Iron and Aluminum. [Volume: 8, Issue: 2, 1888, pp. 116-122]

No. 2.]

CHARCOAL IRON WORKERS.

121

almost no silicon, the aluminium has increased the fluidity; but
judging from the series with the gray base, we would say that,
combined with silicon, aluminium reduced the fluidity.
The fact of the iron giving sharper and more perfect castings on
account of the swell of the castings, caused by the deposition of
graphite at the instant of solidification might cause the iron to
be pronounced more fluid, if judged by the appearance of the
castings."
The introduction of aluminium bronze, aluminium brass and
other alloys of alumina into the mechanic arts has made good progress, and we may look for enlarged usefulness of aluminium and
other metals in connection with iron casting.
IN the JOURNAL, page 29, we directed attention to the growing
utilization of electricity as a power, and would add by way of illustration two instances of its application in Great Britain:
At St. John's colliery, Normanton, England, a set of pumps is
now being worked by an electric motor which receives its current
from a dynamo on the surface. The pumps deliver thirty-nine
gallons per minute to a head of 530 feet-that is, they exert a net
power of 6.3 horses. The total efficiency of the entire system, including engine, dynamo, leads, motor, gearing and pumps is 44.4
per cent., the indicated horse-power being 14.2, and the net work
performed, as stated above, being 6.3 horse-power. Of the indicated horse-power, 7.9 horse-power are expended in the following manner:
Horsepower.
Driving engine and dynamo empty,................. 1.7
Overcoming resistance of leads,.................... 0.88
Driving motor and first motion shaft,................. 2.8
Driving pumps empty,....................... 2.0
Other losses,.............................. 0.52
Total,............................... 7.90
The pumps, gearing and engines were part of the colliery plant,
and the motor was geared to the first motion shaft of the pumps
by a cotton belt.
A twenty-ton traveling crane in the foundry of the Erith Iron
Works was originally constructed to be worked by hand; but
preparations had been made to apply wire rope driving at some