1014 



IRON 



another cast-iron base or sole is seen at m ; n is a strong stay, to strengthen the 

 frame-work ; at r two parallel hammers are placed, with cast-iron heads and wooden 

 helves ; s is the anvil, a very massive piece of cast iron ; t is the end of a vibrating 

 beam, for throwing back the hammer forcibly from it by recoil ; #, y, is the outline 

 of the water-wheel which drives the whole. The cams or tappets are shown mounted 

 upon the wheel, 6, g, 6. 



Squeezers are machines which condense a ball by pressure. They are either single 

 or double ; their construction will be readily understood from fig. 1276, which represents 

 a single level-squeezer of the simplest construction : the bed-plate, a, is cast in one 

 piece; it is 6 feet long, 16 inches wide, and 12 inches high. The whole is screwed 



1276 



down on a solid foundation of stone, brick, or timber : b is the moveable part, which 

 makes from 80 to 90 motions per minute. The motion is imparted by the crank c, 

 which in turn is driven by means of a strap and pulley by the elementary power. The 

 diameter of the fly-wheel is from 3 to 4 feet. The anvil d is about two feet in length 

 and from 12 to 14 inches in width; it is a moveable plate, at least 3 inches thick, 

 which if injured can be replaced by another ; the face of the working part of the lever 

 exactly fits the anvil, and consists of plates attached by means of screws. It is 

 desirable to have all these face plates in small parts of 8 or 10 inches in width, by this 

 means they are secured against breaking by expansion and contraction. The whole 

 machine, including the crank and everything, is made of cast iron, and weighs from 4 

 to 5 tons. According to Overman this machine is both cheap and durable, and will 

 squeeze 1 00 tons of iron per week. 



Fig. 1277 represents the double squeezer, employed at many English iron works. 

 The drawing is taken from a machine at the Dowlais Iron Works, figured in Mr. 

 Truran's work. Many other forms are in use. 



1277 



Fig. 1278 represents Brown's patent bloom squeezer. The heated ball of puddled 

 iron K, thrown on the top is gradually pressed between the revolving rollers as it 

 descends, and at last emerges at the bottom, where it is thrown on to a movoable 

 * Jacob's ladder,' by which it is elevated to the rolls. This machine effects a con- 

 siderable saving of time, will do the work of 12 or 14 furnaces, and may be constantly 



