620 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLIX. No. 1278 



Vacuum pipes of lead must be of unusual thick- 

 ness and great weight to prevent collapsing. Iron 

 and steel pipe with lead lining is extensively used, 

 the lead protecting the iron or steel, but the latter 

 also prevents bulging of the lead when the neces- 

 sary pressure is applied to move the liquids thus 

 transported. These difficulties have been over- 

 come in large part by reinforcing lead with iron 

 or steel gauze in much the same manner that glass 

 is reinforced by wire netting. Wire netting of 

 various sizes of mesh is given a coating of lead 

 or lead-antimony, as described in another paper, 

 and is imbedded in sheet lead of a thickness about 

 one quarter greater than desired, this is then 

 rolled while cold. Reinforced lead in sheets 5 ft. X 

 6 ins., have been made. They may be bent or cut 

 as desired. Joints have been burned together or 

 finished without leaving any iron exposed. Skele- 

 ton frameworks of metal lined with reinforced lead 

 sheeting serve as tanks and other containers with- 

 out sagging. Eight-inch pipe made of one quarter 

 inch thick reinforced lead withstood a pressure of 

 eight times that of an eight-inch pipe made of 

 seven eighths inch thick lead before collapsing. 



Utilization of asphaltic iase acid sludge from 

 petroleum: Chas. Baskekvillb. Instead of cook- 

 ing the asphaltic base residue with the mixed sul- 

 phuric acid to carbonization and then burning the 

 mass mixed with coal as fuel, the present practise, 

 the cooking is carried on at a much lower temper- 

 ature and for much shorter time. The acid mass 

 separates into three layers, lighter residues being 

 on top, and the heavy sulphuric acid being at the 

 bot'iom. These are drawn off, leaving the middle 

 portion of asphaltic material containing 15-25 

 per cent, of sulphuric acid. The proper amount 

 of dry slaked lime is thoroughly mixed with this 

 asphaltic base in a suitable mill. The heat of 

 neutralization is sxifficient to fuse the asphalt, 

 which mixed with the calcium sulphate produced, 

 flows into suitable containers, and solidifies on 

 cooling. The mass, which contains 20 to 40 per 

 cent, of calcium sulphate, may be melted and ap- 

 plied where desired, as in the common practise. 

 Time tests have demonstrated the value of the 

 material thus produced for waterproofing (wood 

 and concrete), roofing, road material and as a 

 protective covering for metals. The process is 

 covered by U. S. Patent 1,231,985. 



Equililrium studies on the Bucher process: 

 John B. Ferguson and P. D. V. Manning. A 

 quantitative study of the deleterious effects of 

 carbon monoxide in the furnace gases upon the 



cyanide conversion at two temperatures, 946° and 

 1,000° C. The experimental methods employed 

 and results obtained will be presented. 



Design for electrically heated bomh for ammonia 

 synthesis (lantern) : E. O. E. Davis and H. 

 Beyan. The bomb consists of a nickel-chromium- 

 iron alloy of sufficient strength to withstand sev- 

 eral hundred atmospheres pressure. It is elec- 

 trically heated by a specially devised heater. The 

 method of insulating the walls is shown as are 

 also the method of introducing the catalyst con- 

 tainer, and the electric leads. 



Purification of compressed gases in testing 

 catalysts for tfmmonia synthesis (lantern) : E. O. 

 E. Davis. The method used in removal of mois- 

 ture, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and oxygen 

 is described and the type of purification chamber 

 used is shown. It is pointed out how necessary 

 it is to have very pure gas in the tests. 



Preparation of nitrogen and, hydrogen mixture 

 by decomposition of ammonia (lantern) : E. O. E. 

 Davis and L. B. Olmstead. A mixture of hy- 

 drogen and nitrogen in the proportion of three to 

 one is obtained by decomposing liquid ammonia. 

 This is accomplished by passing the ammonia over 

 heated iron shavings and steel wool. The decom- 

 position is almost complete with the apparatus de- 

 scribed, furnishing about 1.3 ou. ft. of gas per 

 minute. 



Explosion of gases used in ammonia synthesis: 

 E. O. E. Davis. A description is given of an ex- 

 plosion which occtirred in a cotton filter used to 

 remove oil and water spray from mixed nitrogen 

 and hydrogen at a hundred atmospheres pressure. 

 Some chemical needs of the vegetable oil indus- 

 try: David Wesson. 



Charles L. Paesons, 



Secretary 

 (To be continued) 



SCIENCE 



A Weekly Journal devoted to the Advancement of 

 Science, publishing the official notices and pro- 

 ceedings of the American Association for 

 the Advsmcement of Science 



Published every Friday by 



THE SCIENCE PE^ESS 



LANCASTER. PA. GARRISON. N. Y. 



NEW YC«K. N. Y. 



Entered in the poet-office at Lucattcr, P«., as tecood dan matter 



