The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-09-25
SOME THOUGHTS ON COLD LEAD.
And Some on Lead Which is Not
COid-HOVv Cincinnati Makes
Three Thousand Miles Of
Lead Pipe Every

COid-HOw Cincinnati Makes
Three Thousand Miles Of
Lead Pipe Every
Year.
The manufacture of lead pipe aud sheet
lead. together with the different uses
and qualities of this metal, is a subject
that has elected mueh discussion both
in this country and Europe, especially
in reference to its relation to the public
health.
A STAR reporter had occasion few
days ago to visit one Of the most extern
sive lead pipe manufactures in this city
and see Of the large machines for pre-
pairing sheet lead in operation.
AT Que end or the machine 10 large
cupola capable of holding 10000 pounds
Of metal, with an orifice situated at the
bottom, from which the molten lead is
allowed to flow into large iron pan
Here the lead is partially cooled, when
by means of an iron crane IT IS turned
over, out of the pan, and on small pull
eys which carry it between two solid
steel rollers. The sheets of lead are
generally passed through the machine
from two to three hundred times. In
order that the surface Of the sheet may
be without any depressions and per-
iectly smooth, pieces of lead are placed
in any depressions that show and are
forced into them by the rollers. Sheet
lead prepared in this way weighs four
pounds per square foot for one-six-
teenth OF an ineh thickness.
The next important branch of the
pipe for water and gas supply.
Lead pipe has been in use over 800
years in England and elsewhere,
and during tnat time has had longer
practical test for water supply purposes
than pipe mada OF any other metal, and
has been founa far superior. 1t com
bines the necessary requirements OF
strength, durability and pliability. By
some 1T is maintained that water drawn
through lead pipes is unhealthy, but this,
from constant use, has been ascertained
| to- be an untounded assertion.
Some years ago the English Parlia-
ment inves .igated this, and found that
| by far the healthiest water was drawn
through pipes made Of pure lead, and in
another instance in lake which OBJ
tanned its supply from adjacent lead
mines the water was found free from
anything which might be detrimental to
health. Lead pipes are Of all sizes in di-
ametricaI dimensiOns-1fom n Of an inch
caliber to = inches. The iightest is
| n of an inch, used for fountain or aq-
ueduct purposes. 1t weighs / ounce per
loot. The manufacture or lead pipe is a
branch of business with which lew per-
sons, except those Immediately inter-
ested, are familiar. 1t IL formed by
means of hydrostatic press, whicn
forces the melted metal into the required
form. The melted lead is forced through
steel circular dies of the required size,
which makes the outside OF the pipe.
| Through the center oil the cylinder, and
fastened to the piston passes mandrel
which determines the diameter of the
bore, making the inside OF the pipe as
smooth as the on side. AS the piston is
driven upward the lead is forced on the
outside OF this mandrel, through the an.
nular dies, and comes out on Inc top oil
the press in the shape OF a finished pipe,
aud is then rolled upon a drum in coils
ready for sale. Lead pipe was formerly
made by casting short thick cylinder
with the required bore and rolling this
cylinder out over q mandrel. Tubes
made in this way were limited to thirty
leet in length, ana D0th 1or This reason
and the slOwness OF the process, subse
quent inventions were substituted, and
were found to be far superior.
In this city during the past year over
5000, 900 pounds of lead pipe were manu-
tactured, OF which 100000 pounds were
used in this city alone.
| The largest mandatory in this city
and which principally supplies this anC
adjoining States, makes ON an average
900 ieeL OF lead pipe in one day. Itls
employed over nine months in the year
ana during that time manufactures alone
over 14,90O, 900 feet Of led pipe, which
amounts to nearly three thousand miles
in length. Besides this IL makes 40U, ,00l
pounds of sheet lead per annum.
The capacity Of pipes for water supply
will be seen by the following: The
quantity OF water that will flow through
a pipe 500 feet long in twenty.Iour hours,
with ten-ioot fall, is 5,6 gallons for a u
inch bore, 1850 gallons FOR n bore, 2,O4l
gallons for 5s incn bore, 300 gallons ioi
u inch bore, 6,624 for l inch bore, and
1900 gallons for N inch bore.
Egypt, so the correspondents tell US
i =