The Iron Age 1920-06-10: Vol 105 Iss 24

ee il ESTABLISHED 1855 THE IRON AGE New York, June 10, 1920 Cupola Designed to Save Time and Labor VOL. 105: No. 24 ad _ Bottom Doors Operated by One Man—Container Receives Material Direct When Bottom Is Dropped —Clean Metal and Continuous Operation Attained with which a number of new features are in- corporated, has recently been completed by the Modern Foundry Co., Oakley, Cincinnati. The im- provements mean better mixed and cleaner metal, saving of time and effort by reducing to an abso- lute minimum the practice of “stopping in” so common to most foundries, securing of a continu- ous run of metal and saving of time and labor on the part of the employees of the plant. The cupola is raised 10 ft. above the floor to enable a container to be run under it, so that when the bottom is dropped at the end of the day’s run all the material in the furnace will drop directly ] stim which 3 3 of a new cupola, in connection into it. The container is then picked up on a lift truck and immediately taken away. This does away with the labor involved in clearing up the floor after the bottom doors are dropped and per- mits the empty furnace to cool in a shorter time. A new method of lifting the bottom doors into place has also been installed and to show the amount of time and labor saved in this one opera- tion, it may be mentioned that one man can now lift the bottom doors into place in about 3 min., where formerly 5 men were required, taking 20 min. The method used is a simple one. The bot- tom doors are equipped with rollers, and an eye bolt is inserted in the furnace hearth plate at one Close Up View of the Slagging Spout, Showing Slag Notch and Slag Chamber Partly Open. When in operation slag flows through the notch to the trough, which is bolted to the spout 1647 NS eae | 1648 THE IRON AGE June 10, 19 General Electric Centrifugal Compressor Unit Which Supplies the Blast The chain hoist used to lift the bottom doors into place is immediately side of the doors. When the doors are to be raised a wire rope is passed over the rollers on the doors, and a hook on one end attached to the eye bolt. The other end is attached to a chain block, located on the compressor floor above, and in this way the doors are simultaneously hoisted into place, only one man being required. The bottom doors are held in place by a pivot beam, and a prop suspended from the ceiling fits into a slot at the outer end of the beam, thus pre- venting the movement of the beam when the cupola is running. For safety purposes a l1-in. pin pre- vents this prop from moving out of its place. When it is desired to drop the bottom doors, an air hoist, shown in one of the accompanying illustrations, is used, the hook being attached to the U-bolt in the prop, the safety pin withdrawn and the air turned into the hoist. When the supporting prop is re- leased from its position, the weight of the metal on the cupola bottom is sufficient to swing the pivot beam and thus allow the doors to open. As an additional safety measure when the furnace is running, the hook of the hoist is always disen- gaged from the supporting prop and the air hose leading to the hoist disconnected. The same work- man is always assigned the task of operating the hoist and in this way the chances of the doors be- to the right of the cupola ing dropped otherwise than by intention are elim inated. Another feature of this installation is the meth ods employed for insuring practically continuous operation, and also the certainty of securing bet- ter mixed and cleaner metal. This is accomplished by the slagging spout and the mixing ladle placed in front of the cupola. In order to operate the cupola continuously and thoroughly skim the molten metal, a_ slagging spout is used. When the furnace is tapped, molten metal flows into the basin. When the basin is filled, slag on top of the metal is held back by the bridge, and flows off through the slag notch on the side of the spout. While the furnace is in opera- tion the top of the slag chamber is covered with a flat fire trick tile. It will be apparent that it is practically impossible for the slag, resting as it does on top of the metal, to pass the bridge, into the mixing ladle. At the end of the heat the metal basin is tapped through a hole in the side and drained off, ready for the next day’s work. The mixing ladle, electrically operated, is placed directly in front of the cupola and is controlled by the operator from the platform above. This ladle has a teapot spout, and the same idea of a brick dam as carried out in the slagging spout is The Bottom of the Charging Door Is 8 In. Above the Floor. The specially constructed buggy takes a full charge of coke and dumps directly into the cupola ie 10, 1920 used here. When the metal is being poured, ladle usually contains from 4000 to 5000 Ib. ron, and has a capacity of 3 tons. The use of ladle insures continuous operation as it is necessary to “stop in” when ladles are being nged. It is only necessary that the operator the mixing ladle back and the extra capacity ily takes care of the flow of metal from the ola. Since the mixing ladle at all times con- ns molten metal equivalent to one complete irge, the proper chemical mixture is assured in foundry ladles. The charging door is lowered to within 8 in. Pivoted Beam Supporting Cupola Doors. The prop shown is hinged to the ceiling and rests in the socket. The pin pre- vents the prop from slipping. When doors are to be dropped the pin is withdrawn, the hook of the air hoist inserted in the U-bolt in the prop and hose connected. The cable shown is for the purpose of raising the doors simultaneously of the floor. This does away with the necessity of workmen having to lift pig iron and heavy scrap. Raw materials are placed on platforms at stock piles, then picked up by electrically operated lift trucks with scale attachment for weighing and conveyed to the charging floor. By the use of these trucks and platforms, handling of material by hand is reduced to a minimum. A specially constructed buggy, which takes a full charge of coke and dumps it directly into the cupola, is used. Two large automatically operated elevators are used as part of the charging platform, which is very compact. In order to insure proper charg- ing it is necessary to use the hand method as the standards are unusually severe. To equalize the blast pressure at the tuyere openings a special wind box is installed on this furnace. It is twice as high as the ordinary box and divided horizontally into two equal sections by a steel plate. The blast comes into the upper compartment directly from the compressor, and finds its way to the lower compartment, which con- nects directly to the tuyeres through six equally spaced holes in the dividing plate. Zippler tuyeres are used. A General Electric centrifugal com- pressor with a speed of 3450 r.p.m., is used. THE IRON AGE 1649 Mixing Ladle [In Tilted Position, Receiving LIron from the Cupola and Discharging Into the Foundry Ladle The cupola was built by the J. W. Paxson Co., Philadelphia, and was erected under the super- vision of A. N. Kelley, superintendent of the Mod- ern Foundry, who is responsible for the installa- tion. So efficient has this installation proved that the other cupola is now being similarly equipped. The Container Into Which the Bottom Is Dropped, and Also in Which Slag Is Received. The slag trough is on the left — - siete ee ee ferro ee eee ee en ee ~ EOL RR a RR AA = seneetesctgae ee a 1650 Operating Data on Large Shovels Records made in excavating the Queenstown-Chip- pewas power canal by the Hydro-Electric Power Com- mission of Canada have fully shown the value of large electric shovels, according to L. C. McClure, industrial department Westinghouse Electric & Mfg. Co., East Pittsburgh, Pa. Over 20,000 cu. yd. of earth and rock is removed daily in digging this canal, mainly accom- plished by three 8-cu. yd. electric shovels. The operating economies were found by making a thorough test on shovel No. 1. This Bucyrus shovel is of 300 ton weight, has a 90-ft. boom, uses either 5, 6, or 8 cu. yd. buckets and works on a 50 to 50-second cycle. There are four Westinghouse 440-volt 3-phase 25-cycle motors in this shovel used as follows: Two 25-hp. for hoist, one 150-hp. for thrust and one 150-hp. for swing. The controllers are of the master-switch, magnetic type and the whole operating is handled by two men. This shovel was working 90 ft. below the surface and loading material on cars approximately 70 ft. above their own base. The power for each cu. [Fi IH ry _—— —j}—_ Efe} ee j Saige TD one alain appa Samat 7 > j/ LL Lee Pr oa ccd $i. ——__—__- Chart Showing the Energy Consumption of Large Electric Shovel yd. dug, lifted and loaded into a car was approximately 0.8 kw.-hr. The graphic chart shows the energy consumption under actual working conditions. Fifty seconds were required to make the entire cycle, and during this period a maximum power demand of 800 hp. was reached. The average was 320 hp. for the entire cycle. An interesting feature of the operation of these shovels is the fact that regenerative braking is utilized whenever possible. In this particular instance it is used when the shovel is lowered the 70 ft. after it has been raised that distance in order to load the cars. This is accomplished as follows: When the operator is ready for the bucket to come down, the motors are connected to the power supply and the bucket falls with the motors running at slightly above synchronous Results of Test on Large Electric Shovel Kw.-Hr. Total Yards Kw.-Hr. Per Yard Wee CONE siwaksavaes 24,406.5 20,436.0 0.826 Day work only........ 15,380.0 12,216.0 0.794 Day and night ....... 9,326.5 8,220.0 0.882 speed. When such a condition is reached, the motors operate as induction generators. Although as can be seen from the curve, some energy is generated and pumped back into the line, this item is not the main feature of this operation. This method of lowering saves mechanical wear as the brakes are required only for stopping ‘and holding the bucket, requiring less re- pair work and making the equipment more reliable. Anti-Strike Bill Not Dead WASHINGTON, June 8.—When Congress reconvenes it will give further consideration to the question of anti-strike legislation. The Poindexter bill, prohib- iting interference with commerce by strikes, which was the subject of hearings before the Senate Committee on Interstate Commerce recently, has reached the Sen- ate calendar and presumably will be pressed at the next session. The bill when originally introduced was aimed to apply to all those “employed in any capacity in the production, care, maintenance, or operation of any means or agency of such commerce.” It was in- THE IRON AGE June 10, 1920 tended that the act would apply as well to indus engaged in the production of cars, locomotives, ne. sary fuel, and other means and agencies of transpo tation. The committee, however, restricted the ope tion of the first section of the bill to the officers employees of carriers subject to the act to regu! commerce, for the reason that to them only had me: been provided for the adjustment of industria] . putes by an official tribunal of the Government. 1 first section of the bill provides a fine of not exceedine $10,000, or imprisonment of not exceeding 10 yea upon whomever advises or attempts to persuade persons employed by carriers to obstruct, delay, hinder, prevent the movement of commodities. Section which is not limited to employees of carriers subject ty the act to regulate commerce, but applies as well ¢ employees of related industries, prohibits obstructin, or hindering the movement of commodities by force 0) violence or by threats or menace of any kind. Th first section applies only to peaceable efforts to tie up transportation. The coastwise steamship lines, which are under th: jurisdiction of the Interstate Commerce Commission. would be affected by the anti-strike bill. Shipping men who appeared before the committee estimated that from Jan. 1, 1918, down to the present time the strikes in coastwise shipping lines have cost the public $85, 959,976.69. This includes interest on the investment of the shippers in the commerce tied up, at 6 per cent, $12,800,000; interest on the investment of the carriers in interstate commerce facilities, $2,478,000; loss of revenue to the carriers, $18,426,976.69; loss in wages to the strikers themselves and others rendered idle by the strike, $12,255,000; and loss due to confusion, delay, congestion and destruction of perishable freight, $40,000,000. Decision Against Iron Company WASHINGTON, June 8.—The Supreme Court has rendered a decision holding that the Pennsylvania Rail- road Co. is entitled to recover $1,209 in demurrage charges on 227 cars of iron ore belonging to the Kit- taning Iron & Steel Mfg. Co. The court reversed a decision of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. The ore was frozen in shipment, and the company con- tended that it could not have unloaded the cars within the period of 48 hours free time allowed, and under de- murrage code demurrage charges could not be legally assessed against the shippers. The Pennsylvania Rail- road contended that if each car was considered sep- arately, it could have béen unloaded within the free time allowed. The proceedings of the National Safety Council at its eighth annual safety congress at Cleveland early in October, 1919, have been compiled in a paper-covered book of 1457 pages and may be secured from headquar- ters, 168 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago. Among the contents are discussions of workmen’s inspection committees by representatives of the Carnegie Steel Co., the Cambria Steel Co., the American Stee! & Wire Co. and the Bethlehem Steel Co. Among the other companies in metal-working and allied lines represented in the program were: The Norton Co., Worcester, Mass.; the American Rolling Mill Co., the National Malleable Castings Co., the Rock- ford Malleable Iron Works, Rockford, IIl.; the Marion Gray Iron Foundry, Marion, Ind.; the Detroit Steel Cast- ing Co. and the Interstate Iron & Steel Co., Chicago. Steel mill electrical repair shop practice was dis- cussed by A. J. Standing, superintendent electric de- partment Saucon Plant, Bethlehem Steel Co., South Bethlehem, Pa., at a meeting of the Philadelphia sec- tion of the Association of Iron and Steel Electrical Engineers, 513 Empire Building, Pittsburgh. The speaker outlined the policies which should govern the use of one large central repair shop, or the use of a somewhat smaller central repair shop, together with several small local repair shops in isolated parts of the mills. Electrical organization, record systems for mo- tors, cranes and repair work, as well as safety and welfare of employees, were discussed in detail. Workmen’s Congress Solves Wage Problem How the Principles of Industrial Democracy Have Worked Out on the Representative Plan at the Works of the Reliable N interesting example of the actual application A of the principles of industrial democracy in shop b management is found in the plant of the Re- iable Stove Co., Cleveland, a branch of the American Stove Co. The employees of this company have had a voice in its management only about three months, but during that time have developed as a constructive fac- tor in the operation of the plant and have solved the most important problem that comes up in the relations of the employer and employee, that of wage adjustment. With the authority conferred upon it, the company’s employees’ con- gress, through its wage and rate committee, tackled the wage question and in doing so apparently attempted to pro- vide a new wage scale that / would be fair to the company as well as to the employees. This wage scale, providing sub- stantial increase in wages, was approved by the final authority, the cabinet, in the person of ° the plant manager, and has 2 been placed in effect. 1 I The way the wage advance < was brought about was a re- t : freshing departure from the g plan often resorted to by labor | -- unions, of making unreasonable < a demands often with a view of accepting a compromise, threats, disturbances and pos- sibly a strike. In connection with the establishment of the DEPARTMENTAL FOREMA COMPANYS INDUSTRIAL REPRESENTATIVE > > a> a> a> => ==> i oH | Stove Co. for one year. The same rule applies to the appointed members. Three-quarters of the members constitute a quorum and a majority vote of the members present is necessary to pass on a measure. It is the duty of the employees’ congress to make suggestions pertaining to all phases of management directly affecting the employees. The congress is split up by the chairman into committees, each committee being charged with the respon- sibility of matters relating to its particular subject. There are committees on such subjects as employment and discharge, health, sanitation and safety, wages and rates, economics and suggestions. In each depart- ment there is elected by ballot an employee whose duty it is to gather material for the con- gress and interpret rulings of the congress to employees of that department. These repre- sentatives are chosen from the members of the department eligible to vote and do not have a vote in the congress but have the right to appear before any committee of the congress. The congress holds regular monthly meetings after work- ing hours so that all employees may attend the sessions, and special meetings may be called at any time the chairman deems it necessary. Committee meetings are held as frequently as necessary, taking place in 1. SECRETARY OF CONGRESS COMMITTEE OF CONGRESS 3 CONGRESS DEPARTMENTAL REPRESENTATIVE new wage scale, it is interest- % » oul the company’s assembly room. ing to note that the men, Now, seh The right to vote for candidates through the congress, provided ons s/* for election to the congress is \ yy a plan for classifying em- ployees according to their effi- ciency, thus departing from the usual labor union rule that every man should be paid the same day rate for the same kind of work. The question of adopting a form of industrial democracy in order to provide representa- tion of the employees in the management of the plant was submitted to the men last December and 287 out of 341 employees approved the plan, or 84 per cent of the total number. The plan as adopted is generally similar to that of other companies that have recently applied democracy to shop management. There is a congress composed of 12 members, six of whom are elected by the employees and six are appointed by the plant manager. The three that receive the highest number of votes act as a committee to confer with the plant manager on the appointment of the six chosen by the manager. Fore- men are not eligible to candidacy. Membership is limited to American citizens over 21 years of age who have been employees of the company at least a year. Female employees are given equal rights to serve in the congress, but the female mem- bership is limited to one-fourth of the total number. The congress elects one of its members as chairman and the company’s industrial representative appoints the secretary. One-half of the congressmen are elected for one year and the remainder for two years, but be- ginning with the second election the term of office is resentatives for Alternative Sources of Appeal by Employees in Person or Through Their Departmental Rep- Adjustment of 1651 held equally by male and female employees, but no em- ployee has a right to vote who has not been employed by the company for at least 90 days. A congressman may be re- called when it is found he no longer represents his constitu- ents or is out of harmony with the work of the congress. A petition setting forth his faults whether of commission or omission, must be signed by 25 per cent of the employees entitled to a vote and pre- sented to the congress which shall then appoint a com- mittee to investigate the case and if, in its opinion, the charges are justified, the committee shall order a vote taken. If 60 per cent of all employees voting concur in the verdict, the congressman is recalled and his successor elected. A representative may be simi- larly recalled if 25 per cent of the voting members of the department petition congress and if 50 per cent of the employees of his department vote for his recall. In addition to the employees’ congress, there is a senate whose duty is to work with the congress in the preparation of such measures as affect the company’s policies and plan of management. This senate con- sists of heads of departments and the company’s in- dustrial representative, who acts as chairman without vote except in case of a tie, and at present has seven members. It is the duty of the senate to pass on such measures as the employees’ congress shall present for approval. In case of approval by the senate, the meas- ure approved is passed through the industrial repre- Grievances. BP an tbh das a ~ Behan Set a - cm eee enn ‘ we a ee ey tl tee tame al dl i i lt oe . PPM pe mang i i Ke RE ee ee et a ey A é dang " ey y AY 2 ee a cae peal epee ie ~ + Ape RT SPL: Fem me Ae aoa et ene Ss re Sans . “aie om ape Cot: “* See lee CPR NE eecaemrentingee 1652 THE IRON AGE sentative to the plant manager for the final action of the cabinet before becoming a company policy. In the event of disapproval, the senate must present sugges- tions that will put the measure in acceptable shape. Three-quarters of the membership of the senate shall constitute a quorum and the majority of votes present is necessary to approve or disapprove. Approval by the senate constitutes indorsement only, as the final approval of the cabinet is necessary to put any ap- proved measure into effect. In case the employees’ congress and senate are unable to agree on the meas- ure, the chairman of the respective bodies each ap- points three members to act as a joint committee for the purpose of bringing the disputed measure to such form as will be acceptable to both bodies. Meetings of the senate are held at least once a month. A measure becomes a company policy by being adopted by the congress and senate, and approved by the cabinet. The organization plan provides that the cabinet shall consist of the plant manager and other company executives, with final authority on such mat- ters as come within the authority invested in them by the board of directors. However, the plant manager is acting alone as the cabinet. The American Stove Co. has two other plants in Cleveland, each operated by individual units and it is the intention, should the plant management plan be adopted by the other plants, to have a cabinet composed of the managers of the three plants. A supreme court is also provided for the purpose of acting as a final court of appeals or to interpret the articles of agreement between the company and its employees. This consists of nine members, three chosen from the congress, three from the senate and three from the cabinet. This court elects its own chairman but has no vote except in case of a tie. Either the congress or senate may impeach one of its members. To obtain a conviction, it is necessary that two-thirds of the members shall concur in the verdict. Conviction carries with it only expulsion from office, although the person expelled is required to show a reason why his conduct is not reason also for his dis- missal from the employ of the company. At the first meeting of the congress, two commit- tees of five members each were appointed, one of wages and rates and the other on employment and discharge. The congress at the same meeting also voted in favor of classifying, rating and paying all men according to their ability. It also went on record in favor of piece work prices wherever possible and practical. Committees Recommend Wages and Rates The wage and: rate committee decided to divide all employees of the plant into two general classes known as tradesmen and non-tradesmen. The non-tradesmen were classified as car loaders and unloaders, truckers and helpers and common laborers, with a minimum and a maximum pay for each class. Tradesmen were sub-divided into 23 classes. Three ratings were given the majority of the trades but some were given only two ratings; and the committee specified that there should be a minimum and a maximum pay for each rating. This rating of skilled employees in three classes is made according to the abilities of the men. The rating is done by the wage and rate committee with the assistance of the man’s foreman and the de- partment representative. The man is called before them, questioned, and the plan is explained to him be- fore he is given a rating. The wage and rate committee recommended that, to avoid difficulty after piece work prices have been established, set-up men be employed to prepare ma- chines to receive work when it is necessary to set up dies, tools, jigs, etc., before operation can start. It had been the usual practice for piece workers to set up their machines and they were allowed a certain time at the day rate for this work. The committee deemed it advisable to eliminate this practice and to employ specially trained set-up men, believing that this policy would result in the elimination of disputes regarding piece work prices and would also speed up production. In order to decide what recommendations it should June 10, 192 make on the question of wages, the wage and committee appointed a special committee of two visit other plants, and this committee, after }, provided with letters of introduction which gay access to plants and their payrolls, visited ten C); land factories which do work of similar character. cluding stove manufacturing plants and machine sho; and made a report to the’ committee of the earni) of the men in these plants with a comparison of rates paid in their own plant. The committee fou that wages paid in their plant compared favorab with those in other plants, with some exceptions, which cases readjustments were recommended. Following this investigation of the special comm tee, the wage and rate committee submitted a ney schedule of hourly rates to the congress. This schedul: provided an average advance of 11 per cent in rates Some rates were left about where they were and others were advanced about 20 per cent. The congress ap proved the report after making two changes. Th matter was then passed on to the senate, which ir creased some rates and reduced others, but made a slight average increase. The wage scale as amended by the senate was approved by the congress, then sent back to the senate, where it was adopted and then passed on to the plant manager who, acting as the cabinet, approved it, thus placing it into effect. One subject taken up by the congress was that of working hours. The plant had been operating on a 9-hr. basis, and a motion that 9 hr. should constitute a day’s work was adopted. The congress also decided that men on an hourly basis should be paid time and a half for overtime, and that piece workers should receive only the same rate for overtime as during regular hours. The differential in favor of the former was made because piece workers are able to earn a larger rate of pay in their regular working hours than the men on the hourly basis. Adjustment of Grievances Alternative channels are provided through which employees can appeal in person or through their de- partment representative for adjustment of grievances. These are outlined in a pamphlet distributed among the men which also contains a diagram clearly illus- trating the various channels through which employees may present their grievances. The paragraphs re- ferred to on the diagram read as follows: 1. Complaints and grievances to be taken up first with foreman and superintendent. Before presenting any, grievance to the company’s in- dustrial representative, employees shall first seek to have differences or the conditions complained about, adjusted by conference in person or through their departmental repre- sentatives with the department foreman, who, in the event of being unable to make a satisfactory adjustment, shall see that the matter is properly presented to the superintendent. 2. Investigation of grievances by the company’s indus- trial representative. Employees believing themselves subjected to unfair con- ditions or treatment, and having failed to secure satisfactory adjustment of same through the foreman and superintendent, may present their grievances to the company’s industrial representative either in person or through their regularly elected departmental representative, and it shall be the duty of the company’s industrial representative to look into the matter immediately and seek to adjust the grievance. 3. Reference of differences to proper committee of congress. When the company’s industrial representative fails to adjust a difference satisfactorily, upon the request of the secretary of congress, or upon the initiative of the company’s industrial representative himself, the difference shall be re- ferred to the proper committee of congress for consideration and further action. To entitle an employee to the consideration of his appeal by any committee of congress, the right to appeal must be exercised within a period of two weeks after the decision of the company’s industrial repre- sentative. In carrying out their general plan of industrial democracy, the company in co-operation with its em- ployees has adopted a “Square Deal” creed of seven points under which both the company and the em- june 10, 1920 yees aim to be guided in their relations with each ier. This creed is as follows: We believe in a “Square Deal” on the part of the agement and workers, one toward the other and both yard the community. We believe that the principal desires of the manage- nt and workers are identical, namely—happiness: that the s of happiness is health, progress, opportunity and pros rity. We believe industry is the most important factor in rmining the basis of happiness, and must recognize that 1 are men, something more than mere machines, more 1 money—recognition being the basis of self-respect We believe the management should give just returns THE IRON AGE 1653 for the work performed, to provide opportunity to learn and grow, to e&Stablish clean, orderly, safe and sanitary working conditions, proper equipment, reasonable hours and oppor- tunities for recreation and rest. 5. We believe workers should give honestly applied en- ergy, constructive thought to reduction of costs and highest quality of product, regular and dependable service, assume responsibility for indolence, indifference, restriction of output and poor workmanship. 6. We believe workers should be loyal and enthusiastic, should boost for their company, product, management and fellow workers. 7. We believe management and workers, comprising in- dustry, will effect better mutual and community happiness by co-operation, stimulated through representation—the prin- ciple of democracv—A Square Deal Electrodes for Iron and Steel Furnaces Comparison of Carbon and Graphite—Question of Metal- lic Electrodes—Cooling Collars and Carbon Consumption NARBON, in either the amorphous or graphite C, form, is the only material which answers at all is electrodes for steel and iron electric melting and efining furnaces. Often the question is asked why electrodes made of the material being treated can- not be used. This has been done, but not with success, for the electric arc furnishes the highest temperature known, estimated at 3500 deg. C, or more than twice the melting point of iron. Water ‘ooling of the interior of an iron electrode was sug- gested by Siemens over 40 years ago, but this has scarcely been tried since, as it is apparent such a combination would be of only momentary service caused by the danger of burning away of the iron electrode. The consequent release of the water on the bath would be, while not disastrous, hardly auspicious. So the iron electrode has not been used, except here and there by an amateur, even though it has better electrical conductance and greater strength than electrodes made of any car- bon material. The one reason, therefore, for the exclusive use today of carbon as the electrode material for these furnaces is its high point of oxidation, which exceeds even the temperature of the arc itself and the fact that it is worn away, therefore, only by oxidation. Carbon in some form, therefore, hav- ing been chosen, the controversy promises to exist as long as the are furnaces themselves, whether the amorphous or the graphitic form best suits the conditions imposed upon it. From the theoretical point of view this was discoursed upon at length 10 years ago by Hering and Hansen, before very much comparative practical information was avail- able. Since 200 electric furnaces in this country alone have been placed in operation during the past two or three years, the decision to use either one or the other is based more on empirical data than otherwise. Electrode§ should be strong, possess good elec- trical and thermal characteristics giving low operat- ing costs, not easily oxidizable, of nearly exact diameters, joints easily made and broken joints easily re-threaded. With furnaces having more than one electrode, they should be chosen of such a diameter and material that the pools of molten metal made from cold material run together quick- ly, considering the furnace design and the second- ary voltage. Amorphous carbon electrodes are stronger per *Engineer, Park Row Building. New York. BY C. H. VOM BAUR* unit of area in the transverse test than the graphite by 50 per cent or more. For the same current carrying capacity they are usually twice the diam- eter and consequently resist the shock of a tool or scrap and pig thrown against it, or the lunging of material against it as it melts much better, though with careful operation these accidents do not often occur. The threads give way or the joints break mostly for other than these reasons. Great care must be exercised when making a joint for the amorphouselectrode, using carbon paste whereas the graphite joint goes together alone with suc- cess. If when dephosphorizing, or under other oxidizing conditions, such as leaky doors and cool- ing collars, the electrode wears away unduly, the carbon, although attacked more easily by these oxidizing conditions, has a much thicker wall be- fore the thread is reached simply because it is larger. Both kinds of electrodes break off and fall into the furnace, whether equally often is a much dis- puted point and one on which many have often reversed their opinion, including the writer. The smaller diameter electrode piece, even though longer, can usually be more easily removed with tongs, ete., than the larger diameter piece. The graphite can also be very easily machined with comparatively cheap equipment. This is usually done by all companies using them, whereas the re-threading of the larger diameter carbon elec- trodes emphasizes an expensive equipment, much care in doing it, and is only being done by a few users. Cooling Collars Much has been done to improve the cooling col- lar so that the electrode consumption would only register the amount necessary for the work it actually accomplished, and not that due to neglected conditions, such as leaky doors, loose fitting and too short cooling collars. The collars should not be over 1% in. (6 mm.) to *% in. (9 mm.) larger in diameter than the electrode and of a height less than the diameter of the electrode. To keep air and gases from leaking around them, many mechan- ical and even telescopic air chambers have been ap- plied which, though meritorious, are rather com- plicated for the rough treatment an electric fur- nace usually gets. Hence to keep this sliding fit tight, all that is really necessary is a cooling col- lar having a flat top so that an adequate quantity of wet slag material or clay can be placed against eee ancl iil weir de aPay ll i Saal — Pal sth oe nn ke A tine ed ee 2 is Ae en 0c as a ae ane ee me ene . 6, sicheen rectlibuae ; - monet" anesienee ANGE Pee - a... PRTG SRE Bee res a ct 5 ae ee eee Tt aay Cn Pa a ee eee eer ae i.e 7 of ’ ‘ 5p ' 5 t ‘ t : he ‘e se i ‘ ® § t : ee Rie ware = ; * 4g } ero eae : dad So rey a ~ SF - ay = F Fon an pis an gaged caine wr - pe iotaa divine one ghee fore rey pre Ma 1654 the electrode and kept there, which is the all-im- portant item. Some collars have a narrower in- terior diameter half way down, causing them to hug the electrode more closely. Here wet clay material makes the sliding fit easier and better. Just which electrode costs the least per ton of metal melted and for refining is something which each operator must determine for himself. Some- times by changing over from one to the other, re- markable savings are shown, not only in this iter but in the quicker heats and less electricity used per ton of output. The smallest (%4 to 1'-ton) and the largest (20 to 30-ton) furnaces use graphite electrodes almcst exclusively, whereas the inter- mediate sizes lean first to the one and then to the other, depending on the design. Many 6-ton fur- naces use carbon electrodes, whereas other designs of the same size use graphite. Effect of Raising the Roof It is a decided mistake to raise the roof decid- edly in order to have it last a little longer when pouring a very hot steel, because it not only in- creases the electrode consumption, but cuts down the tonnage and decreases the thermal efficiency generally. A good simple automatic control often lessens the electrode consumption because it im- proves conditions generally compared to the best hand control. Less breakage is apt to occur, and as breakages are the béte noir of the electric fur- nace operator, adequate means should be at hand for salvaging the broken pieces and using them over again as already mentioned. If electrodes are round enough, they should slip through a ring only 2 per cent larger. Sometimes the holder is out of repair, such as current going through steel hinges, instead of a copper shunt, which has been neglected, thus heating the holder and in turn the electrode, where it would normally be comparatively cool, especially with tight-fitting cooling collars as mentioned. A daily cleaning of these holders with compressed air is of much help, even the indirect psychological effect it has on all the furnace op- erators. Electrode consumption with these fur- naces has been known to decrease in a remarkable manner, as soon as the operators could enjoy part of the saving. Converted to Iron Foundry The Standard Process Steel Corporation, Phillips- burg, N. J., has been reorganized. New equipment has been added and practically the entire plant will be given over to the manufacture of large and small gray iron castings on molding machines. Ralph Sleicher, Troy, N. Y., has been appointed general manager of the foundry. He was for a number of years with the West Side Foundry in Troy. The sale of the entire output of the plant has been placed in the hands of the J. W. Sanders Co., 30 Church Street, New York, as agent. Opportunities for the use of electric machinery in handling various materials were discussed by Zenas W. Carter, manager the Material Handling Machinery Manufacturers’ Association, Néw York, in a_ paper, “Electric Machinery for All Handling—An Oppor- tunity,” presented at the convention of the National Electric Light Association, Pasadena, Cal., May 18. Copies of the paper can doubtless be had by address- ing the National Electric Light Association, 29 West Thirty-ninth Street, New York. The article on new courses in metallurgy as estab- lished by the Michigan Agricultural College, East Lan- sing, Mich., was written by W. G. Hildorf, in charge of this work. Prof. H. B. Dirks is head of the division of engineering of the college. THE IRON AGE June 10, 199 Plant and Plans of Newton Steel Co. The first product was recently shipped from : plant of the Newton Steel Co. at Newton Falls, Tru bull county, Ohio, which commenced operations ea; in April. The plant consists of eight stands of rou ing mills and eight stands of finishing mills, with » annual production capacity of 50,000 tons. The mij are entirely electrically driven and so constructed ths additions may be made efficiently, as warranted. Th, product is chiefly high grade sheets, especially adapte. for automobile body construction, for steel furnitur Pullman cars and the like. Principal markets of th: company will be Philadelphia, Cleveland, Toledo, |. troit, Chicago and Cleveland. The plant is located along the Mahoning river, on a 150-acre site. It is the first to get use of water from the Milton reservoir, a large artificial basin created several miles above Newton Falls by the city of Youngs town, Ohio, to insure an adequate water supply for th: steel plants of the Mahoning Valley during the summer months. The plant is served by the New York Centra! and the main line and a branch of the Baltimore & Ohio. It has over one mile of sidings. Because of its location the company enjoys rate advantages on sheet bar, its principal raw material, and coal. It is the first steel company to locate at Newton Falls. The company plans to conduct a store to sell small supplies to employees at cost, and to serve meals within the plant on the same basis. The company has advantageous contracts with coal! producers having mines only 25 to 40 miles west of its plant. Fuel shipments may therefore be facilitated, inasmuch as they do not pass through heavily congested centers. By means of a powdered coal installation, powdered coal is used under the boilers and for the sheet, pair and annealing furnaces. The company has long time contracts covering its sheet bar requirements satisfactory as to price and delivery, and the same applies to its acid requirements. The Newton Steel Co. is capitalized at $3,000,000, represented by $2,000,000 of common and $1,000,000 of preferred. Of the common $1,350,000 has been issued and is fully paid in. Of the preferred $705,000 has been issued, a large part of which has been sub- scribed. An issue of $650,000 preferred is being sold to provide adequate funds for working capital and busi- ness extension. A condensed balance sheet issued to stockholders shows total assets of $2,082,500, including $1,306,964.88 in plant investment. President Edward F. Clark was formerly president of the Liberty Steel Co., whose plant near Leavitts- burg, Trumbull county, was absorbed in 1919 by the Trumbull Steel Co. H. M. Steele is vice-president and general manager of the company. He began his career in 1895 with the Morton Tinplate Co., of Cambridge, Ohio; in 1900 he went with the American Sheet & Tin Plate Co., first at the Muncie, Ind., plant, then suc- cessively at the works of the company at Canal Dover, Ohio, Farrell, Pa., and Cambridge, Ohio, first as spe- cial representative of the operating department and later as general manager. In 1917 he became vice- president and general manager of the Liberty Steel Co., resigning when it was sold, to help develop the Newton Steel Co. The directors of the Newton company are Edward F. Clark, H. M. Steele, J. H. Fitch, Jr.. W. H. B. Ward, H. A. Taylor, J. W. Ford and George T. Fillius. R. A. Kenworthy is secretary and J. H. Fitch, Jr., is treasurer. The American Steel Foundries plant at East St. Louis, Ill., which has been shut down since February, 1919, resumed operations May 1, and in a few days had its full force at work. About 700 men have been put at work and day and night shifts are to be run. Rowlarid G. Rice and Robert S. Jones, formerly of the F. W. Marke Construction Co., Cleveland, have or- ganized the Rice-Jones Co., and will engage in general building construction with offices at 10600 Euclid Ave- nue, that city. ne 10, 1920 Cutting Armor Plate Into Scrap our-thousand tons of armor plate used as targets heavy artillery shells in the big gun tests conducted Sandy Hook during the war, are now being cut to ‘ging box size at Sandy Hook by the oxy-acetylene CSS. [he plates, 3 in. thick by about 9 ft. x 13 ft., weigh veen seven and eight tons each, and are being cut sections 13 in. x 25 in., each weighing around 300 The weights vary somewhat owing to the necessity ‘utting through the shell holes, each plate having ‘ punctured six times by the projectiles. Several eeks will be necessary to complete the work which is ing done by the Oxweld Acetylene Co., Newark, N. J. Memorial to Edmund G. Spilsbury “Edmund Gybbon Spilsbury—A Memoir” has been ympiled by Alfred D. Flinn, of the United Engineering Society, 29 West Thirty-ninth Street, New York, from which the following facts, additional to those published n THE IRON AGE of June 3, have been extracted. His technical society affiliations were as follows: Presi- lent of the American Institute of Mining and Metal- irgical Engineers in 1896 and of the Engineers’ Club f New York in 1916 and 1917; member of the Amer- an Society of Civil Engineers, the American Society f Mechanical Engineers, the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy of Great Britain, the Mining and Metal- lurgical Society of America, the American Electro- chemical Society; Engineering Societies Library Board from 1913 to 1920, and its chairman from 1918 to January, 1920, Engineering Foundation Board from 1916 to his death, Division of Engineering of the National Research Council of Washington and New York; he was trustee of the United Engineering So- iety from 1916 until his death. After graduation from the University of Louvain, n 1862, he took a practical course at Clausthal, Ger- nany. His practice as a consulting mining engineer and metallurgist took him into many parts of Europe, \frica, the United States, Mexico and South America. The winter and early spring of this year he spent sev- eral weeks in Brazil on a mining project for clients n the United States and had returned to New York nly a few weeks before his death on May 28. In 1864 he became assistant engineer of the Esch- THE IRON AGE 1655 weiler Zinc Co., Stolberg, one ofthe largest miners and smelters of lead and zine in the world, the next year he took charge of that company’s mines and works on the island of Sardinia; then he went to the Atlas mountains in Morocco. In 1867 he entered the service of McClean and Stilman of London, and had charge of the construction of the iron gates for the Surrey Commercial Docks; in 1868 he was designing engineer with C. Jasper Karkort, having charge of most of the detail work of the Keulenberg bridge in Holland, the Danube bridge in Vienna and the Rhine bridge at Dusseldorf; two years later he was again Shell Pierced Armor Plate That Is Being Reduced to Charging Box Size by the Ox'y-acetylene Proc ess The plates, 3 in thick and approximately 9 ft. x 13 ft. are being cut into sections 13 in. x 25 in., each weighing 2 300 Ib around with the Eschweiler Corphalic Co. as chief engineer. The same year he was sent to the United States by the Austro-Belgian Metallurgical Co. to investigate the resources in lead and zinc. After spending two years in this work he resigned to practice in this country. He was the first to introduce the Harz system of ore- dressing for the zine ores of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In 1879 he designed and built the Lynchburg Blast Furnace and Iron Works; he was also consulting engi- neer for the Coleraine Cod] & Iron Co., Philadelphia. He was managing director of the Trenton Iron Co., Trenton, N. J., from 1888 to 1897, and in this position introduced the Elliot locked wire rope and the Bleichert system of aerial tramways. In 1893 he presided over the sessions of the mining division of the International Engineering Congress of the World’s Fair at Chicago. Among the technical papers which he wrote are the following: From the Transactions of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, “Iron Ore Deposits on the James River,” 1880; “New Air Compressor,” 1879; “Improvements in Mining and Metallurgical Appliances During the Last Decade,” 1897. Because of his long, active service he was an authority on the evolution of the mining industry. The Wickwire-Spencer Steel Corporation, Worcester, Mass., has leased a building at 215 West Ontario Street, Chicago, as a warehouse for its line of wire and wire products. The building is of fireproof construction and contains 35,000 sq. ft. The corporate name of the American Gun Barrel Mfg. Co., New Haven, Conn., has been changed to the Avis Gun Barrel Co. eee 2° Eg gia agg octet a a PL rate hath teehee i er mronNeatsr nina: aN ome salty amy vel oe ae ~~ ~- Re NN me me eee T_T ET TT a RT Ae oT Ft TT Ee Sr Je i. RT. chi” te Re i a aT? ne > sero en De Pe ornate <item neo -- ~~ it if : t ee - Aa PRE ale ee ro pt aoe eee eggs ee genes oe - . x Sor oe 1656 THE IRON AGE Combination Brush and Gage A combination of brush and gage has been devel- oped and patented by Herman L. Wittstein, works manager Chapman Valve Mfg. Co., Indian Orchard, Mass. By the use of this combination of the brush with the gage, it is explained, more accurate results are obtained and the life of the gage is materially lengthened. The brush tends to act as a pilot, thus to The Brush on the End of the Gage Cleans the Surface Before the Gage Enters and Also Acts as a Pilot eliminate almost entirely the wear commonly occurring at the entrance end of the gage. The brush cleans the surface before the gage enters, removes foreign material, thus preventing abrasive action, and at the same time gives increased accuracy to measurement and increased speed in the inspection work. The spiral brushes are so made as to leave the bristles at slightly varying lengths so that when the brush is used in conjunction with a screw gage, the bristles tend to thoroughly clean out the thread both at top and bottom. A company has been formed at Springfield, Mass., under the