The Iron Age 1922-06-15: Vol 109 Iss 24

ESTABLISHED 1855 THE IRON AGE New York, June 15, 1922 VOL. 109, No, 24 Improvement in Sheet Mill Practice New Italian Design Intended to Reduce Labor Costs and Increase Production—Semi- Automatic Features BY ERNESTO D’AMICO* of rendering sheet-rolling mills automatic, while all other kinds of mills have been perfected to such an extent as to permit reaching high figures of production never even dreamed of in the past, with a educed employment of labor. We are led to believe that the reason for this slow progress is based on the small number of thin sheet rolling mills and on the ynservative spirit of both management and labor, as there is nothing to prevent the adoption in existing sheet mills of all these improvements which, without altering the present installations, would bring, as a result, not only a larger production but also a great saving of overhead and labor expenses, and conse- juently a lower cost of manufacture. Ordinarily the procedure for rolling sheets may be immarized as follows: Sheet bars, roughed out sheets and sheet packs re all heated in a furnace fed by coal or gas. This furnace is generally composed of two independent hambers. The sheet bars are heated in the first hamber; then they are put through the roughing ls to be converted into roughed-out sheets. These tter are then returned to the furnace and placed in Lt progress has been made along the line *Milan, Italy. Se ee) oe oe Detail of the Mill Stands, Showing the Wedge and Gear Action for Adjusting the Rolls. appears, opposite the pinion housing, at left center 1655 the second chamber, to be reheated in preparation for the next rolling operation. As soon as the roughed-out sheets have been prop- erly reheated, they are once more put through the rolls, and then folded by means of the doubling ma- chine. After this operation the sheets are brought again to the second chamber of the furnace and re- heated for the third time. Finally they are taken out from the furnace to be rolled into finished sheets. Thus the finishing stand is kept busy by rolling alternately roughed-out sheets and doubled sheets. In the meantime, however, the roughing stand is not working steadily, but is subjected to periods of idle- ness, which are extended to give time for the next charge of sheet bars to become heated. Operations as above are schematically shown in diagram, Fig. 1. Now it is evdent that the ahove procedure limits production and inereases costs, due mainly to waste of heat, because of the noncontinuous utilization of the furnace and to-waste of power, as the roughing stand is not working steadily. Also, the waste of labor is noteworthy, especially around the furnace, because this latter, not being continuous, requires quite a number of men for the handling of the material. Before the war was over, the Societa Anonima Alti The automatic doubler pe. 1656 Forni, Fonferie & Acciaierie di Terni, in Rome, in order to complete its range of rolled products, and in pre- vision of peacetime needs, pushed ahead plans to make a complete new plant for rolling sheets, giving special care to finding a solution of such after-war problems as the greater cost of raw material, increased wages and sharper competition. Among the various plans submitted to its examination, the Terni Co. gave prefe- rence to the one proposed by G. Boscarelli, C. E., a young and well-known metallurgical expert. The new plant built by Mr. Boscarelli at the Terni works seems to have successfully solved most of the difficulties which are being experienced in sheet roll- ing and has obtained the following results: 1. Its production is materially increased in com- parison with the production obtained with previous installations. The adoption of a continuous furnace for sheet bars, some well thought-out mechanical ap pliances and, finally, a more rational distribution of work at the roughing and finishing stands are respon- sible for the increase of production. 2. The thickness of the sheets has been rendered more constant. Furthermore, in the new Terni plant, THE IRON AGE June 15, 192° of the rolls. While this device is hydraulically dri electric or steam power can also be employed. lifting device is provided with a special contr which arrests the bars in front of the stands; a ing system is also provided to stop momentarily further movement of the bars to the stands, whe; lifting device is in motion. When this device js in operation, it is lowered beneath the floor level, ; a special trapdoor closes automatically upon it, in o to allow the workmen to roll the material. In the two new rolling diagrams, Fig. 2 show rolling of sheets 40 x 80 in., in thicknesses vary from 0.2 to 0.7 mm (United States gage 35 to : The second, Fig. 3, takes in the rolling of sheets x 80 in. and more, having a thickness of 0.8 to 3 (United States gage 22 to 11). At the roughing stands, Fig. 2, the sheet bars rolled directly down to the thickness suitable for taining the doubled sheets, thus rendering superfiu the usual operation of reheating the roughed-out shx In fact, according to the ordinary procedure, roughed-out sheets, which have been obtained thr: the rolling of the bars, must be heated and rolled General View of the New Mill, with Continuous Sheet Bar Heating Furnace in Left Foreground and 110-Ton Fly- wheel with Leather Rope Drive in Background underground passage shown. Sheet bars from the furnace pass to the roughing rolls through the Tote boxes appear at right opposite the forest of* casters, while the muffle furnaces for sheet packs are behind the columns at left sheets can be rolled much thinner than with similar existing rolling mills. 3. A considerable saving in the cost of sheets manufactured is obtained by reducing heating opera- tions to two only; therefore fewer hands are required and fuel consumption is cut down Two diagrams, Figs. 2 and 3, indicate schematic- ally the process of sheet rolling developed by Mr. Bos- carelli and successfully adopted by the Terni Steel Works. In the new sheet plant the bars are heated in a large furnace burning lignite gases; the furnace is equipped with a heat recuperator. The bars are pushed into the furnace by means of the charging ma- chine and forced to skid on water-cooled pipes. As soon as the bars have become heated to the right point, they are taken out of the furnace with the as- sistance of but one man and placed on an inclined belt conveyor, from which they are unloaded on live rollers and carried, through roughing stands. Each train consists of two stands of roughing and two stands of finishing rolls and one of pinions. This latter is situated in the center of the train between the two roughing stands, while the finishing stands are at the outer ends of the train. In front of each stand is placed a special auto- matic device for the lifting of the bars to the level an underground passage, to the more in order to obtain sheets of the thickness needed for the doubling operation. It is therefore of particu lar note that in the new Terni plant, thanks to a moré rational rolling process, all sheets 40 x 80 in., from 0.2 mm. up to 0.7 mm. thick, are rollec with only on reheating operation. Diagram 8 is still more simple. In this case onl) the bar furnace is used, while the furnace for the sheet packs is cold. Each of the four stands acts as finis! ing and roughing stands at the same time, because 0! the fact that sheets from 0.8 to 3 mm. are obtain directly from the sheet bar, completely utilizing first heating. The furnaces for the sheet packs are of the mui type, burning lignite gas, and are provided with h¢ recuperators. A special automatic charging dev) permits realizing a very useful pre-herting of packs. In front of each pair of stands there is one these furnaces, consisting of two chambers (pair fu! naces). From each chamber the material goes to finishing stand. Thanks to the above-described arrangement, none the four stands is ever idle. This renders it poss! to attain a degree of uniformity and continuity work very difficult to reach with the usual installati Another advantage of the new system of rolling the regularity of the thickness, which is especial YY June 15, 1922 1657 ~~ % Stand from the motor to the flywheel is made f by means of 24 leather ropes. The fly- wheel is directly coupled with the main at Geee |, shaft of the rolling mill. 1. Ordinary ee it. ih S 8 To the thin rolling mill is connected yeedure /“ a stand for the rolling of plates from 2 Sheet Rolling ; ; to 8 mm. (0.079 to 5/16 in. or 14 to 0 jiagrammatic United States gage) thick, up to 71 in. wide and 33 ft. long. This stand is pur- posely added in order to render uniform Ss ; the resistance diagram and to increase Mai Sethi ng Oberation the production of the rolling mill both mn in regard to quality and quantity, as this Wy stand can produce 100 tons of plates - during 24 hr., while the other stands are rolling thin sheets. The barrel of the rolls of this stand is 6 ft. 6 in. wide. The sniched stand is provided with hydraulically Theor driven lifting tables. At this stand the roughed-out sheets to be rolled into fin- ished sheets are supplied by a Lauth mill already existing at the Terni plant; the reheating takes place in a special furnace Ee situated nearby. 4 difficult to obtain when rolling thin sheets; this is made The new plant, covering a surface of 7000 sq. m. i possible by regulating the temperature of the rolls by (75,000 sq. ft.), includes three parallel buildings. ' eans of a convenient cool water circulation system. Through the new installation and the plate mills Ds Production of sheets 40 x 80 in., of 35 at 1l gage, with this installation, can be easily brought, if necessary, from 70 to 100 tons in 24 hr. This figure represents aed not less than 30 to 40 per cent more than Wl eee he production obtained in the same time : with the usual systems and a like number = if stands. Y i 4 The Terni plant has been completed ae one armece with two car-type annealing furnaces, 7 each 24 meters (79 ft.) long, burning lig- ' nite gas. The car is moved by an electric : : Sheet Bar capstan. The sheets are annealed as usual in special air-tight boxes, free from gases f combustion. Lignite gases employed in the anneal- ing and reheating furnaces are produced by a battery of gas generators placed at 1 distance from the mills, and are led to tle 1a ‘ ‘ Mg. 2 goscarelli Scheme for Re \ the furnace through an underground brick ett a eden of Heating Opera \ tunnel; the gases are distributed among ions from Three to Two, Adopted by the furnaces by means of steel piping. Terni Steel Works for Sheets from AN There is a group of cold shears, in- 35 Gage to 23 Gage, United States Ks \, cluding one crocodile shear for cutting the Standard sheet bars and three cold shears for the finished sheets, all electrically controlled. An hydraulic already existing, the Terni Steel Works is to-day in a press is placed near the shears department for the pur- position to manufacture the complete scale of thick- pose of baling the scrap, which is then sent to the steel nesses ranging from the minimum of No. 35 United furnaces for remelting. States gage up to the heaviest armor plates for war- Driven by an 800-hp. electric motor, operating at ships. ‘000 volts on three-phase current, the rolling mill has a flywheel, weighing about 110 gross tons, which rests The Shenango Furnace Co., Pittsburgh, about July on bearings with forced lubrication, and has closed oil 1, will blow out its No. 3 blast furnace at Sharpsville, rculation provided with filter and serpentine cooling Pa., which is to be remodeled, as previously announced. levice. The transmission for the reduction of speed A new shall will be built, the height of the furnace be- ing increased from 88 ft. to 94 ft. and - a oe i o y ra ve ae - eth 7 * ce " r a er ee ee eee er ae ean ata Or a ol ; ia “i - } ee es * a : 8 agp ig Ri 3°) me Pe ie i Bee ke oa eee re a eae ay the diameter of bosh from 20 ft. to 23 ft. i : Fig. 3. Boscarelli Scheme for FURNACE Other minor improvements will be made } Aging ce 7 ee to this furnace, which at present has a 7 | pee ions to One Only, ag opted by : . a j Mectune pc andl skeen ree — capacity of 450 to 500 tons per day, and - at from 22 Gage to 11 Gage, United will be able to make from 550 to 600 tons . H+ States Standard of pig iron per day when improvements .7 | Comt-mvous ia are completed. The stack is expected to or neet Be be idle about 60 days. ae | — | hee = The blast furnace and wood alcohol 7 r ] f the Ch: al I Co. of A - A HAY Hii itera }} i La at Ashtead, Wii, veleined apelin last week after a shut-down of 14 months. The resumption gives employ- ~q ment to 600 men. 20% 8ar ad Bookings in May by the American Finished ' Bosch Magneto Corporation, Springfield, . Srvished Mass., were $860,000, or more than double those for the same month last year. 1658 THE IRON AGE June 15, 1999 FERROMANGANESE SUPPLIES Output Increasing Only Slowly—Available Sup- plies—Spiegeleisen Production Still Light Because of the rapid increase in steel output thus far this year and the low ebb to which the country’s ferromanganese production fell last year, an analysis of the present rate of production of the manganese-iron alloys and the available supplies is of decided im- portance. There has been a sharp rebound in the production of ferromanganese and spiegeleisen thus far this year from the low rate late last year. The total for the first quarter of this year was 6951 tons of ferroman- ganese per month as against only 3758 tons per month in the last quarter of 1921. In April the production had reached 14,998 tons; in 1920 the monthly average was 23,557 tons. The spiegeleisen output for the first quarter of this year was 2752 tons per month as compared with none in the last quarter of last year and only 1338 tons per month in the third quarter. The April output was 4211 tons and in 1920 the rate was 8620 tons per month. The following table gives the output of ferroman- ganese and spiegeleisen for the first quarter of 1922 compared with previous records: Ferromanganese and Spiegeleisen Output of the United States in Gross Tons Ferroman- Spiegel- Average ganese eisen Total Per Mo January, 1922.......-. 5,644 1,230 6,874 February, 1922....... 3,610 4,930 8,540 March, 1922....... . 11,600 2,095 13,695 First quarter, 1922, average per month, 6,951 2,752 esas 9,703 pi, i: rrr 14,998 4,211 19,209 : yi > | eee 98,439 56,139 154,578 12,881 DOUG, BORO cc ccesscasa 282,681 103,448 386,129 32,177 ES BURR 6 ve aiv duoc 179,029 65,391 244,470 20,732 OE, BOR o beeen cew wes 6 345,306 249,002 594,308 49,525 , 3 eb > | er 119,495 126,081 245,576 20,464 The April output of ferromanganese is nearly equal to that of both February and March combined and is practically the same as the monthly average in 1919 of 14,923 tons per month. The spiegeleisen production thus far this year is insignificant as compared with the rate of 10,507 tons per month in 1913 or 5450 tons per month in 1919. Even at the low point in 1921 the rate of 4678 tons per month exceeds the present pro- duction rate. Available Supplies The available supplies of ferromanganese for 1921 and previous years, as obtained from an analysis of the output, imports and exports were as follows: Ferromanganese Output, Imports and Exports, and Available Supplies, in Gross Tons Available Output Imports Exports Supplies January, 1922 ‘ ‘ »,644 1,300 121 6,823 February 1922 ,,610 1,041 190 4,461 March, 1922 ‘ 11,600 3,819 $1 15,338 First quarter, 1922, aver age per month...... 6,951 2,053 130 8,874 RO, BOMB s 6 acer 0n ee ; 14,998 2,380 241 17,137 Average per month, 1921 8,203 755 57 8,901 Average per month, 1920 23,557 1,941 288 28,210 Average per month, 1919 14,923 2,752 255 17,420 Average per month, 1918 28,77 2,264 298 30,741 Average per month, 1917 21,486 10 *776 25,413 Average per month, 1916 17.365 7,577 > emai Average per month, 1915 12,021 [ee . was “awene Average per month, 191 9,958 10,672 Average per month, 1911 6,207 6,688 12,895 5-year average (1910-14) per month .. pam 8,280 8,399 *First half only Available supplies in 1921 fell to an average of only 8901 tons per month, but there was a sharp rebound in March and April this year. They will be much heavier as the year progresses. The above data show these supplies to have been 15,338 tons for March and 17,137 tons for April, or practically twice those of 1921. A feature of these data is the increase in imports, largely British alloy. For the first quarter of this year these have been 2053 tons per month as against only 755 tons per month in 1921, or a gain of nearly three- fold. Exports have never attained a large volume. Manganese Ore Imports Manganese ore imports thus far this year have been increasing moderately, having been 10,609 tons per month for the first quarter, rising to 25,559 April. In the last quarter of last year they wer tons per month, with the average for 1921 at tons per month. The record was 52,498 tons pe: in 1917. Imports for the first quarter of th compared with other periods were as follows: Manganese Ore Imports in the United States in Gr AV Total Per SRNUOSG; BEES 6s cvceseusdeuss 9,500 PO SOEPs ocnces db 60s bas 7,204 i CE 6s a alike a we eRe x 6 15,124 Piet GUATCOSD, LOZB. 2. cccvecse 31,828 pT ie ee re ee 25,559 RS Ra s.c. 5. 5/%' > a 60.9 \9 aa ee a, 401,354 a IGS. <a gn oe 5 ga Gol 606,937 i i SEES ts bes. 66 eke RareD 332,344 27 I ea ok he a al a a yw 491,303 40 Ns Day As 56 ek RO Reree ey aes 629,972 52 NEL INI 4. ah oi kara io ela wk he 576,324 48,0 ie) er ie 320,784 26, eee 345,084 28,8 Compared with 1913 the present rate is only one-third, or 10,609 tons, for the first quarter, 28,858 tons per month for 1913. British Supplies of Manganese Ore A very sharp decline has been registered in B: supplies of manganese ore as reflected by the of import statistics. The following table shows thes ports for the first quarter of this year and other British Imports of Manganese Ore Ave Total Per M SRT. Been carer beste a 3,806 SN. SIE dig babies eh we led oe 6,884 Oe 6 eee 11,141 Pee GUAPO, TOES. 0k cccccese 21,831 s, Sen 6 & %% wh Aa ree ele 8,712 OG, DOM Exd sis dso 6 pa erwecernd 172,856 14,40 re eer 452,613 37,713 py RE eee re ye 265,800 22,18 (Ris cinedcs dh ad 60S Be 365,606 30,4¢ rere se ae 331,264 27,6! Cy ee ce 439,509 36,62 co ie. eee sa ee 377,324 31,443 i | ee ree 479.435 39,9 BU: SOE tide k eee eartesetas 601,177 50,09 The feature of these data is that British imp thus far this year are less than half the monthly in 1921 and only about one-seventh of the record ports in 1913 of 50,098 tons per month. Supplies and Needs in 1922 Not long after the United States entered th« it was officially estimated that the monthly need the steel industry were 28,000 tons of ferromangan This was based on the use of 80 per cent alloy a: steel output of about 43,000,000 gross tons. In 1 IRON AGE of May 13, 1920, it was estimated that a steel production of ingots and castings of 45,0 about 316,000 tons of ferromanganese would be t! retically necessary. The 1922 production of steel, on official reports thus far this year, is at the rat about 38,000,000 gross tons. Assuming that the manganese output will average, for the remaining « months since April, 15,000 tons per month (the A output), the year’s total will approximate 155,850 t With imports from April on at 3000 tons per m the total for the year will be close to 32,500 tons mating this year’s exports at 1040 tons, the aval supplies for the year will approximate 187,350 Theoretically a 3,000,000-ton output of steel will r« about 266,800 tons of ferromanganese. By the end the year, therefore, there would be an apparent retical deficiency of about 79,490 tons. Increased } duction or imports may overcome this deficie1 the coal strike does not reduce output. The Crane Co., manufacturer of valves, pipé tings, steam specialties and miscellaneous power | equipment, with headquarters at Chicago, and } and branches throughout the country, a few years 4g inaugurated a policy of granting a two weeks’ ‘ tion to employees in all departments who had in the service of the company for 25 years. It now granted an extra day’s vacation for each yea service in excess of the 25-year period. There are 4)- proximately 390 veterans in the organization who |! been with the company 25 years or more. \merican versus British G ray Cast lron* American Irons Claimed Inferior—Methods of Testing Compared —Sulphur Not Regarded Very Dangerous Effect of Blast Furnace Pressures and Speed BY F. J. COOK + IGHTLY or wrongly, the average British engi- ~ neer and foundrymen considers that American v gray cast irons of their respective class are in- ferior in physical properties to those of Great Britain. ases his opinion, first of all, upon the undoubtedly r wearing qualities of the cast iron which some rs ago formed the material of the large quantities nachine tools sent to England. It was commonly Iron, Tensile Magnifi (Upper).—Gray Cast Strength of 41,216 Lb. per Sq. In cation 1000 xX Fig. 1 Tensile Magnifi- Fig. 2 (Right).—Gray Cast Iron Strength of 44,486 Lb. per Sq. In cation 1000 iid that the cast iron was so soft as to be easily cut a pocket-knife, a statement often enough literally rect. Some Poor American Irons Recently, some improvement has been noticed, at- ited partly to wider bearing surfaces and the appli- m of chills on wearing parts, combined with the use emi-steel. Nevertheless experiences are still re- 1, in connection with the war, showing that Ameri- material frequently left a good deal to be desired. author was familiar with an American machine plied by a well-known maker which was com- leered by the government for a special operation mnection with parts for large guns. Owing to the quality of the cast iron the machine was constantly iking down. No fault could be found with the de , yet, owing to the long periods when it was out of nission through breakdowns, the output was less that obtained from an improvised old machine as necessary to replace the broken parts with cast- produced from local irons, utilizing the broken por- for patterns. These substituted parts proved satisfactory, and there was some foundation for tatement, although not strictly and literally true, the only part remaining of the original cast iron machine at the end of the war was the name on the bed. S paper, slightly abridged, is one of a series on foundry : being exchanged between the Institution of British men and the American Foundrymen’s association first, prepared by George K. Elliott of the America ymen's association, was presented at the 1921 meet- the Institution of British Foundrymen The author, is one of the outstanding figures in the British industry. He is a past president of the Institution ritish Foundrymen, and is manager of Rudge-Littley, West Bromwich, near Birmingham Cook Writers of scientific papers in America frequently refer to the failure of cast iron parts under super- heated steam. This is very unusual in this country, gray iron castings being sufficiently strong to with- stand working temperatures and pressures quite equal to those under which American castings have broken down. The composition is not widely different from the American irons which have proved unsuitable. Some years ago an American technical journal with which the author was familiar regularly gave reports of burst flywheels, until at last it became quite natural to look for them. English engineers regularly engaged in designing cast iron flywheels up to a weight of 56,000 b. have periphery speeds of not less than 100 ft. per sec. sometimes wondered as to the character of the re- markable material of which the American wheels were made. One of the results of the war has been a more fre juent interchange of visits and we consider ourselves specially favored in the visits we have received from many leading American foundrymen. We hope they will pardon the amusement we have derived from the very candid opinions they have expressed in regard to us and our institution in the old days before, like the Queen of Sheba, they came to see for themselves. One American, for example, expressed the belief that Brit- ish foundries were generally so badly lighted that an electric torch was necessary to find one’s way about in them; moreover the molding shops were so low that one had to be careful not to knock his head against the roof principals. He was candid enough to say that the first British molding shop he entered fairly took away his breath. He discovered that he had only seen a small part of the whole, and was a little surprised at the offer of his guide that “any time he had a week to spare they would be pleased to show him the remain- der.” Asa matter of fact he was in the largest foundry in the world. The author has to admit that up to the present he has been among the stay-at-homes and is quite pre- pared to find that his references to American practice will furnish foundrymen on the other side of the At- lantic with at least as much amusement as Britishers 1659 TO 6st * STREET Rees RRNA ST ae anes I seo ee * ST ea ae “ “ Sat Po ae. es ee Brit seh, rat . wire SUMP pce ew een r ee *? He * a te if 2oMt me io we thm > ; hy fm iy > aM 4AE oe *# a ; wa , 4 + ea 7 t . Te aaa v Bina a ee . ; j ee en et oe , r 5 pa wy eae es gm sick ee LS ok > ene arpene Se rman —_ 48 ti f g< 4 t ry eh Som ‘ ‘ ® : . _* ~~ 6 ; >? : . .? - o TY) . , ’ ' . : a - . ,. ’ ’ > : , ’ 1660 THE IRON have derived from Americans and their opinions of Great Britain. The great purpose of the paper, how- r, is to furnish a basis for a good discussion. It is proposed to limit its scope to the consideration of gray cast iron made from commercial pig irons, and cast iron scrap melted in a cupola by means of coke, and without the addition of steel or any ferrous or non- , : } : +} . , h . « e ferrous materials introduced either into the cupola 1 ever the laddle of molten metal. Mechanical Tests for Gray Iron When one comes to mechanical tests, the conditions relating to mechanical tests for cast iron vary consid- erably in the two countries. Little importance appears to be attached in America to tensile testing, while the size of the transverse bars tested equally with the method of testing differs widely from British practice. The ruling tests for cast iron may be said to comprise in Great Britain: For pipes, constructional and general engineering work for more or less rough and large character, transverse bars, 2 in. deep, 1 in. thick and tested deep part down on centers 3 ft. apart; for en- gine details other than cylinders, transverse bars 1 in. sq. tested on centers 12 in. apart. It is also becoming more general in the finer classes of engine work to cast the transverse bars 1% in. sq., machining down to 1 in. sq. to insure accuracy. For cylinders of all descrip- tions tensile bars are demanded, exactly of the same material as the castings they are to represent. Prac- tically every tensile bar has to be tested in the presence of an inspector, and the casting of the bars on the job therefore, generally gives more satisfaction and pre- vents the suspicion which might possibly arise if the bar was separately cast without the presence of the inspector. There is a great deal also be to be said in favor of the tensile test for cylinders, since the castings themselves are necessarily subjected to tension. More- over a tensile test gives a better indication of the wear- ing properties of this class of iron than any other test known to the author. It may possibly be that the apathy with which the tensile test in America is regarded may to some extent be due to certain conditions named by Dr. Moldenke, though of that, of course, the author is not in a position to judge. Dr. Moldenke says:* “In this country (America) you will find about 99 out of 100 testing machines that are not in proper condition for th tensile test On the other side they calibrate the machines often, and they have their governments to test th There can be no gainsaying his statement on the same page that “for scientific investigation the tensile bar is preferable.” The reading of American scientific papers and of the technical press conveys the impression that a ten- sile test going a little beyond 31,360 lb. per sq. in. is considered worthy of special notice; certainly in this country anything like this would be considered quite mediocre. Ernest Wheeler, Manchester Association of Engineers, Proceedings, 1921, representing Messrs. Crossley Bros., Ltd., Manchester, states that he has found it “quite possible, without the aid of steel to pre- pare and obtain mixtures of cast iron having a tensile strength of over 18 tons (40,320 lb.) per sq. in.,” and this is confirmed by other workers in the same field. The same gentleman has prepared for the author a bar cast in accordance with the specification for the “Arbi- of 39,200 lb. tration bar” which has given a result L ‘ } y f 4 short time ago the author t: aS on 8 au aouiated Nis average tanes! “+ procnltce nvear a warkin “3 P £ tensile test results over a working period of 500 secutive days. The average figure was 36,288 lb. per sq. in.; no test was as low as 30,240 lb., while the high- ‘A. F. A. Tri % x . ; AGE June 15, 1: est figure reached was 43,008 lb. All the bars 1% in. diameter and were cast on the castings were to represent—not separate—and were down in the middle to %-sq. in. area before testi typical range of tensile test results with this « iron with the analyses is shown in Table 1. For mechanical tests to be strictly comparab! essential that the bars should be of the same dim: and similarly molded, gated, cast and tested. be argued that the tensile test results given in T are not comparable to those obtained by the Am: arbitration bar. But the author suggests that vantage has not been with those cited. The bar of the same dimensions as the arbitration bar, a: certainly had the advantage of static pressure casting head, as they are placed on the midd of short stroke cylinders. They have one disadvant however, in that they were cast with cooler n than if they had been cast from a smal] direct from a cupola. The disadvantages of al! conditions were well set out in the admirable excha paper presented by George K. Elliott to the Institut of British Foundrymen last September. Comparisons between the transverse tests mad: the two countries are necessarily hampered by se: difficulties, chiefly on account of the difference in sh and dimensions of the bars used. The arbitration has a diameter of 1% in. and is tested as cast, on ters 12 in. apart. The bars with which the auth familiar and of which particulars are given later cast 144 in. sq., machined down to 1 in. sq., tested on in. centers, and cast on to castings, as previously fined in connection with the tensile test. In the sence of an available machine suitable for taking a of 1%4 in. it has been necessary to evolve a const which will reconcile the differences of dimensions in t! two bars. The results of the arbitration bar can be convert: into those comparable for a 1-in. sq. bar tested on th same center by multiplying the breaking load obtain by 0.74; conversely the result obtained on the 1-in. sq. ba: divided by 0.74 will give the equivalent load on th arbitration bar. (The formula used for obtaining this factor is given in the paper.) In the discussion on Mr. Elliott’s paper already r ferred to, the author gave some details of 25 transvers: tests of bars giving an equivalent average breaking load on an arbitration bar of 5300 lb.; the lowest gave an equivalent load of 5146 lb. and the highest 5600. obtained by Mr. Elliott with American metal] havi: a similar silicon content, but with lower phosphoru and sulphur after undergoing the refining action of electric furnace. Table 1 gives particulars of transverse results brought up to an equivalent on t! arbitration bar relative to bars cast on the same cyli! The minimum load is a higher figure than th ders as those selected for tensile example. Ce QS Keep’s Tests Compared Although the two previous tests are not in strictest sense comparable, there is a mechanical common to both countries, namely Keep’s shrinka and transverse test. In Great Britain we consider M Keep knows all about the mechanical tests that Ame! irons will stand. The results shown in Table of tests made with the same class of iron as those de with in Table 1 are not only typical of results obtain: by the author but of those secured by other workers an TABLE : Keep’s Tests on British Cast Iron ige Transverse Breaking Load Defi in. Ib. S50 650 675 TOO SOO ests on this same size bar gave an average b t The general practice differs somewhat between two countries in regard to the allowable percentag 1e chemical elements in different classes of gray the This is undoubtedly due to prevailing differe: irons and not to a lack of metallurgical kn 4 y June 15, 1922 With one or two notable exceptions, practical tal carbon. ndrymen in America appear to pay little attention While carbon receives special atten- and is frequently mentioned, it is only lately that earbon has had due consideration. nbined carbon is important, but it is obvious that varying amounts of total carbon the same per- ive of combined carbon will have a different effect. Stead has shown examples in which increases of per cent of graphite have reduced The quantity transverse eth by 224 Ib. and tensile strength by 1792 Ib. }. In. icon receives a great amount of attention in rican foundry practice and in conjunction with r appears to be regarded as ra by the purchasers of pig irons. t deal of “silicon control.” the In Great Alpha and One hears a Britain sili- is merely considered with all the other elements “ing into a commercial analysis. [The author : a formula for the ratio of silicon to carbon in , iron castings.] \t hur above 0.07 per cent is dangerous. from strains at 0.4 per cent. essarily involve similar physical properties. Effect of Sulphur and Phosphorus one time in this country sulphur was considered irch enemy of the ironfounder, although probably not taken quite so seriously as it is in America. is exchange paper George K. Elliott considers that This does .gree with the results of Coe’s* research on British Coe found that sulphur within the limits of his rk did not increase the brittleness of cast iron but ears to increase resistance to fracture. In Table 1 the sulphur appears in a proportion twice amount which Mr. Elliott considered dangerous, t does not appear to have prevented a high degree f strength. A liberal proportion, up to 0.12 per cent, in the author’s experience been found to have a eficial effect upon the wearing properties of cylin- iers and liners subjected to heat conditions. To an appreciable extent phosphorus is considered America to be detrimental to the strength of gray t iron. George K. Elliott in his paper states “Irons rreatest strength contain only a small amount of ssphorus.” Dr. Moldenke in Principles of Iron Found- appears to put the limit for strong castings free The author’s experience ts to the conclusion that with the strongest British ns the distribution of the phosphorus, provided the int does not exceed 1 per cent, is more important the actual quantity present. \greement appears to be more general in regard e benefit to be derived from the poling action of nganese, but the author believes that manganese to xtent of 1 per cent or over is detrimental to good ng properties under heat conditions. This ele- has a way of developing spiky crystals which reak off under rubbing and prevent the formation of highly polished surface generally regarded as the nguishing characteristic of all good wearing cast The Microscope and Cast Iron \lthough chemical analysis necessarily forms the s of all scientific work in regard to cast iron, un- tunately it does not follow that similar analyses It is admitted that strong gray cast irons are associated the matrix consisting of fairly large areas of well laminated pearlite, relatively stiff portions of tite and small graphite, and these formations are trated by typical examples in Figs. 1 and 2. While the microscope is a useful adjunct to chem- inalysis the utility of the micrograph is limited; ng impossible to determine therefrom relative | properties of specimens with mathematical n, or to ascertain within narrow limits the rela- variations. asionally, it is quite impossible in dealing with ass of iron to discover either by chemical analysis isual methods of microscopic examination great nees in physical properties. of this took place some time ago. An interesting ex- It was found tish Foundrymen’s Association Proceedings 1911-12 THE IRON AGE 1661 that the highest tensile test obtained in 60 consecutive days’ workings was lower than the lowest tensile test during the next 60 days. The metal was of similar chemical analysis but the mixture had been varied by introducing a different pig iron brand as one of the three constituting the charge. A research was carried out by the late George Hailstone and the author in con- nection with this class of investigation. All the meth- ods usually employed for detecting the cause of differ- ence in physical properties such as chemical analysis, high and low power microscopic analysis and the em- ployment of various etching agents failed to show any reasonable cause for the great difference which existed. The author has made many hundreds of examina- tions in order to test this and has never found a single example to the contrary. The network formation is apparent at about 26,880 lb. tensile strength and be- “p+ e-a ‘oveye | Fig. 3 Machine Used in Europe for Testing Gray Iron for Shock Resisting Properties comes more pronounced as the strength increases. In the author’s view this method gives a surer approxi- mation of the physical properties of the metal than any other form of metallography and is often superior to chemical analysis. Blast Furnace Temperatures In connection with the research already referred to the authors, as one of their conclusions, decided that the temperature at which the pig iron is made in the blast furnace has a direct effect upon the formation of this network structure. At the time this statement aroused a great amount of criticism, one professor stating that after remelting the iron had forgotten all about the hole from which it had been dug. Time has since proved the inaccuracy of this view and it is now clear that the temperature of the blast furnace has a marked effect upon the physical properties of the metal, and that these are maintained after remelting. One progressive blast furnace manager has found that pig iron having this network structure, after go- ing through the puddling furnace, yields wrought iron with higher physical properties than is to be obtained from a pig iron of similar analysis without this struc- ture. He discovered further that with similar working and furnace burden the network structure was con- trolled by the blast temperature. When using a blast temperature of 900 deg. Fahr. he is always able to get the network structure; whereas if the temperature is increased the network diminishes until at 1100 deg. it disappears entirely with a corresponding lowering of physical properties of the wrought iron, the general chemical composition of the metal being the same. As the result of these discoveries the blast furnace man- ager has now fitted his furnace with pyrometers for o ‘ v, Wwe a oe aby —_- omen eee ree an ee OR eine oe re rk P oie ~ t P eo - aa Cee eee hoes oT 7 iN ~~ a ~ ol yen 1662 THE IRON AGE recording the temperature of the blast and is able thereby to obtain more regularly consistent results. The fundamental law governing the phenomena of the formation of the network structure has not so far been definitely and _ satisfactorily proved. J. E. Fletcher, however, has furnished an explanation which has the greatest degree of probability. Mr. Fletcher is advising director to the British Cast Iron and Wrought Iron associations and has devoted much thought and research to the elucidation of this problem in connection both with the blast furnace and the cupola. He believes: That this structure follows the original boundaries be- tween the crystals of the metal which is first fused during the descent of the iron to the fusion zone in the blast furnace. The carburization of the crystals follows their boundaries just as decarburization follows them in the mechanism of the malleablizing process If the blast penetration effect while passing the tuyere following rapid carburization in hot blast furnaces, then the strong boundary-intercohesion zones is drastically oxidizing, is more or less destroyed, with possible gas and oxide in- clusions along the boundary films With the soft blast of cool or cold blast furnaces this action is absent, and the intercohesional strength of the crystalline structure, due to the presence of combined car- bon and air—unimpaired by gaseous and iron oxides ard minute slag inclusions—is maintained An European Testing Machine A test becoming general in Europe for cast irons of the highest physical properties, more particularly in connection with casting for diesel and large gas engine piston and cylinder liners is the shock test. This is carried out by testing a bar cast 40 mm, sq. supported on knife edges 160 mm. apart by dropping onto it a MAY STEEL OUTPUT Ingot Production at a Rate of Nearly 82 Per Cent of Output of 1917 and 3000 Tons More a Day Than in April The production of steel ingots for the entire country for the 27 steel making days of May appears to be 114,784 gross tons per day. This is at a rate of nearly 35,700,000 tons per annum, or nearly 82 per cent of the actual production of the year 1917. In terms of what was actually produced in ingots in 1921, the American Iron and Steel Institute now finds that the 30 companies reporting to it made 87.48 per cent of the total. This accordingly indicates that the production so far in 1922 has not been so large as estimated on the earlier returns, which were based on the reporting companies’ making only 84.2 per cent of the total, as was the case in 1920. Assuming that the 12.52 per cent of capacity not reporting made a pro- portionate output, a revision of the daily steel ingot output for this year and also for 1921 is given in the accompanying table. Estimated D ly Output of Steel Ingots Gross Gross Tons Tons Jan., 1921 ; 95,920 Oct 71,100 Feb. . 82,440 Nov 73,000 Marcl 65,805 Dec 65,262 April 53,375 Jan., 1922 70,059 May 55,658 Keb 83,005 June 45.890 March 100,390 July 36,704 April 111.775 August 48,193 May 114,784 Sept 52,672 As shown in the table below, the steel ingot statis- tics of the American Iron and Steel Institute, show that 30 companies, which in 1921 made 87.48 per cent of the total, had an output in May of 2,711,141 tons, against 2,444,513 tons, the revised figure for April. On the assumption that the companies not reporting produced at the same rate, the output for the 27 work- ing days of May was 3,100,000 gross tons, or 114,784 tons per day. On the same basis the output in April, using the revised figures, is 2,794,300 tons, or 111,775 tons for each of the 25 working days in April. The May output, day for day, is nearly 64 per cent better than that of January. The indicated total for June 15. 1929 weight of 12 kg. from varying heights. Atta the weight in such a way as to strike the ba; center parallel to the supporting knife edges another knife edge. The face of all the knife are rounded to a 1/16-in, radius. So far as th is aware this test is not in use in America. A arrangement of such a machine is shown in Fig In carrying out a shock test we commence drop of the weight from a height of 30 cm. in the height of the drop by increments of 5 em. u sample breaks, the height at which the bar ev: breaks being taken as the test figure. A result em. is considered none too high for the class o named although it is quite a severe test. Th: mum attained by the author has been 88 cm. Mr. Wheeler uses the same sized bar and n as a fatigue test, but for this commences with of 28 cm. and increases by heights of l em. Th: ber of blows required to fracture the sample shou! taken as the fatigue test numeral. A bar from the same metal as the tensile bar of Mr. Wheeler’s ref / to in the early part of the paper withstood 30 having a range from 28 to 57 cm. In conclusion if, as has been suggested in th part of this paper, there is a wide difference strength of the respective gray cast irons, of w some particulars in regard to the British have given, the author would suggest the query whether may not be due to the slow running furnaces in Great Britain producing metal having better properties ¢ that made by the large, fast running furnaces w appear to be general in America. Unfortunately, « in this country, the slow running furnaces are dimi: ishing in number. the five months of this year is 12,400,000 gross tons or 5 million tons below the output for the corresponding period of 1920. Monthly Production of Steel Ingots by 30 Companies Which Made 87.48 Per Cent of Total in 1921—Gross Tons Months Open Hearth Bessemer All Other Total January, 1920.. 2,242,758 714,657 10,687 2,968,102 February ...... 2,152,106 700,151 12,867 2,865,124 BONO. 60 640 cn 2,487,245 795,164 16,640 3,299,049 CO Rar 2,056,336 568,952 13,017 2,638,3( sancee we ks 2,251,544 615,932 15,688 2,883,164 NE as otek ead 2,287,273 675,954 17,463 2,980,690 WS awa ee tes 2,135,633 653,888 13,297 2,802,818 AUSUS 2 6acs : 2,299,645 695,003 5,784 3,000,432 September ... 2,300,417 693,586 5,548 999 COOLOROP .éewses 2.335,863 676,634 3,485 { November ..... 1,961,861 673,215 3,594 2,¢ 7 December 1,687,162 649,617 3,586 04 TORE 58% 26,197,843 8,112,753 121,656 34,4 Months Open Hearth Bessemer All Other Tota January, 1921.. 1,591,281 608,276 3,629 7 February 1,295,863 450,818 2,796 i BERTGR cclessices Rpet eons 392,983 2,404 AMP cccvcscss. Re@ewee 211,755 2,150 May e 1,047,810 216,497 1,543 eee ee ‘ 808,286 193,644 1,476 l v arr 689,489 113,312 575 8 BE vcictds 915,334 221,116 1,621 1,1 September .... 908,381 265,152 1,207 ; October ....... 1,269,945 345,837 1,028 1,616,8 November 1,294,371 363,912 1,718 fe December 1,129,174 296,380 1,539 "'OCRL 6i4 . 18,125,578 3,679,682 21,686 16,826,9 Months Open Hearth Bessemer All Other January. 1922 1,260,809 331,851 822 1 February coe 1,008,800 348,571 616 1,74 March ose LpOhS,080 451,386 795 2,37 April a . 1,997,465* 445,939 1,109 2.4 ; May . 2,214,774 494,893 1,474 Total, 5 mo 8,787,453 2.072.640 4,816 8 *Revised. A translation, editorial and research bureau tended to serve in the development of industry anc ternational trade, has been opened by the Thermo Eng neering Co., 52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York. The bureau is prepared to make translations of engineerns or business letters, pamphlets, documents, specificatio! and catalogs from English, French, German, Spam or Russian, and into any of these languages. Ar inge- ments have also been made for preparing chart 3, ala grams and curves to illustrate matters otherwise handled only by words and figures. American F oundrymen Meet at Rochester International Session a Feature—Important Meetings on Steel, Gray and Malleable Iron—Sand Problems Discussed—The Exhibit a Pronounced Success fTER a lapse of about 20 months, or since the A last meeting in Columbus, Ohio, early in October, 1920, the American Foundrymen’s Association its regular annual convention and exhibition in ester, N. Y., last week, June 5 to 9. The Columbus ting took place at about the time there appeared of the serious business depression which followed 21; the Rochester meeting occurred with evidences rosperity more promising than in many months. (Undoubtedly the absence of pronounced assurance as business recovery and stability had its effect, but under the conditions prevailing, the hester affair will be recorded as among the most eventful and successful ever held from many points of view nevertheless, The attendance and registration at the technical sessions and the exhibition were large and satisfactory. The location was ideal, Exposition Park affording a commodious space for exhibits and excellent auditoriums for the presentation of technical papers. The latter phase made it more possible than was the case at Columbus to hear and discuss the varied programs. Interesting sessions were held on steel foundry and gray iron topics, on malleable iron and molding sand, on industrial relations with four sessions on non-ferrous matters held as joint meetings with the American Insti- tute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers. There was the notable international session as the conven- tion’s feature as well as the usual banquet and social features. The First International Foundry Session N epoch in the history of the American Foundrymen’s Association was established when the first important “1 meeting of the 26th annual meeting of the association was called to order Tuesday morning, June 6, by the Chairman, A. O. Backert, one of the association’s past presidents. national session in the association’s history and was a signal success. It was the first specially planned inter- The chairman, in his opening remarks, after calling attention to the notable character of the meeting, introduced successively representatives of the foundry associations of Great Britain, France and Belgium. He prefaced the introduction of these represen- tatives with the statement that the first step in this movement was the reading last year of a paper from a rep- resentative of the American foundrymen before the Institution of British Foundrymen by George K. Elliott, chief metallurgist Lunkenheimer Co., Cincinnati, at which time it was arranged that a similar exchange should take place at this meeting. The distinguished visitors were F.