The Works Of Messrs. Schneider And Co.

THE STEEL FOUNDRY. 51 Pneumatic hammers have only recently been used in ! 1 metre (39^ in.) to 1.6 metre (63 in.) by 50 millimétrés this départaient ; they are found very serviceable for chipping the ribs on Castings, cutting off small runners, surfacing, &c. Three coal stoves, with a movable hearth, are used for annealing the whole of the Castings. Great attention is given to this treatment of the castings, as it modifies the texture of the metal, and largely reduces internal strains. When the annealing operation has been carefully carried out, the physical qualities of the Steel are much improved. Composition, Tests, and Uses of Steel Castings.— The standard composition of the steel made for parts of gun-carriages and engine frames, is as follows : Carbon Silicon Manganèse 0.40 to 0.45 per cent. 0.30 „ 0.40 0.50 ,, 0.70 Physical tests of pieces 13.8 by 100 millimétrés (4 in. füll by S-j-g in.) which had been previously forged and annealed, have shown the following results : Breaking stram ... 65 kilos, to 75 kilos. 41.27 to 45.71 tons per sq. mm. per sq. in. Elongation ... 15 per cent. Results on si milar test-pieces simply cut out from the castings have given : o O Breaking strain... 52 kilos, to 57 kilos. 33.01 to 36.19 tons per sq. mm. tons per sq. in. Elongation ... 12 to 18 per cent. Pieces 30 by 30 millimétrés in. square) tested with a falling weight of 18 kilogrammes (39.67 Ib.) have to withstand tliirteen blows, the height of fall varying from I (2 in.) at every drop. The following is a list of some of the more important examples of steel castings recently manufacturée! by I Messrs. Schneider and Co. : Tons. Roller path for coast gun-carriage, 12-in. gun, United States ... ... ... ... ... 10.3 The gun-carriage body ... ... ... ... 9.9 27-centimetre gun-carriage body ... ... ... 4.0 ,, ,, slide ................. ... 15.0 „ gun-roller path ... ... ... 11.8 32 ,, ,, pivot transom ... ... ... 8.7 Observatory roof for the Dutch Government Corps of Engineers ... ... ... ... ... 26.0 Screw boss, Messageries Maritimes ... ... 7.6 Sternpost ... ... ... ... ... ... 12.4 Cylinder covers, framework, and foundation plates for the mail steamer Touraine, total ... ... 63.0 Sternpost for the FrenchNavy ... ... ... 10.0 , , „ „ 15.7 „ „ „ 3.2 „ „ „ 6.2 ,, ,, „ 20.0 Figs. 117 to 124, Plates XXVI. and XXVII., illustrate o 7 ■' some good examples of the castings produced in the steel foundry at Creusot; of these Fig. 117 is the bolster for the mounting of a 12-in. gun ; Fig. 118 is the stern post of the Frencli war vessel “ Gueydon” ; Fig. 119 is the slide for a I 27 centimetre gun mounting; Fig. 120 is the foundation j plate of a marine engine; Fig. 121 is a stern post for a French war vessel; Fig. 122 is a condenser Casting; Fig. 123 is a marine engine frame ; Fig. 124 is the cylinder | cover for a French battleship ; Fig. 125 is the stern post 1 for the armoured cruiser “Jena”; and Fig. 126 is the I housing for a 24 centimètre gun.