Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1897-01-14
TESTING STRENGTH.
fhe Most Dangerous Tests Are Tho
Made on Blocks of Stone.

fhe Most Dangerous Tests Are Those
Made on Blocks Of Stone.
Oneof the most interesting places In the
city Of Boston to one of mechanical turn
Of mind is the engineering building Of the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
and especially that part Of it where the
tests of the strength Of different materials
are made. The testing plant is one of the
best Of its kind in the country, and the
test Of the strength of about anything,
from twine to iron columns, can be made.
1t is not generally known, but it is fact
that 1t was at this plant that the first tests
OF large beams, columns, etc., for build
ings were made, and as result of the dis
coyeries which were made by these tests
the building laws all over the world were
changed.
The most interesting discoveries were
made with regard to the strength of wood
en- beams. Previous to these tests the
strength OF beams had been figured by test
ing small pieces of the same kind of wood
and then calculating the strength of the
beam from the strength shown by these
small sections. In making these calcula-
tions the small pieces which were tested
were taken perfectly clear and free of
knots, and allowance was made for the
weakening Of the beams by the imperfeo-
tions In them. AS a result of the tests
made at the institute ON entire beams it
was shown that this allowance was not
nearly large enough and that for some
time beams had been figured on to carry
loads which would bring them dangerous
~ near their breaking point.
The most imposing figure in the testing
plant at present is the big machine which
Is used for crushing and tensile tests. The
machine Is an Emery patent, and is on
Just the same principle as the one at the
Watertown arsenal, although it is not SO
powerful, the latter being the biggest in
the world. The institutes machine has a
strength of only 100000 pounds, but this
Is enough for any tests which are made
there, and, in fact, for the large majority
Of the tests which are made at the arsenal.
This machine will crush great iron
column together endwise in its powerful
grasp or will pull 1t apart as confectioner
pulls molasses candy.
More spectacular than such tests as these
are those made on wood beams, when the
great timbers, after resisting to their ut
most, bend upward and then break with a
tremendous, rending crash. The most
dangerous tests are those made on blocks
of stone, granite especially. A block of
granite will resist almost to its breaking
point without giving any sign, and when
1t goes 1t goes with report like q small
cannon and Is reduced almost to powder.
The small fragments fly with tremendous
velocity, and 1t is necessary in making
test of this kind to cover the object with
thick layers Of cloth to prevent the wound
ing of the students
Over in the corner of the basement is the
tortion machine, one of the most interest
Ing In the whole plant. 1t is powerful
enough to twist three inch bar of the fin
est wrought steel an unlimited number Of
times. 1t Is surprising the extent to which
n bar OF good material will twist before
breaking There are at the institute some
bars Of Norway iron which have been
twisted round and round 90 times in @
length of six feet, and the pitch is as even
as though 1t had been out with a machine.
Domestic iron, on the contrary, will stand
hardly any twist without breaking. The
means by which the twist is measured is
remarkably interesting. Two telescopes
are mounted on the bar before the twisting
a graduated scale ON the wall across on the
other side of the shop, and by this means
ihe slightest movement of the bar can be
'ead with the greatest distinctness. It
seems almost incredible, but 1t is possible
or man to take hold of the bar when it
las been clamped into the machine, and
~ twisting it with one hand to produce
which is discernible on the scale
IN the wall. Boston Transcript.
Mrs. Maggie Myers.
Villiamsport, Ind, writes: 1 su fer
d for months of severe stomach
roubles, caused by indigestion and
My trouble seemed al
lost uncomfortable. I purchased
ottle of DR.. Cladwell's Syrup Pepsin
t Armstrong and Swank and soon
s l had taken its contents was like
new person, and l now feel better
nd weigh more than l have in
ears, 1t is sold in l0c, SOC and $1.O0
zes at Saur " Balsley, Napoleon,
hio. I'm