The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-28
SOMETHING NEW IN STEEL.
Making Siege Guns of the Weight of Field
HOWitZers.

Howitzers.
New York Sun.
Following the recent developments in the use
of dynamite shells in common field cannon
charged with powder, is new departure in the
manufacture of cannon 1t comes from the ap-
parently endless variety of uses made of mild or
Bessemer process steel, and is probably the most
astonishing application yet made of that metal.
In 1880, about the time mild steel came large
~ into the market the president of company
manufacturing seamless brass and copper pipe
concluded to try mild steel as a substitute in
certain directions for the more expensive brass,
copper and other metals used in his establish
ment The process of manufacture was simple.
plate of metal was placed over die and
mandrel forced the plate into it just as a 4ady
might place piece of tissue paper over her
thimble and then force it in with her finger.
The mandrel would force the metal into a shape
like a deep bowl, with sides of uniform thick
ness. By repeating this process with other dies
and mandrels, hydraulic presses being used to
shove the mandrel through the die, the plate of
steel eventually became steel tube of uniform
thickness and perfect bore and circumference. The
steel was found to work as easily as the brass
copper, and no change of tools was necessary.
AS steel was cheaper than copper, the advan-
tage 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 astonishment of those engaged in the
experiment. the steel was found TO have radi-
cally changed its character in the process 1t
out, although drawn cold, beautifully tenn
pered spring. If a tube was compressed, it would
instantly resume it's shape when the pressure
was removed. If struck with hammer it rang
like bell, while tests of the increased strength
of the metal showed change that was wonder
full To fully test its strength boiler of the
size and style used beside every range in New
York flats 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,
of do 70 tho
square inch, giving way when that limit was
passed.
After this and other tests the experimenters
began to wonder why gun barrel could not 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 permit it to be showed over
the first one by the hydraulic press when it was
warmed, the first remaining cold A third was
then drawn oversthe two, and thus was com
pleted cannon. 1t was found that it would
stand water pressure of 70, 600 pounds to the
square inch This cannon has been sent to
Sandy Hook, and the officers of the artillery
corps will try to burst it by the usual tests APP
piled to new cannon. They have before them
the astonishing spectacle of a gun that will
throw a solid shot weighing 100 pounds, although
the metal is only one inch and half thick
around the powder To people accustomed to
seeing the common cannon enormously thick at
the breech, it will seem incredible that an inch
and half of this metal will serve the purpose
better
1t is wellknown that one cause of the high
price of Illuminating gas to the consumer is the
great quantity lost by leakage through the cast
iron pipes used. In Pittsburg it was found that
this leakage of the natural gas was so great that
serious and fatal explosions occurred. Every
foot of the cast-iron mains there has in conse-
quence been ordered out. The great size of the
bore needed prevented the use of lap-welded
wrought-iron pipe, and the seamless pipe of
paper thickness will be used, it's 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 OBJ
lection to steel Will be wholly obviated by coat
ings either of tin or aluminium bronze within
and without The steel pipe is not only better,
but cheaper.
Milk cans are being made of the new steel
tubing. The bottom is an eighth of an inch
thick. and the sides about one fourth of an inch
The banging of the most vigorous Yankee
cheese maker or of the most reckless brakeman
milk train cannot dent them or seriously
injure them
The experimenters have also turned their at
tention to clock springs, and they have found
that the new process not only makes cheaper,
but superior quality of spring. just what
change the metal undergoes in this process of
drawing has not been determined. That it be-
comes fbrous is plain. Iron drawn out into
wire becomes fbrous also, but it does not be-
come a tenpered snrinp