The Iron Age 1922-11-16: Vol 110 Iss 20

THE IRON AGE New York, November 16, 1922 ESTABLISHED 1855 VOL. 110, No. 20 + a . Handling Material in Automotive Plant Hf System at Studebaker Plant—Tractors Effect Large Savings —Machine Shop Layout and Handling of (og : Scrap Are Features CONOMY in handling material was the general Depressed tracks lead into steel yards and sheet metal ; subject of a practical talk by M. R. Dennison, stores for receiving of material. Special hoisting de- ' \f the Studebaker Corporation, South Bend, Ind., vices are used in connection with the handling of sheet “li a at the material handling meeting at the convention of metal. Hand labor is eliminated, with the exception of te. the Society of Industrial Engineers, held in New York short moves of a few feet. Steel baskets and large Lis Oct. 18, 19 and 20. For several years, said Mr. Denni- wooden boxes, which in emergency can be moved by a "t¢ MH son, overhead expense has received probably more at- lift truck, are used for transferring forgings in process, “| ; al tention than any other single item contributing to cost. but are, in 98 per cent of the cases, lifted and moved by . }3 2 Entering into the question, and more so of late, has crane. Stampings in process are handled on four- aa been the problem of economy in the movement of ma- wheeled, heavy duty trailer trucks. Li oh i terial. Some economies in that line accomplished at the It was found that close attention to the handling of one South Bend plant of his company are given in what bulk material, such as bar steel or sheet metal, gave i! § follows. a greater chance for quick economy than the handling ir ot) Divisions of Pleat Outlined of other stock. Gray iron castings are made at the if iF Studebaker foundry about one mile from the main Ley The plant is laid out in seven divisions, all under plant, and are transported by freight car between the . z the direction of a production manager. These are the foundry and main plant divisions. Castings are placed [ta gray iron foundry; tool, die and maintenance; power; in large box trucks at the foundry, part numbers and & machining and assembling; stamping; forging; and the quantity being shown on a tag on each truck, and trucks : “4 stores division. Each of the first six has within ita are then loaded in tiers in freight cars. The tag elimi- ; separate stores department under the direction of a nates recount, and the truck one handling at the main if general storekeeper. One transportation department, plant. In emergency, castings are hauled on wagons t* one receiving department, and one scrap department, from the foundry by gasoline tractors. 1 serve all divisions. The tractors are favored for long hauls on rough ; The rough stock and work in process in the stamp- pavements, for two reasons: initial cost and higher f ing and forging divisions is handled entirely by over- speed. Large castings are put in freight cars and not head cab-cranes, running the full length of the building in trucks, and the movement is handled, wherever pos- and operating transversely as well as longitudinally. sible, so that cars are delivered to the spur track adja- s7 3° & Ste 2sessss ss The Te. Tractor Hauled Train Runs on a Schedule Through the Departments. It is required to make a right angle turn through a 6%4-ft. doorway, sometimes with 50 cars in the train 1269 ~ SS *? to bo 3 Ran et ve : : . - r* ' ; : : * . ; = ~* 3 fs ve ts . - : ; : A is . ’ se . ' : ‘ i. i ‘ * ve H ais ’ ” x . . : : 7 .- - ’ ‘ Ty . > an A PB. 9 - a * ’ . : 5 . aS oi : » a Ye > § ” Tt re es2 : ae te" i a. ip ‘ mS . rele : s? 1270 THE IRON cent to the machine shop and unloaded directly from car to machining department. Two four-story buildings, 520 x 520 ft., are utilized by the department and storerooms for assembling motor, axle and other units. Each building has two wings, with crane bay in the center, covered by glass; in each crane bay two 5-ton overhead electric cranes operate. A depressed track runs into each building in the crane bay, and extends the full length of the build- ing. A driveway is also maintained through the crane bay for trucks and pickups. The material, upon re- ceipt, is checked for count; weight, etc., and at once is transferred to some sort of truck on wheels. The keeping of material on wheels, particuarly in the re- ceiving department, is emphasized. On each side of the crane bay are projecting balconies for landing of loads by the crane. Different types of trucks are provided. Large dock trucks are used for sending many boxes of small items to the storerooms at one trip. Trucks with a special rack are provided for many items where the finish de- mands protection. By an arrangement with some sup pliers the rack in which they ship material is utilized in receiving, checking and sorting. Care is exercised by the receiving department to load material so that all material on the same truck is to be stored about in the same locality, and all in the same storeroom. The material is then transported by automatic lift truck a short distance to the receiving inspection, where each lot of material, as loaded by the receiving room, is kept together except for rejections. After inspection, the automatic lift truck delivers back to the receiving dock and the overhead crane carries the truck from there to the nearest projecting balcony to the point of storage. The hooker-on, from the ground, signals the particular baleony by electric horn, while the load is in the air, so no time will be lost in landing the load. Savings in Handling Material to Assembly Line The layout was made with a view of making it neces- sary for every piece of material to pass through these storerooms before going to assembly lines or stands. All material consigned to points above the first floor and going from the first floor is handled by crane. Upon receipt of the material by the storeroom, it is taken to the proper bin and there unloaded. The handling of material to the assembly line is one of the phases which has resulted in a large saving. Banks of material have been laid out for each assembly floor so the foreman will have just enough to maintain production. After the banks have been established, deliveries are made daily in exact sets, on a basis of finished car production. The stock is stored adjacent to the assembling oper- ations where used. Sets are assembled each afternoon by the stores men and placed on steel benches just over which is a wicket window opening to the assembly de- partment. By simply putting up the wicket at the One of the Features Is the Large Num- ber of Trucks, Some of Which Are Kept in Stores Equipped Ready for Transpor- tation with Wheels, Axles, Ete. Of box trucks there are 3000 of three types AGE November 16, 1999 proper time, the stock is available to th: Back orders are maintained where the supp)\ rial in the stores is not sufficient to put out a supply. All material down to the smallest eotter p dled on the basis of sets. When the produce; one of two things must be done; he must prod fective piece, properly tagged by an inspect foreman must give the storeroom a requisitior he wants, the valuation of the goods he gets basis being charged against his department pense. Since his expense is budgeted and h allowed to spend so many cents per car on ea period, he is usually quite able to account fo) All scrap and salvage is disposed of within rooms. This is done to replace it with good get a good record on the disposal of the scrap. In of the assembling operations, the work is don: tinuous moving conveyor, in which event, th put up in single sets and moves along with th bly. The final car assembly is on this basis. A for the car, with the exception of axles, fram: and body, are assembled on the racks in th which has a complete floor in this case, located final assembly department. This assembling of on the rack is done as the rack moves on a power d conveyor past the point of storage. The rack, wi filled, is carried by crane to the final lin which comes up into the storeroom on the second fl and then carries the rack back down at an a deg. When material is put up in single sets, a case, all nuts and washers are assembled to sent to the assembler in this manner to preve reaching first for the bolt, then for the was then for the nut. The finished unit assemblies, as motors, axles, et are handled to the final assembly storerooms by tract in train loads on a scheduled basis. This is the or operation in the plant where parts are handled b; tractor from one floor to another on elevators. Specially designed racks to suit the need, assembled on standa 3 x 6 ft. trailer trucks, are used for transporting units. Tractors and Box Trucks Handle Rough Parts All forgings, gray iron and malleabl stampings, aluminum castings, and for a considera number of parts, bar steel and tubing, are handled what are called rough stores. This material, 0 of 200 finished automobiles per day, is handled electric tractors, which on their routes also ha ished machined parts to stock. There are about box trucks of three types, and 400 flat four-whee« trailer trucks of one type only, that are used for stor! material as well as for transportation. The trans} r tation of this material is all on the ground floor. | stock is loaded in specific types of trucks on ne re No’ ember 16, 1922 when received. Specific amounts of all mate- iced in each truck and tag is then placed on wing part number and quantity. The box 1 is made on the same principle, size only g variation. \s stated, there are three sizes, the first being 40 in. g and 26 in. wide, with sides 11 in. high; the second ng and 26 in. wide, with sides 18% in. high; 18 in. long and 34 in. wide, with sides 26 in. The same part and the same quantity always are red in rough stores, or as it may be called, semi- tores, in the same type of truck. Two wheels ixle are used on each truck. A clevis with pin | to the tender of the rear end and a cast steel ipport is used on the front under which a third » inserted with a fulcrum movement, there- the truck on wheels and ready to roll. This el is used in two types, one having a long hand operation, and the other having a short gue for trailing purposes. The trucks are balanced nnecessary to insert the third wheel for short few feet. ‘livery of material to rough stores from the stamping division, receiving room, etc., the iced in a designated spot. The design of the its lifting by crane and piling one on the | cranes are installed in each bay in the es for lifting the truck to the proper pile, ting down and conveying to the nearest aisle il n g up of trainloads to go to the machine shop. some 800 to 1000 of these box trucks are employed, with material in rough stores. Certain large pieces are, of course, handled by hand and piled on re- eipt from the receiving department. The question has been raised of carrying these trucks in stores, equipped with wheels, axles, clevises, and ‘ront legs. It has been found that the hardware in- ived will not begin to offset the additional expetise ired for hoists, the higher cost of the chassis, etc. lractor Operation Means Large Savings Tract peration has accomplished a tremendous ‘ing in non-productive labor and has also worked in radly with the system of maintaining small banks iaterial in each department operating, for the reason a a scheduled basis entirely, and tends to keep ‘* How of material constant. The trains of material _ made up entirely in the different clearing stations ough stores. The trucks are lifted from their i rough stores, for instance, and placed in proper making-up aisle,“ticketed for transfer, third nserted, and trucks coupled together by the es men. The operation is on the principle -. ; 44 Yalirnad i lipment is all numbered. In comes the tractor iver alone. The driver carries a supply of THE IRON AGE 1271 Some of the Over- head Chain Con- veyors Are Equipped with Hooks on Which Work Is Hung. Belt conveyors of all types are found, some with deflectors for deliver- ing the work to the proper point for the next operation third wheels in a box on top the battery compartment, and drops the same number as are picked up on trucks. He immediately hitches up to the train after dropping from his load such trucks as are consigned to rough stores. He then proceeds on his route, which is exactly laid out, his time of arrival and departure from each stopping point being carefully planned. He rings a time card at each stopping point on a time clock, which, by its print, shows where he was. These cards are turned in to the dispatcher’s office at night so delays may be noted. These delays seldom occur, as it is a matter of pride on the part of the driver to be “on time.” The men in the stores and clearing houses also expect him on time, and it is to their interest to have the train ready for him to prevent delays, as his in- structions are to report by telephone to the dispatcher whenever he is held up. The schedules are arranged so the tractor is kept moving all the time. The train now proceeds to the machine shop. Mate- rial js delivered daily to the machine shop in sets with the exception of small pieces, a large supply of which can be placed in one truck. Only Two Truckers in Machine Shop The machine shop is a 500 x 520 ft. building of one- story, saw-toothed construction. An inspection bay walled and screened in, 49 ft. wide, runs through the exact center. All raw material is delivered to the proper one of the two aisles. The tractor is not allowed to get out of this end aisle. The trucks are cut out in the end aisle at the end of the row of machines in which the parts are manufactured. Two hand truckers are provided, one on each side of the inspection bay. Their duty is to assist the driver in cutting out trucks at proper points and pulling work to the first operation. These two men also pull back empty trucks and assist in coupling to the next train that comes through. The work is handled automatically from the first operation to the inspection bay. No trucks containing material are allowed past the first operation Many automatic devices are used. Overhead chain conveyors, from which baskets of work can be sus- pended, are utilized to advantage. Other conveyors with hooks on which the piece can hang are used. Belt conveyors of all types are found on many of which deflectors have been placed, so that when one man is performing operation one and three men are on opera- tion two, the work is deflected automatically to the proper man on operation two. Cast iron tables with high sides are provided for many of the operators, in which the work is placed from the preceding operation by hand, when the machines are close, or in many cases by an inclined steel chute, and in others by grav- ity conveyors. It is insisted that very small amounts of material in process be carried. This has been ac- complished mainly by the automatic equipment which ae: “2 Beit STs toe letce er 3 eee ~ 1272 THE IRON AGE When the Train Reaches a Station, Loaded Trailers Are Detached and Those Ready for Hauling Are Coupled t the Tractor Operator Acting as the Train Crew. If a given trailer is detained beyond allowed time, its conte: on the floor and it is put into the train for active service allows and in reality forces rapid dispatch from one operator to another. Upon receipt of finished material in the inspection bay it is placed, if OK’d, in the proper receptacle and arranged in proper place in the train being made up. The tractors, after delivering rough stock, proceed with empty trucks to the inspection bay and, dropping the empty trucks, pick up the train ready. It now goes to the two crane bays in the assembly buildings pre- viously described, where the proper trucks are cut out and handled to the balconies by crane. Many special boxes and racks in conjunction with trucks are used in carrying finished material from the machine shop to the finished stock. They are all capa- ble of being included anywhere in the train, however. Gears and ground work are carried in special boxes which are inserted and fit into the regulation box truck. System Prevents Lack of Empty Trucks For a time, there was a severe want of empty trucks. Numbering them helped a good deal. Also, the tractor drivers are all provided with a printed tag, which they hang on any loaded truck standing anywhere for 48 hr. This is a notification to the foreman of the depart- ment where the truck is located that he must get this truck moving within 24 hr., or the truck will be dumped and put in service, and the foreman must then get along as best he can. The banks are maintained so no mate- rial in process can be held for more than 72 hr. without operations being performed. The transportation de- partment has absolute authority over all trucks, no matter where they are. The Full Use of Mechanical Conveying Is Also Indicated receiving stations, and the system as a whole serves to keep in This View. Cast-iron tables are commonly PT’) November 16, 1929 After leaving the assembly buildings, the ceeds to the stamping division, then to the carbor department and forge shop, and then throug rough stores where the operation starts o1 This route is one mile long, and is covered in 30 n A charging department equipped with stands to handle all tractors at one time is maint adjacent to the dispatcher’s office. The tractors ar course, all put on the charging stand at the noon h No trouble is experienced because of lack of power the tractor is charged at noon. Loads are heavy and the tractor is pulling a load practically all the time. Repairing of the tractors done at night. No spare tractors are maintained. Th repair expense was not watched carefully until rm cently. Without any check, this item amounted to $1 per tractor per day. It now amounts to 75c. per da) per tractor, and will drop to 50c. per day pe or less. Other Tractors Used For Handling Other Materia! In addition to the three tractors describ one on unit assemblies, five others are used One is for handling enamel, oils and gré another for handling dies to and from stampl! forging divisions to die room, and also carrying pleted work from press room to inspection bay A third is for handling scrap, another for pulling large wagon trailers into buildings after same bee dropped outside by our gas tractors. Also hoods to the final car shipping department, a! fifth is on miscellaneous work of all kinds. Al! excep! provided down the amount of material in process © November 16, 1922 THE IRON AGE 1273 the last run on schedules with no variation in the kind and rubbish from floors above the ground floor are of work they handle outside the layout. carried to the end of the buildings and thrown down a Equipment used with tractors must be designed to steel chute, leading down into a high sided wagon track as perfectly as possible. A train of 50 box trucks placed under the chute on a drive through the building. will pass through a 6%-ft. door at a right angle turn. Once a day these wagons are replaced by empties, and In fact, every trainload of material from the machine the load is pulled to the incinerator by a gasoline shop must pass through a door of this size at right tractor. angles. The design of the box trucks calls for 18-in. ——$—————— semi-steel wheels of Studebaker manufacture, with ; . oe : ain face at each end of a 1%-in. steel axle, cold rolled. Buyers in Youngstown District Show More In- Steel rollers are used for roller bearings. For 4-wheeled terest in Requirements After Jan. 1 trailers, a 3 x 6 ft. truck is used equipped with a spring Y ; : «gging, which runs the entire length of the trailer, YOUNGSTOWN, Nov. 14.—In the independent steel nd take ; the strain of starting and stopping and pull- trade in this territory, interest centers about prices to ‘ng the load from the framework. The platform is apply on first quarter, 1923 tonnage. Consumers are 4 in. high on all trailers so they will pull in a train showing more activity with respect to next quarter with box trucks. With a few exceptions the equipment bookings, especially in the automotive field. Surveys on trucks is standard, holding to the three sizes on box by several Valley sheet and strip makers of the pros- trucks and the one type on four-wheeled trailers. pects for automobile building next year are very en- ' : couraging and indicate a heavy overhanging demand from this source. In the meantime, enough sheet business is being booked and released to warrant 80 per cent operation of capacity. Business is by no means as well sustained ruck Repairs Department Maintained \ complete repair department for box trucks and rucks is maintained. Trucks are inspected and i by one man who travels continually. As he finds needing repair, it is tagged with a large tag eading “repair,” and pulled to the nearest tractor ite, where it is picked up by the tractor. A system ting a small spot of paint on the rear end of the ick used as it is oiled. All trucks are oiled once month, red for October, blue for November, white for scember, ete. This enables us to check this important 1 glance. Scrap Tunnel For Machine Shop hase of material handling that has still been ed by many industries is the matter of waste The original installation cost has paid for itself, the elieves, many times. For lirectly under the inspection inning the full distance of 500 he machine shop building, width as the inspection bay soalled scrap tunnel. All turnings, , are deposited on conveyors leading wn into 3 x 6 ft. steel tanks on four- icks in the tunnel. The machine shop is any other part of the plant. tractor is used by the scrap department, in ng these trucks out, and also gathering scrap from rtain departments in other buildings. Loads are a 10 per cent grade from this tunnel outside ling, and from there taken to the scrap depart- ated at one end of the plant in the forge shop , uilding. Again the overhead cranes serve to lift the s off the truck itself, dumping the material bins located at each side of a depressed track above it. These bins are equipped with steel extending out over the gondola cars on the Overhead Chain Conveyors Provide for Delivering Baskets The material, by operating the chute, is loaded for Work from Place to Place [he sheet metal trimmings are thrown on a 48-in. jn this branch as in such other finished lines as tubes, é Delt which runs the full length of the press room strips and tin plate. the side of one row of presses, by the operator where The suspension of a Valley sheet mill plant recently e, and where this is not possible, the scrap is was attributed both to lack of box car supply and in- lated in steel tanks on 3 x 6 ft. trucks and sufficiency of orders. Sheets have settled to a basis cumped on the belt by hand truckers. This belt con- of 3.35c. for No. 28 gage black and 4.35c. for the base “ys the steel to a pit located at one end of the build- gage of galvanized, and are readily obtainable at these where it is baled. The bales are then handled by prices for fairly prompt delivery. Prices on blue an- m the pit to gondola cars. nealed tonnages range from 2.50c. to 2.65c., the 2.75c. andling flashings, etc., in the forge shop, hand maximum having virtually disappeared. ' plays practically no part at all. Paper is baled Southern buyers are seeking roofing products. A eiving docks. Also gondola cars are spotted number of producers are endeavoring to uphold the “pressed tracks wherein all scrap wood is broken 4.50c. base price on galvanized grades, because of high ‘piled and rubbish is accumulated. These items spelter costs, but are experiencing difficulty owing to ‘eparated as they are placed in car. At night cars the competitive condition of the market. pu it to the scrap department and replaced by Sheet bars are softening and prices below the $40 An incinerator for disposal of rubbish is base, which has prevailed on the bulk of the last quar- : ee by the scrap department, and the car is thus ter tonnage moved from this district, have been quoted “a next to the incinerator. Rubbish is unloaded on recent inquiries. In this connection, prices down to side for burning and wood is unloaded on the $38 are noted. Most of the current sheet bar tonnage ‘o wagons for sale to employees. Sweepings involves releases against existing contracts. A ee - 5 ee - - : . — : ee eye on * Sel 7 Shy . neat al ae NS ino < ~s on a > c sm j Pe ee yea Don eeneeh a dabei J ee oe eres me iii alt Cr OH + OSM a ros a on re x “- " —— pm n ee ere x - Te nema tenia coals aera um rs * - _ _— a * - £5 ee aapeawde - . - 5 4 a gn anes teas ara firs ana rs f ‘ Ape aget ay, TRAE Prat hee oe Scag Cen : - “ ' os ag Nh ss setae = ‘ 4 , a | Seen Sa ee ras ~~ es ike es ee a # nt a GPCI Sg TI in POE AE ‘Te 2 Meck ” — ae Ate Ta . : ats . Pn a" * z : ; : 7 : : a ——— ALLL ELE, cian a : a wersquee-e See * . . BUSINESS IMPROVING Bari ‘ "ee ig lye ‘. Loading of Revenue Freight Shows Increased a Pah Oe ° e . . euyite, Activity in Many Lines ; ¥ Bhi WASHINGTON, Nov. 14.—While reports received from ie ASS the carriers by the Car Service Division of the American ah ° Railway Association show that demand for freight cars on American railroads in excess of the current supply amounted to 179,239 on Oct. 30, a record shortage and eae an increase of 12,890 cars over the total on Oct. 23, it is also shown that loading of revenue freight during cee e the week which ended on Oct. 28, amounted to 1,014,480 : P cars, the largest number of cars loaded with revenue freight during any one week in the history of the reil- peeets (3 t roads, except for the week of Oct. 15, which exceeded a BP ae . this total by only 4059 cars. The acute shortage ap- ts qf; plies especially to the agricultural sections of the Northwest. Tae In brief the reports show stimulated business in . if = almost all lines. They reflect an increased shortage in 8 r aeons ee ark BY-PRODUCT COKE October Output Makes New Record—Beehive : Tonnage Also Large se 1S WASHINGTON, Nov. 14.—October witnessed an out- put of by-product coke larger than the monthly aver- Survey. “ iY . ; age for any preceding year, according to the Geological srs The total production was 2,806,000 tons, an increase of 563,000 tons or 25 per cent over August, es, 4: and of 226,000 tons, or 9 per cent over last June, the a - highest preceding month of the present year. ovens operated during October at 76.5 per cent capac- The Bae ti 2 ity. Of the 71 plants reporting, 59 were active and 12 wee sem Te idle. The production of beehive coke also increased IS a during October and reached 878,000 tons, an increase iy * of 74 per cent over the monthly average for 1921, but a 4 a decrease of 15 per cent compared with 1920. output of beehive coke, however, decreased 8 per cent in the week ended Nov. 4, as compared with the preced- v ate ing week. From reports of cars of coke loaded, by the her f ." , principal railroads, the total production during that The r : sce week is estimated at 217,000 tons, against 237,000 tons ee) ; in the week before. record year. , ae bituminous coal and 1,900,000 tons The record production of 2,806,000 tons of by-product coke in October, 1922, compares with a monthly average of 2,565,000 tons in 1920, the Men The quantity of coal consumed in the manufacture of coke during October was approximately 5,416,000 tons, of which 4,032,000 tons was used in by-product . ovens and 1,384,000 in beehive ovens. indicate that the present consumption of coal for coke ey me manufacture is about two-thirds greater than during nhs the period of extreme depression in 1921, and about 8 per cent less than in the active year 1920. Active demand for household fuel has largely ab- sorbed the heavy stocks of unsold coke, which had ac- cumulated at by-product coke works last spring. State- ments furnished by 19 by-product coke operators sup- plying gas to the municipalities under contract show a * decrease of 73 per cent from March 1 to Oct. 1, 1922. a4 ; As the stocks of surplus coke at such plants on March cM 1 were slightly over 1,000,000 tons, it appears that the October stocks were about 270,000 tons. WY am panies heard from by the Geological Survey up to the at day of publication had 236,796 tons on Oct. 1. 2 According to the Ore and Coal Exchange, the total my i te of AIS soft coal handled at Lake Erie piers during the week “8 ‘ ended Nov. 5 was 1,088,104 net tons, as compared with a thy 1,026,388 tons in the week preceding. ‘ Preliminary returns on coal loaded at the mines in ce . 2 oe the week ended Nov. 11 indicate a total production of 4. 12,600,000 net tons, of which about 10,700,000 tons was was anthracite. i. . a Revised estimates for the week ended Nov. 4 show 10,- _* 617,000 tons of bituminous and 1,839,000 tons of an- THE IRON These figures The 19 com- AGE November 16, 1999 various types of rolling stock, but at the ; show that a greater number of locomotives have been put into service, some being new a: thare being repaired equipment. Loadings for the week of Oct. 28, this yea increase of 10,721 cars over the week before. increase of 63,096 cars over the corresponding \ year. It also was an increase of 33,238 cars. cent, above the corresponding week in 1920 total was 1,008,818 cars. A new record in th, of cars loaded with merchandise and mis freight, which includes manufactured products, , made during the week. The total for the 602,018 cars. This exceeded by 5626 the tota preceding week which had marked the peak, the fifth time in almost successive weeks this \ a new record for this class of commodities made. The total for the week was an increase cars over the corresponding week last year, a crease of 58,122 cars over the corresponding 1920. a thracite. Thus a slight increase in the total coal! raised is shown for the present week as compared with the week before. The rate of output of soft coal is now higher than in 1918 and 1921, and of course much higher than in. 1919, when at the correspondng period the great striké of that year had begun; but the pres- ent rate is lower than at the sAme season in 1920. Mahoning Valley Operations YOUNGSTOWN, Nov. 14.—Production schedules of Mahoning Valley iron and steel properties show little fluctuation from week to week. The eight-mill sheet plant of the Falcon Steel Co. at Niles, idle the past week, is again under power.. Because of accumulated output, the Republic Iron & Steel Co. is continuing for another week its sheet plant at Niles ona 50 per cent production basis. In the Youngstown district, 30 of 47 blast furnaces are pouring, but preparations are being made to blow in two additional stacks in the Shenango Valley. Of 51 independent open-hearth furnaces in the Mahoning Valley, 44 are charged, while all three Bessemer con- verters are blowing. A Pipe and tin plate mills are operating at a high rat close to normal. This week’s schedules provided f the operation of 16 of the Valley’s 17 tube mills, th Republic Iron & Steel Co. operating all six of its tut units. Crucible Steel Shows Loss In its recent report the Crucible Steel Co. of Amer ica shows a loss from operations of $2,165,768, tor th year ended Aug. 31, the most unprofitable in a decac This compares with a profit of $5,547,246, after inte! est charges in the preceding fiscal year. After di dends the deficit reached $6,459,335, against a surpits of $298,303 in the year ended Aug. 31, 1921. s nce the first quarter of the last fiscal year, however, ther‘ been a steady increase in earnings. has Automobile Manufacturers Not So Active Detroit, Nov. 14.—Automobile manufactur‘ reduced their schedules in many instances. This - a be expected with the inventory period so close at - and this season of the year is always one 0! © sah duction. The Rickenbacker, Paige, Gray and ae companies have practically closed down. The Chev! and Overland plants are operating on reduced j WwW.e5 scneau A new steel pier will be constructed at ie Point, Norfolk, Va., by the Virginian Railway a aiak pier will be 1073 ft. long, 86 ft. wide and 74% "© and is to be equipped with modern coal dumping chinery of about 6000 tons per hour capacity ma- * New Combination By-Product Coke Oven Modified Method of Operation Involving Use of Waste Gas Dilution, to Render Coking Temperature Nearly Uniform Throughout Mass of Coke BY JOSEPH BECKERt natural tendency in building coke ovens has been tionately larger areas to convey such gases, in order to .1ttain a maximum capacity per unit oven while prevent great pressure drops throughout the heating simultaneously producing a good quality of coke. system, which would seriously interfere with proper \ S is usual in American industrial practices, the combustion) through their flues. This calls for propor- L Therefore the development in America has been a grad- operation. yal increase in the size of ovens. The use of high grade With individual regeneration and flame heating in silica ick throughout the structure has reduced con- the flues good coke is produced in Koppers ovens of the siderably the time required for coking, as compared capacity commonly in use to-day. While heating from with the use of clay brick. But beyond the increase of the bottom up to the horizontal flue is practically uni- capacity, due to the use of silica in the building of long form, yet the region of the horizontal flue lags behind and high ovens, there was necessary an improvement’ in coking. Fig. 1 shows a typical progression of tem- r - lop of Oven a =? } é e 67 = 9 o ° , _ cin ore Sean J x — +O >. Dif feren r y e a ; ; e + ~ « - | Dis 7 | ig. 1 I : ° * bay LI y Bottom of Over ' + a = 04 + Fig. 3 y i ¢ } . ; Z ee eae was ailutedwitt | Fig. 1. Heat-Progression Chart, Old Type of Koppers Oven ; Returned Waste | with Coke Oven Gas Heating, Showing the Time Needed to Heat until the Bring the Three Points of Temperature Measurement Suc- &, Wrugen tont cessively to 1800 Deg. Fahr. Pte Mbvdere | é wes (7 per cent l Fig. 2 Heat-Progreéession Chart, Showing Effect of Diluting ‘ 4 the Air with Returned Waste Heat Gases. This test was on Ss ovens of the Seaboard By-Product Coke Co., using coke-oven * 200°% 4 es gas for heating IAL “4 © 9 < } Fig. 3. Heat-Progression Chart, New Type of Koppers Oven, ] Showing Relative Uniformity in Temperature Distribution ; 3 | Due, in Part, to Absence of Interference from the Horizontal > J tis Flue and, in Part, to the Dilution of the Air Supply by the ‘ S mu a a — i Use of Waste Gas ' : ? OIC ne 74r 8 Mir Fig. 2 make it possible to build long and high perature readings taken by inserting thermocouples proper heat distribution over the consider- through the pusher side door 4 ft. into the coal charge; # | coking areas. This problem was difficult. one was located 2 ft. above the oven floor, one just below ace practice showed that coke made from the horizontal flue and another at about the center line nig ‘tile coals should be pushed at relatively low of that flue. The figures are an average of a great : “peratures. But when pushing coke made at low number of readings and exhibit in general the condi- ° any uneven heating conditions in the tions as they exist in practically all Koppers coke ovens ‘ es much more pronounced and visible than which are heated reasonably well and operated to “4s g hot coke. Furthermore, the heating sys- capacity. ns of large capacities has to allow passage This indicates that the influence of the horizontal lumes of gas (such as waste products of flue is quite appreciable and the amount of coke in the igh upper region of the ovens, affected by its location, is ma ce a paper read at Buffalo before the Eastern a considerable percentage of the total coke made. This "9 as 1st Furnace and Coke Oven Association. condition is tolerable, particularly when the ovens are G sulting engineer Koppers Co., Pittsburgh. pushed without waiting until the upper part is thor- 1275 rr. * ett ’ 8 ‘ : ‘ : , ’ ‘ ‘ “ . ‘ , ’ 74 ? ‘ of’ ’ be . F . ” ! a . ' & : ; * : ‘ . e . 4 J . ‘ is 3 > w ¥ "~~ “a : ; ; ’ : an * t ; SF ’ a? ‘ . FR ’ PY a a) a a § i ; a] ” ~- . ; ; ~e ’ r 5 na ; iy : . _ oe 4 Se * ; , * - ec act Pt. « ; 6 ‘ : « ¥ . * me , . 4 by 4 ») ; : . . Bay gs . * -¢. . : ’ ; “4 . } 4 : 7 *. : , . e’ * a ‘ ; : ein . . : - * } . «! / 4 . 4 ° 1276 “4 T7777, ao i 1 I 2 | f =} } S | 4 S + ~% 4 it Hj ot iv » [ 4 HA > AY Sih ATH A y vA > Y Y t = ¥, r A 4° Yop At 9 | Gb AY Hy 4 . “4 J Ye ; [ } J Y: } : ¢ ‘ Vv) SS Ssactaqaccz = Fig. 4 Section of New Type Koppers By-Product Coke Ovens as Installed at Chicago, Showing Flow of Air and Gases When Using Coke Oven Gas Heating oughly coked, and such coking operations with these ovens have given good blast furnace results. These ovens have an average capacity of about 18 to 19 net tons of coal per 24 hr. Investigation of the heat progression in the coking charge in an oven designed for 17 hr. operation, but operated between 23 and 24 hr., was made at the Sea- board By-Product Coke Co.’s plant by inserting thermo- couples in the coal charge in the same way as above. The test disclosed that on that coking time the lower part of the oven coked decidedly faster than the upper part. When the lower part of the coke reached a tem- perature of 1890 deg. Fahr. the part just below the horizontal flue had a temperature of only 1450 deg. Fahr. These temperature differences could, of course, be expected because, when operating on a longer coking time, the quantity of gas per flue becomes correspond- ingly less and combustion is relatively quicker, thus causing a quicker progression of the coking in the lower part as compared with the upper part of the oven. In 1914 Dr. Koppers proposed, as a means of evening out temperatures within the heating system of coke ovens, the addition of waste gases to the air required, in order to retard the combustion of gases in the heat- ing flues. Because of the reduced content of oxygen in the mixture of waste gases and air, and thus a lengthened flame, this resulted in an improved heat distribution and temperature progression within the coal charge. This process was tried out at Seaboard and Fig. 2 shows at the right the result of the addition of waste gas until the mixture of waste gas and air contained 12 per cent oxygen. The waste was gas taken from the stack by means of a fan and blown into the air boxes on the regenerators, while the air was drawn in according to the regular practice. The bottom tem- perature was reduced thus to 1793 deg. Fahr., while the temperature just below the horizontal flue was _ in- ereased to 1607 deg. Fahr., simultaneously increasing the temperature in the coke near the region of the hori- zontal flue to 1590 deg. Fahr. And it was shown that when the fan was taken off the temperatures went back to the original figures. This test proves that the return of waste gases in ovens which have unequal heating conditions from bot- tom to top will greatly help the distribution of heat progression in the coking charge. It is a good cure for ovens which suffer from hot bottoms, as it causes a condition in the heating flues similar to that existing when using blast furnace or producer gas, both of which November 16, 1999 =< 2 ~ a a a. ae = Fig. 5. Skeleton Section of New Type Kopp Showing Reversal of Gases as Compared with the C of Fig. 4; Coke Oven Gas Heating are excellent fuels for heating the ovens because they have a slower combustion speed and distribute the heat more uniformly. Most coke ovens and blast furnace operators believé that, especially with high volatile coals, better coke can be made in narrow ovens. In making the oven na! rower, the coking capacity per 24 hr. is necessarily r duced unless a considerable multiplication of the opera tions be resorted to. One could compensate for this by building higher and longer ovens and thus increasing the tonnage per oven per 24 hr. This would mean that the horizontal flue, with the type of oven as mention before, would have to be enlarged and thus occupy larger space in the coking region, thereby retarding t! coking of a proportionately larger amount of coa that region. And when equipping ovens so that can be heated in the future with producer or blast fu nace gas, which is unquestionably the proper constru tion, this flue must be enlarged still further to can the additional amount of inerts present in such /0W B.t.u. gases. It was apparent, therefore, that the oven as it should not be increased in capacity without changing the design to eliminate the effect of the horizontal flu on heating conditions and thus on the quality of cok produced. Also, with increased capacities a relative’) smaller horizontal flue would require an exaggerated closing of the discharge openings of the vertical flues, to such an extent that the drop of pressure through the reduced openings would become too high for the es draft conditions throughout the oven structure. I of course, evident that an oven can be successful In 0) ation, production and length of life only if the drat the heating flue system be kept at the minimum. — It might be thought best to design ovens wit! horizontal flues. Such ovens usually operate in such manner that adjacent vertical flues serve alternately up-burning flame flues and down-going waste | flues, and vice versa. And an oven in which all adja- cent heating flues, or at least a large group of ™ serve at the same time in their entirety as up-0Urh" flame flues or in their entirety as down-going W*" heat flues is not subject to the danger of different crm conditions between adjoining flues. In this cam, © up-burning flame can under no condition be affected ® adjoining down-flow flues in case there should be - leakage in the brickwork separating such flues, 4 ‘ dition which otherwise can easily occur, especia'y * the ovens become older. a> Y Y the November 16, 1922 al ioijal ia | Alia ’ v |v] " lv y | ILI re Dire Hy re 3 TT to UU UUUU UU UU UU Y puu JU A rary i : , 9 t . tv y ' + v 5G ola + w“ 5 Ss S55 |6 56 S&S! 8B ay i} « Se ©» G ; & <r o © (=z 2s = ~ e \ Y j & Y — i Y ® @® v» | L + css ~~ +> > ae ~~ 5S SBt SP bs BeEsBt SF > SHC 2st SFE RE = Skeleton Section of New Type Ko ers Ovens with Gases When Using Producer Gas for Heating Furthermore, the arrangement of the gas supply an oven in which the gas is burned up in one flue and down the next adjoining one is usually such that this gas supply flue is paralleled by an up-going regenerator on the one side and a down-going regenera- t the other side. This arrangement greatly in- s the difficulty of keeping the gas supply flues tight. Also in up and down-flow flued ovens there always be a counter current between waste gas | gas in regenerators, as well as between adjacent ies. None of these dangers of leakage between ad- ining flues exists in ovens with paralleled flow and it therefore, best to retain a horizontal flue, because it ires simplicity in design and the greatest safety in peration of the ovens. Also, it makes the system y adaptable for the use of blast furnace and pro- gas, without the objectionable counter currents. Rapid Coking in New Ovens lhese leading principles in oven construction have ed out by the Koppers Co. in a battery of five t the plant of the Chicago By-Product Coke Co. it Chicago. The ovens were put into operation Feb. 1 ist and have since operated continuously on great varieties of coals at coking times between 10 and 12 hr. The new oven has a length of 37 ft. between doors, a hamber height of 11 ft. 8 in. and an average width f 14 in., the taper between coke side and pusher side ‘ing 142 in. Cast iron jambs are used at the ends of Une side of the new design oven is heated in its that is, gas burns simultaneously on the coke ‘ide and on the pusher side; the products of combustion I n in the respective horizontal flues and pass ugh the crossover flues, one of which is on the coke and the other on the pusher side. Thence the ts of combustion enter the respective horizontal f the adjacent heating wall and pass downward ‘oughout the entire wall into the respective regenera- Now the cross sectional area of a horizontal flue erating in this way can be considerably reduced pared with the horizontal flue in ovens of the ‘esign. This allows us to locate the horizontal ‘igher than was previously possible and further- permits the use of heavy walls between the hori- flue and the coal chamber. Sufficient space is “4S provided to use insulating material if necessary Tevent overheating of the gas space in the oven ver. The insulation of the crossover flues at Chi- Nas Deen found entirely satisfactory and effective. THE IRON = ; 8 2 > ° 34 x > ;94}) > i S i= - IS X i Z| | | Hort rye f ETE TTT LE EEE Pia geiaree | | A MDT UHI AT TAT AN PA (4) tel 1 | ivi iviie eh TE TdT] lly WP TEEE TEL |" i} a | | | i} | T L bd LI LJ L a & + | | LY ue UU UU UU UU L UJ U U UU ra 1 | ly “ S StH = | s 3 +S + | x= #2 2 re 2 $ $334! 2! 3% + + v YM ¢ ‘a “ 22 28325 2? £2 3 Fig. 7 Reversal of Flow of Producer Gas from Condition Shown in Fig. 6; New Type Koppers Ovens One most important point in this new design is the fact that the height of the flame flues has been consid- erably increased; these now extend as far up toward the top of the coal charge as is necessary for uniform heat- ing of the entire charge. Thus the interference of the horizontal flue with the flame flue heating has been eliminated. Of course the number of crossover flues could be increased beyond two, preferably to five, the crossovers passing through the available spaces between charging holes. The size of the horizontal flue would thus be still more reduced, without causing an addi- tional pressure drop. For ovens of 12 ft. height and of a length similar to the Chicago oven, it has been demonstrated that only two crossovers are required to permit a size of hori- zontal flue that does not interfere with flame flue com- bustion and a flue which is consistent with good strong wall construction. However, there is little reason why ovens should not be increased further in height and length, and it might then be preferable, in order not to increase the size of the horizontal flue, to build three or five crossovers. With this new design the size of an oven has become independent of areas required for the former horizontal flue, which interfered with the perfect operation of the ovens, especially when they were of great capacity, and it is important to retain the advan- tageous functions of horizontal flues. As an entire side of the coke oven chamber serves either for up-flow combustion or down-flow products of combustion, any leakage between individual flues be- comes of little consequence, because all the gases flow either up or down and each flue is operating under the same pressure conditions. Since there is absolutely no counter flow in any of the heating flues, this undoubt- edly constitutes the safest construction for flame heated coke ovens. Also, the regenerators reverse longitudi- nally with the battery instead of crosswise as in the former design. The usual longitudinal taper of a coke oven requires that larger amounts of fuel gas be used on the coke side than on the pusher side. In the type of oven formerly built, products of combustion from the coke side of the oven chamber exchange their heat with the air, or air and gas, going up to the narrow pusher side. Since gases are required in smaller vol- ume for the latter side, the efficiency of the heat ex- change varies with reversals, as is shown by fluctua- tions in the stack flue temperature. In this new con- struction the in-going gases for each half of the oven are regenerated with the products of combustion from that half, and it is thus possible to maintain a lower shore me » cilia ne eae EEO ET ee er ee a Ds. SS i hie IE! me A SIS amie " A ENE OE — fs a. eit Peay “ae eo sm fgets - ee aed fo -8% : ye Pe ye eh aes a SON Ls seat y ee ee Se es 5 oe Bee aod oe = = ae 4 iB nn a me nse ed S pie. She oe. $3 Bee ene My oe rt --= FB 1278 uniform stack temperature, which is the nearest prac- ticable approach to the theo- retical. When air flows upward ir. two regenerators the gas sup- ply flue located in the support- ing wall separating them is operating also for up-flow com- bustion, while the adjoining F heating wall operates for dis TLS charge of waste gases ani — consequently the gas supply " flue located in that particular regenerator wall is not in oper- ation. In other words, ther are hardly any pressure dif- ferences between up-flowine’ regenerators and supply flues and consequently th-< leakage of the gas distributing flue will be reduced to a mini- mum. When producer gas or blast furnace gas of low heating value is used for heating the ovens it must pre-heated by passing through separate regenerating chambers on its way to the heating walls, in order to obtain the desired temperature and to operate economically. In the new design of oven the arrangement of regener- ators and flow of gases prevents at any time a counter flow between incoming fuel gas and out-going products of combustion in adjacent regenerator chambers, for they are always separated by a regenerator containing in-going air. Should there be a slight leakage into the waste gas regenerator chambers, it would result in loss of air only, while it would be impossible to lose producer or blast furnace gas. The Chicago battery of new design ovens was oper- ated on 11 hr. coking time for several months with pro- ducer gas having a heating value purposely varied be- tween 85 and 125 B.t.u. It was there demonstrated that the oven, when heated with this producer gas, gave most satisfactory results as heat distribution and fuel consumption. There was-no leakage of producer gas into waste gas, because producer gas and air were flowing in parallel and a counter-flow existed only be- tween air and waste It has been demonstrated that on the Chicago ovens the arrangement of adjustable ports (Fig. 8) in that construction is correct for both conditio