The Van Buren press., 1893-09-09
THIN SHEETS OF IRON.

Som Recently Rolled Run 4.s00 to an InclAs
Among the novelties introduced on
the Continent lately are visiting cards
made of thin sheets of iron, revival
Of the exhibits made at the first Uni
versal exhibition, held in London ia
1851. The French and Spanish journals
have. been lately treating this matter
OF fine rolling Of sheets Of iron Us
novelty. but, in truth, the affair re-
sulted In competition between Amer
lea and English metallurgists arising
out of the exhibit of q specimen of iron
paper, If it may be SO termed, made in
1851 by an American firm A lively
competition in iron-rolling then en-
sued among British manufacturers as
to the thinness TO which steel could be
rolled cold. Mr.. elliott rolled sheets
the average thickness Of which was the
1,sOoth part Of I'm inch. In other words,
1,s00 sheets piled upon each other
would collectively measure an inch in
thickness, while the thinnest tissue
paper to be purchased in the stationers'
shops. or cigarette paper, measured
the 1.aOOth part of an inch. sItt
These very thin iron sheets arc per-
fectly smooth and easy to write on, al
though porous when held up to q good
light. 1t may not be out of place, con-.
sidering the great interest that is
taken by those connected with that
great branch Of industry, the iron
trade, to give u few curious particulars,
Rs to the extent iron. can be welded,
and the thin sheets that can be rolled
out. Brother Jonathan little thought
what a hubbub would be created in
the old country forty-two years ago.
when from Pittsburgh he sent that
wonderful letter, written on sheet of
iron, which took no less than one
thousand sheets TO make one inch in
thickness, the dimensions being eight
inches by five and one-half inches, or O.
surface of forty-four inches and weigh
ing sixty-nine grains The fact had no
sooner made its appearance in print
than Britain's sons began to work, and
soon we heard that a sheet containing
the same number of surface inches, but
weighing only forty-six grains, had
been made at the Marshfeld iron
works, Llanelly, Carmarthenshire, be.
ing exactly one-third less in weight.
But soon the Welsh leek had to give
way to the rose of England, for Stat
fordshire was anxious to take its wonted
lead. The Hope Iron Works succeeded
in making sheet of II surface inches.
weighing but so grains, which, reduced
to the American and Welsh standard of
"A inches, gives about 33 grains; Messrs.
r. Williams Il Co.. 90 inches 40 grains;
reduced to the same standard, about 81
grains. For time Staffordshire wore
the belt, but Wales became very rest
less and anxious for the honor of st.
David, SO further attempts were made.
Marshfield came again into the field.
They succeeded in making one sheet
sx5H inches, or surface of A inches
Of the astounding weight of 2s1S grains
only, which required NO less than 2 1858
sheets to make inch in thickness; an,
other sheet sx6 inches, or 4s surface
inches, weighed 25 grains, but brought
to the standard OF A inches, giveA but
23 grains, and requires 1880 sheets IA
make inch in thickness. The Pom
bAT0aWC III vVOTh6 1C6t C8kAaC al ~ WIG
field with . sheet l49[x7 6-l6, or SUR
face of 1l5xl7 inches, weighing %
grains; but being reduced to AZ inches
is 241s grains, trifle heavier than the
Marshfield. but Pontardawe claims 8, ,70Q
sheets to make l inch in thickness.
We now come to the CLIMAX. Ths
mill manager of Messrs w. Hsllam +
Co., of the Upper Forest Tin works.
near Swansea succeeded In making
sheet of the finest appearance and
thinness that hasever yet been seen BY
mortal eye. The iron from which the
sheet was rolled was made on the
premises. 1t was worked in finery
with charcoal and the usual blast;
afterward taken to the hammer, to be
formed into regular fiat bottom;
from, thence conveyed to the balling
furnace, and when sufficiently heated
taken up to the rolls, heightened and
cut by shears into proper lengths,
| piled up, and transferred to the balllng
furnace again; when heated it was
passed through the rolls, back again
into the balling, furnace. and when
duly brought to the proper pitch was
taken to the rolls and made into
thorough good bar. s'tsf
Such Is the. history IN. connection
with the forge department. It was
| then taken to the mills and rolled till
it was supposed to be thinner than ~
grains, sfterward passed through the
cold mills to give II the necessary
polish, and it stands ON record a the
| thinnest sheet of iron ever rolled. The
sheet in question was 10x5K inches 0r
IS inches in surface, and weighed but
90 grains, which, being brought to the
standard Of sxsK inches, or a surface
inches, is but 10 grains, or 40 per cant,
less than any previous effort, and re-