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Smoke-preventing device
252
NOteS aud Commcnts. REINFORCED
CONCRETE
[J. F. I.,
RAILWAY TIES.
An i n t e r e s t i n g use of cement is a m e t h o d of manufacturing railroad ties recently introduced on the Elgin, Joliet & E a s t e r n Railway. These ties are manufactured under a design originated by R. B. Campbell, general manager of the company, Joliet, II1. The tie is 8 feet 6 inches long and 6x7 inches in section, with beveled edges, except under the raiIs, where it widens to IO inches for a distance of 8V2 inches on either side of the center of the rail. The corners of this widened portion are also beveled to meet the body of the tie. Reinforceme'at is furnished by two-inch w r o u g h t - i r o n pipe, scrap boiler tubes being utiIized for the purpose. T w o - s e v e n - f o o t lengths of these tubes are used for each tie, placed side by side. The tubes are surrounded, sides and ends, by a single thickness of poultry netting. On the center line of the tie below each rail, and paralIel thereto, is a 6x8 inch plate of heavy wire netting inserted t h r o u g h specially-punched openings in the pipes. The rail is held to the tie by beveled clip washers and a single U-bolt placed ob!iquely to the longitudinal center line. A metal plate is imbedded in the tie under the rail. V e r y satisfactory tests were made with a number of these ties on a testing machine, and 14o were placed in use, which have been in service from nine to thirteen months. Of these ties nineteen failed in service, but investigation showed that the defects were caused t h r o u g h imperfect mixture, there having been considerable Ioam mixed with the sand in making the concrete. The results, however, were r e g a r d e d as sufficiently satisfactory to warrant the manufacture of iooo m o r e of the ties, which are to be placed in the track of the Chicago, Lake Shore & E a s t e r n Railroad, where the traffic is very heavy. Mr. Campbell states that the ties can be mannfactured an:l sold at a cost of $L5o to $I.75 each.--Irou Age.
SMOKE-PREVENTING
DEVICE.
A new s m o k e - p r e v e n t i n g device for boiler furnaces has been invented by Mr. J. S. Pearson, of Glasgow. The system consists of discharging a combination of steam, air and p r o d u c e r gas into the furnace. The t h r e e elements are combined and discharged t h r o u g h nozzles fitted to short pipe connections. The resulting chemical action releases the h y d r o g e n in the steam, and combines the oxygen with the carbon in the fuel. The deeomnosition of the supplied gases is thus completed, and, by combining with the fuel gases and the resulting new gases thus produced, creates great heating power, emitting heavy smoke. The latter, however, decreases in volume toward the tubes, in which there are only flames, and is completely consumed before it reaches the chimney. The steam p r e s s u r e does not vary with the stoking or cleaning of the furnace, and 11o ashes or clinkers are formed. The system can be appIied to any type of boiler.--Scienti~¢
American.
NOteS aud Commcnts. REINFORCED
CONCRETE
[J. F. I.,
RAILWAY TIES.
An i n t e r e s t i n g use of cement is a m e t h o d of manufacturing railroad ties recently introduced on the Elgin, Joliet & E a s t e r n Railway. These ties are manufactured under a design originated by R. B. Campbell, general manager of the company, Joliet, II1. The tie is 8 feet 6 inches long and 6x7 inches in section, with beveled edges, except under the raiIs, where it widens to IO inches for a distance of 8V2 inches on either side of the center of the rail. The corners of this widened portion are also beveled to meet the body of the tie. Reinforceme'at is furnished by two-inch w r o u g h t - i r o n pipe, scrap boiler tubes being utiIized for the purpose. T w o - s e v e n - f o o t lengths of these tubes are used for each tie, placed side by side. The tubes are surrounded, sides and ends, by a single thickness of poultry netting. On the center line of the tie below each rail, and paralIel thereto, is a 6x8 inch plate of heavy wire netting inserted t h r o u g h specially-punched openings in the pipes. The rail is held to the tie by beveled clip washers and a single U-bolt placed ob!iquely to the longitudinal center line. A metal plate is imbedded in the tie under the rail. V e r y satisfactory tests were made with a number of these ties on a testing machine, and 14o were placed in use, which have been in service from nine to thirteen months. Of these ties nineteen failed in service, but investigation showed that the defects were caused t h r o u g h imperfect mixture, there having been considerable Ioam mixed with the sand in making the concrete. The results, however, were r e g a r d e d as sufficiently satisfactory to warrant the manufacture of iooo m o r e of the ties, which are to be placed in the track of the Chicago, Lake Shore & E a s t e r n Railroad, where the traffic is very heavy. Mr. Campbell states that the ties can be mannfactured an:l sold at a cost of $L5o to $I.75 each.--Irou Age.
SMOKE-PREVENTING
DEVICE.
A new s m o k e - p r e v e n t i n g device for boiler furnaces has been invented by Mr. J. S. Pearson, of Glasgow. The system consists of discharging a combination of steam, air and p r o d u c e r gas into the furnace. The t h r e e elements are combined and discharged t h r o u g h nozzles fitted to short pipe connections. The resulting chemical action releases the h y d r o g e n in the steam, and combines the oxygen with the carbon in the fuel. The deeomnosition of the supplied gases is thus completed, and, by combining with the fuel gases and the resulting new gases thus produced, creates great heating power, emitting heavy smoke. The latter, however, decreases in volume toward the tubes, in which there are only flames, and is completely consumed before it reaches the chimney. The steam p r e s s u r e does not vary with the stoking or cleaning of the furnace, and 11o ashes or clinkers are formed. The system can be appIied to any type of boiler.--Scienti~¢
American.