Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-02-12
Mode sf csnstrset'ns t1e Iron Plate, for


the War Steamer "WarrIor.v
The London Engineer gives the following
interesting account Of the process by which
the iron plates for the new English war
steamer are constructed; ..tHo .f.r.f
The tests which were applied to the plates
furnished by the builders Of the Warrior
were fred at with sixty-eight Founders, at
200 yards range, and were cut in halves by
balls, fired one after another, on line drawn
on the surface, each ball striking immedi-
ately below its predecessor. Upon some
other plates the balls made circular inden-
tation upon the surface nearly as deep as the
plates, exactly of the form of the projectile,
as though q mold had been taken of il in
some soft and yielding substance 1t was
only after repeated trials that itwss decided
that the plates should be annealed scrap
iron. c.. .-..t ...
The labor involved in building up these
plates is enormous. In the first instance,
small scraps of iron are thrown into the FIRE,
and, when in state of red heat, are sub
jected to severe hammering, under the
steam-hammer, until the whole is beaten
and amaIgamated into q solid mass of about
half tun weight. This lump is then placed
on the top of similar mass, the whole
made red. hot, and hammered and welded
together. Repeated additions of this kind
are made, until about FIVE tuns of metal are
thus welded together in one huge, shapeless
body. This is then brought to a glowing
white heat, and placed under the huge ham
mer, the numbering blows of which grad
ually reduce it into shape. Again andagain
the enormous slab is put into the furnace
and hammered into one piece, fifteen feet
long, three feet wide and four and half
inches thick. .. .g.. - r
From ten to dozen men are engaged in
the work of moving these ponderous masses
of iron, which are moved about apparently
with the most perfect ease. Powerful cranes
swing the molten mass from the furnaces to
the hammer, a nicely adjusted balance is
provided by massive iron lever, one end
of which is welded into and forms part of
the metal, and this is provided with dozen
or more of horns or handles, by which the
iron can be turned in any direction; for the
plates are not hammered on the broad sur
face, but at the sides and at the bottom. The
plates efter being formed into shape, are
completely planed and squared.
Planning machines Of enormous size hug
these plates in their resistless arms, and bear
them slowly and silently under the sharp.
cutting edges of the tools, and thin shavingl
| of the metal, which, as they are cut off, col
up in long bright ringlets Of iron, attest thu
tremendous power of these noiseless and al
| but omnipotent machines.
| When the edgesand surfaces are made per
fectly smooth, like the finest work Of csbi
net maker, the plates are placed on end
gripped firmly by nnorticing machine, ant
as they travel slowly backward aud forwart
in the frame work against small tongue O
] steel, groove of about one inchin width an,
deptt, rs formed, into which the correspond
ing projectines forpisSd Oh the side Of anothe
plate will fit with the most perfect accuracy
| tbe plates all being made to doyetail on eacl
| of the four sides. "a trft r4 s.si..