592 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



very costly, while with large masses the employment of flux- 

 es has not served to shield the steel from being burned. A 

 plan is proposed by Mr. Charles Wheeler, of Philadelphia, of 

 attaining the desired end very simply and efiiciently. The 

 essential feature of this process lies in bringing the iron and 

 steel to a welding heat in one "pile," and simultaneously, 

 and then manipulating them by rotary motion. In order to 

 avoid the danger of burning the steel, this is protected from 

 the Tiiodifying effects of the furnace gases by being inclosed 

 in an iron case made as nearly air-tight as possible. This is 

 brought to a welding heat, and the mass thus rolled. Ac- 

 cording as the material is piled in the case, the inventor pro- 

 duces an iron-coated steel slab, plate, or bar, in which steel 

 preponderates, steel-centred iron, in which iron preponder- 

 ates, and a combination in which the materials are so disposed 

 as to be best able to endure wear and support strain. Upon 

 the same general plan a tubular combined iron and steel 

 axle is produced, for which many advantages are claimed. 

 The process is extremely simple, and has received much at- 

 tention from practical workers in metal. 



BLOW-PIPE rURXACE. 



A simple and convenient arrangement for the purpose of 

 producing heat more than equal to the melting of cast iron 

 by means of the gas blow-pipe consists of a furnace composed 

 of two parts an interior envelope and a movable covering. 

 The latter, which completely surrounds the internal portion, 

 rests upon a flange adapted to the outside and lower extrem- 

 ity of the interior envelope. Its walls are very thick, the 

 better to retain the heat, and upon its lower edge eight holes 

 are symmetrically placed, to allow an outward passage to 

 the heated gases. A knob or ring of iron at the toj) serves 

 to remove and replace the covering. The crucible to be 

 heated is held in the centre of the interior portion by a plati- 

 num support, which rests upon a small ledge. The source 

 of heat (an ordinary gas blow-pipe) is arranged beneath so 

 that the nozzle shall be only an inch or so below the inferior 

 circular orifice ; the flame will therefore circulate, in the first 

 instance, round the crucible, then in the annular space be- 

 tween the interior envelope and the covering, and the prod- 

 ucts of combustion will finally pass out through the eight 



