Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27

De USED as guide to manufacturers Ill
keeping their output up to their claims
To cite specific case in the study Of
this matter, the arc lamps In Alexandra
were recently found to give only about
one-fOurth the reputed candlepower. A
study OF the case brought out the fact
that the actual performance of arc lamps
is usually only a fraction of the adver-
tised candlepower. due to ignorance and
the Lack of proper. testing facilities.
Another investigation along similar
lines is that Of gas photometry. Upon
the request Of the District Commissioners
the bureau examined the gas street lights
here and reported a plan by which the
contract lights could be brought up to
standard and large increase in the
illuminating power was effected.
i K
Another line of work of which the pub
lie gets the most direct results is that in
connection with bridges
Building and skyscrapers. By .
1n.A,. new method and new
A~o'eAAoAS' form Of strain gauge.
with suitable points reamed out in select
ed members of new structures, the change
Of dimension is quickly measured. graph
cally plotted and the chart tells the story
of strains and stresses, the strength OF
the structure and it's safety during the
process of erection.
Formerly the steel used to make the
frame was sampled and the strength OF
the sample was tested, after which the
structure was designed by the engineer
and architect. based upon the advance
laboratory test No test was made DUR
ing the erection of the building 70 oe-
terInine its strength or safety. Conse-
quently fatal accident occurred, such as
that of the Chicago Coliseum and the
Quebec bridge. Under the new method
used by the bureau of standards these
impending accidents could have been de-
tected long in advance of their actual
occurrence The new Quebec bridge. soon
to be erected, will be built under the
supervision Of an expert from the bureau,
who will use the new method to insure ats
strength and safety.
The expansions and contracttons IN
heat and moisture are also being sys-
tematically measured by the bureau In
various parts of the country. The re-
suits have already shown that the
method. as developed at the bureau by
James E Howard. is distinct forward
step toward insuring the safety of struc-
lures and consequently reduction
in the loss Of life which hereto
fore has resulted from lack of SIM
pie tests. Among the works now
the Bankers Trust building in New York,
the Kansas City bridge. the locks at the
Panama canal sample concrete roads and
vitrified brick roads.
Experiments have been carried on by
the bureau in connection with watches
and CLOCKS. by which it
Regulating was found that the faulty
-. time keeping Of a watch
A1MeP1eceS. or clock was due TO the
gear wheel being imperfectly centered.
temperature changes, or the position OF
stem or face. The results OF these IN
yestigations have been sent to watch and
clock makers. and while the bureau is
not yet prepared to begin testing watches
for the general public, the basis for their
Improvement has. been established. The
chief aim Of the Investigations was to en-
able any one to purchase watch or
clock bearing the certificate OF the
bureau the certificatiOn to he a reliable.
unbiased indication of the performances
which might be expected of the time
piece. The many applications of time
mea surement to both industrial and
engineering problems make this work
especially valuable.
To match colors is an art requiring eX-
perience. Judgment and color-true eye.
Moreover, color-matching Is important
in many industries. At present the bu-
reau is carrying on experiments In TINS
with ne" form OF coicti.
meter, designed by an assistant at the
bureau by means of which any. tint or
shade of any hue may be written down
in a simple formula possible TO be match
ed anywhere in the world For instance.
a sample of butter may be found to be
of the color accurately represented by
the formula plus 10 per cent white.
The number. here represented by dasfes,
is the wave length of the dominant hue
of yellow, which, when mixed With 40
per cent of sunlight, the white of the
formula, gives correctly the color of the
butter sample Color analysis is i'm
portant in dye making, paper and pottery
and ink making. One demon
stration of what can be accomplished by
this method of color analysis which is
the future it is possible that dressmak-
ers, milliners and others will be able
to match colors without sending samples,
but merely formulas
Thermometers of the highest grade are
only recent products of American manu-
facturers. The bureau
recently carried on a
c.,,, series of experiments
S'oAAooA "AA~u' in cooperation with
makers. with the result that
the standard of temperature has been
placed on a basis of accuracy hitherto
unattained The bureau first studied
on sale by various makers,
found their scale in error by an amount
which could not be neglected. Clinical
were found which might
read normal when fever was present. or
vice versa. Inaccuracy was the rule, ac-
curacy an accident. After several years
of searching investigation, theoretical as
we'll as practical experimenting and Sc
curing standards from England, France
and Germany and checking them against
the ice point and the steam point under
rigorous conditions, the temperature scale
for ordinary ranges was Set up. Standards
were then loaned to the American manu-
facturers who visited the bureau to study
the subject, and by these means, as well
as tests. advice, publications and visits
to factories and laboratories, the ther-
industry has been put upon a
higher basis. Makers have set up labora-
tories patterned after that at the bureau,
apparatus, I'm order that q stand
ard might be maintained.
Chemical analysis has been brought up
to q high standard by the bureau. This
has been accomplished by establishing
of accuracy by the issuance of
standard samples of about forty Analysed
of known composition. Sets Of