The Iron Age 1925-11-26: Vol 116 Iss 22

ESTABLISHED 1855 THE IRON AGE New York, November 26, 1925 VOL. 116, No. 22 * Reducing Sand Handling Costs Conveyors for Unloading Incoming Cars and Elevators and Dump Trucks for Removing Sand from Storage to Mixer Eliminate Labor ] INETY-FIVE per cent of the labor cost of unload- ing sand into storage has been eliminated by three conveyors recently installed at the No. 1 foundry of the Allis-Chalmers Mfg. Co., West Allis, Wis. A great saving has also been effected through the use of elevators and dump trucks for handling sand from storage to the sand mixer. The importance of the im- provements is indicated by the fact that over 600 car- loads of sand are received at the plant annually. On the west side of this plant is a gallery in which a section, approximately 30 ft. wide by 100 ft. long, is used for storing the winter’s supply of facing and core sands. Space at the north end of the gallery, about 215 ft. long, is used for storing molding sand. The north central section of the gallery south of the molding sand storage, for a distance of approximately 190 ft., is used for unloading bank and black sand used in sand mixtures. At the south end of the gallery, for a distance of 215 ft., are bins, 24 ft. wide and 8 ft. high, which are used for storing fire clay, loam sand and other special sands. Sand was formerly shoveled from open gondola cars on an adjacent elevated railroad trestle through win- dows directly into the gallery. The sand was then re- handled, being stacked by hand to a maximum height. The northern portion of the gallery was used mainly for storing of molding sand of one kind, while the southern section was used for numerous grades of sand which required bins to keep them separated. Sand was unloaded from cars at a piece work rate of 15c. per ton. The rehandling costs were estimated as fol- lows: for molding sand, 50c. per ton; for bank and black sand, 30c. per ton, and for the various grades of sand stored in the bins, 40c. per ton. Records for 1924 show that 484 cars were unloaded in the northern portion of the sand storage gallery and 125 cars in the southern section. The abandonment of manual unloading came With the introduction of a portable 41-ft. conveyor in the northern part of the gallery. Sand is now passed by gravity directly from the car into the conveyor, which stacks it to a height of 17 ft. When a heap of sand VOTE LO UENU OE UR BONA OODEEET DODTEAA SEDO DeDER EAE HNENELERERE DEE OEen ERE FOND ITURNONNNNOHEEE HOA LeDHBENEL ET CUUnE Sennen SER ~9-r era narpesTarenene cotter et aaa erie Calin ohne s + cate ame RMR TNE AEF Hore ‘ - n ay eas rs vo ne) ee LTT Le TSO ee ; ena. ; 1438 THE IRON reaches up te ts discharge end, the conveyor is ad- inced to the next unloading window. By this method he entire amount of sand stored in the gallery stacked without employing any manual labor with tl! exception of one man who puts in part time on the cor eyor, tending to the oiling and cleaning up around nachine while in operation. ly into the along the available storage space to maximum capacity. is all done without AGE November 26, 1925 vevor by trolley from a monorail. Whenever a carload of sand is spotted at this station, the conveyor is pro- ‘ected through a window and material is passed direct- The conveyor is easily moved bins, as it stacks the This machine. monorail above the any additional rehandling. At the station where the bank and black sand is stored, a 30-ft. portable conveyor is used. These two grades of sand are handled throughout the year. Whenever it is necessary to replenish the supply on hand, additional material is conveyed into the space available for storage. At the south end of the gallery a 16-ft. conveyor is used. Because the sands stored in this section are kept separated in bins, it was necessary to suspend the con- (Above) Coupled to Elec- tric Truck at Molding Sand Station in the North End of Sand Storage Gallery Loader Sand Bins (Left) in the South Por- tion of the Stor- age Gallery, Showing 8-Ft. Dividing Walls and Overhead Monorail for Car- rying Conveyor eve enNeeneMRADNNREREERD® HOUrO OREO E OCU TRCEU ENON EeReRPSeRReRERIOND The elimination of over 95 per cent of sand re- handling labor costs through the use of conveyors has meant a large saving in terms of dollars. Over 26,000 tons of sand were handled last year and the cost of re- handling by manual methods was more than $9,000. The original method employed in handling sand from storage to mixer was by the use of shovel and The wheelbarrow was dispensed with some time ago, and was replaced by an electric dump wheelbarrow. November 26, 1925 THE IRON AGE 143 Conveyor at the Bank and Black Sand Storage Pile. Heeevennenienee truck made by the Elwell-Parker Electric Co., Cleve- land. With this device, however, it was necessary to use two hoppers. As soon as one hopper was filled with sand by hand shoveling, it was carried away to the mixer by the electric truck and the second hopper was filled. The electric truck then returned the first hopper (now empty), and carried away the second. The use of the dump truck marked a great advance over the older method of handling sand, but later was supplemented by a device, designed by the Allis-Chal- mers company, which entirely eliminated manual ef fort. This equipment, built by the Atlas Engineering Co., Milwaukee, consists of a bucket elevator which is driven by an electric motor, current for which is sup- plied by an extension cord and plug-in boxes located along the gallery columns. A guide projecting from the rear of the elevator fits into a coupling bracket At the right a sand loader coupled to an electric truck mounted on the electric truck. The truck, when in proper position with the elevator, automatically couples to it. The loader is mounted on 10-in. castors, making it easy to move to any desired location. When placed in position for loading the nose of the elevator is forced into the sand by the motive power of the electric truck, whereupon the operator pulls the starting lever of a motor which drives the loader. The elevator is fed into the sand pile until the hopper on the truck has been loaded. The operator then pulls a release lever which uncouples the loader, leaving it there while he goes to the sand mixer and dumps his load. Three loaders are at work in No. 1 foundry, one at the molding sand, one at the bank sand, and one at the used black sand. They are capable of loading 1 cu. yd. of sand per min. and have replaced four men who for- merly were continuously engaged in shoveling the sand required for sand mixtures. Sand Conveyor with Wheels Arranged So It Can Move in a Circle, Maintaining the Hopper End in Position at Receiving Window menenreeerenseremine HELLHGCCODORRED ED ROOEREDANSH ETON SOEUOON FERED TDN OSESEENOESET DOE SDOREENSD IENEDYRASEOHDOEERD VENI roNEnADESDTOOREADEETED ODES DON ED! L#NTTLNEEREYesereaeennoneserennen MeNENOOEESUSONEETENESEEOO SEDDON ORT OREO SPESSERESFSDRETRORONOSEUNDTOOIAUSONSSODENFCEDESPODTSOTRROEEDOREL EM 1UOUPLEOTDOPECSEEUELOREGL EN) OLBEAS TORT (a0 0RGRONONDE DEBE BENES EY LEH oFEnECORENCRERESTRT EN OT OR ee er = Pema ve * ovaarnet a Structural Welding Saves Labor” Arc Welding in Shop Fabrication Saves One-Fourth of Estimated Labor Costs—Field Weld- ing Also Successful BY R. A. first designed by Thomas F. Morgan and built by the Morgan Engineering Co., Alliance, Ohio. There are no riveted connections, to the writer’s knowl- edge, where the rivets are subject to more severe treat- ment than are those in the girders of open-hearth charging machine cranes and soaking pit charging cranes. In fabricating girders for these cranes, it is physically impossible to make the rivet completely fill the rivet holes; shrinkage precludes this. It is also impossible to heat the rivet and expose it to the air and prevent the oxidizing effect of free oxygen in the air on the rivet, after heating. To over- come these conditions, we investigated the possibility of driving the rivets cold, using a cold pressed rivet to avoid a scale formation. Having heard that one con- cern drove rivets cold, up to and including 3 inches in diameter, we secured information regarding machines and methods. We were told that it was necessary to (Sart for handling hot metal in a steel mill were anneal rivets up to and including % in. and that above that size it was not necessary to anneal. We were much interested to learn why it was necessary to anneal a %-in. rivet and not a %-in. The only evidence was experience. We then inquired of rivet machine manu- facturers what style machines they built to perform this class of work, but were unable to locate a desirable type to perform this operation, as it was necessary to use a portable machine. We then decided to ream our rivet holes only 1/32 in. over-size, instead of the cus- tomary 1/16 in. as we believed that this would provide a better riveting condition. All the holes in crane girders for shop driven rivets are reamed 1/32 in. over- size in our fabricating shop, and by this method we find that we are able.to increase the efficiency of our riv- eted connections. It was necessary to use a cold pressed rivet, as they seem to be more uniform in size. The *From a paper presented at the third annual convention of the American Institute of Steel Construction, White Sulphur Springs, West, Va., Nov. 11-14. The author is manager, structural department, Morgan Engineering Co., Alliance, Ohio STORM rivets must not be over-size, as a %-in. rivet will ex- pand almost 1/32 in. in heating. Heavy Duty Machine Built URING the war the General Electric Co. was build- ing a heavy duty spot welder at their Schenectady plant to weld plates up to and including 1 in. thick. Their difficulty was to provide electrodes to withstand the pressure required to bring in contact the metal which was necessary to perform the welding operation successfully. One heavy duty welding machine is said to have been shipped to Hog Island, but we have been unable to learn what service it gave. During 1922, 1928 and 1924 we completely rebuilt over 600 locomotives for ten different railroads. We found that all railroads that had contracts with us per- mitted electric arc welding to be used in repairing the stayed parts of the boilers. We built up a large weld- ing force to take care of our requirements in that line, (At Left) How End Con- nection Angles Were Welded. While the weld at the end was sufficient to carry the load, the weld at this point was neces- sary because of the angles (Center) The Method of Welding Shelf Angles and Plates on the Bottom of Beams Which Carry the Brick Wall Pe & 4 2 A ay = - . (Right) How Angles Were Welded on the End of a Beam. One angle was placed on the beam, the other angle was welded in place, then the third bead was placed in this connec- tion, joining the first two beads 7 ee td and observed the efficiency of the electric arc welded joint in some of the sheet work in the fire boxes. In a number of cases the electric arc weld outlived the new sheets placed in the fire boxes when the locomo- tive had been overhauled. A great many fear the effects of impact and vibration on an electric weld. Many roads use this method successfully to repair broken locomotive frames, and it is hard to conceive a more severe test. This experience caused us to ex- periment and make tests on the electric welded joint to replace, where expedient, the riveted joint in fabri- cating structural steel buildings. Overload Tests ee the inefficiency of the riveted connection where the rivet is placed in tension, such as plates on the bottom of spandrel beams, we made several test pieces and submitted them to an overload and deter- mined that the electric are weld was far stronger than the calculated strength of a rivet in tension. In re- placing the rivet used in tension, we next planned to weld the shelf angles and connection angles. We again 1440 < November 26, 1925 What Was Shown by Tests Made to Determine the Amount of Weld Required to Com- pensate for Differ- ent Sized Rivets conducted a series of tests, to determine the amount of weld required to compensate for the different sized rivets used. The result of these tests is shown above. In all the tests there was no attempt made to favor the weld. The welded joints in this series of tests were subjected to a severe bending moment. They were subject to an eccentric pull, and the specimens having been lapped, would of necessity bend where lapped, when the force was applied. We compiled the following table from the result of these tests. The equivalent strength in shear is as follows: Rivet Length of Length of Length of Length of Diam., %In. Bead, a % In. Bead, % In. Bead, In n. 1 In. % in a : Vy 1 1% Us 43 4 2 1% 1%, 1% % 2 5% 21 2% 1% % 3 3 1 2% 2% 1 4% 4 3%, 2 One-half inch added to theoretical length of weld and rivet values figured at 10,000 Ib. per sq. in. Having consulted a number of structural engineers, acquainting them with the result of our tests, we de- cided that we were justified in adopting this method to replace the riveted joint when expedient to do so. _ We then secured permission to completely electric Will This Type of Are Welded Column Connection Eventually Banish the Sound of the Riveting Machine? weld an entire structure for which we had contracted. As we use the equipment manufactured by the Lincoln Electric Co., Cleveland, their electrical engineers offered several valuable suggestions on the welding of this building. The building is 100 by 150 ft. with two stories and basement. The outside beams on all four sides are wall bearing. There are three rows of columns, with five columns in each row, and with large beams con- necting on all four sides of each column on the first and second floors and the roof. No Rivets Used HERE were no rivets used in the entire building. All shop and field connections were electric welded. The connections were punched with sufficient holes to erect the building and the bolts were not removed after erection. However, their value was not considerable in figuring the strength of the joints. A factor of safety of seven and eight was used on all column connections. The columns were extended above the top of the beams and instead of using connecting angles where the roof beams frame into the web of the column, we welded the beams to the top of the column. This building was designed for riveted connections, and many of the connections would have been modified if sufficient time would have been available for redesign- ing. The method of welding angles on the end of the beam was as follows: one angle was placed in the beam and welded to the web of the beam and the other angle was welded in place. We then had the third bead placed in this connection joining the first two beads. There are a number of ways to effect a savings in ma- terial and labor where a floor beam frames to the column. Where connecting angles are used, it is not so important that the beams be the exact length. Were we to substitute a plate for the angles, we could save material and the linear inches of weld, or, again, we might eliminate both the plate and the angles and cut beams to the exact length, and weld directly to column. This type of construction would necessitate the use of shelf angles welded on the columns with holes in the horizontal leg of angles and holes to match in the bot- tom of the flange of beams. Large Savings in Labor HE savings which could be effected with this method of fabricating would depend upon your shop equip- ment and your individual ingenuity. On the building in Canton we were able to save approximately 25 per cent in our estimated shop labor. This saving could, no doubt, be increased eventually when quicker methods of assembling our materials are devised. When these beams were welded we had three blocks of wood notched out to fit over the flange of the beams and the outstanding leg of the shelf angle. This ob- viated the work of a fitter for this operation. We then Now on ag PO \ Ct cosines pueseeedi eecpamcne tienen eee ‘i See Neen A ONE LL aN ARAN on p nt memnn oh ae ~ Soret . Sepia adage te 4 ae eee erate re egeenetmney on 1442 THE IRON AGE November 26, 1925 placed the beam on the top of the plate and the services of a fitter were unnecessary for this operation. Our shop was equipped primarily to build crane girders and miscellaneous structura! parts for a crane, an 7 1 it is possibly not as efficient on a straight beam and column fabricated job as most structural shops. It will no doubt be possible to reduce the size of some sections used in fabricating certain types of steel structures, as there will be no reduction of area in th« welded joint. We decided to proceed with caution along this line, as it is possible to become too enthusiastic. On the building in Canton there were 780 field welds, or 358 ft., an average of 5% in. to the weld. One welder was 120 hours performing the work. We used 110 k.w. hrs. for the field welding. When an operator is laying a continuous bead on straight work he can average from 10 to 12 ft. per hour, with a % in. bead. The actual field welding time on this building was pos- sibly 25 per cent of the total time. It is hardly pos- sible, however, to use the linear feet welded per hour to estimate costs, as our costs will depend largely upon the type of joint, form of weld and the size of the bead. One of the principal objections to this type of con- struction seems to be that there is no method of de- termining the efficiency of a welded joint without de- struction. Is this not in a way true of the riveted joint? Does the hammer test conclusively prove that a rivet is not defective? When most of us think of a weld there comes to our mind the uncertainties of a forge weld, or possibly we have had some of our automobile parts welded at the alley garage by an inefficient operator. A fusion weld is not nearly so indeterminate as the forge weld. A competent operator can always tell when he has an effectual weld. In considering the efficiency of a welded joint, the individual is a very important factor, and we should endeavor to maintain a very high stand- ard among our operators. We exercise extreme care in the selection of our operators and test to destruc- tion certain welds of each operator weekly. Simple Test Methods VERY simple method of testing welds is to have test pieces made from two bars, bevel one end of each bar to 30 deg., butt parallel bevel end of bars and weld. Break these test pieces in the weld with a sledge or by bending in a “V” block in a press. An examination will then disclose the efficiency of the operator. It is well, however, to have standard test pieces made occasionally and pull in a standard tensile testing machine. In order that the electric welding of steel structures may be guided along safe lines, structural engineers should give careful attention to the design and use a high factor of safety in the welded joint. Some method should be determined that will protect the purchaser, and a fabricator who has no knowledge of the art and possibly has an inefficient operator should not be per- mitted to fabricate a steel structure with this method until he can submit certain certified test specimens that test up to the required standards, as one single failure with this method of construction would create an obstacle that would retard our progress consid- erably. Government Costs More Than Food While Federal Taxes Have Been Going Down, State and Local Taxes Have Been Going Up HE pe capita cost of government today exceeds the per capita cost of food for all the country. So stated W. J. Thompson, former chairman of the executive committee of the National Grange, before the national economy and tax reduction conference held in New York last week in conjunction with the annual convention of the National Founders Association. “Taking 15 of the leading cities, the Census Bureau shows the average per capita cost of government in 1922 to be $118 while the figures of the Department of Agriculture show that in the same year in the same cities the average cost of food was only $95.” It was to devise a plan for stemming the rising tide of national, State and local taxes that the conferences was called of representatives of agriculture, industry and transportation in connection with the movement for “Better Understanding Between Industry and Agri- ilture” started by the association a year ago. William H. Barr, Buffalo, president of the National Founders Association, outlined the purpose of the con- ference in these words: “Our purpose is to begin an educational process which will ultimately be carried to the State Legislatures and to the town councils, urging that taxation be made national and scientific. This is not the discouraging problem that it might appear. During the past six years citizens in Ohio have been working out the State’s financial salvation in the direc- tion of administrative costs and debt solutions,” by means of just such an organization as was suggested at the conference. The Ohio Plan HAT has been done in Ohio was described by C. A. Dyer of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation and the Ohio State Grange and chairman of the executive com- mittee of the joint conference for Better Understanding Between Industry and Agriculture. “During the past six years,” he said, “Ohio has been working out its financial salvation in the direction of administrative costs and State and local taxation. This is being done through organization and cooperation. “The tax and debt situation became so bad in the State that it was finally decided to call representatives of all Ohio interests together to see if something could not be agreed upon. After an all-day session, a tem- porary tax relief plan and permanent solution of the debt problem were worked out. A committee, repre- sentative of the great industries, was selected to draw up laws in accordance with the conference agreement. “The debt control law framed by this committee was taken to the Legislature by a large group of represen- tatives of all the tax paying interests of the State. It was passed by both houses of the General Assembly This debt law is perhaps the most drastic in the United States, and has been improved upon at each succeeding legislative session. Its chief provisions are, first, that no money can be borrowed for current operating ex- penses, and a current operating expense is defined as an expenditure of money for something that has a life of less than five years; second, that no bond can be issued for longer than the probable life of the improve- ment purchased, and that all bonds must be serial and paid when due.” “The Federal Government is steadily reducing its tax burden upon the citizen and the business man,” said James A. Emery, general counsel of the National Founders Association. “But even as this is occurring, we are confronted with the steady rise of State and local taxes. Nor can we fail to consider the two, for they comprise the citizens whole burden. For 1924, some $10,000,000,000 will represent the total expendi- tures of Federal, State and local government. Of this probably $8,500,000,000 is raised by direct taxation, while the remainder is borrowed and spent, to be cov- ered by deferred taxation. Of the annual tax levy, the States and their subdivisions required for 1924 ‘sub- stantially $5,000,000,000 of taxes, while the Federal Government has reduced its demands to littl than $3,000,000,000. s to little more ervoee Av OTREUOTOVOVLEASORONONRAOOONONREROOEECEDONOFEREOOND (Concluded on page 1490) Says Foundry Gets Labor Leftovers National Founders’ Association Urged to Get Behind More Practical Educational System Founders Association at the twenty-ninth annual convention in the Hotel Astor, New York, Nov. 19, L. A. Hartley, the association’s director of educa- tion, made the charge that our present school system produces an unnecessarily large number of social mis- fits, furnishes a fertile field for cultivation by self- interested agitators and results in an enormous annual economic waste as a result of idleness and incapacity of graduates. Our school system is based, he said, on the prin- ciple of producing individuals with a certain amount of learning, but with little ability and in many cases with little desire for earning. The remedy, according to Mr. Hartley, is getting back to first principles and teaching more about work. The boy who leaves high school with a smattering of French and Latin, a little algebra and physiology, is hardly prepared to earn his living in a world where information, to be salable, must be immediately useful. He finds it hard to get a satisfactory job, shifts from one to another rupidly, is idle much of the time, becomes disgruntled with a system of things that makes it impossible for him to get good wages until he has spent a long preparatory period in a shop and is likely to become a social misfit, susceptible to all sorts of radical and distorted influ- ences. This need not be the case, said Mr. Hartley. High schools and colleges might well include practical train- ing courses which would prepare a boy for immediate useful employment. Many such courses are now in use, but they have been up to this time confined to other lines than those of the foundry. The result is that it is almost impossible for a boy to get any practical foundry training unless he goes to work on the floor. Furthermore, when he leaves school, he finds it easier to apply the information at his command to some other line of work and usually turns to the foundry for employment only when most other lines have failed him. In this way the foundry gets the labor “culls.” Proper training courses in foundry work, carried on in foundries at the same time and in connection with, regular school work, would combine the advantages of the present educational system with a good livelihood for the graduate. Such methods are in use in some centers. In other cities, the individual foundries have inaugurated apprentice training courses which are sup- plying the needed skilled labor in those localities. The Milwaukee methods have been described in a series of articles recently published in THE IRON AGE. Other such systems are at work in Providence, R. L., Pitts- burgh, Wilmington, Del., and modifications of the em- ployer-training method are in use in many other cities. Technical Schools Should Help UT the success of these individual attempts to cor- rect the shortage of skilled foundry labor do not excuse the schools for their lack of regard for the ma- terial welfare of the graduate. Particularly should the technical and practical engineering schools, many of which are heavily endowed, undertake to prepare the boy for his future work. Mr. Hartley suggested that foundrymen present at the convention consult with local school superintendents with the purpose of ar- ranging corollary courses in high schools and in the foundries. Graduates would be entitled to positions in the shops at definite wages. Thus the boy would re- ceive his usual education, minus a few classical courses perhaps, and in addition, be ready to earn good wages immediately upon leaving school. G ‘Founders before 250 members of the National 1443 So far as the present apprentice training systems are concerned, Mr. Hartley pointed out that the devel- opment of a system to meet local conditions is more likely to be successful than the transplanting of a method which may have worked out well in other local- ities. He also stressed the importance of and progress being made in better foreman training. The report on Industrial Education, prepared by Chairman L. W. Olson, Ohio Brass Co., Mansfield, Ohio, and read by A. E. McClintock, commissioner National Founders Association, recorded much real progress in apprentice and foreman training in the past year. The report of Commissioner McClintock empha- sized the freedom from labor troubles during the past year and noted that no vigerous attempts are being made to organize the foundries of members. “Heavy work foundries which have had dull business for the past four or five years, are beginning to experience an improvement in trade,” he said. “The increase in ton- nage has been gradual but quite steady.” In discussing the progress made in promoting em- ployer-foreman relations, the report said, “Greater ef- fort than ever before is being made by employers to explain to foremen and company organizations the economics of business, the financial problems and the management problems confronting the company... . On every side can be found increasing evidence that management is assuming the leadership of its workmen and in return the individual worker is manifesting more than a payroll interest in his job.” Labor Saving Devices M. LANE, president H. M. Lane Co., Detroit, e gave an illustrated talk on “The Need for Im- proved Foundry Methods to Overcome Foundry Labor Shortage.” The outstanding need in the modern foun- dry, according to Mr. Lane, is to get more work per man-hour out of available equipment. There is, of course, a happy medium between too much and too little equipment in order to achieve this maximum production per man-hour. It settles down to a question of the overhead which can be carried on the volume of business which is done by the foundry using the equipment. Local conditions will also affect the choice of equipment. He pointed out that a close coordination between sand handling and mold carrier systems is necessary for profitable results, especially in those shops which have expensive mold carrying con- veyors. Pictures of sand-slingers, carriers such as those used in the Ford, Crane and American Radiator foun- dries, and special conveyors for particular require- ments were shown and their operation described. One problem which should be considered in the installation of a conveyor is the amount of repairing which will have to be done to keep the apparatus in good working order. On one installation of a so-called “question- mark” conveyor, he had found that it was necessary to keep 1.6 millwrights busy on the equipment all the time; this is, naturally, a factor to be considered. Urge Repeal of Mining Restrictions HE present “intolerable situation in the anthracite industry” is largely due to the miners license law of the State of Pennsylvania and the failure of that State to take steps to make effective the principles of the anthracite award of 1903, said a resolution pre- sented by the committee on resolutions at the Thursday session. The resolution charged that “The anthracite field is entirely within the boundaries of Pennsylvania. The situation therein which excites the anxiety of the xr Ry S er 2 ae ee 1444 THE IRON AGE November 26, 1925 nation is wholly within the control of that State. Its failure or refusal to control it appropriately fortifies those who run to Washington in every local crisis which it is the business of the State to meet. Pennsylvania is, therefore, facing a challenge to the quality of its citizenship and the efficiency of local self-government.” The resolution closed with an appeal to its Pennsyl- vania members to make every effort to secure the re- peal or modification of the miners license law and the recognition and enforcement of the principles of the anthracite award of 1903. At the annual banquet, held Wednesday evening, Nov. 18, more than 200 members and guests heard Donald Malloch, poet and author, discourse on “Some Sinners I Have Met.” Officers for the coming year were elected as fol- lows: President, William H. Barr, Buffalo; vice-presi- dent, L. R. Clausen, J. I. Case Plow Works Co., Racine, Wis.; secretary, J. M. Taylor, Chicago, treasurer Chi- eago Trust Co. Commissioner A. E. McClintock, Chi- cago, was reappointed. District committees were appointed as follows: First. Robert E. Newcomb, Deane Works, Worthing Pump & Machinery C porat Holyoke, Mass.; Wal- I & Machine ¢ Ansonia, Cor ( neral E tr ( West Lyt \ Hammer, Mal ible I Fittings C« I I H. I Stevens, Rl i Island Malleal i sgrov m2 Second. Frat Myers, Poughkeet e I ndr & Ma ( I l keepsie, N. ¥ D. F. O’Brien, A. P. S } \ 1 é N J c W Noble Noble & Ww H s Falls, N. ¥ T. H. Pi £ ( ] VW I 5 h, Si th & ¢ ‘ Third —frat Tt. Eppele, Trenton Malleable Ir I \ S. Kocl Fort Pitt St Casting < McKee t *homas W. Pangborn, Pangborn Cor Md.: C. H. Hoffstetter, Odin Stov« Pa.: T. B. Wood, T. B. Wood Sons C Fourth.—+* W Detroit Steel Casting Co., De tr R. J. Redr nd, Buckeye Foundry Co., Cincinnati; J. Edge: Li Challenge Machinery C Grand Haver Mict Willian D. Hamerstadt Rockwood Mfe. Co Indianapolis; W. L. Sealbach, Walworth Run Foundry c Cle nd Fifth.j—H. E. Muchnic, Locomotive Finished Mate- HHNEDOAEDAOOAURRECDONAEDOONOAROROSOEEDDGREEDOOEONOHOONORDREDGLLs HLOUGAGnELAGUREDDORSOOONORORR ORD Cement Coating Protects Steel from Destructive Corrosion of Liquids and Gases T the left is shown the corrosive action of abbatoir refuse upon the structural steel beams which support the structure. Portland cement, properly applied, acts as a check to such corrosion. Gunite, a form of concrete produced by projecting the mixture against the surface to be coated at high velocity, insures close adhesion because it removes the film of entrained air al- ways present when hand poured mixtures are used. Above is shown the mesh on which the gunite is shot against the beam to be coated. The mesh is placed % to % in. from the surface of the steel. rial Co., Atchison, Kan.; H.N. Strait, H. N. Strait Mfg. Co., Kansas City, Kan.; Warren G. Jones, W. A. Jones Foundry & Machine Co., Chicago; Walter R. Medart, Medart Co., St. Louis; C. N. Stone, Deere & Co., Moline, Il. Sixth.—M. H. Pettis, Simmons Co., Kenosha, Wis.; Frederic Crosby, American Hoist & Derrick Co., St. Paul; Emil Vilter, Vilter Mfg. Milwaukee; F. H. Clausen, Van Brunt Mfg. Co., Horicon, Wis.; R. P. Tell, Na- tional Brake & Electric Co., Milwaukee. Coe... Seventh—wVW. A. Griswold, Gray & Dudley Co., Nash- ville, Tenn.; W. C. Grout, Lufkin Foundry & Machine Co., Lufkin, Tex.; Ward Delaney, W. K Henderson Iron Works & Supply Co., Shreveport, La.; W. F. Tynes, Hardie-Tynes Mfgz. Co., ican Cast Iron Honorary Briggs, 3irmingham; W. D. Moore, Amer- Birmingham Administrative Minn. Pipe Co., Member of Minneapolis, Council: C. P. Industrial Safety Congress at Syracuse The ninth annual industrial safety congress and exhibit to be held under the auspices of the New York State Department of Labor will take place at Syracuse, N. Y., Nov. 30 to Dec. 3. The sessions of the congress will start in the Mizpah auditorium Dee. 1, and the safety exhibit will open Nov. 30 at the Onondaga Hotel. In a session on plant safety education Dec. 2, C. L. Peake, director industrial relations American Radiator Co., Buffalo, will speak on “How the Cooperative Plan Helps an Individual Plant.” R. P. Heald, safety in- spector Ford Motor Co., Green Island, N. Y., is also on the program for that day and will discuss “Intro- ducing the New Man to the Job.” To Hold Conference on Industrial Cleaning ’ Seventy men “who take care of the cleaning needs of 18,000 manufacturing plants in many industries” will meet in New York, Dec. 7 to 10, at the Oakley Chemical Co.’s ninth annual conference. Among the papers that will be read, 16 are on technical subjects covering the petroleum, baking, textile, railroad, auto- motive, laundry, dairy, power plant, paper, and other industries. eee More Steel for Homes and Farms* Advantages of Steel for Frames and Lath Make Its Increasing Use for Residential and Farm Construction Certain BY HENRY R. BRIGHAM ¥ TEEL is not playing the part that it could or should in the construc- tion of residences, apartment houses, gar- ' . ages and farm build- =>" ings. Residential construc- tion offers a large and almost untouched field for expansion of the steel industry, and the indus- try has much to ‘offer in the way of greater permanence, strength and reduced fire hazard. The customs of centuries, however, are not overcome without effort. It is up to the steel industry to arrange for the fabrication of steel for such purposes in designs that can be more easily and quickly handled and erected than wooden beams and girders and at less cost, and to arrange for its distribution in smaller unit shipments. The question is whether the prospect of increased business is bright enough to be worthy of the effort at the present time. There is no use discussing large apartment houses, for the value of use of structural steel in large buildings has been adequately proved and is being adopted. The problem is to obtain greater use of steel in small apartment houses, residences, farm buildings and small garages. The total value of building construction this year will be over $5,000,000,000, of which about 44 per cent will be in residential construction. It is safe to say that steel was a negligible factor in the greater part of that residential construction, whereas it doubtless could have been substituted to advantage for lumber in the framework and as floor joists. Making a con- servative estimate there was probably $200,000,000 spent for lumber that might have been spent for steel. The Building Age and National Builder predicts that the building boom will last several years and, if so, isn’t a possible annual business of even half that amount, or 100 millions of dollars, worth fighting for? The annual fire losses of this country are over $535,000,000 a year. In one year 162,427 frame houses, 37,531 brick houses and 282 fireproof burned. Steel frames and floor joists alone will not help much in preventing fires, but if costs can be made low enough steel can be combined with concrete, gypsum, asbestos or other mineral compositions, making fire- proof floors and protecting the steel from corrosion. The Question of Cost NE objection to the greater use of structural steel in residences, garages and farm buildings is the cost, but it is based on wrong premises and could be *From a paper presented at the third annual convention of the American Institute of Steel Construction at White Sulphur Springs, W. Va., Nov. 11 to 14. The author is chair- man, Housing Committee, National Association of Real Estate Boards, Boston 7 bh ee — : 1 7 |e — - —_ pa a wiped out by a campaign of education and practical demonstrations. Even if a steel joist of a certain length costs more delivered than a wooden joist of the same length suit- able for the same use, it does not necessarily mean that the final cost of erection of the building is going to be more. The greater strength and rigidity that can be obtained in the steel joist make it possible to reduce the number of joists and to lessen the necessary num- ber of supports. This may result not only in the use of less feet of joists, but in simplifying the entire struc- ture so that a considerable excess of cost per running foot of steel over lumber might not result in any greater final cost for the material for a building. Then, further, it is very possible, if the structural steel is cut to measure and delivered ready simply to be bolted or riveted in place, that with proper appliances for its erection time can be saved, as it is saved in the erection of skyscrapers, and labor costs can be reduced. If in the end a saving can be shown both in material and labor costs by use of structural steel instead of lumber, that saving will appreciably help to make it possible for the builder to use the necessary materials such as concrete to protect the steel and make a fire- proof and strong building as cheap, if not cheaper, than a building with a wooden frame which is not fireproof and which may be of shoddy construction without the innocent purchaser being able to detect the difference. Cheaper Than Wood HAT this is not an idle dream has been proved by one builder, who is profitably building small houses to sell, using steel frames and metal lath, finishing the exterior with stucco or brick. In itemizing the cost of a stucco exterior steel frame bungalow, size 24 ft. x 34 ft., with five rooms and bath, he says: “The cost for the metal lumber and metal lath for the building com- plete is $522.72, which will figure about $75 less than the wood joists, rafters, studs and lath for exterior and interior walls. The reason for this is that the steel in the frame is spaced on 2-ft. centers, whereas the studs in the wood house are spaced on 16-in. cen- ters; thus a saving in steel is effected. The erection costs run less, as laborers are hired at a cost of 60c. an hour, instead of carpenters at $1 an hour. The lath is installed by men at 70c. per hour, against $1.35 per hour for wood lath.” He uses 4-in. steel channels for all his framework and 6-in. floor joists and they are de- livered to the building site cut to length. He punches the necessary holes, claiming that he can do so cheaper than he can get them cut by the manufacturer. He says that “When it becomes known by the steel con- cerns of this country that the steel-frame fireproof house can be built at no greater cost than wood they will also find that producing steel members for house construction will greatly increase their tonnage output.” A Row of Telford All-Steel Houses as Erected in Industrial Centers in England 1445 Sr ae He RNP RST A ne FORE Nee yar — rr meg Sak sown eS i th SNe Shey ian! eaves as) ee aprre7- aaer AAT Se Sey ns nee ar 1446 THE IRON AGE November 26, 1925 So far reference has been made only to more use of steel in the framework. The metal lath business is growing fast and needs no comment except that if you have steel floor joists you can use metal lath and con- crete in making fireproof floors. But it may be pos- sible to extend the use of steel even further by using sheet steel for walls, as has been done in England. There, some of the frames are made of wood and the walls of steel, but the frame being incased the build- ings are practically fireproof. There is still some doubt as to whether those buildings are a success, which is due partly to that enemy of steel—rust—and partly to problems of insulation, both of which are illustrated in this country in the small steel garages which are now on the market. After the steel manu- facturers in this country succeed in satisfactorily re- placing wood in the framework of small building con- struction it might be possible to extend their activities to more use of steel in the walls when the problems of corrosion have been better solved. Meanwhile the substitution of structural steel for lumber in the framework of residences, apartments, garages and farm buildings in combination with fire- proof materials to decrease fire losses, to preserve our forests and timber supply, as protection against earth- quakes and tornadoes and to keep out rats and vermin, is a large enough prospect to be worthy of attention to those engaged in the manufacture of structural steel. Life of Blast Furnace Linings Changes in Operating Conditions Lengthen Use, Says M. C. Booze at Southern Ohio Pig Iron Association Meeting HAT the annual capacity of a blast furnace is de- pendent upon the life of the fire brick lining of the furnace and that there are so many factors entering into the determination of the latter that no accurate standard can be established, were conclusions reached by members attending the business session of the South- ern Ohio Pig Iron and Coke Association in the office building of the American Rolling Mill Co., Ashland, Ky., Nov. 18. Discussion centered about the setting up of a formula whereby the producing capacity of furnaces can be determined on an annual basis, as the American Iron and Steel Institute and the business papers have suggested. It was stated that the way in which a furnace is blown in and the method of operating it are influences which must be taken into consideration. The members decided to refer the question to the furnace rating committee for detailed study and acknowledged that the subject was too important to be decided hastily in a short business meeting. Extending Life of Blast Furnace Lining Manufacturers of fire brick are bending every ef- fort to maintain a high standard of quality and their products today are of better material and greater uni- formity than has been the case in the past, according to M. C. Booze, Mellon Institute, Pittsburgh, who read a paper on “Refractories for Blast Furnace and Coke Ovens.” He pointed out that information given by blast furnace operators indicates that an extension in the life of the furnace lining can be obtained by suit- ably altering the furnace design or operating condi- tions. In answer to a questionnaire sent out by R. M. Howe, one operator showed increasing tonnages on new linings installed in each of three furnaces. Rating the tonnage obtained with the first lining in one furnace as 100 per cent, the second gave 119 per cent, the third 117 per cent and the fourth 222 per cent. On a second furnace, basing the tonnage obtained with the first lining at 100 per cent, the second gave 145 per cent, the third 139 per cent and the fourth 209 per cent. These increases were brought out largely through changes in operating conditions. Mr. Booze referred to the demand which has risen within the past few years, for brick with extremely small variations and the progress which has been made in that direction by refractory manufacturers. He emphasized the fact that fire brick makers are using clays which are the purest obtainable and which are at the same time usable without resorting to expensive manufacturing methods. The best flint clays are se- lected, and while there are other materials more re- fractory, they are either costly or require such treat- ment as would greatly increase the cost of the product. Other materials of higher cost could be utilized suc- cessfully for adding to refractoriness, said Mr. Booze, but blast furnace operators have not indicated that these are necessary, apparently being satisfied to meet the problem by the liberal use of cooling plates. Aside from the furnace operating conditions, the kind of ore and the coke used, the rate of abrasion will be affected by the hardness of the refractory, the strength with which it is bonded together and the size of the in- dividual grains and pores. The limit in actual hard- ness for clays is probably closely approached by many of the products now supplied for blast furnace inwalls and tops American Silica Brick an Achievement The development of the manufacture of silica brick used in the construction of coke ovens is distinctly an American achievement, said Mr. Booze, and in this line the refractory industry of the United States is far in advance of foreign countries. The red or brownish spots that are frequently found on silica brick can be removed by reburning under proper atmospheric con- ditions and bricks spotted in this way may be as high in quality as any others. Such discoloration should not cause concern. Ralph H. Sweetser, president of the association, pre- sided at the afternoon session and announced the ap- pointment of the following committees: Coal evaluation committee: D, J. Demorest, chairman ; George M. Coughlin, Thomas DeVenny, E. G. Bailey, L. R. Forrest, E. A. Hitchcock, J. H. Briscoe and John Teegarden. Furnace rating committee: Charles R. Peebles, chairman; J. S. Ferguson, Kar] Steinbucher and H. A. Berg Membership committee: E. Brokenshire, chairman: Robert eae Standards committee: C. J. Rice, chairman; E. M. Wein- furtner, C. L. Bransford Sampling and analysis committee: W. P. Daines, chair- man; H, K. Bourne, H. E. Nold Accident prevention committee: W. G. Hoagland, chair- man; J. E. Purtell, H. E. Cook Ohio River Canal Project Urged Support of the program of the Ohio Valley Im- provement Association for the completion of the canali- zation of the Ohio River by 1929 was urged by W. C. Culkins, secretary of that organization, at the dinner meeting at the Bellefonte Country Club. Mr. Culkins stated that in 1924 more than 10,000,000 tons of goods valued at $128,000,000 were transported on the Ohio and that steel companies in the Pittsburgh district were pioneers in utilizing the river for moving their prod- ucts to Western markets. Donald Putnam, former sec- retary of the association, presided at the dinner session. Several refractory men and geologists were guests at both the afternoon and evening meetings. Those present included G. G. Coolidge, Harbison-Walker Co., Pittsburgh; John P. Bankson, General Refractories Co., Cleveland; G. P. Dovel, J. P. Dovel, Birmingham; W. R. Jillson, state geologist, Frankfort, Ky.; O. C. VonSchlichten, G. M. Enos and Charles H. Behre, Jr., University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati. President Sweetser announced that the next meet- ing of the association will be held in Ashland in the latter part of January. — — Improvements in Automotive Steels Determining Fatigue Values by Fractures—Varia- tions in Grain Size—Fine Grained Steels Better BY WALTER G. HILDORF This is the conclusion of an article on the same sub- ject published in THE IRON AGE, Nov. 19. The author is metallurgist, Reo Motor Car Co., Lansing, Mich. Fracture Testing of Steel Steel makers have fractured steel for many years for the purpose of judging the condition or quality of the steel from the appearance of the freshly broken surface. However, most of this has been done to aid in the manufacture of the steel. No one seems to have tried to connect the appearance of the broken bars with their impact or fatigue properties. It is well known that it is possible to easily obtain the usual physical properties such as tensile strength, elastic limit, reduction of area and elongation. This is be- cause the steel companies and the automotive metal- lurgists have cooperated to solve the problem. However, automotive parts are subjected to impact and fatigue, two properties about which very little is umenaunsinnereesisnco