54 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



through the centre of the ram and cylinder which carries the 



vi ^ 



cross-beam, by means of a telescope joint, which allows the ram 

 to be raised without interfering with the steam pipe ; and a small 

 donkey engine is provided which can pump from a tank situated 

 between the frame, either into the boiler or into the cylinder 

 under the rani which carries the cross-beam. When the machine 

 is at work the cross-beam, is held firmly by means of cotter bolts 

 to the frame. The modus operand! is as follows: A temporary 

 road being laid on the centre line of the proposed structure, piles 

 are pitched by passing the shafts through the wheels on each side 

 of the machine, and keying them into screws which are placed in 

 a small hole excavated to receive them. The engine is then set 

 to work, and the piles screwed down as far as possible. The cot- 

 ters holding the cross-beam are then removed, and it is raised by 

 the donkey engine pumping into the cylinder of the machine, and 

 lifted olf the piles. The machine is then moved forward to the 

 centre line of the next pile, and the operation takes place as 

 before. Journal Franklin Institute. 



TRANSFORMATION OF CAST IRON. 



"Transformation of Cast Iron, AVrought Iron, and Steel, by 

 means of the Vapors of Alkaline Metals," such is the title of a 

 patent taken in France, by MM. Charles Girard and Jules Poulain 

 (date 17th August, 1869, No. 86,784), the particulars of which 

 we extract from our excellent contemporary, the " Moniteur Sci- 

 entifique :" 



" In order to cause the vapors of sodium and potassium to act 

 on cast iron in fusion, we heat one of the former metals in an iron 

 retort to 392 or 482 under a pressure of 5 or 6 atmospheres. 

 When this heat is reached we direct the vapor thus obtained into 

 the heart of the iron in fusion ; the mass swells, and an alloy of 

 the iron is the result. These alloys, although very hard, are 

 malleable, and may be forged and welded. They oxidize rapidly in 

 air or water, and are easily decomposed if a current of air, steam, 

 or carbonic oxide is injected into them when in" fusion. By these 

 compound effects of the vapor of sodium and of air, for example, 

 the whole of the metalloids in the iron are attacked, and the final 

 result is pure wrought iron, that can be hammered and Avelded with 

 ease. Under certain circumstances the metal resulting from the 

 operation may present the properties of steel. Finally, to ^facili- 

 tate the production of the metallic vapors, carburets, rich in hy- 

 drogen, may be added to the sodium or potassium in the retort. 



"In place of sodium or potassium an alloy of the two may be 

 used; as, for instance, one composed of 4 parts of potassium 

 (melting at 122) and 2.5 parts of sodium (melting at 194). 

 This mixture, which has the appearance and consistency of mer- 

 cury, has its point of solidification at 47.4, and is consequently 

 liquid at ordinary temperatures. It is prepared under naphtha. 



** It has been remarked that, besides the direct transformation 

 of cast into wrought iron or steel, by means of the metals, their 

 action produces other advantages ; they allow of the employment 



