The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-01-08

ings were made, and - . result Of ths
discoveries which were made BY theo(
tests the building laws all ovsr ~
world were changed
The most Interesting diRcOvcries weae
made with regEd to the strength a
wooden beams Previous TO thcse testa
the strength Of beams had been figured
by testing small pieees Of thesame kind
of wood and then calculating the
strength of the beam from the strength
shown by these small sections. II
making these calculations the small
pieces which were tesfed were taken
perfectly clear and free Of knots, and
allowance was made for the weakening
of the beams BY the imperfections in
them. As . result of the tests made q
the institute on entire beams IL vs.
shown that this allowance was not nearS
~ large enough. and that for some time
beams had been figured ON % CARY
loads which would bring them dangeNi
ously near their breaking point
The most imposing figure in the test
ing plant at present is the big machine
which is used for crushing and tensile
tests. The machine is al Emery patent
and is on just the same principle as tn
one at the Waterfowl arsenal ALTHOUGH
81 is not so powerful, the latter being the
biggest in the world. The instituteS
machine has q strength of only SOC. ood
pounds. but this is enough for sny tesss
which are made there. and. in fact. fos
the large majority of the tests which are
made at the arsenal. This machine win
crush great iron column togethe,
endwise in its powerful grasp or win
pull it apart as . confectioner pulls mo
lasses candy.
More spectacular than such tests a.
these are those made on wood beams
when the great timbers. after reeistina
to their utmost, bend upward and then
break with o tremendous. rendine
crash. The most dangerous tests are
those made on blocks Of stone, granite
especially. A block Of granite viii re.
sist almost 70 its breaking point wittr
out giving any sign. and when IL goes il
goes with n report like a small cannon,
and is reduced TO powder. The small
fragments fly with tremendous veloc
ity. and il is necessary in making . test
Of this kind to cover the object with
thick layers OF closh. to prevent ID
wounding of the students.
Over in the corner of the basement d
the tortion machine, one Of the most in,
teresting in the whole plant. tits powi
erful enough TO twist three-inch bas
OF the finest wrought steel an unlimited
number Of times IL Is surprising the
extent to which a bar of good material
will twist before breaking. There ar
at the institute some bars Of Norway
iron which have been twisted round and
round 20 times m a length of SIX feet :
and the pitch is as even a. though IL had
been cut with q machine. Domestic
iron, on the contrary, will stand hardly
any twisting without breaking. Ths !.
means by which the twist u measured
is remarkably interesting. Two telS
scopes are mounted on the bar befos9
the twisting process is begun. and these
are singhted on . graduated scale on
the wall across on the other aide of che
shop. and by this means the slightest
of the bar can be read Will
the greatest distinctness. II seems an
most incredible. but IL n, possible fos
a man To take hold Of. the ber when II
has been clamped into the machine
and by twisting IL with ono hand ID
produce a movement which - discerni.
Bile on the scale on the wall --.Eoetoa
Transcript.