The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1902-04-24
AMAZING IMPLEMENT.
Chicago Inventors Device Cuts
Steel as Easily as Wood.
ELECTRICITY DOES THE WORK.

Carbon Point Applied at an Intense
Heat Burns Its Way Through Met
Be Operated with a Current OF
Only Fifty Volts.
julius e. Easchke, Chicago electri-
clan, in discovering way to apply
electricity to iron and steel SO as to cut
or burn the metal as warm knife
blade does hard chunk Of butter. has
brought to bankers and other guard
ians of public treasure feeling Of in
security, says the st. Louis Post-D1s-
patch. Mr.. Haschke did not invent his
carbon point, the name given the metal
cutting device, for the purpose of open
ing bank safes nor does he. wish, so he
says, to aid or abet in any way the
dark lantern fraternity, yet he is able
to cut into two pieces the thickest iron
oar or steel plate.
1t makes no difference to Mr.. Hasch-
Ike whether he is called upon to cut in.
two a big, boiler pl e in st. Louis
brewery or sever asunder great steel
ribs in the Rookery building, Chicago
He goes about his labor with full con-
fidence that be can carry out his part
of the contract. Mr.. Haschkes expert
ence in Milwaukee a few days ago is
being reported far and near as an ex-
ample Of what his carbon point will do
A big boiler foundation was to be re-
moved from the basement Of a build
ing. 1t was almost impossible to get
the great mass Of metal out as it lay,
and then it was. equally preposterous
to think Of cutting the plate in two.
Mr.. Haschke's simple invention was
mentioned to the interested persons,
and he was invited to go to the Cream
City. Mr.. Haschke ensconced himself
in a little steel house, placed two pairs
Of blue spectacles to his eyes, and aft
er connecting his carbon point he
touched the steel plate. Persons stand
ing far back in the basement saw
lurid flame shoot up. 1t was white
light and produced extreme heat. The
light we'll nigh blinded the spectators,
but the operator was well protected
and did the work.
At the rate Of a foot in five minutes
and cutting or burning away a wide
space in the plate the carbon point
with it's terrible power, worked along.
Mr.. Haschke had no trouble whatever
In handling the work. and those who
watched him left the place, although
blinded by the light, aware of the val
ne Of the discovery Of the Chicagoan.
"My apparatus is simple and can be
operated with current of only fifty
VOLTS" said Mr.. Haschke. "Such a
voltage of electricity can be obtained
by tapping the wires Of almost any
large building. The modern building is
alive with electric wires, and shrewd
operator could easily find a service
main and gather from it all the power
needed to use his carbon point But /
have avoided the necessity OF tapping
wires by inventing little storage bat
terry, which use when my work is re-
CURED in this capacity. This battery
has twenty-eight cells, and ] am able
20 get just as satisfactory results as
with direct or alternating current"
The Haschke apparatus is simple. A
carbon Of electrode is attached to a
wood handle by means Of metal
clamp. To this clamp a wire is fasten-
ed, the other being connected with the
object to be operated upon. II safe,
the second wire is attached to hinge
or lock, as the fancy Of the operator
dictates. The eyes and face Of the
workman are protected against the
glare and the heat by box Of alumni
ium or sheet from. The carbon point is
thrust through hole In one side Of
this box. The box used by Mr.. Haschke
is small, and its inner sides are lined
with aabestus. Drillproof bessemer or
crome steel is cut as easily as the soft
er metals with this remarkable inven-
ton.