The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-08-30
INVENTIVE ACTIVITY.
No Man is Secure In Any Mechanical
Field.

No Man is Secure In Any Mechanical
Field.
It il striking feature of these days of
rapid mechanical progress that no man is
secure in the possession in any part of the
mechanical field, says the Globe-Democrat.
He may hedge ;about new invention with
innumerable patents and esteem himself SO
we'll protected that he can snap his fingers
at competitors. But ere long another gen
Jus comes upon the field with an article
adapted to the same purposes, but probably
made in wholly different way, SO that his
junction. Indeed, the former will be most
fortunate if the newer production does not
supersede his own. There are certain lines
of manufacture in which the principles fol-
lowed have not been changed for SO many
years that they are regarded as standard,
and new works are laid down on the old lines
with variations only in details. But these
tlme-honored preserves are now being in
vaded by daring innovatOrS, and one after
another branch of manufacture succumbs
to the march of mechanical progress. Our
pages have never been SO rich in the illus
tration of new designs of machinery, tools
and mechanical apparatus OF all KINDS as IN
these latter days: There may, indeed be
uOUUlIlK ucW uuuOE UuO buus OAu AAC"
ways of doing old things are certainly COM
ing forward with startling rapidity.
In the line of heavy machinery the new
process now developing are IN the dlrec-
ton of improving the functions of the ham
mer and rolls. 1t is curious fact that rolls
are now being made to do much better and
more rapidly great deal of work once
handled exclusively by forgemen, while, on
the other hand. improvements in hammers
and dies have enabled another GLASS of
work to be taken from rolling mills or from
foundries because it can be turned out bet
forgeman. Less of this is occurring. how
| ever, than in the adaptation of rolls. In
| the hands of the skillful modern manipu-
| lator of rolls results are being accomplished
which seem incredible to the uninitiated.
Rolls are no longer deemed capable ot1but
one movement, and that in the direction of
breaking down and reducing The univer--
sal mill introduced side rolling or lateral
| compression, which was marked improve
ment, but there are now in use many varla-
tions of side rolls, conical rolls, rolls with
automatic expansible openings, oscilIatlng
field for the development of the rolling
mill has been most fruitful one, and its
possibilities have by no means beer
exhausted. A rich harvest il
yet in store for inventors who will
revolutionize sheet rolling, while beams
than they now are by the old methods: Ths
York beam mill promises we'll in this direc
ton. small model of that mill, with roll.
but two inches in diameter, has produced
perfect miniature steel Deems of one Incl
in height from hard steel bar, two inches
wide by one and one-haH inches thick.
was an extraordinary performance for
mere model. and shows what can be dom
with rolls. The new tire mill of the Chi
cage Tire and Spring company is now DOM
plished by any rolling mill, and is demon
strating daily the superiority of rolls owe
hammers for that character of product
These are but few of the examples whicl
might be cited to demonstrate the progress
being made in the direction which we hav
indicated.