Search Documents

By Joseph Daniels

IN connection with a study of the feasibility of establishing a blast-furnace industry in the Puget Sound region of Washington, possible sources of ore supplies along the Pacific rim were investigated. Many of the South American countries are known to contain important resources of iron, particularly Brazil and Chile. This latter country, because of its position on the west coast and the easy accessibility of its de- posits, appeared to be a logical place to consider as a potential supply for the Pacific Northwest. Accordingly, a brief field study was made of the deposits in September, 1924. Attention was confined to a limited number of properties on the west coast in the provinces of Antofagasta, Atacama, and Coquimbo. Passing consideration was given to the question of coal resources, and a short visit was made to a blast-funace plant at Corral in southern Chile which had been operated for a limited period as a producer of pig iron. In the following paper, a brief outline is given of the general observations made and of the salient facts rioted in the time available for the general study.

Jan 1, 1926

By C. W. Davis

THE name fuller's earth, which was derived from its early use in "fulling" or removing grease from woolen goods, is a term that is generally considered to designate mineral matter, containing hydrous aluminum silicates of the clay group, which has a high capacity for removing colors from oils, whether of animal, vegetable, or mineral origin. Fuller's earths are usually dried and may be "tempered" by heating or may be treated with water or reagents to improve their efficiency. For our purpose the term "acid-treated earths" will include those products from the partial decomposition of mineral water -by acid which are equal to or more efficient than an untreated fuller's earth from Quincy, Fla., when used in bleaching mineral oil by the "contact" process. In general, the contact process for treating oils consists of heating and agitating a mixture of oil and finely divided adsorbent, the latter being subsequently removed by filtration. The term "adsorbent" is used because, although there has been a great deal of controversy over the mechanism of removal of impurities from oils by mineral matter, there is no doubt that adsorption, which involves the surface of the solid, plays a major part.1 The properties that make fuller's earth useful in the treatment of petroleum products by "percolation" and in the purification of edible oils by the contact process have long been studied, but the comparatively recent adaptation of the contact process to the bleaching of petroleum products has made desirable the further investigation of fuller's earth and other, adsorbent earths.

Jan 1, 1929

By F. Lynwood Garrison

It is not intended to make in the present paper any deduction or to formulate any theories from the results obtained by experiments. The further expenditure of considerable time and labor would be required to obtain a sufficient basis for positive assertions as to the microscopic structure of the different varieties of iron and steel, and the structural changes which take place in them. It is therefore my purpose at this time to offer simply a synopsis of the general results arrived at in a few months' work, a brief description of apparatus used, and a few hints as to the preparation and preservation of the material which it is intended to investigate. The study of the microscopic structure of iron and steel is not altogether new. Some attention has been given it in both England and Germany. But the foreign publications on the subject have thus far been confined, so far as I am aware, to two papers, one by Herr Martens, of Berlin, contributed to the Verein zur Befoerderuny des Gewerbfleisses and the other a lecture by Dr. H. C. Sorby of Sheffield. Dr. Sorby, it seems, was induced to investigate the subject as bearing on the structure of meteoric iron ; and the results he obtained are certainly very interesting. At the Boston meeting of this Institute, in February, 1883, Mr. J. C, Bayles called attention to the subject in a neat and exceedingly interesting paper, in which the work of Messrs. Martens and Sorby was summarized,* and original suggestions were added. It is at present difficult to say what will he eventually the practical value of the microscope, thus employed, in the sciences of engineering. The role which it seems most likely to play is that of' an adjunct to the testing-machine, and not (as some have supposed) a rival to the chemical laboratory. That it will be a most valuable accessory seems, to say the least, highly probable. I need hardly go at length into the details of preparing the material for examination. Mr. Bayles has described the process in such a plain and comprehensive manner that if his instructions are

Jan 1, 1886

By A. L. Holley

THIS process is performed in the Pernot puddling furnace; it removes from 75 to 80 per cent. of the phosphorus, most of the sulphur, and practically all the silicon, from crude iron, in from five to eight minutes. It has been in regular use since March, 1877, and has prod uced over seventeen thousand tons of washed metal for the open-hearth furnace. During two years, nearly all, and lately, all the open-hearth steel produced in these works has been made from about 5 tons of washed pig and 2 tons of scrap per open-hearth furnace heat. There are 12 open-hearth furnaces, of which 4 to 9 are running, according to the state of orders. A large amount of highly phosphoric iron from France and Belgium has been also washed and then puddled for parties who have taken, or are expected to take, licenses. The washing of pig for puddling, however, is not a practice at Krupp's works, because pure pigs are nearly as cheap as impure ones. The author and his assistant, Mr. Laureau, spent, during the last month, three days at Krupp's works, examining this process. They copied out of the office books characteristic analyses and physical tests, some of which are given herewith. They also brought hone many samples of pig, cleaned metal, puddle bar, and steel, which they saw treated. Analyses of some of these samples appear in Table IV. As there are no blast furnaces at Essen, the iron is melted in two Bessemer cupolas with fore-hearths; they melt 12g pounds of iron with 1 pound of coke. The metal is run by a spout from the fore-hearth into an opening at the side of the main door of the washing-furnace. The Washing furnace.-This is a regenerative gas furnace. It has a Pernot revolving-hearth of 12 feet external diameter and 3 feet depth. (See Plate.) The four regenerator chambers have 780 cubic feet capacity, which is about the same as the average regenerator capacity of open-hearth steel furnaces of equal tonnage. The lining is 13 inches thick on the sides and 9 inches on the bottom, thus giving a hearth 9 feet 10 inches by 2 feet 3 inches deep. The lining is composed of lumps of highly refractory ores

Jan 1, 1880

By A. L. Holley

This process is performed in the Pernot puddling furnace; it removes from 75 to 80 pel. cent. of the phosphorus, most of the sulphur, and practically all the silicon, from crude iron, in from five to eight minutes. It has been in regular use since March, 1877, and has produced over seventeen thousand tons of mashed metal for the openhearth furnace. During two years, nearly all, and lately, all the open-hearth steel produced in these works has been made from about 5 tons of washed pig and 2 tons of scrap per open-hearth furnace heat. There arc 12 open-hearth furnaces, of which 4 to 9 are running, according to the state of orders. A large amount of highly phosphoric iron from France and Belgium has been also washed and then puddled for parties who have taken, or are expected to take, licenses. The mashing of pig for puddling, however, is not a practice at Krupp's works, because pore pigs are nearly as cheap as impure ones. The author and his assistant, Mr. Laureau, spent, during the last month, three days at Krupp's works, examining this process. They copied out of the office books characteristic analyses and physical tests, some of which are given berewith. They also brought home many samples of pig, cleaned metal, puddle bar, and steel, which they saw treated. Analyses of some of these samples appear in Table IV. As there are no blast furnaces at Essen, the iron is melted in two Bessemer cupolas with fore-hearths; they melt 124 pounds of iron with 1 pound of coke. The metal is run by a spout from the forehearth into an opening at the side of the main door of the washingfurnace. The The washing-furnace.—This is a regenerative gas furnace. It has a Pernot revolving-hearth of 12 feet external diameter and 3 feet depth. (See Plate.) The four regenerator chambers hare 780 cubic feet capacity, which is about the same as the average regenerator capacity of open-hearth steel furnaces of equal tonnage. The lining is 13 inches thick on the sides and 9 inches on the bottom, thus giving a hearth 9 feet 10 inches by 2 feet 3 inches deep. The lining is composed of lumps of highly refractory ores

Jan 1, 1880

By Louis J. Demer, Paul A. Beck

As reported in a previous publication,1 isothermal grain growth in high purity aluminum and in an aluminum alloy with 2 pct magnesium can be adequately described by means of the empirical relation: [ ] or in some cases, by the simpler relation, [ ] Here, D is the average grain size after an annealing period t. The annealing period includes the time for complete recrystallization R, and the time for grain growth [to]. DA is the grain size as recrystallized, n is a parameter depending on the temperature and on the material. The effect of 2 pct magnesium in solid solution was to decrease D, and to increase R, A and n at a given temperature. The present work was undertaken in order to investigate the above listed effects of magnesium in solid solution, as functions of the magnesium content. The work also includes the study of certain anomalous effects observed in the recrystallization and grain growth of the 2 pct magnesium alloy at 350°C. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE The method of producing the ingots used in this work was described in detail1 and need not be reproduced here. The materials used were high purity aluminum, furnished by the Aluminum Co. of America, of lot analysis shown in Table I and magnesium from a high purity distilled stock of magnesium crystals. [ ] Ingots were prepared for a series of binary aluminum-magnesium alloys of increasing alloy content. The numbers used to designate these ingots and their magnesium contents by chemical analysis are given in Table 2. [ ] The analyses showed no difference in composition between the top and the bottom of the ingots. Spectrographic analysis of the ingots for elements other than magnesium showed, within the limits of accuracy of the method, no increase in impurities over the amounts given in the lot analysis for the high purity aluminum in Table I. Careful microscopic study of ingot 21 in the as-cast condition, at magnifications up t0 1500X, revealed a cer-

Jan 1, 1948

By Walter W. Bradley

FOR a number of years up to the economic setback of the 1929-1931 period, the greatest proportional advances in the mineral industries in California were made among the substances in the nonmetallic groupings, particularly among the so-called industrial minerals and the salines. During the past year or two, although these have not regained the stride that marked their progress in the preceding decade, we can still record, -some new developments. California produces annually between 55 and' 60 different minerals on a commercial scale. Of these, some 40 to 45 comprise the "structural," "industrial," and "salines" materials as grouped in the reports of the State's Division of Mines. Barite-The barite deposits of California were described in Report

Jan 1, 1935

Discussion of the paper of Leonard Waldo, presented at the New York meeting, February, 1911, and printed in Bulletin No. 76, April, 1913, pp. 555 to 559. HERBERT HAAS, San Francisco, Cal. (communication to the Secretary*):-Referring to Leonard Waldo's paper on Temperature Conversion Tables, I believe the following formulas can be easily remembered, and by reference to the thermomter scales of Fahrenheit (F.), Celsius (C.), and Réaumur (R.), their derivation and relation are at once understood n° F. = 4/9 (n°-32) R. = (n°-32) C. n° C.=(9/5 n° + 32) F. = 4/5 n° R. n° R.=(9/4 n° + 32) F. = 5/4 n° C. As the freezing point of water is at 32° F., corresponding to 0° C. and 0° R., 32 must be deducted from the Fahrenheit degrees when these are converted into C. or R. degrees. Likewise, to C. or R. degrees converted into F. degrees 32 must be added. The fractions 4/9 and 5/9 and their reciprocals are obtained thus:

Jan 5, 1913

By J. R. Linney

A HISTORY of the ore-mining and iron-smelting industry of the Adirondacks comprises a century and a half of pioneering by rugged individualists, both men and women. By geographical location, the climate is most severe-long, cold winters with heavy snowfall, and short seasons of vegetation growth; this, together with its remote location from large centers of population, adds considerably to the difficulties of conducting mining operations in this area.

Jan 1, 1943

By Earle C. Smith

The Chairman.—Mr. Earle Smith has kindly offered to make some remarks in connection with segregation in the product, Mr. Smith: E. C. Smith,* Cleveland, Ohio—I will start this Off by a story oF the code days of the American Iron and Steel Institute. In those days, Republic did not have a big strip mill, and the question came up of the check analysis of rimmed steel. I suggested that they let me be the chairman of the Committee on Accumulating the Information on the Variation of the Composition of the Ingots of Rimmed Steel. Somebody wanted to know why I wanted to be the chairman. I said, "we don't make any of the big ingots of rimmed steel, and no matter who makes them they are so bad that you don't dare publish the information. So if 1 collect it and hide it you can't charge me with having done anything that really disrupted the commercial situation." So, everybody furnished me with a rather complete story as to the horrible variations in big rimmed ingots. I took it out to my house and put it away, and it is still there. Now, segregation in the big ingot is no longer an "academic " matter as far as I am concerned. I am in a situation like that of the German who was told in 1956 about the coming war. He said: "until it is your throat that is going to be cut, you don't pay any attention to what is happening to the otherman." 'That is the way with the problem that we have in front of us. Recently I have been told that the 'Omptroller was questioning the payment for certain articles of stamped steel that had been made from rimmed steel, because upon check analysis of the rimmed steel it had been determined that these stamped articles were nut within the compositions that were included in the specification, and therefore he as the camptroller had no alternative. It was not meeting the specification; therefore, no payment. So I I say to all of you: You can very seriously consider this matter of segregation now and on into the future on the basis of the fact that it is actually going to cost your companies, which are making these products, money unless there is some new idea about the infallibility of quantitative , chemists who analyze some of these products or lawyers who read specifications, I don't know which man is going to be the major factor in the future. if the National Bureau of Standards could in some way show the specification writers the variation between good chemists analyzing for That they expect to be umpire eel. the writers would certainly realize that some of the to to which we have calmly signed our names as being O.K. are— well, as one man said to me, they might be filled by the devil, and they certainly could be filled by the Lord, but they could not he me by mankind. I would like to inject two or three things into a segregation study which I Want you to think about, because 1 would be a little surprised if there is very much discussion of them, In the first place, we generslly make steel in the United States in the basic open hearth, and I do not think there has bee,, nearly enough consideration given to segregation German the bath before it moves into the ladle. I am sure that any of the people who handled the 9400 series of the NE series when it contained the 0,60 per cent silicon have more respect than they had previously for the segregation that is within, the ladle; that is, before the metal reaches the ingot mold, the frozen ingots and the segregation in them. Another pint to which I think We ought to sis serious consideration is the segregation of iron oxide in the ingot-iron type of material, where the distinction between that and the steel segregation is that it is actually segregat. ing iron oxide, Normally we are segregating some form of carbon or sulphur, or something like that, with the stamping steel industry now coming down into the ranges of chemistry, where the segregation of iron oxide will be just

Jan 1, 1945

By Magnus Troilius

SINCE the discussion on steel rails in America has forcibly drawn attention to the value of chemical analysis, if not as a necessary stipulation, at least as a guide to control the usual mechanical tests, some doubt has been thrown upon the accuracy of the analytical results obtained by different chemists. To any one having the least acquaintance with chemistry, it is quite clear that if exactly similar results are to be obtained from the same borings of steel, exactly the same methods must be used by the different analysts. Hence the necessity (if complications are to be avoided) of establishing what I may call standard or normal methods, to be used both by the inspectors and by the chemists at the works. Remembering that the application of chemistry to steelrail inspection is yet in its infancy, it is of great importance to possess a perfect acquaintance with the best methods in use. Being myself a grateful pupil of Professor Eggertz, of the School of Mines in Sweden, it occurred to me, two years ago, that I could not do better than start a laboratory of my own, and engage one of his pupils, Mr. Troilius, for the purpose of analyzing the steel borings from mechanically-tested rails, so that I might thus obtain without delay thoroughly accurate determinations. Moreover, in order to carry on the operations in perfect accordance with the methods used at the steel works in England and Germany, where I had to control the manufacture, I deemed it desirable to allow Mr. Troilius to go through a course of training at these works; and I gladly seize this opportunity of expressing my grateful acknowledgments to several works in England and in Germany for affording every facility for such an exchange of information as mas found necessary in arriving at the best analytical methods to be used.

Jan 1, 1882

By C. W. Davis

THE name fuller's earth, which was derived from its early use in "fulling" or removing grease from woolen goods, is a term that is generally considered to designate mineral matter, containing hydrous aluminum silicates of the clay group, which has a high capacity for removing colors from oils, whether of animal, vegetable, or mineral origin. Fuller's earths are usually dried and may be "tempered" by heating or may be treated with water or reagents to improve their efficiency. For our purpose the term "acid-treated earths" will include those products from the partial decomposition of mineral water by acid which are equal to or more efficient than an untreated fuller's earth from Quincy, Fla., when used in bleaching mineral oil by the "contact" process. In general, the contact process for treating oils consists of heating and agitating a mixture of oil and finely divided adsorbent, the latter being subsequently removed by filtration. The term "adsorbent" is used because, although there has been a great deal of controversy over the mechanism of removal of impurities from oils by mineral matter, there is no doubt that adsorption, which involves the surface of the solid, plays a major part.1 The properties that make fuller's earth useful in the treatment of petroleum products by "percolation" and in the purification of edible oils by the contact process have long been studied, but the comparatively recent adaptation of the contact process to the bleaching of petroleum products has made desirable the further investigation of fuller's earth and other adsorbent earths.

Jan 1, 1929

By E. C. Smith

THE CHAIRMAN.-Mr. Earle Smith- has kindly offered to make some remarks in connection with segregation in the product, Mr. Smith: E. C. SMITH,* Cleveland, Ohio-I will start this off by a story of the code days of the American Iron and Steel Institute. In those days, Republic did not have a big strip mill, and the question came up of the check analysis of rimmed steel. I suggested that they let me be the chairman of the Committee on Accumulating the Information on the Variation of the Composition of the Ingots of Rimmed Steel. Somebody wanted to know why I wanted to be the chairman. I said, "We don't make any of the big ingots of rimmed steel, and no matter who makes them they are so bad that you don't dare publish the information. So if I collect it and hide it you can't charge me with having done anything that really disrupted the commercial situation. So, everybody furnished me with a rather complete story as to the horrible variations in big rimmed ingots. I took it out to my house and put it away, and it is still there. Now, segregation in the big ingot is no longer an "-academic-matter-as far as II am concerned. ¬I am in a situation like that of the German who was told in 1936 about the coming war. He said: "Until it is your throat that is going to be cut, you don't pay any attention to what is happening to the other man." That is the way with the problem that we have in front of us. Recently I have been told that the comptroller was questioning the payment for certain articles of stamped steel that had been made from rimmed steel, because upon check analysis of the rimmed steel it had been determined that these stamped articles were not within the compositions that were included in the specification, and therefore he as the comptroller had no alternative. It was not meeting the specification; therefore, no payment. So I would say to all of you: You can very seriously consider this matter of segregation now and on into the future on the basis of the fact that it is actually going to cost your companies, which are making these products, money unless there is some new idea about the infallibility of quantitative chemists who analyze some of these products or lawyers who read specifications. I don't know which man is going to be the major factor in the future. If the National Bureau of Standards could in some way show the specification writers the variation between good chemists analyzing for what they expect to be umpire results, the writers would certainly realize that some of the specifications to which we have calmly signed our names as being O.K. are well, as one man said to me, they might be filled by the devil, and they, certainly could be filled by the Lord, but they could not be filled by mankind. I would like to inject two or three things into a segregation study which I want you to think about, because I would be a little surprised if there is very much discussion of them. In the first place, we generally make steel in the United States in the basic open hearth, and I do not think there has been nearly enough consideration given to segregation within the bath before it moves into the ladle. I am sure that any of the people who handled the 9400 series of the NE series when it contained the 0.60 per cent silicon have more respect than they had previously for the segregation that is within the ladle; that is, before the metal reaches the ingot mold, the frozen ingots and the segregation in them. Another point to which I think we ought to give serious consideration is the segregation of iron oxide in the ingot-iron type of material, where the distinction between that and the steel segregation is that it is actually segregating iron oxide. Normally we are segregating some form of carbon or sulphur, or something like. that, with the stamping steel industry now coming down into the ranges of chemistry, where the segregation of iron oxide will be just

Jan 1, 1944

By R. W. Raymond

This name is applied to the present mining law, as enacted in 1872 and since, to indicate its leading characteristic—in which it differs from all previous mining laws of this or any other country. The earlier act, passed in 1866, was practically the first attempt of Congress to deal with the question of mining titles upon the public domain. It was framed after nearly twenty years of acquiescence on the part of the Government in the self-constituted tribunals, officials, rules, and customs of the mining districts. In its recognition of these, and in several other particulars, the act of 1866 was open to serious criticisms. It is the purpose of this paper, not to trace the history of legislation on this subject, or show in detail what were the faults of the earlier law, but rather, by a discussion of certain aspects of the present law, to point out how great a revoluition it has effected in the rights of mining locators, and to indicate some of the difficulties attending its application. In the attempt to correct the vagueness of the act of 1866 an entirely new elernent was introduced into the law, bringing with it a new set of difficulties. Under the act of 1866 and the miners' customs which it followed, the lode was the thing claimed and subsequently acquired by patent. And the claim to a given number of feet on the longitudinal course of the lode was rooted in 'a discovery of any part of the lode in any part of the claim. ("Extensions" could in many districts—perhaps universally—be located and claimed on the strength of the discovery in the principal claim to which they referred; but this is a point not essential to the present discussion.) It was not necessary to find the outcrop or the upper edge of a lode in order to lay a valid location upon it. An explorer, sinking a shaft and intersecting a lode not already discovered and claimed by another, could claim by that discovery the number of feet along that lode which the local laws might permit (not exceeding the maximum set by the United States statute) whether his sur-

Jan 1, 1884

By Yeatman, Pope

FOR many years geologists have felt that mining companies should adopt a more liberal policy in the publication of their reports. The increasing usefulness of the geologist to the mining profession in recent years demands that consideration be given to this question. Prior to 1900, the call for geologists of high reputation by mining companies was probably mainly in connection with lawsuits arising from the interpretation of rights or ownership as defined by the "Law of the Apex," and from problems such as finding the continuation of the vein or whether the vein followed was the main one or a branch. Later, outside of legal questions, the most intensive and general use of their services arose from the search for oil. Geologists to determine the position of the formations

Jan 1, 1938

By Magnus Troilius

INTRODUCTION BY C. P. SANDBERG. SINCE the discussion On steel rails in America has forcibly drawn attention to the value of chemical analysis, if not as a necessary stipulation, at least as a guide to control the usual mechanical tests, some doubt has been thrown upon the accuracy of the analytical results Obtained by different chemists. To any One having the least acquaintance with chemistry., it is quite clear that if exactly similar results are to be obtained from the same borings of steel, exactly the same methods must be used by the different analysts. Hence the necessity (if complications are to be avoided) of establishing what I may call standard or normal methods, to be used both by the inspectors and by the chemists at the works. Remembering that the application' of chemistry to steel-rail inspection is yet in its infancy, it is of great importance to possess a perfect acquaintance with the best methods in use. Being myself a grateful pupil of Professor Eggertz, of the School of Mines in Sweden, it Occurred to me, two. years ago, that I could not do better than start a laboratory of my. own, and engage One of his pupils, Mr. Troilius, for the purpose of analyzing the steel borings from mechanically-tested rails, so that I might thus Obtain without delay thoroughly accurate determinations. Moreover, in Order to carry on the, operations in perfect accordance with the methods used at the steel works in England and Germany, where I had to control the manufacture, I deemed it desirable to allow Mr. Troilius to go through a course of training at these works; and I gladly seize this opportunity of expressing my grateful acknowledgments to several works in England and in Germany for affording every facility for such an exchange of information as was found necessary in arriving at the best analytical methods to be used.

Jan 1, 1882

By Francis F. Lucas

A microscope objective of given numerical aperture, when used with light of given wave length, has some fixed limit of resolution. This may be expressed as potential resolving ability—the ability to resolve is inherent in the lens but whether this limit is achieved in practice is quite another matter. Nearly 50 years ago Abbe evolved theoretical considerations which indicated that the ability of a lens to resolve detail is directly proportional to twice the numerical aperture of the objective and inversely proportional to the wave length of the light used. It is true, unquestionably, that as the numerical aperture of the objective is increased the potential resolving ability of the lens is increased and likewise when the wave length of the light used is decreased, the degree of resolution is increased. Whether Abbe's formula expresses the exact relationship is not a matter of great concern. It suffices to know that to improve resolution, other things being equal, two avenues of approach are available. Either the numerical aperture of the objective may be increased or the wave length of the light decreased. With the apochromatic system it is possible to employ successfully wave lengths from 400 to 500 uu and still secure reasonably short exposures. The present limit for numerical aperture is 1.40 N. A. although objectives of 1.60 N. A. are now an experimental possibility for metallurgical work. Thus certain well defined limits are set for those who work within the range of the visible spectrum. In order to take advantage of the increase in resolving power which accompanies a decrease in the wave length of light employed, Dr. A. Kohler and Dr. M. Von Rohr of the Zeiss Scientific Staff developed the "monochromats." These are quartz objectives corrected for the single wave length 275 uu which lies in the ultra-violet region of the spectrum. They also developed a series of quartz oculars and a complete photo-micrographic equipment with which to use the quartz optics. Quartz must be used for the optical parts because glass absorbs ultra-violet light almost completely. Thus there was made available about 20 years

Jan 1, 1926

By John Birkinbine

Four meetings of the Institute have been held in the anthracite coal-fields of Pennsylvania, and excursioris into the district, in connection with meetings elsewhere, have familiarized our members with

Jan 1, 1892

By Frederick M. Becket

AFTER all the chronology that has been given, what is the present status of chromium steels? For the purpose of this discussion the different types of chromium steels can be divided into three classifications-those containing relatively low , percentages of chromium, say 5 per cent or less; the medium-chromium steels containing up to about 18 or 19 per cent chromium; and the steels containing still higher percentages of chromium, and some of the special alloys. Chromium has some unique effects in steel, so it is well to make a few generalizations. The affinity of chromium for carbon is great and the metal is unique in the manger in which it supplements and enhances the effects of carbon. Chromium retards -considerably the thermal transformations on cooling and exerts an opposing influence both on the absorption and precipitation of the carbides in steel. These statements make it easy to understand the fact that chromium .steels are capable of producing a hardened product at a much slower rate of cooling than is, true of plain carbon steel, and that chromium carbide or -the mixed carbides of iron and chromium do not contribute to brittleness to as great a degree as does iron carbide.

Jan 1, 1929

By John E. Sweet

THERE have already been so many subjects of a purely mechanical nature presented to the Institute of Mining Engineers, that it is unnecessary for me to apologize for adding another to the list. When a new invention, or what is supposed to be a new invention, claiming simply an improvement on the well-known devices, is to be described, it is usual to point out the defects of the old and give a history of the object or the art up to date. But, as no doubt a large proportion of the members of this Institute know as much, or more, about the history and use of the steam-engine indicator than I do myself, I will not further preface the subject, than to remind you that what called for the Richards's improvement on the Watt's indicator was high speed ; that the leading improvement was the reduction of momentum in the reciprocating parts; and that this was accomplished by making the parts lighter, and reducing the travel of the heaviest of them, and consequently the speed and momentum. The use of the indicator has been extended, for the speed of steam-engines and other prime movers has been increased, until one engineer at least, John Cooper, of Philadelphia, says, "I want an indicator that will work up to a thousand revolutions." Mr. Thompson, of the Buckeye Steam-Engine Company, of Salem, Ohio, has improved on the Richards's indicator by another reduction in the momentum, which is done by putting the parallel motion nearer the fulcrum of the pencil arm, reducing both weight and travel. The characteristic feature of the indicator I am going to illustrate is a still further reduction in the same direction, which is accomplished by dispensing with the parallel motion altogether. As is often the, case, in putting a simple idea into shape, some difficulties

Jan 1, 1879