The Iron Age 1920-05-27: Vol 105 Iss 22

STABLISHED 1855 THE IRON AGE New York, May 27, 1920 VOL. 105: No. 22 al Steel Ingots of Small Cross Section Casting in Groups from Electric Furnaces for Direct Marked Rolling —— BY JOHN been considered as commercially impracticable. After two years of experimenting a process has been developed at the plant of the Old Dominion Iron & Steel Corporation, Belle Isle, Richmond, Va., whereby ingots 2 in. x 28 in. long are successfully poured on a commercial scale. Heretofore rolled steel products of small cross section have generally been worked down from ingots of much greater cross section. Many rolled products, such as horseshoe blanks, would abso- lutely answer the purpose if they could be rolled di- rectly from an ingot of approximately the finished cross section. One of the principal products of the Old Dominion Iron & Steel Corporation is horseshoes. There are about 100 different standard sizes and shapes, ranging in weight from 10 oz. to 50 oz., the average weight be- ing about 1% lb. Formerly ingots from 5 in. sq. up to 7 in. sq. were broken down or rolled into small billets 2 in. sq. by 30 in. long which, after reheating, were passed through the horseshoe train and rolled i \STING ingots of small cross section has long / thi I a se kg_h_ —_—_—w— —— i Dc atns aia %. acinar oR ee Ey Sy ogre ye er rel ey ry rr ee , 4S ee eet ch a2 opto Vo eof t rt 3 } Fa) ty EE 4 $7 , r j ‘i Kei AS oP) dd chy GF ty ae , & st) «ona t ER Ry! BP Fi 4 ty mm ‘ i Mg ce, ‘! fi Fy Rs Shy > vey ae I BH; fe Gy Gh OP pe te ee os 6) Ee wg «f t y te \ - + * , hy Sty bel ER ty! te ee Gh oy + rm Ee Rk baa oe Ge) ey ee Fe By oe eo OS ff ES et ee a8 r2) es ¢ 4) Be ot ee Gm oe ee oe as eh oe © bys Fp! tp = te Oh te ft . if oe * fp aa bs Bia by ty) iZe is ie ‘4 uy eg i ep! GH L tts coy ptt pl 4 e| & #« te + cn ta4 =. ag tr pe o + a a moe ee oe wh & @ & ‘4 ca tel te j ot op f ee) ths te ey wd tt) & > EN : Savings by Into Horseshoes— the New Process G. WEBB into blanks, sheared to correct lengths, reheated and then bent, formed and punched. With the new process ingots of approximately the finished cross section are cast in molds of a special design, patented by J. G. Webb, the author, which after reheating are put directly through the horseshoe train and the succeeding operation. The metal used is pro- duced in two Webb electric furnaces, and is of 0.10 to 0.20 per cent carbon. The high temperature and consequent fluidity of the metal makes it possible to pour ingots of 2 in. sq. cross section. The molds are poured from a bottom pour ladle. By novel means they can be handled in clusters and poured 30 at each opening of the ladle nozzle. After the metal is set, the molds are picked up 15 at a time, the ingots shaken out and the molds placed for the next heat. Water is sprayed on the ingots to cool them and they are then conveyed to the reheating fur- naces and roll train. It takes less than 10 min. to pour three tons of small ingots, at a cost of $3 per ton more than the cost of pouring into ingots 5 in. or Figs. 1, 2 and 3 Represent the Mold Members of a Group. The pouring position is shown by Figs. 4 and 5 and the con- dition, when shaking out the ingots, by Fig. 6 The metal is poured in through the hot top S and flows through the runner R to ingots J included between mold members M. The molds are picked up by the rod B, Fig. 6, passing through eyes EF and placed upon the support L P is removed and the ingots fall out. P is replaced and the ingot molds are again set up as in Figs. 4 and 5 The clamp —— : * ane oor . rere se pg EN ELT LL OC a Sin ee nasil atresia be tt ~ RS > - rt wo ange wen st Caat villad oni tt 1498 THE IRON AGE 7 in. square. The sink head and runners recovered from the ingots weigh about 5 per cent of the cast and are salvaged and remelted. In breaking down large ingots there is a heating furnace loss of about 2 per cent on which there is no salvage and a 5 per cent Ioss due to crops, etc., which PURCHASING MATERIALS Standing and Ability of the Vendors the Govern- ing Factors Although devoted to the purchase of gears, points equally applicable to the purchase of other materials were set forth in a paper on “Gears from a Pur- chaser’s Standpoint” presented by G. D. Stanbrough, general superintendent Packard Motor Car Co., Detroit, at the recent convention of the American Gear Manu- facturers’ Association, Detroit. “When you undertake the purchase of any article from rough stock to finished parts,” Mr. Stanbrough said, “the first question that comes to mind is the standing and ability of the ven- dors of the special commodities which you are pur- chasing. Your chances of selecting a satisfactory source of supply is governed by the following general conditions: 1—The personnel of the organization, 2—-Their financial support. 3—Their general business reputation 4—The location of the plant to sources of supply and transportation centers. 5—General business ability. 6—The labor market. 7—The general character of the plant buildings. 8—The character of their equipment. “We cannot underestimate the value of weighing all these considerations. I will discuss them, in the order named, briefly. Plant Personnel and Reputation 1.—It is a well known fact that no firm nor the product that they make is any greater than the men that make up that business. An organization to ma- chine and manufacture successfully should be made up of men who are good mechanics, whose reputations have stood the test of time for doing good work. Men who know the proper methods to be used and have courage enough to use them. The organization from a personnel standpoint should be well balanced—should include a good business man, good mechanical talent and a good engineer. 2.—We cannot underestimate the value of ample financial resources. Such resources will relieve the men who are in charge of operations from worries and allow them to put their efforts on the production. Adequate finances permit the purchase of stock in different quantities to insure a steady flow of product, and this is particularly necessary in the manufacture of gears where many operations and much time is consumed. The firm that is handicapped for money to meet stock bills and to pay the payroll cannot be counted upon to produce with the same steadiness as can be expected under more propitious circumstances. 3.—The only thing that we can tell about a firm or an individual, with any degree of certainty, is his record of past performances. Business ability is reflected in the stability of the organization. The prosperity of a company embraces its standing in a community and the reaction as apparent from personal contact with the representative of the firm in business transactions. It is reflected in the measure of good judgment that is shown by a firm’s past record in handling contracts under similar conditions. 4.—I think the importance of this subject (location of the plant to sources of supply and transportation centers) is self-evident; other things being equal, it is much better for a firm to deal with one in its imme- diate vicinity in order to minimize the transportation difficulties of the present time. However, under various circumstances it may be more advantageous to deal with a firm that is close to a base of raw material. May 27 is salvaged and remelted. The losses at the ho) train are about equal whether small ‘ngots or down billets are used. The present cost of b: down large ingots, shearing, etc., is about $17 ; A very conservative estimate of saving would per ton in favor of small ingots. These are matters that have to be weighed and in each individual case. ; 5.—A firm’s business connections and con which it has established with vendors of raw terial are an important consideration in these when sources of supply are contracted for many : ahead. Labor Conditions and Plant Equipment 6.—We all realize that under present-day cond the labor market has an important bearing firm’s ability to meet the promises as to produ The labor market has got to be viewed first fro standpoint of supply. (2) From the standpoint « quality of the supply. (3) From the reputation « people in the community on questions of strikes and other labor disturbances. (4) With reference to ing and general sociological conditions, affecting welfare and happiness of the community. 7.—This (the general character of the building) has particular reference to fire protection, fire underwriter’s risk, plant lay-out to facilitate good manufacturing, arrangement of machinery for economical production, and satisfactory working conditions from a labor stand- point. 8.—We have put this subject (character of equip- ment) last in order, but it is by no means last in im- portance. Good gears can only be produced by modern machinery properly installed, properly maintained and satisfactorily operated. An adequate supply of cutters, hobbs, and high-speed steel for blading and the neces- sary assortment of small tools should be on hand. Ma- chines should be placed to permit operation with a mini- mum amount of vibration. Wherever possible, grinding machinery should be placed on the ground floor. When we are manufacturing gears, we are working within narrow limits, and it is fruitless to suppose that satis- factory results can be obtained in the face of poor equip- ment and installations. It should be borne in mind that in these modern times heat treatments have a large part in the satisfactory finished product, and the plant that manufactures gears from carbon and alloy steels must contain modern heat treatment equipment, and a thoroughly experienced metallurgist in charge of its operation. We don’t want to over- look the fact that the metallurgical end of the busi- ness is highly scientific and is based upon exact knowl- edge and cannot be satisfactorily performed by rule of thumb methods without the use of proper stand- ards of comparison. “Having settled to our satisfaction that the pro- posed source of supply fulfills a large number of the above requirements, we are next confronted by the fact that satisfactory gears from a purchaser’s stand- point can only be produced as a result of conformity to good practice along the following lines: Design, materials, forgings and castings, heat treatment, ma- chining, hardening and inspection.” After discussing these points in detail the speaker concluded that “satisfactory gears cannot be produce? by any but the most painstaking efforts and the higher the requirements for the elimination of gear noises the more we are confronted by the fact that we have much to learn and from a purchaser’s standpoint a know! edge of what is possible under present-day methods is necessary in order that purchasing requirements ™4y be reduced or may be made to coincide with the prese”* state of the art.” f tha The Interstate Iron & Steel Co. has secured a build- ing permit for the construction of a one-story ope? hearth plant, 97 x 117 ft, at One Hundred and Eight eenth Street and Calumet River, South Chicago, Il. The structure will cost $70,000. Phosphorus & DISCUSSION of the future of the tilting type of = open-hearth furnace in France together with “ a description of a furnace presenting several features by P. Jolly appears in La Revue de illurgie for January, 1920. The writer points out the superiority of basic open-hearth steel over ' Bessemer steel, and the increasingly large de- 1 in Europe generally for the former kind of erial. France, the birthplace of the open-hearth ess, has allowed Germany to pass her in number pen-hearth furnaces, which superiority should dis- ar. The slow growth of the open-hearth process in nce may be due to the practical difficulties of mak- - good steel in stationary furnaces from high phos- rus basic Bessemer iron. Certain processes have worked out and used for this iron, such as the ertrand-Thiel and the Hoesch processes, but they io not thoroughly solve the problem and present in- nveniences. With a well designed tilting furnace | ___ TILTING AXIS _ c The Tilting Open Hearth’s Future in France Advantages of This Type—Suggestions as to Proper Design—Steel from High Basic Bessemer’ Iron into the furnace for finishing. These operations are expensive (upkeep of ladles, loss of time, labor costs, etc.) and there is much loss of heat due to tapping the metal into the ladle and later pouring into the furnace. Advantages of the Tilting Furnace If a tilting furnace is used the process is much more simple and economical. No time is lost in tap- ping the raw metal into a ladle nor in making up the tap hole. When the slag has absorbed the bulk of the phosphorus the furnace is tilted forward and the slag poured into slag buggies placed on a track below. This operation lasts several minutes only, the furnace is turned back and a new slag made to finish the heat. It is not necessary that the first slag be completely removed, the small amount remaining is diluted when the new slag is formed, and the total phosphorus con- tents of the second slag are low enough so that re- phosphorization of the metal in the pouring ladle at Special Features of the Lambot Construction of a French Tilting Open-Hearth Furnace, Recently Patented these difficulties disappear and its use allows steel to be made equal in quality and lower in cost than t obtained in a stationary furnace from low phos- phorus iron. With the Hoesch process, for example, ‘he metal must be tapped into a ladle when the major part of the phosphorus has passed into the slag, the tap hole then made up, and the metal again poured 1499 the end of the operation need not be feared. After final tapping of the metal the slag remaining in the furnace can be used for the succeeding charge, instead of being thrown away as in the Hoesch process. From this it is clear that the tilting furnace is necessary to all plants, such as those in the north and east of France, making high phosphorus basic a i aslliameaeimemnennettttiamemnesteaenaannamnda ee te ee ee ees, eee a 1PM ARO ES: Ay i I ae en eet ate mee te ee reer oes as gn ow we a re nee Sercamgr Ss aeeee a 2 Fr herimy ae : ae wen 7 on Se 7 — ee tefl les en eptai <p i a aci “== 2 i a ee " ' _ _ a = we | i | i 1500 THE IRON AGE Bessemer pig iron, and anxious to furnish material of irreproachable and regular quality. Such a furnace is equally valuable when making electric steel] and starting with high phosphorus pig iron. In this case it serves as a preparatory furnace, fractions being drawn off for further refining in the electric furnace, and replaced by proper amounts of liquid pig iron. Such a method has been used for more than 10 years with much success by the Arbel works at their plant at Dommeldange. In regard to upkeep, the tilting furnace is superior to the stationary furnace, for no special precautions are necessary for making up the tap hole, the opera- tion of tapping is very simple and cne is sure of not having a hard tap hole which is of importance when making high grade steels. The upkeep of the back wall is easier because the furnace may be inclined and the repair material made to adhere better. The tilting furnace, therefore, presents important advantages over the stationary furnace. It is interesting to re- member that the converter was originally stationary and, notwithstanding much increased cost of instal- lation, was made tilting because of increased ease cf operation. There is no doubt that in the future preference will be given to the tilting furnace because it makes the furnacemen’s work easier and does not demand the same amount of experience as a stationary furnace; the operations are also simpler and allow increased production. Time is not lost to make up the tap hole, and the hearth is taken care of more easily because it can be completely drained whereas with a station- ary furnace there are often holes lower than the tap hole in which steel is apt to remain that mixes with the dolomite or magnesite and prevents good ad- herence to the hearth. Design of Tilting Furnaces. Having thus given what he feels to be the ad- vantages of the tilting furnace, the writer then passes to the consideration of furnace design. In the fur- naces as usually constructed an air space is left be- tween the tilting hearth and the fixed port ends. With good regulation gas escapes at this space, and the coal consumption per ton is therefore higher than with good stationary practice. Even with furnaces having removable port ends mounted on rollers that can be brought close up against the hearth the results have not been satisfactory. In a recently patented design all these inconveniences have been overcome, and the heat economy is at least equal to that of stationary furnaces, and it has been used in practice. The special construction has been patented by J. Lambot of Mar- cinelle Charleroi. The special features are shown in the illustrations, and are characterized by the combination of the hearth, A, and the ports C and D, joined to the burners B. The whole is brought about in such a way that tilting does not open any joint. The port ends, B, and the air port, D, tilt with the furnace. The gas port, C, is movable and can be easily displaced to take care of the port end. When the furnace tilts this port re- mains in place in the turning axis. At the side toward the gas burner it is circular and corresponds with a section of the same shape and size constituting a part of the burner. In order to avoid entrance of air at this place and yet leave space for expansion and easy tilting, the joint is surrounded by a metallic band lined with asbestos. This band presses tightly against the joint during melting and working, and when it is desired to tilt the furnace the band is loosened slight- ly. The air port, D, is fastened to the port end, B, and at the other end is carried on a roller bearing, E, concentric to the axis of tilting. This bearing is in- dependent of the furnace and serves to maintain the position of the air port, D, in relation to the tilting axis, whatever may be the expansion produced by the working of the furnace. A space is necessary betweer. the regenerator and the air port, to take care of the expansion of the brickwork. This space is inclosed in a frame, G, formed of four movable plates resting fn a trench filled with sand to make a gas-tight joint. May 27, 1929 This frame surrounds a water cooled band, F, y forms the end of the air port, and holds up the } work. A tight joint is maintained between the and the frame by asbestos. The band can move ly in the interior of the frame, G, without air e¢, ing or flame passing out. In this whole constry the joints are at places where the flame has a st) course, and where the temperature is less than at junction between the ports and the hearth. The p of the frame can be readily removed to examin joint. The roof rests on one side against a skewback, and on the other against a movable ; L, kept in place by pressure screws, so that expa) and contraction can be taken care of. The writer discusses also the advantage of able and interchangeable port ends, which have been adopted as practical in this country. 4G. B. Engineering Foundation Seeks Large Endowment Based on the generous gifts and high purpose Ambrose Swasey, Engineering Foundation has sir 1915 maintained a liaison between engineers, as repr: sented by the founder and other societies and scienti! workers as represented in National Research Counc Practical means for co-operation in research have bee set up so that engineers in the numerous branches the profession may join with physicists, chemists, geol gists, geographers, psychologists, doctors, biologist educators and anthropoligists, in the attack upon pro lems of common interest and in the exchange of know! edge. Engineering Foundation now seeks to build its endowment and has issued a statement in substance as follows: Engineers connected with industrial and financial organizations having great resources can aid by con vincing proper officials of corporations that the con tinued prosperity of our industries depends upon con tinued progress of research. Since the commercial and industrial establishments of the United States reap the larger proportions of the financia) profits arising from scientific and technological work, these same es tablishments should contribute liberally to the support of research. Scientists are more largely concerned in research in pure science, the search for undiscovered knowledge fo: its own sake, the usefulness of which may not becom apparent in some instances for many years. Betwee! this most advanced line and the development of specific industrial devices or processes, lies the large field of research in applied science and the industries whic! especially concerns technologists. In this broad field there is scarcely an item of work in which the engine: in some branch of his practice is not directly interested and concerned. Sooner or later the engineer uses 4 these results of research in science and the indus tries. There are many problems relating to the materia and forces of engineering on which further knowled is needed. Progress will be made approximately proportion to the funds made available. The fou dation does not plan to build laboratories and conduc’ research work directly, but rather to stimulate, ¢ ordinate and support research work in existing sci tific and industrial laboratories, co-vperating, insofa: as may prove advantageous, with the National Resea! Council. Charles F. Rand, 71 Broadway, New York, past president of United Engineering Society, and of t! American Institute of Mining and Metallurgica] Ene neers, was elected chairman of Engineering Foundati ! on March 19, to succeed Dr. W. F. M. Goss, resigned With the collaboration of Mr. Swasey, Mr. Rand actively seeking additions to the endowment fund whi will swell the total to at least a million dollars in ‘) near future. Mr. Swasey’s gifts amount to $300 000 The office of Engineering Foundation is in Engineerins Societies Building, 29 West Thirty-ninth Street, New York. A booklet giving an account of the Engineering Foundation and its work has been prepared for distr! bution. Y Code Calling Systems in Steel Plants Application, Advantages, Details of Operation and Electrical Features—Planning the Installation— Psychological Problems and Acoustic Principles — BY VLADIMIR KARAPETOFF* N the latter part of the summer of 1919 the writer investigated the various uses of acoustic sig- nals, such as whistles, bells, etc., in large steel nts in Pittsburgh, Ohio, Indiana, and Chicago, and findings are presented in this paper with particular ‘erence to signals used for calling various persons the telephone according to a pre-arranged code. Signals of different kinds have come into use in ious steel plants by a natural, unsystematic growth, | without having been carefully laid out according a definite scheme. Any progressive plant has its rineering, purchasing, and employment departments, ere experts attend to those needs in a systematic The various signals, however, are often left thout any expert attention, in spite of their extreme portance for safety and efficiency in the operation the plant. Code Calling Supplements the Telephone [he purpose of a code calling installation is to sup- nent the telephone system of the works in such a y as to be able to reach a desired person instantly matter where he may be in the plant at that time. ferring to Figs. 1 and 2, the telephone operator has re her an electric contact device which is connected wires to horns, bells, whistles or any other desired istic devices installed throughout the works and the offices. When the electric contact is closed in central mechanism all these acoustic devices sound. ich person of importance in the works is assigned lefinite code number, 1-2, 1-3, etc., or with a large mber of men 1-2-3, 1-2-4, ete. The device shown in 1 has 40 different combinations, which are more in sufficient for all ordinary purposes. The operation of this mechanism is as follows: ppose the plant manager wants to see the chief me- inical engineer, Mr. A, on important business. He s the telephone operator to get Mr. A, whether he n his office or not. The operator tries to get him the telephone, and if he is not in his office she con- ts the code list before her and finds that Mr. A’s ‘ number is, for example, 2-4. She sets the dial g. 1) so that 2-4 comes opposite the index point wn to the left. Then she pulls on the little handle wn to the right, near the bottom, and lets it go. A ng returns the shaft to its original position, and so doing the contacts are closed in the required ler for the desired call. The horns throughout the nt give two short blasts, then pause for a few sec- , and give four short blasts. The call may be inded one, two, three, or more times, according to v far the operator has pulled the handle. As soon as Mr. A has heard his call, no matter e he may be in the works, he goes to the nearest ephone and reports to the operator, who immediately nnects him with the. manager’s office. The particu’ar device shown in Fig. 1 has a relay rporated in it, as shown in the lower left hand ner. The coil of the relay is connected to a few cells, indicated in Fig. 2; and the copper-carbon ntact operated by this relay closes the 110 or the '-volt power circuit to which the acoustic devices » connected, With a very large installation it is desirable to sub- ide the operating current further by the addition one or more relays as shown in Fig. 2. The cur- in each circuit may then be kept within reason- le limits, and wires of smaller size may be used. y the addition of such relays an existing code-calling ‘ ica *Professar of electrical engineering, Cornell University, aca, N. Y. system may be indefinitely extended as the plant is enlarged. Assignment of Numbers to Various Men Having decided to install a ccde-calling system, the management must further decide to which men in the plant numbers should be assigned. In particu- lar it is desirable to determine in advance the maxi- mum number of individual calls, because the size of the contact-closing device is determined by this num- ber. The following list gives an idea of the members of the staff who should be assigned code numbers: General superintendent Chief engineer Safety engineer Chief chemist Master mechanic Metallurgical expert Expediter of materials Fire chief Superintendent of transpor Efficiency enginee! tation Electrical superintendent Chief of police Most of these men have assistants and important members of their staff, at least some of whom should be included in the list—making the total number of persons at least twice that shown above. In any case it is desirable to have a few spare numbers available for the following purposes: a. More than one number should’ be assigned to each important person, one number signifying, for example, an emergency call from his superior, and the other an ordinary service call. Or else one combina- tion may direct the person to reply by telephone, the other to come to some agreed place. b. Code numbers may be assigned for temporary use, to an officer of the company, a district manager, etc., not resident in the city where the plant is located when he happens to be in the works and expects an important message or a visitor. Some office employees may have no numbers assigned to them except on rare occasions when they have to go to the plant. c. For special uses, such as weather signals, elec- tion returns, returns of athletic games, etc. d. To provide for future expansion. The tendency in the existing installations is usually not to assign enough numbers. This is partly due to the novelty “f this method of communication and partly to the negligence on the part of the management. No one less than the general superintendent, or preferably than the general manager, should make the first as- signment of numbers. If the matter be left to one particular department, say to the electrical depart- ment, because the installation and the physical main- tenance are in its care, the result is liable to be one- sided. Too many electrical men will probably be as- signed numbers in proportion to the other depart- ments, while important non-electrical men are liable to be omitted by oversight. Some men with a “pull” may be omitted at their own request “so as not to be bothered with calls.” Number Assignment Has Psychological Effect In selecting men to whom numbers are to be as- signed, it is well to keep in mind the psychological effect which such an assignment has upon an employee, such as the chief telephone repair man. It adds to his dignity, to his interest in the work; it enables his superior to get him promptly, and thus plan his work more efficiently. It does away with a temptation to loaf with a conscientious excuse that he could not get the transportation man or the order clerk, or could not get a ruling as to whether a line was to be transferred or only repaired. It impresses him with a sense of responsibility of working all the time, because he may be called any minute to give an account of what he 1501 ~~ acaanearnimangminontih odbc Sanaa elephants long tin scarantis 2 RL SC A A I SO na engage mt — sa ene saga iti rane eter ap : | ‘ qf Lf 1502 THE IRON AGE is doing, and because he can get his superior any time that he may need a ruling from him. The assignment of two or more numbers to certain men also has a beneficial effect, especially if one of the calls means “come to the phone when through with the present engagement.” It does away with the re- sentment or nervousness which some persons would feel in hearing their call while engaged in an impor- tant conference. A message as just mentioned would assure them that the call is on a subject that can wait for a few minutes or an hour if need be. In almost any large plant there are persons of importance who are always confined to a certain part of the plant. Such men as the superintendent of fur- naces, superintendent of the coke plant, some office men, etc., usually circulate within a certain assigned Fig. 1—Electric Contact Device Which Is Connected by Wires to Horns, Bells, Whistles or Other Acoustic Devices Installed Throughout the Steel Works and in the Offices. This instrument has 40 different combinations, each per- son of importance in the works being assigned a definite code number so that he may be reached no matter where he may be in the plant at the time area. While they ought to be included in the code-call list, it would be wasteful to sound their numbers all over the plant, including the departments in which they are never to be found. A sectionalized code-calling installation shown in Fig. 3 solves this problem. For the sake of simplicity only one side of the lines is shown. The contact mechanism K is connected to busbars M, which in turn are connected to the out-going lines through switches a, b,c, d. If it is desired to call a person located, say in section B of the plant, the operator closes switch b and sounds the call which is heard only in that par- ticular part of the works. For so-called “floaters”— that is, men like the general superintendent or the electrical engineer whose duties call them to any part of the plant, the totalizing switch f is used. Closing this switch connects all the outgoing lines to the busbars, and the call is sounded throughout the plant. With this arrangement many more men may be included in the list with the same limited number of contact combinations in the code-calling device. Thus the number of the superintendent of the coke plant may be B-3-4, while that of the man in charge of open hearth furnaces may be C-3-4. The combination 3-4 in the mechanism itself is the same while the letter B or C indicates which of the switches must be closed. Should, on a rare occasion, the superintendent of the coke plant have to go into the steel plant proper, he could leave word with his assistant or a clerk to May 27, 1920 answer an incoming code call and tell where he be found. In addition to the possibility of putting more on the list such a sectionalized installation has advantage of cutting down the total number of -:; sounded during the day in a particular departm. therefore, the calls that are sounded in each de; ment are liable to receive better attention. Other Uses of Code Calling Systems While the primary purpose of a code-calling sys is to get in touch with a desired person, the s: acoustic signals may be used for a number of ot purposes, some of which are enumerated below. 1. The most natural additional use for a code- ing system is for sounding fire alarms. There different possibilities in this connection. a. If no other fire alarm system has been installed contact mechanism, Fig. 2, is provided with a switch wh connects it at will either to the circuit containing the cod calling devices or to the one containing fire alarm sign The two kinds of signals must be kept quite distinct example, if whistles and bells are used for code-calling tric horns may be used for sounding fire alarms. Thu combination 2-3 on the bells and whistles may mean tl the assistant mechanical engineer is wanted at the pho: while the same combination sounded by the horns mig} mean “fire in building 23.” b. A special set of fire alarm signals may be disper with by using two distinct codes for the two classes of se! ice. For example, all code calls for employees may beg with digits 1 or 2, while fire alarm signals would begin w digits 3 or 4. ec. When a separate fire alarm system is available, code-calling installation may be made to do a very valuabi auxiliary service by conveying additional information and orders, and by enabling the management to get in toucl promptly with a desired person needed in fire fighting. 2. One of the most dreaded interruptions that may occur in the modern steel mill is the failure of the electric power. In such an emergency the code-calling system may be made to perform very valuable service. In some cases the failure of the power supply is gradual and the inevitability of a shutdown becomes apparent to the electrical men some time before the switches are actually opened. In such cases a special warning signal will save the plant thousands of dollars and may even save lives. The men at the blast fur- naces will immediately know what to do to forestall an accumulation of gases and a possible disaster. The open hearth department, the soaking pits, the rolling mills, will take the necessary measures to save 4s much metal and labor as possible. Two or three dis tinct code calls may be used in such an emergency, one indicating that the extent or the duration of the shutdown cannot be determined yet, another indicating a short interruption, and a third announcing a serious and prolonged trouble in the electrical power supply. These calls may be followed by other calls indicating, for example, that the power supply would be resumed within half an hour, or that it could not be restored the same day. Not only will such calls save time and money, but they will relieve the electrical department of the annoyance of numerous inquiries over the phone, and in person, just when every member of this department must be devoting his whole energy to the restoration of the service. 8. A modern steel plant usually has an elaborate watchmen’s and police organization and the code-cal'- ing system is undoubtedly a great help in managing this widely scattered force in an emergency. A pre- arranged code-call will promptly bring members of this force to an agreed place for concerted action, °F would indicate even more in detail what they are do according to the nature of the emergency. Speci: directions may also be sent to the night watchme! from the main gate. With the wiring availa)! throughout the plant for code-calling an attachment may be added by means of which a night watchman could signal back his whereabouts. 4. Some steel plants are located on rivers subject to rapid floods with resulting damage to the equipmen? and danger to lives. There may also be cases where a break in a dam above the plant may bring a disaster May 27, 1920 the plant. A special code-call would give a warning every one concerned, and lives and property may ius be saved. 5. The code-calling system may also be used for unding the time of the beginning and ending of irk, change of shifts, the correct noon time, etc. For is purpose an accurate clock is used, which closes ie circuit of a relay at desired instants. This relay sconnects the manual code-calling device from the ne and cuts in a special contact-making mechanism Be// Whistle TH + ? ns — 7 — * -* +? } — | Ee ~+ Jaton a ] Its ] Horns | 4 | | yale for Settin Jo Fire Alarm rembers- "OAT aay 10 V. or 220K. * Power Circuit Y ES a Operating ~~~ Dry Cells Handle | “£ ~y —2 «| ene ee Wovorzeo, uatia My iB silliest cnpemsinlccnall 2 Wiring Diagram of a Code-Calling Installation. By ise of relays an existing code-calling system may be indefinitely extended as the plant is enlarged ich sends a series of electrical impulses through » acoustic devices. A succession of short blasts, or ‘kes of bells, so produced, continues 15 or 20 sec- is. This is a signal entirely different from a regu- code call and could not be confused with it. 6. In these days of concerted effort to promote in- istrial good will, the possibility of utilizing the code- ling system for general news must not be over- ked. A few simple items of general interest trans- tted throughout the plant day after day will go a g way in showing the workmen that the manage- is willing to do something that it does not have lo—something that is like a direct message from the n office to their humblest employee. The weather enal is probably the most important item of general rest. During the baseball season the scores or the ilts of important games may be transmitted in same manner. Before an important election or a nding decision of Supreme Court of far-reaching ortance a notice may be posted throughout the orks telling which code combination will be sounded this or that result or decision. Such small signs attention and courtesy will make the worker feel the management considers him a human being, | the plant will have a little home atmosphere for Emotional foreign workers will be particularly sponsive to such a universal language. Attention Paid to Signals \udible signals used for code-calling in a particular lding must be chosen with reference to the noises revalent in that particular building. The signals sed must not be any louder than is necessary in order be heard. Any excessive intensity may distract ‘ner employees from their direct duties. Anyone istomed to audible signals or to noises to which he supposed or obliged to listen knows that there is te a distinct range within which such signals or ses are distinctly heard without being annoying, or en without one being conscious of them. It is the ‘blem of an acoustical engineer to select the number the location of signals so as to come at least ighly within this range. Thus the above-mentioned al may be expressed in the following three propo- ons: Each person must hear his number distinctly no matter e he may be at the time within the plant. -. He must be conscious as little as possible of other per- s’ calls and should not be unduly distracted by them. Persons to whom no call number has been assigned ¢ st not be annoyed by acoustic signals. \ctual experience shows that by careful planning ‘ised upon previous experience, and upon a clear un- lerstanding of the laws of acoustics and of the psy- logy of hearing, an expert can always come quite c.ose to satisfying the above requirements. THE IRON AGE 1503 Experience with properly selected acoustic signals indicates that the required sound intensity of a signal may be considerably reduced by properly selecting the pitch and character of its tone. The following two rules may be stated with a considerable degree of cer- tainty: 1. Always select a signal of a pitch within the maximum range of sensitiveness of the human ear and at the same time as distinct as possible from that of the predominating noise in its vicinity. Use a high-pitched signal in a shop with a low pitched, rumbling noise, and use a low pitched signal in a shop with high pitched, screechy noises. 2. Use a discontinuous signal, like a single stroke bell, in a location with a continuous noise, and use a continuous tone signal, like a horn, in a location with noises of per- cussion type like a riveting shop. The actual efficiency of signals installed in accord- ance with these rules is almost unbelievable. The writer remembers in particular his standing near a large steam turbine in a steel plant where the noise was so deafening that not a word shouted by his com- panions could be heard. At the same time the sound of a comparatively small single stroke bell used for code-calling purposes, mounted on the wall quite a distance away, could be heard very distinctly and the number of strokes easily counted. Steel mills are by no means noisy plants from an acoustic engineer’s point of view, and even judging by our everyday standards, the noises are quite mod- erate in all but a few locations. Particularly in mod- ern plants with wide spaces between buildings and an orderly handling of transportation of materials, the problem of an acoustic installation presents very few difficulties. The writer wishes to emphasize again that in order | Os | | . a» + 7 i ? $ x + - ~~ b »* eo Fig. 3—Diagram of a Sectionalized Code- Calling Installation If it is desired to call a person located in section B of the plurt, the operator closes switch B and sounds the call which is heard only in that part of the works to function properly, such a system must be carefully laid out by a specialist and the signals employed in each department must be selected with reference to the prevalent character and intensity cf the noise in that department. Steel Exports to Burma WASHINGTON, May 25.—Iron and steel products, not including hardware and machinery, constitute one of the leading imports into Burma, according to a report from Consul Lawrence P. Briggs, who is at Rangoon. The value of these imports amounts normally to nearly $5,000,000 per year. Including machinery and hard- ware, the total normal value of articles imported would be nearly double this amount and would hold second place to cotton goods among the imports of Burma. “With the development of Burma’s mineral and in- dustrial resources, of which there is great promise, the demand for these products is bound to increase,” says Mr. Briggs. “The principal iron and steel products imported into Burma are sheets and plates.” W. R. McDonough & Co., Citizens Building, Cleve- land, are now the sales representatives of the Ward Tool & Forging Co. in the Cleveland territory. Se ee ee Pee ei ii anata TM ay ; x 7 4 1504 .THE . IRON Multiple-Spindle Dividing Head A multiple-spindle dividing head, designed for pro- duction work, has been put on the market by Scully- Jones Co., 80 East Jackson Boulevard, Chicago. The device is noteworthy because of the simplicity of its construction, the interchangeability of its parts, and the use of special work-drivers instead of dogs to hold the work. The dividing head has eight spindles and is equipped with a special purpose dial for rapid indexing. A work-driver is attached to the end of each live spindle. The driver contains a cube-shaped socket to fit the end of the work, which has been machined to a square prism shape. This arrangement makes the use of dogs unnecessary. The drivers are so fitted to the spindles that they are flexible, thereby allowing for adjustment if work be a little off center. Any part of the dividing head can be readily replaced and the spin- Work-Drivers to Be Dividing Head Contain Cube-Shaped Sockets Whic! Work, Thus to the live spindles in such ; as to permit a small degree of flexibility; thus the necess adjustment dles, bushings and work-drivers are interchangeab| The user, therefore, can get along with one set of pair parts for all spindles. work-drivers needs of the purchaser. furnished to The principle of the latte: is that of a key, and any shaped socket can be suppli which will hold the work to the spindle. Dividing heads embodying the same principles construction accompany illustrations furnished with spindles, according to the wishes of the user. device will cut spiral as well as spur gears. All of the spindles, bushing The Dividing Head Is Equipped with a Special Purpose and work-drivers in the device are interchangeable, and for this reason a user need carry only one set of repai! parts Recent Developments in Oxygen Cutting Metallography of Iron and Steel Under the Action of a Melting Flame—Cast Iron Cut by Preheating the Oxygen —-BY STUART PLUMLEY AND F. J. NAPOLITAN rT\HE most interesting development which has oc- |’ curred recently in connection with cutting is without doubt the successful cutting of cast iron. lore than a year or two ago there were rumors, heard w and then in the industry, of some genius who ited that he had cut, or could cut, cast iron. These mors were not given much credence because it was uught that in most instances the man who believed had cut cast iron had in reality cut something else ch he thought was cast iron. \bout the same time the engineering department the Davis-Bournonville Co., Jersey City, N. J., began xperiments with a view to learning more of the basic nciples underlying cutting, particularly with respect cast iron. This paper outlines theories and prin- ples which may explain some of the conditions well »wn by men practised in cutting, but which had never en clearly understood by the majority of cutters. While we are rather skeptical of the commercial ers of a Cast-Iron Stone Crusher Head, Which Were ding Each corner piece represents a cut 4% in. thick, min. each, using 24 cu. ft. of oxygen and about 4 cu top and bottom ie of a cast-iron cutting torch, yet there are un- ibtedly occasions when the cutting of cast iron would f great value. Experimental work was done with a torch having a {| many different tubes leading to the head so that ost any combination of gases at varied pressures rht be obtained. From these experiments interest- theories have been evolved pertaining to the reac- ns which take place in cutting, together with their ition to our success in cutting cast iron. We can ially cut cast iron and we do it by preheating the ren, Effect of Carbon on the Cutting Action l'rom the ease with which wrought iron is cut we ‘ conclude that an aggregate of ferrites combines th oxygen with greatest avidity, and permits the spagation of a cut with least interruption. As the bon content is increased there is a material change he nature of the metal. In place of the preponder- of ferrite grains we recognize the formation of entite, and its union with some of the ferrite to m pearlite, the original mass of proeutectoid ferrite dly diminishing in prominence. As we _ should cipate from the nature of pearlite, no material inge is noticed in the performance of these alloys r the cutting torch. Of course, an ultra-precise umption test would probably indicate a lowering the efficiency coefficient, but, from all appearances, inusual difficulty is experienced in cutting carbon is up to about 80 to 90-point carbon. But here a ite transition is indicated by a distinct laboring of cutting torch. While the torch will begin a cut | practically the same effort, and proceeds to com- ‘tion without interruption or unusual delay, yet the *From a paper recently presented before the American ling Society, New York. The authors are with the 4 is-Bournonville Co., Jersey City, N. J. 1505 kerf is wide and ragged and undeniably distinguished from that of a mild steel cut. It is recognized practice now to preheat the piece to be cut to a black or dull red heat, when the impediment, whatever it was, seems to have been entirely eliminated. But let metallography explain the sudden change of properties of the steel. As the carbon content of the hypoeutectic steel was increased, the proximate mass of pearlite increased, and the proeutectoid fer- rite correspondingly diminished in volume until eventu- ally a point was reached where all of the cementite and ferrite existed in the stratified or laminated relation- ship of pearlite. This state is recognized as existing where the carbon content is between 80 and 90-point the approximate analysis of pearlite is yet undefined. As the carbon content is further increased there ap pears a constituent that we know as proeutectoid cementite, in fancy the cementite which has been ejected from the pearlite growth. It is circumstantial 3eveled with an Oxy-acetylene Cutting Torch, Preparatory to 17 in. long, with an area of 76 sq. in. The cuts were made ft. of acetylene The kerf was about 5/16 in. wide at the that the presence of this pro-eutectoid cementite is directly responsible for the increasing difficulty of our cutting. But why did preheating of the steel before cutting make such a remarkable difference in the re- sults? To be sure, the rise in temperature might affect the stability of any martensite, troostite or even sor- bite that might have existed, but the temperature was too far removed from the Ac 3-2-1 point to affect the characteristics of the pearlite. And surely the pro- eutectoid cementite was unchanged—and it was this same constituent that we blamed for the difficulty. Again, as the carbon content is substantially increased an equivalent interference with cutting is apparent, until, when the carbon content approaches 2.5 per cent, cutting becomes so labored as practically to cease, and no amount of preheating short of incipient fusion will permit it to propagate. The metal is now termed “cast iron,” and a microanalysis indicates that in addition to the presence of a cert