The record-union., 1896-09-06

of phosphorus. aluminium or magneSia
has effected the Improvement.
AS everything in the line of brass
composition from the entire system is
returned to the shop when worn out,
the greatest care must be taken to sep
arate the different grades and place
them in bins, ready for use again in the
kind of work for which they were Origi-
nally intended, and the Impractical eye
would discern little difference between
compositions, which If melted together,
would render the mass useless for any
purpose whatever.
Copper melts at about 2,2O0 degrees
Fahrenheit, but the compositions melt
at a lower temperature. Lead, tin, an
,timony and zinc melt at 800 degrees, or
2ess, and some of them boil and evapo-
rate like fluids if made too hot. Care,
therefore, must be exercised to modify
the heat in combining them to avoid
less and maintain the required proper
tions. Brass molding does not differ
materially from iron molding. a form"
of the article required is made in sand
and filed with melted metal. Finer sand
is required for brass than for iron work.
but the constituents are the same
per cent. VI Sduu duu - VI clay
Lime, magnesia or oxides of metal rem
der it unfit for use. Upon the quality
of the molding sand depends the pro-
duction of smooth, clean casting. Fre-
quently it is brought long distances,
and sometimes a blend of sand from
different localities is used. Some shops
are favored by having it within easy
access, but that used in this shop is
found about eight miles from the city.
Il, however gives satisfactory results.
While the metals requiring less than
800 degrees of heat can be melted in an
iron pot or ladle, and most of the Bab-
bftt and solder is made in that manner;
when combined with copper, the latter
is melted in a crucible made of black
lead and clay, and the other ingredients
added when the copper is fused.
Fourteen furnaces built Of firebrick,
each three fest deep by fourteen to six
teen inches square, with movable covers
arranged in two parallel lines, with a
ftue leading from each one into a fire.
brick-lined stack 125 feet high, consti-
tute the melting plant, and 5000 pounds
OF metal can be melted in one heat"
when all are in service. Coke or coal
is first placed in the furnace and ig-
nited; the crucfble is then put In and
more fuel packed around it. The copper
Is then put in and the cover laid in
place. When the copper in the crucible
is melted, more is added until the ca
pacity Of the crucible is reached, room
being left for the other ingredients that
constitute the full charge. When brought
to the proper temperature the crucible
is xxrif Il ~,
have been fitted to its shape and the
composition thoroughly mixed by STIR
ring. The dirt or dross that arises to
the top is then SKINNED off, and the
metal poured into the mold ready to re-
ceive it.
A large brick oven for drying the cores
which form the opening through the
hollow castings, like pump bands and
cylinders, and smaller one of sheet
iron for the valves and faucets, are part
of the equipment. There is also
'sprue cutter" for cutting out the gates
or runners by which the molds are filled.
An ingenious machine called the sep
arator is used for removing the particles
of iron that get mixed with the brass
turnin gs-both iron and brass being fin
lshed upon the same lathes. and fire.
Quently the two are joined together and
turned at the same time. 1t is next to
impossible TO keep them apart. AS a
very small amount Of iron will ruin a
large charge Of brass, it must be re-
moved. Formerly this was done by
hand with a horseshoe magnet, which
was tedious and expensive method.
The machine now In use consists Of a
hopper into which the turnings are put.
from which they are fed upon an in
clined table, which being agitated al
lows them to fall upon the top of a ro-
tating cylinder. This being permanent
ly magn etized, permits the brass to fall
into box in front, while the iron ad-
here's and is carried around to the rear
where it is brushed off into another box.
IS the machine requires no attendance
except to fill the hopper and remove the
boxes when filed, a great saving of la
bor is effected
Another wonderful piece af mechan-
ism is the car journal moldfng machine.
which performs an amount of work
equal to that Of three molders
in the ordinary way, and can
be operated by anyone of ordi-
nary intelligence after a few min
all ordinary castings where a great
number are required. The machine
consists of an iron table fastened upon
the end OF a piston rod projecting
through vertical cylinder below the
floor level. The patterns are fitted in
the table so that they can be Withdrawn
down through 1t. Upon one end of the
table is shown the top and on the other
ts.x 49,
bearing to be nodded.
The molding box consists of two pieces
which are held in position. when to-
gether, by pins in the joint of the top
passing through holes in the bottom
part They are separated and laid In
position on the table, which is fitted
with pins and holes to correspond with
those in the box. A shallow hopper is
placed over the molding box to allow
sufficient sand to be put on so that
when compressed 1t will just fill the box.
lever is then moved, which al
lows the cylinder to suddenly fiji
with steam and the table to rise
until it meets the ramming head
or block which is held in position
by two parallel iron rods The sand is
rammed in firmly by one thrust Of the
piston, the lever being then thrown
back. releasing the steam, and the table
descends to its first position, the pat
terms being caught by a dog and with
drawn through the table. The part OF
the box containing the bottom impress
sion is next lifted off, turned face up
and placed on the floor. The other part
is then removed and placed on top, and
the mold is ready to receive the metal.