Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-24
NEW CAST-STEEL GUN
Jacob Reese, the Inventor, Will EX-
pertinent by a New Process.
A GOVERNMENT TEST is WANTED,
Fine Steel to be Poured Around Rolled
and Hammered Core.
A LARGE STEEL COMPANY INTERESTED

Jacob Reese, the well-known inventor of
this city, is about to make an experiment
with cast steel gun by an entirely new
process. If the experiment is success, he
has made an arrangement with one of the
largest steel mills of the country, and they
will go into the gun business on a large
| scale.
The new gun will be cast around an ingot
"a inches in diameter. The ingof will be 40
inches in diameter first, and will be ham,
mered down nearly one-half. The core will
be placed in the center of the gun mold, and
the steel poured in around it. The molten
steel will be welded to the hot core which
is to be encircled by the molten steel.
After cooling the gun will be placed on .
lathe and = a hole bored in the 24-inch-core.
The inventor claims there can be no flaws in
the bore of the gun, and therefore is not lia-
BILE to burst. He also claims the metal will
not be porous, as it will be the finest steel
made
Mr.. Reese just returned from Washington
yesterday, and in speaking of the matter
said:
MUST HAVE BETTER GUNS.
"While in Washington found that army
and navy officers were still discussing what
is the best method of making heavy guns.
The question seems to be settled that we
must have better guns and better armor
plates than we now have. 1t is feared that
the built-up system now favored by the
Government will prove an expensive fall
ure, because the expansion and contraction
of the separate parts in built-up gun will
be different, according to the difference in
temperature, and thus the parts placed un-
der extra strains will be ruptured. 1t is
held that it is practically impossible to
make a cast steel gun free from poros-
ity, and still have it endure concussion
without fatigue.
81 have made arrangements with the Penn
sylvania Steel Company to manufacture my
compound ordnance, and a gun will be made
for Government test at an early day.
PROCESS OF CASTING.
''The Reese gun is made by different
process from all others. In the manufacture
of this gun, having a 20-inch bore, an ingot
~ 1uCuGS III uldWCbcE Is Cttob, anu, dlbCI Uc-
ing reheated, is rolled and hammered down
to "a inches in diameter and OF sufficient
length. This 24-inch core is then heated,
the scale seraped off and placed in the center
of the gun mold. Molten cast steel is then
poured into the mold until the latter is
filled. This molten steel is welded to the
hot, solid core by what is known as the
teeming weld. 1t is so thoroughly united
that it cannot be separated.
when the gun so cast is cooled it is
taken to the lathe and a 20-inch hole is
bored in the 24-inch core, thus leaving
wall of hammered or rolled steel inches
thick all around the bore, which is welded
to the body of the gun by an inseperable
union.
"There can be no flaws in the bore of such
q gun for the reason that the rolled or ham,
mered core walls will be as free from poros-
ity and as fine in texture as razor steel. We
hope to produce not only the most service
able, by all odds, but the cheapest gun ever
made. 1t is very gratifying to me to
know that a firm having such great facili-
ties and unlimited means as the Pennsylva-
mia Steel Company have this gun in charge.
I feel assured that important results will be
attained. If the experiment is success
the facilities OF the company will enable
them to make 100 tons in guns per day."