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[Entered at the Post-Offlce of New York, N. Y., as Second-Class Matter, 



A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER OF ALL THE ARTS AND SCIENCES. 



Sevknth Year. 

 Vol. XIII. No. 322. 



NEW YORK, April 5, li 



Single Copies, Ten Cents. 

 J3.50 Per Year, in Advance. 



CRUDE PETROLEUM AS A FUEL. 



The substitution of crude petroleum for coal as fuel in many 

 branches of metal-working, the heating of steam-boilers, etc., has 

 received much attention in recent years. Many devices for feeding 

 the oil to the furnace, controlling the size of the flame, and insur- 

 ing safety from accident, have been tried, only to be condemned in 



sufficient length of time to test it thoroughly in welding, tempering, 

 annealing, enamelling, brazing, japanning, and all kinds of forging 

 and melting of metals ; and that the results are satisfactory is 

 shown by the hearty indorsement and commendation given it by 

 those who have it in use. 



In this system compressed air is used to atomize the oil, the air- 

 pressure being so regulated as to insure the complete combustion 



PIG. 1. — FORGES BURNING CRUDE PETROLEUM 



most cases. These devices depended upon either a steam jet to 

 atomize the oil at the point of ignition, or a system of retorts to 

 heat the oil and convert it into gas before being burned. These 

 systems compel the use of more or less apparatus in the fire-box or 

 furnace ; in some cases the retort being placed therein, and in 

 others the fire-box being partly filled with fire-brick or other re- 



of the oil, and to preserve a uniform degree of heat of any intensity 

 desired. There are no obstructions placed in the fire-box ; so that 

 it is at all times ready to receive coal or other fuel, should the oil- 

 supply fail or a change of fuel be desired. Other good points about 

 this system are its cleanliness and freedom from odor, which are 

 vouched for by those who use it. 



FIG. 2. — AERATING CYLINDER FOR PETROLEUM BURNER. 



fractory material, to be heated, and then used as a means to ignite 

 the fuel, distribute the flame, and equalize the heat. 



A new method of utilizing crude petroleum for the purposes 

 mentioned is being introduced to public notice by the Aerated Fuel 

 Company of Springfield, Mass. This method has been in use a 



The application of this system to forge-fires is shown in Fig. i, 

 which is a picture of one side of a plant for the forging of nuts and 

 bolts in the works of the Upson Nut Company at Cleveland, O. It 

 is claimed that in works of this kind, the cost of oil for fuel is much 

 less than that of coal ; while the dies with which the forging is 



