The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-05-16

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wa read, expressing regret that he was un-
able to be present, anc notifying the Coz
| ven tion that he had sent to them one of the
Inst itute's machines for testing lubricants.
Ace ompanying the letter were the results
OF several experiments.
STANDARD CAR AND TENDER-AXLE.
Mr.. II. M. Forney, editor OF the Railroad
Gazette OF New York, offered the follow
! ing:
Resolued, That committee be appointed
to confer with the Master Car-Builders' AS
sociation, or any other parties, regarding
the best form and proportions for stand
ard car and tender-axle, and that the CON-
mttee report to this Association at the next
annual Convention.
Adopted.
| COURTESIRS.
| Thanks were voted to A. Shaw, superin-
| tendent OF the Richmond and Petersburg
Railroad Company, and to the Chesapeake
and Ohio Railroad Company for courtesies
extended to the Convention. Mr.. Shaw Of
fered all facilities for an excursion to Pc
| tersburg. General Wickhnm desired 10
serve the members in any way most agreea-
| BILE to them.
| LOcoMoTIvE-wHEELs AND AxLEs.
The report Of the committee on " "the best
form and materials for locomotive-wheels
and ayles; also the best method Of COUNTER
balancing" partially discussed on Tuesday,
came up Us unfinished business. The fol-
lowing is an outline of it:
Your committee find it very difficult to
obtain any data which give comparisons
between the different classes OF wheels, and
are unable to make any recommendations
as to the best, considering both the ques-
4 finns NJ fI11ra hiIify md aponOmy
| They submit some tables showing differ
ence in first cost and cost for maintenance,
| rs far as they can from the meagre data they
have been able to collect.
In regard to driving-wheels, it seems
| from the answers to the circular sent out by
the committee almost the unanimous opin-
ion of those who replied that wheels with
hollow rim, spokes, and hub, are preferable,
only tagO favoring hollow rim and spokes
with solid hub, and one solid rim, spokes,
aud hub--the latter giving as reason that
there was additional weight thus given for
adhesion, without the additional axle fric-
ton. From the reports made on axles,
seven prefer steel aXles and three iron aXles
for engine-trucks, and six steel ayles, and
four iron aXles for tender-trueks. For dri-
ying-axies nearly ali prefer steel.
The committee recommend large-sized
|
their safety from breakage and being less
liable to heat from friction. They suggest
the following sizes for the different Jour-
nails for engines with 16X24 cylinders:
For engine-truck axle, 45X10 inches;
| For tender-truck axle, 33x7 inches;
For driving-aXle journal, 7XS inches.
Tracngs were submitted giving the aXles
recommended as standard aXleS. For ten
der-axles the committee recommended the
Master Car-Builders' standard. The COM
mittee submitted various plans sent them
! on the subject OF counterbalancing. The
first writer says: Figure q little and then
guess at it.' Others treat the subject more
seriously and elaborately.
The committee regret that they cannot
give more information in regard to the
relative cost OF steel and iron wheels. They
urge the Convention to adopt plan for
| obtaining the necessary data to accomplish
that purpose.
| The report, after further discussion by
Messrs. Forney, Black, Wells, Woodcock,
Rushton, johann, Hudson, Setchel, Hayes,
and Sedgely, was referred to a committee,
consisting OF Messrs. James Sedgely, Of the
Lake Shore and Michigan Southern rail-
road; Ii. l.. Cooper, Of the indianapolis,
| Bloomington and Western, and j. 81. Boon,
of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago,
to confer with the Master Car-Builders' AS
| sociation.
NEW MEMBER.
. D. A. Wightman, OF the Pittsburgh Lo-
comotive-W orks, was added to the list of
members.
LOCOMOTIVES.
Mr.. r. Wells. Of the Jeftersonyille, Madi-
son and indianapolis Railroad Company,
submitted the report Of the Committee 6 on
Best Materials, Methods, Forms, Proper
tions OF Construction OF Locomotiye-Boil-
ers. and the Best Method OF Promoting
Economy in the Use Of Fuel"
The committee complain that they have
| not been able to collect all the data they
would like. Over two hundred circulars
were sent out and replies only received
from twelve persons. In answer to the
question, {" Which hare you found to be
| the best material for the sheR OF the boiler,
iron or Steel?'' the preference is very de-
cidedly in favor OF steel, the committee say.
"Those who have used it longest are most
decided in their preference for it."
"In regard to the best thickness OF metal
for the sheets OF boiler from iorty-eight
to ffty.two inches in diameter to carry q
working pressure Of one hundred and thirty
pounds OF steam the opinion was unanimous
sufficient and the best thickness to be
adopted, taking all things into account and
| in the case OF good iron from three-eighths
| to seven-sixteenths was considered the best
thickness Of metal"
| To the question, "Io aohat e1tent does q
| aeclt on longitudinal seams add to, the
.stre,aoth of the 6oiter?" but little positive
| information was elected by the committee.
| The practice Of constructing boilers on that
plan has not yet become general.
To the question, "Do your boilers dete-
| ricrate iron, the inside IN the form OF pits,
commonly called pitting?" the committee
! have received various answers, but no very
conclusive reasons are given as to the cause.
Here follow syllabuses OF the ansWers.]
The general complaint is that they do dete-
riorate. The committee say that the infer
| ence is that some cause exists other than
defects in the metal OF the sheet. Just what
the cause is the committee is not prepared
to say other than that they believe it to be
chemical.
To the question, g What IS the best form
Of boiler for the ordinary eight-aoheet
1merican style of locomotive 2" the commit
| tee find that q majority prefer the piVn or
straight boiler, sometimes called the tele-
scope boiler. 6 Distortions OF every kind"
| saw the committee, g should be avoided in
| the form Of the boiler whenever 1t is posi-
| Bile to do SO, for the reason that the pressure
| within tends to change the shape OF form at
such points unless strengthened by stays or
braces; therefore the form nearest plain
| cylinder will be the strongest, and require
lIeast bracing, other things being equal."
5.stsW With the use Of comparatively pure Wa