The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-04-20
TESTS OF FIRBPROOP Wood
The Navy Department Has Not
Abandoned Its Use on Ships.

Specifications Issued Concerning Its
Observation-Disclosures the Industry
l. Yet in Its Infancy. 1t May De-
veIoP Into Great Proportions.
The >.avy Department has not aban-
donod the use Of fireproof wood in the
construction Of warshiDs. a statement to
this effect is accredited to Naval Con
structor Bowles. Chief of the Bureau Of
Construction and Naval Repair and sets
at rest the rumors respecting the proba-
bic abandonment of the material, on ac-
count of recently discovered defects Tn
Gerwriters viii be gratifed at this news,
On account Of the Importance Of the eX-
perfments already attempted and the
progress made in perfectiug various pro
cesseS for rendering wood uon-iEfamma-
BILE
Government experts have devised rigid
tests TO which lumber must be subjected
before acceptance for US. in the construc-
ton of war vessels. According to Naval
Constructor BowIes. present specifications
require the employment Of freproof wood
for -'joiaer-wor5, decks. and misceilane-
ems interior woodwork of vessels now
under construction for the navy The Of
fetal specifications provide the following
tests:
The test for efficiency of freproohng Of
the material shall be made at the works
Of the ffreproo1ing company. and by d
Government inspector, and shall be as
follows: At least one sample shall be
taken for every Loco board feet OF each
dimension and kind Of lumber Prior to
treatment by the process, a sample OF
about fourteen inches lons and the width
OF the material (Which sample is TO re
main untreatedp shall be cut from one
end OF the piece, and the sample and
piece shall be so marked that they may
be identified after treatment After treat
rnent and drying. a second sample of the
same length shall be cut from the end of
the piece, and for each Of the pair of a
treated and untreated sample four test
pieces shall be made, two for tension and
two for cTossbreaking test
.sAu. specimens for tension shall be
twelve inches in length, and shall have a
circular section of One-half inch diameter
for 4 length of at least five inches at the
centre of the piece, and shall have the
grain running directly in a line with
the stress TO be applied. All Specimens
for the cross-breakiug test shan nave
length of twelve inches, width OF Two
inches and a thickness of One-fourth inch
less than the rough dimensions OF the SIZE
undergoing the test
For tension the ultimate stress per
square inch shall be determined Tor each
n
the samples for a given kind and thick
ness OF lumber for any one lot treated
shall not show q lCSs OF over 80 per cent
from that of the average ultimate stress
of the GntTeated specimens OF the same
kind and thickness.
For the cross-breabing test, each spec
linen shall rest on q rounded knife edge
one inch from each end, and shall have
the breaking stress applied by a similar
knife edge at the centre OF the upper
side and this last knife edge to press
nm u az Z
prevent cutting the wood A measured
force shall be applied up to the point OF
fracture Of the lower side, and at this
point the detection and force shall be
noted. The average force to break and
the average detection at this point OF
the treated material, as determined from
all specimens Of a given kind and thick
ness must not be more than Sol per cent
untreated material All these tests to be
the same way Of the grain All tests tC
be made at the same uniform rate Of ap-
plication of load
The test of f1reproofness shall be MADE
for each lot treated. and shall consist ii
placing a perforated lion kettle twelve
inches in diameter. the bottom Of which
is covered for depth of about two inch
IS with the shavi1gs Of the treated and
dried material over a Bunsen flame, until
the ShaViBgs inflame at one point UpoT
removing the bucket the fire must die out
without spreading to any extent The
shavingS for this experiment shall be
taken from the heart Of the samples al
ready used for the tension and the cross
bending test s sample Of the wood
placed upon an iron plate heated TO {
point where It Is just beginning to glow
and in a closed space. shall not take fire
but shall char gradually away.
While the industry is yet in its infancy
results already achieved have attracted
the attention Of the more important ma
tons SC that they now insist upon the USt
OF hreproCf wood in exposed portions o.
naval vessels