The Works Of Messrs. Schneider And Co.

58 MESSES. SCHNEIDER AND CO.’S WORKS. are given as an interesting means of comparing the advance made by Messrs. Schneider and Co. in the con- struction of steam hammers ; Fig. 137 illustrâtes the first steam hammer built at Creusot in the year 1840, by M. Bourdon, and Fig. 138, drawn to the same scale, the great 100-ton hammer. To Messrs. Schneider and Co. is due the crédit of having coneeived and carried into execution the construction of this hammel-, the only one of its size at the time it was built, and for several years after. Sinee that time, how- ever, other French and foreign works have followed the example thus set. But as will be seen later on, the real usefulness of the machine has been supplemented by other appliances. The productive value of this gigantic hammer at the time it was constructed, and for many years after, cannot be over-estimated. It was built at a period when the French Admiralty had decided on the construction of powerful cruisers, the armament and equip- ment of which involved the manufacture of heavy masses for which at that date no mechanical appliances existed. The construction of the hammer was commenced in 1875, and it was started on September 23rd, 1877. Its principal dimensions are as follows : boilers is 252 square metres (2712 square feet) and the production of steam per boiler and per twelve hours, is 22 tons. O wing to the energetic action of a chimney .815 metre (32 in.) in diameter at top and 30 metres (98 ft.) high above ground level, tlie flow of the hot gases does not in any way interféré with the efficient working of the furnaces. Crânes.—Each of the four crânes that forms an accessory to the furnaces, turns on a single pivot, placed in a pit. The jibs are so shaped as to be but little effeeted by shock from the blows of the hammer. Each crane is provided with a two-cylinder steam engine, which lifts the load, shifts the carrying truck, revolves the crane, and Diameter of cylinder ... ... Stroke Weight of falling mass Height of frame in the clear above anvil block Distance between feet of frame in the clear ... Width of hammer block ... Diameter of steam inlet valve Diameter of steam exhaust valve... Height of entablature above floor level Height of cylinder cover ... Depth of foundations below floor Total height... Weight of anvil block ,, steam hammer Total weight 1.900 m. 5.000 m. 100 tons 3.430 m. 7.520 m. 1.900 m. .345 m. .470 m. 12.060 m. 21.000 m. 8.500 m. 29.500 m. 750 tons 550 tons 1300 tons 6 ft. 3 in. 16 ft. 5 in. 100 tons 11 ft. 3 in. 24 ft. 8 in. (5 ft. 3 in. Oft. 13Ain. 0 ft. 18| in. 39 ft. 7 in. 69 ft. 0 in. 27 ft. 11 in. 96 ft. 11 in. 750 tons 550 tons 1300 tons The anvil block consists of seven tiers of planed cast- iron slabs fitted together by means of ties fixed hot. Reheating Furnaces.—Four reheating coal-fired fur- naces, fitted with bollers, are placed round the hammer. These furnaces are served by four steam crânes, three of which are of 100 tons and the fourth of 150 tons. The dimensions of the furnaces are : Width of heating space between fire-bridges Depth of heating space... Doors (worked by hydraulic power) width ... m. ft. in. 4 i 13 Li 3.500 11 6 3.500 I 11 6 The clear height of one of the furnaces is sufficient to reçoive an ingot two metres (6 ft. 6 in.) square. Two grates provided with air biast are placed in front of the furnaces, one each side, with a grate area of 3.40 square metres (36.60 square feet). The outlet for the flames is through the centre of the sole at the back. The bollers economising-the waste heat are of the multitubular type, but with short tubes, in order to take up less room. The heating surface of these- Steam Hammers at Creusot, 1840 and 1877. turns the ingot under the hammer. The chains are made up of plate links. The following are some dimensions of these crânes : Maximum radius of jib Diameter of engine cylinders Stroke of piston ni. 9.250 .260 .300 ft. in. 30 4 O o P o The size and power of the 100-ton hammer has rendered it possible to produce forgings of exceptional dimensions and weight ; an example is shown in the conning tower of the Lepanto, measuring 3.050 metres (10 ft.) in outside diameter, 1.500 metres (4 ft. 11 in.) high, and 320 milli- métrés (12| in.) thick. The work was clone on a mandril 1.700 metres (5 ft. 7 in.) in diameter. No less powerful tool could have produced such a forging, which is illus- trated by Fig. 139. Fig. 140 is another example of a similar kind, being the conning tower for a torpedo-boat destroyer. Since 1877, when the 100-ton hammer was set to work.