The San Francisco call., 1906-11-14

fitting furnace or oven constructed
similarly to those ordinarily used in
our American smelling works. After
being thoroughly reduced to a fluid
state 1t is poured and conveyed in a
retort by a travelling crane to the He
roult patent electric oven. which has
capacity OF from one and a half to
two tons In this oven the necessary
quantities of carbon. manganese
chrome, silicum, nickel. tungstate, ar
senical iron, etc, are added to produce
any kind or quality of steel desired.
The whole process Of production takes
from two to two and half hours
The developing bath is heated by an
electric current OF 100-voIt tension.
which is brought into connection with
the oven by means OF a coal electrode
and carried back to the current by a
second coal electrode. both OF these
electrodes being suspended perpendicu-
larly through the top OF the oven and
adjustable so as to nearly. but not
quite, come into contact with the melt-
ed mass The current leaps from then
electrode in WIDE mighty vofeafc arc
and passes through the mass to the
second electrode, thus producing the
requisite degree OF heat sufficient for
the purifying and finishing process.
The casting molds for the electric
steel are the same are used in any
other factory. The cost of production
depends upon many points, which will
become clearer after further expert
ence with the new process Raw ma
terial, fuel. electric current, wages.
etc., depend largely upon the locality,
ETC., and the improvements In the pro-
cess that may be made make it Diff
cult to quote the reliable figures but
1t is safe to say that an average
quality OF Steel as heretofore pro
duced by the crucible process. can be
made by the electric process for from
so-S6 marks (s2S) TO 100 marks (s24)
per ton.
Mr. Lindenberg stated that a great
saving could be made by having ovens
or 10 tons capacity The consumption
or electric current In the present 2-ton
furnace amounts to $50 kilowatt hours
per ton of steel of the highest grade.
and 1t is believed that by the employ
ment OF lotion furnaces the current
could be reduced TO 160 kilowatt hours
per ton OF steel of the same quality
II lower standard of grade and
purity were desired. the current might
be reduced to 100 kilowatt hours 10
the ton of steel.
The consumption of the electrodes
is less thus far than was calculated
with the 2-ton oven in use-it costs
about Is cents an hour. In a lotion
oven this would probably be reduced
TO 80 cents an hour per ton. No dam
age to the steel from the electrodes
has ever taken place, as they are never
allowed to come in contact with the
steel Mr. Lindenberg also stated that
a lotion oven could be as easily
operated as the 2-ton furnace, which.
with the help OF an electric travelling
crane. is now operated by two men
and boy. Thus far no repairs to
the oven have been necessary The
electric steel produced at the Linden
berg works surpasses greatly any
crucible steel ever made. both in
quality and chemical purity. BY this
process the steel is freed and kept
clear Of all gas and bubbles, which
has never been possible by the old
methods.
This advantage OF the electric steel
over the steel manufactured bv the
old system Is because of It's superior
purity and permits the Introduction
OF from 20 to 80 per cent more car
bon than In the crucible steel Il can
be forged easier. is not easily affected
like the crucible steel. by the damag-
ing influence of 0verheating: IL Is
stronger and more Arm and offers
a much greater resistance to wear and
tear The new system also gives
added Independence on account OF the
very ordinary material used for pro-
dueing the steel Such advantages
have never been reached BY anv other
system, and IL has only recently been,<
given TO the public. This is accounted D
Tor by the fact that the inventor has
Kept the success secret until he was
enabled to demonstrate to the pablo
a complete successful working plant.
The electro process Is based on sclen-
tlnc metallurgical principles. which
are OF course. the secret OF the in
ventor, while the old crucfble method
was remelting system and depend
ens upon the use OF only the most ex-
pensive ores.