Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-06-15
NOW PAPER CAR WHEELS ARE
MADE.

The Allen Paper Car Wheel Works
extremity Of Pullman. H., though the
Union Foundry and Car Wheel CoHpa-
ny is building a large foundry and
dwelling houses about half a mile north
Of this point, which will doubtless be-
come u part Of Pullman at an oarly day.
The buildings Of the Allen Company
are two parallel structures. extending
80. feet north and south by LEO feet,
connected in the center by an annex.
The rear building is used for foundry,
and in the front building the paper car
wheels are made and fitted into their
oasings. On the second floor are tho
Offices Of the company. Above the CEN
ter floats flag bearing the words, 1.-The
Allen Paper Car Wheel Company"
Tho Western Paper Trode SAYS: En-
tering the Office, the visitor is conducted
to point On the first floor where the
straw board il received, at present at
the rate Of about carload week. II
10 the ordinary straw board Of CON-
merce, which until recently had been
purchased ut the Rockton Mills, in this
state, but is now made Mt the Alien
Company's mill, at Morris, H., where it
is cut by machinery into circular disks,
with hole In the center for tho hub Of
tho wheel. These disks are little lar
ger than tho sizes required for the
wheels, which are Nc, 81 and II inches.
Three Of these disks are fastened togeth-
Or with ordinary -four paste, applied by
hAnd with n brush. and the triple sheets
arc lied together TO the thickness of
three or four feet. Then the mass is
placed in hydraulic press and subject
Oh to pressure Of about go tons for
three hours. When removed from the
preas each three sheets il found incor.
porated into single solid board. These
boards are sent UP stairs 70 tho heating
room and subjected to a temperature III
10 Fab. for two weeks, or until every
drop of moisture has been extracted.
They are then sent down stairs and
pressed again TO strengthen them. and
pasted together, dried and pressed
again and again, until they are Of the
Thickness required Of the wheels, having
70 undergo hydraulic pressure three
times, and 70 rsmain in the drying and
seasoning rooms some six weeks, or
even more.
when the paper material for the
wheels Is prepared. il varies from four
30 five inches in thickness, according to
the aixe Of The wheel. and 10 40 solid 40
The hardest wood. Ono hundred and
uoventsen sheets Of ordinary straw
board contribute to tho paper structure
Of q ~ inch wheel. and one hundred
sheets 70 4 rs inch wheel. After being
thoroughly dried the papsr block is car
Yied to tho trimming room aud pleced
upon q lathe, the tender of which Is
given steel tire 10 which tho block ia
W be fitted. and il il turned to the re-
Quired size, which 10 always little lar
ger than tho interior OF the tire that il
~ cover the edges Of the paper. Then
the block is handed over 50 the painter,
Who treats il 70 two cOatA consuming
about quarter Of 4 pound Of brown
mineral paint, and it Ia then ready to be
fitted into the tire. Il is again removed
TO the ground door, and forced into shs
tire by hydraulic pressure. applied q the
rate OF 500 pounds 10 the square inch,
SO that the paper block fits a. closely as
possible into the rim of the wheel, the
whole structure forming 4 very compact
mass. The hub Is then forced into its
place, and heavy iron plates fastened
upon either side Of the wheel by strong
bolts extending through it. The wheel
10 then ready for use. A ~ inch wheel
will weigh about Ills pounds, divided
- follows: Paper. l65 pounds; tire,
$50 pounds; sids plates, 40 pounds: hub.
200 pounds; bolts, 80 pounds. The tires
are Of the best German stesl, made NJ
the krupp Works In Prussia; tho
wrought iron plates. hubs and bolts are
Of American material. the castings be-
tng made ~ PaIitnAn. American tires
are NOS used, Il n stated, because they
are mot yet made In sufficient numbers
70 sUpply the dsmand.
Ab0at eighty men are now employed
IN the Allen Works hers, and the CON-
pany have factory Of about the sAsne
capacity at Hudson, n. 7. Moro men