The Iron Age 1922-07-13: Vol 110 Iss 2

THE IRON AGE New York, July 13, 1922 ESTABLISHED 1855 VOL. 110 No. 2 Trend of Basic Business Conditions Present Situation Similar, in Volume of Activity, to 1920— March Saw a Distinct Emergence from the Influence of the Slump HILE it has been generally recognized that the W steel industry was harder hit by the slump of 1921 than business in general, there has been little opportunity to make a direct comparison between the way in which the two were incapacitated. Figures now being given out each month, however, by the De- partment of Commerce, under Mr. Hoover’s direction, and covered under the heading “Survey of Current Business,” permit a study over a considerable period of time of the production of most of the basic com- modities. Making use of these figures, and particularly of the relation which they bear to production of the same items at earlier dates, we may obtain a gage of business conditions in general, rather than in terms of one industry. Ten basic groups of items were taken for the study. These are food, building, textiles, fuel, vehicles, leather, lumber, steel, non-ferrous metals and paper. Seven of the ten items are further sub-divided. Thus, food is a composite of beef, flcur and sugar; textiles is a com- posite of cotton, wool and silk; fuel is a composite of bituminous and anthracite coal and petroleum; vehicles include both automobiles and trucks; leather is a com- posite of belting and leather; lumber includes yellow pine, Douglas fir and Northern hardwood; the non-ferrous metals include copper, lead and zinc. This makes a total of twenty-two items under study, of which three are separate items, while the other nineteen are in groups, each group working into a single item in the major list. The figures were car- ried back to the beginning of 1920, from which date, with a few exceptions, all of the items could be shown. The chart on this page indication of the general course of production during the period of two years and a half covered by the survey. It will be noted that the high March of 1920, when the figure stood at 126, this being a com- parison with previous figures, most of them carried sole gives an point was reached in Se I40p-p 1-4 | | | | 120} 100 . = ; 5 7 — Cc S 4 = 80} Oo VU Sh. WY 7 hay v a . 60 } } 4 ~ > > i + v 40 T < | | | | | | S282 & ss =s & 2.6 Ee Ssze¢geéez# ace & ‘eho oe 6S ee ee oe $F EP SSIRSESSESLIZSZIS ERR SESILEESZIIRERRR 1920 i921 1922 In the Solid Curve Is the Story of Productive by Ten Basic Industries. Activity in tha United States, as Measu red The dotted line tells the same story, but with the component items weighted in accordance with their relative quantities 69 oJ 3 \ ¢ gt ees a 70 back to the year 1913. From March, 1920, the pro- duction of commodities fell, with few interruptions, until February of 1921, at which time the figure stood at 72. That was the low point of production, accord- ing to composite business curve shown in the chart and, although there have been both ups and downs since then, it will be noted that for the greater part of 1921 production ranged between 80 and 90. It first got above the 100 per cent mark again in March of the current year; the coal strike, coming in April, brought it back almost to the 100 per cent line, but it has since recovered handsomely. The present figure stands at 113%. All of the figures on which the solid curve is based are averaged up, without any attempt to give any one figure a greater weight than any other; that is, the figures for the ten major items are added together and the sum divided by ten. The dotted curve, on the other hand, tells the same story, but with the figures weighted in accordance with the financial importance of the various industries covered by the survey. It is sur- prising the two curves cling together throughout the entire range of thirty months. During the falling period from March, 1920, to February, 1921, and for some little period thereafter, the weighted curve is consistently below the non- weighted curve. This shows that the items of produc- tion which were hardest hit by the slump and shortage of business were those of largest importance and larg- est size. As the same items appear to have been the quickest to recover from the condition prevailing how closely THE IRON AGE July 13, 1922 large items are the ones which are leading in the r sumption of business activity. Careful study of the curves, together with the in dividual figures from which they are made up, show some of the outstanding elements which have cause. sharp fluctuations. Thus, the peak in March, 192: was due to a sudden spurt both in building constructio: and in the production of automobiles, as well as severa other items. Similarly, other peaks and _ hollow throughout the remainder of the curves may be trac« down to separate individual prominent causes whic produced these divergences from the general line. N allowance was made for increasing population. It must be remembered, in consulting such a cur\ as is shown here, that the activity is expressed as percentage of the activity during a previous period o! time. It bears no relation whatever to capacity. |: takes no account of increased productive capacity pro vided during the intervening years. Most of the dat from which this curve was prepared are based on th 1913 output of the various commodities presented Some of them, where the earlier figures are not avail able, are based on 1917 or even as late as 1919. I) each case the basing figure is the average monthly out put for the year in question. The use of 1913 in thi connection is particularly fortunate, insofar as it has been used, because 1913 was a year of considerabl activity, but was not a boom year. It was the first year in which pig iron production in the United States passed the 30,000,000 ton mark. Many other items besides iron and steel made new records in 1913 and throughout the summer of 1921, it is apparent that the business generally was good. tne ee ee 7! T Ta | 40 + -—-+4 + sf + 4 —' + + + —+ t ) S | 0 | * $ | | N N | | | | | W! 120 + + + + $4 fd rw | om T + t + —_ ss - + + 7" — + + Ar A | } | |X | 4: o | \|9 ot 4a i 3 WAY) |} it i dad s Se 4 is Vie EET LL PENAL AL $100 IN SATO Oe 2 | Ligaen pm ee ee fF | Is F | STEEL MAKING LRON| | | y | oie ojnen — | | | = PP PPE (Dally Average for Year) 1] | | \/ Sw TTT YTTT TTI TTT TT TTN A TONY, 2 Seeeeue ee Rees LY | | | c ¥ | Potty Ped | t Ch PEPE E ae S Oba tet ee 1 - : COAL ; RECORD 2 RAILROAD STEEL } | | | | | | gat tH - Bm ae | oe eee | | v Pt i eet eat eae | | 1 | | 2 | bd bo bee Se ee 1 | | | a 5 a0t-+ | 1 AERWASE LIUESS CF GOT TpNhAGe CHER. FAG ON TONGS frst + |} ~ | | | | \ | | BY ra | bh 4 | < | | ot : > sSsesoseeezgasesg& os ne a ee i i a 1917 May =3g k & zae » £ & SS y SS 2HRR REFILL SRS 2RSES I918 1919 ~ ras Production of Steel Ingots in the United States, Month by Month, for the Five Years During Whi are expressed in gross tons per working day. The pig iron curve is shown, for comparison. * United States Production of Steel Ingots Figures Given Include Estimates for the Months of the 1919 Steel Strike—Daily Output Calculated for Each Month of Past Five Years INCE early summer of 1917 figures have been S compiled by the American Iron and Steel Insti- tute showing the production of steel ingots, month yy month, of a number of producing companies. This imber, 29 at first, is now 30. The companies so re- porting have been producing, from year to year, about 85 per cent of the total ingot output of the country. It has been customary among those studying these fgures to assume that the production of the non-re- porting companies has been, each month, about in the ame proportion to the total as the ascertained figure for the full year. This assumption, which cannot be far in error, has given rise to a series of monthly fig- ires which are presumably very close to the actual ngot output of the United States. On this basis it has been possible to make up, for seven months of 1917, all of 1918, the first eight months ° 1919 and all of 1920 and 1921, figures which must e very near the actual total monthly ingot production. [he first five months of 1917 were not reported upon. [he last four months of 1919 were the months covered the steel strike, during which the figures were not ported. The first six months of 1922 have been esti- iated on the basis of the ascertained ratio of 1921, be- the reporting companies and the total. ween + eee procennsnnatieen ——<—<— << MAKING TRON | Been Collected. It has been found possible to fill in the gap in the latter part of 1919 by estimates in which the daily pro- duction of the mills during those four months is as- sumed proportional to the known average daily pro- duction of pig iron, month by month, during those same four months. The first eight months of the year were calculated on the usual basis, that the output of the 30 companies bore the same relation to the total as for the full year, thus giving a total apparent production for those eight months, by the entire United States, of 23,633,618 gross tons, out of the reported total for the year of 33,694,795 tons. This left a difference of 10,061,177 tons to be distributed among the last four months of the year. This has been done, and the dis- tributed figures work out as follows: Ingot Working Production Days Per Day 2,718,062 26 104,541 2,046,030 27 75,779 2,513,083 25 100,523 2,784,002 26 107,077 96,742° Tons September October Novembe! December 10,061,177 Total 104 *Average In order that a measure may be had of the produc- tion of steel ingots, month by month, for the period be- ginning with June, 1917, the table appended is printed, eee ; z 3 Percentages Figures Covering the period of the steel strike have been estimated; all shows the percentage by which ingot tonnage, each month, exceeds pig iron tonnage. CE) PE er samnscereenenamters meee eecsemanesenestsnecressemearesestoneedd 71 * Ce ee THE IRON giving the reported tonnage, the apparent monthly tonnage of the whole United States, the number of working days each month, and the daily tonnage of steel ingot output. These figures for daily tonnage Steel Ingot Output of United States Reported Apparent Working Gross Tons 1917 (a) Tonnage Total Days per Day SUMO. ss css 3,083,929 3,617,361 26 139,129 SU <6 kiss 3,447,499 25 137,900 August..... 3,663,445 27 135,683 September. . 3,486,376 25 139,455 October..... 3 935 3,931,725 27 145,619 November : 56,257 3,713,930 26 142,859 December. . 2,733,722 3,206,579 25 128,263 en $7,187,325 $3,619,200* 311 140,255 1918 (b) January. 2,203,845 2,641,195 27 97,822 February... 2,273,741 2,724,962 24 113,540 SS aaa 3,110,381 3,727,632 26 143,370 See 3,163,410 3,791,184 26 145,815 eee 3,287,233 3,939,580 27 145,910 WOR. i skicke 3,083,446 3,695,351 25 147,814 ee 3,113,635 3,731,531 26 143,520 August. 3,083,680 3,695,631 27 136,875 September 3,197,658 3,832,228 25 153,2897 October..... 3,352,196 $,017,435 27 148,794 November1 3,060,760 3,668,164 6 141,083 December... 2,992,306 3,586,129 25 143,445 PORE sé. s:6-% 35,922,291 43,051,022 11 138,425 1919 (c) January.. 107,778 3,651,055 27 February... 2,704,683 3,177,493 24 Te re 2,662,265 3,127,661 26 So 2.239531 2,631,239 26 ee 1,929,024 2,266,241 27 3, June.. ° 2,219,219 2,607,165 25 104,28 July ‘ 2,508,176 2,946,635 26 113,332 August.. 2,746,081 3,226,129 26 124,082 September 2,718,062 26 104,541 October ia 2,046,030 27 75.779 November 2,513,083 25 100,523 December 2,784,002 26 107,077 Year... }. 694.795 s11 108,343 1920 (d) January 2,968,10 3,524,025 27 130,519 February 2.865.124 3,401,759 24 141,740 March . 3,299,049 3,916,958 27 145,073 April.. . 2,638,305 3,132,469 26 120,480 May 2,883,164 3,423,178 26 131,661 June 2? 980.690 38.970 6 136,114 July 2,802,818 3,327,783 26 127,992 August 3,000,432 62,410 26 137,016 Septembe 2.999551 161,364 26 136,976 October ,.015.95 SO,.873 26 137,726 November 2,638,670 2.890 26 120,496 December 340,365 3 26 106,874 Yea »432,252 2 12 131,030 1921 (e) January 03.186 9 517.048 6 96.810 Febru 749,477 1,998,704 24 83.979 March 70,978 1,794,777 27 16,473 April ] 13.958 1.386.897 °6 q ‘2 May 965.850 1.446.181 26 15,622 Jun 1.06 tie 1.146.349 ( 14,090 Ji 03.376 917.82 36,713 Augus 138,071 1,300,199 27 {8,15¢ Septet é ] 14.740 1.342.09 26 51,619 On he 1.616.810 1,847,138 26 71,044 Novembe 1.660.001 1.896.482 eg 72.942 1) n as 093 1.630.394 26 62.707 Yeat 6. S26, 94¢ 19,224,084* 11 61,814 922 (gz) (gz) J la 93.482 1LS820.487 26 70,019 February 15,022 1,993,616 24 83,067 March 2,370,751 2,708,484 27 100,314 Ap 2,444,513 2,792,755 2 111,710 M 711,141 3,097,366 27 114,717 Ju 634,477 3,009,800 26 115,761 Half ir 13,499,386 15,422,508 155 99,900 *Official total, reported by American Iron and Steel In- stitute +Highest figure ever reached a—29 companies produced 85.25 per cent of the total b 30 companies produced 83.44 per cent of the total. c 3) companies produced 85.12 per cent of the total a »“o companies produced S4.21 per cent of the total ‘ ;) companies produced 87.53 per cent of the total f—Subject to minor revision. g—Estimates for 1922 » on the same basis as the known ratio for 1921 what below the This gives : actual figure tonnage which is probably some- are plotted on the chart, upon which, for comparative purposes, the daily tonnage of pig iron production, month by month, is also plotted. lines, each covering a period of one year, show the aver- age production for the year of steel-making iron, as Horizontal broken AGE July 13, 1922 reported at the close of the year by the American Iro and Steel Institute. It is unfortunately impossible t apportion this iron among the months, as reports a) made annually and not monthly. It is also not feasib| to show the steel-making iron from steel works fu: naces aS a companion curve because, as it happen this would not include all of the steel-making iron the country, as it would omit the important but variab! contributions of some of the merchant furnaces. It should be noted that the only holidays taken int consideration, in figuring out the number of workin; days in the month, are Christmas and Independenc Day. Some of the steel companies close the steel-mak- ing departments on Labor Day also, but the practic is not general. In a few cases other holidays are rec- ognized when the demand for steel is light. It is evi- dent from this that strictly exact daily tonnage figures could not be obtained without weighting the companies according to output, and using as divisor a figure, with fraction, representing the proportion of tonnag: capacity operating on a holiday not generally observed. One interesting coincidence lies in the fact that th« last nine months of 1920 and January, 1921, ten months in all, show 26 working days in each month. It happened that each 30-day month of that period had four Sundays; each 3l-day month had either five Sun days or four Sundays and a holiday. At the end of 1921 there are five successive 26-day months, but no other group larger than three in succession was ob- served within the five years covered by the survey. At the bottom of the diagram appears a third curv: showing the percentage of excess of the ingot tonnage over the pig iron tonnage. This is based on monthly figures and not on the daily figures shown in the curves above. It is interesting to note that, prior to the sum- mer of 1921, there was only one period when the ingot tonnage was as much as 20 per cent greater than the pig iron tonnage, that being during June and July of 1919. The great excess of ingot tonnage coming in the fall of 1921 was compensated for in December by an excess of 1 per cent of pig iron tonnage over ingots. At the same time, it must be recognized that the large excess during the past few months, with the exception of December and January, represents a large and in- creasing use of scrap in the making of steel. JUNE STEEL OUTPUT Ingot Production Rate Over 36,000,000 Tons Per Daily Output Over 1,000 Tons More Than in May Annum The accompanying table gives the steel ingot sta- tistics as collected by the American Iron and Steel In- stitute. These show that the 30 companies which in 1921 made 87.50 per cent of the total had an output in June of 2,634,477 tons. This is less than the total] for May of 2,711,141 tons, but in May there were 27 work- ing days. On the assumption that companies reporting are supplying the same percentage of the total as they did last year, (though the percentage may be less) the output for the 26 working days of June is about 3,010,- 000 tons or approximately 115,800 tons per day. Open- Months Hearth Bessemer’ All Other Tota January, 1921 1,591,281 608,276 3,629 2,203,186 February ....... 1,295,863 450,818 2,796 1,749.47 a eae 1,175,591 392,983 2,404 1,570,978 TEES essa 1,000,053 211,755 2,150 1,213,958 ON ere 216,497 1,543 1,265.85 ES ee SOS8,286 193,644 1,476 1,003,40' Total 6 months 6,918,884 2,073,973 13,998 9,006.8 WS eka evas 689,489 113,312 575 803,37 I Sass caren 915,334 221,116 1,621 1,138,071 September ...... 908,381 265,152 1,207 1,174,749 October ......... 1,269,945 345,837 1,028 1,616,810 November —pivat ene ners 363,912 1,718 1,660,001 December ....... 1,129,174 196,380 1,539 1,427,095 Total whole yr.13,125,578 3,679,682 21,686 16,826.94! January, 1922 ... 1,260,809 331,851 822 1,593.45 PeOPUREY. 2. «ses 1,395,835 348,571 616 1,745,022 PORTER: ct sa xhhwan 1,918,570 151,386 795 2,370,7° BT nk. va meee 1,997,465 445,939 1,109 2,444,51 BERT is.cc dans wen 2,214,774 494,893 1,474 2,711,141 SG0G 6. waas tae 2,143,708 487,851 2,918 2,634,477 Total 6 months.10,931,161 2,560,491 7,734 13,499,386 July 13, 1922 PLANER AND SLOTTER Combination Unit for Locomotive Frames Reduces Machining Time—Floor Space Saved Features Outlined A combination planer and slotter for machining ocomotive frames and which is claimed to reduce the .ctual machining time more than 50 per cent has been brought out by the Liberty Machine Tool Co., Hamil- ton. Ohio. In addition to saving floor space, time is saved in handling the work from one machine to an- ther, and setting-up time is reduced to a minimum. bination Planer and Slotter Machining Locomotive The plane! shown ve is a 36-in. machine. The it the right, has a 24-in lengthwise of the machine ‘he planer is of the company’s standard 36 in. and incorporates the patented features and safety iances of the standard machine. Although shown one head on the cross rail the machine is arranged four heads if required, The bed is of box type with closed top between the which have ample spread to eliminate unneces- y overhang of the table. They are fitted with auto- itic oil rollers to assure adequate lubrication. The le T-slots are planed from the solid and reamed es are provided throughout the length for clamping. e housings extend to the floor and are attached to the with taper plugs and bolts. The cross rail is well iced at the back and made to accommodate two heads, wing either head to have full traverse across the le. The elevating screws are adjustable from the and are supported on ball bearings. The heads ve long and wide bearing surfaces on the cross rail are made right and left for close range. They are iduated for swiveling up to 90 deg. and have auto- tie feeds in all directions, operative from either end the cross rail. The down feed screws under strain tension. The slides are hung on ball bearings binder screws are provided on both saddles and es. Micrometer adjustments are incorporated on vertical and horizontal feed screws. Che elevating device is centrally located on the top and is self-contained. The long handle at the pat- j of the housing operates a saw-tooth clutch for sing or lowering the cross rail, the handle being held THE IRON AGE 73 on ‘ay in ‘position while operating. Any obstruction instantly Le disengages the clutch. All gears are idle when not in i use. Side heads can be attached and are counterbal- ‘ed anced, and moved below the top of table when not in if use. The feed micrometer collars and control handles are i conveniently located on the heads and move up and a down with them. They are graduated for swiveling yj up to 90 deg. 4] In the patented feed arrangement the power is oF transmitted from a spur gear on the end of the bull J pinion shaft, through a pair of reversing miter gears , to a vertical splined feed shaft. A handle conveniently a located determines whether the feed is to take place on the cutting or return stroke, the placing of the handle in a neutral position disengaging all j feeds. A pair of miter gears on the vertical feed shaft operate the self- releasing friction attached to the feed gear on the end of the rail or side head. An automatically locked adjustable stop operated by a knob determines the amount of feed obtained. Trigger gears ‘ meshing with the feed gear are replaced by reversible ratchet gears, operated by shifting the handles, the position of the handles coinciding with the direction of the feed. are that the operator can control or change the feed on the rail heads without stopping the machine or disturb- ing the feeds on either right or left side heads, or vice All parts are well protected, yet easily acces- sible, and operating handles and knobs are conveniently Among the advantages claimed for the feed versa. The amount of feed operator to set the located. permits the amount, The driving pulleys are of aluminum with cast-iron centers and the loose pulleys have wick-oiled bronze Shifting levers located on both is indicated by a dial which feed to the proper bushings and solid web. front and rear sides of the machine permit the operator to control the motion of the table without walking around the planer. The slotter, shown in the separate illustration, is self-contained and furnished with a base which is bolted and dowelled to the bed. It is provided with a variable speed motor giving the necessary range of speed, and two additional small motors, which furnish the power for quick movement of the rail and head. The slotter has a 24-in. travel lengthwise of the machine and is provided with independent automatic feed and rapid traverse in both directions. The cross rail can be swiveled in either direction to any angle within the limits of locomotive frame work, and can also be swiv- eled entirely out of the way. The head has an inde- pendent automatic feed and rapid traverse in both directions. The ram is driven by an improved worm and worm SM. .:- s ae sod Athen aaah rin cP Ps Ty niue a ae ee ee ee whee] through a crank disk and connecting rod, and the stroke is adjustable both for position and length. Notched washers fasten the connecting rod when set. A special tool bar is provided for circular feeding and for cutting fillets. The table is held stationary when using the slotter and is rapidly set with pendant switch for the next position after finishing the cut. Adequate oiling facilities and adjustments for wear are provided throughout and ball bearings and adjustments for wear provided where necessary. The maximum stroke of the slotter 1s 14 in., the clearance in the yoke being 37 in. wide and 18 in. high. The maximum length of work accommodated is 30 ft. and the travel of the rail 24 in. The width between the housings of the planer is in., the maximum height under the cross rail being aiso 37 in. The length of the planer table is 38 ft. and the width 30 ft., the bed being 69 ft. long and 27 in, deep. The distance between the Vees is 20 in. The face of the housings is 8 in. and that of the cross Sled at rail 14 in. The horsepower required for the planer is 15 hp. and for the slotter 10 hp. The driving belts are 3 in. wide. The weight of the machine is 69,000 lb. The floer space overall is 78 ft. long by 10 ft. 2 in. wide and the height 10 ft. 11 in. overall, Engine-Driven Welding Equipment An engine-driven welding equipment for use where electric power for motor drive is not available and for job welders who must work in widely scattered dis- tricts has been developed by the Westinghouse Electric & Mfg. Co. One advantage of this apparatus, which is made in stationary and portable models, is that it is not necessary to waste time applying for a permit or making proper connections before work can be started. The equipment consists of a Westinghouse single- operator welding generator geared to a Doman four- cycle, two-cylinder, low speed, marine-type gasoline engine. The generator is direct current, has a rated capacity of 175 amp. and a maximum capacity of 225 amp. at 1750 r.p.m. The generator is designed to operate at arc voltage, and to inherently stabilize the are and supply a substantially constant current of different values over the working range of 90 to 225 ae The amp. usoline-Engine-Driven Welding maxi- the Equipment. 99° mum capacity of generator is 225 amp. The operating characteristics of the generator are said to be such that it is unusually easy for the operator to strike and maintain the arc, and also to ob- tain the deep penetration and thorough fusion neces- sary for satisfactory welding. The shaft of the gen- erator extends through the pedestal bearing and is con- nected hy means of a flexible coupling to the exciter. The engine is of rugged construction. The cylinder block and removable head are of semi-steel and the valves, main bearings, and connecting rod bearings are of liberal dimensions for the service. Other features of the engine are forced feed system of lubrication, Wheeler-Schebler carburetor, Taco throttle governor, impulse starter and large honey-comb type radiator. The control panel is mounted directly over the gen- THE IRON AGE July 13, 1922 erator on a rigid, light weight angle iron frame work, and the entire equipment is mounted on a substantia! cast-iron bed plate. New A. C. Motor for Machine Drives A new line of Watson alternating-current multi speed motors, providing speeds of 600, 720, 900 and 1200 r.p.m., has been placed on the market by th: Mechanical Appliance Co., Milwaukee. The line i; intended to make available effective individual alter nating-current drive for machine tools, blowers, con- veyors, compressors and other machines which previ ously were driven only by direct-current motors. Standard four-speed windings for alternating current motors have been 600, 900, 1200 and 1800 r.p.m. on 60 cycle circuits, the two higher speeds being twice the lower. The introduction of the 720 r.p.m. speed constitutes an important advance in the design The speeds are 720, 900 and 1200 r.p.m. Multi-Speed Alternating Current Motor. 600, of alternating current motors, it is pointed out, the wide speed gaps which have an objection to the use of alternating current motors for machine drive being eliminated, as also speed duplication and complicate: gear changes to obtain intermediate speeds. The 720 r.p.m. speed step is possible, it is claimed, by the com- pany’s standardized practice of using an independent winding on the stator for each speed. Increments of 20, 25 and 331/3 per cent are obtained. The new motors are of the squirrel-cage type ani are rated on the 40 deg. basis, carrying the full-rated load indefinitely without exceeding 40 deg. rise. It is claimed that an overload of 25 per cent will be carried two hours with a temperature rise not exceeding 55 deg. C. The motors will be furnished for constant horsepower, constant torque or combinations of both in two, three or four speeds, selected from 600, 720, 00, 1200 and 1800 r.p.m. for 60 cycle circuits. The same ratings will be furnished for other frequencies, like: wise two phase. Suitable control apparatus has been developed and is offered for both automatic and remote control, equipped with the protective apparatus. The Dort Motor Car Co., Flint, Mich., is increas ing operations at its plant, with June output showing an advance estimated at 20 per cent over May pro- duction. This last noted month showed a gain of 156 per cent over the month of May, 1921, and of 374 per cent for the same month in the year preceding. Orders on hand insure capacity operations through- out the summer. June wage distribution of $4,687,976 by Youngs- town, Ohio, industries was the largest in the past 16 months, topping the May disbursement by $445,000. British Open- Hearth Furnace Practice Higher Temperatures and More Rapid Working Aimed at in the Proposed Design of a 100-Ton Furnace—Reduction of Heat Losses a Great Desideratum will give larger outputs through more rapid anc more complete combustion have been under con- deration simultaneously both in the United States and eat Britain. Open-hearth practice has been the sub- of important papers at the last two meetings of e American Iron and Steel Institute, and at the May eeting of the Iron and Steel Institute (British) in ndon the principal paper was that of Fred Clements f the Park Gate Iron Works, Rotherham, Yorkshire, “British Siemens Furnace Practice.” The author, ntroducing his paper, which is really a volume on en-hearth furnace construction and operation, re- rred to the fact that many new open-hearth furnace nstallations have been made in Great Britain in the ist few years. While these new furnaces showed a wing appreciation of the need of better mechanical tail in furnace construction they followed well estab- hed precedents as far as proportions are concerned, d, in the author’s opinion, did not show any material ance in thermal efficiency over what has been ob- ned in older plants. With a view to formulating some of the principles vhich govern the design of regenerative furnaces, Mr. Clements made a series of tests at Park Gate, and a section of his paper is devoted to data obtained by thor- igh analysis of the work done in the 60-ton furnaces f the Park Gate Iron & Steel Co. These voluminous data accompany the paper in the form of charts dealing with temperatures, fuel and air consumption, furnace charge, chemical and heat balance of furnace charge, heat balance of furnace, details of regenerators and ports, production results, recovery of heat from chim- ney gases, etc. Details were given also in the charts onstruction and performance of other important n-hearth plants in Great Britain. (wit ive in open-hearth furnace design which Higher Temperatures and Refractories Another section of the paper takes up in detail the sign of a furnace of 100 tons capacity embodying the principles outlined by the author in his comments on he performance of the 60-ton furnaces at Park Gate. The author emphasizes the necessity of higher tempera- res and the new design he proposes is with a view to viding against the more drastic effects of high tem- ratures upon refractory materials. By recognizing he following principles in design he held that the re- tories would be subjected to conditions not more ere than those obtaining at present: The gas and air must be regenerated to a sufficiently temperature, intimately mixed, and then projected into rnace at an angle which will insure their passing surface of the metal, and at such a velocity as iintain them in the line of direction desired and in ontact with the contents of the bath. There will be tendency for the flame to rise to the upper regions of rnace The distance between the port blocks must be great to insure that combustion is fully complete before ises closely approach the outgoing ports. The distance of the roof and side walls from the zone hest temperature must be increased so as to provide t the possibility of the burning gases impinging on efractory. The space between the stream of gases in istion and the roof is considered to be occupied by an ‘ immobile mass of inert gas. The function of this gas reduce the heat effect on the refractories. (It may be noted that the more rapid operation of n-hearth furnaces in the United States that has obtained in the past year has been greatly as- } i d by the production of refractories that will stand ich higher temperatures than have been customary tofore.—EpIrTor.] in considering the heat contributed by the exo- thermic reactions in the working of the charge, Mr. Clements proposes accelerating these reactions by rais- ing the temperature ruling in the bath. The effect of this would be cumulative, in that the quicker the ele- ments are removed the greater the amount of heat gen- erated per unit of time. Three important results would follow, according to the author: The slag would be maintained in a more fluid and workable condition; the time of working would be reduced, and greater ad- vantage would be taken of the heat of chemical reac- tion. Referring generally to the factors involved in pro- viding an efficient system of regeneration, Mr. Clem- ents mentions the following: 1 The shape and dimensions of the chamber should be such that the gases during regeneration or recuperation are evenly distributed over the whole of the checkerwork, thus bringing all parts of it into service 2 The weight of suitable brickwork provided to form the checkering should be sufficient to insure a store of heat ample for regeneration without a wide range of temperature. 3 The effective heating surface presented by the checker- work must be ample to allow for a rapid heat exchange, and the arrangement of the checkers must be such that all the particles of the gases are brought into intimate contact with the hot surfaces. As the velocity of the gases is a factor in heat exchange it is important that this should be sufficiently high to give maximum results. A higher velocity also helps to keep the checkerwork free from dust deposit. Details of Proposed 100-Ton Furnace The accompanying illustrations reproduced from Mr. Clements’ paper show the design of his proposed furnace of 100 tons capacity. In his paper he com- ments on the various features of construction as fol- lows: Bath and Ports.—The area of the bath has been de- termined in accordance with the best general practice, and naturally the relation of length to width has been decided so that the bath is not too wide for easy fet- tling nor the distance between the arch springers too great for stability, even after making the extra allow- ance on the distance between the side walls in order to reduce the intensity of the radiant heat effect. The need for this increase in width, along with the greater height of roof, has been demonstrated previously. The distance between what may be called the effective port mouths is 37 ft., and this is deemed from other experi- ence sufficient to insure that combustion is complete before the products of cumbustion enter the outgoing port mouth. Five charging doors are provided, so that the charge can be distributed over the whole of the furnace bath. With regard to the ports, the usual positions of gas and air uptakes have been reversed, with the consider- able advantage that only one uptake need be provided for each. The overall width of the port block therefore is much reduced, and with the design of casing shown, along with the use of cast iron chills at the point of juncture between port block and furnace, it is possible quickly to remove the port end complete and replace it by a spare. Another advantage arising out of this arrangement is that it allows freedom for that relative movement between the port block and furnace, due to expansion, which always takes place. One sheet ac- companying the paper shows the velocity of the air leaving the port as 120 ft. per sec. and the gas as 140 ft. per sec. These velocities are higher than is custo- mary, but in order to provide for the increased tem- perature in the hearth it is necessary for the gas and air to mix rapidly and intimately on the surface of the metal so as to develop the highest temperature of com- bustion in direct contact with the materials in the bath. ee ee SAG gy: BS ae owen rater 3 > le-------.---- . -,- -84°0°9 ft > =- "= +5 - big -~-- == = - ge 1 a a ol, a A Bm 20 || | Ly 100-Ton Designed for and Faster A and B-B on ' Arrangement of Proposed Open-Hearth Furnace, Higher Temperatures Working- A-A Sections opposite page THE IRON SSS AGE July 13, 1922 as SAS me ee Sate a Ni —— iba8 SN lociameameanl 4 iv) J 0 eben! ALAM Lost 7} AVY Wy | Y WENZEL a : eee aan inllinialintiate ei rr | " = . aa re aa j ! 4 4 ZO YS JO Gas. | 3O Cas 47 Sy 304: Reguiati f | Regulating Regulating; } ) Regering Valve = Valve Valve Ne Valve “36 ‘Gas Freverse and | nt re fre ev se 56 Chink _+ cng: (A ea 36 ‘Chime, Valve Jo ne | To Chirnmney Valve aes AN a ~.\| ———— In order to assist in attaining this result the gas and culty. The height of the checkerwork is also naturally air ports discharge into a common port before enter- ing the furnace. This port with its sloping crown di- rects the gas and air down on to the metal in the bath, and in conjunction with the port at the other end of the furnace, assists in keeping the flow of gases on the bath surface and prevents any tendency of the stream to rise to the roof. At the same time any danger of burning the arch of the common port is re- moved by arranging the dimensions so that the gas stream issuing from the gas port is always insulated from the brickwork by the stream of air which is around it. Regenerators.—It cannot be too strongly empha- sized that for the most effective results care must be taken to determine the best proporticys of the checker- work, as in a correctly operated furnace the quantity of heat carried into the regenerators by the products of combustion between the temperatures permissible is only a little in excess of the amount required for ade- quate regeneration. In the design of the checkerwork attention is called to the following axioms: (a) Correct weight of effective brickwork. (b) Maximum heating surface possible per unit volume. (c) Proper distribution of the gases over the checkers. (d) Best velocity through the checkers to give most effective heat interchange. If these axioms be properly followed then the perature of regeneration will be attained without tem- diffi- determined by the provisions necessary to satisfy the four factors mentioned. The following comments on axioms (a) and (d) are important: On Axiom (a).—The weight of effective brick work must be correct for the conditions existing, because with too little mass the temperature range is too great. Again, too much checkerwork is equally undesirable, as in this case the available heat is distributed over a weight of brick work which may absorb the whole, while the mass is so great as to prevent the requisite temperature being attained, the latter being vital to success. On Axiom (d).—The problem of the idea] velocity through the checkers is one of extreme difficulty. In- vestigation on this important subject would have a con- siderable bearing on regenerative furnace practice. As far as is shown by the data available [showing practice at various British steel plants] it would appear that a velocity of about 20 ft. per sec. ought to be allowed. It is essential that the lower sections of the checker- work should do the major portion of the regeneration, and this being so it is necessary that the heat inter- change in these regions should be as effective as pos- sible. The free area arranged therefore should be such as to give a velocity of approximately 20 ft. per se. through the lower half of the regenerators, after allow- ing for the increase in volume of the gas due to in- crease in temperature. However, in order to give 4 chamber which is economical] in construction, the veloc- July 18, 1922 je ---- i ee 1 | . = ool Ti 0 a tia Ai ol ere Non) Lar F Ir rek_ BE Ad Ls] 1 4 Ry ‘ - eSB Li 7 pe Ps Nl rere i | a) We ah es om —— 3 » SSS Ss) 1 taal " =! x nit t 1 | * ti ee rN Ht ; a ee t ; berth it 4 —|b- i= 4 | _§ tsa tata GY art Ty A ~t | ‘ Loh __ Charging Plat form Leve/ THE IRON AGE de Sra aed le A ie Pe a 25 Bricks em Arrangement of Bricks fa in Checker Chambers nacemen, with no doubt usually good results, yet a very strong case can be made out for auto- matic reversal every half hour. The design of the necessary gear presents no great difficulty, and indeed a similar device is already in service on some types of coke oven plant. Chimney.—In order to give the suction necessary for the quick removal of the burnt gases from the furnace bath as well as to maintain the speed of the prod- ucts of combustion through the checkerwork during recuperation the chimney must be ample in height. Under the conditions of temperature anticipated a stack 200 ft. high is calculated to give a suction of 1.75 in. w.g. at the base. Fuel Consumption.—The fuel consumption used in the calcula- “fj ta 7, l2-0- tions, viz., 3 cwt. per ton of steel, Wf is allows for using coal at the same | is ita co) i ees rate per hour per ton of metal as V ZA. e=p Ci pi iC_ah is now obtained in the best Park J T i ‘ weeedl “a . . y “ i 4 et, 4 | Gate practice, and only takes JAD ymap fz WTNH ‘ rz . oie ‘i . Vv py ry y BRT into account the quicker working VY -- non Why \Y which is anticipated from a fur- Y , WA M4 nace of the design shown. No ee allowance has been made there- Section B-B ity allowed in the upper half of the checkerwork can be increased, since the density of the gas per unit volume is reduced and consequently higher velocities can be allowed. The reason for the reduction in the cross sectional area toward the bottom of the regen- erator chamber will therefore be self-evident. Binding of Furnace and Regenerators.—The furnace hearth is very effectively bound without the need of the bottom longitudinal tie bolts by using the support- ing girders for binding purposes. The gas and air re- generator chambers at each end of the furnace are, in the main, separate units, and this effectively prevents any leakage of gas to the air chamber, which is some- times a source of trouble. The binding of the chambers is of simple but very substantial character. Gas Reverse Valves.—In order to reduce the loss of gas on reversal it is advisable that the reverse valves should be as close to the regenerator chamber as pos- sible. On the same basis the type of gas valve used should be such as to shut off the supply to the furnace while reversal is taking place. Any design of gas re- erse valve which allows the producer gas to pass lirectly to the chimney even for the space of a few conds during the act of reversal is not permissible an installation where the highest economy is looked Air Reverse Valves.—The air valves provided are of water-sealed type. Considerable leakage of cold r direct into the chimney gases takes place with the ‘rdinary type of butterfly valve, or dry mushroom ve, unless special precautions are taken to prevent Such a leakage is undesirable in any case, but is ‘specially detrimental if the use of waste heat boilers adopted. Method of Reversing.—The need of uniform periods tween reversals is of paramount importance and ie it is customary to leave this operation to the fur- fore for the economy which would result from the prevention of radiant heat losses as sug- gested, and if this is adequately carried out a fuel consumption of not more than 2 cwt. of good coal at the producers per ton of ingots made could be con- fidently expected. Discussion Aide The proposal to have a separate session of the insti- tute for the discussion of Mr. Clements’ paper has beer under consideration. From our London correspondent we have the following report of the comment offered at the May meeting: E. H. SANITER, referring to the graphs of the con- sumption of gas and air, said no such graphs had ever been published before. Extraordinary changes were shown in the relative consumptions. During charging the gas and air consumptions were high, while during melting the air was high and the gas low. This was not in accordance with preconceived ideas, which might be wrong. It should be remembered, however, that the records related to an individual experiment. In the thermal balance sheet the author assumed that the car- bon was burned into CO, but it would be more accurate to take CO, as the product of combustion. He thought the particularly deep regenerators advocated would re- duce the draft on the furnace or shorten its life. A water-cooled block, on the American system, would be an improvement. E. B. CuristMas, who made a tour of steel plants in the United States this year, criticized the general lack of water cooling in British furnaces. Quite 95 per cent of American furnaces had water cooling in some form or other. At Gary, Ind., he had seen 45 open- hearth furnaces with Knox water-cooled blocks and door frames. The blocks averaged over 2000 heats at the Edgar Thomson Works, while the total cost of water cooling was 2%c. per ton of steel, the average life of a small door being 40 morths and of a large ~ CoO door 26 months. Waste-heat boilers were common prac- tice and averaged 350 hp. from four furnaces of 75 tons nominal capacity. The present tendency in the United States was to eliminate valves with turns, while the Orth roof was also growing in favor. Dr. A. MCCANCE said the author had calculated his heat balance on a wrong basis, and it contained a cumu- lative error. The best way was to calculate all the heat put into the furnace and all the heat taken out. He thought the author had made a wrong assumption in working out the radiation losses. Calculating the efficiency on his own methods, Dr. McCance obtained a figure of 32.3 per cent, which he thought was nearer reality than the author’s figure of 16.9 per cent. F. W. HARBORD appreciated the attitude of the au- thor is first ascertaining the theoretical conditions and then seeing how far they could be approached in prac- tice. Investigation would probably show that some of the losses could be considerably modified. As regards radiation losses the only hope in the bath itself was better refractories. The losses in the flue gases were also serious, and he suggested the possibility of cheap- ening the production of oxygen, which could be used to decrease the present large proportion of inert nitrogen passing through the furnace system and carrying away large quantities of heat. BENJAMIN TALBOT was somewhat skeptical of the author’s idea that the fuel consumption could be brought down to 3 cwt. per ton or lower, although such a reduction would be welcomed by steel makers. He thought the author’s 100-ton furnace design was very good, but was afraid that the extra deep regenerators would reduce the speed of the furnace. Resourceful Engine Repair Job BY CHARLES L. SMITH The connecting rod on the ammonia compressor side of a large steam unit in the plant of the Consumers Ice & Cold Storage Co., El Paso, Tex., was recently broken off close to the crank pin end. The crank pin was considerably marred before the engine could be stopped and the damage necessitated either removal and replacement of the wrist pin, or turning off the flange and re-turning the bearing part of the pin. Repairing the Ammonia Compressor Side of a Large Steam The flange was turned off and the crank pin re-turned by the apparatus shown Unit Dismantling the rear end of the unit and sending it to a shop in St. Louis for repairs was decided upon, but before this was done, W. B. Langston, machinist, con- tracted to repair the machine as it stood. The impro- THE IRON AGE July 13, 1922 J. A. SMEETON said the Siemens furnace was a back number, and advocated a multi-flame continuous-recu perative furnace of the Chautraine type in which h was interested. This, he claimed, should be able ¢ melt steel with 3 or even 2 ewt. of coal per ton. Ti whole Siemens system ought to be scrapped and son: thing modern substituted. He mentioned economies . 40 per cent on any existing furnace and 85 per cent o: many. Members were not unduly disconcerted and a; parently preferred to await the results of a practica demonstration, which the speaker hoped to arrange i about six months. H. M. RipGeE said that he had obtained economie by comparatively simple alterations of Siemens plan‘ without any change in metallurgical practice, and he thought by applying his method to the Park Gate plant the fuel consumption could be reduced by fully 26 pe: cent. He noted that in the author’s records the CO dropped during melting, which appeared undesirab|: and a source of heat loss. He also criticized the checker design. Dr. W. H. HATFIELD considered the author’s figure for efficiency more accurate than those of Dr. McCance. He thought it quite likely that a fuel consumption of 3 ewt. would be obtained in the author’s new furnace which would be a remckable achievement. Dr. W. ROSENHAIN pointed out that damage to the refractories was purely a question of the temperatur they attained, which depended on the balance between the heat radiated away and the heat supplied. H«: argued that if the heat supplied were reduced propo: tionately to the proposed reduction in radiation losses, the refractories would be all right. vised equipment devised for the job is shown in the accompanying illustration. The crank pin was originally 7 in. in diameter by 8% in. from crank to outside of flange on the pin; the bearing being about 7% in. long. To turn off thi flange and re-turn the pin the unique apparatus shown, which was made from the head of a 6-in. pipe machine, was used. This mechanism was centered and fastened by bolting into the oil hole in the center of the crank pin, through a cylindrical filler piece, supports being provided to anchor the overhanging outer end. Attached to the sleeve part of the head there was an extension angle piece with a slot running length- wise of the crank pin, an improvised tool holder being set in this slot at any point on the length of the crank pin desired. The sleeve of the threading head revolved on the inner piece and was set to true rotation by means of the adjustable jaws, while the bevel gears which ro- tated the sleeve part of the head were driven through an improvised joint by a Little Giant air motor. To offset the weight of the device arrange