Omaha daily bee., 1885-04-03
UsRS OF STEEL.
Some Wonderful Results OF Expert
ments With tho Metal.
Pittsburp Commercial-Gazett

Pittsburg Commercial Gazette.
The latest use of steel Is In the manu-.
facture Of cannon. 1t Is probably the
most astonishing application yet made of
that metal. In 1880, about the time
mild steel came largely into the market,
the president of a company manufactur-
ing seamless brass aud copper pipe con-
cluded to try mild steel as a substitute In
certain directions for the more expensive
brass, copper, and other metals used in
his establishment. The process of manu-
facture was simple. A plate OF metal
was placed over a die and a msndrel forced
the plate into 1t just as a lady might place
a piece of tissue paper over her thimble
and then force 1t in with her finger. The
msndrel would force the metal Into a
shape like q deep bowl, with sides of uni
form thickness. By repeating this process
with other dies and mandrels, hydraulic
presses being used to shove the mandrel
through the die, the plate of steel even
tually became q steel tube of uniform
thickness and perfect bore and clrcumfer.
ence. The steel was found to work as
easily as the brses or copper, and no
change Of tools was necessary.
AS steel was cheaper than copper, the
advantage of substituting drawn steel
seamless tubes for brass or copper ones
was manifest. But the saving in price
was altogether the smallest gain. To the
establishment of those engaged In the ex.
pertinent, the steel was found to have
radically changed its character In the
process. 1t went into the machine soft
and pliable. 1t come out, although
drawn cold, abeautifully tempered spring.
If q tube was compressed it would In
stantly resume Its shape when the pressure
was removed. If struck with a hammer
1t rang like q bell, while tests of the
increased strength of the metal showed a
change that was wonderful. To fully
test It's strength o boiler of the Size and
style used beside every range in large
houses, was made from the steel by this
process. The metal of the boiler was
drawn out to a thickness of about one
thirtieth of an inch, and 1t then stood a
pressure of 600 pounds to the square
inch, giving way when that limit was
passed.
After this and other tests the expert
menters began to wonder why a gun bar.
rel could not be made of eteel by this
process that would be superior to any
other. They first made a tube of six
inches bore and half an Inch thickness OF
metal. This was drawn cold. Then
another was made of the same thickness
of metal, and of a bore that would per-
NIT it to be showed over the frat one by a
hydraulic press when 1t warmed, the first
remaining cold. A third was then drawn
over the two, and thus WAS completed n
1t was found that it would
stand a water pressure OF 10000 pounds
to the square inch. This cannon has been
sent to Sandy Hook, and the officers of
the artillery crops will try to burst 1T by
the usual tests applied to new annon
They have before them the astonishing
spectacle of a gun that will throw a solid
shot weighing 100 pounds, alt~houghethe
metal is only one inch and q half thick
around the powder. To people accus.
toned to zee the common cannon,
enormously thick at the breach, it will
seem incr edible that an inch and a half
of metal will serve the purpose better.
1t is well known that che cause of the
high price Of illuminating gas to the con-
sumner Is the great quantity lost by leakage
through the caet iron pipes used. In
this city 1t was found that this leakage OF
the natural gas was 50 great that serious
and fatal explosions occurred. Every
foot of the cast-iron mains has in con-
sequence been ordered out. The great
size of the bore needed prevented the use
Of lap-welded wrought. iron pipe, aud the
seamless pipe of paper thickness will be
used, it's great density being proof against
any leakage of las or liquid under any
The tendency to corrode even
under ground Is very small, but this OBJ
lection to steel will be wholly abvIated by
coatings either of tin oraluminium bronze
within and without. The steel pipe is
not only better but cheaper.
Milk cant are being made of tho new
steel tubing. The bottom Is IN eighth CT
an inch thick, and the sides about one.
fourth of an inch. The banging of the
most vigorous Yankee cheese maker or OF
the reckless brakeman on a milk train can
not dent them or seriously injure them.
The experlmenters have also turned
their attention to clock-springs, and they
have found that the new process not only
make a cheaper, but a superior quality OF
spring. Just what change the metal
undegoes In this process of drawing has
not been determined. That it becomes
tibrous Is plain. Iron drawn out into
wire becomes fibrous also, but 1t does not