Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-04-29
4 PERFECT STEEL.
Mr.. Samuel Maxim Of Wayne Claims Won
derfui New Discovery.


Mr. Samuel Maxim OF wayne, NE,
a brother TO the famous Hiram MAXIM
CLAIMS to have discovered soiie'hi'is
radically rev in the manipulation VI
steel. He has found way ny which
pure wrought iron covered Win
chemical mixture, whlch iiiiAh' We
called mineral wax, IN coi.uet az vi
above red heat. win car"oiiaseous
matter Such as cnarcoa' ~ ''iep'aeh
for some length OF tihts - converted
into very superior steel III winch lug
carbon is whoiiy III ,he e"'ioi'ie" s'a'',
the mineral wax aotihs a. SUIT VI
stralner thToush ""ish ''S 'a' ''n " q
graphltordai lcHoenSs Nai'ii'e p' 90
II IS slm'iaf 70 the eeieoi ecu WootH
when is haue !" iiiu,a' III "ii'ch solie
writer's Claim ,he carr " oe WhohJ
combined. IL lsa wen h,'oWii iac. ina.
Wootz is the iiles' anu pest duahty CT
steer tnat can oe oouSh. III inc iiiafh.
To-Day Ii i@oi'uoii Wd'ehihake +
wants the pest steer 10 use IN ms watch
ne does MOI seiio W 0neiiieio' put 10 fhs
PunJaup LOT IL. MI. MAXIM says that
IN MS opihloH the superior QUANTITIES OF
WootZ are oue 10 tue TACT lhat the cray
cruciples toNereu over on the lhsid1
with the o'd grass sag IN melted
state act as sort OF stralher' throuSa
Which the carbon from the OUTSIDE
charcoal mas 10 pass before feachin%
the IRON. lnolah Engineering, IN a re-
cent issue gives MOST Interesting
account OF the manufacture O. Woo'Z
IN lndia. Wedge OF IRON FORMING
ABOUT a thiru part Oh one OIL the niue
humps produced IN an ordlnary Hlnuoo
iron furnace is put INTO conical, ur-
baked clay cruclble OF about The capac-
1ty OF a pint, with the addition vi a lew
fragments OF old glass Stag. The
crucible thus charged is closed at the
mouth with cap OF unpaked ciay Wetl
luted on and then well dried near a
fire. The furnace used Is lltt'e
circular pit in the ground, somewhat
dilated at the top. An eafthen pipe.
connected with two bellows, each con-
sisting of hullock's hide. and which
are worked alternately, enters the fire
place at the bottom. a row of crucibl' $
is first laid round the slopinS mouth Of
the fireplace. then within these another
row is placed and the center of the
arch thus formed is occupied by Il
single crucible making IN all fifteen.
The crucible in the outer row. opposite
the nozzle of the bellows. is then taken
out and in its stead an empty orucible
is placed horizontally with its mouth
directed nwards. This crucible can IL
readily drawn out and replaced. ard
the opening which it closes constitute 3
the firehole through which fuel is IL
troduced The fuel is charcoal, with
which the fireplace is filed, and the
arch of crucibes, charged as state !;
above is covered over The bellows
are then piled during four hours, when
the operation is completed. on break
ing open the crucibles the steel is found
melted into the well known conic;l
cakes of Wootz.'
Mr.. Maxim saws that carbon is geH-
erally considered to be the essential
steel forming clement The action {. f
carbon upon iron is very remarkable.
and though the effects are tolerate Y
we'll known. the cause of its action IS
even vet shrouded in mystery.
mo perfectly satisfactory explana-
ton of the theory of hardening and
tempering has vet been adduced. The
one advanced by Henry NJ. Howe is the
most plausible and the most scientific. -
Mr.. Maxim's admiration Of Howe
knows no bounds, and he calls him til
NAPOLEON of metallurgy. Whethe I
Maxim steel will prove all the invento /
claims for it is a question to be solved
but he seems to back up his claims
with the best of proof, for he mas