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Cutting steel rails cold
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379
It follows as a practical result of this investigation, that the water in the heater should not be brought into direct contact with the waste steam. It is more rational to send the steam through pipes, over which the feed-water is made to pass. I f the steam be sent direct into the water, in the heater, the danger arising from presence of fatty matter may be so far diminished by filtration of the feed-water.
Cutting Steel Rails Cold.--The cutting of a file in halves with soft iron was an old lecture experiment. The soft iron formed a disc about six inches in diameter, mounted on a lathe-spindle and run at about 2000 revolutions per minute. A file held to the edge of the disc was cut in two in about ten or fifteen seconds, the disc being unharmed. The shower of sparks rendered this a brilliant experiment very popular with a general audience. The principle involved, says the Engineer, is now being applied to a practical purpose. Mr. Charles White, Manager at Sir J. Brown & Co.'s Works, Sheffield, has found the cost of cutting off the ends of steel rails cold, in the ordinary way, so enormous, that he resolved to try another expedient. :For experiment, he had an ordinary rail-saw put in the lathe and all the teeth cut off. The revolving disc was then mounted on a spindle and driven at nearly 3000 revolutions a minute. The disc was three feet in diameter, so that its circumferential velocity was about 27,00(~ feet, or over five miles a minute, or 300 miles an hour. Steel rails forced against the edge of this disc were easily cut through in three or four minutes each. The rails weighed 65 pounds to the yard. Sparks flew in abundance, and the disc appeared to melt the rail before it ; but after cutting five rails the disc itself was not sensibl:~ warm. The experiment was such a complete success that the firm intend putting up a very powerful saw for the purpose of cutting cold steel rails. The Pyrophone.--A novel and very remarkable musical instrument has recently been invented by M. F. Kastner, of Paris, which, it is said, produces astonishing effects even in the midst of the largest orchestras. It is termed by its inventor the pyrophone. The origin of the device is due to a curious discovery made by M. Kastner in the properties of singing flames. Many scientific men have studied these interesting phenomena, but the peculiarities of two flames in conjunction seems to have escaped their notice. As a result of his investigation, M. Kastner finds that if, in a tabe of glass or other suitable material, two or'more isolated flames of proper size be intro-
379
It follows as a practical result of this investigation, that the water in the heater should not be brought into direct contact with the waste steam. It is more rational to send the steam through pipes, over which the feed-water is made to pass. I f the steam be sent direct into the water, in the heater, the danger arising from presence of fatty matter may be so far diminished by filtration of the feed-water.
Cutting Steel Rails Cold.--The cutting of a file in halves with soft iron was an old lecture experiment. The soft iron formed a disc about six inches in diameter, mounted on a lathe-spindle and run at about 2000 revolutions per minute. A file held to the edge of the disc was cut in two in about ten or fifteen seconds, the disc being unharmed. The shower of sparks rendered this a brilliant experiment very popular with a general audience. The principle involved, says the Engineer, is now being applied to a practical purpose. Mr. Charles White, Manager at Sir J. Brown & Co.'s Works, Sheffield, has found the cost of cutting off the ends of steel rails cold, in the ordinary way, so enormous, that he resolved to try another expedient. :For experiment, he had an ordinary rail-saw put in the lathe and all the teeth cut off. The revolving disc was then mounted on a spindle and driven at nearly 3000 revolutions a minute. The disc was three feet in diameter, so that its circumferential velocity was about 27,00(~ feet, or over five miles a minute, or 300 miles an hour. Steel rails forced against the edge of this disc were easily cut through in three or four minutes each. The rails weighed 65 pounds to the yard. Sparks flew in abundance, and the disc appeared to melt the rail before it ; but after cutting five rails the disc itself was not sensibl:~ warm. The experiment was such a complete success that the firm intend putting up a very powerful saw for the purpose of cutting cold steel rails. The Pyrophone.--A novel and very remarkable musical instrument has recently been invented by M. F. Kastner, of Paris, which, it is said, produces astonishing effects even in the midst of the largest orchestras. It is termed by its inventor the pyrophone. The origin of the device is due to a curious discovery made by M. Kastner in the properties of singing flames. Many scientific men have studied these interesting phenomena, but the peculiarities of two flames in conjunction seems to have escaped their notice. As a result of his investigation, M. Kastner finds that if, in a tabe of glass or other suitable material, two or'more isolated flames of proper size be intro-