The Portland daily press., 1897-11-25
USE OF MAGNETS.
Great Plates of Metal Moved by Means OF
Electricity,

Think of q magnet that will lift five
tons of red-hot steel. Not only that, but
a magnet that will pick up half dozen
huge steel plates ard drop them, one at a
time, with as great regularity as the
farmer sows his corn. This is not what
might be, but what actually is, and any
one who cares to visit the plate mill of
the Illinois Steel company can see this
electrical marvel executed hour by hour.
The magnets almost seem endowed
with human Intelligence, so cleverly, SO
quickly, SO quietly do they conduct.them
selves. No machinery could be more
regular, and certainly none more salts
factory, One almost thinks to hlmseH
that the very attraction of gravitation IL
self Is hardly more wonderful tnan the
Aightness and sWiftness with whlcn fhese
great pieces of magnetized steel pick up
the steel plates. that would require oef
rick to hoist under any other elroum
stances. They pick them up as easily as
you would take penny from the taele,
and place them in the desired spot just as
easily as you would place that penny in
your pocket.
The magnets in use at the plate mills
are of the double pole type. The tirst one
was designed for loading four by four
inch btllets from pile in the stockyard
upon cars for shipment. 1t was found.
however, upon putting this magnet into
use that it did not operate on account of
the billets beIngsso thoroughly .entangled
inethe pile The magnets were then at
tacbed to a crane in the plate mill and
used for handling plat as stated. AS
a matter of fact, several other large con-
0erns have followed the example of the
steel company and with very satisfactory
results.
Magnet for this work, in connection
with an electric travelling crane. are
specially we'll adapted for handling plates
as the connections to the magnets are
placed on the bridge of the crane in the
same manner as the connections for the
operating motors. After the magnet is
placed on the plates to be lifted the elee-
trio connection is mads by means of an
ordinary switch placed in a convenient
position in the operators cage. The mag
nets are so designed t at they are practi-
cally waterproof and can be used, for
handling plates and other materials out
use by the Illinois Steel company can, as
Stated, handle with safety five tons of
metal, and for this only require about
four amperes with 240 volt current.
One of the greatest difficulties that
confronted the company when 1t first
bsgan to operate these magnets was the
task of handling the plates one at a
time. Of course it was not desirable to
pick up half dozen plates with the
magnet and throw them down in heap
somewhere. The system of handling
plates required that one plate at time
be taken care of. There was no principle
or precedent to go by in bringing about
the desired result, and SO it was left
to q keen witted electrician to solve the
in previous explanations of the company S
methods of handling steel, and he made
a study of the matter.
1t was not very long after the introduce
tion of electricity for the purpose before
this operator became very expert in oper-
ating the switch. 1t came to him one
day just what ought to be done to bring
the magnet up to the one plate standard.
So, after the magnet had been lowered
ON to the pile of plates, and several plates
taken up, the operator pulled the switch
out, thereby breaking the current for an
instant. He found by this operation that
one or two plates could be dropped off at
each breaking OF the current. the mates
next to the magnet retaining spffi cient
magnetism to hold them to the steel of
the magnet itself until the current was
again switched on. This operation was
repeated until only one plate remained
attached to the magnet, and it was then
an easy matter to deposit it in the desired
location.
The eccentric pole magnet, as one of
those in use is termed, was especially de-
ey1r~ aAd fNf. ho nd Iir1n h0 f1@od 4
ingots of steel. In fact, there aas been
no difficulty whatever in handling 6,
900 to, 8000-pound ingot at a low red heat.
This latter feature seems one of the most
wonderful to those who visit the mill and
see this marvellous accomplishment of
electricity. We have all been taught that
magnets attracted cold steel, but it is GER
tainly novelty to see one of these mag
nets Hitting the red hot metal just as
easily as it would that bar, which, il you
placed your tongue on 1t on frosty
morning, would stick closer than broth
er thereto.
AS labor saving apparatus the huge
magnets are beyond compare. They work
swiftly and silently and save an immense
amount of time. In fact, the limit of
their speed of action has never yet been
discovered, because it has never been con-
sidered wise to test them to their fullest
capacity, the ordinary, every day rate of
speed being considered sufficient to fulfill
all requirements. Previous to the intro
duction Of the magnet the work which is
accomplished required far greater ex-
penditurs Of time, both of men and
machinery, and on no occasions was the
work done so efficiently.
The effective use of electric magnets in
this manner has been limited, but where
the iron or steel is to be handled in such
shape that it is possible ito get a good
contact there is no doubt whatever that it
is the most economical and rapid method
of handling. A great many concerns
have been afraid to put magnets into
use, on account of the apparent danger OF
dropping the material, and thus endan-
gering the men who might Rbe at work,
In years of experience the company sup
plying the magnets does not know of a
single caseiwhere any one has been injured
by the material dropping and it firml V
believes that it is the safest way possible
of handling certain classes of iron and
steel products. The magnets are so de.
signed that 1t is impossible for the men
who arelplacing them to receive a shock.
Electricians who have studied this mat.
co