a8 a i ; ka - 4k A Difficult Piece to Galvanize. This steel tank had to be thoroughly coated, both jnside and out, accomplished by +i thoroughly sprinkling with salammoniac after leaving the muriatic acid solution and before drying over the gal- ® tay a vanizing kettle ie is * ia nit ; soda (water glass) and water, or sulphuric acid new kettle was installed and in operation at the end ae and water in equal parts, until a doughy mass is of 30 days. One of the accompanying illustrations i ss formed. Place this mixture around the plug and _ shows the design of the bail used for dipping out at : apply the steel plate and strut. the kettle. It will hold 225 Ib. of zine. 4 ; Our first kettle had been in continuous opera- Zinc is in a solid state up to approximately 785 ; yi 4 tion for a period of ten months, when a leak devel- deg. Fahr. At higher temperatures it becomes a iis 3 oped in the seam at the lower right hand corner, i A about 24 in. down from the top of the kettle. ue f Preparations for dipping were made immediately and when the surface of the zinc had been lowered & sufficiently so that the leak could be examined from Spoon for Removing Dross Which 7 ‘ ‘ ein : Settles to the Bottom of the Kettle. ; the inside, quite a large cavity was found at the The dross is an alloy of the zinc ie point of leakage. It required the services of six ¥ the iron of fae neon nines pee ° ver cen ) e speite ye ‘ . ‘oe men for a period of 40 hr. to empty the kettle.- A in this way tif 8 Ss 2 rh we 4 "i “ a 4 i ‘ ; rf | “< 4 BAe " ©) K a 4 : | | qi ¥ : ; ey t ; 7 < % a | : a § a a” “ a a aH in Sides and Bottom ~ » * » perforated a 3 "dia holes on 4 centers e “ » «< 1's si , yr aie “oe! mes ee mip ig mnie Nese ao Se oe 1 Sy og 186 THE IRON AGE January 15, 192( The Cast-Iro: Braces Were * * * \ Designed as a ne % Beams, with 8 Concentrated - — Loads Equal Distances Apart liquid and has certain physical qualities in common with all other liquids. This fact seems to have been lost sight of in some galvanizing kettle in- stallations. The weight of cast zinc per cu. ft. is 428.1 lb., which in a liquid state is exerted in pres- sure in all directions. This pressure in a long deep kettle is sufficient to disrupt the entire installation if not guarded against in the form of sufficient bracing on the outside of the kettle. Such was the experience with the first kettle installed. As soon as the kettle became filled with the molten zinc, it was observed to be spreading in the center and the brick walls starting to crack. As time went on, the condition became worse, until it was evi- dent that an exterior brace must be provided. A pair of braces were then designed and in- stalled, as shown by dot and dash lines in the line drawing of the kettle. The braces were later built in as part of the installation, as shown in one of the drawings, when the next kettle was installed. The braces were cast iron rather than structural steel, as they could be made quicker. The section is designed to cut the pattern shop and foundry time to a minimum. The kettle had spread a dis- tance of 13 in. in the center at the top before the braces were installed. This distance was decreased to 10 in. by pulling up on the brace bolts, when it was considered advisable not to go any further. The braces were designed as beams, loaded with concentrated loads equal distances apart, starting at certain distances from each end, as is shown in the diagram, which would be the condition of loading when the new kettle would be installed. The calculations for the braces are given below (the braces are adjacent to the partition walls of the fire chambers, and the partition walls are 10 in. wide and 2 in. thick) : W equals weight per cu. ft. of cast zinc, 428.1 Ib. R equals pressure to be supported per sq. ft. on side plates of kettle. h equals depth in feet of molten zinc. Ww, W', W*, etc., equals concentrated load in pounds on each partition wall. L equals total length of brace in feet. l equals total length of brace in inches d equals distance to point of maximum bending moment, in inches. M equals bending moment f equals allowable tensile strength in pounds per sq. in. for material of braces. Taken as 6,000 for a good grade of cast iron under steady load S equals moment of resistance. The load at the bottom of the kettle, wh, equals 428.1 7.25 wuich equals 3103.7 lb. per sq. ft. - 2449 br 297" --2—--- = =~ 2-22 none nn ene n ~---3 7$0r 45--- A load diagram can now be made showing the zinc load on the side plates of the kettle. . “ ” n 3 Brace . g a 03.716 Total load per lineal ft. on side of kettle = 0.5 wh? = 0.5 & 428.1 & 7.25° = 11,275 lb. The center of gravity of this load being located at a point % of the depth of the zinc, from the bottom of the kettle, gives % of 7.25 ft., which equals 2.417 ft. or 29 in. The reaction at the point of brace application 11,275 < 2.417 R, equals Z0 which equals 6812.9 Ib. per lineal ft. The load on each partition wall, 2R equals 2 X 6812.9 which equals 13,625 lb. Referring now to the diagram of the brace: Reaction at R?* Reaction at R' wx 5 Wx 3.75 = x F Wx 5.75 ~~ 2 Wx 7.75 mm ae Wx 9.75 W x 13 W X 11.75 W x 15 W X 13.75 Wxi17 W X 15.75 Wwxi19 W X 17.75 W X 21 W xX 19.75 Total ...117 W Total 105.75 W 117 W 105.75 W — = 4.7273 W —_——_———- = 4.2728 W 24.75 24.75 R= 4.7218 W = R‘ = 4.2728 W = 4.7272 X 13,625 = 4.2728 x 13,625 64,408 Ib. 58,217 Ib. The distance to the point of maximum bending moment from R* 1 297 ad = ———_. = ——_—_ = lf in. R? 64,408 1+— 1+ R 58,217 which falls at point of load W° M at W*— [(R' x 13) —(2W*4+4W+6 W?+8 W')) x 12 = [(R' xX 18) — (20 W)) X 12 => [(58,217 xX 138) — (20 * 18,625)] & 12 = 5,811,852 in.-Ib. M 5,811,852 s=—s= _ = 968.6 F 6,000 A section must now be found by trial which will have a moment of resistance approximately equal to Saye arcane Ch a SS = P Se ut - ee ee RON Soe tes Fe a a ae eae January 15, 1920 the above. To show the calculations necessary for determining S of a compound section, the figures are given for the section of the brace at point of load ; W*. It may be well to state here the rules for find- % ing certain elements of compound sections. For a compound section, the position of the center of gravity may be determined by multiplying the areas of the kS Ee component parts by the distances of their centers of gravity BS from any convenient line, taken as an axis, and dividing the at sum of these products by the sum of the areas, which will give the distance of the center of gravity of the compound section from the assumed line & The moment of inertia of a compound section about an axis through its center of gravity may be found by taking the sum of the moments of inertia of each component part about an axis through its own center of gravity, parallel to the axis of the compound section, and adding thereto the sum of the products obtained by multiplying the area of each component part by the square of the distance of its center of gravity from the axis of the compound section The section modulus may now be found by dividing the moment of inertia of the compound section by the distance aes from the neutral axis to the most remote extremity of the a section. 5 y x 4 7 a Section X eet -—-X at Ww Base Line Center of Gravity of Compound Section Area of Component Part A = 40 X 2.25 = 90.00 ni 7 ™ = 38x $.¢6 15.0 ™ - “a Gs §3 hee 11.25 SOs iwtes 116.25 Area distance from base line to center of gravity of each component part. Part A—90.0 x 20.0 — 1,800.0 Part B—15.0 x 5.5 : 82.5 Part C—11.25 x 38.875 = 437.3 UE a ce dbond cucaas 2319.8 Distance from base line to center of gravity of compound section: 2,319.8 Center of Gravity — —— 19.95 in. 116.25 Moment of Inertia I of component Part A = 2.25 x 40° 12 -—-#,,— K { 4 4 qi} + ~ ™ -_—~ o \ = / A —~ / \ THE IRON AGE 187 I of Component Part B=5.0x # = 11.25 12 ins “ o cCzt(4x«ine = 4.75 iz —_—— Total ..... 12,016.00 Area of each component part X distance from center of gravity of compound settion to center of gravity of each component part, squared : Part A, 90.00 x 0.06% = 0.225 = 3, 15.0 x 14.45? = 3,132,037 C, 11.25 & 18.925% = 4,029.187 TWORE oct ec cewetssunw 7,161.450 I of section, 12,016.0 + 7,161.45 — 19,177.45. Moment of Resistance 19,177.45 — — = 956.4 20.05 ® . This value of S is close enough for all practical purposes. By the same method of calculation the values of M and S are found for the other points of load concentra- tion, all values being as follows: Point of Load Height of 8 of Section Application Value of M 8 Desired Sectton Selected Ww 3,493,020 582.1 30 595 w 4,563,228 760.5 35% 773 ws >, 306,436 884.4 38% 897 w* 5,722,644 953.7 40 956 Ww 5,811,852 968.6 40 956 we 5,573,736 928.9 39 930 Ww 5,008,944 884.8 37 837 ws .117,152 686.2 33 683 w* 2,898,360 483.0 28 507 The maximum reaction is at R’, which is 64,408 Ib. Let f 12,000 Ib. per sq. in. for ma- chine steel, then the area at root of thread R’ 64,408 —— = ——__—= §,.87 sq. in. i i It 7 12,000 37 sq. in. which requires a bo 3 in. in diameter and having 3% U. S. standard threads per in. It will be noted from the foregoing that the steel plates of the kettle have not been given any credit for taking part of the molten zinc load. This is as it should be, because in a kettle of this size, the weight of the side plates alone without any load, has a tendency to bow them outward. The braces were installed in the place of the mid- dle cast-iron plates of the first installation. The anchor bolts for holding the lengthwise top cover plates were dispensed with and the cover plates welded together at the center. Each cover plate had formerly been in two’ pieces. The braces have been in place for several months under the condi- tions for which they were designed and the entire installation now is very satisfactory. ’ _ — . + — — at ¥ TD as — 1p eS i — + Ld a The Cast-Iron Braces Were Later Built in as * a Part of the Installation ™ eal > _ sosunneieneptlicinesinananaetel ae - == —— wv r 3 a 5-4 > ce » | ~ | 7 e > .» i | ¥ ¥ = t a ~\) > sanietatio tien & nate hand coe a ; a. ra oR A RIES Fah ts i Ay ~ << —_ a. ae New Plant for Making Carbon Electrodes Raw Materials Electrically Calcined and Handled Largely by Gravity at Works of Republic Carbon Co.—Details of the Process OQ meet the remarkable expansion in the man- ufacture of electric steel] and of most ferro- alloys, .the demand for amorphous carbon electrodes became so insistent toward the end of the war that a marked scarcity developed. In many cases they had to be shipped by express to avoid shutting down important plants. Even then var- ious limitations of output were unavoidable. As a direct result of these conditions and through negotiations with the Government, the erection of a new plant was arranged. It has now been finished as the Republic Carbon Co., Niagara Falls, N. Y., and the plant is conspicuous for its completeness and thoroughly modern character. Not only are the electrodes as necessary to the manufacture of electric steel or ferroailoys as is electricity itself, but the field of application is con- stantly widening for they are employed in plants making carbide, carborundum, aluminous abrasives, aluminum, silicon, magne- sium and other metals, and by certain chemical companies. Two impor- tant features characterize this new plant: Much of the raw mate- Y rial is handled by 44 gravity or me- chanical lifting apparatus; the coal and coke are calcined entirely by electricity. The raw ma- terials used in N making carbon \\ electrodes are: \\\ Anthracite coal, He \ coke, petroleum coke, retort car- bon, hard and soft pitch, tar and oil. As can be seen from one of the _illustra- — tions, the first four of these materials are brought in by me MATERIAL STORES track in cars to the southern end of the plant. Here by means of a track hopper and apron conveyor they are fed into a large crusher. From this the crushed material is transferred to the calcining builder on a large Jeffrey super-carrier. The tunnel in which this conveyor or carrier operates is so constructed that a second track hopper with motors, crushers, etc., can be installed. By means of belt conveyors the raw material is placed in bunkers in the calcining building. In specially designed electric furnaces the crushed coal or cokes are electrically calcined, thus reducing them as nearly as possible to much the same condition under which they are to function as electrodes. This is one marked advantage claimed for electric calcination. It is also said that even certain portions of the ash in the coal or cokes are removed, so high is the temperature. The next step in the process is the grinding of the raw materials to the proper fine- ome © ae 4 ; ness. This is done a General Plan of the in a separate \ New Plant of the | building near the Republic Carbon calcining depart- Co., Showing the | ment, as shown. Ample Switching Here a Raymond \ Facilities and the | z Ss \ Ease with Which mill and Sturte- the Extensions Can vant crushers, as Be Made. well as other The Plant. as it grinding and Appears To-day, Is ‘ ° Shown Above crushing equip- ment, reduce the calcined and other raw materials. The calcined coal and cokes’ are brought from the electric calcining | department to the grinding building by means of ele- vators and belt conveyors. After the grind- ing is completed the various mate- rials are elevated to the top of the mixer building by various blowing or elevating con- veyors. There, AAW MATER/AL STORES 188 ee PREIS A ieee erste saga January 15, 1920 100 ft. above the ground, they are screened and then stored in a series of tanks arranged system- ically for the various materials. The proper mixing of the various raw materials is an extremely important part of the process. From the tanks in which the ground and screened materials are stored, the various ingredients for the carbon electrodes of certain specifications are fed by gravity into weighing cars. From these the materials then fall into specially designed mixing machines on a still lower level of this build- ing where the various components are intimately mixed. The resulting product is then molded into cheeses or lumps of car- bon with its binding material which resemble a large cheese. This is car- ried on in the cheese pit below. The next step in the process is the transformation of this crude plastic The Mixer Building Is the Central One in the Upper Illustration. Here much of the raw material is handled by gravity. The gas producer house and the expanse of the baking building, with its ventilators and movable side windows, are shown in the other 3 y thaehivenaada 3: A SET ss + material into the form of an electrode in practically the same shape in which it is to be used. A mas- sive hydraulic press of the company’s own design is used for this purpose. It is a 3000-ton press. In this machine the various cheese-like masses of prepared carbon are forced through dies of various sizes from which they are extruded in their final shape. The sizes which are to constitute the com- pany’s product embrace round electrodes of all lengths having the following diameters, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17, 20 and 24 in.; square electrodes, 16 and 20 in. are also included. Presses for producing additional small sizes are being installed. After the various sizes have been extruded from the presses they are piled in the transfer building as indicated. The last stage in the manufacture of these electrodes is that of baking and annealing them. The Republic Carbon Co. has for this purpose a very striking plant. Its expanse and completeness leave nothing apparently to be desired. As can be seen it is a long building, 80 ft. wide, immediately in front of the transfer building. In fact, this structure and the lower portion of the mixer build- ing, together with the transfer building, form one large expanse. The major portion of this building is taken up with the baking furnaces of which there are 28 of special construction and suited to the particular THE IRON AGE 189 problem in hand. All of these furnaces are built below the floor level and are heat-insulated on the sides and ends. They are all fired by producer gas from the gas producer building close by. They operate on the ring principle. The green electrodes are removed by any one of three 714-ton cranes from the transfer building or floor and placed in saggers, using coke, coal or sand as packing material. These are then placed in the various compartments of the furnaces and buried in some insulating and protective material. Pyrometric control regulates both the baking and annealing, the latter being of extreme importance following the baking. The lower end of the baking building is used as a machining and shipping department. All electrodes are accurately faced and threaded on both ends and special machinery is installed for doing this. In less than carload lots the electrodes are usually shipped in crates. The gas producer building is also operated largely by gravity. The coal comes in on a rail- road switch where it is dumped into a track hopper. From this a conveyor transfers it to a crusher and thence to the upper part of the building into large bunkers. From these the coal is transferred by gravity to a Chapman rotary producer where it is automatically converted into gas. The one pro- ducer thus far installed is 10 ft. in diameter and rated to gasify one ton of coal per hour. The large gas mains leading to the baking building are all heat-insulated and 10 ft. in diameter. The one pro- ducer easily takes care of the present capacity of the baking and annealing department. The plant is easily capable of expansion, the present building being large enough for two producers. The pump house, located adjacent to the mixer building, is an important department. It is equipped with two 6000-lb. hydraulic pumps which develop power for the large extrusion presses which form the final electrodes. This department con- rr Src slbei oo sree EMAL AGA ALS nore, ore * a Seowese Sed S33 ee ero a= a ciate Dipti te I i 2 ABS pe ee edhe sg a a OS BS a ” ; : + ‘€ i) i 190 THE IRON AGE tains also duplicate air compressors and containers together with receiver, piping, etc. The pumps are driven by direct connected electric motors. An interesting department is that which handles the Niagara Falls current and furnishes power for the calcining and all other departments. Steam is only used for heating purposes and for presses, mixers and gas producers. This is furnished by two boilers which are fired by gas from the pro- ducers and with coal when necessary. The electric power plant is housed in one corner of the calcining building, though it is really a separate section by itself. Duplicate transmission lines pass’ through the company’s property along the fence line so that power from the Niagara Falls Power Co. can be fed either from the Echota sub- station or from the north end substation. Light- ning arrester houses have been placed underneath the transmission lines on the boundary line of the property. To avoid overhead transmission lines on exposed parts of the property and to avoid inter- ference from locomotive cranes, the incoming power lines traverse underground conduits to the power house proper. As received the power is of 12,000 volt, 3-phase, 25-cycle current, and feeds the substation through duplicate circuits. The power plant contains six transformers of 2500 k.w. total capacity, all the transformers and switching equipment being of Westinghouse make. Because carbon dust is likely to cause motor trouble, the entire motor circuit layout is split up into 10 individual lines, each con- trolled by its own breaker, affording easy isolation when necessary. The arrangement of the equip- ment in this department appears to be ideal. In the entire plant there are about 65 motors which were furnished by the General Electric Co. All the buildings of the plant are of very sub- stantial construction. They are of steel, concrete and brick with gypsum tile for the roofs in most cases. About 1200 tons of structural steel was used. Steel sash for windows are used and the entire construction is fireproof. In the calcining and baking department special provision has been made for ventilation. Not only are there special ventilators in the roof, but there are two rows of swinging or lifting side doors or windows which make the interior comfortable in the hottest weather. The illustrations reveal these ventilating arrangements as well as the general structure of the buildings. As can be seen from the general plan a feature of the plant is the ease with which expansion of any department can be accomplished in the future. Enlargement of any of the buildings is possible. The railroad facilities are excellent, there being three different switching lines to the three im- portant departments—delivery of raw materials, the gas producers and the shipping department. The company has a complete chemical and re- search laboratory filled with modern equipment for the analysis of raw materials and products or the prosecution of research. A new office building with up-to-date lavatories for all employees is in process of erection. Ground was broken for this plant in October, 1918, from designs started in August. Krakauer, Zork & Moye’s Successors, Inc., El Paso, Tex., hardware,, machinery and mine supplies, has changed its name to the Krakauer Zork Co. When the interest controlling the company purchased the hold- ings of the third partner in the firm, in compliance with the Mexican law the word “Successors” was added, as the company has a branch at Chihuahua, Mexico. A recent change in Mexican statutes enables the company to reduce the name to a less clumsy form. January 15, 1920 Interstate Commerce Commission Decision in Lake Terminal Railroad Case The Interstate Commerce Commission has modified its conclusions in the Lake Terminal Railroad case, not only declaring the Lake Terminal Railroad to be a common carrier but also holding that railroad to be and to have been at all times, covered by the cases, a common carrier subject to the act and lawfully entitled to reasonable division of through rates. It fixes the division at 10c. a ton on all traffic; an increase of 2c. per ton, for the proportion the Lake Terminal has received in the past is 8c. a ton. The commission also awarded reparation to complainant shipping companies, the National Tube Co. and Car- negie Steel Co., from April 1, 1914, to April 14, 1915, during the period that the Trunk Line tariffs covering the Lake Terminal proportion were canceled. The Lake Terminal Railroad, a subsidiary of the United States Steel Corporation, performs switching service between the various railroads entering Lorain and South Lorain, Ohio, and furnishes terminal facil- ities to the iron ore docks, blast furnaces, steel works, rolling mills, tube and pipe works of the National Tube Co., the Sheffield Land & Improvement Co., the Lake Shore Electric Railway, the South Lorain Coal & Supply Co. and 36 other shippers where delivery is taken on the four team tracks. It connects with the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad and Pennsylvania Railroad at Lorain, Ohio, and with the New York Central, New York, Chi- cago & St. Louis and Wheeling & Lake Erie railroads at South Lorain, Ohio. The principal shipping companies are the National Tube Co. and the Carnegie Steel Co., both also sub- sidiaries of the United States Steel Corporation, and the award of reparation for the year and fortnight, above referred to, will be to those companies that were compelled to pay the Lake Terminal Railroad charges from April 1, 1914, to April 14, 1915, during the time the tariffs were suspended, and the total amount will be about $200,000, instead of millions that have been. erroneously reported elsewhere, and the reparation covers services that wére actually performed for the trunk lines at a lower cost than it could have been done by the trunk line railroads themselves. The importance of this decision is a recognition of terminal railroads of this character by a majority of the members of the commission, regardless of the ownership. The report was written by Commissioner Hall and concurred in by Chairman Aitchison, Clark, McChord, Meyer and Daniels, there being two dissent- ing, Wooley and Eastman. Funds Advanced to Aid Machinery Exports WASHINGTON, Jan. 13.—An advance of $2,000,000 for the financing of the exportation of machinery for the reorganization of the steel mills in France is one of the first steps taken by the War Finance Corporation to make use of the one-billion-dollar fund authorized by the Victory Loan act. So far, although the Victory Loan act was passed nearly a year ago, practically no use has been made of the authority given to aid in financing exports. The details of the transaction in- volving the French steel mills have not been made pub- lic. It is stated that the money is being advanced to one of the export banks, which will furnish funds to that extent to finance these purchases of American ma- chinery. Three other loans have been practically arranged for. One is for $5,000,000 to finance the ex- portation of locomotives to Poland. The second is for an equal amount to assist in the exportation of agricul- tural machinery to England, France and Belgium. The third is also for $5,000,000 and involves the foreign purchase of electrical machinery. It is expected that a considerable number of other loans will be made in the near future. Exporters have been slow in taking advantage of this fund because of the restrictions surrounding it. Such loans as are made will probably for the most part be handled through cor- porations already formed under State laws for the financing of foreign trade or through such corporations as may be organized under the Edge bill which was recently signed by the President. Pee ee hted Foundry Reduces Unit Cost of Manufacture Piece-Work System and Improvements in Material Handling Methods and Moldings Practice Increase Output Per Employee REDUCTION of 30 per cent per ton in the A cost of handling material and 15 per cent per ton in the cost of molding constitutes the record achieved in three years by the foundry of the Homer Furnace Co., manufacturer of pipe- less hot-air furnaces, Homer, Mich. In doing this the company has made no reduction in wages, but, on the contrary, has been able to keep the compen- sation of its employees well above the average of the industry. Its molders, for example, receive an average wage which is over 30 per cent above the union scale. As union wages are held up by organ- ized labor as standards of fair pay, the reader may inquire as to the necessity for more generous com- pensation. The answer of the Homer company, as expressed by H. D. Keller, advisory superintendent, is that it is interested in reducing the unit cost of manufacture and is not concerned if the achieve- ment of that end carries with it increased wages per employee. In fact, the company is only too glad to be able to pay its men liberally. Pay on Piece-Work Basis Believing that output, and not time, is the true measure of work, the Homer management has ap- plied a piece-rate plan to all possible operations, including unloading cars, charging the cupola, melt- ing, molding, assembling the furnaces, plating registers and packing. In brief, all productive em- ployees are on piece work, only the maintenance men, such as carpenters and machinists, being paid by the hour because the nature of their work does not permit the application of the piece-rate system. One of the stock objections of organized labor to piece rates is that when the aggregate wage of the individual workman mounts high because of increased production, the rates are reduced. Such practice is regarded by the Homer company as fatal to the success of a piece-work plan. It therefore adheres strictly to the policy of never reducing a piece scale once it has been set. All rates are de- termined on the basis of what the management con- siders a fair day’s work, as calculated from its practical knowledge of the operations concerned, and what it regards as adequate compensation com- mensurate with the current trend of prices and American standards of living. That these guiding principles are sound has been demonstrated by the fact that no demands have been made on the Homer company during the period of rising prices and wages through which this country has been passing since the inception of the war. The occasion for such action has never arisen because the management has been careful to raise rates whenever economic conditions indicated that advances should be made to reimburse their men amply and to preserve the incentive for pro- duction. Considering the steady decline in the pur- chasing power of the dollar and the concomitant increases in wage and material costs, the reduction in unit cost of manufacture achieved by the Homer plant becomes even more impressive. Steady Work Rewarded The management is not only a proponent of com- pensation according to output, but believes in 191 ——BY GILBERT L. LACHER———_______ rewarding its men for regularity in attendance. While it realizes that the men are privileged to lay off if they choose, and indeed at times are justified in doing so, it holds that a full force is essential to efficient operation, and that those employees who report regularly should be appropriately compen- sated. Accordingly, it pays a premium-of 5 per cent of the aggregate pay per week to each man who has put in a full amount of work for six con- secutive days. An additional 5 per cent is paid if an employee works four weeks without losing time. To facilitate the practical operation of the piece- work plan the Homer company has reduced the number of castings required in its products to a minimum. Likewise, it manufactures only three sizes of furnaces, on the theory that greater variety is incompatible with low unit cost of production. Each workman is assigned one special operation or group of operations so that he can become as pro- 1.zient as possible in his work. Specialization in Labor A high degree of specialization in labor is often attacked on the grounds that the monotony of repetition makes work distasteful to operatives, with the result that in the end they are less efficient than if they performed a variety of tasks. This criticism does not seem to be sustained by the ex- perience of the Homer plant. Employees have actually objected to being transferred to new work despite the fact that the change would have meant no loss in compensation. The men prefer to study their given tasks to find new ways of perfecting their, skill. The extent to which they have suc- ceeded may be indicated by citing one casting as an example, the case of a 24-in. furnace radiator. It was formerly considered a big day’s work to mold and pour four of these radiators. Now one man turns out seven. In some operations which require more than one employee, such as melting, earnings are based entirely on the tonnage handled. This means that when production is increased the men do not ask for additional help, but try to take care of the added work themselves. In general, the company follows the policy of having from two to four men working together on like tasks. It is contended by labor unionists that this plan is conducive to pace-making, a practice which often results in over-exertion, to the injury of the workman’s health. This danger may exist in some industries, but in the Homer foundry more rapid work merely results in shortening hours. Whereas the union molder generally has a 9-hr. day and is inclined to soldier through his working period in order to appear busy, even when he isn’t, the Homer molder has no incentive to follow such a course, as he is at liberty to leave the foundry when he has finished his work. As a result, the men are often through with pouring and the inci- dental subsequent tasks in less than 8 hr. The advant