The New York herald., 1922-02-04
Sheet and Wire Field May
Be Revolutionized by
Steel Compound.
MANY LINES TO BENEFIT
Ship, Bridge and Automobile
Makers Could Use Non-Cor-
rOsive Metal.

perishable steel have been brought at
last within the pale of practicable
commercial products. In the opinion
of Thomas A. Edison. Charles NJ.
Schwab and other manufacturers,
metallurgists, inventors and chemists
who know of recent developments in
his field, the achievement is probably
one of the most important in modern
netallurgy. In the magnitude of it's
influence on the metal industries it is
likely to be well nigh revolutionary.
The announcement that the long
sought goal Of rustproof iron and steel
had been attained was made last night
in an address at Cooper Union before
the alumni association of that institu-
ton by DIR. Miller Reese Hutchinson.
DR.. Hutchison is a noted inventor and
engineer. though not the author of
this particular discovery
He was for many years Mr.. Edison's
confidant and chief engineer. was a
member of the war time Naval Con-
sulting Board and is the inventor of
the Klaxon automobile horn, of de-
vices which have supplanted the old
car trumpet in enabling the deaf to
hear and of many other utilities.
Perfected In England.
In his Cooper Union address Dr.
Hutchison announced the recent dis
covery of method of manufacturing
rsaterial which. when mixed with
molten steel or iron, renders 1t entirely
rustproof and to a great extent even
acid proof. The speaker gave the prin-
cipal credit of the discovery to w. B.
Ealantine. an English metallurgist
mental work in certain of the mills of
Sheffield. England, has had the CO.
operation of other experts.
DR.. Hutchison exhibited samples OF
the base material itself and also speci-
mems of sheet iron. wire cables. cook
ing utensils and other articles made
from this imperishable product. AS
result of experiments in England 1t
has been foreseen that rustless iron
and steel also could be used success
fully In the manufacture OF cutlery,
art metal work, hot water bottles, bath
room fittings, bolts and nuts. bicycle
parts. cooking utensils, drop forgings.
electric fittings, engine fittings, stoves
and ranges. steam radiat0rs and rail-
way fittings.
The final phase of the problem. which
10 make this material sufficiently due
tile to permit of It's use on a scale
commercially profitable in the rolling
OF iron and steel plates. structural ma
terial. rails. or even wire.
Process of Immense Value.
''Since the original discovery and
utilization of iron and STEEL" said DR..
Hutchison. there has been an unceas-
ing battle between man and the de-
terioration of iron and steel through
oxidation. or 'rusting.' as it commonly
is called. Witness the necessity for
constant vigilance and repeated paint
ings of such steel and iron structures
as the Brooklyn Bridge, for instance.
Imagine then the value of steel
or iron possessing all the strength OF
ordinary steel or iron. but which can
be left without attention for genera
1ions of time and even in the most
humid OF climates.
This wonderful material is known to
the metallurglcal world as chromium. II
Is found in crude state in many parts of
tho world and as chromite ore Is reduced
in an electric furnace, producing an
alley Of iron and chromium. with from
4 to per cent. of carbon in 1t. This
high carbon product has been CONNER
cially available for many years and IL
used in the manufacture of automobile
axjes cutlery and other high carbon
steel products to which the chromium
imrarts great .oughness.
THE production of rustless sheet iron
and wire and of low carbon steel. how
ever has proven heretofore commercially
impracticable because of the until now
high cost Of removing the carbon from
Tie ferro-chrome of commerce. Unless
TIE carbon is removed or reduced TO q
very low percentage the addition of tna
chromium to the molten iron OF mild
steel carries with IL so much carbon tina.
tho resultant product is too hard to roll
into sheet and TO draw into wire to mees
q market now dependent on galvanized
sheet and wire.
"a large use to which this new ma
terial can be put Is in the manufacture
of n low priced automobile which will
rot have to be painted There is no
more attractive finish than that Of bur-
nished steel, which is impaired to this
r:sterial by the fabricating methods"
.ship HulIs TO BE Free OF Scales"
Another claim for this material is that
fhips with huls built from II will not
have 10 be docled repeatedly for scrap
iuL and cleaning of their bottoms. az
J. srine growtns will not adhere to plates
rolled from the rustless iron. Neither
viii II be necessary. DR.. Hutchison de-
,isred. 20 tar the rigging or TO PAINT ang
part Of the ship constructed from this
material.
DR. Hutchison quoted from letter
a. him from Charles VI. Schwab. head
c' tho Bethlehem steel Corporation. Mr.
Schwab expressed the opinion that X
this new product can be supplied I'm
commercial volume to the steel and iron
mills so es TO enable them to incorporat.
81 In their sheet ard wire output there
would be TREMENDOUS market for II.
even though u might have TO be sold in
competition ns price double that OF
ralvanized sheet and wire
DR. Hutchison Is the president ot
Miller Reese Hutchson. Inc. an organ
iyatior with international ramifications.
It's New York office and laboratories
focittda tha ffffv-fi fioor of Tho Woot.