The Works Of Messrs. Schneider And Co.

 60 MESSRS. SCHNEIDER AND CO.’S WORKS. with a less powerful tool. Armour-plates weighing as much as 25 tons, and measuring 2.200 metres in width (7 ft. in.), are forged by the 40-ton hammer, besicles a great variety of other pieces. The furnaces, however, have been designed especially for heating armour-plates. The principal dimensions of the 40-ton hammer and furnaces are as follow : the hot gases reaching the boiler through an under- ground passage. In these furnaces the area of the two grates is 2 square metres (21.53 square feet), and the heating surface of tlie boiler, is 125 square metres (1345.52 square feet). The crânes are of the same type as those which serve the 100-ton steam hammer ; the height of the jib above the i ■ I Ir « Ï tn .. o <5 Fig. 141. 6,000-Ton Hydraulic Plate-Shaping Press. Diameter of cylinder ... 1.200 m. 3 ft. 11 in. Height of fall (stroke) 3.250 m. 10 ft. 8 in. Width of hammer 1.900 m. 6 ft. 3 in. Distance between feet of frame arcade 2.800 m. 9 ft. 2 in. Weight of anvil block 210 tons 210 tons Total weight of hammer, including anvil block ... 390 tons 390 tons Dimensions of Furnaces. Width between fire bi'idges 3.000 m. 9 ft. 10 in. Depth ... 2.800 m. 9 ft. 2 in. Height of furnace roof 1.700 m. 5 ft. 7 in. Two grates provided with air-blast are fitted to each of the four furnaces, one each side and one in front ; the flame outlet is at the back, through an opening in the hearth, floor level is 8.050 metres (26 ft. 5 in.), and the maximum radius is 9 metres (29 ft. 6 in.). 2,ooo-ton Forging Presses.—Further on in the same building are three forging presses ; one with a capacity of 3,000 tons, one of 2,000 tons, and one of 1,200 tons. The oldest of these is the 2,000-ton press (Fig. 143), which was put down in 1889. The upper crosshead, carrying the cylinder, is movable vertically to the extent of 2.150 metres (7 ft. 1 in.), the height being regulated accordino- to the size of the forgings. The distance between the columns is 4.255 metres (13 ft. 11| in.) and 1.700 metres (5 ft. 7 in.) ; the greatest distance from the lower crosshead to the hammer, is 4.300 metres (14 ft. 1J in.), It will