The Iron Age 1924-09-04: Vol 114 Iss 10

THE IRON AGE New York, September 4, 1924 a ESTABLISHED 1855 VOL. 114, No. 10 Automatic Equipment Cuts Painting Cost Frames for Ford Cars Cleaned, Painted, Dried and De- livered to Freight Car Door at Rate of Ten a Minute —Continuous Conveyors Reduce Labor dried and delivered in a continuous stream to a car door ready for loading at the rate of ten a minute by means of a new painting and conveying unit recently placed in operation for handling frames for Ford cars. This is one of the most interesting recent develop- ments in the provision of the continuous automatic equipment for increasing production and cutting down costs in the manufacture of motor car parts in large quantities and with its use all handling by hand is eliminated from the time the frame is inspected after \aried and frames are cleaned, painted and frames. The frame assembly work is limited to various riveting operations which are done on 22 horning and wiring presses located 6 to 10 ft. apart. Back of the presses is an assembly table of heavy plate construc- tion 9 ft. wide and 3 ft. high. When a press operator finishes his riveting opera- tion he slides the frame sideways along on the table to a point within reach of the next riveting press oper- ator. The presses are a sufficient distance apart to provide storage space on the table for one frame be- tween two machines and there is sufficient clearance to permit the operator to pass around between his press Frames for Ford Automobiles Are Progressively Assembled back of the riveting presses for riveting until the painted frames are loaded on cars. This installation has resulted in a 50 per cent saving in labor. In connection with this unit a progressive assembling line 175 ft. long is provided for assembling the various parts of the passenger car frames. Side sections are formed on presses located below the start of this line. Various small parts are delivered from forming presses through two gravity chutes on to the assembly line. Following the plan generally used in the assembly of an automobile chassis the parts are delivered to the line at points near where they are to be placed on the along a 175-ft. Line They are slid along a table at the the successive riveting operations and the table. With this arrangement there is a straight line movement of work along the assembly table. The riveting unit has a daily capacity of 4000 frames. Connected at right angles to the end of the as- sembling line is a section of table 20 ft. long and 9 ft. wide that connects with the first conveyor line of the painting unit, which is in parallel line with the as- sembling line. This table serves as a storage space for finished frames which are swung around when pushed on the table so that they are lengthways with the con- veyor. At the end of this table the frames are in- 555 Oe eee Sue eater.) 74. SVEERE RA 2) c- wy or wpb rae SE ee ene omen aati tacts aaa eae ig " he SP a oO Cra — 556 , THE IRON AGE spected for proper riveting and the inspector turns the frame over on to the end of the conveyor, which permits him at the same time to inspect the opposite side of the frame. Opposite the passenger car frame assembly line is another assembly line for truck frames, which form about 20 per cent of the output and which are delivered to the same painting unit. Two Separate Conveying Units There are two separate conveying units for the en- tire outfit, one for the cleaning and painting operations and the other for handling the frames through the drying oven and carrying them along to the loading platform. The first conveyor, approximately 100 ft. in length, has two 15-ft. sections for washing, a 37-ft. section for drying, a 15-ft. section for spraying and a 16-ft: section for elevating the frame to the dnying oven conveyor. The frame, which lies flat and lengthways on the cleaning and painting conveyor, is first given a rinsing bath in a strong caustic solution, and is then washed in clear water at boiling temperature. The conveyor passes over tanks, one containing the water and the other the solution. The water and caustic solution are heated by live steam from the boiler house and are forced over the frame by two centrifugal high-pressure ee. ee ee Se ee ne * z pumps through 48 nozzles connected to each pump, giving a water pressure of 35 lb. per sq. in. A fan exhausts the steam from the tanks into a hood having an outlet to the roof. After rinsing, the frames pass through the drying section in which a temperature of approximately 140 deg. is maintained by means of a forced draft from the paint drying oven. As the work passes through the painting section the coating which is made according to standard specifi- cations of the Ford Motor Co. is sprayed on the frames by means of a spraying machine designed along standard lines. There are 15 sprays, pressure for which is supplied by a high-pressure air tank connected to air compressors in the engine room. Surplus paint falls to a drip pan, from which it is pumped back to the painting machine. Another pump delivers the paint from a mixing barrel to the machine. Second Conveyor Takes Painted Frames to Drying Oven and to Loading Platform The conveyor after passing through the painting section turns upward 45 deg., and when the frame has reached the highest point on the conveyor it drops September 4, 1924 automatically to a vertical position. Then loader chains pick it up and deposit it on a hook on the second or main conveyor that passes on in a straight line into the drying oven. The frames are suspended in a ver- tical position on this conveyor, the rear cross member hanging on hooks which are on 8-in. centers. The drying oven is 196 ft. long, 16 ft. wide and is divided by partitions into three sections. However, one section extends only one-half the total length, as the floor space that would be taken up by that section were it the full length of the oven, is occupied by the wash- ing and painting equipment. The oven is of the open- end tunnel type and a novel feature is that there are no hoods in the ends, as correct distribution of the warm air entering and the fumes exhausted make hoods un- necessary. The conveyor turns at the ends of the oven,and the frames entering at one side are carried to one end then through a complete circuit of the oven, or a total distance of approximately 500 ft. Leaving the oven, the conveyor passes outside of the building along a covered loading platform 200 ft. long. Here. men lift the frames from the moving con- veyor and load them into box cars at the side of the platform. The conveyor turns back into the building through the side wall and completes its circuit passing over the top of the washing and painting conveyor. After a Frame Is Assembled It Passes from the Assembly Line Across a Short Table from Which It Is Delivered onto the Cleaning and Painting Conveyor Unit. The view shows the two in- spectors turning the frame over onto the conveyor. The frame is not handled again by hand until, after being cleaned, painted and dried, it is lifted from the conveyor and loaded onto a car. The cleaning seéc- tion of the equip- ment is shown at the left. One hour and 15 minutes after the frame is deliv- ered to the first conveyor it passes cleaned, painted and dried, from the discharge end of the drying conveyor. From 5 to 20 min. later, depending on the position of the car on the loading track, it is lifted from the con- veyor and loaded into a car. When unloaded at the Ford assembly plant it is ready for the chassis as- sembly. Direct Oil-Fired Heater for Drying Oven The drying oven is heated by two seven-section Mc- Cann-Harrison direct oil fired heaters provided with a standard fuel control system for uniform temperature, the control being by means of an air gage. Conse- quently thermostatic control is unnecessary. Hot air is forced through the tubes of the heaters and distrib- uting ducts in the oven by a Clarage Multiblade fan with a capacity of 14,000 cu. ft. of air per minute and a duplicate fan located at the opposite end of the oven exhausts the fumes. The temperature of the oven at its entrance is about 110 deg. Fahr. This gradually increases to 200 deg. and then to 260 deg. at the hot zone. At the discharging end it falls to about 120 deg. September 4, 1924 The heat in the frame aids in baking the enamel during the movement of the frames through the lower end of the oven after they have passed the hot zone. Owing to the high efficiency of the heaters the gases of com- bustion leave the heater at a temperature of only about 180 deg. A special attendant is not required for the heating units. The main oven conveyor is driven by two 2-hp. motors through Ganschow speed transformers, which make the required speed reduction. The washing and The Frames Are Lifted Off While They Are Moving Along on the Conveyor on the Loading Platform and Are Loaded Into Box Cars As Shown THE IRON AGE 557 The Conveyor Af- ter Leaving the Painting Section Turns Upward 45 Deg. The frame, which heretofore has moved in a horizontal] position, is grabbed by loader chains and is picked up auto- matically by the drying oven con- veyor on which it drops to a vertical position. This pic- ture shows the in- clined section of the first conveyor painting conveyor is driven through a gear reduction set by one 5-hp. motor with a speed of 900 r.p.m. The washing and painting conveyor moves at a speed of 84 ft. per min. and the drying oven conveyor at a speed of 7 ft. per min. This speed ratio is provided and the three motors synchronized so that one conveyor will carry frames in a horizontg] position at a speed that is necessary to handle as many frames in this position as the oven conveyor will carry vertically 8 in. apart. The main control for the two conveyor units is at a point adjoining the loading of the drying conveyor. Push-button control is also provided at various points for the emergency stopping of the conveyors. The control is arranged so that the painting conveyor can- not run unless the drying oven conveyor is moving, but can be stopped independently. This avoids danger of work backing up on the loader, which would happen if the paint conveyor is operated when the drying oven conveyor is standing still. Conveyors Have Handled 620 Frames an Hour The conveyors have handled 620 frames in one hour and a record has been established of 5380 frames in 9 hr. Separate recording registers are provided at the first conveyor unit for passenger car and truck frames, and there is another register at the discharge end of the oven. These furnish a record of the total number of frames shipped during the day and the number left in the oven at night. The operation of the outfit re- quires only three men, one on the paint machine to look after mixing and to see that sprays are working properly, one to watch the loader and the third to look after the entire equipment and see that the pumps, heaters, dryers, etc., are functioning properly. The oven conveyor was supplied by the Jervis B. Webb Co., the chain and sprockets for the paint con- veyor by the Chain Belt Co. and the heaters by the McCann-Harrison Corporation. For the 12 months ended June 30, American vessels brought into the United States 32.85 per cent of the value of our imports, and foreign vessels brought in 67.15 per cent. Exports in American vessels during that fiscal year were 39.15 per cent of the total shipped by water, while foreign vessels took 60.85 per cent. In both imports and exports the American percentage was slightly higher than in the previous fiscal year. 1 | 3 ! s 4 =? abl i ae smenrewanenageanatige Ce te ne nem AR 558 THE IRON AGE Conditions in Europe as Viewed by Truscon President Standardization of product and methods of manu- facture is the principal weapon of defense for the American manufacturer in meeting European compe- tition, according to President Julius Kahn of the Trus- con Steel Co., just returned from a trip to Europe. Standardization has made no such progress in Europe as in this country, he points out, and it has proved effective in reducing production costs here. Mr. Kahn commented upon the marked improvement in European conditions this summer as compared with those of two years ago, when he visited Continental countries. He says that masses of the people in the affected countries, chiefly in Germany, appear highly favorable to the Dawes reparations program, and that industry is preparing for broader operations as soon as the plan becomes effective. He foresees a period of keener competition for export markets from European manufacturers, with the possible exception of the auto- mobile industry. Nowhere in Europe did Mr. Kahn observe signs of food scarcity, although he found prices in Germany much higher than two years ago, owing to the recent return of gold standard money. He is inclined to criticise the lack of interest in the export trade on the part of many American manufac- turers, especially in view of vigorous efforts in Europe to stimulate export business. German manufacturers are handicapped because of the scarcity of money and high interest rates prevailing, preventing some indus- tries from operating, even though they have orders on hand. This condition is making all interests in Ger- many eager for the loan promised the country under the Dawes program. Banks in Germany, he states, are advertising they will pay 12 per cent interest on deposits and even larger COMING MEETINGS September Institute of Metals. Sept. 8 to 11 Autumn meeting in London. G. Shaw Scott, 36, Victoria Street, London, S. W. I. England, secretary. National Sheet Metalware Association. Sept. 9 and 10 Annual meeting, Hotel Statler, Buffalo American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Bept. 15 to i8. Machine tool exhibit, Mason Laboratory, Sheffield Scientific School, Yale Uni- versity, New Haven, Conn. For catalog and tickets, address Prof. S. W. Dudley, 400 Temple Street, New Haven, Conn American Society for Steel Treating. Sept. 22 to 26. Annual convention and exhibition Head- quarters, Copley-Plaza Hotel; exhibition. Com- monwealth Pier, Boston. W. H. Eisenmann, 4600 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, secretary. American Mining Congress. Sept. 29 to Oct. 4 Annual convention, Sacramento, Cal. J. F. Call- braeth, 814 Munsey Building, Washington, secretary National Safety Council. Sept. 29 to Oct Annual safety congress, Brown Hotel and Hotel Seelbach, Louisville, Ky. W. H. Cameron, 168 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, managing director. October American Electrochemical Society. Oct. 2 to 4 Fall meeting and round-table discussions. Hotel Tuller, Detroit Dr. Colin G. Fink, Columbia Uni- versity, New York, secretary. American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers. Oct. 13 to 15. Annual inspection trip E and meeting, at Birmingham. Frederick F. Sharpless, 29 West Thirty-ninth Street, New York, secretary. American Foundrymen’s Association. Oct. 153 to 18. Annual convention, Milwaukee. C. E. Hoyt, 140 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, secretary. American Gear Manufacturers Association, (Oct. 16 to 18. Semi-annual fall meeting, Briarcliff Lodge, Briarcliff Manor, N. Y. TT. W. Owen, 2443 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, secretary. September 4, 1924 for substantial amounts. In Germany there is little idleness and no poverty. German labor costs but a fourth or fifth of American labor, and it is competition of this kind which American manufacturers must meet. An optimistic spirit prevails among the people. Under the Fascisti, Italy is declared to be making progress, but the condition of England is described as more serious than that of most other countries. He attributes England’s difficulties principally to the high taxation, caused chiefly by the doles relief system for unemployment. High taxes cause high prices on manu- factured products, which must be marketed in competi- tion with the cheaper production of continental Europe. Mr. Kahn says the labor situation in England is vir- tually the only exception to the general improvement in Europe within the past two years. Service Stressed in Statement to Employees In a statement to employees of the company at Youngstown, Pittsburgh, Canton and Vandergrift, President F. C. Biggert, Jr., of the United Engineer- ing & Foundry Co., Pittsburgh, declares that the suc- cess of a business concern is measured by the service it renders. “To render good and cheap service is the most im- portant trick of any trade and it is common to them all,” he states. “It is a trick that can be practiced In some degree by every member of an organization, but in the fullest sense it can only be well turned when all hands pull together. “There are none of the old tricks in modern busi- ness methods. We know that the only trick worth while is to buy and sell quickly in large quantities and in such a manner as to add the least possible amount to the production cost of the goods. In other words, the only trick of any trade should be the trick of giv- ing the most service for the least cost. “The business men of former days believed that their profit was gained by the tricks of the trade and they were willing to spend any amount of time in work- ing their tricks. The up-to-date trader asks a price for his services and tries to give the greatest possible service in the least possible time. The tricks of his trade have no effect upon the price of his goods; they are all planned to improve and cheapen his services.” Nova Scotia Steel Plant Fairly Busy Toronto, ONT., Sept. 2.—In a statement made by J. E. MeLurg, vice-president of the British Empire Steel Corporation, it is pointed out that the Sydney, N. S., works, which closed down on Aug. 8, are in much better shape than the rest of the steel industry of Canada, taken as a whole. Production figures for the month of July show that of a total of 51,000 tons of steel ingots produced by the entire industry of Canada, the British Empire Steel Corporation pro- duced 31,000 tons. He further pointed out that No. 8 blast furnace, now banked, will go on foundry iron early in September. The bar mill at the Sydney works started operations on Aug. 25 and it is now stated that rod, wire and nail mills will resume operations the first week in September. To Discuss Reduction of Cost of Selling “Reducing the cost of selling industrial products will be the central theme of the program of the Na- tional Industrial Advertisers Association when it meets in Chicago on Oct. 13 and 14. The convention will be held at the Edgewater Beach Hotel. Among those scheduled to take part are: George H. Corey, Cleveland Twist Drill Co.; Bennett Chapple, American Rolling Mill Co.; Keith J. Evans, Joseph T. Ryerson & Son, Inc.; A. H. Oberndorfer, Sivyer Steel Castings Co., Milwaukee; George F. Climo, Brown Hoisting Machine Co., Cleveland; W. A. Grieves, Jeffrey Mfg. Co., Columbus, Ohio; T. H. Bissell, International Nickel Co., New York; George W. Morrison, Ingersoll- Rand Co., New York; J. C. McQuiston, Westinghouse Electric & Mfg. Co., East Pittsburgh, Pa.; A. D. Guion, September 4, 1924 Bridgeport Brass Co., Bridgeport, Conn.; R. E. Con- der, Boston Woven Hose & Rubber Co., Boston; F. J. Maple, John A. Roebling’s Sons Co., Trenton, N. J.; P. C. Gunion Hyatt Roller Bearing Co., Newark, N. J.; Julius S. Holl, Link-Belt Co., Chicago; W. W. French, Dodge Mfg. Co., Mishawaka, Ind.; R. C. Beadle, Com- bustion Engineering Corporation, New York; Guy S. Hamilton, Conveyors Corporation, Chicago; J. R. Hop- kins, Chicago Belting Co.; W. L. Schaeffer, National THE IRON AGE 559 Tube Co., Pittsburgh; Francis D. Bowman, Carborun- dum Co., Niagara Falls, N. Y.; E. J. Smythe, Fuller & Johnson Mfg. Co., Madison, Wis.; Ezra W. Clark, Clark Tructractor Co., Buchanan, Mich.; J. C. Wins- low, Graver Corporation, East Chicago, Ind.; P. L. Thomson, Western Electric Co., New York; W. L. Doxsey, McMyler-Interstate Co., Bedford, Ohio; F. R. Davis, General Electric Co., Schenectady, N. Y.; and W. T. Hutcheson, Stewart Iron Works Co., Cincinnati. Diesel Engine with Power at Every Stroke Worthington Development of Two-Cycle Double-Acting Prime Mover Promises Notable Widening of Oil Engine Field in Applicability and Economy A NEW design of two-cycle, double-acting Diesel engine, which is expected to mark an epoch in the development of interna] combustion power machin- a the Worthington Diesel Engine, Each Stroke Is a Power! and Among Other Things Saving in Space and Reduct Weight for a Given Power Are Expected to Widen the Usefulness—as in Replacing Steam Equipment in Existing The double acting cylinder, composed of chrome-vanadium absorption of the extra amount of heat developed in the ration ery, was demonstrated Aug. 28 at the Buffalo plant of the Worthington Pump & Machinery Corporation, New York. Fuel economy comparable with that of the best types of Diesel engine, combined with dimensions, weight and construction cost per horsepower approach- ing those of reciprocating steam machinery, are claimed for the new development. A feature also emphasized is that from all indications the horsepower per cylin- der can be carried to a much higher value than any yet attained in Diesel engines, which is important as increasing greatly the field of usefulness of Diesel- type power, and making it an active competitor of Stroke, on in Meld of Ships forged heads, holding a cast-iron barrel, is designed to facilitate the aouvie- steam power machinery over a wider range than here- tofore. The first engine built is rated at 600 to 800 hp. for a single-cylinder unit, at speeds of 90 to 120 a r.p.m. The relatively small space taken ver cylinder in terms of horsepower developed is a notable feature, as is therefore a multiplication of cylinders for an engine of larger total horsepower, but the details of economy of performance and of the commercial posi- tion of the engine await a paper promised for the meeting early in December of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. As noted later, and as indicated in the accompany- ing reproduced drawing, a feature is the original de- sign of cylinder. It slides in a cast iron lining, fitted into a head at each end of chrome-vanadium forged steel, the two heads being independent and the differ- ee in ee eran 560 THE IRON AGE ent temperature expansion coefficients of the steel and the cast iron being compensated for in the design. Opposite the middle of the cylinder, arranged around one semi-circle, are the exhaust ports and in the other semi-circumference are the scavenger ports for sweep- ing a volume of low pressure air through one end of the cylinder as the piston is compressing the other end preparatory to receiving its fuel charge. The demonstration included an inspection of the main ex- haust, which proved smokeless, and a dismantling of the engine, which proved easy and rapid. The opening up was done to caliper working parts and generally to observe the condition of the interior. The new engine was entirely designed and built in America, independently of foreign patents. Actual construction was preceded by nearly four years of in- tensive research and experiment, the leading collab- orators in the research being O. E. Jorgensen of the technical staff of the Worthington company and Dr. C. E. Lucke, professor of mechanical engineering, Columbia University, New York. The inspiration be- hind the research campaign is stated to have been the recognized need of an improved Diesel engine for ship propulsion. The problem was to produce an engine with all the advantages of the Diesel engine in fuel and general operating economy, but approaching, in dimensions, weight and speed per horsepower, closely enough to steam machinery to permit it to be substituted for such machinery in ships already built, at no prohibi- tive cost either for the engine or for the job of in- stallation. An additional consideration of great im- portance to marine engineers was that of maneuvering qualities. A marine engine must be capable of being started, stopped and reversed quickly and with ease and certainty of control. In this particular is to be found one of the reasons why the reciprocating steam engine has so long held its ground in competition with both the steam turbine and the Diesel engine. The engine is not only expected to solve the marine problems for which it was developed but also to be of interest to industrial and mechanical engineers, as the relation of space, weight and first cost to horsepower is of importance in land power plants as well as in shipping. The basic principle underlying the Worthington engine may be briefly stated to be: in the four-cycle Diesel engine one stroke in four is a power-stroke; in the two-cycle engine one stroke in two; in the new engine every stroke is a power stroke. Its working cycle, therefore, is about the same as that of a re- ciprocating steam engine. The principle, of course, is not a novel one, but mechanical difficulties, chiefly concerned with the complicated heat stresses in the cylinder of a double-acting engine, have interfered with its successful application. The success of the Worthington design is attributed to the manner in which the problems of expansion and of heat removal are solved. With the major problem solved, the advan- tages of the double-acting type are obvious. The bal- ance of the moving parts, for example, is simplified, and the weight saving, not only from the manner in which the required power per cylinder is distributed through four strokes instead of being concentrated in one, but also from the decreased provision needed to care for the momentum of moving parts and in other ways, is large. The cylinder of the new engine may be described perhaps as composed of two single-acting cylinders, opposed end for end and working in opposite direc- tions, their respective pistons flanged to the same rod, the scavenging and exhaust ports, cooling water circu- lation and expansion provisions of the two being vir- tually independent of each other. With this funda- mental idea of the engine in view, the design is seen to be quite simple, following in all respects the best modern standards in Diesel engine practice. The plan followed for insuring the maximum strength and rigidity in the cylinder construction, combined with the necessary freedom for expansion and uniformity of heat transference, and with economy in materials, is both simple and effective. September 4, 1924 The valve gear presents no particular novelty in design. There are three fuel spray valves, one on top of the upper end of the cylinder, and two in the bottom head on opposite sides of the piston-rod, entering at an angle. A noteworthy feature of the design is the manner in which these two valves are worked out so as to give a uniform and symmetrical distribution of the charge around the piston rod. The reversing mechanism is also a feature. Each of the three valves has its own cam, all three geared to the same shaft. The cams are symmetrical, and to reverse the running direction all that is necessary is to shift all three cams simultaneously through 34 deg. on the shaft. This is accomplished by a worm shaft, which in turn is actuated by an oil-operated hydraulic mechanism controlled by a four-way cock, this in turn being operated by a single lever on the maneuvering platform. The engine is started and stopped by a single lever, which as it is moved forward successively opens the air starting valves, then the fuel supply valves, simultaneously closing the air starting valves; the lever being then capable of setting, by a ratchet and pawl, at any desired fuel supply. For stopping the engine this lever is thrown back to the stop position. The starting and stopping lever and the reversing lever, although independent of each other in all other respects, are interlocked so that the engine must be brought to a full stop before reversing. Maneuvering control is, therefore, simple, prompt and effective. This positive, quick-operating reversing gear is ex- pected to appeal strongly to marine engineers. The new engine is regarded as a marked step to- ward enabling American ship owners to compete with foreign steamship lines. Toronto Steel Plant May Resume Toronto, ONT., Sept. 2.—Notwithstanding reports that have been circulated from time to time during the past year regarding the dismantling of the plant of the Baldwin Canadian Steel Corporation, Ashbridges Bay, Toronto, and the fact that this plant has not been operated for about two years, it is now stated that if certain concessions in taxes are granted the corporation the plant will resume operations and provide employ- ment to a large number of men. Sir Hugh Poynter, representing the corporation, told the Toronto City Council that if no tax relief was forthcoming from the city the plant would be dismantled. Hoover Steel Ball Co. Expands The Hoover Steel Ball Co., Ann Arbor, Mich., has purchased the Imperial Bearing Co., Detroit. The equipment of the latter plant will shortly be moved to Ann Arbor and housed in the Hoover buildings. Plans call for a program that will not affect the supply of steel and other metal balls, for this part of the business will function the same as in the past. New machinery and equipment besides that purchased from the Imperial company is being added, so that ball thrust bearings, roller bearings and ball retainers will be pro- duced for manufacturers using such products. Stress is laid on the fact that the new program does not include the manufacture of annular or radial ball bearings. H. D. Runciman remains general manager and S. S. Strickland, manager of the Imperial plant, will be man- ager of the bearings division. Mr. Strickland replaces, as a director, Mr. Dobson, who has severed connection with the Hoover Steel Ball Co. Following three fatal accidents in Wisconsin from electrical vibrators, used in shaking sand from foun- dry molds, in six weeks’ time, the committee on acci- dent causes and remedies of the safety division, Mil- waukee Association of Commerce, is preparing for early publication a pamphlet dealing with safety measures in handling such vibrators. The publication is being made at the request of John A. Hoeveler, elec- trical engineer, Industrial Commission of Wisconsin. September 4, 1924 THE IMPROVED 6-IN. VERTICAL SHAPER Selective Gear Drive to Ram and Rotary Table with 12 Indexing Notches Are Features A redesigned 6-in. vertical shaper designated as the model B has been placed on the market by the Pratt & Whitney Co., Hartford. As shown in the accompanying full-view illustration, the machine consists of a solid bed which mounts a ro- tary work table, and a column which supports the ver- tical ram and contains the ram-actuating mechanism. renter Angular adjustment, which is valuable in die cutting, is provided for the ram. The new machine is designed for either a built-in motor drive or a single-pulley belt drive from a line shaft. In either drive the speed of the main drive pulley is 450 r.p.m. When arranged for individual motor drive a 3 hp. motor is mounted inside the bed, in which position it is too low to cause vibration, and being inclosed it is out of the way of chips and dirt. The motor is amply ventilated and is accessible for adjustment. It drives the large friction pulley at the side of the machine through a 83 in. belt, the tension of which is controlled by the screw adjustment of the hinged platform which mounts the motor. Space is provided on the rear of the column for whatever electrical control equipment is desired. The belt driven machine requires no change other than the elimination of the few motor drive parts. The change from one type of drive to the other may be made conveniently. The friction clutch incorporated in the driving pulley is operated by means of a lever at the right of the ram. The lever has three positions, namely, a working position, a neutral position, and a third position which applies a brake for stopping the ram quickly. The power is taken into a gear box on the right- hand side of the column, and the selective gear drive provided to the ram is a feature of the new machine. Four speeds and a neutral position are provided and an H-shift lever forms a convenient means of control. Alloy steel spur gears are used, and the gears are Maag cut. The gear box is entirely inclosed, and the splash lubrication is employed. Power is taken from the gear box to the vertical ram by means of a large slotted eccentric and follower block which produce the slow IRON AGE 561 power stroke and the quick return motion. The ram is counterbalanced. The ram slide and ram form a separate unit on the front of the column. The slide is hinged at the top and has a screw adjustment at the bottom, so that the entire unit may be swung to any angle up to 5 deg. and locked in position. This construction permits the machining of the angular sides of dies without difficulty. An an- gular scale is provided to facilitate setting the ram, and a new feature has been added which permits it to be returned to the true vertical position without addi- tional adjustment. The ram is thoroughly gibbed and is designed so that adjustments for wear may be made Selective Gear Drive to the Ram Is Among the Features of New Vertical Shaper Shown at Left conveniently. A handwheel on the gear box permits of moving the ram through its entire travel for position- ing at the start of a cut. The vertical position of the ram on its slide is obtained by a crank which operates a vertical screw and positioning nut through a pair of bevel gears. A binder handle locks the ram in position. The length of stroke of the ram is variable from 0 to 6% in. by means of an adjustment on the end of the feed cam. The four speeds obtained from the gear box produce ram speeds of 33, 49, 76 and 116 strokes per minute. The tool head is of a new design, which is claimed to increase the usefulness of the shaper. The tool post is carried in a clapper mounted so that the thrust of the cut forces it rigidly against the head. This clapper per- mits the tool to clear the work on the return stroke, thereby prolonging the life of the cutting edge. Atten- tion is ealled to the elimination of the tool post binder screw, the tool being held by drawing the tool post against it from the back. This feature permits the tool post to pass over the work. The tool head may be ro- tated a full 360 deg., and solidly clamped in position. This feature is emphasized as increasing further the range of work to which the machine is applicable, also making the setting up of work much simpler. Power feed for the machine is obtained from the feed cam on the upper right-hand side of the column. This cam is driven by an extension of a shaft from the speed gear box. A side cam with a single rise is em- ployed which functions once for every stroke of the ram. The cam follower actuates a bell crank so that the feed is supplied by a rocker motion at the end of the stroke. The lever which connects the bell crank with the feed gear box is adjustable on the crank for Se Ren ee tp a eR or RS aint 562 THE IRON AGE varying the amount of feed. This lever consists of a sleeve containing a plunger and spring. The latter is stiff enough to transmit power under regular machine working conditions, but should the work or tocol become jammed by careless handling, this plunger will simply pump up and down against the spring and no harm will result. Removable cast iron guards cover the feed cam and follower. The feed gear box is located at the right-hand side of the bed directly below the feed cam. A notched wheel and a double pawl take the rocker motion delivered by the connecting rod and change it to an intermittent rotary motion. The feed box pro- vides a forward drive, neutral position and reverse feed drive, and is controlled by a push and pull knob on the front of the bed. The carriage of the shaper is wide and is mounted on transverse ways on the bed. Longitudinal ways on the carriage mount the circular table. A total trans- Cam-Feed Drilling and Boring Machine For high production of work involving drilling, bor- ing and facing operations, Baker Brothers, Inc., Toledo, Ohio, are offering the new cam-feed drilling and boring machine shown in the accompanying illustration. The Cam-Feed Drilling and Boring for Rapid Produc- tion Work. The machine is especially adapted to facing operations machine, which is designated as the No. 24, is especially adapted to facing work as the cam can be designed to feed the tool to the required depth, then have it dwell long enough to completely clean up the surface, after which it causes the spindle to be quickly with- drawn. Intermittent drilling can be done also, the cam giving a rapid advance automatically between the holes that are to be bored or drilled. In operating the machine the operator has both hands free at all times for the removal and chucking of the work, which is a feature emphasized as permitting of increased production. Many pieces can be held .in the hand between stops to keep them from revolving, so that the operator’s handling time is minimized. The machine itself is simple in construction. It is equipped September 4, 1924 verse travel of 14 in. and a longitudinal travel of 25 in. are available. Handwheels and micrometer dials for hand traversing in either direction are provided and binders are furnished for locking both slides in position when desired. The 19%-in. rotary table, which is an outstanding feature of the new 6-in. vertical shaper, is provided with 12 indexing notches so that quick in- dexing may be had for %, ‘4, %, 1/6 and 1/12 of a com- plete circle. Power feeds for both the longitudinal and transverse slides are regular equipment with the shaper and these feeds are controlled by slip gears. Rotary power feed to the circular table may be furnished. The distance from the table top to the under side of the ram bearing is 10% in. and the maximum distance between the table and the ram is 15 in. The floor space occupied by the shaper is 53 in. by 68% in. and the overall height is 83% in. The machine with regular equipment weighs about 4550 Ib. with alloy steel heat-treated gears and ball bearings. The standard machine is illustrated herewith but a special two-spindle machine for boring connecting rods is available also. The machine is also built with cir- cular full-automatic indexing table. The capacity for drilling through solid steel with a high-speed drill is 1% in. Feeds and speeds are fur- nished special for each machine. The distance from the center of the spindle to the face of the lower frame is 10 in., and the maximum distance from the table to the end of the spindle in its highest position is 22 in. The size of the finished surface of the plain table is 15 x 16 in. The floor space required is 28 x 36 in. for the belt driven machine, and 27 x 57 in. for the machine with motor drive arrangement. The height of the ma- chine is 87 in. The belt drive unit weighs 2550 |b. Matthew Addy Co. Reorganization Reorganization of the Matthew Addy Co., one of the oldest pig iron houses in the country, with main offices in Cincinnati and branches in a number of other cities, is provided for in a proposition made to cred- itors of the company by Benjamin N. Ford, W. W. Hearne and A. Burt Champion, vice-presidents of the company. This will be submitted to a meeting of the creditors to be held in Cincinnati Sept. 10. The company has been seriously hampered by lack of work- ing capital and by unfavorable conditions in the pig iron, coal and coke markets, and recently called a meet- ing of its creditors in order to discuss ways and means of liquidating claims against it. Debts of the company are said to run over $500,000, with sufficient assets to meet all claims, if time is given for favorable liquidation. The assets include coal mines in West Virginia and fluorspar properties in Kentucky. At a meeting of creditors held in Cincinnati Au- gust 25 and 26, Messrs. Ford, Hearne and Champion made the proposition to raise $250,000 cash to be put into the reorganized company, half of the amount to be used as working capital and the other half to be applied on the debts. Under this arrangement all creditors with claims of less than $1,000 would be paid in full, while the remainder would be divided among the creditors in proportion to their claims. In addi- tion, it is proposed that payment of the balance be undertaken at the rate of 1 per cent per month after the new company has been in operation six months In addition, if the earnings of the company exceed 10 per cent, the additional sums are to be applied on the debts. A committee of the creditors will be appointed to cooperate with the management of the new company. The proposition has already been accepted by some of the larger creditors, while others will give their answer at the meeting of Sept. 10. The list of cred- itors contains the names of various producers of pig iron, among them the Bethlehem Steel Co., Roane Iron Co., Pulaski Iron Co., Republic Iron & Steel Co., Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co., Algoma Steel Corpora- tion, and the Low Moor Iron Co. September 4, 1924 ~ *. . . ~% «© . 7 Sem#Automatic Machine for Grinding Ends of Coil Springs A production of 3000 springs per hour is claimed for the dry ring-wheel grinder illustrated, which has been placed on the market by Charles H. Besly & Co., 118 North Clinton Street, Chicago. The machine, which is designated as the No. 6— 24 in.—I, is belt driven and is equipped with a rotary feeding device as shown, for grinding semi-auto- matically the ends of coil springs. The springs are 1% in. in diameter by 1% in. long, and are of 3/16 in. steel spring wire. Approximately one-half of a coil is removed from each end of the spring. The springs are fed into a chute by the operator and are picked up by the rotary feeding wheel and carried between guides to the grinding wheels. They then go down between the abrasive wheels and drop out at the bottom into a re- ceptacle, finish ground on both ends. The rotary feeding wheel is fitted with removable hatdened steel bushings. A backing bar or guide lined with heat-treated steel, machined to conform to the cir- cumference of the rotary feeding wheel is mounted be- tween the wheels to hold the work in place while grind- ing. The grinding wheels are not opened to permit the work to enter, but are locked in place, the only adjust- ment necessary being that made to compensate for wheel wear. The springs are compressed as they pass between the guides and the ends of the springs bear against the grinding wheels as soon as they are released from the guide. The bed of the machine is 68 in. long and 14 in. wide on the top. A pocket is cast in bed with an outlet at the rear for attaching an exhaust for removing the dust while grinding. Two Vee ways are machined on the top of the bed to receive the spindle bearing heads and the front side of the bed has a machined pad with a T-slot for attaching fixtures. A strip is also machined on the rear side for attaching a wheel truing device. The two spindle-bearing heads, which are mounted on each end of the bed as shown, are 22% in. long on the bed and 29% in. long at the top. The castings are box pattern and are secured to the machine bed with heavy anchor bolts engaging anchor castings under the head. The heads are adjustable along bed casting and are controlled by rack and pinion movement. One head is provided with an adjustable alining feature. The tops of the head castings are capped and bored to re- ceive the bearing bushings. Large oil reservoirs are also a feature of the head castings. The spindles are 2% in. in diameter by 34% in. long and run in phosphor-bronze ring oiling bearings. End thrust is taken on large-area self-oiling hardened steel thrust collars. The bronze bearings are 3% in. outside diameter and slide endwise in the head castings % in. The outer end bearings have rack teeth which THE IRON AGE 563 mesh into the pinions which control the endwise move- ment of spindle. The back thrust is taken on a ball thrust bearing fitted into the outer end of the rack bearing bushing. Wheel collars are shrunk on to the inner ends of the spindles. Each spindle is provided with a fine adjustment for taking up end play. The spindle drive pulleys are 8% in. in diameter and have 6% in. face. The spindles are held in position by pull springs, levers and pinions. Micrometer adjust- ment on each spindle is controlled from the operating side of machine through hand wheels, shafts and sprockets. The exhaust hood castings are attached to each head casting and are fitted with adjustable leaves. The feeding fixture is driven direct from the counter- shaft to the friction clutch pulley on fixture drive shaft from which the drive is through reduction gearing to the feed wheel shaft. The grinding wheels are of the ring type, the maximum size being 24 in. in diameter, 4 in. deep and having a 12 in. hole, and the minimum size having an 18 in. hole. The ring wheels are held in pressed steel chucks, which are equipped with a set- Dry Ring-Wheel Grinding Machine Equipped With Rotary Feeding Device for Grinding Auto- matically the Ends of Coil Springs. The springs are of * in. steel wire and one-half of a coil is removed from each end in the grinding Theyare fed into the chute by the operator and are picked up by the rotary feeding wheel, finally Semi - dropping out at the bottoms, finish ground on both ends The production claimed is 4000 springs per hour ting-out plate and steel clamping ring. The chucks are secured to wheel collars with hardened steel cap screws. A grease lubricated grinding wheel truing device is attached to rear of machine bed. This device has screw adjustment parallel with spindles and a detachable cover is provided in the exhaust hood for the entrance of the cutter bar between the wheels. A countershaft is part of the equipment of the machine Amalgamating Electric Appliance Companies Negotiations are under way toward the organization of a new corporation to take over the Hurley Machine Co. and the Edison Electric Appliance Co., Chicago, and the Electric Vacuum Cleaner Co., Cleveland. In the new company the Hurley Machine Co. stockholders will have a large interest and the Hurley division of the business is to be conducted by the present man- agement. The General Electric Co. controls the Edi- son Electric Appliance Co. and has a large minority interest in the other two companies. Whether the General Electric Co. obtains control of the new cor- poration will be determined by the division of the stock, which will be based on the value of the plants, equipment and earning power of each of the three companies. It is expected that the new organization will have $25,000,000 capital stock. Revenue freight loaded in the week ended Aug. 16 amounted to 952,888 cars, the highest figure for any week in 1924. It compares with 1,039,938 cars in the corresponding week last year. Total for the year to date is 29,554,024 cars, compared with 30,993,391 cars last year. - Tides a eee ie et Os, Li hearer Lal Siege POP A AL as tt RS re ye era CO Fe RE NE Tt ppt rice irs = a ped reas ibe ms armen a fear 564 THE IRON AGE LOCOMOTIVE ROD BORER Heavy-Duty Duplex Unit Redesigned—Extended Cross Rail and Auxiliary Drop Table Available The heavy duty duplex locomotive rod boring ma- chine shown in the accompanying illustration, which is an improved unit developed by the Newton Machine Tool Works, has been placed on the market by the Con- solidated Machine Tool Corporation of America, Wil- mington, Del. Although the standard machine is equipped with plain table, the machine is available also with an ex- tended cross rail and auxiliary drop table at one end of the bed, as shown in the illustration. This table has a 4-in. in-and-out adjustment, which adapts the machine for the boring and reaming of the taper fit in cross heads. In the machine illustrated the intermediate support bearings are of special design; the standard supports are described below. The spindles are machined from open-hearth ham- mered steel forgings, the end of the spindle being of in- creased diameter, which is 8% in. and is fitted with No. 7 Morse taper hole with key-slot and drift slot, in addition to a face keyway for driving directly at the cutting point. It is counterbalanced by a ring counter- weight suspended on chains. The spindle sleeves are machined from steel forgings, and fitted with bronze bushings and roller thrust bearings, and are provided with feed racks. Each spindle is operated independent- ly, being driven by separate motor through back gears and bronze spiral gear ring which meshes with a hard- ened steel pinion. The bearings in the drive train are bronze-bushed; thrusts are taken up by roller bearings. When the machine is arranged for constant-speed motor drive, 12 speed changes are provided by the use of a six-change gear box in conjunction with a two-speed spindle head. Six changes of feed are obtained with pick-off gears, additional feeds being obtainable by the use of extra pick-off gears. In addi- tion to hand adjustment and power down feed to the spindle, power quick return is also provided through a metal cone friction, operated by the same lever that en- gages the feed and located on the front of the saddle. The driving and feed gears are either of bronze or hardened steel, fully inclosed to run in oil. The spindle saddles are 35% in. long and each is independently ad- justable for positioning by a large hand wheel through September 4, 1924 reduction gears, rack and pinion, at the front of the head. They are rigidly clamped to the cross rail by a special form of binding gib adjusted by three bolts from the front. Taper gibs are used to compensate for wear. A l1-in. pin extending 1 in. below the head, ex- actly central with the spindle on which is scribed a deep center line, facilitates adjustment of the hea