The Iron Age 1924-07-10: Vol 114 Iss 2

Seeman aoe ee THE IRON AGE New York, July 10, 1924 ESTABLISHED 1855 VOL. 114, No. 2 Car Wheel Foundry with Parallel Motions Six Straight-Line Conveyors to Handle Molds, Drags, Copes and Chills and Sand—-Continuous Molding Operations chanical equipment for the manufacture of car wheels have been installed in several foundries in the past three or four years and their operation has proved successful, both from the standpoint of economy and in reliev- ing the workers of considerable extremely arduous labor required in hand molding and in handling work in con- nection therewith. A foundry in which former methods and equipment have been replaced with machine molding and mechani- eal handling of all molding operations is the Rochester, N. Y., works of the National Car Wheel Co. In this plant a molding unit for the manufacture of chilled iron car wheels and having a capacity of 400 wheels in eight hr. recently has been placed in operation, which differs in several important details from somewhat similar units in use in other car wheel foundries. Con- spicuous features of the molding unit inelude its compactness, an ele- vated shake-out grate and gravity conveyors for conveying the cope and drag flasks back to the molding end of the (J) chanical eas molding units provided with me- unit. Reciprocating Conveyor In a Concrete Trough On a Level With the Foundry Floor Carries Sand From the Shake- Out Back to the Sand Storage Bin. The sloping cope flask conveyor appears at upper right Straight-line paral- lel conveyors are used, so that turntables and transfers are avoided, the arrangement providing an economic method of handling. On one side is a mold conveyor and in a parallel line in the order named are a return gravity conveyor for the drag flasks, a reciprocating sand con- veyor and three gravity return conveyors for the cope flasks. With this arrangement there is a constant stream going in the two directions, the finished molds moving down the mold conveyor and the empty flasks and molding sand returning in the opposite direction. 67 There are two molding machines, a roll-over ma- chine for the drag and a plain jolt pneumatic machine for the cope, both of the Herman type, the latter ma- chine having a stripping attachment. These machines are located at the end of the unit between the return flask conveyors and in line with the sand conveyor. After the drag mold is made it is turned over and a pneumatic hoist places it on the mold conveyor, located 2 ft. above the foundry floor. This is a flat top plate conveyor approximately 110 ft. long. Its top is cast iron sections 2 ft. long running on wheels on 2 ft. centers on steel rails. The conveyor re- turns through a trench under the floor. The movement of the con- veyor is intermittent. It is propelled 4 ft. and stops until another mold is poured. This movement is effected by a 10-in. air cylinder that applies its power to the*upper strand and is supplemented by a 6-in. air cylinder for the returning strand. When the drag half of the flask has moved along the conveyor 12 ft. it is in a position di- rectly opposite the cope flask. The latter then is superimposed on the drag flask, the mold is closed, clamps are applied and the mold is ready for pouring. Four operations on the mold is ready for pouring. Four operations on four different molds are performed in unison when the mold conveyor is standing still. These are (1) putting a drag flask on the conveyor,’(2) placing a cope on a drag, (3) pouring and (4) lifting a flask from the con- veyor to the shake-out ‘grating. The shake-out grating, 16 ft. long and 5 ft. wide, at the end of the mold conveyor, is located on a plat- form 9 ft. above the foundry floor. When the mold i teens 68 THE IRON AGE SFIS DIFFS - Cpa Thacker Cee ss 7 i i ee Mack ne PP PDP Pa Pe July 10, 1924 Sond ( 10 1T - 7 soamenmetenssammencent Se — . eee x i Reid rrrt du rry y y per ry € | ee —9-a t rT +0: f 4 A oe = eo ee SY i Tr | NY Sa = : 4 / 7 , f y : Fey oly rT . } | . t Feeder bd Sc f Eleva jo Fan She _ rt Fase | FA.cope if | ; " i ~ r ji x ++ neta.) : a mN ri q . | , a j 7 1 ee cadelaia L 1 € > Plan and Sectional Elevation of the Equipment, Showing the Arrangement of Four Parallel Conveyor Systems, Three Working Toward the Left and One Toward the Right Three lines are used for the cope flasks, so that the chills may reaches the end of the conveyor it is lifted to the plat- form by a pneumatic hoist. Attached to the hoist is a Stoney shake-out bail which shakes out the mold. The casting is placed on a gravity roller conveyor ex- tending off to one side, nearly at right angles to the mold conveyor, and is carried to the soaking pits. After shaking out, a hoist carries the cope flask and chill over the platform to one of three lines of gravity roller conveyors. As the cope and chill are together, the three conveyor lines are provided so that there will be a sufficient number on the conveyors to give the chills time for cooling before being used again. After the drag flask is shaken out, a hoist drops it through a hole in the platform floor onto a single line gravity conveyor. The flask and cope gravity con- have time to cool veyors have channel framework and cast iron rollers. Steam and gases are removed from over the shake- out grating by means of a blower system and are car- ried up to the roof. The provision of this blower adds much to the comfort of the workmen. Handling the Sand Sand shaken out from the molds drops into a con- crete shake-out hopper underneath the shake-out grat- ing. From there it is fed by a cutting feeder and belt conveyor directly to a revolving screen. Above the screen is a hood and an exhaust system is provided, which draws out the dust and discharges it through the roof. This exhaust system also carries the dust from the shake-out hopper. Elevated Shake-Out Platform, Grating and Shake-Out Bail. The drag flask is dropped through the hole at the right, onto the drag conveyor July 10, 1924 " From the screen the sand passes over magnetic separators, from which it is delivered to a reciprocat- ing conveyor approximately 110-ft. long that is located in a concrete trough on a level with the foundry floor. Most of the cooling, mixing and tempering of the sand is done in this conveyor, which is provided with hinged paddles on 20-in. centers, moving with a 28-in. stroke. These paddles are in position on the forward stroke, moving the sand forward and mixing it, and swinging Sand Storage Bin of 58 Tons Capac- ity, Sand Blevator, and the Copes and Chills Returning on the Gravity Con- veyor THE IRON AGE 69 General View of the Molding Unit From the Shake- Out Platform. At the left (under the electric bulb) is the mold conveyor, then the gravity drag conveyor (loaded) and sand conveyor (in the pit). At the right is the triple gravity cope and chill conveyor idly over the sand on the return stroke. Water is added at two points on the conveyor. The reciprocating motion is accomplished by a motor-driven crank shaft. The reciprocating conveyor discharges the sand into a vertical bucket elevator which lifts it 35 ft. to a short tempering belt and sand conditioner at the top of a 58-ton storage bin. The belt delivers it into this bin, where it remains 2 or 3 hr. before being used. From the sand storage bin a knife cutting feeder . i ; €. 4 ¥ +9 te ' ~. ; aa | #3 : * : -t tg ee : be ; Fa E Pa : te a a an oo ye ele bee bre 4 . > pa ee RE 4 & 4. 70 THE IRON AGE under the bin delivers the sand to a vertical bucket elevator and from that it passes over onto a short belt conveyor which dumps it into a 16-ton service hopper. Both molding machines are fed by apron feeders from this hopper. By pushing a button, the operator secures a constant stream of sand through the feeders. New sand is added by dumping a few shovels of it on each mold as it passes along the mold conveyor, so that there is always new sand in the system. The sand handling system has a capacity of 20 to 25 tons per hr. The cupola is located about 50 ft. from the pouring Drag and Cope Machines and the 16-Ton Service Hopper Which Serves Both Machines Through Apron Feeders zone of the mold conveyor. The ladle is carried on a truck that runs on an industrial track and holds suf- ficient iron to pour one mold. The mold conveyor and gravity conveying equipment were designed and built by the National Car Wheel Co. under the direction of H. E. McClumpha, general su- perintendent. The C. O. Bartlett .& Snow Co., Cleve- land, furnished the sand handling equipment. A judgment of $60,000 obtained by the Italian Gov- ernment against the Wilkoff Iron Co., Youngstown, Ohio, was set aside by the United States Circuit Court of Appeals sitting at Grand Rapids, Mich., July 1. The Italian Government alleged it had contracted to pur- chase $60,000 worth of scrap steel from the iron com- pany during the war and paid for it in advance. When it was ready to take the steel, it was contended, it was found to have been sold elsewhere. The New York Central Railroad has placed an order with the Brown Hoisting Machinery Co., Cleveland, for an ore handling bridge to be erected in Ashtabula for the Ashtabula & Buffalo Dock Co. to replace one re- cently blown down. It is expected that two or three other ore bridges will be purchased shortly to replace bridges on Lake Erie ore docks that have been wrecked in recent storms. July 10, 1924 Synthetic Gray Iron and Mild Steel A series of tests in the making of synthetic cast iron in a commercial electric furnace has been com- pleted by engineers at the Seattle, Wash., experiment station of the Bureau of Mines. Both synthetic gray iron and mild steel were produced in alternating runs without trouble. Miscellaneous steel scrap of all kinds was charged into the furnace to produce various grades of iron. The results show that, under the conditions in this foundry, the synthetic product can compete with cupola iron, and is superior in quality and strength. These results will be applied in the melting of sponge iron, and in the melting of scrap at foundries. These experiments were made in a commercial directare: acid- lined furnace of 3000-lb. capacity. Soft machinable iron with a transverse strength of 5600 lb. on: a;stand- ard bar was repeatedly made. Without the opportunity for direct comparison, it seems apparent that éarbur- ization is more difficult in an acid-lined furnace’ than in a basic hearth. Retort carbon, clean brushed coke with about 14 per cent ash, and coke breeze containing considerable ash and dirt were compared as carburizers, with the result that the retort carbon was found to be decidedly superior to the crushed coke and the coke breeze just as definitely inferior to the other two. Ex- cept for its bulkiness, which makes charging more dif- ficult, tin plate scrap was melted as readily as other steel scrap. Under normal commercial conditions, ex- cepting those where some unusual trouble or delay was encountered, the average power consumption was 710 kwhr. per ton. That figure could be reduced at least 100 kwhr. under more nearly ideal conditions. All these results corroborate exactly the results obtained in experimental work on synthetic gray iron previously made by the Bureau of Mines. Seminar Course in Metallurgy In order to assist metallurgists in their everyday problems and to enable them to secure advanced degrees without absence from regular duties, the University of Wisconsin, Madison, has established a seminar course in metallurgy at Milwaukee. Graduates from many col- leges will, it is expected, avail themselves of the course. All are employed in Milwaukee and perform research work in their shop laboratories. R. S. McCaffery and J. F. Oesterle of the engineer- ing college have supervision of the seminar. Each visits Milwaukee on alternate weeks, holding classes on Friday evening and devoting Saturday to the inspection of experiments. Experimental work by metallurgists on reduction of iron oxide by carbon monoxide is progressing rapidly at the Northwest experiment station of the Bureau of Mines at Seattle, Wash. Reduction tests have been made at temperatures varying from 700 to 1000 deg. C. at times from 1 to 5 hr. on sizes up to 2 in. Pre- liminary observations indicate that size has more in- fluence than any other factor on rapidity of reduction. A piece 2 in. in diameter was not completely reduced at 900 deg. C. in 5 hr. Magnetite reduces only about half as fast as dense hematite. A new and apparently accurate method has been developed for the determina- tion of metallic, ferrous and ferric iron in the same sample. A copiously illustrated pamphlet has just appeared, issued by the Union Carbide & Carbon Corporation, 30 East Forty-second Street, New -York, which gives complete information concerning the companies, about 25 in all, which form this large corporation. A chapter is devoted to each company, with illustrations of the plants and some of the equipment. A compre- hensive map is also included, giving the location in the United States and Canada of plants and factories, of sales offices and of warehouse stocks, the grand total being 827 units. Decided Stand for Merchant Marine Chairman Thompson of Shipping Board Gives His Views as to Present Status and Policies—Why the Jones Act Has Not Brought Desired Results BY L. W. MOFFETT WASHINGTON, July 8—Making the United States “ship-minded” is proving a difficult task. It has been an extremely hard effort since the Civil War. Ob- stacle after obstacle, real or fancied, arose. Costs of operation, including wages required by able seamen, necessity of revising navigation laws, claims of vio- lating treaties, propaganda by foreign interests, often supported by groups of domestic interests and other elements, invariably have cropped up whenever any- thing has been done to establish an American Merchant Marine. There can be no doubt that sincere opposition has come from time to time from strongly American sources to defeat plans proposed in either legislative or execu- tive branches of the Government to build up a merchant fleet. This merely has represented a frank division of opinion, but easily the greatest foe to the building up of a privately owned American Merchant Marine has been the widespread indifference toward it. Extremely important as a merchant fleet is to the carrying on of international trade, and tremendously vital as it is as an arm to the naval fleet in times of war, the question has been given but relatively little construc- tive thought by the business, financial and agricultural communities of the country. There always have been, and are now, earnest groups in these and other branches striving to create intelligent interest through- out the country in an American Merchant Marine, and despite the many plans advocated for its upbuilding, it remains a fact that these groups, taken as a whole, have reflected views that have been refreshing because of their approach to unanimity. By no means does this statement apply to all of the attempts made from all sources, genuine or spurious, to establish a Mer- chant Marine. But those who have been earnestly en- gaged have accepted that as the end and have mini- mized the means so long as they considered it to be constructive and fair. Yet in the face of their hard work they have seen the American Merchant Marine dwindle to almost nothing. They have witnessed the spectacle of American foreign trade carried in Amer- ican bottoms shrink from the remarkably high total of 90 per cent to 8 per cent. Ships Forced on the United States The world war absolutely forced ships upon the United States. The result is it has on its hand a merchant fleet, poorly balanced, it is true, but certainly providing a nucleus for a well organized privately owned Merchant Marine. The result of these ships being forced upon the hands of the Government is that while the curve showing foreign trade carrying Amer- ican bottoms has fluctuated since the world war, it has shown a sharp rise at least above the low point of 8 per cent, which was maintained at the outbreak of the world war. And since these ships have been literally pushed into the hands of the Government, something had to be done about it. One of the greatest things that was done was the passage in 1920 by Congress of the so-called Jones Merchant Marine act. It obtained its name from the fact that its principal author was Senator Jones of Washington, who has always worked most intelligently and ardently for a privately owned Merchant Marine. Passing by the point that a great piece of legisla- tion like this may be offset to an appreciable extent, at least, by such laws as the La Follette seamen act, the fact remains that there are many who are firmly of the opinion that if all of the provisions of the Jones Merchant Marine law were put into force, nothing could prevail against the building up of the privately owned Merchant Marine. Two of its most important sections still are in suspension. One, known as Section 28, provides for lower railroad freight rates on export shipments when carried in American bottoms than when carried in foreign bottoms. The other, known as Section 34, would reestablish the old principle under which the American Merchant Marine of the Yankee clipper days was built up. This provision would apply discriminating import duties on goods carried in Amer- ican ships. Old Objections Renewed Precisely like every other effort to build up an American Merchant Marine, these sections have created strong opposition, both in the United States and abroad, with many of the cut-and-dried objections reheated and rolled out to the American consuming public. For instance, the discriminating duty clause, it has been pointed out, and the State Department has accepted the objection as sound, would violate com- mercial treaties. There could be no doubt that ap- plication of this section overnight would violate com- mercial treaties. Those in favor of the section, how- ever, make the argument that it is customary and al- together right to give notice of abrogation of such treaties and then upon their expiration to put the law involved into effect. They do not take seriously so- called efforts of international complications and make further contention that they do not recall any impor- tant foreign mercantile nation foregoing any of its fundamental prerogatives to put its flag on the seven seas. Section 28 had been ordered into effect by the Shipping Board, but some of the American railroads and many shippers, together with the Interstate Com- merce Commission, and with the inevitable foreign propaganda, have caused a suspension of this section. Another suggestion to aid American Merchant Marine is to extend the coastwise laws to the Philippine Islands. Whether or not any of these suggestions and pro- posals go into effect, or whether, consistent with many other plans, including a subsidy, will end only in talk remains to be seen. The fact cannot be denied, how- ever, that iteration and reiteration of the subject is gradually making the United States more “ship- minded.” Effects of Discussion Letting pass the political phase of the Republican and the Democratic Merchant Marine planks, it seems reasonable that the discussion coming from them during the campaign may turn thoughts of the public more and more to an American Merchant Marine. And even more immediately practicable, limited as it may be in its effect, Congress before its recent adjournment enacted legislation which brings the Merchant Marine idea to the steel manufacturer, engine builder, and shipyard owner. This legislation provided for the lending by the Shipping Board of money for the in- stallation of Diesel engines in American ships. Certainly the requirements of steel and machinery for the maintenance of an adequate American Mer- chant Marine are an extremely important consideration for the steel and machinery manufacturers, exactly as it is for the cotton grower and a vast number of other American producing units. Equally as important, if actually not more impor- tant, would be the fact that the American shipper would have at his service American-flag vessels, and consequently protection from excessive ocean freight rates that can be and have been demanded by foreign 71 EU eyed eAe ae 7 ‘ 3 i rede eee eer a an ce AT I ct OE 72 THE IRON AGE . vessels in the absence of American shipping. Obvious- ly this attitude in the past has shut out American business interests from a vast amount of foreign trade. With the home market becoming more easily ab- sorbed by reason of plant expansions, the importance of export trade constantly is growing, and tied in with this is the growing importance of the American Mer- chant Marine. Commissioner Thompson’s Views Commissioner Frederick I. Thompson of the United States Shipping Board made these points clear in the course of discussing the American Merchant Marine with THE IRON AGE. Mr. Thompson comes from Birm- ingham, Ala., and appreciates the importance of such a fleet, not only to the iron and steel industry of that territory and other sections of the country, but to all enterprises, both agricultural and manufacturing. Manifestly, he also stated the importance of such a fleet as a naval auxiliary. Mr. Thompson is publisher of the Age-Herald of Birmingham, and of the Register and News-Item of Mobile, Ala., and by reason of this association has been in close touch with important public issues. Taking a broad view of the question, rather than making a narrow observation as to the cost of the Government for the upkeep of its ships, Mr. Thompson said: “The Merchant Marine enterprise is costing the United States from $35,000,000 to $40,000,000 per year. This takes into account the loss in operation, but does not include those elements of expense bearing on liqui- dation of a war enterprise, but this loss is spread equally among all taxpayers of the United States. Necessarily this takes into account the farm produc- ing class, manufacturers, laborers and others. Many of these laborers are engaged in plants which supply an export demand, and if this market should be shut off it might mean that these men would be thrown out of employment. A nation can control ocean transpor- tation only by having its flag on the seas. Congress can regulate purely domestic enterprise. The -seas, however, are international. Let us give a glance at the Merchant Marine situation. “There are only about 20 American flag ships in foreign trade operated by private owners. This, of course, does not include intercoastal and West Indian trade. Of the 20 ships under private operation, one- half are operated by private owners who operate more foreign ships than American ships. Therefore, in ocean conferences foreign interests dominate. The United States Government, however, operates nearly 400 ships in foreign trade and therefore is in a position to have a voice in setting ocean freight charges under which our export commerce moves, and is the protect- ing influence against excessive ocean transportation from the United States. If the Government did not operate these ships, foreign nations would control the transportation charges on American’ products to foreign countries. There is not a shadow of a doubt that if the Government did not regulate the rates, foreign ships would increase the ocean charges and collect on our international commerce a sum many times what the taxpayers are paying to protect the American commerce. Under Private Ownership “I do not believe that for five or 10 years there can be an adequate Merchant Marine under private ownership and operation. The whole business and financial structure is against it.” There are those who differ with Mr. Thompson and believe that the Government fleet can be turned into the hands of private owners at an earlier date than he suggests, but they are in agreement with him that if it requires such a period it is well worth waiting for. Mr. Thompson has been one of the strongest ad- vocates of Section 28 of the Jones act and always has strongly urged the abrogation of preferential contracts where they exist between foreign shipping interests and American railroads. He also has strongly favored the application of Section 34 and this view has been July 10, 1924 shared by other members of the board, but it is under- stood that the administration still is strongly opposed to this section. Recommendations made by the board urging the ap- plication of Section 34 have been rejected in the order named by President Wilson, President Harding and President Coolidge. Mr. Thompson along with other members of the board appreciates the importance of making the United States “ship-minded” and constantly is urging upon American shippers the importance of giving prefer- ence to American flag vessels. Indicative of the effect this has had, Mr. Thompson pointed out that at the time the board instituted liner services from the Gulf, the British carried approxi- mately 90 per cent of the cotton movement from the Gulf in British bottoms and in American bottoms about 10 per cent. Carrying Cotton As the service was perfected, Mr. Thompson said, the board has never let a month pass that its vessels have not carried the major portion of the cotton move- ment from the Gulf in American flag ships. One month it ran as high as 56. per cent of the movement. “Rather than turn over some of American com- merce to foreign flag ships,” said Mr. Thompson, “Il would go ahead and use the available appropriation as long as it would last, and when it was exhausted I would go to Congress and say ‘now it is up to you, gentlemen; it is your responsibility; you can stop the enterprise or go along with it.’” Mr. Thompson said that he had never seen Con- gress turn down the money to keep the enterprise going, but that it has been willing to do nothing to meet the wishes and suggestions of the board. “If I had my way,” said Mr. Thompson, “I would let the losses be as they are now and extend the volume of commerce of this country in American flag ships and to come on always toward the goal set by Con- gress itself of seeing that the major portion of the American commerce shall be carried in American flag ships. That is the goal; that is the mandate of Con- gress. 5 “As one of my newspapers is doing, we are develop- ing deliberately a maximum standard and making an investment in good will and establishing that to a de- gree we think it should be established and we do not regard that as a loss.” Showing the necessity of having American ships available, Mr. Thompson said: “When the British dominated the cotton movement from the South and the war broke out and they ap- plied their ships to war purposes, the great commodity (cotton) of my section dropped to 5c. per lb. directly because there was no transportation for our markets and bankrupted practically every cotton planter in my section of the country. If a war should break out to- morrow there would be no such condition existing because we would be prepared to carry that product to the world markets.” American Exports Carried Mr. Thompson estimated that the average of Amer- ican exports carried in American ships is around 25 per cent of what he called the general cargo movement. This average is estimated by some to run as high as 47 per cent when it takes into account such im- portant items as oil, carried in Standard Oil tankers, and steel carried in ships of the United States Steel Products Co. Mr. Thompson, however, did not take into account this movement. Discussing the importance of Section 28, providing preferential rail rates on American products for export in American bottoms, Mr. Thompson said that Presi- dent Homer L. Ferguson, of the Newport News Ship- building & Dry Dock Co., had told him that steel could be delivered in Cuba by way of Newport News practically as cheap from the Pittsburgh district as it could be bought from the Pittsburgh district and that if a man wants to prepare his ships in Cuba he can do it and get his base material as cheaply as it can be obtained at Newport News. The preferential July 10, 1924 rate, said Mr. Thompson, would open the world mar- kets to the American producers. Mr. Thompson was asked if it had not been the gen- erally admitted policy of the Shipping Board and the Emergency Fleet Corporation to leave the cream of the trade routes and traffic to the private lines and to do nothing that would injure any of these lines during the time that the Government was operating its own vessels, even though such a policy would increase the losses or expenses of the Shipping Board. THE IRON AGE 73 “I have never understood we have had private American flag operation, for the reason they have not been adequate in number or in major operation,” said Mr. Thompson. “But I would read into the statute it- self a program of non-interference; if there was an American flag service established on a competing trade route, it would not be my idea we should engage in Government operation in competition with the Amer- ican flag operator, but should encourage him and help him.” New Rates on Iron and Steel Expected Refusal of Interstate Commerce Commission to Approve Schedule to Be Followed by Revised Proposal— Important Issues Involved WASHINGTON, July 8.—Refusal of the Interstate Commerce Commission to permit the railroads to put into effect proposed changes in iron and steel rates, both in carloads and less than carloads, between points in the Pittsburgh district and adjacent territory in Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland, is expected to be followed by the filing by the railroads of new tariffs which the commission opinion made it plain it would consider. The railroads claimed that the purpose of the changes was to revise substantially the entire short haul struc- ture instead of only those rates which violate the fourth section. In finding that the proposed changes as a whole were not justified, the commission said, however, that “some increase in some of the rates for which class rates are proposed to be substituted may be proper.” For example, it pointed out, it was proposed to increase the rate from Canton and Massillon, Ohio, to Grove City, Ohio, from 9.5c. to the fifth class basis of 20.5c. This proposal, the commission said, is not approved on the record but it stated that it would seem that the present rate might properly be increased to llc. along with other rates of like amount. It was added that there are other similar situations. The case involves extremely important issues as they increase or decrease the competitive ability of iron and steel producers and consumers in affected areas. By reason of this the next suggested move is being awaited with a great deal of interest. The changes proposed more increases than they did decreases and the major portion of the increases amounts to 15.8 per cent, though some are less and some are more, while in in- stances reductions were proposed. Position of the Railroads The railroads contended that with the sharp com- mercial and carrier competition it is necessary to main- tain the existing relationships. “Throughout this territory,” the commission said, “there are hundreds of competing producers and users of iron and steel articles, and the importance of sub- stantially continuing proper relationships is unques- tionable. Thus, as an example, if the rate from Youngstown to Pittsburgh, which in conjunction with the rate from Cleveland to Youngstown makes a lower combination than the through rate from Cleveland to Pittsburgh, were increased as here proposed without a similar increase in the rate from Johnstown to Pitts- burgh, the Youngstown producer would be under a dis- advantage of 1.5c. in competing with the Johnstown producer at Pittsburgh.” Pointing out that the proposed adjustment must be considered in its entirety, the commission says: “The territory here in question, exclusive of that in New York, approximates in area what is known as the Pittsburgh and middle steel-producing district. The greatest consumption of iron ore occurs in this district, and in turn its production of iron and steel exceeds that of the rest of the country. In consequence it orig- inates an enormous tonnage of these articles. Much of this tonnage moves for short hauls between producers and consumers in this territory. In 1922 approximately 41,800,000 tons of ore originated in the ranges of Min- nesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan, of which about 31,- 000,000 tons were consumed in this district and 3,500,- 000 tons at Buffalo. The annual productive capacity of steel ingots in this district in 1920 was 30,600,000 tons, or about 66 per cent of that of the entire official terri- tory. The productive capacity for the country as a whole is not shown for 1920, but for 1921 it was about 58,600,000 tons and about the same in 1922. The second largest producing center in official territory is that around Chicago, and the third is Buffalo. The average loading of iron and steel articles is about 80,000 lb. ver car. Some of the protestants have, by active campaign to that end, substantially increased their average load- ings in recent years. One of them shows that the aver- age loading of its 13 subsidiary companies increased from 69,200 lb. in 1911 to 94,300 lb. in 1922. The aver- age loading of wrought pipe manufactured by one of these subsidiaries at various points in this territory gradually increased from 43,200 lb. in 1903 to 78,200 Ib. in 1922. The averages for these and the intervening years are based on annual shipments of from 28,000 to 50,000 cars. It is roughly estimated that the pro- posed rates would result in a net increase in transpor- tation costs on all traffic in the affected territory of $750,000 to $1,000,000 annually.” Proposed Rates on Pipe The railroads proposed to increase the rates on wrought pipe, but not on cast iron pipe. The commis- sion stated that under the circumstances which it dis- cussed, it was not convinced that the situation with respect to the rates on cast pipe and on wrought pipe was sufficient to condemn the proposed rates on the latter. One result of the general proposal, it was stated, would be the increase in the Pittsburgh-Cleveland com- bination rates applicable over certain routes under which a large tonnage moves. The opinion says that it is estimated that from 80 to 85 per cent of all the tonnage of certain companies moves from Pittsburgh to Cleveland on the 19c. rate. Protest against this proposal was made by contrast- ing the percentage relation which the present combina- tion bears to the through fifth class rate between Pitts- burgh and Cleveland, with the percentage which rates maintained from other steel producing districts in offi- cial territory to consuming points bear to the fifth class rates between the same points. After taking up the numerous other angles involved, the commission said that there was sufficient evidence to warrant it in with- holding general approval of the class rates which were proposed but in ordering the schedules cancelled it did so without prejudice to the filing of new schedules in conformity with views expressed. aCe T Ec RN Ret MN MN hl inns asl mid menbtie D a: lib ' parsedn Soe er tas FL ol ‘i Stra sa 2, ‘ VF EE ADL SRG MEN 9 Pee - se oat # g - h } ; £ 4 oe ae hap eal Mea P et tt al ee ee eee : : Setting Machine Tools for Short Jobs’ Examples of Economical Handling of Work Requiring Lathe Set-up—Savings Effected by Providing Operator with Sketches and Complete Data BY ALBERT A. DOWDt in setting-up lathe work it should be noted that on this type of machine there is not usually much spe- cial equipment required, except when special castings in lots of two or three at a time are to be machined. When special forms are to be cut and a form tool is required, the set-up man should of course take this into consideration and make suitable sketches so that the tool will be ready when the job is placed in the shop. For thread-cutting op- erations, when re- quired, the proper gears can be cal- culated in order to save trouble in the shop. Of course this is nec- essary only for special threads. It should be the duty of the set-up man to anticipate the needs of the shop man and furnish the latter with any informa- tion which would ordinarily require an arithmetical or geometrical calcu- lation. A great portion of work handled on engine can be held for machining in a two, three or four-jawed chuck, or else on centers and driven by a dog. For irregular castings it is sometimes possible to use a chuck for centering, supplemented by clamps to hold the work firmly. A suggestion in writing on the set-up sheet is sufficient to cover a situation of this kind, or a simple free-hand sketch to show the method. When special blocks, studs, clamps or angles are required for setting up, sketches should be made before sending the work into the shop so that the operator will not be delayed by having to make up or hunt around for the items that he needs. It frequently happens that without such provision, the operator spends sometimes as much as half a day in setting up a job which requires only about one hour’s machining time. This is obviously a loss to the manu- facturer when the work is done on the contract basis, and to the customer when done on the hourly basis. A simple example of a piece of work requiring a lathe set-up is the motor frame casting shown in Fig. 1, a lot of 10 of which may be assumed to be required. The piece is of cast iron and the operations specified are mill base; drill holes; bore face and recess. The only operations considered are the boring, facing and cut- ting of the recesses on each side of the piece, these sur- faces being specified as A, B,C, D and E. The distance between the shoulders B and D is important and other dimensions must also be made within close limits of [* considering the economies which can be effected *In a previous article in THE IRoN, AGE of April 3, page 989, Mr. Dowd emphasized the loss usually incurred in set- ting up machine tools for single jobs, and outlined a system for the handling of such work by a special section of the planning department. The present article deals particularly with econcmies which can be effected in setting up lathe work and illustrations are. given of the advantage of the operators working from set-up and data sheets such as described in the previous article. + Consulting engineer. All rights reserved by the author. lathes Fig. 1—Example of Piece of Work Requiring a Lathe Set-Up 74 accuracy. As the base F has been previously milled and as it is important to preserve the distance G, it is advisable to use the base F as a location point when setting up. Fig. 2 is a reproduction of the set-up sketch given to the operator as a guide in getting the work ready for machining. The sketch shows an angle plate fast- ened to the face of the chuck 5% in. from the center. The number of the angle plate is given on the sheet, thus indicating that it can be lo- cated in the tool crib. The size of the chuck is given and the special jaws used also have a number and can be found in the tool crib. In making measure- ments on the work it would be rather difficult to use ordinary measuring instru- ments and there- fore a sheet metal gage shown at X is provided and a number is also given to this gage. Having this da- ta sheet and blue print of the work the operator simply goes to the tool crib and draws out the tools he needs, so that he is ready to make the set- up. He is not required to hunt for angle plates or spe- cial jaws, nor is he obliged to devise a method of chuck- ing the work; all this has been done previously so that he needs only to follow the instructions plainly given. The sketch shown at Y, Fig. 2, indicates a 2-in. bar which can be mounted in a holder Z on the cross slide of the lathe, so that by using a tool as shown, the in- side cutting and the back-facing operations can be done conveniently. It is a decided advantage to do all of this work in one setting in order to obtain uniformity and concentricity. By using roughing and finishing tools in the same bar, the operator’s work is simplified great- ly and he can therefore do the work in minimum time, whereas if left to his own devices he might spend double or triple this time in the process. It should be noted that in these articles the setting up of machine tools as a whole is being considered, and while the examples given are not particularly remark- able, they serve to illustrate the application of a sys- tem that works out to good advantage on practically all kinds of machining operations. The lathe being a simple machine, the savings obtained are not as pro- nounced as one some other machine tools, yet a com- parison of the time which would ordinarily be consumed on this job if the operator were permitted to set up the machine himself, according to his own ideas, would probably be about as given in the following paragraph. Advantages of Working from Set-up Sketch In the first place he would very likely make two settings on the job, using the base F to set up on for each operation. In all probability, he would bolt an angle plate of suitable size to a face plate and would July 10, 1924 ~ pot cg Fig. 3—Example of Irregular Piece. Bracket Fitting, for Lathe Set-Up use clamps and set screws to hold the work for the first setting. Then he would turn it over and after indicating it to make sure that it is running truly, he would recess and face the other side. He could easily be allowed 2 hr. for setting up the machine and probably 10 min. for setting each piece, which would give us in excess time for 10 pieces: (10 min. x 20) + 2 hr. = 200 + 120 = 320 min. = 5.3 hr. For the machining operation he would prob- ably do the boring, as it is an inter- rupted cut, at about 25 r.p.m. with a feed for roughing of 0.020 in. per rev- olution. Assuming approximately this speed and feed, it would take him about 14 min. for the roughing cut and, with a slight increase in speed, the finishing cut might be made in 10 min., and the recessing and facing cuts about 10 min. more, making a total of 34 min. for one side. If an additional 10 min. is allowed for the other side after setting up the work, the total will be 34 min. + 10 min. = 44 min. for the machining of one piece, then [(44 « 10) + 60] + 5.3 hr. = (440 + 60) + 5.3 hr. = 12.6 hr. By the other method the time of setting up the machine should not be over 1 hr. and the setting of the work and locating it by means of the angle plate and chuck jaws, perhaps 3 min. for each piece. Then the total setting up time would be [(10 « 3) ~ 60] + 60 = 1.5 hr. If the machining time is considered as exactly the same as in the preceding instance, the time of the complete job will be 7.3 + 1.5 hr. = 8.8 hr. Thus the time saved would be 12.6 ‘hr. — 8.8 hr. = 3.8 hr. In reality the time saved probably would be more than this, because by the second method less THE IRON AGE Grego. - —— BrackeT- Bronze - o> — < Fig. 2—Set-Up Sketch Given to the Operator as a Guide In Getting Wor Ready for Machining 75 time would be consumed in changing tools, and the use of a heavy bar to carry the tools would give an exception- ally good support. Also the method of holding is probably more rigid than if a face plate and clamps were used. Irregular Pieces Require Careful Planning When a very irregular piece is to be machined on an engine lathe, it is well worth while to look carefully into the method of setting up, particularly if there are several pieces in the lot. An example of this kind is shown in Fig. 3, which represents a bronze bracket fit- ting, six of which are required. The preliminary estimate on the work speci- fies the following operations: 1. Face mill tops of bosses A and B— milling machine. 2. Set-up on A and B and bore C, r. and f.. ream and face—engine lathe. 3. Locate from hole C and bore D, r. and f., ream and face—engine lathe. 4. Drill, ream and spot face, holes B and F—4drill press 5. Turn work over and spot face other side—drill press 6. Cut key-ways in 2\-in. hole—key- seating machine. Only lathe operations Nos. 2 and 3 will be discussed. Both of these settings need considerable care in order that the accuracy required may be maintained. The distance, 6% in., from center to center between holes C and D is impor- tant and it is necessary therefore toa locate one of the holes from the other. £ u 7 v > ‘2 » <.% 221 Ae ‘ . weir “eter 5 a. 76 In production work when a large number of pieces are to be made, a fixture for this operation would be em- ployed. Possibly both holes might be machined in the same fixture or the large one might be made first and the smaller located from the larger. When only six pieces are to be considered it is obvious that the expense of a fixture would not be warranted, yet if a series of blocks and clamps can be arranged in such a way that the piece can be properly located and held in a uniform manner, it will be comparatively easy to machine a small number of pieces quite rapidly and as accurately as need be. It is essential that any arrangement of this sort must be made up quickly and at little cost or else its purpose will be defeated. It is assumed that the tool crib is well supplied with V-blocks, studs, clamps, etc., and that the set-up man either has a duplicate record or that he can easily refer to the tool crib record to find what he wants. Under these cir- cumstances, odd-shaped or irregular work can often by set up on a face plate of suitable size by making a built-up temporary fixture, on which several pieces can ‘be machined in sequence ac- cording to the nature of the work. Built-up Fixture for Lathe Operations The set-up sketch shown in Fig. 4 illustrates the method of handling this piece of work for the lathe operations Nos. 2 and 3 on a built-up fixture, which is made up almost entirely from stan- dard parts drawn from the tool crib. A description of the method in connec- tion with the sketch will make the mat- ter clear. A standard 20-in. face plate is used for setting up, as shown at A. On this plate the V-block B is located in such a way that the center of the work C will approximate the center of the spindle. The V-block can be set up easily and adjusted in one of the face- plate slots. In other slots at right angles to the first are set the stud clamps D and E and directly opposite the V-block is a third stud clamp F. The one used at D is fixed so that the point of the set screw comes against the outside of the hub on the work, thus locating it. The studs at E and F are readily adjustable and are used to throw the work into the V-block and against the fixed stud as shown. The operator can get the various items from the tool crib by referring to the num- bers specified on the sketch sheet, and make up the fixture in less than an hour, ready to apply it to the machine. For the second lathe setting, the same face plate is stripped and a stud G, made up _ special, is inserted and clamped in a T-slot of the face plate 6% in. from the center. The measurement may be obtained easily by means of size blocks or vernier calipers. The only addi- tional piece is a clamp H to hold the work down. In setting up for this second lathe operation, the work is first placed on the stud G and clamped with a “C” washer and nut after which the V-block is adjusted toward the center until it locates the smaller boss. The clamp H is then tightened and the operator is ready for work. Without the assistance of the set-up sketch the average operator probably would not go to the trouble of making a built-up fixture but would set up each piece separately, using an indicator and suitable clamps for holding. The second setting probably would be done in much the same manner as that suggested on the set-up sketch, although probably the operator would make up a simple stud on a lathe for the purpose. If two men started at the same time to machine six THE IRON Job No. S-288 B. P. No. 2-1856 AGE July 10, 1924 pieces and one of the men had a set-up sketch while the: other had none, the man without the sketch would have the first piece of work done before the other had com- pleted his fixture. When the second man is ready to start machining, he continues without stopping and probably would finish his second piece at about the same time as the first man or possibly a little sooner. From this time on the man with the fixture would con- tinue to work and would easily have the six pieces done by the time the first man was completing his third piece. He would then remove the three stud clamps from the face plate, put in the stud G and locate it, and loosen Delivery Date 10-3023 SET UP SKETCH SHEET MaterialsBrowze Fig. 4—Set-Up Sketch for Bracket Fitting the V-block B, all of which would not take him over 15 min. No. 2 is now ready for the second lathe opera- tion and probably he would be completely through with it before the first man had found a piece of steel and turned it up for a locating stud for his second lathe setting. Without going into the details of machining which would be practically the same in either case, it is evi- dent that there would be a saving of 3 or 4 hr. by the set-up sketch method. It may be argued that the set-up man must spend a good deal of time in making the sketches and in looking up the various items which he can use to advantage. In reality a good man on this class of work can make several set-up sketches in a day and even though his rate per hour is the same as the man in the shop, still the saving is worth while on account of the difference in the overhead expense. As a general thing from 15 to 30 min. is sufficient to work July 10, 1924 up a free-hand sketch for a simple operation such as that shown in Fig. 4. The actual time consumed in making this sketch outside of that needed in looking up the various tool numbers was 25