The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-12-28

making q brilliant spectacle, which Is.
however, surpassed by that presented
when the air Is let on and the converter
turned back to the upright position, as
the powerful blast of air (twenty to
twenty-five pounds pressure per square
inch) when it first bursts through the
metal, forces out showers OF bright
sparks, which for . moment appear to
fill the air.
As pig iron contains about two per
cent. OF silicon and four per cent. OF
carbon, and as steel must be practically
free from Silicon, and have only
about 40 Of one per cent. OF
carbon. to convert the iron
into steel the silicon and carbon must
be entirely removed. By forcing
through the molten pig iron such i'm
mense quantities OF atmospheric ar,
the carbon in the iron combines with
the oxygen Of the air, and being con-
sumed passes of in the form OF gas the
silicon being also oxydized is removed
from the iron, and when all these ele.
ments are thus expelled the material
arrives at the condition chemically OF
pure iron, and is then really for the adj
dition of the recarbonizing material
which returns to the charge enough
carbon to give the steel the required
carbonizatiOn.
To convert charge requires from
fifteen to twenty minutes. At first
there is comparatively little flame pass
ing out of the converter, but it rapidly
increases passing with dull roar into
chimney stacks above the mouth OF the
converter. As the blast continues the
flame increases more and more. and
grows in brilliancy until it rivals the
light of the sun and becomes too bright
for unaccustomed eyes, passing out OF
the stacks high into the air, lighting up
at night the vicinity; the noise having
also increased to q roar which may be
heard at considerable distance. After
the carbon has been expelled the flame
looses brilliancy and drops very notice
ably, the blast is shut off and the con.
verter is turned down. As the converter
is turned down the blast again sends
out splendid shower of sparks. AT
this point the recarbonizing material Is
introduced. This is Spiegeleisen, me-
tallic combination of iron and
manganese with carbon. 1t is melted
same as the pig iron, and q quantity
propOrtionate to the weight OF the
charge is run into the converter. 1t in
stantly pervades the metal in the con-
verter throwing off flames of q peculiar
hue as the manganese and carbon COM
bine with the metal, and the charge at
once becomes steel and is discharged
into the steel ladle.
In front of the converters are two
semi-circular pits several feet deep, and
in the center of each pit the powerful
hydraulic crane which supports the
steel ladle is placed. The steel ladle is
swung around under the mouth of the
the ladle, after which it is swung back
over the cast-iron molds that are ranged
along the side of the pit and the steel is
discharged through the bottom of the
ladle into the molds, where it soon CON.
geals and takes the form of ''ingots,"
containing enough steel for several rails.
After the steel is poured out of the con-
verter another charge of iron is run into
the same or another converter and the
above repeated. As there are three
converters in the converting department
of the Pennsylvania Steel Company one
is always ready to use, and the process
goes on day and night. As soon as the
ingot loosens itself from the mold by
contraction the mold is stripped off and
the ingots are loaded soon as possible
while red-hot, onto trucks for removal.
The ingots, ladies, molds, and all
heavy articles. are handled by the aid
of hydraulic frames, whose power is
derived from powerful pumps that fur
nish a pressure of 2S0 pounds to the
square iEch, the pressure being applied
by persons stationed where they can OBJ
serve every operation and apply the
pressure as it is needed.
When charge of ingots has been
loaded on the trucks small locomotive
speedily moves it to the blooming mill,
where the ingots are reheated in fur
naces, and are then passed through the
blooming rolls, which reduce the size to
seven inches square. The ingot is then
cut into pieces of length required to
make rail- which, under the name OF
blooms" are conveyed tofhe rail mill.
where the blooms are reheated and
rolled into rails" After the rails have
cooled they are inspected to find any
defects. made straight and true, and
drilled at the ends for spGces.-Psnn-
sylrania Steel Circular.