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Use of aluminum for electric conductors
474
Notes and Comments.
[J. F. I.,
suffice to produce I p o u n d of a l u m i n u m , it will be manifest, from t h e figures given in what has gone before, t h a t this substitution would reduce t h e cost of a l u m i n u m by nearly IO cents per pound. T h e drawback to this suggestion, however, is t h e fact t h a t t h e m e t a l thus produced would contain considerable (perhaps 6 p e r cent.) of silicon and iron as impurities, and some cheap m e t h o d would have to be devised to refine it. This is by no means a n easy task, but is, nevertheless, w i t h i n t h e r a n g e of practicability. This proposition is one w h i c h should appeal s t r o n g l y to i n v e n t i v e metallurgists, since even t h e saving of a few cents p e r pound on t h e present cost of producing a l u m i n u m would be of i m m e n s e i m p o r t a n c e to t h e industry. W. U S E O F A L U M I N U M F O R E L E C T R I C CONDUCTORS. At one of t h e electrical installations at Niagara Falls, the plan has been adopted of using a l u m i n u m in place of copper for the conductors, connecting t h e dynamos at t h e bottom of the shaft with t h e plant at t h e top of t h e cliff. T h e Western Electrician gives t h e following details : " T h e bars used are 25 feet in length, 6 inches wide a n d % inch thick, four b e i n g used in parallel ; every 25 feet t h e y are bolted a n d riveted t o g e t h e r ; at t h e top they are connected with a l u m i n u m cables i X inches in d i a m e t e r and covered with r u b b e r i n s u l a t i o n ; t h e ends are set into sockets into which melted tin is poured. The total weight of these a l u m i n u m conductors is about 22,0o0" pounds, while t h e same work would require 48,ooo pounds of copper." W. AN I M P R O V E D I C E BOAT. T h e r e has lately been t u r n e d out from one of the E n g l i s h shipyards a vessel designed as an ice-breaker, w h i c h embodies a novelty in construction that m a y add greatly to t h e efficiency of vessels designed for this service ; the details of this construction are given herewith. O n e propeller is arranged aft, in the usual position, and a n o t h e r smaller propeller forward. T h e forward propeller, by giving to t h e water u n d e r the ice a h i g h s t e r n w a r d velocity, deprives the ice of its support and reduces its resistance to crushing, so t h a t the a d v a n c i n g bow of the vessel, w h i c h is arranged with a suitable overhang, cuts its way into the unsupported ice without experiencing e i t h e r t h e shock or resistance to which former types of ice-breakers were constantly exposed. The vessel is of t h e following dimensions : Length, 2o2 feet; breadth, 43 feet ; depth, 21 feet 9 inches. She will be fitted with two sets of triple expansion m a c h i n e r y of special construction. T h e vessel has been constructed for the Imperial Senate of Finland, a n d will be principally used in k e e p i n g the port of H a n g o open d u r i n g thq winter. W.
O B S E R V A T I O N S ON A U T O M O B I L E V E H I C L E S . One of t h e recent meetings of the Austrian Society of E n g i n e e r s and Architects was devoted to the discussion of t h e present state of t h e automobile vehicle.
Notes and Comments.
[J. F. I.,
suffice to produce I p o u n d of a l u m i n u m , it will be manifest, from t h e figures given in what has gone before, t h a t this substitution would reduce t h e cost of a l u m i n u m by nearly IO cents per pound. T h e drawback to this suggestion, however, is t h e fact t h a t t h e m e t a l thus produced would contain considerable (perhaps 6 p e r cent.) of silicon and iron as impurities, and some cheap m e t h o d would have to be devised to refine it. This is by no means a n easy task, but is, nevertheless, w i t h i n t h e r a n g e of practicability. This proposition is one w h i c h should appeal s t r o n g l y to i n v e n t i v e metallurgists, since even t h e saving of a few cents p e r pound on t h e present cost of producing a l u m i n u m would be of i m m e n s e i m p o r t a n c e to t h e industry. W. U S E O F A L U M I N U M F O R E L E C T R I C CONDUCTORS. At one of t h e electrical installations at Niagara Falls, the plan has been adopted of using a l u m i n u m in place of copper for the conductors, connecting t h e dynamos at t h e bottom of the shaft with t h e plant at t h e top of t h e cliff. T h e Western Electrician gives t h e following details : " T h e bars used are 25 feet in length, 6 inches wide a n d % inch thick, four b e i n g used in parallel ; every 25 feet t h e y are bolted a n d riveted t o g e t h e r ; at t h e top they are connected with a l u m i n u m cables i X inches in d i a m e t e r and covered with r u b b e r i n s u l a t i o n ; t h e ends are set into sockets into which melted tin is poured. The total weight of these a l u m i n u m conductors is about 22,0o0" pounds, while t h e same work would require 48,ooo pounds of copper." W. AN I M P R O V E D I C E BOAT. T h e r e has lately been t u r n e d out from one of the E n g l i s h shipyards a vessel designed as an ice-breaker, w h i c h embodies a novelty in construction that m a y add greatly to t h e efficiency of vessels designed for this service ; the details of this construction are given herewith. O n e propeller is arranged aft, in the usual position, and a n o t h e r smaller propeller forward. T h e forward propeller, by giving to t h e water u n d e r the ice a h i g h s t e r n w a r d velocity, deprives the ice of its support and reduces its resistance to crushing, so t h a t the a d v a n c i n g bow of the vessel, w h i c h is arranged with a suitable overhang, cuts its way into the unsupported ice without experiencing e i t h e r t h e shock or resistance to which former types of ice-breakers were constantly exposed. The vessel is of t h e following dimensions : Length, 2o2 feet; breadth, 43 feet ; depth, 21 feet 9 inches. She will be fitted with two sets of triple expansion m a c h i n e r y of special construction. T h e vessel has been constructed for the Imperial Senate of Finland, a n d will be principally used in k e e p i n g the port of H a n g o open d u r i n g thq winter. W.
O B S E R V A T I O N S ON A U T O M O B I L E V E H I C L E S . One of t h e recent meetings of the Austrian Society of E n g i n e e r s and Architects was devoted to the discussion of t h e present state of t h e automobile vehicle.