The Iron Age 1923-04-19: Vol 111 Iss 16

AGE LISHED 1855 VOL. Ill, No. 16 Schiess Machine Tool Works of Diisseldorf Building Upright Boiler Plate Bender and Automatic s ge AIR MED 8 Cutter Disk Grinder—Uncertainty in Situation by Reason of Ruhr Occupation BY CAPT. GODFREY L. CARDEN tool building, the machine tool works of Ernst double the number of pre-war days. There is plenty Schiess, known as Ernst Schiess Werkzeug- of work in hand for export, but conditions on the Rhine nenfabrik Aktiengesellschaft, is located in Diis- are now affected by the French occupation of the Ruhr, f. I reported on this plant in 1908 for the Depart- and the future outlook for these shops, in common with of Commerce and recently re-visited the place to other German industries of like character in the Diissel- the changes since the World War. When General-_ dorf district, is uncertain. Given a free hand, and there R EPRESENTATIVE of the best in German heavy The company employs today about 2000 men, o1 lirector M. Koyermann took me through the shops I is little doubt that Schiess products would be finding vas impressed at once with the development and ex- an outlet across seas in as great proportion as before in which had been effected since I was last there. the war. The same general line of work is carried on as in former In the meantime alterations and changes are being ears, but buildings have been extended and increased carried on in the plant which could not be conducted mber, and the output capacity greatly increased. during a period of large productivity. This will put Main Erecting Shop, Showing Record Punching Machines in Process of Assembly 1091 ie ten * ~ on, Ferg mane — aa = " a et e - or age ga men lain ge a all - aaengealt rene AY eS st aiebead SE = . ae e * a = halen tone Dea Syn ep ata EL Om OR tO gy GO - ce am sa 1092 the works in first class shape to go ahead whenever the political situation clears up. The firm produces practically all its own castings, and pieces up to 50 tons are readily cast. The principal tools built in the shops comprise heavy duty lathes, planers, boring, drilling, shaping and slotting machines, tools for boiler making, rolling mills, and for locomo- tive shops, wagon works and arsenal machinery. Krupp of Essen has drawn largely on Schiess, and the ma- jority, I would say, of arsenal tools in the Essen shops prior to the war and during it were of this plant’s eonstruction. There is no tool too large for Schiess to build. His prices have always afforded sharp competi- tion with American builders of heavy tools, but he has been beaten in the matter of deliveries when the ques- tion of delivery was of paramount importance. Prior to the war Schiess operated a branch plant at Riga, but I learn that this establishment passed out with the war. Just now the noteworthy tools which the Diisseldorf plant is building are a reconstructed heavy duty double bed lathe designed for rapid work on turbine motors, crankshafts, gun and general forg- ings and marine shafting; a new tire boring mill for railroad trucks and the smaller size locomotive tires; a new profiling tool rest for railroad wheels; a “record” punching machine for curved and rectangular plates; a vertical bending press for use particularly in marine boiler work, and an automatic cutter disk grinding ma- chine. Schiess has been building a heavy duty double bed lathe for many years, but his present design carries with it a number of improved features. It is a massive machine and highly creditable. With the new tire mill it is possible to machine 16 to 18 tires of approximately 33%-in. inside diameter every 8-hr. shift. This ma- chine is designed to handle tires from 27% to 43% in. inside diameter, with a diameter of faceplate of 65 in. The horsepower required varies from 25 to 30, with revolutions per minute from 500 to 1250 for variable speed d.c. motor, and 1000 revolutions for constant speed motor. The net weight of the machine is 30% tons. The new profiling tool rest was produced to meet a demand for the automatic turning of the profiles of railroad wheels, and to render the work independent of the skill of the operator. Designs for this accom- plishment have as a rule proved too delicate or com- plicated, or have not been sufficiently accurate in work. The principal difficulty to accurately turn the flanges. In the Schiess device the grinding mechanism is subjected to negligible pressure, which assures ac- curacy. The axis of the toobs isialways at right angle to the contour of the ‘tire. was Machine for Accurate Punching One of the heaviest outputs in"fitimbers during the war, the “record” punching machine”was*an important addition to ship construction work. The’ Schiess ma- chine will handle curved plates of any form, the machine punching with holes spaced at any regular or irregular pitches, without the necessity of employing formers or other devices. The gap punching and the multiple punching machines have held the field despite many drawbacks, to say nothing of the number of men re- quired to handle them, the former machine largely because of ability to punch how and where required, and the later machine because suited to deal with rect- angular plates with uniform pitch of holes. The Schiess record machine punches throughout the working day 850 holes per hour. The work done is claimed to have accuracy greater than with other types, since in the case of the gap machine much depends not only on the plater but on the remainder of the gang, whose combined efforts are required to move the plate from mark to mark. The “record” punching machine comprises the punch- THE IRON AGE Apnil 19. to Cs ing machine proper, with operator seat, punch dies cross traversing over a width of 7 ft. 2 in. « roller transporter, in two parts, for feeding th: longitudinally under the punches. All features gun train are in evidence in this design. Th transporter is actuated by an independent moto a second motor actuates the cross traverse of t} ator and tools. The operator controls the mot: his seat, which is carried on the cross slide by a manipulation of levers similar to those on telegraph instrument. The plate can be brought under the punch the greatest exactitude and rapidity. This is d celerity. The center finding attachment, which the point for punching, consists of two incli: jectors each carrying a small metallic filame: These lights throw a sharply defined and brillia: the plate, the intersecting point of which is exactly under the center of the punch, no matter the plates are flat or of varied thickness. This it center finder is especially valuable when used irk days or in gloomy shops. Driving through gearing, an independent operates the punching mechanism. A claw clutc ich disengages after each stroke enables the punch re turn automatically to its upper position. The dics are simultaneously lowered so that they are not blunted by the plate traversing over them. Punch and die holders are mounted to the extremity of a U-shaped which is carried in long guides and of sufficient to clear the greatest width of plates. Die and die holder are lowered at the completion of each stroke. The punchings or burrs are automatically spilled into a receptacle on the side of the machine. Lubrication of the punches is automatically effected at each stroke. lrame, deptn Upright Boiler Plate Bending Machine The upright boiler plate bending machine was de- signed to take care of certain disadvantages in the three-roller plate bending machine. One of these dis- advantages consisted in the plate not being bent at all at its ends, due to the center distance of the bottom rolls, as shown in one diagram. Another disadvantage was the difficulty of checking the final shell diameter, as the distortion caused by its overhanging weight, especially with large diameter shells, is considerable. CUCUEUALEDANUCCANDEDOAERULONUDSTAEELOOEUOONEREDORDETONEOEAANOSLL HEEL ENESOALEGDOUEELOONEDOOUROOTT EEO DEOtADEORDERREREE WHEE? Vertical plate bending machine S.&. F. 16. &.?. 156 in 13 ft. 2S. K. I Thickness of plates cap- able of bending....... Maximum width of plates capable of bending.... Tensile strength of ma- terial which can be Epon (tons per sq. ae ee eee Power required for main motor (hp.) Speed of main motor.... Power required for motor actuating top. tension member (hp.) Speed of top tension motor Weight of machine in tons 5 60 1% in. 13 ft. 29° 29 40 to 45 55 to 60 to 8 1000 r.p.m. 5 .} 4 5 1000 r.p.m, 1000 r.p.m. 1! *Equivalent to 65,000 lb. per sq. in. HUNERUDEEEOOGNDUECEROUTOTENVONDOOONDOOOeNROOORRNOAR LOU seebenBOnAREEG Ota? To overcome the latter disadvantage, bending n with vertically arranged bending rolls were introduced but this arrangement it was found could not cor with the higher efficiency and greater conven the boiler plate bending press. Schiess has brought out a motor-drive press tradistinction to the -hydraulically operated which latter for years has been familiar in mos‘ The hydraulically operated machines counted a culties leakage of pressure at the motor, and th sity of avoiding temperatures below freezing principle of the Schiess machine is seen in : The accompanying photographs show diagram. ear views of the machine. From the diagram the other illustrations it will be seen that there , powerful main frame A of cast iron, and two ten- e members 6 of forged steel, which serve to hold in 7 the strongly constructed stationary cross-beam F ast steel. Reciprocating and arranged between | B is the strongly ribbed girder C, also made of y ] t a steel 3 .ssage of the shell plate through the machine is 2 a Be Bend) se 4 Polis? ’ ive and automatic. To reduce friction, the carried along on roller bearings arranged on x le at the base of the machine. On its top side e chine carries the motor and gearing actuating tension member, which, for the purpose of lift- 4 the finished plate cylinder, is turned into a es 1! position. Details of three sizes of this ma- > carried in the table. ng the advantages of the machine are claimed sreater number of strokes per minute and there- sreater production, no leaking of pistons or THE IRON AGE 1093 valves, no freezing of hydraulic pipes and that it is always ready for use. Automatic Cutter Disk Grinder The company has brought out a new automatic cutter disk grinder designed to handle cutter disks from 10 in. up to 55 in. in diameter. Different types of cutter disks are shown in two accompanying figures. The simplest disk shown can be used only for surfac- evenene Two Views of the Vertical Boller Plate Machine ing Method of Handling a Plate Bending Show- Rollers Set into the Floor In the diagram below is shown old method of using bend- ng rolls ind the lack of a prope bend at the edge of the i The other diagram illus rate how the new machine worl C being the girder at ed to the main frame, B the tionary crossarmand b,b the ist steel tension members ing. In the other we have a disk suited for facing as well as boring, the difference between the two being the position at which the cutters are set. The latter, in different variations, is used in preference to the former, on account of the facilities afforded by the in- clined position of cutters, which makes it possible to machine close up to the shoulders and projections of castings. There are many different methods of attach- ing the cutter head. Under general present practice for re-grinding worn down cutters, the cutters are removed from the nee. ti ang Pee 1094 head and re-conditioned on ordinary grinding machines. Not only is there a loss, it is pointed out, in both time and efficiency, but frequently the cutters on being re- placed will show a want of concentricity, and when put to work will share unevenly in the cutting strain. The result is a proportional decrease in actual cutting effi- ciency. To obviate this shortcoming, the new automatic fron 10 In t< ching Cutter Disks Ir in Diameter the New Automatic Grinding Machine Has Swivel Grinding Head with Inclosed Motor Mounted on Grinder Arbor Cutters are ground thout removal from. the head, thus iintaining alinement Two details of itter heads are shown, one carrying the utters axially, while the other has cut- é attached to the boring bar through a differential threaded Some of the ers at in angk ind is ring and a tapered sleeve oo forms handled on this machine are cutting disk grinding machine aims to re-grind the cut- ters without their removal from the holders. With cutter disks not larger than 10 in. in diam- eter, ordinary milling cutter grinders may be used, it is recognized, to advantage, but for disks above that size there is need of a special grinder. The new Schiess ‘utting disk grinder possesses a hollow spindle and a removable face plate. The grinding table traverses horizontally and vertically and has an inclined posi- tion so as to facilitate the grinding of the inside in- THE IRON AGE VVV V4 April 19, clined rake of cutting edges. The grinding carries a cup-shaped abrasive wheel which is fi the shaft of a small and entirely inclosed motor. It can be slewed over a semi-circular pat can thus be set to any angle desired for grindir outside cutting edges. By slewing the saddl corners may be rounded off at will. One diagran oad. different shapes of cutting edges produced on the grinding machine. ated, if desired. other motions remaining stationary. The writer has observed Schiess tools not on Germany, but in many of the leading manufacturing plants of other countries, and has been impressed w!! Apart the high character of the products of this firm. from the good workmanship on the tools, there 1s ably no better casting work in Germany than found in this foundry. In common with all German this one is now facing a critical period, since al! suffer from lack of raw material. machine tool T For centering the cutter disk or face plate, the spindle can be made to turn freely, t! + pr iY Coal and coke scarce; pig iron is dear and only with great diffi to be had. By the Versailles Treaty Germany r the machine tool industry, but lost to Franc Poland a great part of the raw material works this has been accentuated by the Ruhr occupatio! added to the foregoing is the seriousness of t) +. The accuracy of grinding is inde- pendent of any irregular pitching of cutter blades Though the new grinder works entirely automa cally, any and all stages of the work can be hand-oper- t h ed Y ‘ and’ aii pril 19, 1928 ‘ation. The effect of the latter is disastrous to the rkmen and prevents concentration on work in hand. rt licenses are demanded of all Rhine machine tool ks and these licenses, it is declared, are obtainable when the prices calculated in foreign currency ibout equal to pre-war gold mark prices. SHEET STEEL MAKERS 'luman Relations Featured in First Day’s Discus- sion at Executives’ Convention WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. VA., April 17.—With attendance of 56 representing 95 per cent of the iependent industry, the first annual convention of cutives of sheet steel manufacturing plants opened to-day at the Greenbrier Hotel to last over irsday. TPhe program of today dealt with admin- ration, and one of the outstanding features was the phasis laid on development of still closer human itions between employers and employees. [The convention was opened by Walter C. Carroll, president Inland Steel Co. and chairman of the eral convention committee, who greeted the dele- ites and read letters from men in the trade who were nable to be present, including President George M. Verity, American Rolling Mill Co., and Chairman harles M. Schwab, Bethlehem Steel Corporation. President W. S. Horner, of the National Associa- of Steel and Tin Plate Manufacturers, sounded a general note of the convention when he said he saw cloud on the business sky. He gave an extremely teresting figure picture of the “sheet industry,” his bject, pointing out that sheets represented 13 per ent of the finished output of last year and stood third ipon the list of products produced, being outranked y by bars, shapes and tubing. President William A. Follansbee, Follansbee Broth- rs Co., in speaking on “the need and respeet for ympany policies,” declared that there is nothing more mportant in the industry than cultivation of an under- tanding with labor, and urged company policies to end. A largely similar tone was adopted by President A. M, Oppenheimer, Apollo Steel Co., who ilked on “Human Relations” and said they are neces- sary to counteract radical tendencies. President George Bartol of the Otis Steel Co., speaking on ‘Executive Responsibilities,” said he favored execu- tives’ taking responsibilities in handling labor rather n the committee plan. President Severn P. Ker of the Sharon Steel Hoop was optimistic in his remarks on “general forecast jusiness,” but criticized restrictive legislation affect- ng the labor supply and other problems vital to lustry. He declared that the sheet industry is entering upon a further great growth and predicted hat the entire steel production of the country will each 60,000,000 tons before 1930. He also said busi- ess must take a more active interest in legislative itters in order to protect itself. Youngstown Sheet Mills Well Supplied with Orders YOUNGSTOWN, April 16.—Sheet makers have well ! order books, and while premium prices have ap- ed on small-lot sales, for which delivery concessions re offered, contract business has moved at lower Most of the black sheet tonnage now being ed was contracted for at 3.85c. per lb. Small lots, ging up to several hundred tons, have brought from to 4.10e. On galvanized sheets recent sales have been made the Pittsburgh district at 5.50c. base, one trans- involving 400 tons. Quotations up to 5.60c. noted, but the bulk of the galvanized tonnage is ng at a much lower figure, ranging from 5c. to Leading makers sold for the quarter some time THE IRON AGE 1095 In general, German machine tool types are today based on the application of high-speed cutting tools. Since the close of the war American stellite has been introduced, but it is yet too early to determine how far this will affect the future construction of German ma- chine tools. ago all grades of sheets at levels below the prevailing maximums. Most of the galvanized output of the district is contracted for and little surplus tonnage is available. It is not unlikely that wire nails will shortly be advanced to $3.25 per base keg. Demand, accelerated by the requirements of the building industry, is very firm. There are also indications that there will be an adjustment in pipe prices. Merchant bar interests are well obligated and are operating at a capacity rate. Large pipe, going to the oil fields, is in less urgent demand due to the break in crude oil prices. District interests continue hopeful of good business throughout the year, offsetting the losses encountered in 1921 and 1922. Wage Increases More than 2000 employees of the Central Iron & Steel Co. and the Harrisburg Pipe & Pipe Bending Co., both of Harrisburg, were affected by wage in- creases, effective April 16. These increases are along the line of those instituted recently by the United States Steel Corporation and other large steel com- panies. All employees of the Harrisburg Pipe & Pipe Bend- ing Co. are affected by the increases, which approxi- mate 13 per cent, according to the general manager, E. C. Frey. H. S. Evans, general manager of the Cen- tral Iron & Steel Co., says that laborers get a 13 per cent increase, while the scales of all other employees were readjusted. Two other Harrisburg companies will announce in- creases soon. One is the Lalance & Grosjean Mfg. Co. The Harrisburg Foundry & Machine Works expects to_announce increases during the present month, al- though it has granted increases to all employees dur- ing the last several weeks. Day rates of workmen of the Middletown Car Works, Middletown, Pa., a subsidiary of the Standard Steel Car Co., Pittsburgh, have been increased by 10 per cent, retroactive to April 1. Piece workers’ rates will remain unchanged for the present. The Standard Steel Car Co. is now working on an order for 30,000 steel railroad cars. About 6000 men employed by the Bethlehem plant at Sparrows Point, Md., will receive increases in pay as a result of the general increase announced recently by Eugene G. Grace, president. About 2000 men employed by the Eastern Rolling Mills and the Baltimore Tube Co., Baltimore, will be given increases of approximately 12 per cent. The exhibit of the products of the leading manu- facturing companies of Middletown, Ohio, which was installed in the basement of the Hotel Manchester, that city, at the time of the recent meeting of the Na- tional Conference of Business Paper Editors, is to be a permanent exhibit. A few days ago all the school children in Middletown were taken through the exhibit under the guidance of their teachers, and the products were carefully explained. The St. Louis Coke & Chemical Co., Granite City, Ill., has ordered a 120-ton hot metal car from the M. H. Treadwell Co., which will be used for carrying molten iron to the steel works of the National Enamel- ing & Stamping Co. a ie ee % if . ee » iF? gl ryae ak # 3] «2 1096 CHAIRMAN TOPPING’S VIEWS Not Probable Steel Production Will Be Increased —Annual Meeting of Republic Company John A. Topping, chairman of directors of the Re- public Iron & Steel Co., speaking of market conditions and production of steel at the annual meeting held last week, made the following statement: “The iron and steel market from the standpoint of demand is in excellent condition. Prices based on THE IRON AGE’s composite price April 5 of $56.20, are about 33 per cent below the peak of 1920, and as related to costs are comparatively low. Advance in labor taking effect April 16 will bring our labor costs to within 20 per cent of the peak of 1920. “Production of steel ingots for March, 1923, was at the record rate of approximately 45,000,000 tons a year for the country as a whole, and about equal to peak production attained in March, 1920. The record year of steel production was 1917, when the total steel ingot output reached 43,619,200 tons. The theoretical steel ingot capacity of the United States is about 55,- 000,000 tons; the practical capacity is probably close RELIEF FAR DISTANT General Revision of Tax Laws by Next Congress Is Not Probable WASHINGTON, April 17.—Tax revision at the next session of Congress appears to be altogether improb- able. The statement announced last week by Secretary of the Treasury Mellon, showing that income tax col- lections for the calendar year 1922 received in March had exceeded estimates, led him to renew a previous suggestion that the surtax rate might well be decreased from the present 50 per cent to 25 per cent. The fact that revenue from the Fordney-McCumber tariff act is averaging $2,000,000 a day and also is in excess of es- timates had given added hope that attempts would be made by the administration for a downward revi- sion of taxation at the next session of Congress. Business interests of the country had responded favorably to the suggestions of the Secretary of Treas- ury that surtaxes now assessed are an undue burden on them, and that a reduction would have a further stimulating effect on industrial activities and the coun- try generally. But it has become evident that this hope will not be realized at the next session of Con- gress. Asa matter of fact, Président Harding is under- stood to believe firmly that, even if there were any re- ductions in taxes, they should not be confined merely to surtaxes, but should be general in character, affecting the normal as well as the higher taxes. The views of neither the Chief Executive nor Sec- retary Mellon, however, appear to be the same as those of the leading members of Congress who will have charge of revenue legislation at the next session of Congress. These include Senator Reed Smoot of Utah, who probably will be chairman of the Committee on Finance; Representative Green of Iowa, who will be chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, and Representative Madden of Illinois, chairman of the Committee on Appropriations. All of these mem- bers of Congress discussed revenue legislation with the President last week. Their opposition to taking the question up at the next session of Congress appar- ently is shared generally with other conservative mem- bers of Congress. Senator Smoot even thinks that an attempt to re- vise the administrative provisions of the revenue law, as has been suggested by Representative Green, would be useless. This reflects another of the various differ- ences of opinion on the subject of tax legislation, as shared by supporters of the administration themselves. They do not take the form of sharp disagreements, but merely a frank variance of views. In view of the opinions expressed by the leaders of Congress, it is believed that a general revision of THE IRON AGE April 19, 1 Ow to 50,000,000 tons. Measured by the practical cap: the annual rate indicated by the March output is ; 90 per cent; in other words, the present rate of pr tion is close to maximum capacity, and it is extre; doubtful whether it can be maintained, as the den for labor is increasing due to the general activi: building and all other trades. “Under these conditions, it is not probable that : steel output will be increased. Any further ad) in demand would only mean an increased shorta; supply of steel, as the mills generally are now se months behind on orders. In consequence of thi mand, with increasing costs, prices are rising. “Reported earnings for first quarter are sul tially in excess of the preferred dividend requiren and the prospects are that the report for the ; ending March 31 will make a satisfactory showin; “Funds are now in hand to carry out the bui program outlined in the annual report. Dir: however, have decided that it will not be practica advisable to complete the entire program during | on account of labor and other conditions. “The more important work will be completed year, and the less urgent part deferred until la Retiring directors were re-elected. tax laws is not likely to be undertaken with su until March, 1925, with the advent of a new Cong after the next Presidential election. In the event r nues have increased in the meantime and business ditions continue in their present healthy state, believed that downward revisions may be exp throughout. Contracts for Wheeling Filtration Plant Contracts for the equipment for the new filtrat plant for the city of Wheeling, W. Va., have beer awarded as follows: Contract and Successful Bidder Pr Intake pier, suction pipe and tunnel—John F. Casey Cia e. ecb o Haw sab aes cveeus acted abeunes~ $481 Pump station and filter plant superstructure—Eng- stram & Knapp, Wheeling... cccccccccceccccsvecs 184,1 Elevator for filter plant and pump station—Otis Ele- vator Co., NeW FOPK. oc vcscvcgocccevecsetesesene 1] Heating boilers—Bartley, O’Neil & Co............. { Pump station piping—Pitt Construction Co., Pitts- ee eee re ee ee Tee Ce ee ee TTL Filter equipment—M. L. Bayard & Co.............-. Steel filter wash tank—Chicago Bridge & Iron Works Filter plant conveyor system—Stephens-Adamson Co. Excavation and foundations, reservoir tanks—Pitts- burgh-Des Moines Steel Co... sececccccccccseces 42 Reservoir tanks—Pittsburgh-Des Moines Steel Co... 9 Force mains—Pittsburgh-Des Moines Steel Co...... 44 Cast iron pipe—U. S. Cast Iron Pipe & Foundry Co.. 11 yate valves—Ludlow Valve Mfg. Co..........e.e008: 4 Check valves—Michigan Valve & Foundry Co....... 4,16 Air relief valves—Ludlow Valve Mfg. Co........... l Hydraulic plug valves—Michigan Valve & Foundry CA. src e nas sGb.b bene beds hehe eRe Cee Oba e eee ewe Fire hydrants—Ludlow Valve Mfg. Co. (each)...... Sluice gates—Caldwell Wilcox C0o.....c.ceeeeeeees Bedford Foundry & Machine Co. submitted a pric of $5,995 for 10-ton, 39-ft. 8-in. span, 3-motor, fl controlled crane, the Whiting Corporation $6,350 the Champion Engineering Co. $6,690, but no award was made, since the lowest bidder failed to furnish fu detailed specifications. The Imperial Steel Co., Collingwood, Ont., put successful operation its new galvanizing department, which increases the capacity of the company’s mil! by some 80 tons of wire per day. The new plant was ©° signed by Col. J. A. Currie, president of the compan) and is a new departure in galvanizing wire cont!” uously. An additional hot mill was placed in operatio: April 16 by the Lalance & Grosjean Mfg. Co., Harris burg, Pa., which recently resumed operations a!‘T having been closed for a month because of inability to obtain raw material. Seventy men are employe? in the mill just reopened. Birmingham and Low Cost Steel Production Raw Materials Most Cheaply Assembled There and Water i Outlets Give Most Advantageous Access to World Markets BY Y. A. DYER* Domestic Pig Iron Costs,” by Paul M. Tyler, published in Feb. 15 and Feb. 22 issues of THE .y AGE, there is much food for serious thought as the future status of the United States as a com- 4 ‘itor in the iron and steel markets of the world. . Mr. Tyler expounds sound economic doctrine when cays: “Other things being equal, the country that nroduce the cheapest pig iron has the advantage r its competitors throughout the whole range of . vy steel products.” And further: “It is hard to . ceive of a large industry (steel) being maintained lefinitely for the production of heavy tonnage prod- ; (steel) by means of a cold pig process.” [° the serial articles relating to “Foreign and FS Comparative Assembling Costs F Mr. Tyler indicates the keystone of the arch sup- ‘. ting the future iron and steel industry when he vs: “The country that produces pig iron most o iccessfully in competition with its foreign rivals must ible to assemble coke, ore and fluxes of suitable ity at its furnaces more cheaply than these ele- nts can be assembled at rival stacks.” This, of course, means that metallic iron is the init sought; and, regardless of the richness of iron a e used, its total cost per unit at furnaces will con- Fs trol initial competitive production, also step opera- tions, and regulate the distance to which the prod- ts may be shipped in successful competition. \s indicated by Mr. Tyler, the typical high-grade a on ore used in the Middlesbrough, England, district ES the Rubio Spanish hematite, of approximately 50 cent iron value, costing $5.10 per ton delivered at ts. This price is the practical equivalent of mer- t Lake ores delivered in 1922 at lower Lake ports rail distribution to the Eastern and Middle West- furnaces of the United States. With this ore cost 1 comparison, Mr. Tyler sounds a note of warning to the large potential resources of English phos- ‘ ores—similar in character to the enormous de- ts in the Birmingham, Ala., district—and charac- es them as “Britain’s trump card in the inter- : nal iron and steel trade,” linked with her for- ig nidable juxtaposition in regard to fuel supply, com- % ed with European or with Eastern and Middle Western industrial centers in the United States. ee ee Alabama a Most Important Factor - To substantiate his comparison of these vital fac- . , there was supplied a graphic chart of pig iron “4 in the eastern United States, Great Britain, Lor- and Belgium. While this chart of comparative costs is interesting and illuminating, to my mind s not give the whole story, for it omits the great- :: potential iron and steel factor in the United States, may be cited as more than a balance to offset. enormous potential advantage ascribed as accru- Great Britain in the “laying of her trump Therefore, to make the exhibit more compre- e in this respect, there are submitted herewith uated costs for 1923, including the Birmingham rict, the other figures being those given in Mr. r’s chart. Che lowest figure shown on Mr. Tyler’s chart was \¥11 cost of Lorraine basic-Bessemer iron. $9.70 ton. In 1911-12 the cost of Birmingham basic foundry irons, produced from high-grade self- ng red ores, was in the neighborhood of $9.50 ton. Great Britain’s 1912 cost of acid Bessemer “Consulting Metallurgist, Birmingham, Ala. iron was $15.85 per ton. Therefore, while these two last named figures represent an increase of 30.60 per cent for Great Britain and 70.2 per cent for Birming- ham (comparing 1923 and pre-war costs), today’s comparison of total cost shows $4.35 per ton in favor of Birmingham. And for Great Britain to recede to the use of the equivalent of Birmingham, Ala., phos- phoric iron ores, compared with the standard Spanish ore now used, will mean at best an increased cost of fuel per ton of iron produced and other contributory costs equal to the Birmingham differential. Water Outlet for Birmingham For the sake of argument, grant that many of England’s important iron and steel industries are located at tidewater, as pointed out by Mr. Tyler. With the Warrior River already developed to prac- tical navigation into the Birmingham district, and the Government’s present and future appropriations be- ing applied for still greater development, an outlet to foreign markets has been made available. Thug thou- sands of tons of Alabama iron and steel products per EOE COETEC OPN 8: RE RURORERRERDT LOOEETTRRERIROREOEE - MepenaensnecesTeneeNN Eastern B’ham Great Fdy. Fdvy. Britain Lorraine Belgium Ore $9.50 $6.25 $9.70 $2.25 $4.25 Coke . 10.50 5.75 6.80 8.75 10.00 Stone ; aa 0.35 0.70 0.00 0.00 Labor 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.50 1.00 Other 2.00 2.25 1.75 0.80 1.00 $25.00 $16.35 $20.70 $13.30 $16.25 | NLEPRNONCENT OMDEOTUGDOOODEDENLE CORNERED /EBOOOR LON) /BARE DERE HVEROE TIERS OOEm annum are now moving to Latin America, as well as to eastern and far western points of the United States, and to Europe and Asia. In the past 20 years the production of steel in the South has increased more than 650 per cent, and the cast iron pipe and fittings industry, now supplying upward of 1,000,000 tons per annum for domestic and foreign consumption, has been developed wholly within that period. The Birming- ham district alone now manufactures 35 per cent of the cast iron pipe and fittings produced in the United States. Therefore, at the very seaport gateway to the for- eign markets of the world are located a potential ore supply of between 1,750,000,000 and 2,000,000,000 tons of high-grade self-fluxing phosphoric iron ores of sedi- mentary origin and 7 ft. average thickness, 3,500,000,- 000 to 4,000,000,000 tons of cheaply mined high-grade coking coals 4 ft. to 6 ft. average thickness, and bil- lions of tons of limestone and dolomite within a 25 mile radius of the blast furnaces—all available at minimum freight assembling charges. There is not an industrial center in the entire world today which enjoys a juxtaposition of raw materials comparable with the Birmingham, Ala., district. Its coordinated factors produce the “keystone,” as phrased by Mr. Tyler, of the arch on which rests the economic struc- ture of the future iron and steel industry as related to successful competition in world markets. While these natural resources of the Birmingham district are now being utilized on a substantial scale, it is quite within bounds to say that they are capable of development to the extent of supplying the entire iron and steel making requirements of the United States, on the present scale, for 28 to 30 years, with- out having to resort to the enormous supply of low- grade ores or low-yield coking coals available within a 30-mile to 40-mile radius of Birmingham. 1097 . * ” Cutting Metals with the Electric Arc Hourly Rate and Cost of Cutting—Use of Methods for Scrapping Wrecked or Discarded Steel Freight Cars—Non-Ferrous Uses BY A. M. CANDY* RC cutting is purely a melting process, the heat and electric power at 2c. per kwhr. for the r- energy of the arc terminal being directed along generator, we have a cost of 15c. for cutting n¢ the line of the cut. Graphite or carbon elec- 52¢. for cutting body of the riser. This works ; trodes are usually employed for this work, although about 56c. per 100 sq. in. for the neck and 8 F the body. . ? The speed of cutting castings of several fo shown by Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 4 shows two samp! made at 400 amperes. The cast iron at left, thick, was cut at a rate of 16% ft. per hr. and steel at right, 1 in. thick, at rate of 21% ft. p These represent respectively 24% and 21% ft. p for each inch in thickness. Where it is desirable to cut the material to accurate dimensions, it is necessary to lay out a guide lin white lumber crayon which the operator can * Fig. 1—Gray Iron Casting Riser Cut Through — Neck, 3 x 9 In., in 5 Min. ; Through Main Portion 8 x 8 In., in 17 Min. bare metallic electrodes have been used by operating w welding. As this latter scheme is not economical, it will not be discussed. In special cases metallic elec- S trodes heavily wrapped with asbestos yarn, using cur- § rent values higher than normal, have been used for cut- 2 ting, the electrodes being first dipped in water, which forms steam and blows the molten metal away. This ¢& method, however, is also very expensive and has been _ used only to a limited extent by the British Admiralty : for cutting deep, small diameter holes in armor plate. Fig. 3—Time Required for Cutting Round and Square S¢ of Cast Iron with his are. It is then possible to make a neat cut 1%, % or % in. thick plate steel as illustrated by Fig. : This shows a piece of % in. plate steel cut at rate Fig. 2—Speed of Cutting With Various Depths and Forms of Section For general cutting work graphite or carbon elec- trodes are used with current values of 300 to 1000 amperes, depending upon the nature of the work and the cutting speed desired. Foundries make use of arc welding equipment for repairing defective castings and use the same appara- tus for cutting off risers and burs from their castings. Fig. 1 shows a riser from a large gray iron casting which was cut through the 3 x 9 in. neck in 5 min., using 800 amperes. Just as a demonstration, the riser “ was then cut through the main portion, 8 x 8 in., in 17 min., using 800 amperes. With labor at 60c. per hr. Fig. 4—Sample Cuts in (Left) Cast Iron 1% In. T! ' *General engineering department, Westinghouse Electric at 16% Ft. per Hr. and (Right) Steel 1 In. Thic! & Mfg. Co., East Pittsburgh, Pa. 21% Ft. per Hr. 1098 pril 19, 19238 per hr., using 400 amperes (18% ft. per hr. per De f thickness.) » 6 shows some rivets cut off with the arc. Com- s scrapping and rebuilding steel freight cars ry. find the are process the cheapest method for cut- Ff rivets and for cutting up steel plate material into m ; sufficiently small to be charged directly into the eee cre In. Steel Plate, by F« x for recutting in a shear. As the plates in ises are generally heavily covered with paint t, current values of 400 to 600 or even 800 am- ire used. With 800 amperes, cars have been cut in average rate of 75 ft. per hr., an entire coal ng cut up in 4 hr. into pieces sufficiently small andled by four men who were shearing the ma- nto charging size. The cost of the arc cutting, ling labor and power for the motor-generator, s6.S0 a r cutting rivets, currents of 400 or 600 amperes ly used. With 400 amperes, average opera- -(Lower Right) Copper Billets, In., Cut in Two in 644 to 7 Min. : (Above) Copper Slag Cut BY igh with Arc. Cut is 7 ft. long Fe: a maximum of 7 in. thickness va a it from 1800 to 2000 %-in. rivets per 10-hr. 1 some operators will run as high as 2600 to ‘h rivets when the work is on a piece rate basis. ng with the arc is not limited to iron and steel, e applied equally well to non-ferrous metals brass, bronze and copper. Because of the high | capacity and high heat conductivity of copper, ecessary to concentrate the applied heat at a ently high rate to melt the copper before the heat pated in it. To do this cutting effectively it has ind most satisfactory to use a current of 800 ) amperes. The two copper billets, 4 x 5 in., in were cut in two in 6% and 7 min., respectively, /o0 amperes, 5 shows a large piece of copper slag which was THE IRON AGE 1099 originally 64% ft. wide and 7 ft. long along the central cut. The metal was approximately 1% in. thick through the sections where the side cuts were made, which was at rate of 3% ft. per hr. The thickness of the metal through the central cut varied from about 1% in. at the edge to 7 in. at the center, the average being about 4% in. This cut was completed in 5 hr. llowing a Cray on Line, at Rate of 75 F€. per Hr. ~ a, Fig. 6 tivets Cut Off by the Arc, a Illustrating Method of Cutting Up Steel Cars, Tanks, etc. A current of 1000 amperes was used. The cost of doing the work, on the basis of labor at 60c. per hr. and electric power for the motor-generator at 3c. per kwhr., was $16.78. The management and workers of the Fore River Works, Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Ltd., have adopted a representation plan similar to that in effect in other subsidiary plants of the Bethlehem Steel Cor- poration. Committees of employees and committees appointed by the management will cooperate in all questions of industrial relations, including matters dealing with wages, bonuses, safety methods, tonnage schedule, working conditions, living conditions, educa- tion, recreation, conditions of employment, etc. -* ~y- oe — et al 1100 Steel-Plate Roller-Bearing Trolley ' A steel-plate roller-bearing trolley, known as the Yale, for which exceptional strength and flexibility are claimed, has been placed on the market by the Yale & Towne Mfg. Co., Stamford, Conn. A reserve strength of seven times its rated capacity is claimed, and under test a 2-ton trolley is said to have withstood a load of 28,000 lb., which broke the I-beam. A 1-ton trolley will run easily on a minimum 21-in. radius curve. The construction of the trolley may be noted from the illustration. The wheels are mounted on roller bearings and attached to the side plates, which in turn are connected together by the single equalizing pin which supports the shackle plate. The roller bearings . Reserve Strength of Seven Times Its Rated Capacity and - Non - Rigid Con- struction Are Fea- tures. The arrange- ment of the ponent elements is shown in the sec- tional view. A l1-ton trolley will run on i 21-in radius _* curve com- assure easy lateral motion and are provided with a grease chamber designed to prevent dust from reaching the bearings. The spreader castings are riveted to each plate as shown. These are intended to give large bear- ing surface for the equalizing pin and are shaped to protect the trolley and act as a bumper which engages the track stop on the lower flange at the end of the I-beam track. The axles, which are said to be subjected to practi- cally no bending strain, are set parallel to the I-beam flange pressed into wheel-hubs and supported by the inner bearing plate. The wheels have chilled iron treads. The equalizing pin is of cold-rolled steel and supports either the shackle, eye or clevis. Where head room is needed the chain block can be hooked directly over the equalizing pin. Robert Bracken, auditor and custodian of lands, State of Indiana, has advertised for sale on May 4 a tract of 319 acres of State-owned land near Ham- mond. The land is in several parcels, each of which has been appraised, making a total of $111,780. The land is that wanted by the East Chicago Company for the Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp. mill project in Ham- mond. It is to be sold under a law enacted in 1922 to cover the situation which grew out of a controversy concerning the value of the land. THE IRON AGE April , 1923 Desulphurization of Coke by St... In the course of laboratory experiments i sulphurization of coke by steam, being co ted the Department of the Interior, at the ee experiment station of the Bureau of Mines, = dette at atmospheric pressure for the removal . lphur from chunk size coke have been finished. bined sulphur as FeS, FeSO, and free sulphur (no dine solid solution sulphur) in Ohio coke was reduced fron, 1.38 to 0.72 per cent. The solid solution s > was not affected, but it has been shdwn that th little effect in contaminating sponge iron furnace. In Illinois coke 0.62 per cent su r cor responding was reduced to 0.48. Clairto low in sulphur was reduced from 0.29 to 0.17 re Sulphur in a sample of gas-house coke from Philad phia was reduced from 0.81 per cent to 0.1 These results were obtained without application o which may reduce still further the, amount Very little steam is required. Die Set for Accurate Stamping: A die set designated as type Z and intended for use in making stampings for adding machines, typewriters and similar machines requiring parts of close accuracy has been added to the line of standard die sets of the Danly Machine Specialties, Inc., 4911 Lincoln Avenue, Chicago. The tool is shown in the accompanying illustratio1 The “floating” punch shank incorporated is intended to relieve strain due to play in the ram of the press, The punch is guided into the die by extra long, hardened, ground and lapped bushings which do not leave the leader pins. The adapters which take the place of the punch shank-ere-available with either solid swivel, spring knockout or for positive knockout. Another feature of the adapters is that they need not be re- moved from the ram when changing dies, it being only necessary to remove the clamps from the shoe and slide the die set from the adapters. This is intended as an advantage for quick set up. The sets are of semi-steel and are accurately ma- TTy Die Set Accuracy and Quick Set Features Having chined and parallel. Punch holders are interchange able. The range of sizes carried in stock wil! modate dies 4 x 4 in. to 10% x 10% in. Coke Rates Not Justified WASHINGTON, April 17.—In a decision a! last Thursday the Interstate Commerce Com! condemned as having not been justified increas on coke from Chicago, Peoria and St. Louis, tinations in Southern Missouri and Eastern _ The higher rates had been published to become Cre" tive Dec. 15, 1922, but were suspended on the a of the United Iron Works, Inc., of Kansas City, 4"¢ 0" St. Louis Coke & Chemical Co. of St. Lou! The tariffs proposed increases of 84c from Chica from 48¢ to 85¢ from Peoria and St. Louis. } nsas and Various Materials Which Can Be Used and How to Handle Them—tThe Best Lining Described BY J. M. QUINN* ‘ UL selection of materials for lining the ( electric furnace is essential. It should be in mind that the materials containing the int of impurities have the highest melting herefore are more refractory than those con- ments which dilute the purity. rock crushed, to pass through a %-in. n, 50 per cent of which is %-in. mesh down ns, is used extensively for electric furnace ‘anister, analyzing as follows, has given ex- ce in are electric furnaces producing steel teel casting where high temperatures were \ Calcium Magnesium xide Alumina, Oxide, Oxide, Al,0; CaO MgO 7 0.60 0.10 Trace ganister is about ™%4 in. mesh with a large ’ fine material and has been used for elec- linings where ordinary steel pouring tem- ire required, such as large castings and in- ind ganister is approximately half as costly ganister rock and has a lower silica and ina content, as shown below; consequently point is lower than ganister rock: Calcium Magnesium Oxide Alumina, Oxide, Oxide, FeO Al1,.03 CaO MgO 2.50 Trace Trace molasses and silicate of soda (water glass) h various amounts of water, usually one to water or according to the moisture con- ‘ ganister, are used as binders for this re- tion to ganister, silica sand, called furnace nd, is used for making bottom and patching e between heats. The grade used by acid th steel furnaces is nearly always suitable ose. One well known brand analyzed: Calcium Magnesium Alumina, Oxide, Oxide, Loss fr eoO) A1,0 CaO Mgo 3.15 0.04 0.13 1.10 foundries where the purchasing of car- furnace bottom sand is not advisable, it is nical to use new silica molding sand mixed il amount of fire clay. The proportions of re depend on the grades of these commodi- le and-is easily determined by using ex- atches to find the one most suitable. Brick Used for Linings and Roofs K made by the large refractory manufac- itisfactory product for linings and furnace quality clay brick is used in roofs on furnaces, especially where the operation tent Carborundum and bricks of high nt are seldom used in acid furnace lin- ‘ their cost is many times that of silica and It is not generally believed that the longer btained by the use of these brick warrants nal expense. Brick analyses are not speci- the structure and degree of burning are ‘ant items in the life of brick. ectric furnace manufactures recommend ent nt of electric furnaces, United States High- | Corporation, Troy, N. Y. Lining Acid Electric Furnaces % in. to 2% in. of a poor heat conductor such as as- bestos, “Sil-O-Cel” brick, etc., next to the inside furnace shell. The thickness of the insulation they specify is in most cases theoretically correct to obtain minimum heat losses with maximum refractory life. The writer has operated furnaces lined as recommended and, be- cause of the short refractory life, has rebuilt furnaces without heat insulation, resulting in better operating conditions, lower refractory cost and, if there was more power used because of the increased heat radia- tion, it was not apparent from the kilowatt-hours used per ton of steel produced. The question of retaining insulation in electric fur- naces is a problem for each insulation. Should the fur- nace bottom become soft or “mushy” during the refin- ing period or the side walls give short service, the re- moval of any insulation certainly would prolong the life of the refractories. Many electric are furnace op- erators have said that better operating conditions were secured when insulating material was not used. This opinion is especially expressed when the furnace is lined acid, as refractories of this type are poor hea