The Iron Age 1920-03-04: Vol 105 Iss 10

E IRON AGE New York, March 4, 1920 ESTABLISHED 1855 VOL. 105: No. 10 Electric Melting in Non-Ferrous Industry ~ Present Status in the United States— Furnaces Sold Total 261—The Various Types, Their Location and Product — BY EDWIN F. CONE - medium in the brass and non-ferrous industry of the United States. They are gradually displacing the crucible and other processes for this purpose. Realizing that this expansion was of large pro- ry portions, THE IRON AGE was prompted to attempt the inauguration of a compilation of the status of this 2, ir the last few years there has been a phenomenal expansion in the use of electric furnaces as a melting industry from the statistical point of view as regards the number and type of furnaces in use, similar to 2 the annual review of the electric furnace steel industry published in the annual review issue each Janu- : ary. The following is therefore a summary of the electric non-ferrous industry, giving tables of the 3 installations by companies of all the types of electric furnaces, their product and size, and, in one case, a other data. a HE results of the compilation of these data bring in this industry is probably the Baily, invented and ta out the striking fact that in the United States perfected by T. F. Baily, president Electric Furnace a there are 261 electric furnaces of all types operating Co., Alliance, Ohio. One of the first of these furnaces de or contracted for as of March 1. While the majority was described in THE Iron AGg, Feb. 1, 1917, as operat- are employed in melting brass, other non-ferrous metals ing on bearing metal at the Lumen Bearing Co., Buf- and alloys are included. falo, N. Y. A feature of the Baily installations is There are three prominent types of furnaces which the diversity of products. This furnace is operating thus far have assumed the commanding position. They not only in the yellow and red brass field, but also in : are in point of superiority of installations: The Ajax- the aluminum. It is used in one electrolytic zine plant 43 Wyatt, the Baily and the Detroit, with 118, 61 and 44 and also in casting phosphor bronze for automobile ‘ furnaces sold respectively. The pioneer among these parts. It is also operating on silver for dinner-ware. g Cuceevescanecnecyccesouneecsovneveeuevensenceneeescarentenceeenenn eeeeeeonenecenveverenerseeveetovensoveresnerovorseesescenreevueneennernesvenrsvennteeenenenen suicocueeeesunenesersenesoeseeonsey ceseetneeneauesusnversoesosnoeretannenrecetveserresesswstessveennuneapeupesnenssusseeonssesresseneeertnesnentseesueeveveevennensonecsesn, 2 :; .s lable of Baily Electric Furnaces Operating or Contracted for in the Non-Ferrous Industry in the United States on March 1, 1920, a8 Sold by the Electric Furnace Co., Alliance, Ohio + 24-Hr. a Capacity Capacity Total Total ce Number of of Each of Each K.W. Daily aK Company and Location Furnaces Style inK.W. inTons Rating Tonnage Product 1) Wm. A. Rogers, Ltd., Buffalo, N. Y. 1 Pit crucible * 40 1% 40 1% Silver for dinner ware rd Lumen Bearing Co., Buffalo, N. Y. 3 Tilting 105 8 315 4 Yellow brass, lumen manganese bronze for bearings Baltimore Copper Smelting Co., Baltimore, Md. 1 Tilting 105 8 105 8 Yellow brass ingot Hays Mfg. Co., Erie, Pa. 1 Tilting 105 8 105 8 Yellow brass for plumbing goods \luminum Co. of America, Massena, N. Y. 1 Rectangular 500 24 500 4 Refining aluminum Anaconda Copper Mining Co., Butte, Mont. 1 Tilting 105 8 1105 208 Yellow : Anaconda Copper Mining Co., Butte, Mont. 1 Rectangular pusher 1000 200 ine cea Casting electrolytic zine Penberthy Injector Co., Detroit, Mich. 1‘ Tilting 105 8 105 8 Yellow brass for valves and injectors Standard Sanitary Mfg. Co., Louisville, Ky. 5 Tilting 105 8 525 40 Yellow brass for plumbing goods, aiso man- ganese bronze Michigan Smelting & Refining Co., Detroit, Mich. 5 _— Tilting 105 » 525 40 Yellow brass ingot and rolling mill slabs McRae Roberts Co., Detroit, Mich. 3 Tilting 105 8 315 24 Yellow brass for automobile pa Buick Motor Co., Flint, Mich. 2 ~—=sC Tilting 105 8 210 16 Phosphor bronze for au le parts iz Electric Furnace Co., Salem, Ohio 5 Tilting 50 and 105... 375 26 Test runs on brass, bronze, zine and aluminum = Capitol Brass Co., Detroit, Mich. 2 Tilting 105 8 210 16 Yellow brass for valves and fittings Akron Bronze & Aluminum Co., Akron, Ohio 2 Rectangular tilting 50and105 2and8 155 10 Yellow brass, red brass, gunmetal and alumix num Nolte Brass Co., Springfield, Ohio 1 Tilting 105 * 105 8 Yellow brass for valves and fittings Kennedy Valve Co., Elmira, N. Y. 2 =‘ Tilting 105 8 210 16 Red brass for valves U. 8. Navy, Washington, D. C. 1 Tilting 105 8 105 8 Yellow brass Dayton Engineering Laboratories, Dayton, Ohio 1 ‘Tilting 105 8 105 5 Aluminum for Delco products Drew Electric & Mfg. Co., Cleveland, Ohio 1 ‘Tilting 105 s 105 s Yellow brass \merican Bronze Corporation, New York City 2 ~—s Tilting 105 8 210 16 Bronze z Deming Co., Salem, Ohio 1 Rectangular titting 50 2 50 2 Yellow brass for valves . Westinghouse Electric & Mfg. Co., Pittsburgh, Pa. 1 Rectangular tilting 50 2 50 2 Yellow brass 3 Landers, Frary & Clark, New Britain, Conn. 1 Rectangular tilting 50 1% 50 1% Aluminum Miller Pasteurizing Machine Co., Canton, Ohio ] Rectangular tilting 50 2 50 2 Yellow brass , Wh: ’ »thers, Philadelphia, Pa. 1 Tilting 105 8 105 ~ Yellow and red brass $ Union Brass « Metals Mfz. Co., St. Paul, Minn. 1 Tilting 105 8 105 8 Red brass American Hardware Corporation, New Britain, Conn. 1 Tilting 105 s 105 8 Red brass Acheson Mfg. Co., Rankin, Pa. 1 Tilting 105 8 105 i Yellow brass ‘ Utica Valve & Fixture Co., Utiea, N. Y. 1 Tilting 105 8 105 8 Yellow brass Parish Pool Co., Cleveland, Ohio 1 Motor-nose tilting 105 8 105 8 Yellow brass ¥ West Virginia Metals Products Co., Fairmount, W.Va. 2 Motor-nose tilting 105 8 210 16 Yellow brass A U. 8. Copper Products Co., Cleveland, Ohio 1 Motor-nose tilting 105 8 105 8 Yellow brass Kayline Co., Cleveland, Ohio 1 Hand tilting 50 2 50 2 Yellow brass \tlas Brass Works, Columbus, Ohio 1 Tilting 105 8 105 8 Yellow Brass a Detroit Brass Works, Detroit, Mich. 3 Tilting 105 8 315 24 Yellow brass " McKenna Brass Works, Pittsburgh 1 Tilting 50 2 50 2 Yellow brass $4 Total 61 Mitsui & Co., Japan, have purchased one 105 k.w. furnace for melting yellow brass; its capacity is 8 tons per 24 hours. G. Amsinck Co., Mexico City, Mexico, has purchased one 105 k.w. furnace for melting yellow brass; its capacity is 8 tons per 24 hours. The Dominion Stee! Products Co., Bradford, Ont., Canada, is credited with one 50 k.w. 2-ton furnacefor melting yellow brass. TUDO ODUEDSLEDEEYDADEHEDL AEGON GEHDTTOD LITNENEDEWE'T POSSE vEROBHBRORTDOETEIDYEAETHREDEREEDONEODEREHEREREEDOTENYSPTHERTORRE HEN IvTDEDEDESORDSOWENERTOENEEREnETHEVOHNON /U9bIr;rOrrERREY HreTTTterry (+) \/ SUEFEDNERPEREE TROD” FERDSAVEE FRSDENOEDSVEFEFEDED PEBENYERTET #961008 )se¥REPRBEERUREY 64, 655 r MAREE Hert CHOUEEEDERSHULANNETYENEDS OTNTED: ssenunenDeOentONaESt human mses 656 THE IRON AGE Table of Ajaz-Wyatt Electric Furnaces, Operating or Contracted for in the Non-Ferrous Industry, in the United States on March 1, 1920, as Sold by the Ajax Metal Co., Philadelphia Number of Company and Location Furnaces Product American Brass Co., Waterbury, Conn. 16 Yellow brass rolled products American Brass Co., Kenosha, Wis. 24 Yellow brass rolled products Bridgeport Brass Corporation, Bridgeport,Conn. 24 Yellow brass rolled products National Conduit & Cable Co., Hastings-on-Hud- son, N. Y. 6 Yellow brass rolled products Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D. C. 2 Yellow brass rolled products Buick Motor Co., Flint, Mich. 1 Brass castings Waclack Wire Co., Elizabeth, N. J. 1 Yellow brass rolled products West Virginia Metal Products Co., Fairmount, W. Va. 6 Yellow brass rolled products Chase Metal Works, Waterbury, Conn. 31 ~=—- Yellow brass rolled products Scovill Mfz. Co., Waterbury, Conn. 1 Yellow brass rolled products Standard Underground Cable Co., Pittsburgh 2 Yellow brass rolled products Rome Brass & Copper Co., Rome, N. Y. 1 Yellow brass rolled products General Electric Co., Pittsfield, Mass 1 Yellow brass rolled produ:ts Corbin Cabinet Lock Co., New Britain, Conn. 1 Brass and bronze casting; Parish Pool Co., Cleveland 1 Yellow brass rolled proaucts Total 118 One furnace has been exported to France. The first Baily furnace installed in this industry was in 1914 at the plant of William A. Rogers, Ltd., Buffalo, where it is still in use for melting silver for dinner- ware. The next was in 1916 at the Lumen Bearing Co.’s plant. In 1917 five were sold, and in 1918 the records show 12 sold. The Electric Furnace Co. states that its total sales involve 7395 kw. of electrical capac- ity and 650 tons daily melting capacity. The Ajax-Wyatt furnace, sold by the Ajax Metal Table of Detroit Rocking Electric Furnaces Operating or Contracted for in the Non-Ferrous Industry in the United States on March 1, 1920, as Sold by the Detroit Electric Fur- nace Co., Detroit, Mich No. of Size, Company and Location Furnaces Lt Product Aluminum Castings Co., Detroit, Mich 2 2000 Bronze castings Chas. B. Bohn Foundry Co., Detroit, Mich 5 2000 Brass, bronze and alumi- num castings Bridgeport Brass Co., Bridgeport, Conn. 1 2000 Bronze billets Chase Metal Works, Waterbury, Conn $ 2000 Yellow brass billets Cleveland Brass & Copper Rolling Mills, Cleveland 1 2000 Yellow brass billets Detroit Copper & Brass Rolling Mills, Detroit, Mich 4 2000 Yellow brass billets Ford Motor Co., Highland Park, Mich I 2000 Brass and bronze castings Ford & Son, Dearborn, Mich 1 2000 Brass and grey iron cast- * a? ings General Aluminum & Brass Mfg. Co., pe Detroit, Mich 2 2000 Brass castings General American Tank Car Corpora- tion, East Chicago, Ind. 1 1000 Brass castings Hills-MeCanna Co., Chicago l 500 Brass castings Michigan Lubricator Co., Detroit, Mich 2 2000 Brass castings Michizan Smelting & Refining Co., De- troit, Mich $ 2090 Composition ingots Mueller Metal Co., Port Huron, Mich 1 2000 Yellow brass billets Oregon Brass Works, Portland, Ore l 2000 Brass and bronze castings l 1000 Parish, Pool & Co., Cleveland, Ohio 3 2000 Composition ingots Pressed Metals Co., Marysville, Mich 2 2000 Bronze castings tome Wire Works, Rome, N. Y I 2000 Bronze and copper billets Sherwood Brass Works, Detroit, Mich 3 2000 Brass and bronze castings Wheeler Condenser & Engineering Co., Carteret, N. J 1 2000 Yellow brass billets White & Brother Philadelphia l 2000 Composition ingots M. Smolensky Mfg. Co., Cleveland 1 500 Melting red brass Total 44 Co., Philadelphia, is operating largely in the brass industry, particularly in wrought brass. Two plants are operating 24 of these furnaces each, and another 31, and a fourth 16. Of the 118 installations only two are scheduled for foundry work, the remainder for furnishing metal for rolled products. The Detroit furnace is also called the Detroit Rock- . ssvene Table of Rennerfeli Electric Furnaces Operating or Contracted for in the Non-Ferrous Industry in the United States on March 1, 1920, as Sold by Hamilton & Hansell, New York No. of Capacity, Company and Location Furnaces Lb Product Chicago Metal Bearing Co., Chicago 2 2200 Copper and copper alloys Gerline Brass Foundry, Kalamazoo, Mich. 1 750 Copper and copper alloys itanium Alloy Mfg. Co., Niagara Falls, N. ¥ I 750 Copper and copper alloys United States Mint, Philadelphia | 1000 Copper, nickel, silver and alloys United States Mint, Philadelphia 1 2000 Copper, nickel, silver and alloys United States Mint, San Francisco, Cal. 1 1009 Copper, nickel, silver and alloys Acieral Co. of America, Newark,N.J. 1 300 Aluminum alloys Bauch Machine Tool Co., Springfield, me Mass. 1 300 Aluminum alloys Total 9 HEDUUDEEOOOOELODDSDEEDOGODOONORORERORD ONES FODOeL: ODerOnEneNDOTiOetEE VUDOUEPTEROCE RDO N ERT ET ERD AUOUOOSODENIDOUDIPORTOSONEDOLINO ROL ooneEtOROROTenNOI ORD March 4, 1920 ing furnace, and at the present time is the only one licensed under the United States Bureau of Mines patents for sale and use in the United States, although it was originally called the Gillett furnace. It is a comparatively recent entrant into this field and with its 44 installations has made remarkable progress. This furnace is also being used in one case in the steel industry, a one-ton unit being in operation on steel castings at the Michigan Steel Castings Co., Detroit, Mich. The Booth rotating furnace is one of the most recent, and it is credited with 20 installations for CONULENDLOGUNDLEDEEHOMEDEDUNNEEONCCUDORERDOOAEEEEOECHLUUUEDTUSNRREOOHOEAUORGOOONEREONLULACOOIAE TI Table of Electric Furnaces Operating or Contracted for in the Non-Ferrous Industry in the United States on March 1, 1920, other than the Ajaz-Wyatt, Baily, Detroit and Ren- nerfelt Types Number of Capacity, Company and Location Furnaces Lb. Product Type HaynesStellite Co., Kokomo, Ind. 3 Stellite Snyder Chicago Bearing Meta! Co., Chicago 2 Brass castings Snyder Bayonne Ca:tings Co., Bayonne, N. J. 1 Castings Snyder H. Lifchitz Brass Foundry & Machine Shop, Indianapolis, Ind. 1 Castings Snyder York Hardware & Brass Works, Ine., York, Pa. 1 1000 Brass and cop- / per alloys Weeks Andes Elect n Corporation , Coney Island, N. Y. 1 Tin Ludlum Name not given 20 Brass Booth Rotating Total 29 eevee 1 TTT operations on brass, the sizes ranging from one-eighth to one ton capacity each. The names of the cOmpanies are not yet divulged. The 20 furnaces comprise three of 1-ton, one of %-ton, 13 of ™%4-ton and three of %- ton capacity. This furnace was described in THE IRON AGE, June 26, 1919. The Booth Electric Furnace Co. also has a furnace which is prominent in the electric steel industry. An interesting type is the Rennerfelt, which is used in several diversified industries. It is credited with 9 in the strictly non-ferrous industry, melting copper and copper alloys; coinage metals, such as_ nickel, copper, silver for United States mints, and aluminum alloys. Its wide use in the United States and Canada, and particularly in Europe, in the steel industry, is familiar. It is extensively used in general testing and research work. Another well-known electric steel furnace, also prominent in the non-ferrous industry, is the Snyder. ‘Of this type there are 7 credited to the non-ferrous Summary of Types of Electric Furnaces Op»rating or Contracted for in the Non-Ferrous Industry in the United States on March 1, 1920 Type of Furnace Number of Furnaces Ajax-Wyatt 118 Baily 61 Detroit Rocking 44 Booth Rotating 20 Rennerfelt Q Snyder 7 Weeks 1 Ludlum l Total 261 industry. They are melting stellite, brass castings and other special alloys. The Weeks rotating furnace was invented by Charles A. Weeks, of Philadelphia, whose death is just announced. Mr. Weeks has been prominent in non- ferrous melting developments, having built a number of rotating gas and oil furnaces before he brought out the electric, the former furnishing basic ideas for the latter. The Ludlum furnace, also a well-known steel fur- nace, is smelting tin from tin ores which is thus far the only inroad of this type into the industry. Individual tables of the Ajax-Wyatt, Baily, De- troit, and Rennerfelt furnaces are given herewith, together with a general table of the other types. There is also a table showing the number of furnaces of each type. Distinguishing Lead in Brass and Bronze Investigation phide Method of Alkali Sul- of Etching— Results when Ammonia Is Used ; BY F. P. GILLIGAN N THE IRON AGE, Jan. 29, 1919, Prof. O. A. Knight, of Pennsylvania State College, de- scribed the etching of bronzes with solutions alkali sulphides or hydrogen sulphides under the tle of “Distinguishing Lead in Brass and Bronze.” The author worked on an ingot 4 in. in AND J. J. CURRAN as. well solutions of hydrogen sulphide, worked equally well. In all instances the copper-tin alloy is acted upon rapidly and darkened to a degree dependent upon the etching time and the strength of the etching solution, while the lead is unattacked and stands out as a very distinct light constituent. This is clearly illustrated in the photomicrographs. Fig. 1 repre- as 1 and 2.—Photomicrographs of Plastic Bronze for Railroad Journal Bearings; Magnification 100 Diameters. Chemi- » composition is: Copper, 66.88 tin, 5.22; lead, 27.29; Zinc, 0.59: nickel, 0.02 per cent with a Brinell (500 kg.) hard- ness of 41 Fig. 1 (Left) was etched with ammonia. It consists of irregular globules of lead (black) in a matrix consisting of solid ition of tin in copper. rhe contours of the matrix indicate variations in copper and tin content; the areas bounded the contour were the first to solidify and contain less tin than the remainder of the matrix Fig. 2 was etched with sodium sulphide (Na,S) instead of ammonia: the lead inclusions show up as spongy areas. The brilliant white areas are SnCu,y. The small amount present is traceable to the rather low tin content of the alloy use of their small size, they do not appe ar prominently in Fig representing the same sample etched with ammo The shadowy markings in the matrix indicate variations in composition of the tin-copper solid solution liameter by 15 in. long, of the following analysis: sents the structure of the specimen taken from the Per Cent c ypper a s ; ; §4.50 ‘in . 12.50 Lead 3.00 His article is illustrated by two photomicro- rraphs of sections cut from the edge and center outside, while Fig. 2 shows the structure of the speci- men taken from the center of the ingot. It will be seen at a glance that the inside has a much higher percentage of lead than the outside, and the manner in which the lead is arranged in a sort of network around the grains is also shown. Figs. 3 and 4.—Photomicrographs of an 88-10-2 Heavy Casting Showing Material Which Liquated to the Surface; Mag- fication 100 Diameters. Chemical composition is: Copper, 77.10; tin, 18.93: lead, 2.36: iron, 0.01; zine, 1.54 and nickel, 0.06 per cent Fig. 3 (Left) was etched with ammonia It consists of a continuous network of SnCu, (light constituent with clearly ned structure) in a matrix of solid solution of tin in copper. The round black spots which occur in the SnCu, are bules of metallic lead Fig. 4 was etched with sodium sulphide which gives a structure identical with that obtained by etching with ammonia the exception that the solid solution of tin in copper is stained a deeper hue respectively of the ingot, near the bottom. Re- yarding these photomicrographs, he states: Sulphide solutions employed as etching agents re- ealed the lead remarkably well. Dilute (10 per cent) lutions of sodium sulphide and potassium sulphide, *The authors are connected with the Henry Souther En- eering Co., Hartford, Conn. Careful study of his photomicrographs, which were reproduced at a magnification of 250 diam- eters shows that the structure of the bronze con- sists of inclusions of lead in the form of black globules in a matrix of SnCu,, the latter present as a sharply defined light constituent with eutectoid internal structure; the whole being surrounded by 657 online 3 4 hm eared, nip S eneeeen ee 658 THE IRON AGE March 4, 1920 a matrix of alpha bronze or solid solution of tin in copper. The author’s statements that “the lead is un- attacked and stands out as a very distinct light constituent” and “the manner in which the lead is arranged in a sort of network around the grains” His explanation of this phenomenon is logical and correct, as practically all other commonly used reagents produce a similar effect. In the photo- micrographs made at this laboratory and here shown the sulphide reagent does not appear to indi- cate variations in the composition of the matrix as Figs. 5 and 6.—Photomicrographs from a Bronze Casting, Specimen Being Taken Several Inches from the Surface; Mag- nification 100 Diameters. Chemical composition: Copper, 80.39; tin, 11.25; lead, 6.80, and zinc, 1.56 per cent Fig. 5 (Left) was etched with ammonia. It consists of areas of SnCu, (light, sharply defined constituent) and inclu sions of lead (black, irregular areas) in a matrix of alpha bronze or solid solution of tin and copper. The shaded contours n the alpha matrix indicate variations in tin and copper content; the lighter areas, which solidified first, are higher in copper content than the half-tone areas, which solidified later Fig. 6 was etched with sodium sulphide, which does not show the contour effect of varying concentration in the alpha bronze matrix as well, in this case at least, as etching with ammonia. The SnCu, constituent is sharply defined, whil« massive lead inclusions appear as spongy areas rather than as the structureless areas or pits in Fig. 5 indicate that he has mistaken the SnCu, constituent for lead, whereas the lead is really the black glo- bules within the SnCu, constituent in his own photomicrographs. This point is clearly demon- strated by the accompanying photomicrographs wherein etching with ammonia is compared with the alkaline sulphide etch recommended by Pro- fessor Knight. Fig. 2 shows the effect of the alkaline sulphide etch on a specimen of plastic bronze containing 27 per cent lead and a relatively low amount of tin, wherein it will be observed that the white constit- uent identified by the author as lead is present well as our usual ammonia reagent as shown in the comparison views, Figs. 1, 3 and 5. In conclusion, it is our opinion that these photo- micrographs, showing the effect produced by the sulphide etch as compared with the effect pro- duced by the ammonia etch on specimens of widely differing compositions, prove that the only ad- vantage of the sulphide reagent lies in staining the matrix a deep hue so that the SnCu, stands out more prominently. This effect may be and has been produced by etching the specimen with am- monia and hydrogen peroxide, or with a solution of ferric chloride. A combination of these meth- Fig. 7 (Left) Is a Photomicrograph of Plastic Bronze, Magnification 100 Diameters. and Has Not Been Etched But Only ished. Fig. 8 is a photomicrograph from a 500-lb. bronze casting, magnification 100 diameters, and is polished, not etched These. photomicrographs show the appearance of lead inclusions in polished but unetched specimens of the bronzes of different compositions shown by photomicrographs Figs. 1, 2, in very small and infrequent areas; while in Fig. 1, which shows a specimen of high tin bronze, containing less than 3 per cent lead, etched with the same reagent, there are present numerous large white areas of the tin-copper compound, SnCu,. The lead present in the plastic bronze, Fig. 2, is shown as gray globules separate from the SnCu, compound, whereas in the high tin bronze, Fig. 4, the lead is shown in the globular form within the SnCu,, areas. Professor Knight calls attention to the varia- tion in depth of the etching of the alpha matrix. and 6. ‘The gray areas represent globules of metallic lead ods, etching first with ammonia and hydrogen peroxide and then staining with ferric chloride, is also used (Bureau of Standards Technologic Papers Nos. 59 and 60). As a means of detection of lead it has no ad- vantages, but seems rather unnecessary, as the lead may be best detected in a polished and un- etched specimen, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 sub- mitted herewith, these plates being photomicro- graphs of the same specimens that are shown in the etched condition in Figs. 1 and 2 and Figs. 5 and 6 respectively. March 4, 1920 FUEL TROUBLES Steel Plant Production in the Youngstown Dis- trict Is Still Seriously Curtailed YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, March 2.—Accumulating fuel ifficulties culminated in drastic curtailments in steel ant operation at the last of the week, resulting in ispension of the Brown-Bonnell and Bessemer depart- nents of the Republic Iron & Steel Co., two blooming 2 nils and units in the sheet and other finishing depart- . ents of the Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. About r 000 men in the district were temporarily thrown out q of employment. F Whereas the daily average of industrial coal is 750 ars, it has varied during the past 10 days from 275 ‘o 400. Normally 80 to 90 cars for domestic purposes are received and this has been reduced to less than 50 per cent. Box car arrivals for last week were esti- nated at 23 per cent of requirements and gondolas 26 per cent. An indication of the shortage is the fact that a major producer recently received 27 cars ordinarily ised for hauling live-stock. After rebuilding the bot- toms and cleaning the interiors, the cars were stocked with finished product and sent to the South. The par- tially exposed sides were protected by a covering of tar paper. To secure relief, Federal Fuel Distributor D. T. Murray has appeared on different occasions before the regional committee at Pittsburgh, explaining that en- larged fuel supplies are essential to the maintenance f the Valley’s industries. Heavy shipments of cotton ties are being made to he South from the local mills of the Carnegie Steel o. Which are among the largest producers of this product in the country. Because of coke scarcity, Alice furnace of the Val- ey Mould & Iron Co. at Sharpsville, Pa., has been com- pelled to bank. Stack No. 4 of the Carnegie Steel Co. t Sharon, Pa., has been ready to blow in for some me, after overhauling, but the fires have not been lighted because of irregular fuel supplies. Bar mills are adversely affected by the coal situa- tion, their steel supply being diminished, and they are ible to furnish customers only 70 to 75 per cent orders. First sheets were rolled March 1 by the new Falcon Steel Co., when four mills at its Niles plant weré started. The company enters production at a most \uspicious time, with its product in wide demand, ana ts capacity is booked for several months ahead. A premium of $35 for a 200-ton lot of cold rolled, ‘ickled and annealed sheets was recently offered by a fabricating interest. Merchant pig iron producers anticipate scarcity of their product will continue for some time and will be made worse if the railroads come into the market for heavier requirements, as seems likely. Surplus stocks it the furnaces and foundries have dwindled and the makers are crowded with orders. With no letup in lemand and the carriers hopelessly unable to make idequate fuel deliveries, there is little expectation ‘cally that-there will be a material improvement dur- ng the first half. Under such conditions, it is ex- rected prices will advance. Tariff Bills Move Slowly WASHINGTON, March 2.—A disposition to sidetrack iriff bills, including those relating to magnesite and ‘ungsten which affect the steel industry, is evident on ‘he part of Republican leaders in the Senate. Refer- nee to this situation was made in the Senate when an fort was made to pass the House bill which as re- sed by the Senate finance committee, places an em- irgo on importations of dyes for a period of three ars unless held by the tariff commission to be not tainable in this country on reasonable terms as to rice, quality and delivery. Increased tariff rates rovided in the bill as passed by the House were struck it by the Senate committee with a view to enlisting e support of Democrats. Supporters of the straight tariff bills passed by THE IRON AGE 659 the House helped to make action on the dye bill impos- sible. Senator Poindexter of Washington, who is espe- cially interested in the magnesite industry in his home state, declared that the dye bill should not be given preference over that relating to magnesite. Senator Smoot of Utah told Senator Poindexter that he be- lieved it to be the wiser policy not to press such bills as those relating to magnesite and tungsten which would in all probability be vetoed by the President if passed. Senator Poindexter retorted that the magne- site producers were willing to take a chance of that and wanted the bill pushed. Senator Poindexter inti- mated that the Pittsburgh interests which have a large magnesite investment in Austria and which have open- ly opposed the bill before both House and Senate com- mittees had had something to do with keeping the bill off the floor of the Senate. The magnesite bill was acted upon favorably by both a subcommittee of the Senate finance committee and by the full committee. Subsequently, however, it was stated that it had been decided to withhold the reporting of the bill to the Senate temporarily. The tungsten bill has been approved by a subcommittee but not by the full committee. 0. F. 8. Declared Common Carrier WASHINGTON, March 2.—In a decision rendered by the Interstate Commerce Commission in the case of the Lackawanna Steel Co. vs. the South Buffalo Railway Co., the latter is found to be a common carrier of prop- erty subject to the act to regulate commerce, which may lawfully receive from its trunk line connections compensation out of the through interstate rates te and from points on its line in the form of divisions of joint rates, or of absorptions of its switching charges under appropriate tariff provision, such divisions or absorptions to be just and reasonable. The Lackawanna Steel Co. controls the South Buf- falo through ownership of its shares of stock, and many of its officers are employed by both companies. Passenger service is not performed for the general public, about 95 per cent of the passengers being em- ployees of the Lackawanna, while the remainder are employees of the South Buffalo. More than a dozen independent industries are served by it, and in 1918 there were 164 independent shippers who had neither private sidings nor tracks. The new plate mill of the Dominion Steel Co., Syd- ney, N. S., has been completed, and active operations have been started. The first plates turned out were, it is claimed, in every particular equal to those made by American mills, and measured up to the highest requirements of Lloyds. The Deputy Minister of Marine, Alexander Johnston, was present when the mill was formally opened. He stated that he believed this undertaking was the beginning of big things for that section of Canada, and that the mill compares favorably with any other similar plant in the world The mill has a capacity of 100,000 tons of plates per annum, and will employ a large number of men, and is the only one of its kind in the Dominion. The Merchant Shipbuilding Corporation, Harriman, Pa., has taken a contract for the construction of six steel tankers, each of 12,000 tons rating, to cost about $11,250,000 total. This order assures the yard of con- tinuous operation for about one year after the com- pletion of Government contracts, or until October, 1921. The company has also secured contracts for six addi- tional vessels to be built at its Chester works. The Whitaker-Glessner Co., Wheeling, W. Va., manu- facturer of iron and steel products, corrugated iron spe- cialties, etc., has awarded a contract to the Dravo Con- tracting Co., Pittsburgh, for the erection of additions te its works at Portsmouth, Ohio, and for improvements in existing buildings at that plant. The work is estimated to cost $120,000. Ot cin | PROD By ae SS Se 660 THE IRON AGE Delayed Deliveries of Locomotives WASHINGTON, March 2.—F reight congestion at Dan- zig has delayed for two months the delivery of 82 Baldwin locomotives, representing more than one-half of the $7,000,000 order placed with the company by the Polish Government. Word of this has just been brought to the Polish Legation by Jan Drozdowski, of Warsaw and New York, who conducted the negotiations with Samuel L. Vauclain, president of the Baldwin Loco- motive Works. Mr. Drozdowski has just returned from Poland. The total order was for 150 locomotives, 68 already having been delivered. The locomotives are standard gage of the big, consolidated freight type. The loco- motives turned over to Poland by Germany, under the armistice, were of every type and in bad condition, so that it was impossible to standardize them or have spare parts on hand for repairs, according to Mr. Drozdowski. A tie-up in railroad communication has been re- sponsible for the inability of Poland to begin cutting and exporting timber and lumber, in which a consider- able trade is expected to be developed. These condi- tions are acting unfavorably against the Polish mark exchange rate. "The Polish Government also needs railroad cars inJlarge numbers, but these can be built in Polish factories now in operation. For their supply of steel rails the Poles are looking to plants at Ostro- wiec and Warsaw, in their own country. The order for locomotives placed with the Baldwin company was made necessary because the Polish factories have been unable to give any promises of turning out locomotives within a period of four years. The Baldwin company granted a long-term credit in the transaction. Government Ownership Favored WASHINGTON, March 2.—Agitation over the sale of the former German passenger ships by the Shipping Board has had the effect of developing more sentiment for continuing Government ownership and control of its ships than previously seemed to exist. With the exception of a few radical groups, including organized labor and the Farmers’ National Council, all witnesses who have previously appeared before the Congres- sional committees have urged the sale of the ships at the earliest possible moment, sacrificing war costs, if necessary, and the upbuilding of a privately owned American merchant marine. The campaign against the sale of the former German passenger vessels to the same interests that necessarily would have to purchase the bulk of the cargo vessels has put the brakes on the whole selling program of the Shipping Board for the time being at least. The Senate Commerce Committee is just bringing to a close hearings on merchant marine legislation which have been in progress for several weeks. The effect of the agitation over the German ships undoubt- edly will be that the bill which may be reported from the committee will be more restrictive in its terms than would otherwise have been the case. The Supreme Court of the District of Columbia has issued an injunction restraining the sale of the former German passenger vessels, and unless Congress speci- fically directs their sale, those who have agitated the question would appear to have won. Would Extend Screw Thread Commission WASHINGTON, March 2.—The need for the continu- ance of the National Screw Thread Commission is ex- plained in a report by Representative Vestal of Indi- ana to the House in support of a resolution extending the life of the commission for a period of two years from March 21. Mr. Vestal said: “The purpose for which the commission was created was to investigate, formulate, and, after investigation, test and, upon approval, promulgate standards of commercial screw-thread practice. The commission has practically completed its work, which, in the opinion of Director Stratton, is a work of wide and far-reach- ing effect. A tentative report was prepared three months ago, which has been made accessible to the March 4, 1920 engineering and manufacturing industries and which has been subjected to the final test of actual use. It appears that the work of the commission is being accepted with satisfaction by the industries concerned, but that in a few instances it has been found by actual practice that slight adjustments or variations in cer- tain particulars of the standards submitted should be made before the report in its final form is promulgated and the life of the commission terminated. “It is believed that it would be best to keep the commission in existence for the time named, so that it may pass upon any question of adjustment or modi- fication of the proposed standards. The committee agrees to this all the more readily in view of the fact that no expense has been incurred by the commission and that none is contemplated as a consequence of the extension of time.” Locomotives for Sale WASHINGTON, March 2.—The War Department has placed 200 Capital decapod locomotives on sale. These locomotives were built originally for the Russian Gov- ernment, but are now in service on American railroads, the gage and coupling devices having been altered to the standards of domestic lines. They are to be sold by informal bids and negotiations. Bids will be re- ceived by the Office of Chief of Engineers, War De- partment, until March 10. Upon the collapse of the Imperial Russian Govern- ment, and during an extreme demand for steam loco- motives in 1918, the War Department bought these en- gines and since January, 1918, they have been in serv- ice in the United States. They were built for service on 5-ft. gage track and to strictly Russian standards. They can be altered for operation on either 4-ft. 8%-in. or 5-ft. gage track. They are available for sale for either domestic or export purposes to the highest bid- der. The locomotives are of a type making them suit- able for operation on railroads having light rails and whose bridge structures do not permit the loads met with in ordinary American practice. Machine Tools Sold WASHINGTON, March 2.—The value of the surplus machine tools sold by the War Department up to Feb. 13 was $6,745,535, of which $517,410 worth was sold during the week ended Feb. 13. The total ma- chinery and engineering equipment sold up to Feb. 13 was $5,893,366. The total non-ferrous metals and scrap amounted to $27,838,797. The grand total of all sur- plus sales was $597,785,536. The War Department thus far has liquidated 18,570 formal contracts, valued at $1,237,518,000, and 5022 informal contracts valued at $1,106,302,000. There are 3875 contracts remaining to be liquidated. A group of engineers who have devoted themselves more or less to publicity and advertising have asso- ciated themselves as advertising counselors in connec- tion with technical products. They have established the firm as the Advertising Engineers, Inc., with offices at 50 Union Square, New York. Curtis F. Columbia, at one time with the United States Gypsum Co. and later with the New Jersey Zinc Co., will act as Eastern manager, and associated with him are Virgil G. Marani, at one time building commissioner of Cleveland; Victor Hugo Halperin, identified with the General Fireproof- ing Co., and F. W. Liggett, of the Bell Telephone Co. Law and Labor, a monthly periodical on the law of the labor problem, has been inaugurated by the League for Industrial Rights, 175 Broadway, New York. It consists principally of extensive quotations and reviews of Federal and State legislation and court decisions affecting labor. The housing situation in England and in the United States is discussed in a comprehensive manner by F. T. Miller, president F. W. Dodge Co., 119 West Fortieth Street, New York, in a 30-page booklet. ae March 4, 1920 Geared Head Lathes for General Manufacturing Two late models of geared head lathes made by the ncinnati Lathe & Tool Co., 3207 North Street, Oak- ey, Cincinnati, are shown in the accompanying illus- rations. These machines are designed to get output manufacturing lathes rather than for tool work, d are supplied in-sizes 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28 and for either single pulley belt drive or motor I ve. The lathe shown with the motor drive is fitted with Geared Head I turing Arranged Direct nexagon turret on bed, power feed, and silent chain drive. As the speed variations are obtained in the head, constant speed motors only are required. All speed changes are obtained by levers at the front of the head, the index plate giving the lever positions for each speed. For instance, to obtain 12 revolutions, the lever position would be 3-B-C, and for 305 revolutions Geared Head Lathe with Silent Chain Motor Drive. It is fitted with hexagon turret on bed and power feed ) 4 7 ra a a ‘| | aS 2-A-D. A neutral position is also obtained to permit of revolving the spindle by hand for chucking similar JODS., The spindle carries only the face gear and one lrect driving gear operated by lever A-B. The inter- mediate shaft has three sliding gears that mesh with ack gears (lever marked 1-2-3). The back gear shaft arries a pair of sliding gears and three stationary gears of different diameter. The drive shaft operates at constant speed and has two sliding gears meshing With gears on the intermediate shaft. When the gear THE IRON AGE to the left of this shaft is in mesh with the gear on the intermediate shaft it gives the first six changes of low speed. When meshing the gear to the right on the same shaft the additional six changes for the higher speeds are secured. The shafts in the head are of high carbon nickel steel. The gears on the back gear shaft, also the di- rect driving gears, are made of steel forgings, all the others being of high carbon nickel steel. All bearings and gears, including those not in use, are oiled auto- matically by the splash system, an indicator showing the amount of oil in the base of the head. Oil is dis- zathe for General Manufac- for Single Pulley Belt Drive from Line Shaft tributed by the gears to grooving in the top cover. The other illustration shows the geared head lathe for single pulley belt drive, driven direct from a line shaft. A constant speed motor can be mounted on the headstock or in the rear of the cabinet leg driving through belting, silent chain or gearing. Twelve mechanical speed changes in geometrical progression are secured on these lathes through sliding gears by shifting three levers. It is pointed out that no safety device is necessary, as the levers and gearing are arranged so that they will not lock while operat- ing. Any lever may be shifted. without interfering with another lever. At the apron is a control by which the spindle may be stopped, started or reversed with- out stopping the overhead works or the motor. Iron and steel rates between Indiana and Illinois, ordered by the Interstate Commerce Commission, have been put into effect by the railroads. The new tariffs do away with part of the discrepancy in rates between Indiana and Illinois, against which the Public Service Commission of Indiana and shippers of that State have conducted a long fight. i fect agen © 5 Cppeeeanaimns + Pokies ee ne 662 THE IRON AGE March 4, 1920 American Trade with Canada in 1919 Exports from the United States to Canada in 1919 were $150,000,000 below those of 1918, while to practi- cally every other important country of the world the exports show an increase. The total to Canada in 1919 was only $734,000,000 against $887,000,000 in 1918, and $829,000,000 in 1917. The decrease is $152,000,000, indicating that to other parts of North America the exports show a large gain. This fall off in exports to Canada in 1919, according to the National City Bank of New York, occurs in a very large part at least in the classes of material which Canada was buying for war purposes in 1918 and 1917, and did not need for that purpose in 1919. Steel billets, for example, fell off $19,000,000 in 1919 as compared with 1918; copper, $4,000,000; lead $2,000,000; steel plates, $3,000,000; steel sheets $2,000,000; tin plate, $5,000,000, and pig iron, $6,000,000. Among the other classes of merchandise in which the value sent to Canada in 1919 is greater than in 1918 are automobiles, a gain of about $3,000,000. Many Orders for Belgium WASHINGTON, March 2.—The iron and steel indus- try of Belgium is being besieged with orders, accord- ing to Consul-General Henry H. Morgan, in Brussels. Mr. Morgan says: “Although certain branches, notably the iron and steel industry, are swamped with orders, not only for home consumption, but also from abroad, most of the factories, with order books filled up, are operating cau- tiously in view of the instability of labor conditions and of provisioning in raw material, which has become a serious problem. One of the best proofs of Bel- gium’s improving condition is shown by conditions in the export market, in which iron and steel manufac- turers have succeeded in underbidding their rivals with regard to cast steel and other products. England, for instance, has ordered considerable cast steel from Bel- gian producers. The prices continue to increase in view of the growing number of orders and the lack of available products. Lack of coke has prevented the operation of new blast furnaces. The only Belgian factory actually producing electrical steel is swamped with orders, and it appears that hereafter it will not be necessary to go to Germany for this product. There is considerable demand for construction material, nota- bly for the devastated regions in the north of France.” German Gas Producer Which Also Makes Pig Iron A new gas producer has been designed by German technologists in which coke is the fuel and to which basic slag is added for liquefying the coke ash, the product of the producer being not only a dry gas, but also a high manganese phosphorus pig iron. Details of this departure as published in Stahl und Eisen and Pane by Technical Review, London, are as fol- ows: According to tests carried out at the Georgmarienhiitte this producer differs from existing types mainly in the absence of steam admission and hearth heating. In design fit is a sort of small blast furnace, in which, however, in contrast to the usual type of blast furnace, the carbon monoxide is not used for the reduction of iron ores, but for heating purposes. Since the iron, in the form of mixer or open-hearth slag, is introduced in the slagged condition, none of the metallic oxides in the slag are reduced by the carbon monoxide, but the metals are extracted from the silicates very quickly by fixed carbon. The gas produced in the new generator is very rich in carbon monoxide (33 per cent), but contains very little car- bon dioxide (0.5 per cent), and water (12 grams per cu. m.) Its calorific value is 1133 cal. Owing to its low hydrogen content, the gas has also a high pyrometrical, thermal effect The dry gas obtained is practically free from tar, so that the whole of the carbon contained in the coke is used in the process of production. The sulphur content of the dry gas is considerably lower than in coal-fired gas producer The quantity of iron produced in the producer amounts to between 500 kg. and 1300 kg. in a double shift of 24 hr., according to the percentage of iron contained in the added slag. This figure corresponds to 16.6 to 43 kg. of iron per ton of coke. The iron has a high manganese and phosphorus content, 7 and 11 per cent in both cases. Where only basic open-hearth slag is added the pig iron has a slightly lower percentage of manganese and phosphorus than where mixer slag is used. The slag tapped off was yellowish-green, thinly liquid and of stony structure; it always flowed smoothly from the producer even where high basic open-hearth slag was used, provided the quantity added was less than usual The coke used had a carbon content of from 84 to 88 per cent, and yielded 4.7 to 4.9 cu. m. of gas for each kilogram of coke. Japan with Non-combustible Solvent A variety of japan which employs a non-combustible solvent is announced by the General Electric Co., Schenectady, N. Y. This is known as water japan, and is an emulsion of the asphalt oil base with water. By this is meant that infinitesimal particles of the base are held in suspension in the water, instead of being dissolved in it. It is stated that this japan has no tendency to settle out, even after months of storage, and that, owing to its being suspended in water, losses by evaporation are practically negligible. The methods of applying the japan are two in num- ber, the electric dip and the hot dip. The former is appropriate for small articles and consists in placing them, charged positively, in a negatively charged iron tank of japan. An even, smooth coating of japan is deposited on the articles, and since the japan is deposited free from solvent, there is no resultant drip when the lot is conveyed to the baking ovens. The second method, or the hot dip, is applicable to large pieces of metal. The metal is preheated before dipping, this preheating evidently having the same effect of causing the japan to form a deposit on the metal as giving it a positive electrical charge. A third method is also sometimes used which is a combination of these two methods—that is, the metal is both heated and positively charged. German Export Steel Prices The prevailing export prices of certain German steel products are given as follows by the London Iron and Coal Trades Review, Jan. 30: Holland and the Dutch Colonies. Filorins a ee. Te To ra ere eee ee 475 Hoopes and univeraal Gath... os icccncvcecnesgee 280 POE o's vine edo hae Cad kee Aa eae en 250 fl. to 275 Switzerland. Francs Pare WG CEE occ cca va Sede a wacaseaeees 500 Hoops and warvergnl RAtS. .6 6c cases ceyosrcsens 600 Sweden. Kronor ROD. CR Pe kg 6 ht de RW en Gand < Re Eee 415 EEOOUS BAG WOVOTERS TRIB. 6 6c nce weccavee cesses 490 Medium and light sheets... i .cccccccvccccvsccs 450 Norway. Kronor PP OG GROOG, cian cs cow ttisconecegneeeee 430 BEOUNS and whiverenl BASS. .o.0i< ccc eW sevens 00 506 Remeet, WU PROGIGM WOOT. occ ci cite ens oeaeds 500 Pree ree Ty Fae oe er eee 475 Denmark Kronor See: i” Cs ova cele eer eh. 400s da0% s0 eee 475 ee ee eee 550 DERE: guidecdsiak Ge tkS 6 O06? ek bee ba Shae Rane 475 BE ED: C. wkbeecewns 4600 ean hee Oe ae 550 Italy Francs TG GE. SNES | ¢ icainnd ods vis (ae weeweadas 500 SEDODS DDG WeIvenns WOE... <0 6 Ko aise ee ao 600 (Swiss currency.) Spain. Pesetas. II ANI AI hk ian aa ee a laa s\dealaed ie Hoops and universal flats............ bia a ce Belgium. Francs RE I SD 5.5 5 ok tated ND lw am se 915 EEOORS GRE WHIVOTERL BAW .....c ccs cic ccccsccbnc 1,115 France. Francs I © TAIT ON a a ei Bains me ailia's co a tee 950 ee are ree 1,150 These prices are per ton for basic material on the freight basis of Oberhausen. The prices for Poland, Finland and Austria are 4,000 marks, 4,000 marks and 4,750 marks respectively. a, yr ei ay ty be gn cats March 4, 1920 THE IRON AGE New