The Wonder Book of Knowledge: The Marvels of Modern Industry and Invention, the Interesting Stories of Common Things, the Mysterious Processes of Nature Simply Explained
History
The Wonder Book of Knowledge: The Marvels of Modern Industry and Invention, the Interesting Stories of Common Things, the Mysterious Processes of Nature Simply Explained
Industrial arts -- History
The varied and complex machining required on armor plate demands tools
of enormous size and strength as well as varied capacity. The equipment
of this shop consists of large saws, planers, etc., together with
numerous portable drill presses, grinders, etc. In this shop the
different groups of armor are assembled in the positions they will
occupy on the vessel and are finally inspected before shipment.
FORGING ARMOR. (See page 423.)
After heating, the ingot is placed under a 14,000-ton hydraulic forging
press and forged to the required dimensions. The press is served by two
200-ton cranes with hydraulic lift and pneumatic travel. Weight of the
porter-bar and chuck which hold the plate for forging is 125,000 pounds,
exclusive of counterweights used.
SPECIAL CAR BUILT FOR THE SHIPPING OF LARGE AND HEAVY MATERIAL. (See
page 424.)
Length of car over couplers, 103 feet 10-1/2 inches; capacity, 300,000
pounds. Weight of car, 196,420 pounds. Shown here loaded with casting of
large 5,000-ton flanging press. Weight of casting, 252,000 pounds.
THE LARGEST STEEL CASTING IN THE WORLD. (See page 424.)
Combining the product of five 40-ton open-hearth furnaces. Steel casting
forming part of a 12,000-ton armor-plate hydraulic forging press. Weight
of casting, 325,000 pounds (145 gross tons).
[Illustration: BENDING ARMOR PLATE
After being rough-forged to size and re-heated, the plate is sent to the
bending press to be straightened or bent to shape. The one shown is a
nickel steel side armor plate, 14 inches thick. The press exerts a
hydraulic thrust of 7,000 tons, with two independently operated
plungers, and is served by direct-fired furnaces with movable car
bottoms and two seventy-five ton hydraulic cranes.
_Courtesy of the Bethlehem Steel Co._]
[Illustration: ARMOR PLATE MACHINE SHOP.[42] (See page 421.)]
[Illustration: FORGING ARMOR.[42] (See page 421.)]
[Illustration: SPECIAL CAR BUILT FOR THE SHIPPING OF LARGE AND HEAVY
MATERIAL.[43] (See page 421.)]
[Illustration: THE LARGEST STEEL CASTING IN THE WORLD.[43] (See page 421.)]
[Illustration: BATTLESHIP TURRET.[44] (See page 427.)]
[Illustration: NICKEL STEEL FIELD RING FORGED WITHOUT WELD FOR A
5,000-HORSE-POWER DYNAMO.[44] (See page 427.)]
[Illustration: TURRET FOR TWO TWELVE-INCH GUNS FOR UNITED STATES
BATTLESHIP “ALABAMA”.[45] (See page 427.)]
[Illustration: CONNING TOWER AND ENTRANCE SHIELD FOR UNITED STATES
BATTLESHIP “MASSACHUSETTS.”[45] (See page 427.)]
BATTLESHIP TURRET. (See page 425.)
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