St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1885-04-18
Uses of steel.

|
The latest use of steel is IN the manu-
facture of cannon. 1t Is prooaoly C1o
most astonishing application YET mauo
Of that metal. In 1880, ABOUT Ine ClLno
mild steel came largely into the mar
Eat the President of a company manu-
FEATURING seamless brass and copper
nine concluded to try mild steel as
in certain directions, Tor Ihe
more exDensiv brass, copper ana oGner
metals used in his establishments, Inc
nrocnss of manufacture was simple. "A
ppIate Of metal was placed over a ole
aenI mandrel forced the plate into IL
inst as a lady might place piece Oh
{t;ssre naner over her thimble and then
force # in with her finger. The man
dreI would force the metal into shape |
Ike a deem bowl, with sides OF UNIFORM
thickness, By repeating this process
with other dies and mandrels' hyotauilo
nresses being used to shove me man
9rel through the die, the, plate OF steel
eventually became steel TUBE OF UNI
form thickness and perIecI oole a4 ~
circumference. The steel was Iounu "
work as easily as the BRASS OF coppol'
A. steel was cheaper than copper, the
advantaoe Of substituting drawn steel
Seamless tubes for brass or copper, ones
was manifest. But the saving IN price
was altogether the smallest gain. 70
The astonishment of those engaged III
the experiment, the steel was found 10
have radically changed its character IN
tha process. It went into the mach1ne
soft and pliable. 1t came out, although
drawn cold, a beautifully tempered
snrinp. If a tube was compressed IL
would Instantly resume its shape When
the nressure was removed. II struck
with q hammer it rang like bell, Wnlle
tests of increased strength OF the metal
showed a change that was WONDERFUL ~
To fully test its strength q boiler Oh Tue
size and style used beside every range
in large houses was made from the stt9l
by this process. The metal OF the poll-
er was drawn out to Thickness OF a tI1s
one-thirtieth of an inch, and 1t then
stood a pressure of 600 pounds to the
snnare inch. giving way when that limit
was passed. ~ n;
After this and other tests the expert
mentors began to wonder why a gun
barrel could not be made of steel by
tlis process that would be superior TO
anv other. They first made a tube OF
six inches bore and half an inch thick
ness of metal. This was drawn cold.
Then another was made OF the same
thickness of metal, and a bore that
wnnld hermit it to be showed over the
| first one by hydraulic press when It
warmed, the first remaining cold. "A
| third was then drawn over the two, ana
thus was completed cannon. 1t was
| foupd that it would stand water pres
snre of $4,000 pounds to the square men.
| This cannon has been sent TO Sandy
Hook, and the officers OF the artillery
corps will try to burst 1t by the usual
tests applied to new cannon. Ihey
have before them the astonishing spec
tacle of gun that will throw a solld
shot weighing 100 pounds, although the
metal is only one inch and hait timex
around the powder; 10 people accus-
toned to seeing the common cannon.
enormously thick at the breach, it will
seem incredible that an inch and half
Of this metal will serve the purpose bet
ter. GU
4 IT is well known that one cause of the
thigh price of Illuminating gas to the
Econsumer is the great quantity lost. by
I-leakage through the cast iron pipes
used. In this city it was found that this
leakage of the natural gas was so great
that serious and fatal explosions occur
red. Every foot of the cast iron mains
has in consequence been ordered out
The great size of the bore needed pre-
!. vented the use Of lap-welded wrought
iron pine, and the seamless pipe of pa
uer thickness will be used, its great
density being proof against any leakage
. of gas or liquid under any pressure
The tendency to corrode even under
ground is very small, but this objection
to steel will be wholly obviated by coat
i ings either of tin or aluminium bronz'
within and without. The steel pipe il
) not only better but cheaper.
Milk cans are being made OF the ney
steel tubing. The bottom is an eight
! of an inch think. and the sides .abou
one-fonrth of an inch. The banging 0
the most vigorous Yankee cheese make
or Of the most reckless brakeman ON
milk train cannot dent them or serious
ly ipiure them.
Tie experimenters have also turne
their attention to clock springs, an
thew have found that the new process
not only makes cheaper, but supe
rior quality of spring. just VIVA
: change the metal undergoes in this pre-
: cess Of drawing has not been determln
! ed. That it becomes fibrous is plall
Iron drawn out into wire becomes /
$ brous also, but it does not become
: tempered spring.-Pittsburg Commel
. cial Gazette.