120 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. July 16, 1915. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ CURRENT SCIENCE A New Coal Cutter. In the United States the development of coal-cutting machinery has been influenced by methods of working that are not generally to be found in this country. For this reason the “ chain-breast ” machines, so largely employed in the pillar-and-stall workings in America, have but a limited application here. A machine that has just been introduced by the Goodman Manu- facturing Company, however, has certain general features that deserve notice. This machine is used for ____________________ the cutting of a “ straight face ”—i.e., the “ breast ” of a room. It has a maximum width of cut of 20 ft., and cuts straight across a face of this width. It is enabled to do this by means of a movable platform provided with a steel cam roller fitting into a V-shaped slot in the main platform or truck. A heavy cast steel radial arm swings about a stud in the centre of a circular rack on the main platform and carries also a pinion fitting ■ . ft i View of Machine Making Fikst Cut in Room. the rack and a stud fitting a sleeve in the moving plat- form. This radial arm establishes a movable connection between the first and second elements, and, as it turns on its axis in the centre of the circular rack, imparts a similar radial motion to the rear end of the movable platform, whilst the forward end has an oscillating motion as the cam roller travels forward or backward in the V-shaped slot. This enables the cutter arm to follow a straight line at right angles to the centre line of the track rails. The cutting element itself is supported and moved vertically in side frames mounted on the main platform by four pinions, moving on a similar number of racks. The most interesting feature of the machine, however, is the means by which the whole of the cutting element, which comprises, in addition to the cutter arm, the motor driving the chain, can be inverted, so that the cut may be made at the top or bottom of the seam or any intervening point. Steam Costs in 6,600-horse power Boiler Plant. F. G. Philo (Power, March 16, 1915, pp. 368-369) gives details of operating costs of a plant comprising fourteen 300-h.p. Babcock and Wilcox boilers and six 400-h.p. Edgar water-tube boilers with Green econo- misers. There is 1 ft. of economiser surface for every 2 ft. of boiler heating surface. All boilers have Grieve grates and are fired by hand. Forced draught is produced by a 125-h.p. Green fan. Ratio of grate to heating surface is 1:30. Fuel used is a mixture of No. 3 buckwheat (small anthracite) and about 10 per cent, soft coal. The average analyses of the coal fired for six months of 1914 are:— Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June. Moisture..... 9'27 ... 9'05 ... 8'72 ... 8'44 ... 8'01 ... 7'91 Ash (dry)...... 24'15 .23'84 ...24'09 ...20'28 ...19 72 ...24'22 B.Th.U. (dry).. 11,070...11,140 ..11,150... 11,563...11,674...11,051 B.Th.U (as fired)........ 10,043 10,132. .10,178. .10,587. ..10,739. .10,177 Combustible (as fired) ... 68'82 ...69'27 ...69'29 ...72'99 ...73'85 ...69'79 Cost (Cents) of Evaporating 1,000 Lb. Water from and at 212 Deos. Fahr. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June. Coal & freight 10'64 ...10'38 ...10'76 ... 9'62 ... 9'82 ... 9'67 Labour ..... 2'60 ... 2'56 ... 2'81 ... 2'89 ... 2'99 ... 3T2 Total..... 13'24 ...12'94 ...13'57 ...12'51 ...12'81 ...12'79 Operating Costs. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. Mav. June. Tons coal used 12,331...II,145...10,450...8,392 ...8,865 ...8,136 Costper2,00nlb. delivered(dols.l 1'66... 1'68 ... 1'68 ... 1'64 ... 1'67 ... 1'66 B.Th.U. per lb. 10,043...10,132..10,178...10J87... 10,739..10,177 Efficiency (p.c.) 75'5 ... 77'6 ... 74'4 ... 78'3 ... 76'9 ... 81'1 Do. without economiser(p.c.) 69'4 ... 71'2 ... 69'0 ... 72'6 ... 71'4 ... 74'2 Labour Costs per Ton of Coal Fired. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June. Handling coal 4'40 ... 4'67 ... 4 90 .. 4'39 ... 4'44 ... 4'78 Firing coal.... 21'25 ...21'84 ...21'19 ...24'08 ...24'70 ...26'01 Removing ash.. 3'26 ... 3'28 ... 3'38 ... 4'02 ... 4'24 ... 4'46 General ...... 11'63 ...11'64 ...14'44 ...16'59 ...17'42 .. 18'26 Total....... 40'54 ...41'43 ...43'91 ...49'08 ...50'80 ...53'51 Feed water is measured by two Venturi meters of 3,000 and 4,600 cub. ft. per hour capacity. These meters were checked, and the average error, practically con- stant for a given rate of flow, was found to be about J per cent. low. All water blown from boilers and economisers is subtracted from the quantity registered the meters; this is from 1 to 2 per cent, of the total. The plant is run at full load throughout the 24 hours about 26 days per month, and about 1 load is carried during shut-down period. Coal is carefully weighed, the hard coal when received in railroad cars on track scales to within 10 lb. Again after mixture with soft coal the weight is taken in cable cars of 2 tons capacity each. AND TECHNOLOGY. Report of the Lievin Testing Station. According to the report for 1914, the work of the testing station was carried on until July 26—27, the staff being then called up to join the Forces. Before leaving Lievin, M. Taffanel transferred to a place of safety all the most valuable and portable apparatus, the remainder being left in charge of the doorkeeper. Since the beginning of August the district has been in the occupation of the enemy, and the buildings are close to trenches which are under fire from both armies. The Germans are reported to have affixed to the door of the main building a notice to the effect that the establish- ment is of an international character and should be protected. It is therefore hoped that the offices and laboratories will remain immune from pillage and inten- tional destruction. All the staff has been dispersed, and M. Taffanel, after being entrusted with various missions by the Ministry of Public Works, has recently been appointed one of the chiefs of a mission to Russia. Unhappily, M. Dautriche was killed at the Chedde works, by an explosion of ammonium perchlorate ; and the Explosives Department has thus been deprived of one of its most distinguished engineers, who was a valued collaborator with M. Taffanel in the experiments on explosion waves and safety explosives for use in fiery and dusty mines. Although the operations at the testing station have been stopped entirely, the service of the central rescue station has been partially recon- structed at Bruay, under the direction of M. Fenzy, who was M. Taffanel’s assistant. The periodical examination of the rescue apparatus and the drilling of the rescue corps are still being carried on regularly for the few mines that remain in operation inside the French lines. Since no date can be fixed for the resumption of work at the testing station, no pecuniary provision is being made for that purpose beyond the balance of funds still in hand. Canadian Government Fuel Testing Station. W ith a view to classifying the various coals of Canada, and to ascertain the most efficient methods for their preparation for the market, and their utilisation for the various purposes of the arts and industries, an investi- gation was undertaken about eight years ago, by the engineering staff of the University of McGill, under the auspices of the Mines Branch, Department of Mines. Prior to the completion of this work, the Mines Branch established at Ottawa, in 1909, an experimental station primarily intended for the examination and testing of low grade fuels; but the scope of the work of this experimental station was subsequently extended to include all fuels—solid, liquid, and gaseous—met with in Canada. This extension of the field of investi- gation necessitated the reconstruction and enlargement of the Fuel Testing Station, and the addition of com- plete chemical laboratories. The work of modifying the existing plant to meet the new conditions was begun about three years ago, and has been completed within the last 12 months. The Fuel Testing Station is at present equipped for the complete investigation of the fuels of Canada, along the following lines : (1) their chemical examination, including the determination of heating value; (2) the distillation of petroleum and bituminous coals, such as lignites, for the purpose of ascertaining their value for the recovery of various oils, and (3) the investigation, on a commercial scale, of the value of the various coals for the generation of gas when burned in a producer, and for the generation oi steam. Inasmuch as many of the lignites of the western provinces cannot be advantageously utilised for the production of power through the media of steam boilers and steam engines, but are particularly well adapted for the production of power through the media of a gas producer and gas engine, the latter phase of the investigation will prove of direct and immediate value to those provinces. The Chemical Laboratories are well equipped to carry out all kinds of fuel analyses, and also for research work on fuels. There are at present six rooms in the laboratories, and a seventh room is now being equipped to accommodate the bomb calorimeters. In order to facilitate the work of the Fuel Testing and Ore Dress- ing and Metallurgical Division—which from time to time involves considerable original and research work, a machine shop has been provided. The power plant consists of a 60 B.H.P. Korting 4 cycle gas engine, direct connected to a Westinghouse 50 kw. d.c. generator. The Testing Laboratory is equipped with a Westinghouse double zone bituminous suction gas producer of 125-horse power capacity, including an exhauster, gas washer, gas receiver, and gas regulator. This producer is used for determining the value of bituminous coals and lignites for the production of gas for power or other industrial purposes. A Korting double zone suction gas producer of 60 B.H.P. capacity, is installed for determining the value of the various peats for the production of a gas. The latter producer is exhausted by means of the gas engine. For the purpose of measuring the quantities of gas produced, a rotary meter is employed. Between this meter and the gas engine an anti-pulsator is interposed, in order that the volume of gas produced can be accurately measured when the engine is in operation. A Babcock and Wilcox marine water tube boiler is used for determining the value of the various fuels for steam raising. This boiler is encased in steel, thus reducing air leakage to a minimum. During the last two year's, the Mines Branch has been collecting both mine and commercial samples of coal for purposes of testing and chemical examination at the fuel testing station. These samples are supplied to the Department, by the producers, free of charge, the Department paying the freight charges only. Such commercial samples as are obtained by the officials of the Mines Branch are carried by the railways, from the mines to Ottawa, at a special tariff. Any mine operator desiring to have his coal tested on a commercial scale—independently of the investigations now being conducted—with a view to determining its value for power or other purposes, can do so by sending to Ottawa a commercial sample of not less than 15 tons, all charges prepaid, providing arrangements have been made, previously, for the accommodation of such sample. Independent work of this character will be undertaken only at such times when the laboratories are not engaged on the routine work of the Department. THE GERMAN AND AUSTRIAN COAL AND IRON TRADES. We give below further extracts from German periodicals that have reached us, showing the course oi the coal and iron trades in Germany and Austria :— New Mining Properties. The Vereinigungsgesellsehaft Rheinischer Braun- kohlenbergwerke m. b. H., Cologne, has acquired the right of working brown coal deposits over an area of 2,199,987sq.m. at Rheindahlen, near Gladbach. Upper Silesian Coal Convention. The renewal of this convention, which expires at the end of September, is said to. be assured for a least a year, if not for a longer period. Advance in Rivet Prices. The German Rivet Makers’ Association has advanced the price of rivets for boilers, bridges, and shipbuilding by 10 ink. per ton. The price of assorted rivets has been raised by lowering the discount by 2|- per cent. Sales at these rates can now be effected up to the end of December. Rise in the Price of Brown Coal Briquettes. The Association of Coal Merchants in Mid-Germany has decided to increase the price of first-class briquettes from 8'30 mk. to 9-05 mk. per ton from July 1, a further increase of 0-35. mk. per ton to come into effect on August 1. The Siegerland Iron Ore and Iron Market. Prices continue to show an upward tendency, owing to the increased cost of production and eager demand; and although, through the recent measures adopted by the various unions and associations, values have already- reached an unheard of level, the maximum does not yet seem to have been attained. The iron ore market remains very firm, and, according to the report of the Siegerland Ironstone Association, the output is being sent away as fast as raised. As a result of the growing cost of production, and the difficulty of obtaining materials, the price of raw spathic ore and brown iron- stone has been raised by 10-14 mk. per ton, and that of roasted ore by 15-20 mk., for the second half of the year, that is to say, to 148 mk. and more for the raw ores, and 230-235 mk. per 10 tons for roasted, ex works. Other ores and manganiferous slags are also in very active request, many old slag heaps having been sold to iron -storks in Lothringen and Luxemburg. Minette is being smelted in large quantities, prices ranging between 3-50 and 4'50 mk. per ton, according to quality, ex mine. Enquiries for high-grade pig iron, for home and abroad, continue unabated, as also for haematite pig and manganiferous marks. Prices have again been increased, and now stand at 88-50-102 mk. for steel iron, 98'50 mk. for spiegeleisen, 95-97 mk. for addition iron (all on the basis of ex Siegen); No. 1 foundry pig 94mk., No. 3 89 mk., ex Siegen, Haiger, Oberscheid, or Wetzlar, for delivery up to end September. It is reported that most users who are working on army orders have already- covered their requirements for that period. Deliveries, however, are difficult to get from the iron works, the smaller establishments in particular. Offers of scrap are plentiful, large quantities being disposed of by the rail- ways and brought in from the invaded foreign territory, apart from the considerable amount produced in executing war orders, so that there is little prospect of any advance in prices. Semis have been slightly easier, orders from Italy having ceased since she entered the war. The works are, nevertheless, very busy, and sales are being concluded for delivery during the third and fourth quarters of the year. The small quantity of open hearth mild steel made in this district sells well at prices approximating to those of the union. In the plate market the production cannot keep pace with the demand, so that prices are firm, and even rising. There is little business done for late delivery, buyers pre- ferring, under present conditions, to cover only their immediate requirements. Even then the works take about six weeks for delivery, owing to the limited possi- bility of output. The association has fixed the price of heavy plate at 150 mk. per ton net, ex Siegen, Essen, or Dillingen, for delivery during next quarter; and boiler plate costs 165 mk. net. Higher prices are easily- obtained for export to neutrals, and the demand is good. Medium plate is also in good request at a basis price of about 150-160 mk. per ton, ex works, about five weeks being required for delivery. There are plenty of orders for fine plate, the price of which has advanced 10 mk. per ton, and is now 170-175 mk., ex works. The Black Plate Union obtains at least the same prices from neutrals, in some cases even more, and is able to dispose with ease the limited quantities available. Fine plate is in good demand, mainly for military purposes. The condition of the bar iron market may also be regarded as firm, though there are few buyers for the moment, most of them being sufficiently covered on old contracts. The basis price has been fixed by the united mills at 110 mk. per ton net, ex Oberhausen, with corresponding addi- tions for open hearth bars. Rolled Nassau and Sauer- land welding iron is also in active request, and prices