The Iron Age 1925-07-16: Vol 116 Iss 3

ESTABLISHED 1855 THE IRON AGE New York, July 16, 1925 Vi | No. 3 116, Steel For Banding Cotton Bales The What, Why and How Much of Cotton Ties, as the Girdles of the Compressed Bundles of Elastic Fiber Are Called BY GEORGE F. AKE a boll of newly picked cot- ton about the size of an orange, squeeze it tightly in the hand and it will make a little ball about the size of a peanut. But the minute one re- leases the pres- sure of the fingers, it expands to the size of the orange once more Multiply this experiment a few thousand times and you have the problem which used to confront the ship- per of raw cotton: how to confine in as small a space as possible, for economy in transport, thousands of handfuls of cotton fiber. Cotton was a world com- modity long before steel was used for other than swords and scissors. Before wrought iron was a rolled article of commerce or today’s form of steel was de- veloped, ropes and cords were used to hold together the compressed elastic mass of cotton. But as the ex- pense of shipping increased, as space in steamers and freight trains became more valuable, it was found economical to squeeze the cotton even more than had TEGAN been the custom. And with heavier presses and higher stresses, the planters and packers turned to steel straps as the best means of restraining the springy otton. These bands, known in the trade as “cotton ties,” are sold in bundles usually consisting of 30 pieces or trips of steel 11% ft. long, 15/16 in. wide and of No. 19 gage thickness. They are commonly painted black with a special tie varnish With the strips are 30 buckles for fastening the ties. Each bundle weighs 45 lb. and furnishes enough strapping for five bales. There was a time when cotton ties were put up in 60-lb. bundles, each of 30 pieces being 12 ft. long and No. 19 gage. This size and style were demanded by growers in the Delta district, just south of Memphis, where planters were subject to a levee tax of $1 a bale. To escape it, the ordinary practice of the grow- ers was to put up their cotton in 750-lb. bales instead of the 500-lb. bale, which was standard in other parts of the cotton belt. Whether it was packed in 500 or 750-lb. bales the grower or shipper of cotton never had to bear the expense of the bag or the tie; as a matter of fact, they were a source of profit, since the bag and tie sold for the same pound price as the con- tents of the bale itself. The buyer paid for the gross weight of the bale and received no allowance for tare. Thirty of These Buckles Are Strung on Two of the Steel Strips and Folded Within Each Bundle of Cotton Ties, for Safe Carriage 139 . 140 THE IRON AGE July 16 1925 ™ i ' \ i I Departme Agr l ; M: . t the or ! f tk : , C eY A results ale tendar es u ng i) ‘ T a A / r r ] ‘ t / 45-]1 { y1e% Kit Int d . I , t ) ( x ! i { ey t I ic! t wear ~ \ . ’ I ; | VW Da ] ‘ ng ‘ r ‘ nxing tate noe i I icKle | standa ail oht urd was apres there has recently been as much foreign competition as : niin cotton ties. It seems a little strange that this ving trations show how a bundl: hould be the case, since in the baling of the average it r shipmer The 30 buckle ton crop, say of 10,000,000 or 11,000,000 bales, the triy and folded in the tie requirements would not reach a very sizable ton- 7 | ling ige. One bundle of 45 lb. is used for five bales of cot- ws ' tha t tha n, so that 10,000,000 bales would take only 2,000,000 ' indles or 45,000 net tons, and that on the basis that new ties were used. As a fact, ties often are used How Ties Are Made re than once. This happens when the cotton goes compressors to be put up in the smaller but n 8 or enser bale for export. The ties used in baling at the ; rs and o1 tinuou rins are removed and are available for use again. In ( ractice, tl 1] are rolled recent years a considerable tonnage of old ties has been i,t nvey¢ to 1t alvaged; consequently, the size of the cotton crop ears whe they are Ul irely is an exact measure of the consumption of ties. erat ire t! ' ; ' the stringing of the buckles and the Prices for 21 Years £ 1 <i e width of three strips o1 The leading American manufacturers of cotton ne yundle the s dropped it ties are the Carnegie Steel Co.., Pittsburgh; the Pitts- ' ready for shipment rgh Steel Co., Pittsburgh; the Atlantic Steel Co., Wh, ntinuous mill. the strips ar {tlanta, and the Conners Steel Co., Birmingham. ! p rying from 1200 1500 in ¢ | ! ‘ nv I na sneare ) $5-LI I dle fo 2 Ye s Have : } ) | } a expensive met! I S ' ! es ! nave i188 $2.10 ( flar ’ n whe , 119 70 ‘ ! f n ‘ 120 00 " ( 1921 1.30 ‘ } ] \ 929 1.10 } e) f n I ] v1 ] 9°? 1.60 e width, but it was found 1917 2.10 1924 : 1.40 fferes ving in producing wa the further objection to ties thu I The foregoing prices except for 1924 have been ip a sharp edge f.o.b. Pittsburgh. In 1924 manufacturers adopted a r to those handling them. Soft ste: plan of quoting f.o.b. Atlantic seaboard ports, this nary analy ised method being designed to meet competition of foreign It loubtful if there is a steel product in whicl ties, which were quoted on the same basis. ag se rte entenary of Shoenberger Works The Name of Shoenberger Has Been Linked with the Pennsylvania Iron and Steel Industry Since 1808 N E hundre d years oft Iron making! Fs Ms plants Ca) hoast ofa he tte) record. Yet that is the s which ended a century of ind articles manufactured by the ol first named, are no longer arti processes which would hardly b ; tory oj the famous Shoenbe rgel Works, ustrial service last year. Many of the d Juniata Iron Works, as the plant was cles of commerce. Others are made by é recognized bu the founder of the busi veSS were he to re turn today. The accompanying review is hase d on his torical records in the possession can Steel & Wire Co. at Worcest oT the Indi Str al Muse m of the 1 meri- CT’. Mass. t he tert he ing la Ce the wo of A. G. Warre ?t. secretary of the museum con mittee. Prominent in the Manag ement of the Shoenberger Works JOHN H. SHOENBERGER GENERAL CHARLES L. DR. PETER SHOEN GEORGE K. SHOEN es at ea en FITZHUGH BERGER BERGER berger and membe of Vember of the Shoe de ae of Pete the firm of G. € J. H berae Co fron f Worl 694 berae and head of ' Shoenberger & Co., id president } 0 cae a catia 5 of G d J H which j 1863 ca f e of its purch P 7 i a hicl erged into Shoenberge the American S t+ 1 into Shoe € Co Wire Co é ATE in the eighteenth century, when the wly icceeded to th wnership of hi ron enterprise organized Federal Government was having Rebecca Furnace in Blair County, Pa., built in 1817, trials and tribulations, two ebrothers reached \ the f t furnace yuilt DY Dr. Pete Shoenberge1 America after what was then a long and arduous jour He was already operating hi inherited half-dozen ney from Mannheim, Germany. George and Pete harcoal furnaces and forges in the central part of the Shoenberger settled in Lancaster, where others of thei State, and later came to be the most prominent iron- land and tongue had settled before them. ter in Pennsylvania, and one of the best known in Whether either of the brothers had been engaged t ountry in iron making in Europe is not a matter of record, but Feeling the need of an enlarged market for his i1 in view of the rapidity with which they entered isin ct, Peter Shoenberger in 1824 e line of industry, such a contention seems probable. Ir tablishe [Iron Works in the then remote the year 1795 Peter Shoenberger laid out the town of ty of locating in the area now between Petersburg in Huntingdon County, Pa., and al Fourteenth and Sixteenth Streets, and reaching from later sold the entire property to his brother Pike Street to the Allegheny River George Shoenberger was already engaged in the iro This forward step was a venturesome undertaking, business, being a one-fourth owner of the Huntingdor mpossible of success, but for the clear vision, bound furnace on Warrior’s Mark Run, Franklin Townshi; ess faith, and persistent energy which mark Peter This furnace had been built in 1796 and it is likely that Shoenberger as a worthy peer of the industrial leaders this first of the Shoenbergers to enter the iron industry if a later day. The products of the Juniata Iron Works in America was connected with it from the first, for were bar and sheet iror, boiler plate and cut nails. when the Petersburg land was taken over by him, | The condition in the iron industry in Pittsburgh one 1800, he was already an ironmaster. In 1804 Georg hundred years ago, at the time when the Juniata Iron Shoenberger and Samuel Fahnstock built the Juniata Works began operations, is thus summed up in Cramer’s forge at Petersburg, named for the Juniata River on Magazine Almanac, 1826: which it was located. The forge made horseshoe iron, “The manufactures of Pittsburgh, particularly in wagon tires, harrow teeth and stove castings. George died in 1815 and his only son, Dr. P Shoenberger, who was born in Lancaster, Oct. 16, 1 the article of iron, begin to assume a very interesting eter aspect. No less than five rolling mills are now in oper- 782, ation and a sixth will soon be ready for the vari- 14] Mill The SI ger Wi the Amer | } f } mill ( iking he pig, besides roll I I l Che i ue to § ippl h t e her materials required in con- ra f these works, it 1s computed n ment t wward of 1500 people, the value r may be ated at $1,500 each $2,250,000, while the total product may $3,000,000. How important an additior wealth in tl section! It is generally bi no other place in the Union affords great 4 for the ext e manufacture of anv u] kind ri work. Thi ympe esent ex i which increasing Ul new wW s, wil nsure a plentiful sup] r ind nails for Western Stat n bette han they can be d on the seaboard \ or opstacle t was tl difficult sporting the bloom rom the fur es east of tl nie sole n f conveyan Cc} t cx ) er Dack rse¢ ell Cor 9 ig draw? six horses < e trip f1 P} elp ! A pearal } N { x2 8) nd De f) teca gy that tl inal system et! die portage ! porting the aen { over ne dec Te? ? ned 1 ne ’ eal } +} , P P +} | : 4 i ‘ { { 5 , me} ma the = t er W Department 1824-18 Pe ! 1832-1852—P. & ! rger & Sol 1852-18 G. & J. H. Shoenbers 18 4 ot uy W J H si rt De & ( L&S¢ »~ 1st! SI ye! W ( | July 16, 1925 - J cf a Ls eeeeneer al ¥ gee Pt hh Pv can Steel & Wire Co., as They Looked in 1900 Blast Furnace Department 1 LR65-1L868 W. LS68-15 H. Shoenberger & Blair Co. 3—Shoenberger & Blair Co. 1883-1894—Shoenberger, Speer & Co. Combined Mill and Blast Furnace Departments 1894-1900—Shoenberger Steel Co. American Steel & Wire Co. Pittsburgh venture proved profitable, the an- 1900-1924 al output increasing, slowly at first, but steadily, he gain being shared by all products. It is on record in 1847 the weekly production of nails was 2000 During the Civil War the manufacture of horse- hoes was added. This new branch of the Shoen- berger business had a difficult and uphill progress ward obtaining a foothold, due mainly to competi- on with H. Burden & Sons of Troy, N. Y., the ex- ellent quality of whose product had secured to them a ored position with the trade, including the United tes Government. The annual output of Juniata es for the first few years, beginning with 1863, | not average above 10,000 kegs. Persistent effort ercame a deep-seated prejudice and com- cognition of the high-grade Juniata shoes, the lil until in 1890 it numbered horse ne radually 0’ Steadlly increasing 000 keg Great Increase in Output In 189 g the producti n the last year of Shoenberger ownership, was 242,000 kegs, and in 1910, after ten American Steel & Wire Co. administration, the iles of Juniata horseshoes reached 289,000 kegs. ven of The erection of two blast furnaces was begun in 1X65, and both were completed and in operation before e end of the year 1866. Due to labor troubles and to the growing demand or wire nails, the manufacture of cut nails was dis- ntinued in 1888 and the nail machines scrapped. \ Bessemer plant consisting of two units was com- 1886, the first “heat” being poured March 17 i ear, hree basic open-hearth furnaces were added in ;-8, the first “heat” from each being poured as fol- No. 1 Furnace, May 15, 1897; No. 2. Furnace, Sept. 13, 1897; No. 3 Furnace, Jan. 18, 1898. In view of the favorable position occupied by the Shoenberger Steel Co. in respect to assured supplies ore, coke and limestone and the operation of blast furnaces, Bessemer and open-hearth plants, it was finally decided to enter the field of wire manufacture. lo this end, in 1898 and 1899 plans were formulated and actively begun toward the construction of a strictly modern wire-rod mill, when the entire Shoenberger business and properties were purchased by the Ameri- can Steel & Wire Co. In the year 1899 the name Shoenberger had al- sa oeeny Si ‘ aR Acar26 wane =r July 16, 1925 THE IRON AGE 143 JUNIATA PITTS 8uRrcH a” . ~ > : é: a = — a = a SS rime — on ~~ BSc tata ie DS ee a — . ™~ In 1841 John Shoenberger Built the “Juniata” of Pittsburgh Which Was the } + Steam Tow Boat E71 Used to Haul Coal to Pittshurgh ready for three-quarters of a century been prominent eeder th ’ t lrive in engine lt identified with the industrial life of Pittsburgh, a1 known throughout the country and beyond as sta ng Rar he horse en sold to the for business integrity and superior quality of product e! hoe ¢ f nois, and for a short time This was held to be a valued asset by the new owne1 rat tinued f the new owners, who were who in their administration of this organizat n ‘ t t il ‘ nd t ? er t equipment fully safeguarded and endeavored t perpetuate Lhe I Va I i. tne t rsesnoe yank wa Shoenberger standard. ( t} engine ter ¢ i} f continuou Due to changing trade conditions and demands, and f ‘ t fina troke nd Shoenberger Work to the strategic location of their many large and mod ntur nol e hist ts credit. ernly equipped units, the American Steel & Wire ¢ rot t rk up its final stock of blanks into fin was led to discontinue one after another of the Shoe hed shoe TI vas the closing scene of the last act berger departments, until, in 1924, all that remained i1 1 drama worthy of its stirring time nd of the in operation was the horseshoe plant, which included as a rtant stage which it was plaved As announced in THE IRON AGE last week, the Pennsylvania Railroad has purchased the Shoenberger mill property in Pittsburgh and, after dismantling the works, w build a freight terminal on the site. Rounds Out 40 Years in Machine Tool = that no such materials be made of lighter than 25 gage cht n the elimination of sizes, round Business and t 7 pipe potn | ! ind corrugated, are to be A tribute was paid to August H. Tuechter, p1 —— 6 in. diam juare corrugated dent Cincinnati-Bickford Tool Co., who is just round- P!Pe Of ©, : Ol in.; eaves trough of s, 9, & | ing out 40 years of association with the company of S in., and nduct p:pe elbow 40, ©, (0 O1 which he is now the directing head, at a luncheon given YY G8 in his honor at the Business Men’s Club, Cincinnati, \ [ these materials, when made of copper, are ‘ hte n It ' ft. (0.0216 in. thick) on July 13, by friends both within and without the ma- to De not lighter tha per sq chine tool industry. Mr. Tuechter is one of the outstanding leaders i the industry to whose advancement he has devoted h Protects Furnace Shaft Against Conden- entire life. Born in Cincinnati in 1869, he became ; : office manager of the Bickford Tool Co. in 1887. Fiv sation of Zinc Vapors years later he assumed the position of general mar At the Troy, N. Y., plant of the Hudson Valley ager and partner in the Bickford Drill & Tool C Coke & Products ¢ the furnace stack is being insu- In 1899 he founded the Cincinnati Machine Tool Co. o ited between the stack lining and the shell with 4% which he was half owner. Upon its merger with tl n f Sil-O-C% The insulation extends from the Bickford Drill & Tool Co., nine years later, he became mantel t the tor ra distance f about 70 f president of the united concern, the Cinc‘nnati-Bickford The prin 1] reason for using insulation in this Tool Co., which position he has held to the present day ase is to mit e the building up action of refrac- The Cincinnati-Bickford Tool Co. celebrated its fittiet tories. such as results from tl ndensation and chill- anniversary in January, 1924. ne of zit . mil npuriti¢ n native New _ a Yor re rl nsulating material used chemically a a irt 1) ) por ind insulat r effect f f ed tnat the tence A e for Sheet Metal Standards ae caacaeie Dtade’ Ohi: sneak cc “gallate eilcin Simplified practice of the Department of Commer the temperature would be ifficiently low to condense with relation to eaves trough, conductor pipe and e Ul vapor This, it held, will be away from the bows and fittings is covered in pamphlet No. 29, whict ning of the stach Also it is stated that it will absorb may be obtained for 5c. from the Superintendent of ondensed vapors practically equal in volume to the Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington total volume of the Sil-O-Cel installed, without setting This practice, which has been accepted by 33 manufac- ip strains ag st the refractories and shel turers and many associations of sheet metal contra The hot blast stoves at this plant are similarly in- . af tors. as well as distributors and consumers, recommends er To the Left Is Shown a Section of Hume Concrete Pipe. Below is shown the molding machine 7o? spinning the pipe. Six 8-ft. lengths of 9-in. pipe ha ‘ h Cn coated iw th concrete ti the molds and six more are receiving the coating Wire Mesh Used for Concrete Pipe Heavy Gage Wire Used as Reinforcing for Type of Pipe Made by Centrifugal Process ign tu Austr S vire, from No. 14 gage ‘ ohte s hea s No. 8 or Nx g g e pip t wound on a aT) Che pa m I ne wnk imu hrust pins at right angles at bot} el f rt wire inchored to one of these pu \ ! i l] wound spirally the lengtl i Longitudi l wire ilso anchored } y re ret ned ‘ ne Ton ) ne niral } , echayr il] wound bai , = ru na I é made fast The arum é t ige removed... The longitudinal nd the spi reinforcing are locked and the f wall of the pipe desired Her a} ? T ne } rat 1 ? isting f Ty ) lley wnicl revol g. While the t irning a ¢ re I I ad iding f even! irf ym f enveloping the ¢ Phe eed of the rollers is ther l ’ wate nd an neret entritugal ind } é vy por nere \ I I Ct ] wed tT contit ‘ ra minute Y brought to rest. Phe net rt nee d the pipe f \ it During s time the ‘ I { 1 passing steel ban ‘ ‘ | ‘ i nt ng tt } r¢ S I W hin teamed for four o1 \ lY tT ab 100 deg. Fah Phe d the pip¢ wed stank \ l needea r} ngtt f time required for making a _ pipe g to the diameter. Two pipes of 36 in diameter, 8 ft. long, require about 10 min. Four inch pipe f the length are turned out at the rate of yne a minute. It requires about 9 lb. of steel wire for a 6 ft netl * 12-in. sewer pipe, 12 lb. for the same size culvert pipe and from 22 to 99 lb. for hydraulic pressure pipe of the same dimensions. It is said that on the smaller sizes of pipe made by this method, pressures up to 200 lb. per square in. can be main- tained. With larger sizes the limit of pressure is reached at a lower figure. For a 24 in. by 8 ft. culvert pipe, 42 lb. of steel wire reinforcing is required. For a 25-lb. pressure pipe of the same dimensions, 92-lb. of steel wire is needed and for 100-lb. pressure pipe of the same size, 296 lb. of steel s consumed. 4 36 in. by 8 ft. culvert requires 96 lb. of wire; for 25-lb. pressure pipe of the same size 192 lb. of wire is needed and for 50-lb. pressure pipe of this dimension 344 lb. steel is employed. This process is controlled by the American Hume Concrete Pipe Co., Detroit. Boiler Test of Powdered Coal Tests of a large Edgemoor boiler fired with pow dered coal, at the Lakeside Station of the Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light Co., are described in a 77- age bulletin No. 237, issued by the Bureau of Mines. Illustrations and tabular matter explain or supplement ie text. Among other things it is shown that the xed charges on pulverized coal equipment amounted 0 12.2c. per ton of coal burned, compared with 8.8c. or stoker equipment. The efficiency of combustion for powdered coal is given as about 83 per cent, compared vith 77 per cent for an underfeed stoker and 77 per ent for a traveling gyrate. “Problems of Management Today,” the complete re- port of the twelfth national convention of the Society Industrial Engineers, held in Cleveland May 6, 7 and 8, is being printed and will be available for dis- tribution in September. The pages, 6 by 9 in., will number approximately. 300, and numerous illustrations will be included. Bound in paper, the price is $2; in cloth, $2.50. The headquarters of the society are at (O08 South Dearborn Street, Chicago. 144 resale Replacing Oil with Electrici Converting an Oil-Fired Heat-Treating Furnace Into an Electric—Relative Cost, Ad- vantages and Results HERE is little contradiction to the statement 1 F. J. Rvan & | Philadelphia, for the reconstru electric heat w'l play a greater part in the fut ne of 1 fired unit This unit ynsisted of industry than any other form of heat develo} thres i1ambers wit} eparate inder-fired chambe1 ment. This conclusion is based upon the fact that all i with the usual standard dimensions of fire brick types of fuel must gradually increase in cost, wherea nit The proposal of the Ryan company was the increasing use of electric power for heating pur ir? in insulated wall on the outside of the present poses will increase its efficiency and its poss‘ble red imbers and to insert its patented method of resist ion In cost. ipport within two of the chambers, it under In metallurgical practice, to which this paper pa ntrol of one pyrometric instrument ticularly refers, electric heat is of vital interest b« I hange ove! f considerable interest t cause t places in the hands of the metallurgist and tl} ict ; t ertains t the metallurgical result i expert heat treater conditions which have never bee: f the fact that it has made use of equipment that available when using heat developed from the combu d otherwise have been discarded if electric heat tion of fuels. Electric heat is possible of accurate had been adopted on new furnace The cost of in control, both as to temperature and volume It is estment is approximately 50 per cent of the cost of clean heat, involving no chemical constituents, and i new furnaces, and the results indicate that the eff subject to accurate additions of gases whereby the ency reache a point ymparable with anv result itmospheric conditions of the furnace interio1 nay be that have been secured in electric furnact t entire changed to suit the desired result. new mstruction In the particular case of the Delta Fire Works, it The Rvan system of resisto1 ipport imply was our desire to improve the quality of the finished tandard group of refractory up-rights, cross connect product by accurate control of temperature and reduc ing members of circular shape and of washers, as they tion of scale. We, however, were faced with two co1 are termed, acting as spacers between the different ditions which must be considered by the average plant oils of wire, making up the resistor unit The cross which contemplates the use of electric heat. First was members and washers are of a highly dielectric com the fact that we had available certain furnace equip position. These resistor groups can be wound in any ment then operating with oil fuel that represented a -e or kilowatt capacity, and can be arranged to meet considerable investment, and with definite cost of ope) ny shape of furnace chamber, including roof heate ation which was reasonable, and with the only objec- nd floor heaters tionable feature of variables in the result On the n the reconstructior f the furnaces he floo f other hand, we were presented with the miscellaneou : f the chambers was simply bricked up and the re claims of electric furnace engineers plus the different tor groups were inserted along the side walls, 60 data which had been published on results secured ir vy. capacity of resistors being inserted in each cham electric furnaces. e! One illustration shows one of the chambers be After considerable investigation on these different fore reconstruction and insertion of the heaters, and points, it was decided to accept a proposal made by inother shows the chamber after reconstruction and *\ ger, Delta I W Philadel ertion of tl heater The entire outside of the Lm eae Above Is the Interior of the Oil-Fired Unit with Under-Fired Chamber at Rear 145 146 THE IRON AGE July 16, 1925 Acé l inded with | plate « laced not continuous but each charge is allowed to cool 7 in. away from the existing furnace wal Into this within the furnace chamber. This cost is more in this space was rammed 7 it f C-3 dry pebble mixturé particular type than it would be in an entirely new type As mentions n the opening paragraph, only on of electric furnace because of the extra walls needed yromet ntroller was installed. because the fur- in fuel fired operation which, by the way, seems to be naces operat night to obtain the low rate available the only objection against the rebuilding of present on off-peak the charge which is 0.007c. per kwhr. fuel-fired units for electric furnace operation. Sum- By having tv nbers available for heating it is pos ming up, it is found ie t at nat it 7 ht. allow it to cool E v ire treating pound for pound with electric ring t] at tl sme time recharging the othe t t ess vst than we were with oil fuel. 1? : ’ rat th, next night Leed & Se d, fi the same furnace chamber we are NN ; ni , 7 fur? nt va { I auce 0 per cent more tonnage : : Third, we hav eliminated an inclination to spotty Wi the case in the fuel furnace I e of uniformity of treatment, the . : ch may be cut per tool has been a we re nov ble to duplicate accurately every pne averagrt ! t with no dependency upon the human factor I be apparent to anyone who has tion, we have improved materially i ‘ this locatior \s has already been stated, the figures of produc- ind the improvement in the product in this instal- n may not be overly interesting for they are only rative with other results that have been secured h the use of electric heat, but the fact that we were itili present equipment through simple meth- rebuilding and through a reduction of initial 0 per cent should be of keen interest to every lurgist and plant engineer who has under contem- either now or in the future the adoption of r} et ] of electr heating. While from the iperficial consideration of plant may be ideal to build furnaces of entirely w construction, it is not practical now, nor will it pract'cal for many years, to do away with the exist furnace units owing to their initial investment cost nd the investment which must be made productive be- for heir di ntinuance. The results made in this ering tl tallation would indicate that this discarding of resent equipment may not be necessary INGOT MANIPULATORS* ingers, W th a maximum working stroke of 18 in. As shown in the illustration, this manipulator has a maximum opening of 8 ft. between faces of the jaws and a maximum stroke of 7 ft. 9 in. for each jaw. The Various Types aws are 22 ft. long, with faces 26 in. high and the N 1 nt vears a great deal of progr » develop- maximum lift is 30 in. | work has been accomplished on ev rvthing Fig. 2 shows an electrically-driven manipulator having t 0 with the reversing blooming mill, includ- perating on a somewhat different principle, so far as Hydraulic and Electrical Operation Used in = pate cage, , n. the ad 2 ae f the un ' fu ay : ) i n yvrea H+ He 14 : ne nside he pulator aS y ? ‘ ‘ ‘ r Tnere tT , I el I The man puiator nas i. } ] ions to perform—to guid of Map “oh will ente the pas properly R i I At present these two ope} = { 4 0 LT q in immense amount ol i for Fj H | } i } + i T—— 40 4 n é I I ll ! rope} Ay i } 4 UU 4 | , +f ‘ . ‘ uy ‘ ‘ eas 7 i} > Tt 1p a ase | | oe Ti te 4 1 | Lh [Wal } > : yf ertall ‘ I il x , Ati Ai} a yi k; : . 2 sch | Hissin 8 d | gin eer!ng e to emp iT] 4 : | | ! ntend p is weighing | i Jiu U LJ Ld a t ‘ i} T {)} ‘ y a ? fotor T é 11ré t T T . istrate ! ne inipulat \ x ’ he drawir the 44-ir \ \ I I ng mil (aes D¢€ i I ne = AY Apa + AS 1 ‘ ) r ti T Ce ‘ ma 2 if ly in f ni} ! raulically erate The ¥ . a H I i! l 14-17 et |) Plan, Elevation and Two Sections of Ele ctrically- Mai ipulator, with Working Elements All on One Side of Ap} roach Table One section shows the operation of the “near-side” shoe " the othe r, of the ‘“‘far-side”’ shoe <--7-9 Stroke| July 16, 1925 Fig. 3—Set-Up of Hydraulic Manipula- tor, Showing Lifting “Fingers” Below the Long Shoe. Move- ment of the entire active element is produced from the cylinder appearing at left. behind the lever. The _ vertical cylinders operate the lifting fingers Mi// and Tab/es ~ / a hang / / Fig. 1 Hydraulic Manipulator, Show- ing One-Half of the Mechanism. The portion at left of mill center line is symmetrical with that shown. The stroke, 7 ft. 9 in., brings the face of the shoe within 3 in. of the other shoe Fig. 4—(At Right) Side and Rear of the Manipulator Shown at Top of Page yf ae YAY | 4 sit THE IRON AGE 147 i plic i pow Ving ! ( erned The 1 e power Is ! n ne side I tab ] iting the ! ! f the jaws ! t farther sid vn ! arms ey ( ind nd betwee! e! Che ! i I eral ré ] ’ 1 ’ i! iin?g he two jaw n th ypening be- twee! iW 10 ft ind ft Working troke a rt. I t Tar ae iv SUD] ct to a aximum stroke of 14 ft. 6 i When it is back t amount it clear of the llers and thei earing o that they ay be handled, replaced, etc., as needed. ind 4 show a third type of ma- machine operated hy- draulically by means of three cylinder shown in tl lustrations. The same gen- eral type may be made to be operated elec- I cally coatings used on iron and steel parts of automobiles should be at least 0.001 in. thick, according to findings of the Bureau of Standards, Washington. A thin- ner film will make a finish which will not te durable, because the thinner coating is almost invariably porous. It was found that the protective value of the coating can be materially increased by adding thick- ness up to the figure recommended by the bureau. 14% THE IRON AGE July 16, 1925 SEAR STERIL Re et Beet et cnr. es ee eee ee Le 4 prVuu Ol Wad - Po Leh db LUTIS, ( avVvOuUulL ,000 tons greater than in the first half of 1925. But More Than 22,400,000 Tons in Half Year—June there were 156 working days in the second half of } A : ; ‘ oe 118, the daily production of 1] 30 tons was slightly Drops Per Cent Below May on aGalliy pl! auc n 144,4 ton Wa lgntly elow the present figure. American Iron a! 5 Although the decline in June from May was more ngot production 1 June al than 7 per cent, it was far less than was the case last te 3,207,056 ¢ t vear, when the drop was 22 per cent. Also, the current 46,160 tons for the nt e is 58 per cent higher than was the case a yea) ulated from 3,023,425 to p In each instance there was a sharp drop from a n 1924 e 94 in March. This year the drop was not quite 1 B " I 1,000,000 tons. Last year it was considerably more r +S TOI pe n 2,000,000 tons. Our table shows the production by months of open- th and Bessemer steel, with the crucible, electric in a single group, and with the calcu- ed production of all companies, based upon reported totals in the first three columns and upon roportion mentioned above, between the 1924 out- e companies reporting and of all companies. — } t} j Production oT Stee Ingots Reported by Com- Whiel Vade 94 43 Pe) Cent of the Stee Ingot P a f i? 1924 \ x ( it Da \I Prod . Hi ‘) ( np «qyros I I . \ t yf + +s b+ i a O14 696,24 t lt ‘ f Nf t 119 ‘ 61.48 \ ~ = \ \ ‘ ys j WS \ -— s ; $58 10 \ ‘ ‘ ; ; 7 ' +s 64 1/ t \ “ > NY - . ‘ . ' 64%, Sa \ . ‘ cs tN SU6 ih ] ov > ne @ 1 76 yu 60 $206,699 161 16 x j x t 348.466 12% Q7 = eel z — eines 18, 28,787 \ 4 t th 64s 640.0 } 97.4449 é 4 > 7 A A 5? 2 O6 Hit 8S? 627 / f ‘ XN ‘ \ . 34 1°6.519 J ss ' oars 4 , ( ; i i ‘ Soe Q ‘ 4 xO iS. 188 () | , } 1 } ) ; 6 S64 S t 8.7 1 ‘ 12 $1 11 756 ears Pyraduction FE rereedes WO ++ - ’ ’ 14 124.846 if »Ho oid t ‘4 S elworks by 47,056 tons, Witten Steelworks 15,000 tons, Westfalische Eisen und Drahtwerke (iron and wire works) by 14,460 tons, and Menden und REVISED STEEL QUOTAS ~~ German Raw Steel Syndicate Increases Figures Schwerte by 8640 tons. The quotas for the Charlotten- . , } tte and fo the . cecha Tarka rhice area >t for Some Works 1utte and for the Hahnsche Werke, which are not ye + ilable, are not included in the accompanying table. uotas increased, the Kraft Ironworks Further Decrease in Steel Corporation's pne Hesston: , Unfilled Orders lled orders on the books of the United States Corporation as of June 30 aggregated 3,710,458 ! decrease of 339,342 tons from those which re- ained unfilled on May 31. This decline is the smallest ince the downward movement began. It compares with a decrease in March of 421,207 tons, which was the first decline since last July, with 416,996 tons in \ April and with 396,768 tons in May. A year ago the unfilled business was 3,262,505 tons, or 447,953 tons less than for June 30, this year. Following is the unfilled tonnage as reported by months, beginning with Janu ry, 1923: I ins Ia 037 1.798.429 6.910.77¢ Fel 284.77 112.901 7283.989 Var 1 Xf »64 4 782.807 7.403.332 Apri ) $,446,56% $208,447 7.288.509 Vi 1049. 500 628.089 6.981.351 June ) 710.458 262.50 6,386,261 hs ] \ , 187.072 910,763 I \ug ; 3,289,577 »,414,663 \ i Sept { § 473.780 »035.750 s on 31 8 525.270 1,672,825 Nov 0 4.031.969 1 368,584 I \ ‘4 ) 1 4,816,676 4,445,339 \ The high record in unfilled orders was 12,183,083 ae tons, at the close of April, 1917. The lowest was 2,674,- 757 tons, on Dec. 31, 1910. Deen ee eed DIZ) 2) ieee Cranes Unaffected by High Winds Safety Device Developed to Hold Large Traveling Structures Under Adverse Weather Conditions—Operation Automatic BRIDGE safety stop to hold large traveling by electrically perate fting device pla i on the 44 structures such as ore and coal handlir bridge ridge sills and gantry cranes during high winds has been dev It is an accepted fact in mechani that a wedg oped by the Wellman-Seaver-Morgan Co., Cleveland. A the most efficient means of stopping forward motion coal storage bridge, shown in the illustration, equipped f a wheel on its rail and that very little holding effort with these stops has teen in service for some time o1 s necessary to prevent the movement of the wedge the lake front in Buffalo where it is exposed to sever¢ along the rail. With the wedges locked to the rails ex winds from all directions, and it is stated that the cessive wind pressure on the bridge tends to roll stops have held the bridge safely in all weather cor the wheels up on the wedg but the incline of the ditions. Another set of stops is now being built fon wedges offers resistance Where the wheels have application to a 10-ton ore handling bridge operated rolled up on the wedges the additional resistance by a subsidiary of the United States Steel Corporatio gainst the movement of the bridge is caused The W-S-M safety stop equipment consists of a yy the friction of the wedges on the top of the rails system of multiple wedges or stops automatical The pressure on the wedge increases proportionately placed on the runway rails adjacent to the outermost with the wind velocity, thus increasing automatically wheels under each bridge sill so that the wedge is lo the friction on the toy f the rail and the resisting cated between the wheel and rail. When the bridge power of the stops is stationary each wedge is securely held on its rai ; Safety Siops Conveniently Controlled by means of a clamping mechanism which is integra with the wedge. Each stop is operated by an indeper The releasing and setting of the safety stops Is dent counterweight. When the bridge is traveling the ntrolled by the cperator stepping on or off a plat safety stops are withdrawn from the wheels and ra rm in front the bridge controller wherever it @ OR: | HEN the Crane Is Stationary, Each Wedg: Is Held on the Rail by Means of a Clamping Mechanism, Which Is Integral with the Wedge When the bridge is traveling, the safety stops a ithdrawn from the wheels and rails by an elect cally operated lifting device The Safe ty Stops under Each Bridge Sul Are Connected to a Common Lift- ing Device S ipporte d on That Siil. T he ifting de ce is shown at the left en * 150 THE IRON AGE July 16, 1925 may 0b ated. Int vay the stops are quickly re ergized and the motors started. As soon as the lever leased when the operat vishes ve the bridge, hafts have rotated enough to release and lift the and they are applied aut atica vhen through trav- tops, limit switches cut out the motors but do not cut eling his leaving the controller platforn it the clutches. The pawls prevent reverse rotation ha stop nsist f a cast steel frame to whicl f the shafts so that the stops will remain disengaged rtion ted r r portion of the nd free from the rails and wheels so long as the ma isting a for t 2 al perator stands on the platform. When the operator ranged 1 rip t f the 1 he vit ya eaves the platform after traveling, the master starting moderat , nt horizonta ement of witch is opened. The cluiches are thus released and the wed ng the The upper e} f the 1m] he stops automatically lower into the holding position lever ( nect f istab tows ind are clamped to the rails by the counterweights. thrust inte als The liquid-filled dash pots serve to prevent too rapid supported in the upper part of nait casting fall of the stops and their counterweights. The motor W t ‘ tion t ' entirel\ imit switches are reset automatically as the stops are wered. Wedges and Clamping Mechanism Self-Contained [he wedge with its clamping mechanism is a self- ned unit wv itomatically clamps itself to the ( wherever it may be placed. When the bridge rest the three suspension links are absolutely nd the stop securely clamped to the rail in- nt of tl ridge The bridge is simply a car- which moves the stops from place to place when } } i I M n released from the rails and properly the st inder the wheels as the bridge comes S ild the irrent fail while the bridge is travel- s lower automatically into position but are mmediately clamped to the rails due to the retar- ! the liquid-filled dash pot of the lifting mech- produces an effective braking action on - ridge as the wedges upon which the wheels have tend to slide on the rails until the dash pots the clamps to exert sufficient grip to lock the né { ‘ : pre » the rails The operation of the stops re- I no attention on the part of the operator. The t ratchet \s the stops when released are flexibly suspended eet engas t rotatior from the bridge sills and are guided by the flanges and tion ’ which straddle the wheel faces and the rails, it is \ ! tated that they are fully effective on rails which are me rooked, kent or out of gage. Worn rails do not hinder I Che eff« e locating and holding of the stops as the is elect ected to t gl agnetic cont amping device is arranged to accommodate a consid- Ter ' , nt , ; + yt , y ¥ 1 ah! . . - . . 31 ~ SW ‘ining « a irting and erable variation in the width of the rail head and also accelerating the motors and « ! th magnet equalize the nominal gripping effort necessary to hold mp . gy mechanisn the wedge in position. No parts extend under the When t naster starti vit sed by t head nor is there interference with rail splices or Comprehensive Catalog of Valves and ngle valves for fuel oil and gasoline is given, and Fittings top and waste globe valves are listed in 4% and % In. +o * izes. A new design of yoke top iron body globe, angle 4 large variety of valves, fitting nd tools, wrought ind cross valves is included, as well as “steeliron” pipe ar ippl'es for steam, water, ga l and ail yoke top globe angle and swing check valves for 250 installat ul hown in an attract talog of mor working steam pressure. than 700 pag I ssued oy ti Walwort Mfg. Co \ ection is devoted to specialties and another to Bostor The new catalog, designated as the No. 83, engine and boiler trimmings. A large variety of ever issued by the company. It bound wrenches and other tools is shown, and there are sepla India t papel paves listing drainage and soil pipe fittings, ammonia which color schem« in- fittings and valves and heating material. Much of the tends to make continuous reading isle} The con latter, which includes water heaters, steam and hot irrangement of mater as well as the colon water boilers and radiators, was not contained in pre- : i I vill be appreciated by quotatio1 vious catalogs. Tables of useful data are included as ni nt onsult the well as telegraphic codes. A tape inside of the back er of the catalog in which to insert the current dis- I UU | included { ne of hy count sheet is a convenient feature. : "Stee flanged fittir 800 Ib. cold Because of small demand, certain sizes of screwed ” , . essure, tested t VUU Ib. hydrostat and flanged fittings and flanges, valves, cocks, etc., :, e Ame! rau tandard ive been eliminated from the company’s lists, these ; : 2 nd valve es now being carried in the list of special, made- I ! iudé tne CO! { raer items. | I ! rved ste ’ A liy Di : all ( The installation, operation and maintenance of use in refinery 1 | n & tchboards is covered in a new 120-page booklet, Americat tandard “ste n” ‘ ( aper bound, issue d DY the Gen ral Ele ‘tric Co. The new items booklet. bearing the number 87000-E, is illustrated with Informatio1 I new ! I } t glot na photographs, diagrams, tables, formulas, et ET aro July 16, 1925 Double-Blade Alligator Shear A double-blade alligator shear, recently dé pri order by Doelger & Kirsten, M‘lwaukee, and be put on the general market in different in the accompanying illustration. The outstanding feature of the 1 hine carries two blades on the upper ni two blades on the base of the shear, as cont single blades on the jaws of st inda ning shears. With the new type to be possible to double the tonna per d be cut on a standard shear. It is particula Two Blades Are Carried on the Upper Jaw and Two on the Base of the Machine. Large increase in production is claimed to cutting light materials, such as busheling rap, well. as the cutting of rounds, flats, squar cellaneous scrap. Only one man is required the machine and as the output for particular cla of work is said to be twice that of a shear with a single pair of blades, an important saving is made in labo cost, as well as in machine investment. The shear has direct gear drive. In the illustration the shear is shown on a temporary wheel mounting. The machine can be made in any size with any knife length either stationary on a concrete foundation or semi-portable on timber German Alloy of Diamond Hardness An interesting material which is claimed to replace the diamond in core-drilling and stone-cutting has re- cently been developed in Germany. It is being offered by the Roechling Steel Works, Wetzler, Germany, un der the name “Thoran.” The company states that th high cost of carbons used in diamond core-drilling and the necessity of great skill in their setting the bits led it to undertake the task of developing a substancs to take their place. After years of research and ex periments the new product has been developed and now offered to the trade. Thoran is claimed to have approximately the hard ness of the diamond. It has a melting point of 540 deg. Fahr. (3000 deg. C.); it does not soften or fuss it any lower temperatures and therefore cannot bi forged. It has a minute crystalline body and i to consist of a mixture of tungsten carbides and ten. According to the mineral scale it possess a hardness between 9.8 and 9.9, the diamond being 10 : Its structure is described as metallic and conss quently it has much greater strength and durability for mechanical operations than the diamond. In spite of its extraordinary hardness it has adequate tenacity, contrary to the natural diamond. The mechanical 7 strength of Thoran is reported as about equal t of superior quality high-speed steel. Because it can- not be forged its cutting edges must be obtained through grinding. Because Thoran is harder than emery wheels, special grinding equipment, similar to that used for grinding diamonds, is required. Victor Peas THE IRON AGE 151 Halbarth, 50 Church Street, New York, is the Amer- representative of the Germar mpany producing New Bearing Metal \ new bearing material known as Crilly-Mercury whicl ilmed not t nd, grip, burn or score lubricat hould fail, eing marketed by the Metal Sales Co., 511 Bergen Avenue, Jersey City, The metal i L} ible wherever plain bearings used It is ana mewhat resembling bronze appearance and rid t ntain hard particles take the wear and a plastic matrix to adjust itself he shape of the shaft It not a graphite impreg- ated metal. It claimed that the metal is easily ma- 1 and at higher speeds than bronze, and that r average fits it oes not require scraping, as, if ned accurately, it adjusts itself to the irregu- rities of the shaft The tensile strength is given as proximately 23,000 lb. and the compressive strength per square inch The metal is available in solid or cored bars in sizes Castings of special hape may be furnished, and also accurately machined Disk Clutch for Machine Drives f eration and adjustment, and light weight, ich of the flywheel effect in stopping, is feature of the multiple disk clutch here illustrated, has been placed on the market by the Edgemont \I nine ¢ P Dayton, Ohio. lhe clutch, designated as the type E, is of the dry- plate type that has been used successfully in the auto- ive field, and is being brought out in a complete ne of pulleys, extended sleeves, cut-off couplings and sprocket and gear blanks. It is fitted with Fafnir ransmission ball bearings, oiler bushings (cast iron bronze) or plain bronze bushings. It may be ar- nged to operate singly or in pairs and with cams r operating through the shaft. Simplicity in making adjustment of this clutch may noted from the left-hand illustration, showing the The Clutch Pulley with Slotted Cam Is Shown at the f Th itch } ulle y u ith cam for operating through th haft is at the right. pulley with slotted cam. In making adjust- nts, the clutch is released, the screw A loosened two rns, and the adjuster B turned so that the next slot inder screw A. The screw is then tightened down nto the slot. This is said to draw up all studs equally and to give full liner contact and even distribution of the load on the various clutch parts. Woven asbestos metallic liners are used, these be- ng said to have proved lasting under adverse condi- to be easily replaced at small cost. Ease of operating the clutch is attributed to the roller con- struction of the levers, which are designed to release instantly at all speeds. All working parts of the clutch are fully inclosed. ‘ . } ions and : 152 THE IRON AGE July 16, 1925 : RECLAIMING WOBBLERS Alongside this is to be seen a 14-in. roll that had } ken wobblers. Ten hours labor and 30 lb. of wire 1} enewed this to its original condition and value of Several Applications of Arc Welding for Repairs pproximately $900. This also saved additional ex- ' in Steel Mills ense, by eliminating wear and tear on boxes and dam- to motors, by eliminating the unequal strain pro- R. L. SCOLLARD ed by sudden shocks due to excessive lost motion. N' } th teel 1 from ; Fig. 2 shows the common method of bolting plates iN } er ti gest 1 isin cracked housing, to hold it together. This costly illigat ' irently can be reclaimed ikeshift, practiced in many mills, it not a satisfactory velding, whe bi ri yor! r} air. It is constantly demanding attention, because lustrat ! loosening caused by the vibration of the machine. ess of } ! \ n t | De lwenty-four hours’ labor and 60 to 70 lb. of wire would Fic. 1] n. f t} wol ake this a permanent job. vere W plet line hin Fig. 3 is a heavy-duty shear that had been discard- lked liz nt of we: 1 nece d because of a large crack. Twenty-four hours of t ! t id and 60 to 70 lb. of wire restored this to service. ( rT These conditions are typical in every mill. There b recent emergency when a guide on a main water we n¢ ( gina ndition and imp broke; this caused a shut-down of only 35 min. f \ f t is the Ordinarily it would have taken several hours to re- vol e | Gil r but, after 25 min. of drilling and studding and 10 Weld Mi | Cit Mic} of welding, this pump was again in operation. The saving on this one job, not counting the value of ump itself, but considering the loss of production ‘| Fig. 1 (Top) Shows, by the White Lines on the Wobblers, the Amount of Built-Up Metal Welded on the 4! Worn-Out Ends by Means of the Machine Alongside i Fig. 2 (Lower Right) Shows Plates Bolted on a Cracked Housing—a Practice to Be Condemned i Fig. 3 (Lower Left) Is Part of a Heavy-Duty Shear in Which a Crack Made a Welding Operation Nec- essary July 16, 1925 in the mill for several hours, which was averted by the use of the welder, was many times the w lding outfit. cost of a It used to be a fact that large stationary motor- generator arc welding sets alone were available for re ADVANCED DROP FORGING Connecting Rods Forged from Rolled Profiles in Germany At a meeting of the Association of German Pro duction Engineers heid at Leipsic last March, Dr Schweissguth gave a talk on modern production meth ods, in which he made special reference to the drop forging of connecting rods. Quantity production, he said, calls for sucl numbers of forgings that they cannot be tur ] ‘ l under the hammer in the ordinary way. It is onl the process of forging in dies that the necessary pro duction can be attained. But the production of forg I ings in dies calls for extensive specialization of equi} ment and standardization of design. All machine parts must come from the forging department sufficiently accurate so that only very littl stock needs to be removed. The allowance for mach inin