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LI  B  R.AFIY 

OF  THE 

UN  1VER51TY 

Of    ILLINOIS 


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te^o 


it^ 


sto^^' 


G^ 


K 


We/come  Freshmen 
and  E.  C.  M.  A. 

Campus  Buildings 

Use  Die  Casting 

Good  Music 

Technocracked 

ROTC  Camp 

Names  in  the  News 


blished    1885 


Member  E.C.M.A. 


i 


No  RISE  in  Price! 

Those  two  famous  drawing 
sets  by  K&E  and  Dietzgen  — 
approved  by  the  University 
—and  that  are  now  impossible 
to  get  from  Europe,  are  priced 
the  same  as  last  year. 

$2450 

as  long  as  the  present  stocks  last 


No  rise  in  price  of 
CED    sets 

and  still  a   metal   utility  box  free 

610E.DANIEL     University  Book  Store  202smathews 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


nA 


OCTOBER  •  1941 


This  Issue  .  .  . 

Our  Little  Job  as  "Campus  Cireeter" 5 

By  Kichai'd  W.  Laiidiiii 

Let  Die  Casting  Solve  Your  Problems 7 

By  M.  Huffschiiiidt 

Engineers  Appreciate  Good  Music,  Too 8 

By  (haiifs  (i.  Scliolt 

Oh,  for  the  Life  of  the  Army 10 

On  Our  Campus 12 

Names  in  the  News 14 

Technocracked   16 

By  Diiiialil  K.  Slt'vens 


THE   TECHNOCRAPH 


Staff  . . . 

Donald    K.   Stevens Editor 

Sheldon  J.   Leavitt Assistant  Editor 

Robert   E.    McCleary Assistant  Editor 

Edward  C.  Tudor Names   in   the   News  Editor 

Robert   D.   Cote Editorial  Assistant 

Byron  M.  Robinson Editorial  Assistant 

Richard   H.   Horning Editorial  Assistant 

William   N.   Cramer Photographer 

Richaid  W.   Landon Business  Mtiiia^/cr 

Joseph    Miller Advertising-  Assistant 

James     Freek Advertising  Assistant 

James   Francis Advertising   Assistant 

Donald   L.  Renick Circulation  Manager 

Henry  P.   Evans  Faculty  Adviser 


MEMBER    OF    EXCIXEERING    COLLEGE    MAGAZINES 
ASSOCL\TED 

Arkansas  Engineer,  Colorado  Engineer,  Cornell  Engineer,  IJrexel  Tech- 
nical .lournal,  Illinois  Technograph,  Iowa  Engineer,  Iowa  Transit,  Kansas 
State  Engineer,  Marquette  Engineer,  Michigan  Technic,  Minnesota 
Techno-Log  Missouri  Shamrock,  Nebraska  Blue  Print.  New  York  Cni- 
versity  Quadrangle,  Xorth  Dakota  Engineer,  North  Dakota  State  Engi- 
neer. Ohio  State  Engineer,  Oregon  State  Technical  Record,  Pennsylvania 
Triangle.  Purdue  Engineer,  Rose  Technic,  Tech  Engineering  News, 
\"inanova  Engineer,  Washington  State  Engineer,  Wayne  Engineer,  Wis- 
consin   Engineer. 


Published  Eight  Times  Yearly  by  the  Students  of  the  ('ollene  of  Eni;ineeri>ig,  Unii'ersity  of  Illinois 


Puliiisheil  eight  times  during  the  \ear  (October,  November,  iJeceni 
ber,  January,  February,  .March,  April,'  and  May)  by  The  Illini  Publish- 
ing Company.  EiUered  as  second  class  matter,  (.October  .U).  1*^21.  at 
the  post  office  of  Urbana.  Illinois.  Office  21.^  Engineering  Hall. 
Crbana,  Illinois.  .Subscriptions,  $1.00  per  year.  Single  copy  20  cents. 
Reprint    rights    reserved    by    The    Illinois    TcchnogrtttU. 


bidding  you  a  warm  welcome  to  Illinois 

THE    NEW   UNION   BUILDING 


// 


Our  Little  Job 
As  '^Campus  Creeter 

By   Richard   W.   Landon 
Senior  in  Electrical  Engineering 


The  tall,  dark  and  haadio/iic  Business  j\Ianager  of  the  1941-42  Techno- 
yraph  voices  our  iL-cleoiiie  to  all  icho  come  to  the  ea/iifius,  and  draus 
from  the  record  items  of  interest  for  freshmen  and  delegates  to  the  'Na- 
tional (Convention  of  Enginccrintj  (.'jolleyc  Magazines  Associated.  Soft- 
spoken   humor   underlies  his  serious  analysis  of  the   magazine's  purpose. 


RICHARD  LANDON 


\VeIl,  sir,  school  is  here  again.  After  the  work  and 
play  of  the  summer,  it  seems  like  quite  an  oddity  to  be 
coming  back  to  a  regimented  life  of  study  for  some  ten 
months.  Rut  then,  all  play  and  no  work  makes  Jack  a 
dull  boy — literally.  Some  of  us  have  been  merely  playing 
this  summer;  others  of  us  have  been  working;  still  others 
ha\e  engaged  in  activities  as  varied  as  life  itself.  So  we 
come  back  and  try  to  change  our  habits  to  those  of  concen- 
tration for  a  while  at  least. 

But  we  can't  stick  to  school  work  all  of  the  time.  The 
result — we  indulge  in  extra-curricular  activities.  We  find 
that  though  we  learn  fundamental  principles  of  the  why 
and  wherefore  in  the  classroom,  there  is  no  course  that  can 
adequately  teach  us  how  to  work  with  the  people  around 
us.  Activities,  however,  throw  us  with  our  fellows  and 
rather  force  us  into  learning  something  about  men's  reac- 
tions,  their   likes   and   dislikes. 

In  the  engineering  college,  the  Technograph,  the  engi- 
neer's magazine,  is  such  an  activity  and  has  grown  through 
the  years  to  a  position  of  some  importance.  With  the  rise 
of  this  magazine  and  others  similar  to  it  in  various  colleges 
throughout  the  country,  there  came  a  need  for  an  organi- 
zation of  these  magazines  whereby  they  could  exchange 
ideas  of  editing  and  management.  From  this  need  was 
evolved  the  E.C.M..-^. — Engineering  College  Magazines 
Associated. 

The  E.C.M.A.  now  includes  twenty-four  of  the  larger 
engineering  college  magazines  and  does  much  to  maintain 
the  high  quality  of  these  magazines.  Inducements  in  the 
way  of  awards  and  prizes  are  offered  for  excellence  in 
articles,  editorials  and  make-up  of  the  magazine.  Such  men 
as  Professor  Richardson,  President  of  E.C.M.A.,  Mr.  W. 
H.  Littell,  Advertising  Representative,  and  John  W.  Ram- 
sey, Executive  Secretary,  have  done  much  to  maintain  the 
high   standards   and    progressive   spirit   of   the   organization. 

Every  year,  the  organization  holds  a  convention  at  some 
school  among  the  twenty-four.  Last  year  the  convention 
was  held  at  the  University  of  Arkansas;  this  year  it  is  to 
be  held  here  on  the  campus  of  Illinois.  Need  we  say  that 
Illinois  is  proud  to  be  host  to  such  a  group  or  that  the 
students  and  faculty  are  glad  to  bring  such  representation 
into  their  midst.  This  group  has  done  much  in  these  con- 
\entions  to  present  the  ideas  of  all  schools  and  from  this 
heterogeneous  collection  evolve  something  for  the  benefit 
of  both  magazine  and  school. 

The  Technograph  of  Illinois  is  one  of  the  oldest  engi- 
neering college  magazines  in  the  coiuitry.     Since  its  incep- 

OCTOBER,  1941 


tion  as  a  magazine  in  1885  it  has  watched  the  University 
grow  from  a  fairly  small  school  to  one  of  the  largest  uni- 
versities in  the  world  with  schools  renowned  to  the  corners 
of  the  earth  for  their  excellence. 

It  has  watched  the  engineering  college  start  from  its 
beginnings  as  the  first  M.E.  school  in  the  middle  west  to 
develop  into  the  massive  organization  it  is  today  with  some 
sixteen  buildings  and  two  hundred-fifty  professors  and 
instructors.  The  Technograph  has  reported  engineering 
events  during  the  development  of  the  world  famous  Cera- 
mics school,  the  splendid  Architectural  school,  one  of  the 
finest  Chemical  schools,  and  an  engineering  curriculum 
second  to  none. 

Since  the  days  when  freshmen  engineers  were  forced  to 
walk  to  and  from  classes  through  the  refreshing  waters  of 
the  Boneyard  to  the  present  day  when  the  University  frowns 
on  any  sort  of  hazing,  the  Technograph  with  the  E.C.M.A. 
has  been  trying  to  express  the  engineers  viewpoint,  to  show 
others  just  what  engineering  is.  It's  watched  the  fabulous 
Red  Grange,  Gallopin'  Ghost  of  Illinois,  tear  through  an 
opponent's  line,  and  more  recently  Bill  Hapac  score  against 
any  defense. 

The  Technograph  has  looked  acro.ss  Green  Street  and 
seen  (^Id  I  iii  Hall  go  down  and  the  erection  of  the  splendid 
Illinois  Union  with  its  vast  facilities  for  student  entertain- 
ment. It's  seen  many  a  homecoming  week  end  with  the 
return  of  many  alums  and  the  resulting  festivities.  It's 
helped  in  Student  Engineering  Exhibits  and  Electrical 
Shows  and  aided  generally  in  the  advertisement  of  the  en- 
gineering college. 

The  magazine  has  been  serving  its  readers  during  the 
time  for  many  men  to  pass  from  instructorship  to  professor- 
ship to  oblivion  or  reverence ;  for  students  to  leave  to  make 
their  fame  and  fortune,  some  in  engineermg,  some  in  many 
other  lines  of  work.  It's  watched  Arthur  Cutts  "AC"  Will- 
ard  pass  from  Dean  of  the  engineering  college  to  the  presi- 
dency of  the  University.  It's  helped  advertise  the  advance- 
ments made  by  faculty  and  students — to  show  public,  stu- 
dents and  faculty  the  truly  great  things  that  have  been 
developed  in  the  University  such  as  the  "placing  of  sound 
on  film,  "  accelerating  electrons,  development  of  workable 
bridge  formulae,  and  other  developments  too  numerous  to 
mention. 

The  Technograph  as  other  magazines  in  the  E.C.M..'\. 
tries  to  give  the  student,  primarily,  faculty  and  alumni, 
secondly,  news  of  the  engineering  campus,  developments  in 
and   outside  of  the  school,   with   a   dash   of  wit   and   humor 


OLD 


and 


N  E  W 


Changes  in  the  campus  scene  noted  in  the 
TECHNOGRAPH  of  past  years  included 
these  buildings: 

The  Memorial  Stadium  (top)  was  erected 
in  1922-23  as  a  4ift  of  alumni  and  friends 
of  the  University  through  the  Athletic  Asso- 
ciation. It  replaced  the  old  Athletic  Field 
(left)  as  the  scene  of  most  varsity  inter- 
scholastic    contests. 

Center  of  military  activity  and  instruction 
at  the  University  is  now  the  Armory  (left) 
which  was  built  in  1914-15  and  was  supple- 
mented by  additions  in  1926-27.  This  struc- 
ture replaced  the  Old  .-Xrmory  (bottom) 
which  had  been  erected  in  1889-90.  The 
latter  has  been  used  as  the  Old  Gym  Annex 
since    its    retirement    from    military    service. 


thrown  in  tor  jiooil  measure.  The  Technograph  has  devi- 
ated troin  the  otlier  mafia/.ines  to  a  certain  extent  in  tlie 
past  year,  ho\\e\er,  in  developinji  an  easy  style  of  familiarity 
with  the  student.  It  is  tlie  belief  of  the  Technograph  staff 
that  uliile  students  are  interested  in  subjects  beyond  their 
own  scope,  they  do  not  care  to  del\e  into  a  scientific  dis- 
cussion of  the  fabrication  of  refractory  products  when  they 
are  interested  in  the  "why"  of  magnetic  attractions.  Thus 
most  articles  about  the  technical  subjects  are  treated  more 
as  news  than  as  technical  treatises.  Prominent  people  are 
presented  with  a  view  towards  giving  the  engineer  a  better 
acquaintance  with  his  college.  (We  believe  this  is  un- 
doubtedly tlie  best  feature  of  its  kind  on  the  campus. — Kd. ) 
The  Technograpli  also  has  as  its  aim  help  for  the  new 
engineer;  accpiainting  him  with  faculty,  students  and  build- 
ings; helping  him  to  decide  on  tlie  proper  engineering 
courses,   and    ni   general,   to  dexelop   m   huii   a   sense  of  just 


what  an  engineer  is.  All  phases  of  engineering  are  pre- 
sented ;   none   are  shirked,   -ind   all   are  praised   equally. 

To  help  advertise  the  college  and  what  it  stands  for  is 
its  final  purpose.  To  high  schools  and  other  colleges  goes 
the  magazine  to  show  what  Illinois  is  doing,  to  promote  the 
college.  Engineers  \\ield  the  most  potent  forces  in  the 
world,  but  it  takes  advertising  to  get  people  to  allow  the 
engineer  to  use  his  abilities. 

Tlie  staff  of  the  Technograph  is  proud  to  be  able  to 
present  this  magazine  of  the  students  to  the  students  and 
liopcs  that  through  the  ensuing  months  it  may  present  such 
articles  as  will  be  of  greatest  interest  to  all  engineers.  The 
Technograph  invites  your  criticism  and  suggestions  and  will 
endeavor  to  put  them  to  good  use.  We  welcome  \ou — 
whether  \ou  be  a  freshman,  upperdassman,  K.C.M..A.  liele- 
gate,  professor,  or  alumnus,  and  may  \ou  find  the  1  echno- 
•Ziapli   of    1''41    good   reading. 

THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


Let  DIE  CASTING 

Solve  Your  Non-ferrous  Casting   Problems 

The  ncrcssity  of  olitiiinini/  cionuinuiil  (dslini/s  in  qmiiitity  fur  Nritioiiril  Dift  luc  fo(  uses 
attention  on  fn/iru /iliun  /'y  the  du-idilin/j  pronss.  The  {iiillior  presents  ii  nsuinc  of 
flu-  possihilitics. 

By  M.  Hufschmidt 


Amoiiji:  the  various  processes  used  for  fabricating  metals, 
die  casting  has  continued  to  be  used  to  an  e\er  increasing 
degree.  This  is  due  to  some  inherent  advantage  that  it 
possesses  when  compared  with  ordinary  sand  casting  or  per- 
manent mold  casting.  As  a  result  the  process  has  grown 
so  that  now  die  castings  are  used  in  a  great  many  industries; 
their  most  important  application  is  in  the  automobile  and 
aircraft  industries. 

Die  casting  is  essentially  casting  molten  metal  luider 
pressures  greater  than  atmospheric.  For  this  purpose  me- 
tallic molds  are  used.  The  molten  metal  is  forced  under 
pressure  into  the  steel  molds  and  allowed  to  cool.  The 
molds  are  then  parted  and  the  completed  castings  removed. 
\\'heii  taken  out  and  examined  the  surfaces  are  found  to 
he  \ery  smooth  and  free  from  sand  inclusions  and  blow- 
holes. Thus  they  require  little  or  no  machining,  and  can 
be  used  immediately,  or  treated  by  painting,  buffing,  or 
plating.  V^ery  complicated  parts  can  be  die  cast;  midti- 
cored  castings  can  be  made  if  a  suitable  mold  can  be  de- 
signed, because  the  molten  metal  penetrates  every  part  of 
the  mold,  and  imparts  a  very  sharp  and  finished  appearance 
to  the  castings. 

The  die  casting  process  is  capable  of  producing  metal 
parts  fit  for  a  great  many  uses.  It  is  restricted  to  metals 
of  comparatively  low  melting  points.  Zinc,  aluminum,  and 
magnesium  are  the  most  important  metals  being  die  cast, 
although  brass  is  also  being  die  cast  in  spite  of  its  high 
melting  point.  There  are  no  rigid  size  restrictions  to  their 
production;  articles  as  small  as  zipper  teeth  and  as  large 
as  automobile  radiator  grilles  are  being  produced  today. 
'I  he  present  trend  is  molding  castings,  fornierh'  consisting 
of  many  parts,  as  one  piece,  thereby  saving  the  cost  of 
fitting. 

There  are  several  limitations  to  die  casting  which  are 
retarding  its  full  development,  but  which  are  being  solved 
by  research  and  experiments.  As  a  result  many  difficulties 
ha\e  already  been  overcome.  As  previously  mentioned  one 
limitation  is  the  high  melting  point  of  some  of  the  alloys. 
The  steel  dies  now  in  use  are  not  able  to  withstand  the 
temperatures  needed  to  melt  some  alloys;  hence  an  im- 
provement in  die  steels  will  result  in  further  development 
of   brass   die   casting. 

Another  difficulty  encountered  was  the  change  in  chem- 
ical composition  of  the  alloys  between  melting  and  the  fin- 
ished product.  Iron  was  being  absorbed  from  the  melting 
pot;  this  iron  reduced  the  tensile  strength  and  ductility  of 
the  castings  so  its  presence  in  the  casting  was  very  objec- 
tionable. The  molten  metal  was  also  absorbing  oxygen  and 
nitrogen  from  the  compressed  air  which  was  in  direct  contact 
with  the  casting  metal.  This  also  caused  the  castings  to  be 
full  of  small  air  pockets,  which  further  weakened  the  metal. 
The  pouring  temperatLue  also  was  not  high  enough  to  keep 
the  metal  molten  until  it  reached  the  furthest  point  in  the 
mold.  The  use  of  low  pressures  in  casting  resulted  in 
castings  with   rather  low  metallic  densities. 

The  cure  to  most  of  these  difficulties  has  been  found. 
Improved    melting    pots    reduce    the    absorption    of    iron    by 

OCTOBER,  1941 


the  metal.  Higher  pressures  and  new  machines  using  the 
pneumatic-ram  principle  solve  the  density  and  air  pocket 
problems,  b)  removing  the  contact  between  the  compressed 
air  and  the  molten  metal.  This  almost  entirely  removes 
the  oxygen  and  hydrogen  absorption.  Machines  have  been 
designed  to  die  cast  aluminum  at  pressures  around  9,000 
pounds,  thus  improving  the  metallic  densit.\'. 

The  zinc  die  castings  are  of  importance  in  the  auto- 
mobile industry,  where  the  castings  are  used  for  many 
parts  both  on  the  motor  and  the  body.  The  castings  can 
be  produced  at  a  low  cost,  because  of  quantity  production. 
They  have  good  tensile  properties  up  to  about  200  degrees 
Fahrenheit,  but  above  that  temperature  their  strength  falls 
off  rapidly.  The  auto  industry  uses  about  one-half  of  all 
the  zinc  die  castings  produced  ;  this  ratio  has  remained  con- 
stant for  the  past  ten  years.  The  total  zinc  die  castings 
production  has  increased  four-fold  in  the  last  ten  years 
howe\er,  showing  an  expansion  of  their  use  in  all  fields. 

Aluminum  alloy  die  castings  are  being  used  much  in 
the  aircraft  industry  today;  their  properties  make  them 
suitable  for  use  as  unstressed  and  semi-stressed  members. 
A  disadvantage  still  noticed  is  their  unfavorable  elongation 
properties ;  this  prevents  them  from  being  used  in  many 
spots  where  elongation  is  an  important  factor.  Die  casting 
has  saved  aircraft  companies  much  money  in  the  past.  As 
much  as  $2,000  was  saved  on  a  single  plane  by  using  die 
castings,  while  savings  of  15','  of  sand  casting  and  machin- 
ing costs  are  usual. 

The  latest  in  die  casting  alloys  are  the  magnesium  al- 
loys. Their  distinctive  feature  is  their  extreme  lightness. 
Magnesium  is  but  two-thirds  as  heavy  as  aluminum,  and 
one-fourth  as  heavy  as  steel.  Although  not  as  strong  as 
aluminum  or  steel  per  unit  volume,  they  have  favorable 
mass-strength  ratios  when  compared  with  them.  As  a  residt 
magnesium  die  castings  are  used  for  secondary  stressed 
and  non-stressed  members  on  aircraft.  The  Dowmetal 
alloys  EX,  K,  and  R  are  samples  of  aluminum  alloys  being 
die  cast.  When  machining  is  necessary,  the  magnesium  al- 
loys possess  the  additional  advantage  of  machining  \ery 
easily. 

Brass  die  castings  possess  very  good  physical  properties; 
they  are  resistant  to  corrosion  and  have  values  of  tensile 
strengths  up  to  100,000  pounds  per  square  inch,  and  hard- 
nesses up  to  200  Brinell.  Their  high  melting  point  is  the 
main  factor  restricting  their  production.  The  improvement 
in  design  of  dies  will  overcome  this  difficulty. 

The  technical  advances  made  in  the  last  few  years  have 
definitely  put  the  die  casting  process  in  an  increasingly 
important  position  in  industry,  especialh  in  the  aircraft 
and  auto  industries.  The  de\elopment  of  new  high-pressure 
automatic  machines,  which  turn  out  die  castings  by  the 
thousands,  results  in  a  lower  unit  cost,  and  thus  a  wider 
range  of  use.  It  is  true  that  die  castings  are  limited  to 
non-ferrous  metals  of  reasonably  low  melting  points,  but 
within  these  limitations  the  process  has  a  great  opportunity 
for  expansion.  It  is  the  hope  of  the  die  casting  industry 
that  in  a  few  years  die  casting  will  replace  many  parts 
now  sand   cast. 


Engineers  Appreciate 
Good  Music  Too  .  .  . 


J  thrnoiiyh  understanding  of  music  comes  only  from  hcarinr/  it  frcf/iu  rilly.  J'fic 
hist  in  music  is  presented  hy  the  Star  (bourse,  for  uliiili  tin  lutthor  is  Senior 
^lanai/cr.  As  an  cnt/incer  he  speitks  from   the  enyinecr' s  viewpoint. 

By  Charles  G.  Schott 
Senior  in  Mechanical  Engineering 


<  II  AKI.IS   (,.   S(  IIOTT 


I  have  often  heard  it  said  that  the  engineer  cannot 
understand  anything  other  than  figures  and  his  pet  slide- 
rule.  Being  an  engineer  niyselt  I  cannot  think  of  any  state- 
ment which  is  farther  from  the  truth.  However,  since  I 
have  been  associated  with  the  Star  Course  I  have  noticed 
that  only  a  few  of  our  engineering  students  seem  to  possess 
the  understanding  necessary  to  appreciate  good  music.  This 
is  one  of  the  very  few  failings  which  the  group  seems  to 
possess,  but  stop  and  think!  How  many  other  people  have 
that  understandingF    Relatively  few! 

The  engineer,  the  same  as  the  lawyer,  the  accountant, 
artist,  or  chemist,  does  not  have  that  so-called  iniderstand- 
ing  simply  because  he  has  not  exposed  himself  long  enough. 
If  you  had  never  come  in  contact  with  a  few  engineering 
principles  or  seen  an  engineer  at  work,  you  probably  would 
have  cho.sen  another  field  in  which  to  apply  your  potenti- 
alities. But  you  had  heard  of  engineering  many  times.  Per- 
haps your  friends  were  interested  in  the  vocation  or  your 
parents  had  an  active  part  in  it.  You  had  been  exposed 
and  now  you  have  attained  through  education  an  under- 
standing  of   engineering. 

Your  understanding  of  music  must  grow  the  same  way. 
An  understanding  of  music  is  not  developed  over  night, 
acquired  from  te.xtbooks,  nor  is  it  picked  up  in  a  class- 
room. Music  is  something  which  grows  on  a  person.  Music 
is  something  which  lives  because  of  its  own  greatness.  Music 
is  the  something  which  continues  to  live  after  man  dies. 
Such  a  thing  as  this  must  be  worthwhile. 

Behind  every  classical  piece  of  music  written  there  is 
a  story.  "What  kind  of  a  story?"  you  may  ask.  It  may 
be  cither  a  story  portraying  some  incident  of  life,  or  it  may 
be  a  story  of  the  composer's  emotions.  Beethoven,  Tchai- 
kowsky,  Haydn,  and  Debussy  all  wrote  in  both  gay,  light 
moods  and  extremely  passionate  ones.  Knowing  this  back- 
ground and  the  life  of  the  composer  will  add  to  your  un- 
derstanding of  each  number.  It  is  through  knowing  these 
facts  that  you  will  know  what  the  composer  is  tr\ing  to 
display  through  his  music.  When  you  know  what  to  ex- 
pect you  can  appreciate  the  manner  in  which  the  work  is 
written  and  presented.  You  can  criticize  and  applaud — in 
fact  you  may  understand  the  music.  From  your  understand- 
ing you  may  then  competently  express  your  special  likes 
and  dislikes.  And  let  there  be  no  doubt — everyone  has  his 
special   likes  and   dislikes   about  all   music. 

To  the  freshman,  who  desires  to  expose  himself  to  this 
thing  called  music.  Star  Course  offers  a  wonderful  oppor- 
tunity, not  as  a  commercial  organization,  but  as  an  ac- 
tivity of  which  he  can  be  a  pait.    He  will  work  with  music. 

8 


meet  the  people  behind  it,  and  gain  a  wealth  of  musical 
information.  Star  Course  is  sponsored  by  the  L  niversity 
Concert  and  Entertainment  Board  and  it  is  in  his  first 
year  the  freshman  nia\-  apply  to  them  for  a  position  on  the 
sophomore  staff.  The  sophomore  staff  is  composed  of  fifty 
students,  twenty-five  boys  and  twenty-five  girls.  Sophomore 
work  consists  mainly  of  handling  the  office  work,  concert 
presentation,  and  publicity.  After  the  sophomore  year  if  the 
student  wishes  to  go  on  he  may  apply  to  the  board  for  a 
position  as  Junior  Manager.  Here  the  responsibilities  in- 
crease. The  Junior  Managers  have  charge  of  or  supervise 
all  the  work  carried  out  by  the  sophomores  and  are  respon- 
sible for  the  completion  of  such  work.  For  your  last  year 
in  school,  if  you  were  successful  in  being  appointed  a  Junior 
Manager,  you  may  petition  for  the  position  as  Senior  Man- 
ager. 

Each  semester  Star  Course  presents  a  series  of  concerts 
for  the  students  and  faculty  of  the  University  at  a  nominal 
cost.  These  concerts  are  presented  throughout  the  year  in 
the  Auditorium  of  the  University.  This  year  we  are  in- 
augurating a  new  system  of  concert  presentation  in  cele- 
bration of  our  fiftieth  anniversary.  In  the  past  it  has  been 
the  custom  to  present  the  artists  in  a  single  Star  Course 
series,  and  then  to  supplement  this  series  with  a  Symphony 
Course.  Now  we  are  presenting  a  single  series  each  semester 
which  places  our  organization  on  a  running  basis  similar  to 
the  Uiuversity  year. 

In  celebration  of  our  fiftieth  anniversary  we  are  gi\ing 
a  complimentary  concert  to  our  first  semester  patrons  which 
will  feature  the  celebrated  Coolidge  String  Quartet.  It 
is  our  hope  that  the  entire  University  will  join  us  in  this 
fiftieth  anniversary  celebration. 

In  the  past  few  years  I  have  had  several  students,  fresh- 
men as  well  as  uppercla.ssmen,  ask  me  just  how  Star  Course 
did  get  its  start  on  the  campus.  It's  a  long  story  and  it  all 
started  in  the  spring  of  1917  when  the  University  Concert 
and  Entertainment  Board  was  organized  under  the  name 
of  Star  Course.  It  had  a  board  of  advisers  consisting  of 
the  director  of  the  School  of  Music,  the  comptroller,  a 
member  of  the  faculty  selected  by  the  Council  of  Admin- 
istration with  .1  \iew  to  acting  in  an  advisory  capacity  con- 
cerning dramatic  attraction,  and  two  members  elected  an- 
nually by  the  Philomathean  and  the  .Adelphic  Literary  So- 
cieties. The  comptioller  was  selected  to  be  ex  officio  chair- 
man of  the  board  and  the  faculty  members  were  to  serve 
for  two  years.  The  managers  were  selected  from  each 
literar\"  .society  for  each  season's  course. 
(Please  sec  page  22) 

THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


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FOLLETT'S 

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629  EAST  GREEN  PHONE  8134 


OCTOBER,  1941 


I<eft :  At  (i:(l(l  A..M.  the  shadows  are  Iciim  and  you  are  very  sleepy,  hut  the  top-Uiik  says  "Battery  15  on  the 
line;"  IJoh  Johnstone  (center)  and  Ralph  (lark  (riyht)  hoth  have  that  sleepy  look,  (enter:  The  .'i-ineh  AA 
yun  reeoils  with  .i  han^  at  Kt.  Sheridan,  where  eoast  artilley  cadets  from  Illinois  trained  at  sunnner  camp, 
liiulit:    Vo:i   tell   us   who  is  who   when   wearini;   i;as  masks  tor  i;as  and  smoke  drill  on  tlie  hea<li  at  i>"t.  Sheridan. 


Oh,  for  the  Life  of  the  Army! 


This  letter  is  the  fir.st  of  several  intercepted  from 
the  R.O.T.C.  camps  this  past  summer.  Watch  for  the 
one  to  follow  in  the  November  issue  of  the  Teehno- 
rapli,  which  the  Editor  promises  is  "a  Lulu."  The 
identity    of    "Darling"    is    not    disclosed. 

Company   I),   RC^TC   Camp 
Fort  Custer,   Mich. 
To  whom   it  may  concern, 
Darhiig, 

Sometime  about  the  middle  of  June  a  group  of  tents 
sprang  up  on  what  had  been  a  deserted  field  here  at  Fort 
Custer.  In  a  few  more  dai,s  dull-colored  Army  trucks  be- 
gan hauling  supplies  to  this  section.  On  June  the  nine- 
teenth the  components  of  the  ROTC  camp  began  to  pour 
in.  Regular  officers  and  non-commissioned  officers  from 
many  schools  arrived  a  few  days  early  to  complete  final 
preparations  for  the  organization  of  the  camp.  When  the 
students  arrived,  by  train,  bus,  car,  etc.,  they  were  hauled 
to  the  camp,  unloaded,  registered,  and  sent  to  take  their 
physical  examinations.  Having  passed  the  physical  exam, 
and  very  few  didn't  pass,  they  were  issued  equipment  and 
assigned   to   tents. 

The  first  big  problem  to  be  settled  was  the  placing  of 
equipment  in  the  tents.  Some  thirty-five  or  forty  separate 
articles  and  pieces  of  equipment  had  to  be  adjusteil  and  put 
away  in  accordance  with  camp  regulations.  Within  the 
first  few  days  each  man  knew  where  everything  should 
go  and  had  become  accustomed  to  placing  it  there.  It  isn't 
at  all  like  home,  Darling.  The  process  of  learning  this 
placement  was  somewhat  speeded  up  by  numerous  tent  and 
area  inspections.  Gee,  they  are  more  strict  than  your 
housemother ! 

Camp  duties  began  ininiediatel\'  after  the  equipment 
had  been  issued.  The  rifles  were  all  packed  in  wooden 
cases,  ten  to  a  case,  and  each  rifle  was  carefully  and 
individually  packed  in  several  poimds  of  cosmoline.  Cosmo- 
line  is  a  peculiar  sort  of  grease  which  has  the  property  of 
drying  and  leaving  a  hard  varnish-like  surface  which  is 
almost  impossible  to  remove.  Cleaning  this  grease  from 
the  rifles  required  gallons  of  gasoline,  many  men,  and  a 
great  many  hours  of  hard  work.  After  completing  this 
preliminary  cleaning  the  grease  kept  oozing  from  the  cracks 
whenever  the  gun  stocks  became  warm.  The  rifles  did  not 
attain  good  condition  for  several  days.  Mine  is  slick  as  a 
whistle  now. 

10 


The  beginning  of  our  actual  instruction  was  more  in 
the  line  of  review  and  orientation  than  an  effort  to  learn 
something  new.  For  the  first  few  days  the  time  was  occu- 
pied with  close  order  drill,  extended  order  drill,  setting-up 
exercises,  general  instructions  in  camp  rules  and  regulations, 
and  final  adjustment  of  all  the  myriad  details  connected 
with  starting  an  organization  such  as  this.  Darling,  they 
really   made    us   work.      Wasn't   that    mean? 

The  fourth  day  of  camp  we  took  up  the  packing  of  the 
army  ha\ersack  and  bed  roll.  ( Did  ya'  ever  see  a  bed 
roll,  luih?)  The  general  idea  is  to  take  all  the  essentials 
for  a  march  of  several  days  and  so  pack  them  together 
as  to  be  readily  accessible  and  comfortable  to  carry.  The 
equipment  carried  included  a  blanket,  shelter  half  (one 
half  of  the  standard  army  pup  tent,)  tent  poles  and  stakes, 
toilet  articles,  items  of  clothing  such  as  a  raincoat,  change 
of  underclothing,  extra  socks,  mess  equipment,  canteen, 
and  emergency  food  supplies.  The  complete  army  pack 
weighs  approximately  sixty-five  pounds,  more  than  half  as 
much  as  you  do.  When  it  is  properly  packed  and  ad- 
justed to  the  body  of  the  soldier  it  is  not  especially  uncom- 
fortable or  difficult  to  carry.  That's  what  they  tol/i  me 
anywa\'. 

Extended  order  drill  and  instruction  in  general  com- 
bat principles  and  scouting  and  patrolling  occupied  several 
hours  of  each  day  for  the  last  half  of  the  first  week. 
During  the  progress  of  this  instruction  we  made  several 
short  hikes  of  a  few  miles  each  practicing  the  various 
principles  we  were   being  taught. 

The  principle  and  most  important  instruction  gi\en 
during  the  first  two  weeks  of  camp  is  that  given  concern- 
ing rifle,  sighting  and  aiming  exercises,  position  exercises, 
practice  in  making  the  various  slings  for  the  rifle,  practice 
in  bolt  manipulation  and  rapid  fire  exercises.  At  the  con- 
clusion of  this  preliminary  instruction  we  were  taken  to  the 
rifle  ranges  for  actual  firing  practice.  In  the  firing  of  a 
thirty  calibre  rifle  the  first  shot  is  the  hardest.  All  of  us 
had  heard  so  many  tales  concerning  the  recoil  or  "kick" 
of  the  rifle  that  we  were  more  or  less  jittery  when  taking 
position  for  firing  our  first  shots.  Actually,  the  recoil  is 
not  bad  at  all.  The  explosion  of  firing  the  projectile  is 
rather  painful  to  the  ear  driutis  if  the  ears  are  not  stuffed 
with  cotton,  but  otherwise  firing  the  "thirty"  is  no  more 
difficult  than  firing  the  "twenty-two"  calibre  rifle  on  the 
I'nivcrsitN'    rifle    ranges.      I'll    bet   you'd   have   jumped    too, 

THE  TECHNOGR.VPH 


darling,  if  you  lieard  the  noise  these  make. 

During  the  practice  firing  we  fired  at  rajiges  of  two 
hundred  and  three  hundreii  yards,  using  all  four  positions, 
standing,  sitting,  kneeling,  and  prone,  using  slow  fire  in  all 
positions  and  rapid  fire  in  kneeling,  sitting,  and  prone.  At 
the  conclusion  of  this  practice  period,  which  required  about 
four  days  to  complete,  all  cadets  fired  a  record  course  in 
an  attempt  to  qualify  with  the  rifle  as  marksman,  sharp- 
shooter, or  expert.  Maybe  I'll  get  a  medal  you'll  like — 
and  be  a  crack-shot  instead  of  a  crnck-fiot  like  I'ncle  tliinks 
I  am.     He  won  an  iron  cross  or  something. 

One  of  the  more  interesting  side  line  jobs  in  connection 
with  the  range  practice  is  the  pit  detail.  This  is  a  group 
of  men  who  leave  the  camp  about  twenty  minutes  before  the 
firing  crew  and  take  up  positions  in  pits  just  below  the 
range  targets.  These  men  operate  the  targets,  mark  the 
position  and  \alue  of  all  hits  scored,  time  the  exposure  of 
the  targets  for  rapid  fire,  and  any  other  duties  in  connection 
with  keeping  the  targets  ready  for  firing.  They  receive 
communications  from  the  firing  line  through  private  tele- 
phone systems,  one  for  each  detail  of  ten  or  twelve  targets, 
operated  by  various  members  of  the  organization. 

All  in  all,  the  range  firing  is  a  lot  of  fun,  but  it  gets 
extremely  hot  and  the  light  is  quite  blinding  on  a  bright 
day.  The  firing  line  is  of  sand,  and  when  it  is  dry  and 
the  wind  is  blowing,  the  eyes  get  rather  rough  treatment. 
Protective  glasses  are  almost  a  necessity.  I'm  getting  a 
good   sunburn. 

Meals  are  provided  by  the  company  mess.  In  our 
organization — the  Engineers,  about  one  hundred  twenty- 
three  of  us  are  fed  in  our  mess  hall,  plus  about  twenty-five 
men  from  the  Signal  Corps.  Nine  men  are  delegated  each 
day  to  serve  as  K.  P.'s.  They  clean  up  the  mess  hall,  wash 
all  the  dishes  and  silverware,  and  make  themsehes  gener- 
ally useful  in  preparing  the  meals.  The  actual  food  is  not 
of  especially  high  quality  in  some  cases  and  is  quite  often 
unattractively  prepared,  but  on  the  whole,  the  food  is  good 
enough  and  in  large  enough  quantities  so  that  a  man  can 
live  on  it  and  remain  healthy.  In  many  cases  the  men 
seem  to  put  on  weight  at  camp. 

As  to  recreation,  we  have  the  whole  city  of  Battle 
Creek,  which  is  not  especially  well  supplied  with  recrea- 
tion, we  have  our  own  ROTC  Club  or  Hostess  House, 
athletic  facilities  are  available  for  swimming,  tennis,  horse- 
shoes, volleyball,  and  other  such  sports.  In  addition  the 
Post  movies  are  available  for  us  and  show  quite  good 
features.  The  L  SO  provides  shows  every  once  in  a  while. 
They  are  usually  of  good  quality  and  quite  entertaining. 
I  have  seen  only  one  of  them,  but  it  was  excellent.  (7ee,  I 
wish  you  were  here,  too. 

Religious  facilities  are  afforded  b\-  both  the  many 
churches  in  Rattle  Creek,  and  the  various  post  chaplains. 
Services  are  held  every  Sunday  morning  and  many  of  the 
men  attend  regularly.  In  general,  the  facilities  are  avail- 
able for  almost  anything  a  person  wishes  to  do,  all  you 
have   to   do   is   find   out   where   it   is. 

As  soon  as  we  finish  our  rifle  training  we  will  take  up 
the  more  techtiical  engineer  field  problems,  such  as  mining 
and  demolitions,  bridge  construction,  road  cotistruction, 
etc.  We  are  all  looking  forward  to  that  period  with  a 
great  deal  of  pleasure.  And  I'm  looking  forward  to 
seeing  you  before  we  go  back  to  Illinois  this  fall — it'll 
be  so  different   from   the  Army. 

This  should  give  you  some  idea  of  what  our  first  ten 
days  are  like  here  at  the  ROTC  Camp.  I  must  close  now 
and  get  ready  for  the  work  tomorrow.  I'll  write  again 
'oon.     Lebewohl — Gerrv. 


The   Noveml>er  issue  of   THK   TI-;(  UNCXiK.Al'H   will   eiiipha- 
si/.e    military    and    national    defense    indiistrieji.    Wateh    for    it. 


Brown  &  Sharpe  Electrical  Control 
—  for  Rapid  and  Precise  Milling 


Outstanding  for  — 

RB-S 


Wrftc  for  deUih 

Brown  a  Sharpe  MFg. 
Co.,  Providence.  R,  I, 


Rapidity  and  Precision  of  Movements 

Flexibility  of  Performance 

Smooth  and  Quiet  Operation 

Safety  Protection 

Dependability  and  Lasting  Accuracy 


BROWN   &   SHARPE 


The  original  Bahcoei-  &  U^Hcox 
Water  Tubf  Boiler  —  designed 
tn  1867— and  a  modern  B&W 
Boiler. 


PROGRESS 


OF  POWER 


Here  are  some  of  the  major  developments  in  the  history 
of  steam  generation  since  1867: 

Water-tube  boiler  •  Pulverized  coal  firing  •  Welded 
drums  •  Stud-tube,  water-cooled  furnace  walls  • 
Open-pass  boUer  •  Two-stage  furnace  •  Slag-tap 
furnace  •  Advances  in  working  pressures,  from 
650  lb.  in  1922  to  2500  lb.  in  1940. 

Each  of  these  developments  was  either  originated  by 
B&W  or  first  made  commercially  acceptable  by  B&W, 
the  oldest  and  largest  manu- 
facturer of  steam  boilers  in 
this  country. 

Much  of  the  knowledge  of 
steam  generation  that  is  now 
incorporated  in  your  own 
textbooks  has  been  given  to 
the  world  by  B&W  engineers. 


FREE  14-PAGE   BOOKLET 

"The  Design  of  Water-Tube 
Boiler  Units".  This  liberally 
illustrated  booklet  discusses 
the  faaors  involved  in  deter- 
mining the  proper  rype  of 
steam  generating  unit  for  any 
given  service.  A  copy  will 
be   sent    to   you   on    request. 


THE     BABCOCK    »WILCOX    COMPA^ 


85    liBERIV   STREET 


NEW    YORK     N.  T. 


BABCOCK  &  WILCOX 


OCTOBER,  1941 


11 


O   N     O   U   R 


Above:  Engineering  Hall  is  the  landmark  for  engineering 
alumni  who  return  to  the  campus.  The  Engineering  College 
and  the  Technograph  are  among  those  offices  quartered  within 
its  buff  brick  walls. 

Below:  Huff  Gymnasium,  named  for  the  late  George  Huff, 
famed  Athletic  Director  at  the  University,  is  the  scene  of 
major  dances  in  between  duties  as  host  to  record-breaking 
basketball  crowds. 


Top  Center:  You  are  now  among 
the  Broadwalk  in  the  rush  betwei 
the  north  and  south  portions  of  th 
becomes   Burrill  Avenue. 

Bottom  Center:  As  the  hub  of  st 
mini  Union  Building  sparkles  lit 
the  front  of   Engineering  Hall. 


CAMPUS 


Above:  The  Registrar,  Physical  Plant  Department,  President, 
Dean  of  Men,  and  Business  Office  are  among  the  many  offices 
in  the  Administration  Building.  Your  university  record  and 
probably  your  life  history  are  in  the  files. 

Below:  Illinois  is  proud  of  its  library,  one  of  the  largest  in  the 
country,  and  the  building  which  houses  well  over  a  million 
volumes  is  a  good  example  of  modified  Georgian  architecture. 


ini  who  traditionally  have  crowded 
ises.  The  Broadwalk  ties  together 
pus.  On  the  engineering  campus  it 


affairs  and  social  activity  the  new 
im  in  this  night  scene  taken  from 


NAMES 


.  .  .  /;/  the  news 

By  Richard  W.  Landon 
Scuior  ill   Electrical  Engineeriiig 

ami  Donald  K.  Stevens 
Senior  in   ('erainic  Eiigineeriiii} 

BOB  KUDER 

Hoi)  Kiulcr,  senior  EE,  walks  around  the  engineering 
campus  with  a  continual  smile  and  possesses  the  ability  to 
make  everyone  like  him  better  each  time  they  meet  him. 
Hob  doesn't  try  to  be  likable;  it  just  comes  naturally.  Partly 
because  of  this  affable  manner,  he  has  been  twice  elected 
to  the  vice-chairmanship  of  the  student  branch  of  the  Amer- 
ican Institute  of  Electrical  Engineers.  Here  he  has  done 
an  admirable  job  in  directing  meetings,  planning  programs 
and  helping  in  tile  publication  of  the  noted  "Campus  Cur- 
rents." 

Bob  lives  not  far  from  the  campus  in  a  turn  of  the  high- 
way' near  a  bridge  designed  by  some  Illinois  engineers.  He 
lovingly  refers  to  this  budding  metropolis  as  the  Golden 
(jiate  of  the  Midwest,  St.  Joseph.  As  it's  only  ten  miles 
from  the  campus,  he  drives  to  school  every  day.  Living 
away  from  school  doesn't  keep  Bob  from  attending  the 
meetings  of  the  various  organizations  to  which  he  belongs 
including  Eta  Kappa  Nu,  honorary  electrical  engineering 
fraternity,  and  Sigma  Tau,  honorary  engineering  frater- 
nity. And  it's  a  lot  of  fun  to  get  a  ride  home  once  in  a 
while  when  Bob's  along  with  his  car.  Funny  how  many 
people  flock  around  Bob  at  the  time  to  leave  one  of  these 
meetings. 

Women  don't  bother  Bob  a  whole  lot.  Not  that  he 
won't  stand  outside  of  the  Engineering  Hall  for  fifteen 
minutes  to  see  a  certain  little  red-head  pass  by,  but  he  is 
able  to  think  of  things  engineering  once  in  a  while — judging 
by  an  excellent  grade  average.  He  hasn't  managed  to  go 
gaga  over  anything  on  the  campus  as  yet,  but  there's  a  cer- 
tain little  miss  in  Decatur  that  causes  him  to  spend  a  good 
many  Friday  nights  in  driving  to  and  from  a  little  session 
with  her. 

BERT  FOWLER 

Bert  hails  from  Centralia,  came  to  Illinois  because  it 
was  handy  and  has  since  made  the  kind  of  grades  we  all 
dream  about;  the  kind  you  and  I  wish  for  but  seem  to 
eternally  elude  us.  When  we  asked  Bert  his  formula  for 
getting  good  grades  we  were  nonplussed.  "Study  as  little 
as  possible  and  have  a  date  every  night.  I've  averaged 
about  six  dates  a  week  since  I've  been  down  here."  From 
now  on  we're  going  to  burn  our  books  and  never  go  to  bed. 

Bert  is  a  member  of  Sigma  Tau,  honorary  engineering 
fraternity,  Pi  Mu  Epsilon,  honorary  math  fraternity,  and 
Tau  Beta  Pi,  the  Phi  Beta  Kappa  of  the  engineering  cam- 
pus. He  being  a  P.  E.,  or  rather  an  Engineering  Physicist, 
is  also  a  member  of  the  Engineering  Physicists  Society. 

Bert  went  into  Engineering  Physics  because  he  found 
out  that  there  is  where  one  is  offered  many  methods  of  ob- 
taining simple  solutions  by  long,  hard,  roundabout  methods. 
Jt  also  gives  him  a  chance  to  use  a  lot  of  figures,  calculus 
summation  figures,  and  (Jreek  symbols  that  no  one  can 
understand.  The  basis  of  all  this  is  that  if  you  can  fool  the 
consumer  into  thinking  you  are  going  to  a  lot  of  work  to 
perform  such  a  feat  as  counting  the  lines  of  magnetic  force 
in  a  piece  of  iron  or  counting  by  hand  the  number  of  inch- 
pounds    to    the    fourth    power    to    make    certain    moment    of 


inertia,  you  can  get  a  lot  of  money  more  easily  than  if  \ou 
nu-iely  got  the  answer  by  a  straight-forward  method. 

Bert  and  his  roommate.  Bob  Ballard,  make  a  great  pair 
tor  a  laboratory  team  except  that  a  certain  li'l  Southerner 
b\  the  name  of  "Alabam"  is  very  prone  to  enter  the  con- 
wrsation.  The\'  have  been  known  to  argue  for  fifteen  min- 
utes over  her  parting   remarks. 

PAUL  FLUCKE 

Paul  came  to  Illinois  from  the  Junior  College  of  Kansas 
City,  Missouri,  after  plunging  through  a  Physics  course  down 
there  that's  guaranteed  to  keep  sixty  per  cent  of  its  enroll- 
ment from  continuing  with  engineering  pursuits.  Paul  man- 
aged, and  possessing  a  deep  interest  in  chemi.stry,  he  came 
here  where  he'd  heard  was  one  of  the  world's  finest  chem 
schools.     He  was  right. 

He's  an  independent,  likes  the  same  things  you  like, 
including  the  ever-popular  female;  (lod  bless  em.  He  didn't 
date  much  during  the  first  semester  of  last  year  making 
up  for  lost  time  on  those  infrequent  trips  home,  but  now  .  .  . 
We  heard  that  Paul  once  got  into  hot  water  when  he  had 
two  dates  with  two  different  girls  set  for  the  same  night. 
We've  often  wondered  how  he  got  out  of  that. 

Paul  is  now  president  of  the  student  branch  of  the  Amer- 
ican Society  of  Chemical  Engineers  and  also  a  member  of 
the  Engineering  Council  which  he  is  endea\oring  to  help 
in  its  purpose  of  engineer  promotion.  Paul  is  all  for  the 
engineer  and  if  he  has  anything  to  do  with  it,  the  engineer 
is  going  to  get  a  greater  share  in  the  publicity  of  the  school. 
The  engineer  is  rightfully  a  member  of  one  of  the  most 
powerful  of  the  student  groups,  thus  he  should  share  in 
some  of  the  glory. 

We  leave  Paul,  make-no-cracks-about-my-name.  Fluke 
to  his  test  tubes  and  retorts  till  we  again  see  him  in  the 
I'nion  Building  some  quiet  evening  with  some  lovely  thing 
draped   on  one  arm. 

GERRY  HOMANN 

That  solidh'  handsome  chap  in  the  niilitar\-  uniform 
is  one  (lerald  William  Homann,  Cadet  Colonel,  civil  en- 
gineer, scholar,  activity  man,  and  holder  of  more  medals, 
prizes  and  awards  than  any  lUini  since  the  Boer  War. 
Gerry  is  every  inch  a  soldier  and  with  it  all  has  the  ease 
of  a  general.  Mattoon  is  responsible  for  his  up-bringing 
and  still  proudh'  claims  this  sandy-haired,  square-jawetl 
peer  of  the  R.(3.T.C. 

It's  almost  disheartening  to  the  rest  of  the  class  when 
Gerry  pulls  down  five-points  in  C.E.,  and  none  of  his  Tau 
Bete  brothers  would  be  sorry  to  have  his  high  scholastic 
three  year  average.  But  concrete  masonry  and  bridge  truss 
stresses  are  only  one  phase  of  a  man\'-faceted  career.  He's 
active  in  the  "Y"  and  is  on  its  board.  The  J^rhnot/rtiph 
had  an  Alumni  Department  under  his  direction  two  years 
ago.  He's  a  Ma-Wan-Da  man  and  serves  on  the  Militar\' 
Council.  But  there  is  no  doubt  about  it — military  is  his 
first  love. 

As  captain  of  Pershing  Rifles  this  year  Cherry  played 
host  to  the  National  Assembly  of  Pershing  Rifles  in  August 
and  has  high  hopes  and  aspirations  for  the  Illinois  com- 
pany's future.  Twice  the  individual  champion  in  drill  at 
regimental  drill  meets  and  winner  of  the  Hazelton  Medal 
and  I'niversity  (lold  Medal  in  successive  years,  (lerry 
does  not  boast  of  his  achievements. 

Where  the  women  are  concerned  Gerry  is  a  one  man 
Panzer  division.  Even  his  close  friends  can't  tell  whether 
he  is  true  to  a  queen  from  Decatur,  or  the  various  belles 
from  Knoxville,  Springfield,  and  Pumpkin  Center.  He's  a 
good  dancer,  clever  conversationalist,  and  believe  me,  any- 
thing can  happen  in  his  presence.  It  will  be  interesting  to 
see  who  he  dates  for  the  Military  Ball — or  is  that  putting 
him  on  the  spot? 


14 


THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


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BELL 
SYSTEM 


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TL-  :5^ 


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f  «»»  '   X 


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L  u.-^  "-••«  ".*ir:°: 


In  these  critical  times    eommuuica- 

to  meet  its  great  responsxlnbty. 
.        vnn  Telephone  and  Telegraph 
C^pany  cWi--s  all  system  ac- 
UvUresadvises  on  telephone  opera- 
iron;  searches  for  improved  method. 

24  associated  operating  «mP^ 
provide   telephone   sexvice   m 
respective  territories. 
I    „o  L-nes  Department  of  A.  i.cvi- 


1       11^^  Tono^  Distance  ami 
panics,  handles  Lon,, 

overseas  service. 

BeM  Telephone  tob-.orie.  -«^_ 

on  scienlitic  research  and  n  r 

ment  for  the  system. 

Western  Elec.ricisthen,anntactnr.BS. 

p„chasiusanadis.ribu.n,g«m.. 

^i^Hytrah-ecUhron^manyy^^^^^^^^^ 

wnrkin-^  tosether,  these  r>eii     ; 
^oiMno  i  o       .i„^„„tion-vvide,nni- 


OCTOBER,  1941 


15 


TECHNOCRACKED... 


By   Donald   K.  Stevens 
Senior  in   ('er<i»iic  Enslinccring 


The  ordnaiKi-  company  who  captured  the  tanks  in  ma- 
neuvers had  the  right  idea.  Smoke  and  tear  gas  won  where 
rifles  and  light  hand  grenades  could  not.  Doesn't  that 
bring  a   tear  to  vour  eve?    It  did   to   the   tank   crew. 


In  the  tali  a  young  man's  fancy  turns  to  what  he  has 
been  thinking  about  since  spring.  And  that's  not  such  a 
bad  idea  at  all  when  one  knows  that  the  strain  is  propor- 
tional to  the  stress.  lUini  co-eds  return  to  their  usual 
haunts  about  this  time,  eager  to  display  a  case-hardened 
suntan  and  a  reading  knowledge  of  world  affairs.  Smooth 
upperclassnien  and  their  more  gullible  younger  brothers 
are  ready  to  dodge  studies  and  summer  bill-collectors  for 
another  nine  months.  It's  just  like  "one  big  happy  family" 
except  that  the  family  is  at  war.  C^r  haven't  you  heard 
about   the   popping  across  the   pond  ? 


t^ 


3J&T  A 


It's  too  bad  that  Lt.  Cien.  Ren  Lear  cracked  down  on 
yoo-hooing.  We  could  have  disguised  intelligence  officers 
as  yoo-hooers  for  foreign  service. 


Your  local  draft  board  might  defer  you  for  work  on  the 
Tcchnograph  this  year.  It's  a  good  activity  y'know,  and  no 
one  will  question  the  value  of  a  little  magazine  work  for 
the  up  and  coming  engineer.  The  staff  may  select  you  for 
service,  and  if  they  do,  the  men  behind  the  Tciiiiiot/rapk 
will    find    the   army   draft   a   breeze   by   comparison. 


And  then  there  is  that  usual  accumulation  of  army 
gags,  most  of  them  too  stagnant  for  presentation  here.  But 
we  did  hear  of  the  Lieutenant  who  said  "no  "  to  the  Colonel. 
That  was  twelve  years  ago  and  he  is  still  a  Lieutenant. 
He  hadn't  heard  about  the  sign  painter  who  wasn't  paid. 
Reason:  he  painted  "Private"  on  the  General's  door. 

There  is  the  sad  epitaph  on  the  gra\e  of  a  selectee — 
"He  can't  tell  me  what  to  do  even  if  he  is  the  sergeant." 
The  war  will  definitely  end  in  December.  A  fellow  who 
never  has  held  a  job  over  three  months  was  drafted  the 
first  of  September. 


From  The  Bridge  of  Eta  Kappa  Nu  comes  a  daffyni- 
tion  of  electricity  that  even  "Buck"  Knight  doesn't  know. 
Since  nobody  knows  exactly  we  can't  say  it's  wrong  anyway: 

It  burns  your  toast ; 
It  shreds  your  shirts; 
It  pulls  off  buttons 
And  drives  you  nerts. 
It  scorches  your  hair; 
When  you  need  it  most 
It  isn't  there. 


It  blows  a  fuse ; 
The  burner  goes  off. 
And  you  catch  a  cold: 
A  six-months'  cough. 
In  the  summertime 
The  ice  box  quits. 
The  food  is  all  spoils. 
And  the  Missus  has  fits. 


Among  the  News  Items: 

From  Fort  Bragg,  North  Carolina,  comes  word  that 
a  dreamy  gunner  confused  tile  girl  friend's  telephone  num- 
ber with  the  range  elevation.  Somehow  the  Ami)'  is  asked 
to  pay  for  a  cow  and  three  turkeys. 

A  prisoner  sentenced  to  Sing  Sing  for  99  years  has 
asked  for  parole  because  he  doesn't  want  to  be  confused 
with  a  naval  base.  I  wonder  if  he  has  considered  trading 
off  with  some  other  parolee  who  is  over-age.  Wouldn't 
that  destroyer? 


In  the  wintertime 
Your  car  won't  start. 
The  battery's  frozen 
As  a  loan  shark's  heart. 
Again  you  find 
Your  battery  dries, 
Your  lights  go  out 
And  your  motor  dies. 

All  of  which   is  another  way  of  saying  that  electricity 
is   that   which    flows   in   wires,   if  there  are   any,   if  there   is 

any  of  it. 


16 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


w. 


hat  bearings  would  you  specify 


#f«i 


for  a  Machine  Tool  Spindle? 


W 

Si 

a 

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^^2aj2iii5i5' 

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r 

Suppose  you  were  designing  a  heavy-duty  lathe  for 
precision  work — where  tolerances  as  close  as  one 
ten-thousandth  of  an  Inch  had  to  be  held;  where 
heavy  cuts  would  be  the  rule.  How  would  you  mount 
the  work  spindle? 

If  you  knew  your  bearings  you  would  mount  the 
spindle  on  TIMKEN  Bearings  front  and  rear.  Then 
you  would  be  assured  of  permanent  spindle  rigidity; 
freedom  from  chatter  under  any  cutting  load;  any 
spindle  speed;  any  rate  of  feed.  In  other  words, 
accuracy.  The  spindle  would  turn  smoothly  because 
there  would  be  no  friction  to  hamper  its  movement. 


Power  demands  would  be  lower.  Radial,  thrust  and 
combined  loads  would  be  carried  safely  under  all 
operating  conditions. 

By  following  the  above  procedure  you  would  be 
doing  what  an  overwhelming  majority  of  the  lead- 
ing heavy-duty  machine  manufacturers  have  been 
doing  for  a  long  time. 

If  you  would  like  to  know  more  about  the  application 
of  TIMKEN  Bearings  In  all  kinds  of  machine  tools  as 
well  as  in  many  other  kinds  of  equipment  write  for 
a  free  copy  of  the  TImken  Reference  Manual.  Know 
your  bearings — be  a   better  engineer. 


THE    TIMKEN    ROLLER    BEARING     COMPANY,    CANTON,    OHIO 


Manufacturers    of   TIMKEN    Tapered    Roller    Bearings    for    automobiles, 

motor  truclcs,   railroad   cars  and   locomotives  and   all   kinds   of   industrial 

machinery;    TIMKEN    Alloy    Steels    and    Carbon    and    Alloy    Seamless 

Tubing;  and  TIMKEN  Rocic  Bits. 


TIMKEN 

TAPERiD  ROLLER  REARIH6S 


OCTOBER,  1941 


17 


GUESS  WHAT? 


Leadership 
is  Recognized 

To  meet  the  shortage  of  accurate  gages  necessary  to  keep 
America's  defense  program  in  high  gear,  the  government 
called  on  "G.T.D.  Greenfield"  to  build  additional  plant  ca- 
pacity for  the  manufacture  cf  these  vital  measuring  tools. 
What  better  proof  of  the  accuracy  and  reliability  of  tools 
bearing  the  world-famous  "G.T.D.  Greenfield"  trade  mark 
shown  above? 

GREENFIELD  TAP  AND  DIE  CORPORATION  '"'lTss^° 


^l^GREENFIELD 


TAPS   ■   DIES    ■   CAGES    •  TWIST  DRILLS    .    REAMERS    •   SCREW  PLATES   •   P  PE  TOOLS 


I  p  on  tlie  wilds  of  the  eiigiiiceiiiig  campus  bt-hirui  tla- 
E.E.  Lab.  is  a  most  curious  fountain.  I'm  not  kidding.  A 
circular  wall  as  high  as  a  freshman's  head  and  23  feet  in 
diameter  (sh'de-rule  approximation)  surrounds  a  square 
column  of  tin  which  projects  about  five  feet  above  the 
rim.  From  this  column  pours  a  perpetual  stream  of  fooey 
green  water  which  rushes  to  the  bottom  and  maintains 
several  feet  of  liquid  within  the  walls  at  all  times. 

What  is  this  aquatic  shrine  or  thing-amajing?  No- 
body in  the  vicinity  .seemed  to  know  exactly,  'cause  I  got 
some  very  queer  answers.  The  four-foot  wire  fence  abo\e 
the  wall  is  evidently  to  keep  something  out.  The  large 
pipe  encircling  the  \'\-alI  just  inside  the  fence  smacks  of 
big  industry.  Certainly  it  is  nothing  an  L.A.S.  man  would 
know  anything  about. 

Some  say  this  fooey  fountain  is  supposed  to  purify 
water  and  that  the  green  stuff  inside  is  on  tap  in  all  the 
engineering  buildings — huh,  huh — that's  not  for  me.  The 
stuff  doesn't  look  too  good  to  drink.  Still,  in  a  fountain 
it  might  look  pure,  and  taste  is  no  criterion  down  here. 

Perhaps  it's  an  eternal  spring  some  engineer  once  tried 
to  harness  and  failed ;  there  are  several  disconnected  fit- 
tings about.  But  then,  that's  just  another  theory.  It  ap- 
pears wc  haven't  gotten  to  the  bottom  of  the  solution. 

T  his  is  the  place  you  come  in — or  go  out — or  both. 
Cast  \our  critical  e\e  on  the  gadget  the  next  time  you 
pa.ss  that  way.  Write  a  few  accurate  descriptive  lines  prop- 
erly describing  this  fooey  fountain — why  and  what  it  is — 
and  for  the  best  description  the  winner  will  receive  a  free 
subscription  to  this  year's  new  Technograph.  The  judges' 
decision  is  final  and  a  duplicate  prize  will  be  awarded  if 
necessary.   To  get  to  the  point — what  is  the  fooey  fountain  ? 


THE   CO-OP 

Oldest  and  Largest  Book  Store  on  Campus 


COMPLETE  ENGIiNEERING  SUPPLIES 

SLIDE  RULES 

NEW  AND  USED  TEXTBOOKS 


THE   CO-OP 


Green  and  Wright 


Phone  6-1369 


18 


THE  TECHNOGR.\PH 


what  do  you  know 
about  electricity? 


Check  the  correct  answers  to  the 
questions  below  and  see  how 
many  of  these  Westinghouse 
engineering   activities  you  know 


LIGHTNING  EXPERIMENT 
Recently,  a  Westinghouse   engineer  sat  in 
his  car  while  a  3,000,000-volt  bolt  of  arti- 
ficial lightning  struck  it.   He  was  safe  be- 
cause the  car  body  acts  as: 
1,^  Helmholtz  ^.  A  MaxweW s  demon 

bell  4.  A  Wilson  cloud 

2.  A  Faraday  cage  chamber 


MASS  SPECTROGRAPH 

This  mass  spectrograph,  used  by  engineers 
at  the  Westinghouse  Research  Laboratories, 
performs  one  of  these  functions: 

l.Sorfs   atoms   ac-  3.  Produces  U235 

cording   to  mass  4.  Measures 

^.Reveals  spectra  amount   of  oxy- 

of  stars  ^en   in  air 


BIGGEST  GENERATORS 

Pictured  above  during  construction  is  one 
of  the  three  largest  water-wheel  generators 
in  the  world.  All  three  are  Westinghouse- 
built.  Each  will  produce  108,000  kva,  and 
is  made  for: 

\,  Boulder  Dam  Z,  Dnieperstroy 

2,  Passamaquoddy  4.  Grand  Coulee 


MECHANICAL  MAN 

This  is  the  latest  of  a  series  of  mechanical 
men  made  by  Westinghouse  engineers.  He 
walks,  talks,  smokes  cigarettes,  raises  his 
arms,  counts  on  his  fingers,  distinguishes 
red  and  green  lights.  His  name  is: 
I.Volto  i.Elektro 

i*  Mephisto  ^,  Sambo 


FAST  X-RAY 

Westinghouse  research  engineers  have  de- 
veloped a  motion-stopping  X-Ray  that  op- 
erates in: 

\.  200th  of  a  second         3. 100,000th  of  a 
2,  40th  of  a  second  second 

A.  1.000,000th  of  a 
second 


PRECIPITRON 

The  Westinghouse  Precipitron  removes 
95%  of  the  solid  matter  from  the  air,  in- 
cluding particles  as  small  as  pollen,  micro- 
scopic dust,  and  smoke.  It  works  by: 

^.  Law  of  inverse  3.  Infiltration 

squares  A.  Electrostatic 

2,  Capillary  action  attraction 


HOW  DID  YOU  DO? 

Here  are  the  answers.  If  you  got  4  out  of  6 
of  these  Westinghouse  activities  right,  you 
did  O.K.  If  you  got  5  out  of  6  right,  you 
deserve  a  cum  laude.  If  you  got  all  of 
them  right,  you're  amazing. 


Westinghouse 


'THE    NAME    THAT    MEANS    EVERYTHING 
IN    ELECTRICITY" 


puooas  B  JO  n:iO00*00O'l  '  "  '  '^^^-X  ^^^J 


33ino3  puEJQ  • 


SlUO^B   S^JOg    •    • 
sSBDXepBJBJ  V' 


SSBIU  Ol  SuipJODOE 

•   -  ifdej^oj^Dads  ssBp\[ 


OCTOBER,  1941 


19 


AMERICA'S  STURDIEST  BABBITT  METAL  TAPES 


n 


/UFWN  "MICHIGAN"  CHAIN  TAPES 


The  extra  tough  steel  lines  are  white  metal 
coated  and  markings  are  deeply  stamped 
into  Babbitt  Metal.  You  can't  beat  them 
for  dependability  and  durability. 

WRITE  FOR  FREE  CATALOG 


NEW  YORK 

I06  Lalar«»>  Si. 


THE /UFfffM PUL£  pp. 

SAGINAW,  MICHIGAN 


WINDSOR,  ONT. 


TAPES -RULES -PRECISION  TOOLS 


SATISFACTION 

begins   the   moment  you   dial   that 
easy-to-remember    phone    number 

Phone  A.A.A.A.      Number 

:;  Tiu  <  Ks  AT  voru  skiJVKK 

BRESEE  BROS. 

CLEANERS.  Inc. 

518  East  Green  Street 


Engineers  .  .  . 


Problem: 


How   to   be   extra   smooth 
for  the  Slide  Rule  Shuffle? 


Solution: 

Get   a   haircut    at 

CAMPUS  BARBER  SHOP 

(Opposite  Physics  Building) 


FOR  FRESHMEN  ONLY  .  .  . 

New  mini  in  the  class  of  1945  will  find  the  usual  per- 
plexing problems  ot  registration  and  orientation  first  on 
their  docket.  To  the  end  of  proper  registration  and  avoid- 
ance of  complications  Dean  Jordan  suggests  that  the  bud- 
ding engineers  "take  things  as  they  come  and  follow  direc- 
tions." Most  difficulties  of  sectioning  and  filling  out  thj 
long  study  lists  will  arise  from  students  who  try  to  take 
unusual  courses,  get  certain  instructors,  and  otherwise  at- 
tempt to  "be  different."  The  best  advice  is  to  pay  attention 
to  signs  and  verbal  instructions,  and  no  "cure  all"  is  adver- 
tised or  available. 

Among  the  many  suggestions  offered  by  upperclassmen 
for  the  benefit  of  the  new  registrants  are  the  bits  of  wisdom 
included  below.  "Take  care  of  your  coupon  sheet  for 
Freshman  Week."  Duplicates  are  available  only  with 
difficulty  from  the  Dean  of  the  College.  "It's  wise  to 
take  in  the  many  events  listed — the  lectures  for  mechanical 
details  of  the  registration  procedure,  the  mixers  and  dances 
for  the  people  you  meet.  Remember  that  you  will  be  in 
school  with  these  fellows  for  the  next  few  years,  and  need 
we  mention  the  value  of  meeting  the  beautiful  (?)  Illini 
girls."  You  will  all  be  facing  the  same  problems  and  op- 
portunities, and  surely  the  recreation  will  be  worthwhile. 
The  upperclassmen  will  want  to  use  your  tickets  for  the 
.■iocial  affairs,  and  that  shoidd  be  just  one  more  reason  for 
you  to  use  the  coupons  instead  of  letting  them  have  all  of 
your   fun,    according   to   some   far-sighted   advice. 

Do  you  know  the  head  of  your  department?  Sonie 
time  within  the  next  several  weeks  it  would  be  entirely 
proper  for  you  to  introduce  yourself  to  him  at  his  office 
or  on  the  street.  Even  President  Willard  will  be  glad  to 
welcome  you  to  his  office — and  he's  an  engineer  too,  so 
you  will  have  common  ground  for  conversation.  Don't 
hesitate  to  speak  to  the  society  presidents  when  they  are 
pointed  out  to  you.  Gerald  Homann.  the  Cadet  Colonel, 
is  a  civil  engineer  and  he  won't  mind  a  bit  if  you  introduce 
yourself  to  him.  Donald  Stevens  and  Richard  Landon. 
Editor  and  Business  Manager,  respecti\ely,  of  the  Idh- 
yraph,  will  surely  be  glad  to  meet  you.  All  of  these  people 
will  be  anxious  that  you  get  off  to  a  good  start. 

Naturally  advisers  speak  of  studies.  They  say  "It  would 
be  hard  to  impress  upon  you  too  much  the  fact  that  the 
first  eight  weeks  are  most  important."  After  all,  we  are 
all  here  to  get  a  little  preparation  for  engineering,  and  the 
advice  of  many  engineers  is  "get  off  to  a  good  start  and 
you  are  more   likely  to  follow  through." 

The  usual  remarks  are  made  with  regard  to  acti\ities 
among  the  upperclassmen  interviewed.  Most  of  them  ad\ise 
the  new  engineering  students  to  broaden  themselves  by  a 
few  well-chosen  acti\ities,  and  athletics,  music,  publications, 
and  militar\'  are  pointed  out  as  good  fields  for  extra-curricu- 
lar interests.  The  Acti\ity  Night  program  during  Fresh- 
man Week  is  a  good  opportunity  to  glimpse  the  multitude 
of  activities  available  at  Illinois. 

Next  to  the  registration  procedure  the  questions  of 
room,  board,  and  part-time  work  are  usually  most  numer- 
ous. The  Dean  of  Men's  office  is  best  qualified  to  answer 
any  such  questions  which  have  not  already  been  co\ered  in 
the  pamphlet  "Your  First  Year  at  Illinois."  (The  latter 
publication  is  available  without  charge  in  the  Information 
(Office  of  the  .Administration  Building,)  During  frater- 
nity' rushing  the  ,id\antages  of  fraternity  life  are  presented 
to  rushees,  and  Ml  DA  points  with  pride  to  its  growing 
program  of  service  to  independents.  Hence  the  upperclass- 
men and  facultymen  say  it's  >ip  to  you  Mr.  Engineer,  to 
listen   ami   then   make  your  own   decisions. 


20 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


What  holds   a  dive  bomber 
together  at   500  M. P. H.? 


The  answer  is  design  and  con- 
struction and  materials  and 
craftsmanship.  But  accuracy 
and  finish  of  parts  are  also 
important  in  building  a  plane 
to  withstand  terrific  speeds 
and  that  depends  on  grinding. 
Vibration  is  minimized  by 
grinding  all  moving  parts  of 
the  power  unit  to  extreme 
accuracy.  Safer  and  stronger 
threaded  parts  are  ground 
with  special  grinding  wheels 
such  as  are  made  by  The 
Carborundum  Company . 


Grinding  of  threads  from  the 
blank  is  a  comparatively  new 
development.  Threads  that  are 
ground  to  an  almost  unbeliev- 
able accuracy,  free  from  micro- 
scopic checks  and  cracks!  Grind- 
ing wheels  for  airplane  manu- 
facture constitute  only  one  of 
many  contributions  made  to  in- 
dustry by  Carborundum  during 
its  fifty-year  existence. 


^■^: 


In  fact  there  isn't  an  industry  that  has 
not  been  benefited  by  grinding.  No  matter 
what  industry  you  go  into  after  graduation, 
you  may  run  into  a  grinding  problem.  And 
Carborundum  Engineering  Service  will  be 
ready  to  help  you  solve  it!  The  Carborundum 
Company,  Niagara  Falls,  New  York. 


t;Hrliwrunclu-ii  i^  a  retfiatered  lr»de-mark  of  and  inri 
cxteh  riiHnufacluro  hy    The    Curborundum   ComDan: 


OCTOBER.  1941 


21 


•  Correct,  conventional,  simplified  drawings  of  all  the  most  widely 
used  bolts,  nuts,  rivets,  and  other  standard  machine  fasteners  are 
shown  in  the  "R  B  &  W  Handbook  of  Common  Machine  Fasteners," 
a  16-page  booklet  that  will  be  sent  to  you  free  upon  request.  This 
handy  reference,  which  will  fit  inside  your  drawing  instrument 
case,  contains  no  actual  dimensions  nor  specifications,  but  is  offered 
merely  as  a  guide  for  the  proper  representation  of  standard 
fasteners  on  assembly  and  detail  drawings. 

More  than  30,000  students,  instructors,  and  professional  drafts- 
men have  already  received  this  booklet.  Just  drop  a  card  to  our 
Port  Chester  address. 


HB&W,  for  96  years  a  leader  irt  the  development  of  industrial 
fastenings,  manufactures  a  complete  line  of  bolts,  nuts,  rivets,  and 
other  threaded  fastenings  of  all  standard  and  many  special  typet. 


RUSSELL.  BURDSALL  S  WARD 

BOLT     AND     NUT     COMPANY 

PORT  CHESTER.  N.  Y.      ROCK   FALLS.  ILL.      CORAOPOLIS.  PA. 


ENGINEERS  APPRECIATE  MUSIC 

.  .  .  from  fxiyc  S 

lii  \'>2')  rhc  I  nJM'rsity  Concert  and  Kntertainnieiit 
Hoaril  was  created  to  take  over  the  Star  Course  and  its 
related  activities.  The  function  of  this  board  was  to  super- 
vise all  concerts  and  public  entertainment  given  in  Uni- 
versity buildings  wholly  by  professional  artists,  lectirrvs. 
orchestras,  and  other  professional  individuals  and  organiza- 
tions. The  membership  of  the  board  was  changed  to  lour 
faculty  members  and  four  students.  This  board  was  also 
instrumental  in  electing  a  senior  student  manager  for  eacji 
\ear  and  such  jiuiior  managers  and  sophomore  assistants 
as  were  considered  desirable.  In  1933  the  board  elected  a 
senior  woman  to  assist  as  associate  manager. 

The  University  Concert  and  Entertainment  Hoard  has 
brought  the  very  finest  of  cultural  entertainment  to  the 
campus.  To  see  and  hear  these  great  artists  in  metropolitan 
centers  would  probably  cost  several  times  the  price  for  which 
they  may  be  heard  here.  But  this  is  the  advantage  of  hear- 
ing music  in  an  educational  setup.  Xor  is  the  Star  Course 
the  only  opportunity  for  the  engineer  to  broaden  his  musical 
education.  The  University  bands  are  noted  as  the  world':; 
finest,  and  the  glee  clubs.  University  chorus  and  orchestra 
enjoy  growing  popularity.  Even  participation  in  dance  bands 
and  "barber-shop  quartets"  bring  musical  experience  of 
value.  It  is  our  sincere  hope  that  you  will  expose  yoiu'self 
to  the  best  in  music.  From  your  exposure  will  come  under- 
standing, and  in  music,  and  engineering,  too,  it's  under- 
standing that  counts.  The  rewards  of  enjoyment  are  in- 
evitable. 


Roommate:    "Hey   Tom,    wake    up 
in   liere  stealing  vour  clothes!" 


iuy 


Second    Roomie:   "So   what: 
out  among  yourselves." 


^'ou   two  just   fight   it 


Save  Today  the  Co-operative  Way 


5%  Dividend  Paid  for  Year  1940-41 


on 


•  APPROVED  G.E.D.  SUPPLIES,  SLIDE  RULES 

•  APPROVED  DRAWING  SETS  and  MATERIALS 

•  COMPLETE  STOCK  OF  NEW  and  USED  TEXTBOOKS 

•  FOUNTAIN  PENS,  STATIONERY,  NOTEBOOKS 

ILLINI  UNION  BOOKSTORE 

Students'  Co-operative 
715  South  Wright  Street  (Next  Door  to  Hanley's) 


22 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


inside  it's  always 


•  Yes,  a  continuous  shower  of  tiny  drops  of 
oil  inside  this  Tension  Pulley  Ball  Bearing 
keeps  balls  and  raceways  automatically  lubri- 
cated. It  is  the  first  anti-friction  bearing  with 
its  own  oil-circulating  system — a  permanent 
l)uilt-in  feature,  enabling  it  to  run  for  a  year 
or  more  without  attention. 

Since  the  products  of  New  Departure  are 
ideas  as  well  as  ball  bearings,  this  company 


has  developed  many  "famous  firsts,"  has 
revolutionized  mechanical  design  in  many 
industries. 

Nothing  rolls  like  a  ball.  Ball  bearings  are 
used  wherever  shafts  turn.  Ask  for  your 
copy  of  that  absorbing,  superbly  illustrated 
treatise:  "Wliy  Anti- Friction  Bearings." 
New  Departure,  a  division  of  General  Motors, 
Bristol,   Connecticut.    Chicago   and   Detroit. 


/Vt 


'ew 


THE     FORGED 


witUne 


STEEL     BEARING 


OCTOBER,  1941 


23 


&'BCam/)as  /\/etvs 


\  know; 

IF  THE  steel  for  an  automobile  travelling 
between  Chicago  and  Los  Angeles  at  60  mph 
was  cold-rolled  at  a  speed  of  42  mph,  how  far 
is  it  from  Bangor,  Maine,  to  Bankok? 

So  far  as  we  know  there's  no  answer  to  this 
problem.  But  then,  a  few  years  ago  there  was 
no  answer  to  the  problem  of  cold-rolling  steel 
strip  at  these  speeds  either. 

G-E  amplidyne  control  solved  this  problem, 
enabling  a  Pennsylvania  steel  plant,  the  largest, 
highest-powered  cold-rolling  mill  for  tin-mill 
products  in  the  world,  to  roll  out  strip  at 
speeds  up  to  3850  feet  per  second,  or  more 
than  43  miles  per  hour! 

G-E  motors  to  the  tune  of  11,400  hp 
respond  to  the  precision  control  of  G-E  ampli- 
dyne circuits  in  driving  the  rolls  of  the  mill  at 
this  speed. 


TEiEBOX 

WHEN  Dame  Nature  goes  to  work  on  a 
television  antenna  with  rain,  sleet,  and 
snow,  she  can  cause  no  end  of  transmission 
trouble. 

G-E   television   engineers,   however,  circum- 
vent weather  changes  by  housing  the  antenna 


within  an  electrically  heated  box.  This  prevents 
seeping  moisture  from  freezing  on  the  antenna 
during  cold  weather  and  interfering  with  the 
normal  patch  of  high-frequency  current  flow. 

The  antenna,  at  the  top  of  a  128-foot  trans- 
mitting tower  in  the  heart  of  Schenectady, 
relays  the  picture  waves  to  G.E.'s  main  trans- 
mitting station  in  the  Helderberg  hills  12  miles 
away. 

On  top  of  the  box  for  relaying  the  accompany- 
ing FM  sound  is  another  antenna  which  also 
acts  as  a  lightning  rod  to  protect  the  tower 
and  relay  equipment. 


m 


r-K^   .^^ 


RESEARCH   IHC. 

How  a  heavy  English  bulldog  and  a  brawny 
Irish  washerwoman  substantiated  the 
findings  of  years  of  research  is  described  with 
an  order  for  fifty  miles  of  Formex  wire  recently 
received  by  General  Electric. 

The  customer  was  considering  the  use  of 
Formex  wire  as  a  substitute  for  wire  whose 
insulation  had  rotted  after  two  or  three  years  of 
use,  exposing  the  bare  copper.  The  railroad's 
signal  engineer  was  "from  Missouri"  and  wanted 
to  see  for  himself  whether  Formex  wire  insu- 
lation could  "take  it." 

Two  i;o-foot  lengths  were  strung  up.  One  was 
equipped  with  a  metal  ring,  to  which  a  bulldog 
was  attached  on  a  leash.  The  other  became  a 
washerwoman's  clothesline.  Several  weeks 
later,  after  the  bulldog  had  tugged  against  every 
inch  of  his  wire  and  the  washerwoman  had 
pinched  her  wire  with  clothespins  from  end  to 
end,  the  insulation  of  both  lengths  was  still  in 
perfect  condition. 


GENERAL  S  ELECTRIC 


24 


THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


Nov^ber 


West  Point  of  the  West 

Military  Transport 

Names  in  the  News 

Illumination 


THIS  engine  mount  destined  for  over- 
seas service  on  an  American  made 
fighter  plane  is  being  fabricated  by  the 
best  known  method  of  joining  metal  — 
that  is,  by  welding.  For  welding  makes 
equipment  a  homogeneous,  permanent 
unit,  light  yet  exceptionally  strong.  This 
versatile  process  utilizes  the  Airco  oxy- 
acetylene  flame  to  make  design  prob- 
lems vanish.  It  is  applied  rapidly  and 
economically  even  under  difficult  shop 
and  field  conditions.  The  apparatus 
employed  is  simple,  portable,  easy  to 
operate.   »   »   So  versatile  is  the  oxy- 


acetylene  flame,  so  varied  are  its  useful 
applications  in  the  metal  working  field, 
that  it  has  long  since  been  drafted  into 
service  to  speed  defense  by  swiftly  cut- 
ting metal  to  close  tolerances,  by  hard- 
ening metal  surfaces  for  longer  wear, 
by  cleaning  them  for  faster,  longer-last- 
ing paint  jobs,  and  by  gouging  metal 
with  amazing  speed  and  accuracy. 

The  interesting  booklet  "Airco  in  the 
News"  shows  pictorially  many  ways 
in  which  Airco  products  and  processes 
are  being  used  to  help  industry  speed 
up  production.  Write  for  a  copy. 


REDUCTION 


^eneirm  ('Wrei : 


60  EAST  42nd  STREET,  NEW  YORK,  N.Y. 

/n   Texas: 

Magnolia-Airco  Gas  Products  Co. 

DISTRICT    OFFICES    IN     PRINCIPAL    CITIES 


ANYTHIIVe    ANH    E  V  K  R  V  T  H  I  N  C    FOR    «AS    W  E  C  »  I  N  «    OR    CUTTIIVW     VXD     V  K  t     W  E  1, 1»  1 IV  « 

THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


NOVEMBER.  1941 


This  Issue  .  .  . 

West  Point  of  the  West 5 

By    VVilliain    (■.    Miii'|ili.\ 

Military  Transportation 6 

Names  in  the  News 8 

By   Williain   K.   Scliiiiitz 

Illumination  Now! 12 

By    Haywood    F.   Talley 

Editorial 14 

By   Donald    K.    Stevens 

Technocracked   16 

Canada's    Defense 20 

By  Kobeit  K.  Mt(iear> 


THE   TECHNOCRAPH 


Staff . . . 

I  )oiiald    K.    Steven;-, Editor 

Robert   D.   Cote Office  Manager 

Melvin    Hurwitz Editorial    Assistant 

MAKE-UP    AND    ART 
Slieldun   J.    Li-avitt Assistant    Editor 

William   N.   ("ranicr PhotoKraphir 

Norman   Fintchuk.   Sydmy  Wood.   Edvvaril   Habieht. 

John    draper Editorial    Assistants 

EDITORIAL   DEPARTMENT 

Robert  E.  MeCleary Assistant   Editor 

Williain   ("..    Murphy.    Hayvvard    F.   Talley,    William 

R.  Schrnitz,  Anaust  Tttich Editorial  Assistants 

Richard  W.  Laiuloii .Business  Maiuujcr 

Wayne    tiher Advertising   Manager 

.lay  Gossett Advertising  Assistant 

John  Morris Subscription   Manager 

Eugene  Wallace,  John  Graper,  Warren  Howard 

Subscription    Assistants 

William    Beich Circulation  Manager 

Alex   Green,   Al   Martin Circulation  Assistants 

Henry  P.  Evans  Fatuity  Adviser 


yiEMBER  OF  EXGINEERING  COLLEGE  MAGAZINES 
ASSOCIATED 
Arkansas  Engineer.  Colorado  Engineer.  Cornell  Engineer.  Drexel  Tech- 
nical Journal,  Illinois  Technograph,  Iowa  Engineer.  Iowa  Transit,  Kansas 
State  Engineer,  Marqnette  Engineer.  Michigan  Technic.  Minnesota 
Techno-Log  Missouri  Shamrock.  Xet)raska  Blue  Print,  New  York  Uni- 
versity Quadrangle.  North  Dakota  Engineer,  North  Dakota  State  Engi- 
neer. Ohio  State  Engineer,  Oregon  State  Technical  Record,  Pennsylvania 
Triangle,  Purdue  Engineer,  Rose  Technic,  Tech  Engineering  News, 
ViUanova  Engineer,  Washington  State  Engineer,  Wayne  Engineer,  Wis- 
consin   Engineer. 


Published  Eight  Times   Yearly  by  the  Students  of  the  College  of  Engineering,  University  of  Illinois 


Publisheil  eight  times  during  the  year  (October,  November,  Decem- 
ber, January,  February,  March,  April,  and  May)  by  The  Illini  Publish- 
ing Company.  Entered  as  second  class  matter,  October  30.  1921.  at 
the  post  office  of  Urhana.  Illinois.  Office  213  Engineering  Hall, 
Urbana,  Illinois.  Subscriptions,  $1.00  per  year.  Single  copy  20  cents. 
Keprint    rights    reserved    by    The    Illinois    Tcclmograt'h. 


•  *  *  *  * 


'.  .  .  that  these  honored  dead  shall  not  have  died  in  vain  .  .  ." 

MKMOIUAI,    STADIIM    t  (»IA  MNS 


Engineers   Help  Make   Illinois 

WEST  POINT  of  the  WEST 


By   William   G.   Murphy 
Cadet  Second  Lieutenant,  U niversity  Brigade 


(jeiu'r;il  John  J.  Pt-rshiiig  once  called  Illinois  the  "West 
Point  of  the  West"  in  a  letter,  and  we,  as  engineers,  should 
be  proud  since  engineers  take  a  more  active  part  in  the 
ROTC  unit  than  any  other  college.  In  this  connection  it 
is  interesting  to  note  that  the  curricula  at  the  United  States 
Militar\  Academy  is  almost  the  same  as  the  curricula  of- 
fered in  the  college  of  engineering. 

In  the  eight  top  ranking  cadet  ratings  at  Illinois  we 
find  that  five  of  them  are  engineers.  Heading  the  list  is 
the  Student  Colonel  Gerald  Homann  C.E.  '42,  who  will 
guide  the  reinforced  brigade  of  Illinois  to  another  of  its 
long  string  of  successful  years.  John  Adkins  E.E.  '42,  leads 
the  Signal  Corps  unit  of  the  cadet  corps;  Howard  Schmidt 
M.E.  '42,  leads  the  Horse-drawn  Field  Artiller\  while  Ra\ 
Carlen  Met.E.  '42,  commands  the  Engineer  Corps;  and 
little  Don  Stevens  Cer.E.  '42  has  the  big  guns  of  the  Coast 
Artillery  to  play  with  this  \ear.  All  are  Cadet  Lieutenant 
Colonels. 

The  military  affairs  of  the  campus  are  handled  by  the 
Executive  Committee  of  the  Military  Council,  on  which 
sit  eleven  members.  Six  of  these  are  in  the  engineering 
curricula. 

The  Engineers  are  the  third  largest  unit  in  the  brigade 
totaling  726  out  of  the  4,243,  but  they  make  up  for  their 
position  by  making  the  other  luiits  move  to  keep  up  with 
their  records  in  efficiency  and  drill.  The  corps  always  has 
an  outstanding  drill  team  and  they  have  won  the  inter-unit 
rifle  match  since  its  start. 

The  Signal  Corps  depends  upon  electrical  engineers  for 
its  members.  Following  are  the  cadet  ratings  for  this  semes- 
ter in  the  Engineers  and  Signal  Corps:  Cadet  Captains: 
Engineers;  Frederick  J.  Brockob,  V^irgil  A.  Burch,  Edward 
J.  Corman,  V'ernan  H.  Evans,  Francis  A.  Een,  Glen  L. 
Cjothier,  Carl  C.  Hauser,  John  M.  Hess,  Morris  B.  Joslin, 
Mark  N.  Knight,  Arnold  N.  May,  Arnold  Mazzucco, 
Elio  Passaglia,  Raymond  C.  Pownall,  Pryor  X.  Randall, 
V^ernon  L.  Rugen,  Lester  H.  Schneider,  Eugene  Vermillion, 
Robert  X.  Whitaker.  William  W.  W^uellner;  Signal  Corps; 
\'erne  R.  Hatch,  Thurman  R.  Hamman.  John  H.  Behrens, 
Joseph  F.  Collins,  George  S.  Jerden,  Donald  F.  Maholm, 
Calvin  W.  May  and  Rudolph  H.  Tolts. 

Cadet  First  Lieutenants:  Engineers;  Richard  W.  Bailey, 
Richard  V.  Chase,  Joseph  F.  Chinlund,  Robert  G.  Espy, 
Francis  A.  Flaks,  George  G.  Gavin,  Carl  W.  Goepfert, 
fohn  C.  Larson,  Homer  M.  Lefler,  Fred  D.  Logan,  John 
W.  Mcintosh,  Robert  L.  Polk,  John  P.  Roedel,  Thomas  F. 
Wright,  And\  ^  uskanich,  Edward  J.  Zasada.  Robert  J. 
Zastera  ;  Signal  Corps;  Marshall  H.  Poole,  James  S.  Thale, 
Fred  S.  Howell,  Robert  Helms.  Robert  Schardt,  William 
Fitzwater,  Bobbie  P.  Walker,  Raymond  A.  Schick,  and 
Edward  L.  Hulla. 

Cadet  Second  Lieutenants:  Engineers;  Dale  V.  Addis, 
Robert  J.  Alexander,  Kenneth  L.  Bandy,  Harlan  D.  Barei- 
ther,  W^allace  E.  Baas,  Jack  D.  Boggs,  Raymond  H.  Boh- 
man.  James  B.  Bramlet.  John  R.  Carroll,  Mark  S.  Chris- 
tensen,  Hilmar  B.  Christianson,  John  R.  Davis,  Robert  C. 
Fairbain,  Everett  C.  Gregory,  Raymond  Hamburg,  Allen 
M.   Hennegoen,  Warren  E.   Henericks,   Richard   H.   Horn- 

NOVEMBER,  1941 


ing,  William  E.  Kellam,  Clyde  E.  Kesler,  William  T.  Kize- 
vich,  Raymond  \'.  Koehler,  Arnold  F.  Kohlert,  Edward  J. 
Krueger,  Roger  K.  Larson,  Ralph  L.  Lippincott,  Cjeorge 
M.  Long,  William  A.  Marenech,  James  B.  Meek,  James 
Mihalopoulos,  Warren  I.  Mitchell,  Robert  E.  Moore, 
Charles  R.  Glsen,  lack  Pallister,  Arthur  T.  Pope,  Russell 
F.  Priebe,  Llo^d  E.  Reeser,  Donald  L.  Renich,  Frank  A. 
Rough,  Edward  L.  Rzepecki,  Kenneth  D.  Sauder,  Earl  L. 
Scheidenhelm,  t)liver  R.  Schmidt,  Milton  B.  Sheffield, 
Clifford  Alan  Sheppard,  Paul  A.  Simmons,  Earl  R.  Smith, 
Charles  L.  Turner,  Frank  S.  W\lie. 

Signal  Corps:  Joe  J.  Dejonghe,  C.  A.  Eversole,  Paul 
A.  Freeland,  Ro\  C.  (lermain,  I^onald  L.  Henr\-,  (Oliver 
R.  Kirby,  John  D.  Kraehenbuehl,  Joseph  Malek,  Mitford 
M.  Mathews,  Harold  Miller,  Marvin  Xewkirk,  Richard 
S.    Pinsley,   Charles   F.   Fenz,    Phillip   Rothblatt,    Raymond 

A.  Shick,  P.  F.  Shoulders,  Forrest  F.  Smith,  Finlay  J. 
Stewart,  Robert  L.  Thing,  Herman  E.  Tomei,  Charles  E. 
Waterman,  Joseph  S.  Wexler,  Stanley  M.  Wilcox. 

First  Seargeants:  Engineers;  H.  DaBoll,  H.  M.  Eich- 
staedt,  J.  T.  Luza,  W.  ].  Xorth,  E.  A.  Roberts,  R.  H. 
Ruskamp,  T.  V.  Rvan,  H.  C.  Schwellensattl,  E.  F.  Wallin  ; 
Signal   Coriis;  R.  L.   Berger,  R.  O.  Aide,   E.  E.  Alt. 

Staff  Sergeants:  Engineers;  R.  A.  Bennitt,  D.  E.  Cook, 
K.  X.  Drager,  R.  W.  Duensing,  S.  Epstein,  O.  A.  Gabriel, 
S.  J.  Leavitt,  O.  D.  ]VIcDaniel,  G.  B.  Xorth,  E.  J.  Onstott, 
C.  I.  Roach,  T.  G.  Schiennan,  T.  S.  Harris,  R.  R.  Shap- 
land,  H.  J.  Sieck,  R.  W.  Tavlor,  R.  L.  Tillman,  H.  S. 
Wandli[ig;  Signal  Corps:  V.  A.  Rydbeck,  W.  D.  Born, 
H.  H.  Swain,  L.  V.  Wells.  R.  J.  Turner,  J.  L.  Zimmer- 
man. 

IVIaster  Sergeants:  Signal  Corps;  W.  X.  Cramer,  R.  C. 
Inman,  E.  S.  Rosenberg,  H.  W.  Xaslund,  D.  T.  McDanial, 
R.  Landreth.  Technical  Sergeants:  Signal  Corps;  J.  E. 
Ward,  R.  J.  Crellner,  J.  L.Kral,  F.  F.  Schorle,  Ci.  A. 
Tripp,  C.  W.  Richardson. 

Sergeants:   Engineers;   D.   C.    Broughton,   M.   F.    Butler, 
C.  F.  Fry,  R.  E.  Lowry,  R.  G.   Plagg,  E.   E.   Rittenhouse, 

B.  M.  Robinson,  C.  W.  Staben ;  Signal  Corps;  H.  J. 
Loe.sch,  H.  L.  Bolen,  F.  C.  Huffman,  J.  M.  ^IcDowell, 
J.  F.  Bocchairdi,  E.  B.  Fogelson,  E.  S.  Orloff,  S.  E.  Hepler, 
belbert  W.  Jones,  R.  C.  St.  John,  P.  Fenoglio,  H.  W. 
Sarnowicz,  Sture  Pier.son,  J.  C.  Hughes,  P.  W.  Borgenson, 
X.  W.  Gening,  J.  W.  Graham,  H.  L.  Schick,  R.  A.  Cron- 
inger,  R.  (j.  Mosher,  J.  C.  Dora,  R.  Franks,  J.  W.  Elling- 
son,  A.  Jerden,  T.  ^I.  Robertson,  A.  E.  Dini,  G.  W. 
McClurel 

Corporals:  Engineers;  R.  H.  Allen,  G.  A.  Anderson, 
R.  B.  Browne,  J.  W.  Burton,  R.  Evans,  F.  R.  Deffenbaugh, 
T.  F.  Falta,  R.S.  Foote,  W.  A.  Groh,  D.  R.  Heinle,  R.  M. 
Hoppe,  R.  A.  Hruska,  R.  O.  Jesberg,  A.  C.  Kadlec,  D.  R. 
Lammering,  T-  W.  Lvddon,  "C.  G.  Miller,  J.  A.  Miller, 
L.  S.  Monroe,  D.  E.  Munie,  W.  M.  Owen,  X.  A.  Pace, 
X.  F.  Payden,  J.  D.  Peterson,  L.  Schnechtman,  A.  J.  Skale, 
S.  J.  Staniszewski,  R.  B.  Stevens,  C.  R.  Straesser,  R.  L. 
Tillman,  D.  X.  Tunnicliff,  R.  D.  Verdick.  and  G.  M. 
Wallace. 

(Plen.u-  See  Pcuje  17) 


T.  A.  M. 

Makes  the 
Big   Difference 


Photoyraphs  by 
U.  S.  Army  Siytuil  (jorps 

By 

William  G.  Murphy 


Ab<)ve:    Hall-trac   Soout   ("ar  can   "take   il." 

— CoHitcsy    of    li'hilc    Motor    Co. 


IN  MILITARY  TRANSPORTATION 


The  war  in  Europe  has  made  everyone  conscious  of  the 
recent  developments  in  the  transporting  of  troops  and  weap- 
ons, and  the  question  in  the  minds  of  all  is,  "What  is 
America's  answer  to  the  rapid  strides  being  made  in  the 
mechanization  of  the  modern  soldier.  " 

Our  first  completely  mechanized  unit  was  organized  in 
1933,  but  to  the  military  observer  mechanization  is  not 
new — the  general  public  has  just  become  more  conscious 
of  it.  During  the  first  World  war  much  of  the  troop 
movement  was  aided  by  the  old,  reliable  Mack  truck,  an'' 
every  front  line  infantry  regiment  was  supported  by  its 
own  light  and   medium   tanks. 

Speed  and  co-ordination  are  the  two  new  aspects  of  troop 
tronsportation  whether  it  be  a  mast  moving  attack  by  a 
Panzer  unit  or  the  massing  of  infantry  near  the  front  in 
personnel  carriers.  American  mechanical  engineers  are 
proving  their  superiority  everyday  by  developing  new  ve- 
hicles and  improving  the  old  so  that  our  armies  cannot  be 
surpassed  in  equipment  by  any  other.  The  modern  devel- 
opments in  short  wave  transmission  ha\e  facilitated  the 
co-ordination  of  movements  even  though  the  units  be  miles 
from  their  bases. 


What  was  once  a  tank  is  now  a  combat  car  and  the 
modern  tank  is  a  land-going  battleship.  Our  army  has  a 
light  tank  capable  of  50  mph.  on  good  road  and  35  mph. 
cross  country.  It  is  driven  on  full  tracks,  has  a  revolving 
gun  turret,  and  room  for  a  crew  of  five  men.  Its  armament 
consists  of  a  37  mm  cannon  in  the  tvuret  supplemented  by  a 
cal.  .50  machine  gun,  3-.3(t  cal.  machine  guns,  and  one  .45 
cal.   machine   gun. 

The  new  medium  tank,  only  a  few  of  which  are  com- 
plete, weighs  approximately  40  tons,  is  propelled  on  full 
tracks  and  has  two  movable  turrets  and  one  gvm  platform. 
This  is  the  new  M3  which  has  a  75mm  cannon,  a  37mm 
cannon,  a  .50  cal.  machine  gun,  and  2-. 30  cal.  machine  guns 
for  armament.  It  is  capable  of  25  mph.  cross  country.  The 
design  of  this  tank  has  already  been  modified  but  the  speci- 
fications are  confidential. 

Experiments  are  being  conducted  on  a  design  for  a  heavy 
tank  which  is  a  combination  of  the  (jerman  70-ton  dread- 
naught  and  the  85-ton  descendant  of  the  Hritish  World  War 
I  land  battleship.  The  weight  will  be  approximately  75  tons 
hut   the   construction    data   is  still   strictly   confidential. 

The  old   tank   has  been  developed   into  a   fast  moving, 


Left:   M:{  Medium  Tanks  euiiiin;;  off  3  assemhly  lines.     Chr.vsler  Tank  .Vrsenal. 
Kislit:   Troop  15,   Sth  Engrs.  transporting   arni.v  s<'out  ear  on   flying   ferry. 


THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


hard  hitting  ca\alry  weapon  capable  of  60  iiiph.  on  good 
roads  and  33  niph.  cross  country.  The  combat  car,  as  tile 
cavalry  terms  the  old  infantry  tank,  is  the  most  maneuver- 
able  of  all  the  fidl  track  vehicles  in  the  modern  army. 

The  reconnaissance  cavalry  has  two  types  of  four  wheel 
drive  cars  which  are  capable  of  movements  in  all  t\pes  of 
terrain.  The  first  of  these  is  the  scout  car  which  is  nothing 
more  than  a  shield  of  3-S-inch  armor  built  around  a  chassis. 
The  scout  car  is  powered  with  a  White  six  c\linder  valve- 
in-head  engine,  weighs  7  tons,  and  carries  a  maximum  load 
of  eight  men,  but  the  normal  crew  is  six.  It  has  both 
high  and  low  ratio  gears  with  a  maximum  speed  of  60  mph. 
on  good  road  and  35  mph.  cross  country.  It  can  climb  a 
30  per  cent  grade  in  rough  terrain  and  has  a  roller  in  front 
of  the  radiator  to  help  lift  the  car  out  of  all  but  the  steepest 
ditches.  The  3-S-inch  armor  plate  will  protect  the  person- 
nel against  all  small  arms  fire  since  .50  cal,  projectiles  lose 
all  \elocity  in  a  point  blank  penetration  and  drop  harm- 
lessly to  the  floor  and  all  angle  fire  will  glance  off  without 
penetration.  The  tires  are  of  composition  which  will  absorb 
a  limited  amount  of  fire  and  still  permit  movement.  The 
car  is  armed  with  one  .50  cal.  machine  gun,  3-.30  cal, 
machine  guns,  3  (larand  semi-automatic  rifles,  and  one  .45 
cal.  sub  machine  gun.  All  machine  guns  are  mounted  on  a 
track  which   permits  all   guns  to   be   fired   in   any  direction. 

The  second  four  wheel  drive  machine  is  the  armored 
car  which  has  six  wheels  and  two  spares  mounted  on  an 
axle  to  facilitate  the  movement  of  the  car  in  rough  terrain. 
This  car  is  completely  enclosed  in  armor  plate  with  a  revolv- 
ing turret  mounted  with  a  .50  cal.  machine  guns  and  also 
mounting  a  .30  cal.  machine  gun.  The  armored  car  re- 
sembles the  tank  without  the  endless  track  and  is  capable 
of  60  mph.  on  good  road  and  35  mph.  o\er  rough  terrain. 

Motorcycles  are  used  more  in  scout  and  reconnaissance 
movements  than  attacks  and  may  be  used  normally  to  main- 
tain contast  in  column.  The  machine  used  is  a  twin  cylinder 
motor  built  to  government  specifications  and  mounted  with 
a  .45  cal.  machine  gun  in  the  center  of  the  handle  bars. 

The  small  "mechanical  horse"  being  manufactured  b\ 
the  Ford  company  is  being  used  for  almost  everything.  Its 
four  wheel  drive  and  small  size  make  it  capable  of  almost 
anything  a  horse  can  do,  and  it  is  harder  to  ride  than  any 
horse. 

In  order  to  mass  troops  quickly  for  an  attack  and  to  hold 
a  position  taken,  troops  must  be  moved  with  as  much  speed 
as  possible.  For  this  purpose  there  have  developed  a  number 
of  personnel  carriers.  Everyone  has  seen  the  1  1-2  ton  truck 
which  will  carry  12  men  on  seat  boards.  These  seat  boards 
can  be  removed  to  carry  supplies. 

In  addition  we  have  the  half-track  carrier  and  the  four 
wheel  drive  carrier  which  resembles  the  scout  car.  Each  of 
the  latter  have  armor  plate  to  protect  the  men  against 
small  arms  fire  and  are  heavily  armed. 

The  gun  units  of  the  various  organizations  are  being 
equipped  with  prime  removers,  enabling  weapons  and  the 
crews  to  be  transported  at  a  pace  w-hich  will  enable  them 
to  accomplish  support  of  the  other  units.  Many  of  the 
smaller  weapons  carriers  are  of  the  "jeep"  or  mechanical 
horse  type  with  a  four  wheel  drive  and  two  gear  ratios 
enabling  the  crew  to  get  the  gun  into  the  most  difficult 
positions.  The  Field  artillery  uses  large  half-track  movers 
to  get  its  guns  and  crews  to  the  point  of  action. 

All  war  is  not  troop  movement  and  scouting  activities 
for  all  machinery  tends  to  break  down  now  and  then,  and 
troops  must  be  fed  and  supplied.  A  system  of  maintenance 
has  been  developed  in  motorized  columns.  If  the  vehicle 
which  has  stopped  due  to  mechanical  failure  cannot  be  fixed 
by  the  crew  and  section  leader,  it  waits  for  the  platoon 
maintenance  men,  and  if  they  find  after  examination  that 
they  cannot  repair  the  machine,  the  crew  waits  for  the 
company  maintenance  truck.  Each  imits  has  a  maintenance 
personnel   better  equipped   than   the   next  smallest  iniit,   and 

NOVEMBER,  1941 


Above:  Trucks  crossing  bridge  construeted  hy  (  n.  A,  107th 
Knyrs.  in  one  hour  and  "'0  minutes — l.enntli  i)f  bridiic-, 
7?   ft. 

Helow:  Tanli  (  ih  ps  crossing  pi>iiti>i>n  biidsje.  Ilannawa  Kalis, 
X.   V. 

in  the  larger  units  complete  tool  and  machine  shops  are 
carried  with  the  column. 

The  Engineers  are  tle\eloping  new  equipment  carriers 
to  enable  them  to  carr\'  their  bridge  section  and  pontoons 
with  more  speed  and  facilitate  the  uninterrupted  advance 
of  the  fighting  troops  as  much  as  possible.  Among  these 
is  an  all-aluminum  pontoon  carrier  and  a  bridge  section 
mover. 

Another  of  the  recent  de\elopments  is  the  placing  of 
the  field  kitchen  on  trucks  which  enable  the  cooks  to  prepare 
food  on  the  march,  and  serve  mess  to  the  men  immediately 
when  halting  to  eat. 

The  big  difference  between  the  German  or  British  ma- 
chines and  ours  is  the  complicated  machiner\.  Ciermans 
fear  the  coming  of  winter  because  the  cold  weather  will  cut 
down  on  the  efficiency  of  their  weapons  by  ice,  snow,  and 
mud  getting  into  the  hinges  and  joints.  Another  different 
characteristic  of  both  the  German  and  British  weapons 
carriers  is  that  they  are  carried  on  the  movers,  thus  necessi- 
tating more  load  on  the  rear  wheels  and  making  additional 
machinery   for  putting  the   guns  into   action   on   the   trucks. 

The  French  had  a  1939  model  Somua  tank  which  even 
the  Germans  admitted  to  be  the  best  in  the  Battle  of  France. 

From  this  brief  discu.ssion  of  the  newest  types  of  motori- 
zation it  is  evident  that  the  American  engineer  has  been 
preparing  this  coimtry  to  defend   itself  against  any  invader. 


NAMES 


in  the  news 


By  William  R.  Schmitz 
Freshman  in   (.' Iwmical  Eufiiiu'eyiug 


JOHN  McINTOSH 

Getting  an  interview  witli  John  Mcintosh  is  like  going 
through  a  research  laborator\.  John  stays  at  a  home  that 
was  set  up  by  the  Institute  of  Boiler  and  Radiation  Manu- 
facturers. And  to  anyone  that  likes  Mechanical  Engineer- 
ing, it  is  an  ideal  place  to  go  through.  John  shows  you  the 
many  gadgets  and  eqiiipment  on  the  place  and  \ou  wonder 
how  he  keeps  it  all  straight.  He  takes  daily  readings  and 
keeps  track  of  various  other  data.  It  is  a  specially  built 
house  and  its  purpose  is  to  make  tests  under  actual  living 
conditions. 

John  is  a  member  of  Pi  Tau  Sigma,  Sigma  Tau,  A.  S. 
M.  W.,  Engineering  Council;  he  is  co-chairman  of  A.  S. 
M.  E.  and  president  of  Pi  Tau  Sigma.  He  is  in  the  ad- 
vanced course  in  militar\-  (Engineers)  and  belongs  to 
T.  N.  T. 

When  asked  why  lie  came  wa\'  out  to  Illinois,  he  said 
"It  has  a  well  recommended  engineering  school."  John  is 
an  average  fellow  with  quiet,  false  shyness.  Since  his  home 
is  in  Albany,  N.  Y.,  you  might  expect  one  of  his  hobbies 
to  be  skiing,  and  it  is.  He  also  likes  to  hunt  and  to  play 
tennis,  expects  to  be  called  to  military  service  but  doesn't 
know  just  when.  Sales  engineering  appeals  to  him  and  he 
lists  physics  and  mathematics  as  favorite  courses  contributing 
to  his  4.0  average.  He'd  like  to  work  for  the  General  Elec- 
tric Co.,  at  Schenectady,  New  York. 

The  M.  E.  "prexy"  urges  a  five  year  course  to  "broaden 
out"  the  curriculum  to  include  other  than  technical  sub- 
jects. "One  great  improvement"  would  be  to  include  co- 
operative courses  in  the  curriculum,  i.  e.,  work  six  months 
and  then  go  to  school  six  months — the  "Cincinnati  system." 

John  lives  alone  at  the  research  home.  Lonesome? — Oil, 
no.  He  has  too  much  work  around  there  to  get  lonesome. 
He  greatly  enjoys  tlie  life  tht  he  leads — sort  of  like  a 
guinea  pig  a  la  Astor. 


•lo)in 


Bob 


BOB  GROVE 

Hob  Grove  is  president  of  the  Student  Branch  of  Amer- 
ican Ceramic  Society.  He  also  is  on  the  engineering  council, 
and  belongs  to  MIWA,  men's  independent  organization. 

He  did  not  take  military  here  at  the  University,  but 
played  in  the  band  instead.  Thus  he  followed  up  his  love 
for  music  that  he  found  in  high  school.  Bob  lives  at  Mt. 
Carroll,  Illinois,  and  there  he  sang  in  the  boys'  quartet  that 
won  first  place  in  the  state  contest.  He  would  have  liked 
to  join  the  glee  club  here  at  the  I  niversity,  but  "could  never 
find  the  time  to  spare.  " 

Although  he  ne\er  played  any  \arsity  football  or  bas- 
ketball here,  he  ilid  participate  in  them  at  high  school.  And 
he  lists  sports  of  all  kinds  as  his  hobby. 

To  any  freshman.  Bob  gives  this  advice,  "W'ork  hard 
when  you  work,  and  play  hard  when  you  play.  Organize 
your  time  and  studies  so  that  you  can  get  the  most  done." 
He  warns  that  there  is  a  hard  road  ahead  for  the  frosh  to 
tra\el  and  says  not  to  be  discouraged. 

Bob  has  a  great  love  for  Illinois  and  thinks  that  there 
is  no  place  like  it.  He  is  specializing  in  ceramic  engineering 
and  would  like  to  head  a  personnel  administration. 

Our  last  question  to  Bob  was  "What  do  you  think  of 
the  'Technograph' ?"  To  this  delicate  querry  he  replied 
that  he  liked  it  very  much  and  that  it  was  a  definite  boost 
to  the  engineering  school.  It  also  tended  to  unite  the  stu- 
dents and  the  facidtv  of  the  engineering  department,  he 
thought.   (  P.S. — We  ho|ie  so  too.) 


BOB  OWENS 

Tall,  brown-haired  Bob  Owens  is  a  product  of  Blue 
Island,  Illinois.  He  came  to  Illinois  because  he  felt  that 
Illinois  had  what  he  wanted.  Bob  thinks,  and  he  righth 
should,  that  Illinois  has  the  best  engineering  school  in  the 
country.  He  is  the  second  member  of  the  family  to  come  to 
Illinois,  his  sister  having  attended   before  him. 

Bob  is  an  independent,  and  on  the  sideline  he  buys  food 
for  a  co-operative  dining  hall.  It  is  up  to  him  whether  or 
not  the  rest  of  the  boys  eat.  Both  I.  S.  G.  E.,  and  the  En- 
gineering Council  count  him  as  a  valuable  member. 

Bob  says  that  all  freshmen  shouhl  join  some  activity. 
"Usually  they  wait  imtil  they  are  seniors  and  then  try  to 
crowd  in  as  many  things  as  possible.  They  like  to  have  a 
long  list  of  extra-curricular  activities  to  show  at  their  inter- 
\iew  for  a  job."  But  he  cautions:  "They  shouldn't  try  to 
enter  too  many  things,  and  then  not  do  anything  worth- 
while in  any  of  them." 

He  is  reputedly  a  pretty  good  dancer,  and  enjoys  at- 
tending as  man>'  dances  as  possible,  also  enjoying  tennis, 
ice-skating,  and  trumpeting.  He  only  plays  the  trumpet  for 
his  own  "amazement,"  not  for  other  people's. 

In  looking  toward  the  future,  he'd  like  to  get  into  sales 
engineering  work.  However,  Bob  is  registered  under  the 
selective  service  law  and  is  deferred  until  school  is  out.  He 
niav  try  to  get  a  commission  in  the  na\\,  although  he  is  not 
certain  about  this.  His  opinion  on  world  affairs  is  that  it  is 
only  a  matter  of  time  until  Hitler  will  be  defeated  by  his 
own  people. 

Bob  is  a  general  engineer  and  tloesn't  want  to  specialize 
too  much.  He  wants  to  ha\e  the  background  of  engineer- 
ing in  order  to  be  able  to  go  out  and  sell  engineering 
products.  He  has  an  average  of  3.^  .  .  .  his  fa\orite  sub- 
ject:  Machine  Design  and  Shop  Work. 

As  a  t\pical  engineering  student.  Bob  really  enjoys  life 
at  the  University.  When  he  first  came  here,  he  felt  that  the 
place    was    too    big.    But    since    then    he    lias    come    to    feel 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


Telephone  lines  are  life  lines.  Tliey  carry 
the  communications  so  vital  to  our  expanding 
defense  program. 

The  photograph  shows  wires  being  made  into 
a  telephone  cable.  Such  cable — containing  bil- 
lions of  feet  of  this  wire — is  being  rushed  by 
Western  Electric  to  meet  the  urgent  telephone 
needs  of  the  armed  forces  and  of  industry. 


So  too,  in  vastly  increased  quantities,  are  being 
sped  telephones  and  switchboards  —  and  radio 
apparatus  for  the  air  forces  and  the  Signal 
Corps. 

The  efficiency  of  Bell  Telephone  service  is 
more  than  ever  essential  to  government  and 
business,  and  now  as  always  Western  Electric 
can  be  counted  on  to  supply  the  life  lines. 


Western  Etectric 


.  .  .  is  back  of  your 
Bell  Telephone  service 


NOVEMBER.  1941 


differently,  and  feels  that  he  is  more  of  a  part  of  the  school. 
He  gets  "a  big  kick"  out  of  the  social  life  here  at  Illinois. 
He  finds  girls  very  friendly  and  he  usually  gives  them  a 
"break"   b\    daring  once  a  week. 


RILL  M.\LLOY 

Wm.  C.  .Mallo\  is  better  known  to  all  his  friends  as 
"Pat"  .Mall()\.  The  nickname  came  about  because  as  he 
says,  "I  was  just  Irish  enough  for  'Pat'  to  be  a  natural  nick- 
name." Pat  hails  from  a  town  named  Dahinda,  Illinois.  That 
name  was  given  to  it  by  the  Indians,  and  it  means  "behind 
the  hills."   (Aren't  we  all  ?) 

Pat  is  a  member  of  .A.  S.  M.  E.,  of  which  he  has  been 
treasiner,  member  of  publicity  committee,  and  is  the  co- 
chairman  for  the  coming  year.  He  is  on  the  executive  cabi- 
net of  the  interfraternity  council ;  member  of  Phi  Eta  Sigma, 
freshman  honorary  society;  Sigma  Tau  ;  and  is  President  of 
Triangle   Fraternitx'. 

When  asked  for  his  reason  for  coming  to  Illinois,  he 
replied,  "I  wanted  security."  Pat  had  worked  at  various 
part-time  jobs  after  he  had  left  high  school  and  he  coiddn't 
find  anything  permanent.  He  said  that  he  could  picture 
himself  being  driven  from  one  job  to  another  the  rest  of 
his  life,  and  that  did  not  appeal  to  him.  He  believed  that 
he  would  like  to  be  an  engineer,  and  because  Illinois  has 
"one  of  the  finest  engineering  schools  in  this  part  of  the 
country,"  he  came  here. 

Thinking  the  M.  E.  course  too  narrow  he  suggests 
courses  in  economics,  industrial  management,  history,  and 
literature  shoidd  be  included  in  the  curriculum  of  Mechani- 
cal Engineering.  "There  is  too  much  theory  and  there  are 
not  enough  practicable  courses.".  Unquote. 

When  questional  about  Illini  feminity,  Pat  says  "The 
co-eds  here  at  Illinois  can't  be  beat  anywhere."  He  has  not 
settled  on  an\  certain  one  as  yet,  usually  having  dates  during 
the  week  ends  and  an  occasional  coke  date  during  the  week. 
(Let  the  girls  beware!) 

Sporting  a  4.0  a\erage,  Pat  is  doing  very  well  in  his 
studies  we  think,  and  find  he  favors  Machine  Design,  labor- 
atory courses,  T.  A.  \l.,  and  Mathematics.  His  studies 
don't  take  all  of  his  time  and  he  hobbies  his  spare  time  with 
reading,  meeting  people,  campus  politics,  and  rifle  shooting. 

The  Pratt  and  Whitne\^  Aircraft  Co.,  at  East  Hart- 
ford, Conn.,  employed  him  last  summer,  and  after  his 
graduation  he  hopes  to  go  back  there — especially  to  the  ex- 
perimental test  department. 


Hill)   Owens 


Hill 


SIATEMENT  OF  THE  OWNERSHIP,  MANAGEMENT, 
CIRCULATION,  ETC.,  REQCIREI)  in'  THE  ACTS  t)!'  (_(J.\ 
(;RESS   OF   AUGUST   24.    191-'.   AND    MARCH    3,    193J1, 

Of    The    lUiiuiis    Technograph    published   eight   times   a    year    (Oct.. 
Nov.,    Dec,   Jan.,    Fel).,    Mar.,    Apr.,    and    Mav)    at    Urbana,    Illinois 
for  t)ctober,   1941. 
State    of    Illinois  1 

County   of   Champaign     J      ^^• 

Before  me,  a  notary  public  in  and  for  the  .State  and  Comity  afore- 
said, personally  appeared  Ricliard  W.  l.andon,  who.  having  bcCTi 
duly  sworn  according  to  law,  deposes  and  says  that  he  is  the  busi- 
ness manager  of  The  Illinois  Technograph  and  that  the  following 
is.  to  the  best  of  his  knowledge  and  belief,  a  true  statement  of  the 
ownership,  management  and  the  circulation,  etc.,  of  the  aforesaid 
luiblication.  for  the  date  shown  in  the  above  caption,  required  by 
the  .^ct  of  August  24,  1912,  as  amended  by  the  Act  of  March  .1. 
1933,  embodied  in  section  537,  Postal  Laws  and  Regulations. 

That  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  publisher,  editor,  and  busi- 
ness manager  are:  Publisher,  Illini  Publishing  Company,  University 
Station,    L^rbana,    Illinois: 

Editor.    Donald    K.    Stevens.    Urbana,    Hlinois. 

Business    Manager,    Richard    W.    Landon,    Champaign.    Illinois. 

That  the  owner  is  the  Illini  Publishing  Company,  a  non- 
commercial organization,  whose  directors  are  Fred  Siebert,  F.  H. 
Turner.  Cecil  A.  Meyer,  A-  R.  Knight.  Betty  Lou  Gibson,  Joseph 
Rarick.    James    Felt,    and    Dean    Wessel. 

RICHARD     W.     LANDON,     Business     Manager 
Swtnn  to  and  siiliscritted  before  me  this   ]5tli  day  of  Octol)er,   1941 
I  SEAL) 

.\Liri-:    SMITH.    Nutarv     Pnlilic. 


NAMES  IN  THE  NEWS  . 


for   Octoher   feadirrcl    the    fdiir   seniors   lielnu. 
you'd    like   to   .SKK   them. — Kd. 


We    thotruhl 


ISoh    Iviidci 


I'aiil   I'liuke 


Hert   Kowler 


(ien*,\'   tloiiintan 


10 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


ZINC 


Good  Soldiers! 


When  the  Country  Calls, 
The  Zinc  Industry  Responds 

IHE  Zinc  industry  cheerfully  and  willingly  accepts  its  share  in  fulfilling  the  present  pro- 
gram for  National  Defense,  just  as  it  has  always,  year  in  and  year  out,  given  prompt,  capa- 
ble and  efficient  response  when  called  upon  to  serve  the  needs  of  individuals  and  industry. 

The  present  emergency  brings  with  it  an  unprecedented 
demand  for  Zinc.  Directly  and  indirectly,  the  require- 
ments for  National  Defense  involve  the  use  of  hundreds 
of  thousands  of  tons  of  this  indispensable  metal.  At  the 
same  time,  the  civilian  industry  demand  is  constantly 
increasing. 

The  real  recognition  and  appreciation  of  the  value  of 
the  service  which  Zinc  renders  comes  at  times  like  the 
present.  Back  of  the  metal  itself,  is  the  great  industry 
that  produces  it — the  miners,  the  smelters,  the  fabrica- 
tors. All  are  bending  every  effort  to  meet  not  only  the 
nation's  needs  for  Zinc,  but  also  to  cover  current  produc- 
tion for  civilian  use.  Production  has  been  raised  to 
record-breaking  figures,  and  still  the  output  increases. 
Consumers  in  every  field  are  assured  that  the  vigorous 
efforts  being  made  by  the  industry  to  balance  supply  and 
demand  will  be  sustained. 

The  American  Zinc  Institute  continues  to  offer  its  co- 
operation to  educational  and  extension  agencies  and 
welcomes  opportunities  to  be  of  service. 


ZINC  IN  INDUSTRY 

The  essential  part  that  Zinc 
plays  in  a  multitude  of  impor- 
tant products  should  be  under- 
stood by  every  well-informed 
technician.  The  location  of  ore 
deposits  and  smelters;  mining 
and  smelting;  important  uses  of 
Zinc,  such  as  galvanizing,  brass 
manufacture,  die-casting,  rolled 
zinc,  paint  pigments  and  many 
other  applications — these  are 
discussed  in 

'The  Zinc  Industry" 

a  "mine  to  market"  outline  in 
32-page  booklet  form.  Impor- 
tant data  relative  to  the  produc- 
tion and  consumption  of  Zinc 
are  given  in 

''Facts  About  Zinc" 

Copies  of  both  of  these  book- 
lets will  be  sent  upon  request. 


AMERICAN   ZINC   INSTITUTE 

INCORPORATED 
60  East  42nd  Street,  Newr  York,  N.  Y. 


NOVEMBER,  1941 


11 


Kinht:  l':vcr.v 
Hcarcliliulit  is  ris- 
idly  tf.-sli'il  1)>  the 
a  r  111  y  a  ii  d  t  li  c 
iiKiTiiirartuifr. 


ILLUMINATION  NOW!.. 


By  Haywood  F.  Talley 


Darkness  and  quiet  prevailed.  Only  seldom  was  the 
darkness  pierced  by  a  streak  of  light  extending  from  a  door 
quickly  opened  and  closed  by  an  emerging  resident.  Very 
infrequently  was  the  ghostly  silence  broken  by  the  slow, 
steady  tread  of  a  night  sentry  or  by  the  brisk  steps  of  a 
reporter  hurrying  to  or  from  the  offices  of  a  transcontinental 
cable  conipani,'.  Suddenly  the  terrifying  shriek  of  the  air- 
raid alarm  split  the  air  and  for  seconds  all  the  sounds  that 
could  be  heard  were  accompanying  echos  and  the  pounding 
of   one's   own   heart.      The   blaikout   was   perfect. 

-Moments  later  the  drone  of  enemy  planes  coLild  be 
heard  in  the  distance.  As  they  drew  near  a  per.son  could 
not  help  but  shudder  with  the  realization  that  there  were 
no  doubt  more  enemy  planes  on  the  way  than  had  yet 
attacked  the  capital.  Long  moments  passed  as  the  planes 
grew  nearer  and  nearer;  the  roar  of  their  engines  grew 
louder,  Louder!  Yes,  they  were  now  over  the  opposite 
side  of  the  city.  Already  the  reports  of  several  exploding 
bombs  had  been  heard.  As  the  planes  grew  nearer,  the 
bombs  began  to  drop  faster  and  faster.  The  planes  grew 
nearer,  Nearer!  In  only  a  few  seconds  they  would  be 
overhead.     Could   nothing  be  done  to  stop  them? 

Almost  as  suddenly  as  the  air-raid  siren  broke  the  silence, 
the  powerful  beams  of  several  batteries  of  anti-aircraft 
searchlights  flicked  on  to  light  the  midnight  skies.  Soon  it 
was  possible  to  force  the  entire  attacking  command  to  a 
rapid  retreat.  Yes,  ILLUMINATION  made  the  differ- 
ence. 

Anti-aircraft  searchlights  of  the  t\  |)e  pictured  on  the 
cover  of  this  issue  of  the  Technograph  have  a  mirror  five 
feet  in  diameter  and  candlepowers  of  unbelievable  intensity. 
Special    characteristics    include    high-intensity    carbon     arc, 

12 


remote  electric  control,  ready  mobility  and  sturdy  construc- 
tion to  withstand  shocks  incident  to  transportation.  Each 
searchlight  has  its  own  remote  electric  control  station  and  a 
light  weight  portable  power  plant  with  flexible  cables  for 
connecting  the  searchlight  to  its  control  and  power  plant. 
Each  unit  is  complete  within  itself  and  consequently  can  be 
operated  either  in  a  battery  or  independently,  and  in  neither 
case  is  dependent  on  an  outside  source  of  power. 

The  Army,  Navy,  and  Air  Corps  have  highly  specialized 
lighting  requirements  for  fortifications,  naval  stations,  air- 
ports, seadromes,  and  ships,  as  well  as  extensive  require- 
ments for  the  lighting  of  camps  for  trainees,  Xation.il 
Guardsmen  and  enlisted  men.  At  these  camps  an  endeaxor 
is  made  to  provide  every  needed  means  for  maintaining  the 
essential  health  and  efficiency  of  the  men,  and  good  light- 
ing is  necessarily  one  major  endeavor. 

Some  idea  of  the  size  of  the  Army  and  Navy  lighting 
requirements  may  be  gained  by  the  fact  that  in  the  last 
fiscal  year  the  Army  bought  more  than  5  million  incan- 
descent lamps,  34  thousand  street  lamps,  and  ten  thousand 
five  hundred  lights  of  special  sizes  or  specifications.  An 
Army  cantonment  of  from  one  to  five  thousand  troops 
uses  more  than  16  thousand  light  bulbs  a  year.  An  Army 
four-motored  bomber  of  the  flying  fortress  type  has  about 
two  and  one-half  miles  of  wiring  in  its  electrical  wiring 
and  power  system,  while  a  battleship  carries  more  than  160 
miles  of  power  and  control  cable.  -A  battleship  of  modern 
design  has  about  6,800  lamps  installed  in  fixtures  at  one 
time,  and  carries  two  extra  for  each  of  these.  This  new 
type  under  construction  averages  4()  fluorescent  fixtures 
.•unojig  its  2, .150  ceiling  fixtures. 

(Please  See  Paye   17) 

THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


'\ 


"No  sinell,noise,  jolt,  etc...'* 


"Positively  the  most  perfect 
machine  on  the  market"  was 
the  manufacturer's  descrip- 
tion of  this  horseless  car- 
riage in  1900.  And  only  the 
rich  could  afford  such  per- 
fection. Parts  were  finished 
by  hand.  Interchangeability 
of  parts  was  unheard  of.  Then 
came  man-made  abrasives  such 
as  "Carborundum",  and  later 
"Aloxite",  to  help  bring  about 
the  mass  production  that  has 
made  available  to  everybody 
that  miracle  of  transportation- 
the  modern  American  car. 


The  use  of  man-made  abrasives  made  it  possible 
to  finish  parts  to  uniformly  close  limits  of 
accuracy.  Interchangeable  crankshafts,  cams, 
cylinders,  pistons,  gears  could  be  produced 
in  quantity  for  instant  assembly.  Better- 
built  cars  became  available  at  new  low  prices. 
And  the  same  mass  production  methods  extended 
to  other  products  have  helped  bring  us  a  new 
standard  of  living. 


A  leader  in  the  advancement  of  grinding. 
Carborundum  now  supplies  abrasive  prod- 
ucts for  obtaining  finishes  of  unbelievable 
accuracy.  No  matter  what  type  of  industry 
you  may  be  identified  with  after  gradua- 
tion, you  will  find  it  profitable  to  use 
Carborundum  engineering  experience.  The 
Carborundum  Company,  Niagara  Falls,  N.  Y. 


Carborundum  and  Aloxite  »re  rcjristered  trade-marks  of 
Bud  indiiale  manufaciurf  hy  The  Carborundum  t-umpany . 


CARBORUNDUIA 


NOVEMBER,  1941 


13 


HERE  is  a  case  in  which  oppoitunity  practically  knocks  the  <loor  down. 
Writers,  editors,  illustrators,  salesmen,  draftsmen,  typists,  clerks,  and  ainone 
with  a  good  workable  idea  is  being  urged  to  join  the  Technograph  staff  rioiv. 
Did  you  work  on  your  high  school  paper  or  yearbook?  Many  of  our  staff  writers  and 
editors  did  too,  and  you  may  want  to  add  to  your  past  experience  as  they  did. 
Not  all  of  our  staff  are  old-timers  at  the  journalism  game  of  coin'se — they  are 
just   enjoying   the   opportunities   this   staff   offers   to   budding   engineers. 

Our  magazine  is  one  of  the  four  pviblications  of  the  lllini  Publishing  Company, 
and  has  been  a  growing  concern  since  1883.  Matrix  ke\s  arc  awarded  each  year 
to  students  who  have  been  acti\e  on  tlie  staff,  and  you  can  get  your  bronze  key 
after  this  year's  participation  in  the  Technograph  as  an  activit\.  You  can  look 
forward  to  advancement  too.  for  ability  and  hard  work  are  e\ery  bit  as  important 
as   seniorit)'   here. 

Will  it  take  your  time?  Yes  it  will — several  hours  a  week  ordiiiariK,  but 
>ou'll  enjo\'  that  time  as  much  as  aii\  minutes  you  spend  (except  with  the  girl 
friend  perhaps).  Your  name  and  the  material  you  write  or  draw  will  appeai-  in 
type   and   that's  always  a   thrill   for  even   the  most  hardened   veteran. 

The  Technograph  is  having  a  banner  year  this  \ear  as  host  to  LCMA  (Engi- 
neering College  Magazines  Associated),  so  if  you  want  to  join  our  "family"  and 
meet  Sheldon  Leavitt,  Rob  McCleary,  Hill  Cramer,  Haywood  Talley,  August  L  ttich, 
Hill  Murphy,  Hill  Schmitz,  John  Morris,  Alex  Green,  and  our  new  recruits,  be  sure 
to  contact  us.  You  are  welcome  at  our  office  in  213  Engineering  Hall,  and  if 
you  have  some  news  suitable  for  the  engineer's  consumption  bring  it  around.  We 
hope  to  restore  the  engineer  as  a  man  of  prominence  on  the  engineering  campus, 
and  to  do  that  we  need  your  help.  Whether  you've  had  experience  or  not  get  in 
touch  with  Richard  Landon  (Phi  (jamma  Delta),  our  Husiness  Manager,  or  the 
undersigned  who  tries  to  edit  this  sheet.  Just  reach  me  at  the  Technograph  (Office 
or  at  1210  West  California,  Urbana.  (Phone  7-2820).  If  you  are  a  freshman 
you  may  be  one  of  the  25  we  need,  and  if  you  are  a  sophomore  or  j\inior  the  door 
is  open   to  you,    too. 

I  li.ite  to  mention  this,  but  the  onh'  cost  of  joining  the  'J'crhimf/rtifih  staff  is  a 
little  thought  and  time.  The  rewards  may  be  pleasuie,  sense  of  achievement,  im- 
pro\ement  of  your  writing  ability,  or  perhaps,  as  it  has  for  a  number  of  graduates 
from  the  staff,  a  better  job  when  you  enter  the  business  world.  Think  it  over 
and  you'll  call  us  right  away  if  you  are  the  kind  of  fellow  we  think  you  are  .... 
a  good  engineer! 

DoxAi.ii  K.  Stevens 

Editor,    [Ik    TciJinni/nit'h 


14 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


Mile  and  a-half  of  Conveyor 
lubricated  by 


^^The  Man  who  isnH  There! 


?9 


^■■r.'siv^^    ,, 


-'S! 


-^i   .,^'*  <-  i     %sV- 


.  -^   ?»-    "v 


•  Yes,  16,000  bearings  at  the  Shasta  Daiu 
project,  greased  regularly  by  Yehoodi's  old 
man — the  phantom  of  the  operation. 

Seriously,  the  secret  is  New  Departure 
anti-friction  bearings,  self-sealed  against 
dirt    and   lubricatcd-for-life! 

Just  another  "new  departure"  by  New 
Departure  —  another  "famous  first"  bv  an 
alert  company  whose  products  arc  ideas  as 
well  as  ball  bearings. 

If    you    arc    to    become     a    mechanical 


Conveyor  Bearing 

self-sealed 

and 

lubricated- for-life 


engineer,  you  just  cannot  escape  New 
Departure — because  these  finer  anti-friction 
bearings  are  used  wherever  shafts  turn  — 
and  nothing  rolls  like  a  ball  in  the  Forged 
Steel   bearing. 

The  whole  absorbing  story  of  anti- 
friction bearings  is  told  in  a  beautifully 
ilhistratcd  112-page  book  we'd  like  to  send 
\ou.  Ask  for  "Why  Anti-Friction  Bearings." 

New  Departure,  a  Division  of  General 
Motors,  Bristol  and  Mcriden,  Connecticut. 


/K 


'ew 


THE    FORG 


VepanXune 

ED      /   STEEL    BEARING 


NOVEMBER,  1941 


15 


TECHNOCRACKED.. 


9 


By  Robert  E.  McCIeary 

Juii'or  ill  Electrical  /uiiSiiirrrini; 


Kiifiinceis  can't  imilcistaiid  the  girls  who  tifquciit  Kani- 
cicrs'  Annex  on  Daniel  every  nij^ht,  smoking,  coking  and 
pLning  cards.  Are  they  really  one-semester  co-eds,  or  are 
the\  brilliant  and  don't  have  to  stiuh ,  or  what?  Techno- 
graph  may  investigate  the  L.A.S.  student  sometime  just  for 
the  helluvit. 

Perhaps  we  deedn't  worry — we'll  all  probably  be  over- 
seas soon,  getting  our  heads  blown  off  with  the  rest  of  the 
boys  .  .  .  nothing  like  making  the  world  safe  for  the  Demo- 
crats. \ou  know. 


hist 
add 


Pet  peeve  of  Technocracked  is  the  drawing  of  obvious 
conclusions  by  otherwise  well  meaning  people,  i.  e..  You've 
got  a  heavy  date.  See,  you're  washing  up  the  car  with 
gusto  and  hard  labor,  see,  and  some  one  comes  by  and 
deduces  brightly:  "Cleanin'  her  up,  hey?"  Gad,  don't  it 
make  you  smoke?  Bye  the  bye,  gentle  readers,  speaking 
of  smoke,  do  you  know  any  girls  you'd  like  to  see  inhale? 
I   know  some  I'd  like  to  see  there,  too. 

I  wonder  what  it  is  about  a  cow  that  makes  the  stuff 
she  gives  so  costly  ?  She  is  unpretentious  enough  and  no  one 
would  think  the  grass  she  eats  and  the  water  she  drinks 
could  finally  be  worth   16c  per  quart  .  .  .   Cann\    critters. 


them  cows.  An\uay,  1  iniderstand  anxious  parents  can 
hardly  wait  nowadaxs  until  junior  gets  old  enough  to  take 
up  the  whisky  habit  .  .  . 

No  one  has  forgotten  the  pig-roast  the  Ceramics  threw 
last  year.  It  ended  up  at  "Bunnies  "  in  I  rbana,  remember? 
The  atmosphere  became  (so  I  am  told)  so  murky  it  was 
hard  to  recognize  each  other  uiuler  the  table  .  .  .  And  then 
the  boys  started  singing  that  old  gold-rush  epic  about  "A 
bunch  of  the  boys  were  whooping  it  up,  in  one  of  the  Yukon 


halls,  etc  .   .  .   CEXSORED  .  .  .  hut  we  can't  talk   abc 
that,  here. 

We  woiuler  if  an\  of  the  R.(  ).T.C.  bo\s  at  camp 
summer  met  Maizie — you  know,  the  one  that  couldn't 
or  subtract,   but  was  able  to  work  the  whole  division 

Yooi's  trooh  lived  in  Chicago  all  last  summer  .  .  .  . 
working  (  ?)  with  some  of  the  50  odd  (what  am  I  saying) 
other  U.  of  I.  engineers  who  were  employed  at  the  Carnegie- 
Illinois  Steel  Mill  .  .  .  certainly  an  expensive  place  to  live — 
Chicago  .  .  .  you  arn't  in  there  1^  minutes  before,  bang! 
goes  anothei'  nickel  for  peanuts  ...  a  wicked  place,  too; 
people  staying  out  vuitil  11  :30,  drinking  cokes  and  smoking 
cigarettes,  that  there  new  fad  from  down  East.  Nite  life 
in  Chicago  seems  to  consist  in  spending  money  like  water 
to  obtain  drinks  that  taste  just  that  way  .  .  . 

Many  of  the  seniors  will  take,  or  have  already  taken, 
inspection  trips.  Chem.  engineers  at  Purdue  were  taken 
through  a  brewery  in  the  Last  last  \ear  .  .  .  Lucky  fellows 
...  It  should  happen  to  us. 

We  hope  there  will  be  another  "Slide  Rule  Shuffle" 
this  year.  It  gives  those  engineers  who  are  exponents  of 
"Whatchaknowjoe"  jive  and  "Solid  Sending"  a  chance  to 
show  off.  Besides,  did  you  ever  see  more  beautiful  women 
at  one  time  than  were  at  that  dance?  Engineers  may  not 
date  often,  but  when  they  do,  well,  any  old  crock  just 
won't  do  .  .  .  it's  got  to  be  the  best,  or  within  certain 
rigidly  standardized  limits,  (plus  or  minus  something,  you 
know.)  On  the  same  subject — do  ceramists  know  more 
about  crocks,  er,  ah,  girls,  than  other  engineers?  We're 
askin',  not  tellin'. 


Overheard  a  tout  at  Washington  Park  tell  a  friend,  "I 
broke  even  on  the  horses  today,  and  boy,  did  I  need  it!"  .  .  . 
All  which  goes  to  prove  that  the  only  person  who  cleaned 
up  following  the  horses  was  an  old  fashioned  street  sweeper 
.  .  .  there  really  were  two  of  them.  Very  good  friends, 
broom-mates,  you  might  say.     Corn\'     But  def! 

Let's  make  like  we  didn't  know  from  nothin'  and  ponder 
about  who  our  next  president  will  be  .  .  .  King  Franklin 
seems  to  have  an  "in"  with  our  country's  history.  Man\ 
feel  as  does  the  Chicago  Tribune  (pfffttt),  that  while  we 
may  not  get  a  chance  to  vote  for  Roosevelt  every  day,  it 
sure  seems  like  it.  Oh  well,  good  engineers  can  still  get 
deferred  .  .  .  We  should  worr\- — those  who  don't  like  R.  O., 
we  mean. 

The  other  day  a  Southerner  named  Smith  in  the  T.A.M. 
department  gave  one  class  of  T.A.M.  3  some  good  advice 
about  how  to  arrange  one's  studies  amidst  an  impending 
beer-bust.     It  was  very  good  advice. 

INSIDE  DOPE 
A  physics  professor  whose  initials  are  Donald  William 
Kerst  has  whipped  up  a  job  that's  called  an  electron  acceler- 
ator. Watch  Technograph  for  more  news  of  this.  Maybe 
it  will  put  Illinois  on  the  map  .  .  .  put  it  there  again,  we 
mean,  of  course. 


16 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


WEST  POINT  OF  THK  WEST  .  .  .   (from  pay,-  .i) 

The  men  listed  above  are  the  leaders  in  the  college  which 
furnishes  the  military  leaders  to  the  ROTC.  These  men 
are  instructed  by  men  who  have  at  one  time  or  another  in 
their  career  served  their  country  as  reserve  otiicers;  in  tact, 
many  of  the  men  on  the  faculty  of  the  engineering  college 
ar  still  acti\'  in  military'  training  during  the  summer  montlis. 

What  wdl  happen  to  the  engineers  after  they  leave  col- 
lege? Many  of  them  will  be  serving  their  country  in  some 
way  or  another  that  we  might  be  better  prepared  to  defend 
ourselves.  Some  of  these  already  have  their  commissions 
in  the  engineering  department  of  the  na\y  which  will  be- 
come effective  when  they  graduate.  Chick  Irish,  Met.E.  is 
one  of  these  who  will  be  found  around  the  high  seas  after 
graduation. 

The  Ordnance  and  munitions  industry  will  call  man\ 
of  the  mechanical  and  chem  engineers  either  as  officers  in 
the  army  or  as  civilian  aides. 

Finally  there  will  be  many  engineers  in  the  new  Armored 
I)i\isions  which  are  revolutionizing  modern  warfare.  To 
the  organizers  of  this  corps  the  training  of  an  engineer 
means  dependability  and  initiative. 


ILLL MINATIOX   NOW! (frow  page  12) 

Sufficient  and  proper  illumination  of  classroom,  draft- 
ing room,  shop,  and  industrial  plant  also  has  an  effect  on 
liefense  efforts.  Other  contributory  applications  of  defense 
illumination  include  lighting  for  traffic  safety.  Si\t\  per- 
cent of  all  traffic  fatalities  occur  after  dark,  though  onl\ 
about  one-ourth  of  the  normal  24  hour  traffic  moves  over 
the  road  at  night.  The  additional  traffic  due  to  defense 
industries  in  many  areas  has  unavoidably  sent  the  night 
accident  figures  skyrocketing.  Rut  here,  too,  modern  illum- 
ination methods  are  at  work,  now  providing  modern  safety 
lighting  for  defense. 


Why  Worry? 

Have 

WEBER 

Make  You  Some 

Guaranteed 

Pictures  Now 

On  John  Street 


DANCING 

0 

.1 

Every  Saturday  Night 

^^   ^"^^^ 

To   the  Music   of 

^^k  ■ 

DICK  CISN E 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^B            ^^^^^^ 

and  his  orchestra 

^HH^H  ^^p  ""'V 

mini  Union  Ballroom 

Nine   to   Twelve — 99c   per  couple 
Special   Dances 

^^^ 

^^^^^^^^^^H  l^\3I^ 

Friday,  Nov.  7 — Weekend  of  Dad's  Day 

Nov.   18— The  Night  Before  Thanksgiving 

Vacation 

NOVEMBER,  1941 


17 


NEW  EYES  OF  DEFENSE 


By  Norman  Pintchuk 


As  the  eyes  ot  the  world  rest  upon  Hitler,  the  eyes  of 
the  United  States  Army  are  getting  their  share  of  attention. 
Throughout  the  many  camps  in  the  United  States  soldiers 
are  using  modern,  precision-made  iiitrunients  in  the  comse 
of  their  daily  duties.  The  officials  in  charge  of  buying  optical 
instruments  for  use  in  the  army  and  t\;\\\  make  sure  that 
every  instrument  comes  up  to  government  specifications  by 
checking  each  individual  piece  of  equipment  before  it  is 
accepted. 

Hoth  the  army  and  the  navy  use  nian\'  C^ptical  instru- 
ments, but — surprisingly,  the  army  uses  a  greater  variety 
than  the  navy.  The  army  uses  aerial  cameras,  range  finders, 
surveying  equipment,  telescopic  gun  sights,  search  light 
lenses,  bomb  sights,  binoculars,  and  the  French  Aiming 
Circle.  The  navy,  in  turn,  uses  range  and  height  finders, 
telescopes,  and  binoculars.  In  both  the  arm\'  and  the  navy. 
goggles  for  fliers  are  ground  to  svnt  the  indi\i(lual. 

The  cameras  which  are  used  for  aerial  photography  are 
of  a  special  design.  A  new  type  of  lens  was  developed  for 
the  army  to  make  it  possible  for  them  to  take  clear,  sharp 
pictures  from  high  altitudes.  The  size  of  the  average  nega- 
tive used  by  the  army  is  five  by  seven  inches.  When  a  photo- 
graph is  taken  from  an  altitude  of  five  thousand  feet,  the 
images  of  objects  on  the  ground  are  ver\  minute  and  must 
be  greatly  enlarged  and  studied  with  an  aerial  stereoscope. 
This  is  done  to  get  an  accurate  view  of  the  objects  on  the 


A  TAP  LOOKS  QUITE  SIMPLE 

BUT... 

To  make  a  good  tap  for  a  particular  job 
may  require  a  special  kind  of  steel,  expen- 
sive automatic  machines,  milling  machines, 
accurate  grinders  that  will  finish  threads  to 
dimensions  much  less  than  a  human  hair, 
and  years  of  experience  in  heat  treatment. 
These  are  some  of  the  reasons  why  it  pays 
to  look  for  the  "G.T.D.  Greenfield"  trade 
mark  on  taps  and  other  threading  tools  — 
the  mark  of  the  oldest  and  largest  company 
in  the  business. 

GREENFIELD  TAP  AND  DIE  CORPORATION 

GREENFIELD,  MASSACHUSETTS 


^l^GREENFIELD 


r»PS    •    DIES    ■    GAGES    •    TWIST  DRILLS    •    REAMERS    ■    SCREVy  PLATES    •    PIPE  TOOLS 


18 


ground.  Hy  this  means  the  army  can  tell  if  an  object  is  mere 
camouflage  or  not.  After  this  stage,  a  multiplex  aerial  map- 
ping machine  is  used.  This  equipment  projects  stereoscopic 
pictures  showing  the  terrain  in  full  detail.  With  this  ma- 
chine, contour  maps  may  be  drawn  and  elevations  estab- 
lisheil.  Xecessar\  information  is  thus  obtained  for  effective 
artiller\    control. 

Range  finders  are  very  important  because  they  control 
the  fire  of  one-tenth  of  the  army  and  all  of  the  navy  guns. 
The  range  finder  that  was  installed  on  the  battleship  Xorth 
Carolina  contains  more  than  1500  mechaifical  parts  includ- 
ing almost  one  hundred  lenses  and  prisms.  This  construction 
took  one-half  of  the  total  time  spent  in  building  the  ship. 
In  spite  of  what  most  people  think,  the  range  finder  is  a 
sturdy  instrument.  It  niList  be  air  and  water  tight  and  re- 
istant  to  vibration  and  shock. 

Probably  some  of  you  are  wondering  how  a  range  finder 
works.  Well,  it  is  very  simple  if  you  remember  your  geo- 
metry. The  range  finder  furnishes  the  operator  with  one 
siile  and  the  two  adjacent  angles  of  a  triangle,  with  the 
target  at  the  apex.  From  this  information  and  b\'  triangu- 
lation,  exact  distances  can  be  calculated  quickly  within  the 
range  finder  itself.  Final  range  accuracy  depends  on  the 
\islbilit\'  and  optical  and  mechanical  accuracy  of  the  range 
finder.  From  this  simple  explanation  you  can  see  that  a 
poorlv  made  lens  may  mean  a  miss  instead  of  a  hit  in  a 
fight.' 

There  are  man\'  different  kinds  of  glass,  but  basically  all 
are  silicate  compounds.  Complex  gla.sses  have  been  prepared 
with  one  or  more  of  the  fluorides  of  potassium,  sodium,  and 
lithium.  The  ingredients  of  optical  glass  are  mixed  and 
weighed  with  the  most  exacting  caie.  The  pots,  or  crucibles. 
In  which  the  chemicals  are  placed,  are  made  from  materials 
as  carefiilly  chosen  as  those  for  the  glass  Itself.  Refractory 
requirements  are  exacting.  When  the  glass  Is  In  the  liquid 
state  It  will  fuse  with  the  pot.  In  this  wa\'  any  Impurities 
or  pieces  of  the  pot  might  have  some  effect  upon  the  glass, 
.■md  it  would  be  inferior. 

The  phenomenon  of  refraction  is  responsible  for  the 
value  of  the  glass  in  optics.  The  atomic  structure  of  the 
silicate  molecules  is  such  that  they  will  let  light  pass  through 
them.  If  the  structure  is  so  fixed  that  one  or  more  atoms  are 
out  of  place,  these  atoms  will  reflect  light  and  cause  dis- 
tortion In  the  light  waves  that  pass  through  the  lens.  Because 
of  this  fact,  cooling  the  gla.ss  is  a  very  important  step  in 
the  manufacturing  procedure.  A  uniformly  cooled  unstressed 
glass  is  desired.  After  cooling,  onl\'  a  small  per  cent  of  the 
original  glass  is  suitable  for  further  processing,  and  only 
the  portions  of  clear  flawless  glass  are  cut  out  iov  fine 
lenses. 

Precision  optical  work  means  grinding  and  polishing  to 
Incredible  accuracy.  The  limits  which  manufacturers  are 
allowed  are  to  within  0.0000058  of  an  Inch.  Thus  you  see 
that  the  temperature  of  the  room  would  be  a  variable  factor 
unless  some  steps  were  taken  to  minimize  the  expansion  and 
contraction  due  to  temperature  changes.  Usually  the  whole 
plant  is  air-conditioned.  Other  elaborate  precautions  are 
observed  as  In  a  watch  factory  to  Insure  accuracy.  From 
these  modern  optical  factories,  where  precision  is  a  fact  and 
not  a  fancy,  come  great  Items  for  the  nation's  defense.  They 
aie  realh  gising  the  armed  forces  new  eyes  for  old. 

THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


WHAT  BEARINGS  WOULD 
YOU  SPECIFY  FOR  THE 
CRANK  SHAFT  OF  AN  OIL 
FIELD  ENGINE? 


If  you  were  called  upon  to  design  a 
gas,  Diesel  or  steam  engine  for  oil 
field  work  how  would  you  support  the 
crank  shaft?  If  you  knew  your  bear- 
ings you  wouldn't  have  to  think  twice. 
You  would  do  as  most  of  the  leading 
engine  builders  do ;  you  would  mount 
the  crank  shaft  on  TIMKEN  Tapered 
Roller  Bearings — single  or  double, 
according  to  the  length  of  the  shaft 
and  the  H.P.  of  the  engine. 

This  would  assure  a  smoothly- 
operating  engine  that  would  transmit 
its  maximum  power  rating  to  the  job, 
for  main  bearing  friction  would  be 
eliminated.  Full  protection  against 
both  radial  and  thrust  loads  would  be 
assured.  Wear  on  the  ends  of  the  crank 
shaft  would  be  prevented  because  all  move- 
ment takes  place  within  the  TIMKEN  Bearing 
itself.  Main  bearings  would  seldom,  if  ever,  have 
to  be  replaced  on  account  of  wear.  Crank  shaft 
alignment  would  be  maintained  indefinitely. 

You  can  learn  a  lot  more  about  crank  shaft 
bearings  and  many  other  applications  by  study- 
ing the  Timken  Reference  Manual.  We  will 
gladly  send  you  a  copy.  Write  for  it.  Know 
your  bearings — be  a  better  engineer. 

THE  TIMKEN  ROLLER  BEARING 
COMPANY,     CANTON,     OHIO 


TIMKEN 

TAPERiO  ROLLER  REARIHGS 


Manufacturers  of  TIMKEN  Tapered  Roller  Bearings 
for  automobiles,  motor  trucks,  railroad  cars  and 
locomotives  and  all  kinds  of  Industrial  machinery; 
TIMKEN  Alloy  Steels  and  Carbon  and  Alloy  Seam- 
less Tubing;  and  TIMKEN   Rock  Bits. 


NOVEMBER,  1941 


19 


UFKIN      ^ 

•  "METALLIC"  WOVEN  TAPES 


Woven,  finished  and  coated  to  protect 
against  wear  and  moisture,  to  resist  stretch- 
ing and  shrinking,  and  to  prevent  fraying 
at  the  edges,  the  Lidkin  "Metallic"  is  con- 
sidered the  best  woven  tape  made. 

WRITE  FOR  FREE  COMPLETE  CATALOG 


I06  La(a,«»<  SI. 


SAGINAW,  MICHIGAN 


Canadian  Facta, y 

WINDSOR,  ONT. 


TAPES -RULES -PRECISION   TOOLS 


Your  Slide  Rule 
Has  Joined  the  Army 

Sorry  no  slide  rules  for  sale  (except  the  dol- 
lar pollyphase).  The  defense  program  absorbs 
more  rules  than  K.  &  E.  can  make.  But  they 
are  still  increasing  production  and  within 
four  months  YOUR  slide  rule  should  be 
ready   for  you.     Sorry. 

UnJA  ersitv  Book  Store 

202  S.  Mathews        '  610  E.  Daniel 


Eat  at 

CHARLIE'S  RESTAURANT 

Where   Engineers  Meet   for 

Quality  in  Food  and  Service 

OPPOSITE  PHYSICS  BLDG. 

202 '/2   S.  Mathews 


20 


CANADA'S  DEFENSE 

By  Robert  ¥..  McGleary 
Jtiniiir  in  Hlectrical  Engineering 

Is  Canada  (ioinu;  her  share  towards  winning  this  war? 
Canada,  officially  at  war.  has  no  selective  service  act.  How 
e\tensi\e  is  her  industrial  support?  Are  we  in  the  L  nited 
States  carrying  the  brunt  of  the  war  aid  to  the  Allies  in 
production?  These  questions  bother  us  until  we  observe 
the  records. 

Production  rates  and  the  ingeniuos  means  used  to  con- 
vert Canada  into  an  arsenal  for  Democracy  indicate  that 
she  is  definitel\-  doing  her  share.  Army,  naval,  and  air 
force  guns  of  latest  type  are  now  coming  from  Canada. 
These  include  the  'Tommies'  Lee  Enfield  rifle,  the  Bren 
'machine  gun-rifle'  (550  rounds  per  minute),  the  Colt- 
Browning  aircraft  gun  used  in  Spitfires  and  Hurricanes 
(1,200  rounds  per  minute),  the  Boys  anti-tank  rifle,  Bofors 
40  millimeter  anti-aircraft  gun  (120  rounds  per  minute  up 
to  10,000  feet),  Vickers  twin  mounted  5  calibre  naval  anti- 
aircraft guns  (600  shots  per  minute),  two  pounder  anti-tank 
guns,  the  new  25  pounder  field  piece,  twelve  pounder  naval 
gims,  and   new  depth  charge  mortars. 

Also  new  is  a  Canadian  built  twin  mounting  for  Lewis 
guns  for  anti-aircraft  use,  the  gunner  leaning  backward  in 
a  sling  during  high  angle  firing. 

In  the  last  war,  Canada  had  only  one  armament  plant 
where  only  the  Ross  rifle  was  made.  Today  new  plants 
are  springing  up,  the  Regina  plant  of  General  Motors  of 
Canada  Ltd.  will  immediately  undertake  100  per  cent  arma- 
ment production,  Sorel  Industries  Ltd.  at  Sorel,  Quebec, 
is  producing  the  new  rubber  tired  2'^  pounder,  and  the 
Chrysler  Corporation  has  loaned  men  and  technicians  to  the 
great  Simard  Companies  who,  in  co-operation  with  both 
British  and  Canadian  governments,  is  responsible  for  a  great 
part  of  Canada's  ordnance  production. 

The  Schneider-Cruesot  Plant  of  France  had  loaned 
Canada  technicians.  After  France  fell,  these  men  had  to 
return  to  their  families,  probably  under  threat  from  the 
invaders,  and  thus  handicapped  Canadian  production.  The 
active  enlistment  drive  in  Canada  is  also  taking  machinists 
for  the  air  force  as  pilots  and  maintenance  men. 

In  spite  of  these  handicaps,  Canada  expects  to  reach 
her  peak  production  on  schedule,  February,  1942.  At  this 
time,  total  production  of  automatic  guns  will  reach  147,500 
units  per  annum.  A  newly  authorized  modern  army  rifle, 
authorized  last  August,  will  shortly  reach  production  of 
"thousands  per  month."  Information  is  lacking  on  the 
heavier  gun  production,  but  the  program  to  date  has  met  or 
bettered  every  delivery  promised. 

Artillery  production  is  an  intermediate  between  extra- 
ordinarily high  grade  jobbing  work  and  precision  mass  manu- 
facture. Quantities  may  run  into  a  matter  of  thousands 
per  year;  ample  to  justify  repetition  methods.  The  time 
element  requires  means  whereby  unskille<l  hands  can  be 
enabled  to  produce  in  quantity. 

Design  of  components  is  solely  for  correct  functioning. 
Modifications  for  more  efficient  and  cheaper  manufacture 
are  often  impossible  or  difficult  to  arrange  m  such  a  short 
time.  Time  also  does  not  permit  the  development  of  spe- 
cialized tools  such  as  in  the  automotive  industry.  There- 
fore, standard  machine  tools  rather  than  production  units 
bear  the  brunt  of  production.  Hand  finishing  also  adds  to 
(Please  see  page  22) 

THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


i&iJ 


Bettet'. 

G^^^'^^^l  iTexP^"^^'"'-     V  ^s  ifit  involves 

^?SneU  -^f:' can  prove  o- 
?iprr^6'      I{tet  90  years  ^^  G,,nneU 


•       ••       (*«••       «i 


i     J 


*ng!!it!!i!iS 


■^ 


NOVEMBER,  1941 


21 


m^ 


CANADA'S 
DEFENSE 


Alxivc:    r.   S.    luiKincci^'   jih-IIukIs  :iic   vvi(lrl.\    c  .luii'il. 


For  Better 
PHOTOGRAPHS 

It's 

Duncan -Erber 
Studios 

614   E.  GREEN   STREET 
1st  door  next  to  Co-Ed 


Call  2741  for  your 
lllio  Appointment 


Garhers' 

Modern  Cleaners 

On  the  (Campus 
it's  (tarbers' 

Phone   6-l.lS.S 


I  ruin    Ptii/c   2(1 


the  time  and  cost  of  these  precision  products.  16,0()()  man- 
hours  is  the  actual  time  consumed  to  produce  the  intricate 
twin  gun  mountings  for  naval  guns. 

Of  interest  to  engineers  is  the  rifhng  process  where,  in 
accordance  with  latest  developments,  21  separate  broaching 
cutters,  of  successiveh'  increasing  sizes  are  integrally  mount- 
ed and  pushed  through  the  drilled  barrel  simultaneously  to 
complete  the  job  in  one  operation.  ICach  cutter  takes  a  cut 
of  .015  meter.  This  screw  powered  broaching  machine 
carries  the  broaching  spindle  forward  while  the  circular 
broach  is  simultaneously  rotated  by  a  helical  groove  run- 
ning over  fi.xed   keys  in   the  stationary  head. 

Of  interest  to  T.  A.  \l.  3  and  63  students  is  the  pro- 
cess called  'Auto-frettage,'  used  in  barrel  pioduction.  This 
is  a  method  for  automatically  producing  internal  compressive 
stresses  in  the  bore,  formerly  achieved  by  winding  layers  of 
steel  wire  under  high  tension  about  the  barrel.  The  object 
is  to  have  the  bore  under  compressive  stress  when  the  initial 
bore  piessure  is  zero.  Thus  the  explosion  pressure  must 
overcome  the  original  compressive  stress  before  the  steel  is 
strssed  in  tension. 

This  initial  compressive  stress  is  conveniently  done  by 
fluid  at  high  pressure  expanding  the  cylinder  at  room  tem- 
perature until  almost  all  the  metal  has  been  stressed  beyond 
its  elastic  limit.  The  metal  at  the  bore,  being  stressed  the 
most,  attempts  to  maintain  its  permanent  set  after  >ieldi[ig 
plastically.  1  he  outer  layers,  having  onl\'  been  stressed 
within  tiieir  elastic  range,  attempt  to  return  within  their 
original  dimensions,  compressing  the  inner  layers.  The  fluid 
is  glycerine  and  water,  for  water  alone  under  such  pressures 
at  room  temperature  would  freeze. 

Think,  men,  T.A.IVI.  may  win   this  war! 


Speaking  of  Detroit,  it  has  been  declared  the  health- 
iest cit\  in  the  U.  S.  Evidently,  dodging  automobiles  is 
;i  healthful  exercise. 


Giving  is  a  Fine  Art 

Ifr   Help    You    With 

•  Gifts  Well  Selected. 

•  .\ttractively  Packed  for  Giving. 

O      Greeting  Cards  for  .\11  Occasions  to 
Accompan>'  Gifts. 

Strauch's  at  Campus, 

709  S.  Wright 
I' (})■   CiiKiidiiti'ecl   i\  (itcli   Service 


22 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


The  ramparts  we  build... 


AS  OUR  COUNTRY  moves  through 
_/^  perilous  world  events,  national 
defense  is  uppermost  in  our  minds. 
Is  defense  production  fast  enough? 
Is  American  industry  turning  out 
the  goods?  How  are  American  en- 
gineers and  production  men  meet- 
ing defense  problems? 

Here's    how    matters    stand    at 
Westinghouse: 

We  are  engaged  in  building  more 
than  $300,000,000  worth  of  equip- 
ment for  the  national  defense  pro- 
gram. On  our  books  are  more  than 
3,600  defense  orders.  To  meet  sched- 
ules, we  must  produce  $960,000 
worth  of  apparatus  every  day — 
$40,000  every  hour — between  now 
and  the  end  of  1941. 

Every  one  of  the  Company's  26 
manufacturing  divisions  is  working 
on  national  defense  projects;  most 
of  them  on  a  three-shift  basis. 

Employment  is  at  an  all-time 
peak  of  75,000,  a  gain  of  more  than 
25,000  since  a  year  ago.  One  in  three 
Westinghouse  employees  is  new. 

To  avoid  delays  due  to  shortages 


in  materials  and  to  release  metals 
needed  for  other  defense  projects, 
substitute  materials  committees 
have  been  organized  in  every  West- 
inghouse plant  to  find  ways  to  make 
use  of  new  materials  v/herever  pos- 
sible. One  result:  our  Merchandis- 
ing Division  alone  has  found  ways 
to  save  1,500,000  pounds  of  alumi- 
num out  of  next  year's  manufac- 
turing schedule.  That's  enough  to 
build  130  Army  bombers. 

Many  things  ^e  are  making  for 
the  Navy,  Army,  and  defense  in- 
dustries are  military  secrets,  but 
we  can  mention: 

Parts  for  control  units  on  anti- 
aircraft guns. 

Special  land,  sea,  and  air  radio 
equipment  for  the  Army  and  Navy. 

High-speed  X-ray  equipment,  ca- 
pable of  examining  soldiers  at  the 
rate  of  one  a  minute. 

Army  binoculars. 

Fluorescent  lamps  for  "blackout" 
plants  and  others. 

Secondary  networks  for  defense 
plants.  These  are  systems  of  power 
circuits  and  equipment  so  arranged 
that  if  one  part  of  the  factory  is  de- 
stroyed, current  will  continue  to  be 
available  in  all  undamaged  sections. 

Some  of  the  things  we're  making 
for  air  defense  are: 

Special  meters  and  instruments 
for  Army  airplanes. 

Lightweight  generators  and  volt- 
age regulators  to  supply  and  control 
electric  power  in  Army  planes. 

Bomb  fuses,  now  being  turned 
out  at  a  high  rate.  Production  will 
be  doubled  again  in  a  few  weeks. 


Plastic  parts  for  aircraft,  includ- 
ing Micarta  pulleys  and  fair  leads 
to  guide  the  control  wires  inside 
planes. 

Radio  sending  and  receiving  ap- 
paratus. 

Lighting  systems  for  airports  and 
seadrome  lights  capable  of  convert- 
ing open  waterways  into  landing 
bases  for  seaplanes. 

Now  at  work  on  propulsion 
equipment  for  more  than  100 
Navy  ships  is  the  Westinghouse 
Steam  Division  plant  at  South 
Philadelphia. 

Driving  gear  for  80  merchant  ves- 
sels also  is  being  made  at  this  plant. 

Besides  helping  to  build  our  first 
lines  of  defense  Westinghouse 
is  supplying  power  equipment 
urgently  needed  for  the  speed- 
up of  its  own  and  other  defense 
industries. 

Our  East  Pittsburgh  Works  this 
year  will  double  its  1940  produc- 
tion of  generating  equipment. 

The  Generator  Division  com- 
pleted this  year  the  three  largest 
water-wheel  generators  in  the  world 
— 108,000  kilovolt-ampere  giants 
for  Grand  Coulee. 

The  Motor  Division  will  produce 
enough  motors  in  1941  to  develop 
2,660,000  horsepower;  enough  pow- 
er to  drive  all  the  machinery  in  50 
steel  mills.  Majority  of  these  motors 
will  be  driving  machinery  for  defense. 


This,  in  outline,  is  the  way  the 
Westinghouse  Company  and 
Westinghouse  engineers  are  do- 
ing their  share  in  national 
defense. 


TVfestinghouse 

Westinghouse  Electric  and  Manufocturing  Co.,  Pittsburgh,  Po. 


NOVEMBER,  1941 


23 


^'BC^mtus  /\/etvs 


MOSQUfTOES  DON'T 

ifKE  RED  ifGHTS 

Z'^r'I"  in  Cleveland,  Ohio,  a  group  of  engi- 
^^^  neers  and  entomologists  has  been  spending 
a  lot  of  warm  summer  evenings  sitting  arounti 
under  a  strjng  of  colored  lights.  But  any 
passerby  who  got  the  impression  that  the\'  had 
joined  the  rocking-chair  brigade  would  be  ver\ 
much  mistaken.  They  were  conducting  a  scien- 
tific experiment  to  determine  what  color  lights 
attract,  and  what  repel,  night-flying  insects. 

Results:  rnosquitoes  and  most  other  night- 
flying  insects  don't  like  red  lights,  prefer  blue. 
Hut  since  re4  is  not  a  very  satisfactory  color  to 
work  under,  the  scientists  suggest  that  if  yf)u 
must  work  under  a  lamp  outdoors,  yellow  light 
provides  the'  maximum  advantages  to  himian 
beings  with  fhe  minimum  attraction  to  insects. 


A    HALF     DOZEN 
LEFT    HANDED    BUCKETS 
PLEASE  " 


VLVlr^hM\>ZT>  BUCKETS 

T  TNI, IKE)  the  famous  fellow  who  wanted  a 
^-^  left-hand  monkey  wrench,  the  young  man 
at  the  winqpw  is  perfectly  in  the  right  if  the 
buckets  he  wants  are  the  buckets  for  a  steam 
turbine.  Fqj-  a  double-flow  turbine  for  ship 
propulsion  htis  both  right-  and  left-hand  buckets. 
There's  riji   important  reason    ffir   using    this 


construction.  Though  it  sounds  more  compli- 
cated, a  double-flow  turbine  operates  at  higher 
speed,  weighs  less,  and  occupies  less  space  than 
a  single-flow  one.  All  these  are  distinct  advan- 
tages when  the  equipment  has  to  be  installed 
in  a  ship,  where  space  is  at  a  premium.  And  in 
times  like  these,  when  turbines  must  be  turned 
out  in  a  hurry,  the  smaller  metal  parts  required 
represent  an  advantage  in  manufacture,  too. 

General  Electric,  which  has  probably  built 
as  many  naval  and  marine  turbines  as  any 
other  single  manufacturer,  is  right  now  making 
more  of  them  than  at  any  time  in  its  history. 
And  by  taking  advantage  of  every  engineering 
and  manufacturing  advance,  it  is  turning  them 
out  on  what  approaches  a  mass-producti(3n 
basis. 


WANT  A  BOOKLET? 

^^Or  required  reading  m  any  course  we  ever 
■^  ^  heard  of.  But  if  lightning  should  strikeyou 
some  day,  you'd  be  glad  to  know  what  hit  you. 
This  booklet  explains  the  whys  and  wherefores 
of  lightning.  Tells  you  how  to  recognize  light- 
ning when  you  see  it,  how  to  catch  it  if  you 
should  want  to  take  some  home  to  pla^'  with,  etc. 
In  fact  about  the  only  thing  missing  is  a  "light- 
ning" index  to  enable  you  to  thumb  to  your 
favorite  passage  in  less  time  vhan  it  takes  to 
say  "blitz." 

And  if  >'ou  have  just  been  on  a  textbook- 
bin'ing  binge,  you  ma>'  be  interested  in  the  fact 
that  this  24-page  pamphlet  is  free. 

If  you  are  interested,  write  to  the  General 
Ellectric  Company,  Dept.  1 24F,,  Schenectady, 
N.  Y.,  and  ask  for  "The  Stor)'  of  Lightning," 
based  on  the  work  of  Dr.  Karl  B.  McF.achron 
author  of  the  book,  "Playing  with  Lightning." 


24 


GENERAL  m  ELECTRIC 


368-26-211 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


w- 


Plastics  for  Christmas 


Frequency  Modulation 


New  Cars 


Fashions 


Names  in  the  News 


Technocracked 


eft:    Wintfi-    on    Hie    ('atii|ius 

Tin-    B,„ir\aiJ- 


hed    1885 


Member  E.C.M.A- 


What  Bearings  would  you 
specify  for  a  Steel  Rolling  Mill  ? 


Let's  assume  that  you  were  asked  to  design 
a  4-high  continuous  strip  steel  rolling  mill  to 
operate  at  a  rolling  speed  of  2,000  feet  per 
minute.  What  bearings  would  you  select  for 
the  necks  of  the  back-up  and  work  rolls? 

If  you  knew  your  bearings  you  would  specify 
Timken  Roll  Neck  Bearings.  Then  you  would 
be  sure  of  smooth  mill  performance  at  all 
speeds;  steel  rolled  true  to  gauge  at  all  times; 
simplified  lubrication;  long  bearing  life  (Timken 
Roll  Neck  Bearings  hold  all  records  for  ton- 
nage rolled);  easy  roll  changing  (no  delicate 
parts  to  handle);  fewer  involuntary  produc- 
tion interruptions. 

This  is  but  one  of  thousands  of  bearing  appli- 
cations in  industrial  machinery  where  Timken 
Bearings  have  proved  their  supremacy.  When 
you  have  gained  a  thorough  knowledge  of 
Timken  Bearings  you  will  be  in  position  to  solve 
any  bearing  problem  you  may  ever  encounter. 
Write  for  a  copy  of  the  Timken  Reference 
Manual — a  valuable  text  book. 


THE    TIMKEN    ROLLER    BEARING    COMPANY,    CANTON,    OHIO 


TIMKEN 

TRADEMARK  REG.   U.  S     PAT.  OFF. 

TAPERED  ROLLER  REARIHCS 


Manufacturers  of  Timlen  Tapered    Roller  Bearings  for  automobiles,   motor  truclcs, 

railroad   cars  and   locomotives  and   all   kinds  of  industrial  machinery;  Timken  Alloy 

Steels  and  Carbon  and  Alloy  Seamless  Tubing;  and  Timken  Rock  Bits. 


DECEMBER.  1941 


This  Issue  .  .  . 

Santa  Will  Come     Editorial 5 

Bj-  Donald  K.  Stevens 

Plastics  For  Christmas 7 

I5.V    lla.Mvanl    I,.    Talley 

No  More  Static 9 

By   Ha>\vai(l   I..   Talley 

1942  Models 11 

By  Kobert  E.  McCleary 

Names  in  the  News 12 

The    Fashions 14 

Technocracked    16 


THE   TECHNOCRAPH 


Staff  . . . 

Donald    K.    Stesens Editor 

Robert   D.   Cote Office  Manager 

Melvin    Hurwitz Editorial   Assistant 

MAKE-UP    AND    AKT 

Sheldon  J.   Leavitt Assistant   Editor 

William   N.   Cramer Photographer 

Norman  Pintchul<.  Sydney  Wood.  Edward  Habicht, 

John    (iraper Editorial    Assistants 

EDITORIAL    DEPARTMENT 

Robert  E.  McCleary Assistant  Editor 

William   G.    Muridiy,    Hayward    L.   Talley,    William 

R.  Sehmitz.  August   L'ttieh Editorial  Assistants 

Richaid  W.   Landoii Business  J\ltui(ir/cr 

Jay  Gossett Advertising  Assistant 

John  Morris Subscription  Manager 

Eugene  Wallace,  John  Graper,  Warren  Howard 

Subscription    A.ssistants 

William    Beich Circulation   Manager 

Alex    Green Circulalii)n    Assistant 

Henry  P.   Evans  facu/ty  Adviser 


MEMBER  OF  ENGINEERIXC.  COLLEGE  MAGAZINES 
ASSOCIATED 
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nical Jonrnal,  Illinois  Technograph.  Iowa  Engineer,  Iowa  Transit.  Kansas 
Eiigineer,  Kansas  State  Engineer.  Marquette  Engineer.  Michigan  Technic. 
Minnesota  Techno-Log,  Missouri  Shamrock,  Nebraska  Blue  Print,  New 
'^'ork  Cniversity  Quadrangle,  North  Dakota  Engineer,  North  Dakota 
.State  Engineer.  Ohio  State  Engineer.  Oklahoma  State  Engineer.  Oregon 
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Technic.  Tech  Engineering  News.  Villanova  Engineer.  Washington 
.State     Engineer.    Wayne    Engineer.    Wisconsin     Engineer. 


Published  Eight  Times  Yearly  by  the  Students  of  the  (.'allege  of  Engineering,  University  of  Illinois 


Published  eight  times  during  the  year  (October.  November.  Decem- 
ber, January,  February.  March,  April,  and  May)  by  The  Illini  Publish- 
ing Company.  Entered  as  second  class  matter,  October  30.  1921.  at 
the  post  office  of  Urbana.  Illinois.  Office  213  Engineering  Hall, 
Urbana,  Illinois.  Subscriptions,  $1.00  per  year.  Single  copy  20  cents. 
Reprint    rights    reserved    by    The    Ulinois    Techuogral'h. 


When  power  must  not  fail  I 


How  a  Westinghouse  Distribution  System 
Foils  Lightning,  Accidents,  and  Saboteurs 


BEHIND  America's  urgent  defense  pro- 
duction, stands  electric  power.  It 
runs  the  machines  that  turn  out  the 
weapons  for  the  defense  of  America.  It 
must  not  fail,  must  not  even  falter. 

In  the  first  World  War,  this  vital 
power  could  be  cut  off,  and  cut  off 
easily  ...  by  saboteurs,  by  accidents,  or 
by  lightning. 


►  For,  in  those  days,  the  only  means 
of  distributing  electricity  was  through 
radial  systems,  in  which  the  power  lines 
radiated  like  the  spokes  of  a  wheel  with 
the  power  station  as  the  hub.  So,  if  any 
part  of  a  power  line  were  damaged,  no 
electricity  could  be  delivered  to  users 
all  along  the  line. 

No  way  was  known  to  reduce  the  vul- 
nerability of  power  distribution  until  the 
early  '20's,  when  engineers  of  a  large 
power  company  conceived  the  idea  of 
the  secondary  network  system. 

►  The  idea  was  to  connect  low  voltage 
secondary  lines  in  a  network,  with  the 
main  power  (primary)  lines  joined  to  the 
network  at  several  places.  Thus,  with 
power  being  sent  along  several  different 
routes,  a  line  could  be  damaged  and 
electricity  would  continue  to  flow  to  its 
users  along  the  other  routes. 

It  was  a  great  idea  ...  if  it  could  be 
made  to  work  on  large  and  complicated 
city  systems.  That  was  the  problem, 
a  problem  which  the  power  company 
brought  to  Westinghouse  engineers. 


►  The  secondary  network  system 
wouldn't  work  at  all  until  some  pump- 
proof  method  was  found  to  keep  power 
from  flowing  backwards  into  a  damaged 
section  of  the  line.  Westinghouse  engi- 
neer John  S.  Parsons  (a  member  of 
Georgia  Tech's  class  of  '21,  a  graduate 
of  the  Westinghouse  Training  Course, 
and  the  holder  of  30  of  the  150  patents 
on  secondary  networks)  found  the  way 
...  a  pump-proof  relay  which,  when 
power  is  flowing  in  the  wrong  direction, 
closes  its  contacts  and  causes  a  network 
protector  (automatic  air  circuit  breaker) 
to  trip  and  cut  the  feeder  off  the  line. 

Then,  there  was  the  question  of  where 
to  put  the  transformers,  relays,  and  pro- 
tectors that  secondary  networks  needed. 
The  amount  of  space  this  equipment 
would  take  up  would  be  tremendously 
expensive  in  crowded  cities. 


►  The  obvious  way  to  overcome  this 
obstacle  was  to  put  this  secondary  net- 
work equipment  underground.  But  trans- 
formers, relays,  and  protectors  wouldn't 
perform  properly  in  damp  underground 
atmosphere.  Westinghouse  engineers 
went  to  work  and  developed  a  trans- 
former-relay-protector unit  that  could 
fight  off  dampness  and  perform  as  well 
underground  as  above  ground!  Now, 
there  are  network  units  that  do  their 
job  even  though  submerged  under  salt 
water,  twice  a  day! 

To  make  doubly  sure  that  they  had  the 


space  problem  licked,  Westinghouse  en- 
gineers cut  down  the  size  and  stepped 
up  the  power  capacity  of  these  network 
units.  They  made  it  possible  for  a  unit 
that  was  one-third  smaller  to  do  the 
same  electrical  jobs! 

►  Secondary  networks  raised  all  sorts  of 
new  problems.  And  Westinghouse  engi- 
neers had  to  find  a  lot  of  new  answers 
before  they  were  able  to  bring  secondary 
networks  from  an  idea  to  a  working 
distribution  system. 


Today,  Westinghouse  engineers  have 
brought  secondary  network  systems  to 
164  cities.  They've  adapted  these  sys- 
tems to  the  specialized  needs  of  defense 
plants,  army  camps,  airports,  and  power 
houses.  Their  work  has  contributed  tre- 
mendously to  today's  ability  to  distrib- 
ute unfailing  electric  power  .  .  .  despite 
lightning,  accidents,  and  sabotage. 


►  This  story  illustrates  how  Westing- 
house engineers  work.  More  than  that, 
it  shows  how  the  Westinghouse  Company 
works.  For  there  are  1,500  engineers  in 
Westinghouse  ...  in  service,  in  manage- 
ment in  design,  in  sales,  in  every  single 
branch  of  the  business.  These  engineers 
give  the  company  its  point  of  view. 

Westinghouse  takes  pride  in  the  engi- 
neering behind  its  products.  Its  engineers 
are  always  analyzing  its  products,  work- 
ing over  them,  making  them  better.  It 
has  the  engineer's  impatience  with  the 
old  and  his  eagerness  to  create  the  new. 

►  Engineers  founded  and  built  Westing- 
house. Engineers  will  carry  it  on. 


TVfestinghouse 

Westinghouse  Electric  and  Manufacturing  Co.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


SANTA  WILL  COME 

lulitoriul  By  Dmiald  K.  Stei'ens 

Christmas  is  coming  in  a  different  way  to  countless 
liomes  this  \ear,  different  from  last  \ear  ami  perhaps  dif- 
ferent from  next  year  too.  Militarism  is  all  mixed-iip  in 
the  air  with  winter's  usual  cold  winds  and  crisp  snow.  We 
may  well  expect  junior's  toys  to  be  soldiers  and  Susan's 
dolls  to  be  nurses  when  Santa  opens  his  bulging  gift  sack 
this   Christmas  eve.      "Peace  on   Earth"   seems   far  away. 

My  friends  are  in  the  army  and  in  the  air  corps  this 
Christmas.  I  expect  to  be  called  myself  when  I  graduate 
next  June,  but  I'm  not  kicking.  From  the  R.O.T.C.  one 
learns  to  take  orders  as  well  as  give  them.  If  the  scrap 
gets  worse  "across  the  pond"  we'll  probabl\  go  into  it. 
Personally  I  don't  believe  in  this  war,  'though  you  ma\' 
or  may  not  agree  with  me.  If  for  defense,  I  will  fight. 
It  really  doesn't  matter  in  this  case;  you  and  1  ma\  both 
get   a  chance   at  stopping   bullets,   and   soon,   too. 

With  an  engineering  education,  I  had  presumed  some- 
day I'd  make  glass  or  brick,  that  you'd  bmld  bridges  or 
wire  motors.  I'm  an  optimist — I  think  I'll  yet  do  those 
things  if  I  can  get  a  job  after  the  army.  If  you  have  the 
same  luck  you'll  be  doing  your  bit  of  engineering  too.  And 
if  we  do  get  in  it,  and  if  we  shouldn't  get  back — we  might 
have  done  much  worse  than  "advancing  brilliantly"  or 
"retreating  strategically." 

It's  the  Cause  for  which  we'll  be  fighting — not  the 
mud,  the  blood,  the  glory.  It's  a  ramification  of  the  same 
thing  for  which  we  are  every  day  engineering — for  life, 
for  homes,  for  men,  women,  and  children.  And  if  we, 
the  engineering  students  of  this  country,  do  our  designing 
and  building  well  during  the  next  few  "critical"  years, 
we'll  be  building  a  nation  that  will  withstand  the  "fatigue 
stresses"  of  normal  years.  And  Santa  will  be  able  to  come 
next   \ear. 


FROM  A  READER  .  .  . 

100(1  W.   Illinois  St., 
Urbana,   Illinois 
Dear  Sir: 

In  reading  through  your  publication  1  was  surprised  to 
see  onl\  one  technical  matter  discussed.  Wh\'  don't  you 
request  your  readers  to  submit  questions  on  modern  engi- 
neering subjects,  then  acqiu're  professional  information  from 
authoritative  sources  and  reprint  for  the  engineer's  general 
information  ? 

Personallv  I  would  like  to  know  more  about  fliud  dri\e 
in  pleasure  automobiles  of  today.  If  you  have  published 
facts  on  this  material  in  past  issues  I  would  appreciate 
mformation  concernmg  this  subject. 

Al   Neely.   EE   '4.? 

Xole:  Al  will  find  Hob  McCleary's  article  on  the  '42 
models  of  interest.  More  of  this  type  of  information  is  to 
follow  in  subsequent  issues.  We  appreciate  all  readers' 
comments  and  will  publish  those  which  are  properly  signed. 
—Ed. 


Thev  sav  a  hug  is  energy  gone  to  w'aist. 


"Was  Jane  in  a  red  frock    at  the  dance?' 
"Some  of  her.   Bill,  some  of  her." 


POWER  FOR  DEFENSE 

On  a  ship  of  the  U.  S.  Navy  in 
1932,  Babcock  &  Wilcox,  the 
nation's  oldest  and  largest  manu- 
facturer of  steam  boilers,  first 
proved  the  safety  and  practicability 
of  welding  high-pressure  boilers. 
This  advance  eliminated  the  former 
riveted  boiler  and  led  the  way  to 
higher  pressures  and  efficiencies 
every  where— more  power  at  less  cost. 

Today,  even  while  B&W  is  work- 
ing on  an  unprecedented  volume  of 
defense  orders  for  steam  generat- 
ing equipment,  the  Company's 
physical,  metallurgical  and  chemi- 
cal laboratories  are  energetically 
evolving  new  developments.  Thus, 
because  of  B&W  leadership,  a  ton 
of  coal,  a  barrel  of  oil,  a  cubic  foot 
of  gas,  or  even  a  cord  of  wood,  pro- 
duces still  more  power  for  defense 
and  for  industry  as  a  whole. 


B&W  Single-Pass  Marine 
Boiler  as  used  in  modern 
merchant  vessels. 


FREE   14-PAGE 

BOOKLET 

"The  Design  of  Water- 
Tube  Boiler  Units."  This 
liberally  illustrated  book- 
let discusses  the  factors 
involved  in  determining 
the  proper  type  of  steam 
generating  unit  for  any 
given  service.  A  copy  will 
be  sent  to  you  on  request. 


THE   BABCOCK  *WILCOX   COMPANY. 


B5   IIBERTY   STREET 


YORK.  N     V. 


BABCOCK  &  WILCOX 


When  a  girl  finds  that  she  is  not  the  only  pebble  on  tlie 
beach  she  becomes  a  little  boulder. 


Are  You  an  Engineer? 
Then  You're  in  Class  3M 

M  I :   You're  a  Mathematician 
M  II:   Math  (S:  Music  go  Together 
Mill:   You  Must  Want  to  See 

Star  Course 

si-:(()M)   si-:.>ii;-,Ti;ij   si:i{ii:s 


ILLINOIS  SYMPHONY 

RUTH   DR.A.PER 

INDIANAPOLIS   SYMPHONY 

RIGH.4RD  CROOKS 

ZINO  FRANCESCATTI 

• 

Tickets   on    Sale    December   8 

ILLIM  IMON  lU  ILDINt;  liOX  <»1H(  K 

.1i.).5(i       !54.4((       %:\:.n 


DECEMBER,  1941 


Ring  Out  the  Old,  Ring  in  the  New" 

l.WV    i;riM)lN».    (  IIIIMK   TOWKR 


Plastics  for  Christmas 

REPLACE  GIFTS  ELIMINATED  BY  PRIORITIES 

//  you  are  helping  Santa  Clans,  anil  are  afraiil  National  Defense  has  beaten 
you   to   the   counter,   take   these   ideas   shopping   with   you. 

By   Hayward   F.   Talley 

Freshman    in    /'Electrical   Engineering 


A  hope  tor  filleil  stockings  ami  a  joy  in  giving  are 
among  the  eni(jtions  which  have  marked  the  approach  of 
Christmas  in  American  homes  through  the  years.  As  a 
result,  our  industry  has  become  accustomed  to  diverting 
large  quantities  of  raw  materials  to  the  production  of  hun- 
dreds of  attractive  articles,  practical  and  useless  alike, 
which  may  be  used  as  gifts  for  presentation  on  Christmas. 

This  year  it  is  a  recognized  impossibility  to  divert  most 
of  the  usual  products  to  the  manufacture  of  Christmas 
gifts,  and  factories  which  ha\e  manufactured  such  gifts  in 
the  past  are  now  busily  engaged  in  the  fulfillment  of  con- 
tracts for  defense  products.  After  considering  these  facts, 
retailers  from  coast  to  coast  began  to  squirm  and  ner\()usl\ 
question  industry,  "Is  the  American  public  to  be  disap- 
pointed this  Christmas?" 

And  Industry  has  replied:  "No!"  "Christmas,  1Q41, 
will  carry  with  it  the  same  ideals  of  giving,  the  usual  glit- 
tering coimters,  and  window  displays  which  may  even  sur- 
pass the  brilliance  and  splendor  of  those  of  a  year  ago. 
The  reason  is  the  formation  of  a  new  industry  which  is 
rapidh'  making  its  way  into  the  foreground  of  business 
enterprise.  That  industry  may  be  called  the  production  of 
"Synthetic  Plastics." 

The  story  of  synthetic  plastics  is  now  making  its  pre- 
mier debut  in  the  theater  of  a  modern  and  changing  world. 
This  new  wonder  emerged  from  the  chemist's  test  tube  in 
a  flashing  display  of  color,  beauty  of  pattern,  and  brilliance. 
It  opens  to  the  human  an  opportunity  to  decorate  his 
home  in  a  manner  denied  even  to  "Solomon  in  all  his  glory." 

Shortl\'  there  will  be  found  on  the  counters  of  our 
stores    everywhere    magnificent    manifestations    of    the    ap- 


Illustrations  below  anil  to  tlie  riuht  tiemonstrate  the  wide 
use  of  plasty's  in  the  manufacture  of  universallj  used  pro- 
duels.  Applieatioiis  ranye  from  the  nuiuiifacture  of  (In-ist- 
mas  ornaments  (lower  riyhf)  and  dressei-  sets  (helow)  to 
radio  cabinets  and   covers    (rishl). 

— Cuts    Cuiiitcs\    Modern    Plasties 


proach  of  the  Yuletide  season ;  articles  which  possess  the 
sheer  beauty  of  jade,  the  cloudiness  of  natural  onyx,  the 
transparenc)  of  crystal,  the  jet  black  of  ebony,  and  the 
lustre  of  amber.  Such  articles  were  once  possessed  only 
by  the  privileged  few  ;  now  they  may  be  owned  by  anyone. 
These  gifts  will  not  sell  merely  because  they  imitate  the 
more  e\pensi\e  materials;  they  pos.sess  a  beauty  in  their 
own   right. 

(P/rasi-  S<;-  Pii</<    IS) 


No  More  Static 

and  Many  More  Radios 
Using  Frequency  Modulation 


By  Hayward  F.  Talley 
Freshman    in    Electrical    Engineering 


Something  new  and  vital  has  come  to  radio.  Those  who 
have  not  followed  the  progress  of  Frequency  Modulation  are 
today  amazed  at  the  announcements  which  are  being  made. 
We  are  told  that  1 5  commercial  and  1  ^  experimental  FM 
stations  are  now  on  the  air.  I'ermits  for  more  than  40  addi- 
tional transmitters  have  been  granted  ;  among  this  number 
is  a  permit  for  the  construction  of  FM  station  WIl  C  at 
our  own  University  of  Illinois.  It  almost  seems  that  this 
new  wonder  of  radio  has  risen  up  full  grown  over  night, 
but  as  we  turn  back  the  pages  of  history  we  see  this  is  not 
true. 

The  history  of  FM  had  its  beginning  with  ^Vlajor  K.  H. 
Armstrong,  protege  of  Michael  I'uppin,  Columbia  L  ni\er- 
sity's  famous  Professor  of  Electrical  Engineering.  For  three 
years,  until  entering  the  service  of  his  country  in  the  U.  S. 
Signal  Corps  in  the  first  World  War,  Armstrong  strug- 
gled with  the  problem  of  static  elimination  without  suc- 
cess. During  the  war  as  a  member  of  the  Signal   Corps,  lie 

Below:    WOK's  FM  transmitter 


Above:    .J.    K.    ro|)i)ele,    WlllJ's    Cliicl    I';n4;iiiefr,    anil    (Oniliiclor 
All'red    Wallenstein    examine    KM    speeili    impiil    ei|iiipment. 


invented  the  "Superhet"  piinciple  upon  wliich  most  present 
day  receivers  are  based.  Following  the  war,  Armstrong 
patented  the  "super-regenerative"  radio  circuit  and  numer- 
ous other  inventions. 

In  1924  Armstrong  retackled  the  problem  of  static 
elimination.  Little  more  was  heard  of  Armstrong  until 
1939,  when  he  not  only  gained  success  in  static  elimination, 
but  also  in  the  development  of  an  entirely  new  system  of 
transmission  and  reception  which  incorporated  many  new, 
highly  desirable  qualities  far  removed  from  the  elimination 
of  static.  This  new  development  was  termed  "Wide  Rand 
Frequency  Modulation";  thus  P'M  began  its  journey  along 
the  world-wide  pathways  of  radio. 

Man\  insisted,  as  did  Fortune  Magazine,  October. 
1939,  that  40,000,000  home  receivers  and  800  transmitters 
became  obsolete  the  day  the  FM  system  was  perfected. 
Engineers  within  the  industry  were  more  conservative.  They 
realized  that  possibly  years  woidd  be  needed  to  change  two 
million  dollars  worth  of  equipment  to  another  system,  no 
matter  how  superior  that  system  might  be. 

Two  years  has  elapsed  since  FM  made  its  formal  ilebut 
into  an  expectant  world.  Today  we  are  witnessing  the  en- 
thusiasm, wonder,  confusion,  and  excitement  which  was  pre- 
dicted to  accompany  FM  two  years  earlier.  Amid  this  chang- 
ing radio  era,  it  is  only  natural  to  wonder  jvist  what  Fre- 
quency Modulation  is — how  it  is  different  from  the  present 
radio  system. 

From  the  standpoint  of  the  average  radio  listener,  there 
are  two  major  differences  between  our  present  radio  system 
and  FIVI.  First,  Frequency  Modulation  has  an  amazing, 
characteristic  fidelity  found  in  no  other  known  method  of 
radio  communication.  This  means  that  music  and  speech  will 
be  broadcast  and  reproduced  realistically  so  that  the  pro- 
gram will  sound  natmal  to  the  human  ear.  FM  systems 
give  the  truest  duplication  of  studio  programs  known  to 
radio.  The  management  of  a  recently  constructed  mid- 
western  FM  station  carried  out  an  experiment  which  proved 
that  it  is  impossible  for  the  human  ear  to  distinguish  be- 
tween a  program  actually  presented  in  a  room  and  the 
identical  program  presented  b\  means  of  an  FM  receiver. 


THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


Kinlit:    llii;li  lrt'(|Ucn<y    traiisinittiiii; 
liilu's.     Notice  size   of   ~i~>  wall   lamii. 

tills     (.'oiiilcsy     1./ 
Cuuimuuicaliuits    AIatjii"iiii:. 


.fe.. 


MtUuiiilii^' 


The  second  major  difti-iciK'c  between  present  radio  sys- 
tems and  FM  systems  is  the  freedom  from  atmospheric  dis- 
turbance and  local  noise  which  the  public  groups  together 
under  the  common  term,  "static."  No  longer  will  electri- 
cal storms  render  a  favorite  program  submerged  in  undesir- 
able and  irritating  noise.  Neither  will  it  be  necessary  to  use 
an  interference  eliminator  or  noise  filter  to  prevent  the 
"noise"  from  a  vacuum  cleaner  or  electric  shaver  from 
reaching  the  receiver.  V\l  has  crushed  static,  the  pet-peeve 
of  the  radio  fan. 

The  technical  differences  between  olh'  present  radio  sys- 
tem and  Frequency  Modulation  may  be  groLipeii  into  two 
sections;  namely,   (1)   Construction,  and   (2)    Performance. 

Differences  in  theory  and  construction  may  be  de- 
termined in  a  general  sense  by  a  comparison  of  the  names  of 
both  radio  communication  methods.  The  usual  radio  system 
may  be  called,  for  purposes  of  comparison,  Amplituile  Modu- 
lation. AM  is  the  process  by  which  the  amplitude  (i.  e., 
the  maximum  value  of  wave  movement  on  cither  side  of  its 
zero  point)  of  a  carrier  wa\e  is  \aried  in  accordance  with 
a  signal  wave.  Frequencv'  Modulation,  as  its  name  implies, 
is  the  process  by  which  the  frequency  of  a  carrier  wa\e  is 
varied  in  accordance  with  a  signal  wave. 

Technical  differences  between  the  periormance  of  FM 
and  AM  are  many  and  varied.  A  person  will  be  heard  with 
the  same  volume  when  standing  at  six  feet  from  an  FM 
microphone  as  he  would  be  standing  a  distance  of  six  inches 
from  an  AM  microphone.  A  noise  which  would  not  be 
pickeil   up  by  the  most  sensative  "mike"  on  an  AM  system 


Kelow:     .")0-k\ 
i^truclioii 


rieiiucncv-inixlulalioii     tiaiisjiiitler     under 


would  be  picked  u|i  without  difhcidty  by  a  "mike"  on  an 
FM  system.  Thus  FM  changes  the  duties  of  the  sound- 
effects  man.  On  the  usual  AM  system,  it  is  many  times 
necessary  to  produce  very  radical  sound  effects  in  the  studio 
in  order  that  the  sound  will  sound  like  the  "real  thing" 
when  reproduced  by  the  receiver.  With  an  FM  system,  you 
may  always  be  sure  that  a  sound  is  reproduced  exactly  as 
produced  before  the  microphone. 

While  the  height  of  the  transmission  antenna  of  an  AM 
system  has  only  a  limited  effect  on  the  effectiveness  of  the 
station,  it  has  a  great  deal  to  do  with  the  effecti\eness  of  an 
FM  station.  It  is  imperative  that  the  FM  "irridiator"  be 
installed  at  as  high  a  point  as  is  practically  possible. 

Stations  on  our  present  AM  systems  are  located  at  in- 
tervals far  smaller  than  are  FM  stations.  This  means  that 
if  all  other  conditions  were  equal,  a  given  portion  of  the 
radio  band  would  carry  far  more  AM  stations  than  it  would 
FM  stations.  However,  a  number  of  FM  transmitters  may 
be  assigned  to  the  same  frequency,  provided  they  are  several 
hundred  miles  apart.  There  is  no  cross-modulation  of  inter- 
ference. This  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  FM  receiver  will 
r:produce  only  the  stronger  of  two  signals,  suppressing  the 
weaker  one  (provided  the  ratio  of  the  signal  voltage  is  2  to 
1  or  more.)  When  the  \\'eaker  signal  is  desired,  it  could  be 
picked  up  by  means  of  a  directive  antenna  which  would  make 
it  possible  to  increase  the  signal  voltage  of  the  w'eaker  sta- 
tion. In  view  of  these  facts,  we  see  that  a  chain  of  FM  sta- 
tions covering  many  square  miles  could  be  located  on  one 
point  of  the  FM   band. 

If  we  would  consider  another  fact,  we  woidd  have  little 
fear  of  a  few  FM  stations  filling  the  entire  radio  band. 
With  the  invention  of  Frequency  Modulation,  the  scientists 
of  the  world  have  begiui  to  probe  the  mysteries  of  that  vast 
new  region  of  the  radio  frequency  spectrum  known  as  the 
ultra  short  waves.  These  are  waves  from  about  10  meters 
in  length  to  waves  of  less  than  1  centimeter  in  length.  That 
portion  of  this  new  spectrum  provides  nine  limes  as  much 
space  as  is  now  occupied  by  all  existing  radio  services,  re- 
gardless of  the  wave-lengths  they  use!  Between  1  meter 
and  1  decimeter,  90  times  as  much  space  is  provided  and 
between  1  decimeter  and  1  centimeter,  this  space  is  900 
times  as  great!  Thus  between  wave  lengths  of  10  meters 
and  1  centimeter  we  find  nearly  1,000  times  more  space 
in  the  frequency  spectrum  than  is  occupied  by  all  radio 
services  in  existence  today. 

Frequency  Moduhition  is  the  boon  of  the  radio  fan.  Not 
only  does  it  fulfill  hopes  for  improved  police  communication, 
for  news  picture  transmission,  and  for  Army  and  Naval 
communications,  but  it  becomes  the  foundation  of  new  hopes 
for  ultra  short  waves,  and  the  cause  of  an  era  in  the 
liistory  of  radio  in  which  performance  is  the  primary  factor 
of  consideration. 


DECEMBER,  1941 


1942  MODELS 


are    'Definitely  Different' 


By   Robert  E.  McCleary 

Junior  in   Mechanical   Enainccrinii 


Self-stylcil  automotive  (.'ditor  ri-vicws 
new  car  trends  .  .  .  Opinions  voiced 
aic  purely  those  of  the  writer  and  ad- 
mittedly biased. 

for  those  engineers  who  graduate  in 
'42,  there  is  an  alluring  array  of  fine 
cars  from  which  to  choose  for  busi- 
ness or  pleasure.  The  phenomenal  im- 
provement of  automobiles  from  year  to 
year  leaves  a  bright  ray  of  hope,  how- 
ever, for  those  engineers  who  don  t 
graduate  in  '42.  .  .  .  Just  think  of  the 
beautiful  jobs  the  industry  will  be  fea- 
turing when  the  class  of  '45  gradu- 
ates ! 

Yes,  1*^)42  models,  all  rumors  to  the 
contrary,  are  definitely  different,  pri- 
marily in  styling.  Engineering  read- 
ers realize  that  the  usual  yearly  change 
is  one  of  jacking  up  the  grill  and  front 
fenders  and  running  in  the  previous 
model  under  the  newly  designed  front 
end  covering.  However,  over  a  perioil 
of  years,  definite  developments  in  chas.sis, 
transmissions,  motors,  and  accessories 
take  place. 

From  an  objective  view  point,  the 
following  trends  in  the  past  few  \ears. 
are  quite  obvious  and  continue  un- 
abated this  year. 

Bodies  are  wider  and  lower,  with 
more  elaborate  streamlining.  Fen- 
ders tend  to  hide  the  wheels;  this  year 
they  take  on  the  appearance  of  a  bat- 
tleship torpedo-bulge  and  extend  back 
into  the  doors,  sometimes  clear  back 
to  the  rear  fenders  as  in  the  Buick  SO 
and  70  series.  Unit  body-chassis  de- 
sign as  in  Lincoln  Zephyr  and  Nash  is 
gaining  ground.  Better  vision  with 
larger  windows,  concealed  running 
boards,  rotary  door  locks,  the  elimina- 
tion of  driveshaft  hump  in  floors. 
Smoothly   sloping   rear   decks   and    large 


most  universalh  used.  Telescoping, 
airplane-type  shock  absorbers  are  replac- 
ing all  others.  Member  pairing  is  tend- 
ing toward  use  of  synthetic  rubber  joints 
under  compression. 

The  small  Nash  features  a  novel 
front  wheel  suspension  of  the  type  pre- 
viously used  in  expensive  European 
cars,    i.    c.,    springs    set    around    a    fixed 


luggage     compartments     are     univer 


sal 


tendencies. 

Motors  seem  to  be  getting  larger 
although  many  firms  are  "squeezing" 
more  power  out  of  the  same  sized  en- 
gines bv  restyled  combustion  chambers, 
better  carburetion,  higher  compression 
ratios,  and  redesigned  valve  mechanisms. 

Wheel  suspension  has  been  undergo- 
ing the  greatest  changes.  The  trend  is 
toward  coil  springs  on  all  four  wheels 
as  in  Olds,  Buick,  and  Nash.  Coil 
springs  are  durable,  noiseless  and  tric- 
tionless.  Tonsorial  stabilizers  (sway 
elminators    (sway    eliminators)    are    al- 


10 


For  '42 

(■(msunuTs  want  ti>  know  if  new 
ears  are  ui)  to  last  .\car's  standarils 
despite  replacenifiit  of  priority  ma- 
terials. Tlie  autlior  discusses  fea- 
tures   of    the    ni'w    models. 


vertical  shaft  on  which  the  king-pin 
assembly  slides  as  road  irregularities  are 
absorbed.  The  writer  chooses  to  call 
this  the  'pogo  stick  principle'  of  suspen- 
sion, and  believes  it  should  prove  very 
satisfactory.  In  fact  any  deviation 
from  convention  in  design  is  hereby  re- 
garded as  a  healthy  sign,  and  is  help- 
ing to  dispel  the  writer's  belief  that  the 
industry  is  hidebound  by  tradition,  and 
may  yet  produce  his  'ideally  engineer- 
ed car.' 

Steering  ratios  are  remaining  high. 
The  trend  is  toward  centerpoint  steer- 
ing, for  shock  proofing  reasons,  and 
larger  steering  wheels.  Transmissions 
are  definitely  tending  toward  the  auto- 
matic. Clutches  are  being  replaced  by 
the  phenomenal  new  fluid  drive,  and 
from  there  on  the  transmissions  may 
be  conventional,  semi-automatic,  or  en- 
tirely automatic. 

The  Hudson  Drive  Master,  a  combi- 
nation of  the  automatic  and  semi-auto- 
matic type,  offers  3  automatic  speeds 
forward  including  overdrive.  1  he 
clutch  is  \acuum  controlled.  Maiiu,il 
control   is  possible  by  a  button. 

The  Studebaker  Turbo-Matic  Drive 
consists  of  a  fluid  coupling,  a  vacuum- 
operated  clutch,  a  conventional  .?  speed 
transmission,  and  ;i  kick-down  o\er- 
drive.  This  is  of  the  semi-automatic 
type,  although  continuous  operation  is 
possible  outside  of  heavy  traffic  and 
steep  grades.  There  is  no  clutch  pedal. 
The  Lincoln  and  Mercury  Liquomatic 
Thrive  is  essentially  the  same  as  the  Stu- 
debaker shifter   in   that   shifts   from   sec- 


(Mul  to  high  to  oveniri\e  are  automatic. 
The  main  components  of  the  mechan- 
ism   are    those   of    the    Studebakers. 

Dodge  All-fluid  Drive  is  merely  a 
tfuid  coupling  in  addition  to  the  ordinary 
clutch.  This  permits  continuous  oper- 
ation for  two  speeds,  high  and  over- 
drive. All  other  shifting  is  done  as 
usual.  DeSoto  Simplimatic  and  Chrys- 
ler V'acumatic  transmissions  are  similar 
to  the  Dodge  Drive.  Manual  clutch- 
ing is  necessary  for  shifts  from  low  to 
high  range.  Fluid  coupling  eliminates 
clutching  on  starts  as  in  the  Dodge. 

Packard  Electromatic  Drive  is  a 
standard  transmission  with  kickdown 
o\erdri\e  but  with  an  automatic  electric- 
solenoid  operated  clutch  which  elimi- 
nates pedal   action. 

The  Oldsmobile-Cadillac  Hydramat- 
ic  Drive  most  closely  approximates  the 
ideal  automatic  transmission.  There  is 
no  clutch  pedal,  h  steering  column 
lever  offers  Hi,  Lo,  neutral,  and  re- 
verse. In  Hi,  four  speeds  are  auto- 
matically available,  the  car  always 
starting  in  low.  Lo  is  seldom,  if  ever, 
used  except  in  trailer  pulling  or  for 
slow  down-grade  descent.  Kick-down 
effect  from  fourth  by  accelerator  de- 
pression is  incorporated.  Elements  of 
this  automatic  transmission  include  a 
fluid  coupling,  and  a  complex  oil 
pressure  operated  system  of  bands  and 
clutches  about  planetary  gearing  as  firs' 
used  in  model  "T"   Fords. 

Tires  are  larger  in  cross  sectional 
diameter  this  year,  the  15  inch  rim  mak- 
ing its  appearance  on  many  of  the  new 
cars. 

Defense  priorities  necessitated  a 
switch  from  aluminum  alloy  to  steel 
or  cast  iron  pistons  and  cyliniier  heads 
in  general.  Chrome  trimming  has  been 
replaced  in  main  instances  by  stainless 
steel  who.se  lustre  may  be  occasionally 
revived  by  rubbing  with  a  lemon  juice 
soaked  cloth,  presumably  removing  the 
oxide    by   citric   acid    action. 

For  body  beauty,  the  writer  nomi- 
nates the  Cadillac  61  convertible  coupe, 
and  the  Buick  =i()  and  70  Sedanet,  along 
with  the  beautiful  Packard  Clipper 
Series.  Packard  has  finally  abandoned 
the  "status  quo"  styling  of  tradition 
and  produced  a  breath-taking  sensation. 
In  the  medium  priced  field,  the  Olds 
()0  Series  Club  Sedan  and  DeSoto  con- 
(Flcuu-    Sec    Piu/f    13) 

THE  TECHNOGR.APH 


F~~' 


Plowing  in  a  1600  mile  telephone  fnrrow 


If  ^ 


for  defense 


I 


Xo  assure  coast-to-coast  telephone 
facilities  adequate  to  meet  future 
defense  needs  of  the  nation,  the  Bell 
System  is  constructing  a  1600  mile, 
$20,000,000  cable  line  between  Omaha 
and  Sacramento. 

Several  newly  developed  "plow 
trains,"  working  from  opposite  ends 
of  the  line,  are  burying  the  cable  for 
maximum  protection.  They  dig  deep 
furrows,  lay  two  cables  in  them  and 


cover  them  with  earth  —  all  in  one 
continuous  operation.  Their  meeting 
will  mark  completion  of  the  first  all 
cable  line  across  the  continent.  Carrier 
systems  will  be  operated  in  the  cables 
—one  direction  of  transmission  in  each. 
This  vast  project  is  just  one  of  thou- 
sands in  which  the  Bell  System  is  now 
engaged  to  provide  additional  com- 
munication facilities  so  vital  to 
Army,Navyand  defense  industries. 


DECEMBER,  1941 


11 


NAMES 


/;/  the  nezcs 


By  William  K.  Schmitz 

I-'reslniiuii   in   (' hcniical   Hufliui'criiitl 


JOHN  ADKINS 

Cadet  Lii'iitt'iiant  Colonel  John  Adknis  is  \er\  inter- 
ested in  the  military  side  of  life  here  at  the  L'niversit) 
of  Illinois.  John  is  a  first  lieutenant  in  both  Pershing: 
Rifles  and  Scabbard  and  Blade.  He  also  is  president  of 
I'i  Tail  Pi  Sigma,  military  fraternit\-  of  the  Signal  Corps. 
He  belongs  to  A.   I.   E.   E.,  and   is  on   the  militar\    council. 

John  conies  from  Ashland.  III.,  where  he  starred  in 
basketball  for  the  high  school  team.  He  fortunateh'  won 
a  scholarship  to  the  University,  and  thus  followed  a 
brother   and    two   sisters   to   the    University. 

To  underclassmen,  John  advises  not  to  strive  too  much 
for  good  grades.  Get  the  practical,  rather  than  the  the- 
oretical side.  He  believes  that  activities  are  almost  as 
important  as  grades.  Electronics  and  radio  arc  his  own 
favorite  subjects. 

John  has  as  his  hobbies  radio,  and  to  a  certain  extent, 
photography.  Thus  he  keeps  his  hobbies  right  in  line 
with  the  Signal  Corps  and  communication.  There  is  no 
doubt  that  military  is  John's  first  love.  He  says  that 
militar\'  is  a  little  tough  sometimes,  but  that  he  really 
enjoys  it.  Expecting  to  be  called  into  active  service  as 
soon  as  be  graduates,  John  thinks  that  things  look  sort 
of  bad  now  in  the  world  situation.  But  he  says  that  the 
army  is  doing  very  well  so  far  in  their  training. 

One  other  thing  claims  a  large  portion  of  John's  life 
and  time, — the  inevitable  girls.  John  thinks  that  there 
are  some  "awful  nice"  ones  here  on  the  campus.  His 
roommate  says  that  he  is  really  smooth  with  them ;  that 
he  "sure  hooks  them."  No  wonder  Johnny  Adkins  likes 
Champaign-l  rbana  and  the  "Pretty"  campus. 

RAY  GARLEN 

Ray  Carlen  is  a  metallurgical  engineer.  He  is  presi- 
dent of  the  Mineral  Industries  Society,  member  of  Skull 
and  Crescent,  and  a  member  of  Alpha  Sigma  Mu,  scho- 
lastic honorary  fraternity.  Ray  is  also  a  Lieutenant  Col- 
onel of  the  Engineers,  belongs  to  Pershing  Rifles,  and  is 
on    the   military   council. 

Ray  lists  sports  of  all  kinds  as  his  hobby.  He  is  par- 
ticularly interested  in  billiards,  bowling,  and  golf,  but  he 
does  not  neglect  any  one  of  the  other  sports.  He  once 
won   a  cup   playing  billiards. 

Ra\'  advises  a  freshman  ne\er  to  get  behind  in  his 
work  in  class,  but  not  to  study  too  hard.  The  best  wax- 
is  to  get  a  good  study  habit  the  freshman  \ear  and  then 
you  won't  have  much  trouble.  And  Ray  knows  what  he 
is  talking  about,   too,  since  he  has  a  4.1    average. 

This  fair-haired  metallurgist  also  likes  militar\-  and 
would  like  to  go  on  to  West  Point  if  possible.  However, 
since  he  is  so  active  in  the  R.O.T.C.,  he  expects  to  be 
called  to  active  service  as  soon  as  he  graduates  this  spring. 
He  thinks  he  may  stay  in  the  army  for  good.  He  opines 
that  military  gives  a  person  many  things  that  civilian  life 
can't.  It  does  a  person  a  lot  of  good  to  be  under  military 
discipline. 

Girls  arc  a  source  of  great  pleasure  to  him.  He 
apparently   finds  all   the  dates  that  he  wants  without   any 

12 


trouble.  Ray  delights  to  take  in  the  social  events.  He 
also  advises  everyone  to  ha\e  a  few  dates  now  and  then. 
"It  sort  of  relieves  the  mind  and  you  are  able  to  do  better 
in  your  school  work  then." 

Carlen  stays  at  the  Skull  House  and  hails  from  Rock- 
ford,  III.  His  fa\orite  subjects  are  mathematics  and  metal- 
lurgy. He  thinks  that  metallurgical  engineering  has  the 
best  school  and  head  of  department  in  the  universit\'.  When 
asked  what  improvements  should  be  made,  he  said  that  he 
was  for  all  appropriations  for  the  engineering  school, — 
the   more   on    the    practical    side   the    better. 

Ray  left  us  with  this  last  reminder.  "Engineering 
students  are  superior  to  all  other  students,  and  you  will 
alwa\s  find  them  at  the  top."  We  think  that  is  a  good 
plug!  , 

EVERETT  GREGORY 

Everett  Gregor\  is  president  of  the  student  branch  of 
the  American  Societ\'  of  Agricultural  Engineers.  He  is 
also  on  the  agriculture  and  the  engineering  councils.  In 
the  advanced  military  corps,  he  holds  the  rank  of  Second 
Lieutenant   in   the   T'ligineers. 

Quizzed  about  the  fairer  sex,  E\erett  thinks  the  co-eds 
here  are  "prett\'  good."  He  wouldn't  come  out  and  say 
so,  but  he  left  the  impression  that  he  gets  around  pretty 
well  with  the  girls.  Everett  likes  to  take  in  as  man\' 
social  events  as  possible,  but  the  fact  that  he  has  to  work 
his  way  through  school  takes  a  lot  of  his  time.  He 
especially  likes  the  coke  dates  and  dances  that  are  helil 
in  the  L'nion  Building  on  \Vednesday  and  Friday  after- 
noons. 

This  native  son  of  Aurora,  Illinois,  claims  a  par- 
ticular interest  in  motors,  especially  of  automobiles  and 
motorcycles.      He   also   likes   to  ice  skate   and   to  bowl. 

Most  interested  in  the  Agricultural  Engineering  So- 
ciety, Everett  works  hard  to  keep  this  organization  rolling 
smoothl}'.  Everett  says  that  he  would  rather  ha\e  more 
publicity  for  the  club  than   for  himself. 

One  thing  that  Everett  seemed  to  stress  in  our  inter- 
\iew  was  that  people  didn't  seem  to  know  much  about 
agricultural  engineering.  The  development  of  agricul- 
tural engineering  has  been  fairly  recent.  The  agricultural 
engineering  course  is  divided  into  two  parts.  One  deals 
with  drainage  and  the  lay-out  of  the  farm,  and  this  course 
contains  quite  a  bit  of  civil  engineering.  The  other  part 
deals  mostly  with  power  and  farm  machinery,  and  this 
course  contains  a  lot  of  mechanical  engineering.  The  lat- 
ter course  is  the  one  in  which  Everett  is  specializing.  We 
can't  blame  him  for  wanting  people  to  know  what  an 
Agricultural    Engineer   does! 

NEIL  RANDALL 

Civil  engineer  Xeil  Randall  is  one  of  the  most  success- 
ful scholars  in  engineering.  He  has  the  \ery  excellent 
scholastic  average  of  4. '196.  After  nearly  fainting  when 
he  announced  his  average,  we  asked  him  for  his  formula 
for  making  such  good  grades.  "Well,"  he  said,  "get  off 
to  a  fast  start  at  the  beginning  and  work  real  hard  for 
the  first  few  weeks.  Near  the  end  of  the  semester  put  on 
a  sprint  and  make  the  Prof,  think  that  you  are  getting 
all  you  can  out  of  the  course.  And  then  in  between  put 
in  a  lot  of  hard  work."  We  agreed  that  surely  that  must 
be  the  formula  for  success. 

Xeil  is  president  of  Tau  Beta  I'l,  all-engiiieering  hon- 
orary society.  Member  of  T.X.T..  A.S.C.E.,  Phi  Eta 
Sigma,    and    is    Captain    in    the    Engineers    advanced    corps. 

(^n  Xeil's  hobby  list  are  the  following:  photography, 
whittling,  badminton,  swimming,  and  baseball.  He  says 
that  he  likes  to  attenii  .ithletic  contests  as  well  as  partici- 
|iate   in   them. 

Optimistical!),    Xeil    comments   the   girls   are   a    "perma- 

THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


lu-iu  iiistiturion"  and  arc  licrc  to  stay.  He  thinks  tliat 
there  are  some  very  nice  ones  around  the  campus.  Tlic 
ijreatest  difficulty  he  encounters  is  to  find  time  to  take  in 
all  the  social  events.  Then,  of  course,  he  laments  that 
his  five  point  average   "kind   of  scares   all   the  girls  away." 

Neil  is  really  enthused  about  civil  engineering.  His 
fa\()rite  subject  is  structural  engineering.  He  is  writing 
a  thesis  on  the  use  of  tubular  members  for  roof  truses. 
Incidentalh ,   Neil's  father  is  also  a  civil  engineer. 

His  main  ambition  is  to  build  bridges.  And  the  recent 
inspection  trip  of  all  the  seniors  only  increased  Neil's 
interest  in  civil  engineering.  He  saw  some  things  that 
lie  "ne\er  knew  could   be  done." 

\'oinig  Mr.  Randall  thinks  that  oiu"  campus  needs 
some  kind  of  scenic  spot.  like  a  lake.  {Crystal  Lake  please 
note. — Ed.)  The  university  could  al.so  stand  a  new  engi- 
neering hall.  However,  he  concludes,  the  equipment  is 
\erv  good,   and   our   experiment   station   is   one   of   the   best. 

HOWARD  SCHMIDT 

Howard  Schmidt  is  one  of  the  busiest  men  on  the 
campus.  He  is  Captain  in  Scabbard  and  Hlade,  Captain 
in  Pershing  Rifles,  Lieutenant  Colonel  of  Field  Artiller\, 
Captain  of  Horse  I?attery,  and  Plateau  and  Drum,  mem- 
ber of  Blue  Pencil,  senior  acti\ity  honorary  society, 
A.S.^LE.,  and  is  on  the  military  coimcil.  He  also  be- 
longed to  Dolphin,  freshman-varsity  swim  team.  Caisson 
ohib,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Freshman-V^arsity  rifle  team. 
He  was  chosen  the  best  drilled  field  artillery  man  in  his 
freshman,  sophomore,  and  junior  years,  being  gi\  en  two 
Connor  Cups  and  the  American  Legion  medal.  Co- 
champion  of  the  handball  doubles,  he  has  won  several 
trophies   in   handball. 

Military  is  one  of  his  great  loves.  He  devotes  a  great 
deal  of  his  time  to  working  on  his  activities.  All  of  these 
activities  do  not  leave  him  much  time  for  dates  with  girls. 
He  says  that  he  has  to  spend  a  lot  of  time  on  his  studies, 
and  then  when  he  does  have  some  time,  he  has  to  work 
in   some   organization. 

Howie  first  got  a  look  at  Illinois  as  a  delegate  from 
his  high  school  to  a  press  conference.  From  then  on  he 
knew  he  wanted  to  come  down  here  to  the  L  niversity. 
So,  after  visiting  se\eral  of  the  Big  Ten  schools,  Howie 
emphasizes  that  he  likes  Illinois  better  than  an\-  of  the 
others.  (Greatest  needs  here,  he  believes,  are  a  field  house 
and   more  school  spirit. 

.Although    he    has    had    to    work    all    his    way    through 


school,  the  hardest  job  for  Howard  is  to  tirul  some  mediun\ 
whereby  he  can  lio  justice  to  all  his  activities  and  also  to 
his  school  work.  He  thinks  that  most  employers  care 
more  for  the  grades  than  they  do  for  the  activities,  but 
he  believes  that  extra-curricular  activities  will  help  him  a 
lot  in  his  later  life.  They  help  to  round  out  a  fellow's 
life.  For  example,  the  fact  that  he  is  a  Cadet  Lieutenant 
Colonel  won't  give  him  any  ad\antage  in  rank  in  the  regu- 
lar army,  hut  it  does  gi\e  him  .-i  lot  of  good  practice  in 
leadership. 

Although  Howard  greatly  likes  military,  he  doesn't 
want  to  be  a  regular  army  man.  He  intends  to  be  a 
mechanical  engineer,  and  not  an  army  officer.  His  favorite 
subjects  are  air-conditioning  and  refrigeration.  He  also 
adds  that  he  would  like  to  be  associated  with  some  large 
engineering   firm   and   hold    a    responsible   position. 

AL  BOYSEN 

Tall,  lanky  Al  Bo\.sen  is  a  familiar  figure  around  the 
engineering  campus.  He  is  a  member  of  Sigma  Phi  Delta, 
Tail  Beta  Pi,  Sigm.i  T.iu,  Pi  Mu  Fpsilon,  and  Ph\sics 
Club. 

Al  thinks  engineers  are  fine  fellows,  hence  he  stays  at 
a  place  where  only  engineers  live.  He  doesn't  advise  fresh- 
men to  specialize  too  much.  "Get  a  good  general  education 
and  then  you  will  be  equipped  to  work  in  different  fields." 

Girls  don't  particularh'  interest  Al,  who  claims  he  is 
pretty  shy  when  around  them.  He  does  admit  that  the  fresh- 
men girls  are  better  than  usual  this  year.  There's  still  hope! 
A  very  nifty  4.85  average  gives  impetus  to  Al's  ambition  to 
own  a  consulting  research  laboratory.  "Then  I  could  go  in 
there  and  just  be  able  to  do  anything  I  wanted."  Rhetoric 
and  German  alone  bothered  him  scholastically.  The  rest 
were  quite  agreeable. 

Rifle  marksmanship,  hunting,  swimming,  "chemistry, 
and  electrical  engineering"  are  his  hobbies.  Man\'  people 
wonder  about  the  latter  two,  but  Al  says  they  are  really 
not  work  to  him. 

When  asked  about  the  world  affairs,  he  replied,  "It's 
an  awful  mess."  He  doesn't  think  too  much  of  the  way 
that  the  country  is  being  conducted,  and  hopes  that  the 
European  nations  wear  themselves  out  so  that  they  can't 
lift  a  finger.  Al  is  registered  under  the  Selective  Service 
Act,  and  thinks  that  he  will  more  than  likely  be  called  as 
soon  as  school  is  out.  He  doesn't  relish  going  into  the  army 
and  would  like  to  stay  ovit.  What  would  his  home  town  of 
Elmhiirst,  Illinois,  do  if  he  were  drafted?  .  .  .  They'd  need 
another  "local  boy  makes  good"  to  match  him. 


1942   MODELS  are    'Definitely  Different' 


.  .  .  from  Pii(/c  10 

vertible  coupe  get  the  vote.  It  is  in- 
teresting to  note  that  the  doors  which 
conceal  DeSoto  headlights  in  daytime 
and  give  smooth  front  and  appearance, 
were  first  used  on  the  1935  Cord. 

The  Chevrolet  Aerosedan  and  Sports- 
master  four-door  sedan  take  the  honors 
in   the   low   price   field. 

Ford,  Mercury,  and  Hudson,  are 
wa\  out  of  the  running,  in  my  opinion, 
concerning  style.  All  Fords  and  Mer- 
curys  look  as  if  they  came  off  an  as- 
sembly line.  They  are  poorly  propor- 
tioned, stubby,  too  high,  and  box  like. 
The  height  is  due  to  Ford  failure  to 
adopt  a  hypoid  rear  end   ( the  only  make 

DECEMBER,  1941 


of  full  sized  cars  so  designed  out- 
side of  Hudson)  which  permits  overall 
lowering  of  the  bod\  as  much  as  3 
inches   without    a   floor   tunnnel. 

Hud.sons  are  superfluously  broad  and 
look  as  if  the  maker  spread  a  lot  of 
metal  too  thin  in  order  to  give  the  im- 
pression of  massi\eness.  Hudson  wind- 
shields are  too  shallow  for  symetry  and 
grillwork  gives  a  frowning  appearance 
to  the  front  end. 

As  regards  the  Crosley,  Bantam,  and 
Willys,  let  it  here  be  predicted  that  the 
American  people  will  never  forsake 
long,  sleek  hoods,  heavy  car  riding  qual- 
ities, and  high-powered  acceleration  for 
the  econoniN'  of  these  fly-weights. 

Not  much   is   to  be  desired   as   far  as 


mechanical  perfection  is  concerned  on 
these  new  cars  of  today,  including  those 
less  beautiful.  The  writer  believes, 
however,  that  certain  fundamental 
changes  in  wheel  suspension,  modes  of 
power  transmission  and  point  of  power 
application,  economical  motor  design, 
and  pa.ssenger  comfort  have  been 
pigeon-holed  or  overlooked  because  of 
fear  of  introducing  something  "too  no- 
\el   for  sales  benefits." 

(Watch  \oiir  Technograph  for 
something  about  "air  cushioned  "  sus- 
pension and  "stressed  rubber"  spring- 
ing, simpler  automatic  transmissions, 
front  wheel  drives,  super-charged  two 
and  four  cycle  engines,  and  steering 
wheel  positioning.) 

13 


The  Fashions 


By    'Beau    Brumniel' 
Murphy,  C.E.  "43 


Hecausc  of  a  recent  exposure  to  niilitaiy  lite  where 
everything  was  vmitormal,  your  writer  turned  inquirinf; 
reporter  in  order  to  determine  what  the  well  dressed 
engineer  wears.  The  times  have  changed  since  the  early 
thirties  when  all  you  needed  to  be  an  engineer  was  a  sweat 
shirt  and  a  slide  rule.  The  sweat  shirt  hasn't  entirely 
disappeared,  and  the  slide  rule  is  here  to  stay  (you  can 
quote  me  on  that. ) 

(^ne  LAS  who  rooms  with  an  engineer  tells  me  that  he 
knows  from  experience  that  engineers  usually  wear  their 
roommate's  clothing.  Another  inquiy  yields  the  sugges- 
tion that  if  canors  aren't  already  carried  they  woidd  make 
very  beautiful  accessories. 

Most  of  the  colorful  dressing  is  done  b\  the  fresh- 
men and  sophomores  who  are  corrupted  by  contact  with 
the  LAS  college,  but  the  C.  E.  junior  who  spends  one  day 
wading  in  concrete  and  the  next  in  bitumen  wears  the  oldest 
clothes  that  he  can  find.  The  ^L  E.  and  the  Met.  E.  arc 
handicapped  when  it  comes  to  being  a  "Joe  College"  be- 
cause of  their  lab  courses. 

Comfort  seems  to  be  the  key  word  to  the  engineer 
in  his  dress  and  this  includes  the  work  clothes  that  are 
worn  in  the  labs.     Sweaters  are  the  most  popular  item,  next 


'Sweaters  are   llic   most    ixipiilar  ..." 

to  trousers,  in  the  apparel  of  the  engineer.  I  am  assum- 
ing that  those  who  come  from  Arkansas  are  civilized  enough 
to  put  on  shoes.  All  models  and  all  methods  of  wear- 
ing a  sweater  can  be  seen  on  the  campus.  Some  prefer 
the  crew  neck  without  atiy  shirt  while  others  religiously 
wear  a  shirt;  some  like  their  sweaters  heavier  than  others; 
but  nearly  all  of  the  students  forego  the  tie.  I  can  sup- 
port on  the  little  finger  of  my  left  hand  all  the  ties  in  one 
class.  The  sleeveless  sweater  is  becoming  more  and  more 
popular. 

The  most  noticeable  trend  is  in  the  sudden  advent  of 
the  Western  styles  even  to  the  extent  of  high  heeled  boots. 
Bright  colored  shirts  and    blue   denim   trousers  can   be  seen 

14 


as  Illini   Interpret   Them 


vcr\-  frequentl\  on  the  campus  north  of  (ireen.  The  num- 
ber who  find  it  advisable  and  comfortable  to  come  to 
class  in  true  Harvard  style  is  small  compared  to  the  other 
colleges;  however,  there  are  a  few  of  those  radicals  around 
and  they  will   be  ignored  by  this  artcle. 

When  asked  what  they  thought  a  well  dressed  engi- 
neer wore,  some  jicople  laughed  in  my  face,  but  if  they 
had  been  at  the  Homecoming  Dance  they  would  hav^  been 
ama/ed  at  the  quorum  of  engineers  present.  Contrary  to 
the  belief  that  all  engineers  do  is  study,  you  can  always 
find  them  around  where  things  arc  happening.  One  of 
the  chief  virtues  of  the  men  in  this  profession  is  that  they 
are  very  active  outside  their  own  field  in  their  spare  time. 

It  is  during  these  times  that  we  see  what  the  well 
dressed  engineers  really  like.  They  base  been  known 
to  outshine  all  others.  It  is  possible  that  an  engineer  of 
some  .sort  has  a  finger  in  the  designing  of  the  new  fashions 
since  one  of  the  main  features  in  modern  clothes  is  genu- 
ine   comfort. 


"Sport    eoats 


almost    ever.v   color' 


1  don't  think  that  I  am  going  too  far  when  I  sa\  that 
the  Illinois  engineer  ought  to  be  the  best  dressed  engineei' 
in  the  country  with  "the  world's  most  outstanding  college 
store"  right  on  the  campus.  The  principal  purpose  of  the 
clothier  is  to  provide  the  public  with  the  clothing  that 
they  want  to  wear.  With  this  in  mind  several  outstanding 
stores  have  been  established  here  on  the  campus.  If  any 
of  vou  have  any  ideas  about  something  that  would  make  a 
hit  with  the  students,  talk  to  the  managers  and  the\'ll  tell 
you  what  can  be  done  with  your  ideas. 

The  Illinois  engineer  prefers  a  modified  style  along 
the  lines  of  the  M.I.T.  men.  The  men  in  the  east  prefer 
the  sack  coat,  while  the  mid-western  men  like  the  natural 
shoulder  line  with  a  slight  suppression  at  the  waist.  Every- 
bod\'  is  leaning  toward  the  browns  and  tans  of  covert, 
flannel  or  tweed  cloth. 

In  sports  coats  the  engineer  prefers  the  browns  and 
tans  again,  but  this  time  in  a  bla/er  of  houndstooth  pat- 
tern. With  the  sport  coats  we  find  almost  every  color  of 
(Please    See    Page    20) 

THE  TECHNOGR.APH 


Was  $880.00  a  pound... NOW  16^! 


"You  really  made  these  crystals 
in  an  electric  furnace'"  the 
gem  expert  asked.  "They  look  as 
if  they'd  been  in  the  earth  a 
million  years!"  "Certainly  I 
made  them",  said  Dr.  Acheson. 
"And  all  I  ask  is  that  you 
crush  them  and  try  them  instead 
of  diamond  dust  for  gem  polish- 
ing." The  expert  did... and 
placed  an  order  at  $880  a  pound! 
Today  this  same  Carborundum 
Brand  Silicon  Carbide  serves  all 
industry,  sells  in  grain  form 
for  as  little  as  16f  a  pound. 


When  Dr.  Acheson  created  the 
first  man-made  abrasive  in  a 
little  iron-bowl  furnace  fifty 
years  ago,  little  did  he  fore- 
see that  abrasive  products 
would  become  one  of  our  most 
important  production  tools. . . 
that  one  day  they  would  be 
used  in  the  grinding,  finish- 
ing, shaping  and  polishing  of 
practically  all  the  products 
of  all  industry. 


-«^ 


Today,  our  outstanding  research,  manu- 
facturing and  engineering  facilities  are 
ready  to  serve  you  no  matter  what  industry 
you  may  decide  to  go  into.  The  Carborundum 
Company,  Niagara  Falls,  New  York. 


CARBORUNOjm 


t'Brhnrundum  find  Aloxite  »re  re^intered  Irade-niBrke  of 
•nd  indicate  msnufaclurehy  The  Carborundum  Company . 


L 


DECEMBER,  1941 


15 


TECHNOCRACKED... 


By   Robert   E.  McGleary 

Junior  in  Mccluiiiical  /:in;/>u'riim; 


FdiTword  :  Any  rcscinblanci'  to  humor  toiin<l  on  this  page 
is   purely  coinci(]cntal   .... 

Well,  the  E.C.M.A.  ( Engiiieeriiig  College  Magazines 
A.ssociatetl )  Convention  has  come  and  gone.  Great  affair; 
how  nian\  of  you  engineers  attended  the  banquets  and 
entered  into  the  spirit  of  the  thing  at  a  buck  twenty  eight 
a  throw? 

Oh  well,  the  thing  to  think  of  now  is  Christmas.  Ah 
joyous  Yuletide  ....  a  time  of  year  when  everybody 
exchanges  the  things  he  got  and  didn't  want  the  last  time 
foi'  articles  somebody  else  got  and  didn't  want  —  a  very 
vicious  cycle  indeed — reminds  a  Thermo  student  of  the 
Carnot  cycle — everything  added  being  eventualh'  returned 
in  slightly  different  form.  You  can't  beat  the  law  of  con- 
servation  of  energ\'. 


Clothes  are  nice  to  get  for  Christmas,  and  incidentally, 
you  might  glance  at  Bill  Murphy's  article  on  engineering 
sartorialism  in  this  sheet.  'Seems  as  though  the  prime 
requisite  of  an  engineer  this  season  has  been  a  slide  rule 
and  a  canoe. 

Confidentially,  L.A.S.  (Loaf  and  Smoke)  men,  a  slide 
rule  will  not  do  an  engineer's  homework  for  him,  all  com- 
ments by  Don  Herold,  of  the  Keuffel  and  Esser  ads  to 
the  contrary.  They  sure  help  in  long  calculations,  tho 
....  incidentally  they  are  no  help  to  this  engineer's  budget, 
for  s\ich  quantities  seldom  exceed  two  significant  figures 
and   can   more  easily  be  calculated   digitarily. 

Since  Rhet  classes  are  held  in  the  Transportation  Huild- 
ing,  the  so-called  'Wilds  of  the  Engineering  Campus'  has 
been  brightened  considerably  with  feminine  pulchritude*. 
Did  1  say  pulchritude?  Well,  anything  looks  good  to  men 
who  have  spent  as  many  as  four  in  classes  absolutely  devoid 
of  real,  live  girl.s. 

(*Note  the  two-bit  word  employed.  Technocracked  is 
definitely  being  conducted  on  a  more  ethereal  plane  of  late, 
or  had  you  noticed,  gentle  readers?  It  is  not  absolutely 
true  that  engineers  are  engineers  only  to  avoid  excessi\e 
theme  writing,   altho  you'll   admit  that  is  a  good   idea.) 

Hill  Mareneck  (Moronic,  for  short)  Junior  ALE.,  has 
committed  a  first  order  blunder  by  becoming  scholastically 
outstanding  in  M.E.  13 — a  hundred  in  the  first  hour  exam. 


imagine!      Let    him    beware    the    blasphc 


epithet    of 


D.A.R.  (Damned  Average  Raiser)  which  will  inevitably 
be  fastened  to  him  if  another  faux  passe  of  this  sort  obtains. 
Mrs.  Olson's  little  boy,  Chester,  ( \LE.  '43/,).  >s  a 
Cadet  Lieutenant  in  the  R.O.  and  a  new  T.N.T.  meni- 
ber.  "Lootenenant'  Olson  claims  to  be  the  only  T.N.T. 
man  who  wore  'Civies'  almost  entirely  during  the  foui' 
week   pledge   period,   and    who   didn't   carry   gum,   engineer;: 

16 


mints   ( F'eenamints?)   and  cigarettes  at  all  times  .  .  .  Didn't 
even  know  what  a  'bomb  circle'  was.  in  fact. 

Elmore  ^L■lys,  Jiuiior  ALE.  and  Lambda  Chi  from  the 
L  niversity  of  Tulsa,  has  been  barreling  his  snapp\'  yellow 
Ford  convertible  to  classes  in  the  Transportation  Building 
every  day  of  late.  He'll  never  get  picked  up  for  dri\ing 
too  fast  but  may  get  grounded  by  the  Aeronautical  Commis- 
sion for  flying  too  low.  Elmore  is  really  quite  a  modest 
bov,    tho — onlv   thinks   he's   half   as   good    as   he   knows   he 


realh  is  ...  .  only  occasionalh  wonders  why  he  wasn't  boiji 
lich   instead  of  so  handsome. 

Well,  the  automoti\e  industry  has  come  thru  with  'the 
goods'  again  this  year.  The  thought  of  sometime  owning 
one  of  these  racy  new  models  is  often  the  only  incentive 
engineers  have  to  keep  them  shoving  their  'Slip-sticks'  thru 
the  maze  of  home  problems  that  is  every  engineer's  lot. 
The  new  low  independent  sprmging  has  made  the  position 
of  the  fat  pedestrian  much  safer — drivers  avoiding  them  in 
order  to  keep  from  gumming  up  the  works. 

During  the  Homecoming  orgy  one  motorist  was  kiiown 
to  remark  to  his  friend  while  driving  back  from  the  coun- 
try, "ssay,  yau  know  ppal,  we're  gettin  closher  and  closher 
to  the  city?" 

"What  mayksh,   yau   think   sho?"    lisped   his   companion. 

"Well,  we're  hittin'  more  people  aren't  we?  "  the  other 
replied  analytically. 

Technocracked  intends  to  find  out  whether  upper  class 
engineers  really  cross  themselves  and  Salaam  toward  E!ngi- 
neering  Hall  and  the  \LE.  Lab.  at  the  mention  of  the 
names  of  Professors  Ensign  and  Leutwiler,  respectively. 
Did  Prof.  Leutwiler  actually  flunk  his  own  son  in  a  design 
course,  or  is  that  another  rumor? 

This  page  has  been  a  bit  off  the  cob,  hasn't  it?  (SHLT 
LP!)  Well,  like  the  customer  saving  'It  Looks  like  Rain,' 
and  the  waiter  replying,  'I  know  it,  but  it's  still  soup.' 
it  looks  as  though  it  can  be  ainthing  from  here  on  in. 


P.  S. :  A  tommyhawk  is  wli.it  if  you  go  to  sleep  suiKleidy 
and  wake  up  without  hair,  there  is  an  Indian  with  .... 
don't  blame  that  one  on  us,  we  plagiarized  it  from  The 
Arkansas  Engineer,  which  no  doubtless  plagiarized  it  from 
some  other  engineering  journal  ....  So  what!  The 
campus  bywords  now  seem  to  be  "Heat  Hitler" — We've 
beat  few  enough  others  this  fall, 

THE  TEGHNOGR.APH 


FACE-SAVINC    20th    CENTURY    STYLE 


WORN  teeth  no  longer  render  crush- 
ingequipment  useless,  nor  do  they 
mean  long,  costly  delays.  Today  there 
is  a  simpler,  faster,  less  expensive  way 
—  hard  facing  with  the  Airco  Oxy- 
acetylene  Flame.  Reports  indicate  that 
teeth  built  up  by  this  proved  Airco 
process  last  longer,  yet  cost  only  25% 
of  a  new  segment.  Cost  of  replacing 
the  entire  crusher  is,  of  course,  far 
greater. 

Airco  Hard-Facing  is  a  versatile 
process.  Wearing  parts  of  varying 
shape  and  size  can  be  rebuilt  econom- 
ically, speedily.  Standard  oxyacety- 
lene  welding  apparatus  is  employed. 


Not  only  for  maintenance  of  equip- 
ment, but  on  thousands  of  production 
lines,  the  Airco  Oxyacetylene  Flame  is 
on  the  firing  line  speeding  countless 
defense  products  to  completion.  It  has 
been  drafted  to  cut  steel  to  any  desired 
shape,  to  flame  harden  metal  parts  for 
longer  life,  to  weld  two  or  more  metal 
parts  into  a  strong,  lasting  unit,  to  ma- 
chine metals  with  unrivaled  speed,  to 
clean  and  dehydrate  metal  surfaces 
for  lasting  paint  jobs. 

A  pictorial  review  "Airco  in  the 
News"  shows  in  an  interesting  manner 
these  many  uses  of  the  flame.  Write 
for  copy. 


REDUCTION 


'^//cna/  0//frfS: 


60  EAST  42nd  STREET,  NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 

Magnolia-Airco   Gas   Products   Co. 
DISTRICT    OFFICES    IN    PRINCIPAL    CITIES 


ANY' THING    AND    EVERYTHING    FOR    GAS    WELDING    OR    CITTTING    AND    AR«'    WELDING 


DECEMBER,  1941 


17 


No  GU  NS  tvHhout  GAGES 


Parts  for  guns  and  gun  mounts  are  made 
in  different  factory  departments,  often  in 
different  factories.  Without  thousands  of 
gages  of  all  kinds,  it  would  be  impossible 
to  control  manufacturing  operations  so 
the  finished  parts  fit  when  they  come  s  ^, 
together. 

Greenfield  Tap  and  Die  Corporation 
is  one  of  the  largest  and  oldest  gage  man- 
ufacturers in  the  country. 

GREENFIELD  TAP  AND  DIE  CORPORATION 

GREENFIELD,  MASSACHUSETTS 


^l^GREENFIELD 


TAPS    •    DIES    .   GAGES    •    TWIST  OKILLS    •    REAMERS    ■    SCREW  PLATES    ■    PIPE  TOOLS 


fir\ 


WENTY 
AYLOR 
AVERN 


GOOD  STEAKS 


Phone  8121 


Merlo's 

MILITARY  STORE 


UNIFORMS 


BOOTS 


BREECHES 

Military  Christmas  Presents 

404  E.  Green   St.,   Champaign 


PLASTICS   FOR  CHRISTMAS 

....  from    page   7 

Among  the  attractive  articles  tor  Dad  this  Christmas 
will  be  toiiiui  flashlii^hts  with  cases  of  attractive  colors  of 
plastic  and  with  an  unbreakable  lens  of  the  same  material. 
This  type  of  flashlight  is  even  more  rugged  than  its  pre- 
decessors and  lengthens  battery  life.  Or  perhaps  he  would 
like  one  of  those  plastic  belts,  new  golf  clubs  with  durable 
heads  of  plastic,  a  safety  razor  with  plastic  handle,  or  a 
modernistic  chair-side  ash  tray  moulded  in  irresistible  plas- 
tic. 

"Look  at  all  the  practical  things  we  can  choose  from 
to  please  Mother  on  Christmas!"  Examine  all  the  kitchen- 
ware  with  beautiful,  heat  resisting  plastic  handles.  Those 
plastic  bowls,  measures,  and  funnels  will  delight  her!  And 
one  is  postive  she  would  think  those  salt  and  pepper  servers 
of  colorful  plastic  are  "just  the  thing'  to  help  carry  out 
her  kitchen  color  scheme.  Perhaps  she  would  like  some 
of  those  "gorgeous"  artificial  flowers  ingeniously  made  of 
deep-colored  plastic  to  ornament  the  mantle-piece.  And 
one  of  those  plastic  cleansing  tissue  dispensers  would  be 
convenient  as  well  as  attractive. 

Did  you  want  to  get  Sis  some  nice  book-ends,  but 
found  it  rumored  that  all  the  stores  are  sold  out  of  those 
bronze  ones  and  the  factory  which  makes  them  have  dis- 
continued manufacture?"  You  needn't  worry,  for  look  at 
all  those  new  plastic  book-ends  you  can  choose  from,  and 
she  will  like  them  much  better  than  those  of  dull  bronze. 
Wouldn't  she  be  'thrilled'  with  one  of  those  new  style 
handbags  of  a  specialty  developed  pliable  and  durable 
plastic  in  woven  and  laced  tear-drop  patterns?  Aren't 
those  plastic  dresser  lamps  'just  perfect'?  Perhaps  she 
would  like  some  of  those  clear  polystyrene  curlers  which 
are  chemically  resistant  to  hair  lotions,  or  one  of  those 
compacts  with  double  beveled  glass  mirror  which  may  be 
used  through  the  transparent  plastic  cover. 

As  for  Brother,  there  are  hair  and  clothes  brushes  witli 
plastic  handles  and  nylon  bristles,  excellent  carpenter  and 
machinists'  tools  many  of  which  are  made  of  a  special 
non-breakable  plastic,  alarm  clocks  with  tastefully  tinted 
plastic  cases,  or  a  plastic-cased  flashlight  like  the  one  tliat 
was  gotten  for  Dad.  He  would  appreciate  a  large  new 
plastic  floor  lamp  to  place  by  his  easy  chair  in  his  room, 
and  perhaps  it  would  be  a  good  idea  to  get  him  one  of  those 
nice    table-model    radios   with    a   durable   plastic   cabinet. 

And  the  lists  of  possibilities  for  appropriate  gifts  could 
go  on  and  on.  Yes,  our  American  Christmas  traditions 
will  remain  unaltered,  thanks  to  our  Chemist  friends  who 
have  developed  the  synthetic  plastics,  and  to  our  Crafts- 
man friends  who  ha\e  designed,  formed,  and  produced  with 
this  new  material  the  thousands  of  products  which  are 
being  placed   on  the   retail   market  throughout  the   land. 


DEC.  4th 

Mark  that  Down 

On  that  day  the  new  K  &  E 

Slide  Rules  should  be  in 

Lni\ersity  Book  Store 

202    S.    MATHEWS 
610  E.  DANIEL 


18 


THE  TECHNOGR.APH 


LOOK 


ii  d-^at ^(^i>i/-e/^ 


OF  LUSTROUS 


€m.LC   FOR  YOUR  CAR! 


The  newest  style  note  in 
motor  cars  is  seat  covers  of 
smooth,  lustrous  plastic — cus- 
tom made  and  woven  from  the 
remarkable  Dow  plastic, 
SARAN.  This  innovation  in  car 
slip  covers  offers  light,  attrac- 
tive pastel  shades — or,  perhaps, 
transparency  to  actually  reveal 
tints  of  the  upholstery — in  every 
way  lending  new  smartness  and 
distinction  to  the  car's  interior. 

Now,  for  the  first  time,  seat 
covers  in  light  colors  are  prac- 
tical because  SARAN  is  quickly 
and   easily  cleaned  with  just  a 

THE    DOW    CHEMICAL    COMPANY,   MIDLAND,   MICHIGAN 
New  York  City — St.  Louis — Chicago — San  Francisco — Los  Angeles — Seatde — Houston 


damp  cloth.  There  is  no  danger 
of  the  colors  running.  You  can 
ride  on  these  seat  covers  in  wet 
bathing  suits,  if  you  like.  If 
windows  are  left  open,  have  no 
fear  of  damage  from  summer 
showers.  For,  SARAN  is  water- 
proof plastic. 

There  is  plenty  of  ventilation 
with  SARAN  seat  covers  — 
they're  cool!  The  smooth  sur- 
face permits  you  to  slide  easily 
into  modern  low  cars  without 
difficulty  or  the  slightest  danger 
of  catching  clothes  or  hose.  The 
value  in  these  new  seat  covers  is 


exceptional  because  SARAN  will 
out-wear  the  life  of  the  car. 
While,  currently,  seat  covers  of 
SARAN  are  custom  made  only, 
they  are  significant  of  a  marked 
trend.  They  provide  a  striking 
example  of  the  constant  efforts 
of  manufacturers  to  adapt  plas- 
tics to  numerous  new  products. 


CHEMICALS   INDISPENSABLE 
TO  INDUSTRY  AND  DEFENSE 


DECEMBER.  1941 


19 


THE  FASHIONS 


from   page  14 


GOOD  CUTTERS  ARE  VITAL 
FOR  TODArS  PRODUCTION 


—  For  Good  Cutters  seeSxy 
our   Small    Tools    Catalog 
Brown  &  Sharpe  Mfg.  Co. 

1  Providence,  R.  I.,  U.  S.  A. 


BROWN  &  SHARPE 
CUTTERS 


The  Music  You  Want 
When  You  Want  It 

on  RCA    Victor,  (joliiinbia 
and  Decca  Records 

TAYLOR-FISHER 
MUSIC  SHOP 

514    E.    John    at    tlie    Campus 


A  Complete  Classic  and  Popular  Stock 


tin-  rainbow  bciiifi  used,  aiul  that  is  a  big  change  from  a 
few  years  ago  when  certain  colors  were  worn  together  and 
with  nothing  else.  Engineers  have  always  been  conserva- 
tive and  now  the  others  are  following  suit  and  getting 
a\\a\   from  the  flashy  styles  of  the  last  few  years. 

In  odd  jackets  you  will  find  the  individuals  expressing 
themselves  a  little  bit  more  and  wearing  brighter  colors. 
Another  trend  which  may  be  a  result  of  engineering  prac- 
ticabilit\  is  the  one  toward  more  durable  materials  of  hard 
finish. 

For  classes  and  sports  wear  the  present  generation  on 
the  "North  Campus"  prefer  shoes  of  the  moccasin  type 
or  a  saddle  shoe.  For  dress  or  semi-dress  they  want  heavy 
brogue  type  shoes  that  follow  the  military  trends  of  today. 


I 


".shoes   that    follow    the    iiiilitiir.v    trentls" 


This,  too,  may  be  an  engineer's  idea  because  the  greater 
majority  of  men  in  the  military  service  today  are  engineers. 
In  their  top  coats  the  engineers  are  again  becoming 
tile  leaders  of  style  since  the  more  practical  the  coat  the 
more  stylish  it  is,  and  who  is  more  practical  than  an  engi- 
neer? The  top  coats  are  of  gabardine  or  some  hard  fin- 
ished material  treated  to  repel  water.  They  are  all  the 
knee  or  three-quarter  length  coat  cut  in  sack  lines  and  with 
a  little  stitching  around  the  bottom  to  break  the  plainness. 
I5rowns,  greys  and  greens  are  the  predominating  colors. 


"Wide-briiiiiiied.  soft-erowneil"  hats 


Foi'  his  hats  the  engineer  has  turned  to  a  wide  brimmed, 
soft-crowned  model  with  a  contrasting  edge  of  corded  or 
gabar<line  material.  For  a  knock-out  we  find  him  wear- 
ing a  corduioy  slouch  hat  of  almost  any  color  tli.it  hap- 
pened   to   stiike   his   fancy  when   buying. 

In  the  most  popular  article  of  all,  the  sweater,  V-necks 
are  becoming  stylish.  The  material  is  soft  Shetland  of 
beige  or  tan  color  and  the  treiui  is  toward  imported 
sweaters.  The  sweater  vest  is  replacing  the  vest  in  all 
except  the  most   formal  w-ear. 

Raincoats  are  very  important  on  this  campus  and  these 
are  becoming  more  and  more  dressy  and  less  and  less 
waterproof.  It  seems  that  no  one  is  expected  to  go  out  into 
the  rain  anymore,  since  the  raincoats  will  repel  a  small 
amount  of  water  and  after  that  you  might  as  well  take 
(PIcnsc  Sec  Page  22) 


20 


THE  TECHNOGR.A,PH 


.earning 
Won't  Fill 


TTie  shafts  have  stopped  turning. 
Hands  that  can  set  a  tool-rest  to  a  hair 
are  wrapped  around  pool  cues  down  at 
Joe's  place.  Mirror  finishes  on  Assem- 
bly's floor  are  dimming  over  with  the 
first  hints  of  rust. 

Learning  the  cause  of  your  fire  won't 
help.  What  you  wanted  was  the  chance 
to  produce  -  without  Fire's  interrup- 
tion. Perhaps  you  counted  on  a  "fire-, 
proof  "  building.  Or  on  employees 
trained  to  be  cvcr-watchful.  You  can't 
—  as  the  record  of  thousands  of  fires 
will  show.  The  record  proves  that 
there's  only  one  way  to  stop  fire  at  its 
source.  That  way  is  automatic  sprinkler 
fire  protection. 

Fortunately,  there  isn't  the  slightest 
need  to  compromise  with  quality  when 


The  Cause 
The  Orders 

you  install  it.  For  the  world's  best- 
known  fire  protection  system-Grinnell 
-  can  be  bought  as  an  actual  cash- 
dividend-paying  investment.  The  chart 
below  proves  it. 

Built  lock,  stock  and  barrel  by  the 
world's  leader  in  fire  protection;  pre- 
fabricated to  a  Grinnell-engineered  lay- 
out, then  installed  with  minimum  dis- 
ruption; proved  dependable  by  eight 
thousand  fires  killed  in  the  past  ten 
years  alone  -  a  Grinnell  System  is  the 
best  guardian  of  spinning  shafts  your 
plant  can  have.  Owners  of  fifty  billion 
dollars'  worth  of  the  world's  property 
have  chosen  it.  Take  your  first  step 
today.  Write  Grinnell  Company,  Inc., 
Executive  Offices,  Providence,  R.  I. 
Branch  offices  in  principal  cities. 


GRINNELL 


ENGINEERED  FIRE   PROTECTION 


FOR  UNINTERRUPTED  PRODUCTION 


Grinnell  Company,  Inc,  •  Grinnell  Company  of  the  Pacific  •  Grinnell  Company  of  Canada,  Ltd.  " 
General  Fire  Extinguisher  Company  •  American  Moistening  Company  *  Columbia  Malleable  Castings 
Corporation    •    The  Ontario  Malleable  Iron  Company,  Ltd. 

DECEMBER,  1941 


Q.  Who  says  Tm 
not  protected?  I 
have  complete  in- 
surance coverage! 

A.  43%  of  all 
burned  bu  si- 
nesses  are  never 
resumed,  regard- 
less of  insurance. 

Q,  My  building  is 
metal;  its  contents 
are  non-combusti- 
ble. Why  should  I 
have  sprinklers? 

A.  A  metal  mill 
burned  to  ruins 
in  an  afternoon. 
Oi  I  vapor  had 
condensed  on  in- 
side walls. 


Q.  \i('hat  do  you  mean  -  a  Grin- 
nell System  pays  for  itself? 

A.  The  chart  shows  a  typical 
case.  Insurance  without  Grin- 
nell System,  $5,000  yearly. 
With  Grinnell,  premium  re- 
duction paid  for  the  system 
in  8-1/3  years.  After  that, 
$3,000  a  year  clear  saving! 


INSURANCE  COSTS 
WITHOUT  SPRINKLERS 


21 


O  The  "RB&W  Handbook  of  Common  Machine  Taiteners"— sent 
cbsoluiely  free  upon  request  —  shows  the  most  widely  accepted 
methods  of  representing  more  than  thirty  different  types  cf  stand- 
ard bolts,  nv'z,  rivets,  etc.,  on  assembly  and  detail  drawings.  This 
16-page  booklet  will  fit  inside  your  drawing  instrument  case  for 
handy  reference. 

No  actual  dimensions  or  specifications  are  included,  as  the  pro- 
portions and  conventions  shown  apply  to  all  sizes  of  fastenings. 

To  get  your  copy  of  this  valuable  little  booklet,  just  send  a 
postcard  to  our  Port  Chester  address. 

RB&W  EMPIRE  Bolts,  Nuts,  Rivets  and  other  Threaded  Fastenings 
have,  for  96  yean,  been  noted  throughout  industry  for  their  out- 
standing strength,  accuracy  and  finish. 


RUSSELL.  BURDSALL  S  WARD 

BOLT    AND     NUT     COMPANY 

PORT  CHESTER.  N.  Y.      ROCK  FALLS.  ILL.      CORAOPOLIS.  PA. 


GORDON 

LAUNDRY 

AND  CLEANERS 


All  Phones  7-1175 

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Send  it  to 

GORDON'S 

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Done   ill    Our   Own    Plant 


517  S.  Goodwin 


Urbana 


THE  FASHIONS from  page  20 

them  off,  for  all  the  good  the\  do  \ou.  These  new  "jobs" 
are  of  three-quarter  length  on  the  theory  that  the  rain  is 
coming  from  abo\c  and  therfore  your  feet  don't  need  pro- 
tection, i'ants  prcssers  certainly  do  a  land  office  business 
after  a  downpour.  Perhaps  there  is  a  coalition  between 
the  tailors  and   the  waterproof  wear  manufacturers! 

Around  the  campus  and  everywhere  else  there  is  a  pie- 
\alent  trend  toward  the  three-quarter  length  jacket  which 
conies  under  the  name  of  "station  wagon ',  "finger-tip"  or 
"reversible"  coat.  The  zip-in  lining  is  popular  with  this 
type  of  coat,  making  it  serviceable  in  all   types  of  weather. 

Everyone  is  getting  as  practical  as  possible  these  days, 
hence,  the  trend  toward  durable  materials  and  neutral 
colors.  The  hard-finish  coats  and  trousers  are  replacing 
the  .soft  shetlands  and  camel  hairs.  The  most  popular 
of  the  new  materials  include  covert,  gabardine  and  cor- 
duroy. 

In  his  odd  slacks  the  engineer  prefers  cords,  co\ert 
t)\'  plaids  and  tweeds.  The  tweeds,  coverts  and  cords  again 
feature  the  browns  and  tans,  while  the  plaids  go  to  any 
extreme   that   yon   wish. 

Socks  will  always  be  the  key  to  the  individual ;  no 
matter  what  the  style  everyone  wears  the  colors  or  styles 
which  he  prefers.  The  12  3  rib  is  one  of  the  popular 
sellers  for  a  plain  color  sock  and  the  striped  sock  in  the 
three-quarter  length   remains  the  most  predominate  of  all. 

Ties  are  receiving  a  lot  of  attention  lately.  The  new 
French  stripe  on  a  silk  tie  or  a  plaid  wool  can  be  seen 
almost  anywhere  these  da\s.  In  the  future  men  will  be 
wearing  ties  of  nylon,  following  the  women  who  have 
given  up  silk  to  national  defense.  The  trend  to  wrinkle- 
proof  material  in  recent  years  is  the  most  lasting  fashion 
of  all  men's  wear. 

Last  but  not  least  we  have  the  shirts.  Once  more 
we  find  the  styles  to  the  convenience  of  the  engineer.  In 
shirts  the  wide  sloping  collar  is  the  style.  This  collar  is 
laundered  without  starch  and  is  given  its  appearance  through 
the  use  of  stays  or  buttons  attached  to  the  shirt. 

You  probably  haven't  met  engineers  who  were  more 
than  one-fourth  of  the  so-called  st\lish  models.  Rut  as  a 
class  the  boys  arc  rather  well-dressed  and  individual.  How 
do  your  ideas  in  dress  compare  with   those  outlined   above.'' 


Another  paper  announces  that  travelers  who  wish  to 
enter  Italy  now  must  give  a  rea.son  for  doing  so.  It  seems 
to  us  that  the  type  of  person  who  would  wish  to  enter 
Italy  now  wouldn't  be  capable  of  reasoning. 


Frosh :    "F\er   do   any   public   speaking?" 
Senior:  "Yes,  I  proposed  to  a  girl  once  o\er  a  party 
phone." 


i 


Our  Business  is  the  Selection  of 
Fine  Gifts  and  Greetings — in 

STATIONERY,     JEWELRY,     PENS, 

LEATHER,     FR.AMES,     PICTURES 

AND   NOVELTIES 

Hniiravinii,    Gold    Stainpiiifi    and 
(lift    W rapping   Seri'ice 

Strauch's  at  Campus, 

709  S.  'Wright 


22 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


RAYON  . . 

BY    THE    MILE 


•  The  lowly  silk  worm  has  become  ol(l-fashioiie<l  indeed.  Now,  from 
liquid  Rayon,  finished  thread  is  manufactured  and  wound  in  one  continuous 
process  —  ready  for  the  textile  mill. 

But  the  100.000  reels  and  spindles  of  this  great  jtlant  could  not  operate 
continuously  without  the  friction-reducing,  wear-avoiding  qualities  of  the 
New  Departure  self-enclosed  and  lubricated  ball  bearings  at  more  than 
300.000  points.  In  fact,  they  make  such  a  j)roject  commercially  possible  — 
simplify  design,  accurately  locate  rotating  parts,  eliminate  periodic  oiling 
and  definitely  reduce  costs. 

New  I)ei>arture  Forged  Steel  Ball  Bearings  are  literally  the  life  of  any 
machine.    Nothing  rolls  like  a  ball.  „nrQ 


This  self-enclosed  ball  bearing  is  only 
one  of  numerous  "new  departures."  the 
i-esult  of  New  Departure's  well  known 
creative  enKineerinp.  Engineei-inR  stu- 
dents should  be  interested  in  booklet 
"Ideas  by  New  Departure  Engineers." 
for  the  practical  use  of  the  machine 
builder.  New  Depaiture,  Division  of 
General     Motors.     Bristol.     Connecticut. 


NewuepcuiXwie 

BALL    BEARINGS    /     FOR     DEFENSE 


DECEMBER,  1941 


23 


6^'BCaffffitis  /\/eM/s 


SUPER-PEEKSTER 

EVEN  when  our  defense  "Sherlocks"  can't, 
x-rays  can  "see  right  through"  potential 
saboteurs  and  their  hidden  bits  of  destruction. 
Without  unwrapping  or  any  dangerous  tam- 
pering, suspicious  packages  may  be  inspected 
quickly  and  safely.  Portable  x-ray  equipment 
is  also  used  for  fluoroscopic  examination  of 
overstuffed  furniture,  mattresses,  or  other 
articles  in  which  questionable  items  might  be 
hidden. 

The  x-ray  has  been  instrumental  in  unearth- 
ing such  things  as  a  hypodermic  needle  and 
some  narcotics  cleverly  hidden  in  a  woman's 
handbag,  a  revolver  baked  in  a  loaf  of  bread, 
or  hacksaw  blades  concealed  in  a  cake  of  soap. 


^^p,-X  ROSY  CHEEKS 
•iOXi  HAVE" 


CURVES  OF  COLOR 

'  I  "*HE  most  expert  human  eye  can  distinguish 
-'•  about  100,000  different  colors,  but  that's 
practically  color-blindness  compared  to  the 
2,000,000  that  the  G-E  color  analyzer  can  de- 
tect. The  color  analyzer  can  even  measure  your 
lady  friend's  blush,  prf)vided  she  holds  it  for 


two  and  a  half  minutes,  and  then,  it  will 
record  it  on  paper  for  future  reference! 

The  recording  photoelectric  spectrophotom- 
eter (that's  the  color  analyzer's  name)  is 
only  one  of  the  things  you  can  see  in  action 
in  one  of  G.E's  newest  movies,  "Curves  of 
Color."  This  film,  in  full  color,  gives  a  10- 
minute  story  of  the  world  of  color,  telling  why 
accurate  color  recognition  is  of  such  great 
importance  to  man  and  industry. 

"Curves  of  Color"  (i6mm,  sound)  is  purely 
educational  and  will  gladly  be  lent  to  organized 
groups  without  any  charge  but  the  transporta- 
tion costs.  If  you  would  like  to  show  it  at  one 
of  your  dinners  or  club  gatherings,  just  drop 
a  line  to  Campus  News,  Dept.  j;  i  S-6,  General 
Electric  Company,  Schenectady,  N.  Y. 


/ir-^-fV^tX  WANT  TO  COOK?. 


X, 


»? 


""""'•S'S-. 


*^.»> 


HOT  DOGS  AND  COiD  DIPS 

THE  strip  mine  of  the  Truax-Traer  Coal 
Company  in  Fiatt,  Illinois,  hasn't  actually 
been  invaded  by  picnickers  (yet)  who  want 
to  cook  hot  dogs  in  the  dipper  of  the  big,  30- 
)ard  stripping  shovel  there,  but  it's  an  idea! 
Hot  plates  have  been  installed  in  the  dipper, 
and  Calrod  heating  elements  have  been  put 
in  the  dipper  handle. 

The  purpose  of  these  heaters  is  not,  how- 
ever, to  provide  an  extra  service  for  possible 
picnickers,  but  to  keep  mud  from  freezing 
to  the  sides  and  bottom  of  the  dipper.  This 
used  to  reduce  payload  50  per  cent  or  more, 
and  bonfires  and  a  shutdown  of  30  minutes 
to  an  hour  were  necessary  to  thaw  out  the 
frozen  mass. 


GENERAL  m  ELECTRIC 


24 


THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


i 


I 


/,  /',      J/INI51942 
I  ^ 

January 
1942 

fhtUHHAHUJt  iHt 

*JUN2  6i942 

UNlVhHSliy  Of  iLLINO/S 
Reinforced  Concrete 

Optical  Highlights 

Names  in  the  News 

New  Car  Springing 


t^lCffSitinocracked 

il^-^  1942 


DE^'i.  AaCriliae^JHE 


I^eft :  Maiiiiniith  ((increte  spillways 
of  ISoulder  Dam  are  desigiifd  with 
aid  of  Concrete  KeseaiTh  at   Illinois. 


hed    1885 


Member  E.C.M.A. 


Once  there  was  a  jitterbug 
that  weighed  800  tons! 

How  Westinghouse  Engineers  Made  Vi- 
brating Turbine  Generators  Calm  Down 


fEP-HEE.' 


WHEN  the  two-pole  turbine  gener- 
ator came  along,  it  was  hailed  as 
a  great  thing.  And  it  was.  It  delivered 
enormous  amounts  of  amps  and  volts, 
did  a  titanic  electrical  job.  But .  .  . 

Its  rotor  vibrated  and  endangered  the 
alignment  of  the  bearings,  collector  rings, 
and  brushes.  Its  stator  vibrated  and 
made  the  foundations  tremble.  And,  to 
make  bad  things  worse,  the  vibrations 
were  different  from  those  found  in  the 
four-pole  1800-rpm  machines — and  they 
couldn't  be  eliminated  by  the  usual  bal- 
ancing methods.  Engineers  had  a  tough 
problem  on  their  hands. 

►  Westinghouse  engineers  studied  the 
rotor  and  found  that  it  was  acting  like  a 
two-by-four  piece  of  wood.  A  two-by- 
four  sags  more  lying  flat  than  lying  on 
its  edge.  It  was  the  same  with  the  long, 
slender,  two-pole  rotor.  It  sagged  more 
lying  one  way  than  another. 


ED    HECE- 


This  wag  why:  Along  two  sides  of  the 
rotor,  deep  lengthwise  slots  were  cut  for 
the  field  windings.  Naturally,  the  rotor 
had  more  give  on  the  slotted  sides  than 
the  solid  sides.  So,  as  the  rotor  turned, 
the  give  in  the  slotted  sides  made  the 
downward  force  on  the  rotor  supports 
change  twice  each  revolution.  The  result: 
the  rotor  made  the  machine  vibrate  120 
cycles  a  second. 

►  What  to  do? 

Dummy  slots  in  the  solid  sections  of 
the  rotor  would  have  equalized  its  rigid- 


ity. But  Westinghouse  engineers  did 
something  better.  They  cut  several 
grooves  across  the  solid  sections.  These 
grooves  made  the  rotor's  rigidity  equal 
on  all  sides,  without  disturbing  the 
magnetic  flux.  The  turbine  generator 
worked  at  top  efficiency,  the  vibration 
at  the  supports  was  reduced  88%,  the 
rings,  brushes,  and  collector  rings  didn't 
take  such  a  shaking-up. 


VJl-^e   IN  THE     / 
GfeOOVE     JOE.  ■ 


►  That  took  care  of  the  rotor.  But  West- 
inghouse engineers  also  had  to  figure  out 
what  to  do  about  the  stator  vibration. 

Massive  as  it  is,  the  stator  was  being 
pulled  out  of  shape,  first  on  top  and 
bottom,  then  on  the  two  sides.  The 
400,000-pound  magnetic  force  of  the 
two-pole  rotor  was  doing  the  pulling  as 
it  turned. 

►  Of  course,  the  change  in  the  stator's 
shape  was  too  minute  to  be  seen.  But  it 
could  certainly  be  heard.  For  this  change 
in  shape  was  transmitted  to  the  stator 
foundation  as  a  120  cycle  vibration. 
From  the  foundation  this  vibration 
travels  to  floor  and  walls,  making  them 
hum. 

To  put  a  stop  to  it,  Westinghouse  en- 
gineers developed  a  special,  flexible 
mounting  for  the  stator.  It  is  as  though 
the  stator  were  supported  on  two  sets  of 
links.  One  set  goes  along  with  the  stator 
when  it  vibrates  horizontally,  but  doesn't 
budge  when  the  stator  vibrates  vertically. 


The  other  set  goes  along  with  vertical 
but  not  with  horizontal  vibrations. 

►  The  effect  of  this  ingenious  arrange- 
men  is  that  there  is  no  motion  at  all 
where  the  links  are  attached  to  the  stator 
foundation!  The  vibration  at  the  sup- 
ports is  reduced  by  75%,  the  noise  low- 
ered to  less  than  ordinary  power  station 
noise  kvels! 

The  job  was  done.  Stator  vibration 
was  absorbed.  Rotor  vibration  was 
calmed  down.  Westinghouse  engineers 
had  3600-rpm,  two-pole  turbine  gene- 
rators pouring  out  great  electric  power, 
and  making  no  more  vibration  than 
machines  running  at  half  their  speed. 


f<^.A•^      ^   \ 


P-  The  electrical  industry  was  through 
with  that  vibration  trouble  for  good. 


This  is  a  typical  Westinghouse  story.  It's 
typical  because  it's  a  story  about  en- 
gineers. 

►  There  are  3500  engineers  in  Westing- 
house. They're  in  all  branches  of  the 
business  .  .  .  management,  research, 
sales,  design,  service,  testing.  They  shape 
the  company's  attitude  toward  its  work. 

Engineering  is  the  heart  of  our  busi- 
ness. Engineers  create  our  products. 
Engineers  solve  our  problems.  Engineers 
determine  our  success. 


Westinghouse 

"An  Engineer's  Company,"  Westinghouse  Electric  &  Manufacturing  Co.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 


u.iivt«Kry 


JANUARY  *  1942 


This  Issue  ... 

Investigations  in  Reinforced  Concrete 7 

IJy    Williain   G.   Murphy 

Optical  Highlights 10 

IJj   Kobert  K.  McCleary  and  Sheldon  J.  I^eavitt 

Names  in  the  News  12 

By  William  li.  Srhinitz 

Sky  Hooks  or  New  Springing 14 

By   Kobeit    K.   McCleaiy 

Technocracked IS 

By    i:(hvaid    C.    Tudor 


THE   TECHNOCRAPH 


Staff  .  . . 

I  )onalii    K.   Stevens Editor 

Robert   D.   Cote Office  Manager 

Melvin    Hiirwitz Editorial    Assistant 

MAKE-UP    AND    ART 

Sheldon  J.   Leavitt Assistant   Editor 

James     Austin Photographer 

Norman  Pintchuk.  Sydney  Wood.  Edward  Habicht, 

John    Graper Editorial    Assistants 

EDITORIAL   DEPARTMENT 

Robert  E.  McCIeary Assistant  Editor 

William    G.    Murphy.    Hayward    L,   Talley,    William 

R.  Schmitz,  August  Uttich Editorial  Assistants 

Richarii   \V.   La;iilnn Business  Altuui'/cr 

Jay  ( lossett Advertising  Assistant 

John  Morris Subscription   Manager 

Eugene  Wallace.  John  Graper,  Warren  Howard 

Subscription    Assistants 

William    Beich Circulation  Manager 

Ale  i    Green Circulation    Assistant 

Henry  P.  Evans  Faculty  Adviser 


MEMBER  OF  EXGIXEERIXG  COLLEGE  MAGAZINES 
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Published   Kisht   Times    Yearly   by   the   Students   of   the 
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No  GUNS  tvithout  GAGES 


Parts  for  guns  and  gun  mounts  are  made 
in  different  factory  departments,  often  in 
different  factories.  Without  thousands  of 
gages  of  all  kinds,  it  would  be  impossible 
to  control  manufacturing  operations  so 
the  finished  parts  fit  when  they  come 
together. 

Greenfield  Tap  and  Die  Corporation 
is  one  of  the  largest  and  oldest  gage  man- 
ufacturers in  the  country. 

GREENFIELD  TAP  AND  DIE  CORPORATION 

GREENFIELD,   MASSACHUSETTS 


tf^GREENFIELD 


TAPS    ■    DIES    •    G«GES    ■    TWIST  DRILLS    ■    REAMERS    .    SCREW  PLATES    •    PIPE  TOOLS 


Making  Hell-Buggies  in  a  hurry! 


It's  the  first  tanks,  bombers 
and  guns  that  make  the  head- 
lines. But  it's  their  steady 
day  to  day  production  that 
really  counts.  And  it's  keep- 
ing machine  tools  operating  at 
top  efficiency  that  makes  this 
possible.  This  calls  for  the 
regular  grinding  and  condition- 
ing of  every  tool  and  die... a 
task  that  is  done  in  the  tool 
rooms  of  industry,  where 
Carborundum-made  grinding 
wheels  are  doing  one  of  their 
most  important  defense  jobs. 


Thousands  of  vital  parts  are  be- 
ing turned  out  by  the  reamers, 
milling  cutters,  broaches,  hobs, 
drills,  taps  and  dies  that 
Carborundum-made  tool-room 
wheels  help  keep  at  work  on  the 
production  lines.  Carborundum 
Brand  Diamond  Wheels  are  speed- 
ing the  grinding  of  cemented 
carbide  tools,  and  special 
Aloxite  Brand  ''AA"  and  other 
types  of  cool-cutting  wheels 
are  grinding  tools  of  steel. 


As  Engineers  in  Industry  you  will 
find  that  our  outstanding  research, 
manufacturing  and  engineering  facil- 
ities enable  us  to  render  a  real 
service  on  tool-room  grinding,  or 
any  other  job  that  calls  for  grind- 
ing wheels  or  coated  abrasives.  The 
Carborundum  Co.,  Niagara  Falls,  N.Y. 


('nrliurundum  iinil  Aloxite  Hn-  rvKi>tere(t  trudc  niurka  ol 
and  indicate  niunufacture  by  The  Carburundum  Company. 


CARBORUNDUIA 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


i 


The  Dozerpod  Might  Have 

Served  Adam 

but  .  .  . 


.  .  Mechanized    Equipment    Does   It    for   Uncle    Sam 

Back  of  beyond  where  defense  begins,  bulldozers  and  powerful 
tractors  are  car\  ing  out  roads  and  supply  lines  where  such 
were  never  dreamed  of  before.  And  in  these  hard-working 
machines  are  quantities  of  tough  New  Departure  ball  bearings, 
forged  of  the  finest  steel  for  high  capacity  and  long  life  in 
their  vital  jobs. 

New  Departure,  Division  General  Motors  Corp.,  Bristol.  Conn. 

New  VepanXUne 

BALL    BEARINGS    /     FOR     DEFENSE 


JANUARY,  1942 


'Symbol  of  Illinois  Research  .  .  ." 

TAI.BOT   LABORATORY    CRANE    RAY 


Outstanding  Research 


.    undet  the  Orange  and  Blue 

By  William  G.  Murphy 
Junior   in    C'ivil   Engineering 


lilt  [  nivtrsity  of  lUinrjis  is  one  of  the  htst  scliooh  in 
the  country  today,  yet  her  reputation  isn't  spread  far  and 
icide  by  her  graduates  as  is  the  reputation  of  M.I.T.  and 
(Jal,  Teeh.  One  reason  for  this  is  the  iijnoranee  of  students 
of  the  haeki/round  of  historic  iiork  iihich  has  made  Illinois 
the  oulstandiiiy  university  of  its  kind  in   the  norlil. 

THE  TECllSOGRAPll  nil/  attempt  in  a  scries  of 
articles  to  outline  ivhat  has  gone  toward  making  this  the 
best  school  in  the  country.  Me  hope  that  this  series  ivill 
be  a  step  toicard  the  rallying  of  the  student  body  around 
the  colors  of  Illinois  to  give  her  the  credit  she  deserves  for 
developing  the  men  nho  become  leaders  of  our  country. 


Test  Frames   Under  Sustained  Loading 


Investigations  in   Reinforced  Concrete— 1903-41 


Since  1Q(I3,  when  the  Engineering  Experiment  Station 
was  estabh'shed  by  the  Board  of  Trustees,  a  large  percent 
of  the  investigations  in  the  field  of  concrete  has  been  done 
at  the  laboratories  of  the  University  of  Illinois.  Much  of 
this  experimentation  has  been  directed  by  Prof.  A.  N.  Tal- 
bot, whose  work  was  given  impetus  by  the  organization  of 
ASCE,  ASTM,  AREA,  and  other  societies  to  promote 
investigation    in    concrete. 

Consequenth ,  Talbot  conducted  a  series  of  tests  on 
reinforced  concrete  which  were  published  in  Bulletin  No.  1 
of  the  Engineering  Experiment  Station.  The  years  1904-09 
saw  a  series  of  tests  on  reinforced  concrete  columns,  foot- 
ings and  culvert  pipe.  The  findings  of  Prof.  Talbot  and 
his  assistants  were  reported  in  bulletins  published  by  the 
newly  founded  experiment  station. 

With  these  early  developments  in  testing  as  a  basis,  the 
department  expanded,  with  the  men  conducting  individual 
investigations  as  well  as  cooperative  work.  Assisting  Dr. 
Talbot  at  this  time  were  W.  A.  Slater  and  D.  A.  Abrams. 
Abrams  conducted  an  elaborate  series  of  tests  on  bo[id  hi 
the  years   19().S   to   1912. 

Prof.  Talbot,  Slater,  Abrams,  and  others  made  a  series 
of  tests  on  the  use  of  concrete  in  building  structures  in 
1910-11.  These  tests  were  made  by  selecting  large  concrete 
buildings  in  the  larger  cities,  placing  loads  on  a  certain 
floor,  and  measuring  the  effects  such  as  the  deflection  on 
the  floor  and  deformations  of  the  materials  composing  the 
floor. 

These  early  experiments  led  to  the  development  of  the 
strain  gage  by  which  the  stretch  or  shortening  of  material 
under  a  strain  can  be  measured.  This  instrument  is  accur- 
ate to  one  millionth  of  an  inch. 

The  results  of  these  early  tests  were  included  in  the 
report  of  the  joint  committee  in  1917.  The  findings  led 
to  a  second  committee  to  continue  in  the  study  of  the  prop- 
erties of  reinforced  concrete,  which  reported  in   1924. 

The  investigations  were  showing  their  effect  in  the  im- 
provements in  the  design  of  buildings  by  this  time,  and  the 

Frontlspieee — left — The  :i,(10().()(l()  pound  ti)rce  of  the  largest   festiiiv 
forced    eonerete    investigations    reported    aliove. 

JANUARY.  1942 


tests  were  continued  with  a  series  on  the  failure  of  concrete 
beams.  The  department  attacked  this  problem  by  designing 
their  beams  to  fail  for  dififerent  reasons;  namely,  shear, 
steel  failure,  bond  failure,  or  concrete  crushing.  For  their 
findings,  they  attempted  to  improve  the  design  of  reinforced 
concrete  beams  and  columns. 

Next,  Talbot  and  Richart  made  investigations  in  the 
field  on  plain  concrete  and  developed  the  cement-space  ratio 
method  of  determining  the  strength  of  concrete.  Their 
theory  of  proportioning  is  not  greatly  publicized,  but  it  is 
used  in  this  state  by  the  highway  department.  When  D.  A. 
Abrams  left  Illinois,  he  began  a  series  of  experiments  for 
the  Portland  Cement  Association,  and  he  developed  his 
water-cement  ratio  theory.  Since  the  PCA  freely  distrib- 
uted the  bulletin  containing  his  findings,  Abrams'  theory  is 
more  widely  used.  The  Talbot  and  Richart  theory  has 
certain  definite  advantages  in  determining  the  qviantities  of 
materials  to  be  used,  however. 

The  development  of  a  new  formula  for  the  design  of 
columns  was  the  next  project  of  the  Department  of  Theo- 
retical and  Applied  Mechanics.  They  tested  approximately 
300  columns  ranging  from  8"x5'  to  32"x20',  using  a  com- 
pressive force  of  nearly  3,000,000  lbs.  in  the  latter.  Again 
they  succeeded  and  a  new  formula  was  developed.  About 
this  time  the  stress  due  to  the  shrinkage  and  plastic  flow 
of  concrete  in  the  reinforcement  caused  .some  concern,  but  it 
was  proven  to  be  of  no  effect  on  the  load  carr\ing  capacity 
of  the  columns. 

The  new  column  formula  was  reported  h\  the  third 
joint  committee  of  ASTM,  ASCE,  ACAE,  and  AIRE  in 
1940.  The  American  Concrete  Institute  has  included  the 
formula  in  their  publication  of  Building  Regulations  for 
Reinforced  Concrete  with  an  attempt  to  get  the  formula 
used   extensively  in   building  throughout   the  countr\ . 

Tests  to  determine  the  shrinkage  of  various  kinds  of 
cement,  and  tests  to  determine  how  the  properties  of  con- 
crete are  affected  by  the  speed  of  casting  were  performed 
next. 

niaelilne   in   Talhol    l.alioralor.v   Crane    I5a,v   «as  used   in   the  rein- 


Lfit:  Sialic  and  almliiMiilN  ha\('  liccii 
tested  e\leiisivelv  in  recent  years.  Noliee 
the  '.MI.(Mlll-lh.  dynamometer  and  jaek  lur 
liiadim;. 

Beliiw:  Column  tests  are  l)asie  in  ma- 
terial, and  stress-strain  relationships  were 
earrled    into    structure    studies. 


Ill  1933,  Plot.  Richait  startfil  a  scries  of  tests  on  coin- 
binatioiis  of  timber  and  concrete  in  a  beam  or  slab.  In 
such  members  the  lower  part  of  the  beam  is  timber,  the 
upper  part  concrete.  A  dozen  states  now  have  bridges 
using  this  method  of  construction  because  it  combines  the 
lesser  expense  of  the  timber  with  the  advantages  of  rein- 
forced concrete.  Some  of  these  advantages  are:  the  smooth 
surface  freedom  from  moisture  rotting,  partial  fireproofing 
and  water  proofing.  This  combination  of  timber  and  rein- 
forced concrete  has  been  used  for  the  construction  of  wharfs, 
heav>'  duty  floors,  and  airport  runways,  as  well  as  highway 
bridges. 

The  biggest  investigation  in  recent  years  is  the  study  of 
concrete  bridge  floors  which  is  sponsored  by  the  State  High- 
way Department  on  typical  examples  from  which  a  general 
conclusion  is  reached  to  apply  to  all  cases.  In  the  first 
tests,  rectangular  slabs  with  concentrated  loads  and  vari- 
ous conditions  of  strengtii  and  support  were  used.  Next, 
models  of  solid  concrete  slabs  resting  on  abutments  not  more 
than  30  feet  apart  were  tested,  then  tests  were  made  on 
models  of  slab  and  stringer  bridges  of  aroinid  60  foot 
spans.  These  consisted  of  five  parallel  stringer  beams  of 
steel  with  the  concrete  floor  on  top.  This  type  of  structure 
is  economical  in  the  field,  since  the  I-beams  make  it  possible 
to  do  away  with  the  falsework  necessary  in  pouring  the 
concrete.  Finally  the  tests  were  applied  to  skew  slabs 
which  have  been  developed  to  eliminate  the  bending  of  a 
road  to  cro.ss  a  stream  at  right  angles.  Now  the  bridge  is 
designed  with  a  skew  slab  to  allow  for  this  curve. 

The  most  important  part  of  this  investigation  is  in  tlie 
mathematical  formulas  which  must  be  developed  to  make 
computations  for  designs.  These  computations  provide  a 
valuable  check  on  the  analysis.  Dr.  W.  N.  Newmark  and 
Dr.  V.  P.  Jensen  are  at  work  on  this  phase  of  the  investi- 
gations which,  according  to  Prof.  Richart,  is  the  most  diffi- 
cult part  of  the  work. 

No  account  of  the  concrete  work  at  Illinois  would  be 
complete  without  an  outline  of  Prof.  W.  M.  Wilson's 
work  on  reinforced  concrete  bridges.  He  started  about  20 
years  ago  with  a  single  sp;ui  arch  bridge  having  interaction 


between  the  arches  and  the  columns  supporting  the  road- 
way. From  here  he  started  on  more  elaborate  tests  on 
three-span  arch  bridges,  with  the  arch  supports  mounted  on 
platform  scales  which  enabled  him  to  measure  the  vertical 
reaction,  the  horizontal  thrust,  and  the  bending  moment 
due  to  any  loads  which  he  wanted  to  apply  to  his  structure. 
There  is  a  model  of  this  experiment  in  Engineering  Hall 
on  the  second   Hooi'. 

Profs.  Wilson  and  Richart  ha\e  made  experiments  with 
the  rigid  frame  type  of  bridge  also  in  the  last  few  years, 
and  such  .structures  are  now  in  general  use  throughout  the 
country,  for  grade  separations,  especially.  They  provide  an 
economical  means  of  separating  the  grades,  permitting  more 
cleaiance  with  less  depth  of  the  fill. 

It  would  seem  as  if  the  research  men  at  Illinois  had 
covered  every  possible  angle  to  the  use  of  reinforced  con- 
crete, but  instead  they  keep  right  on  making  investigations 
hoping  to  find  something  new,  or  if  the\'  can't  find  any- 
thing new  they  attempt  to  pro\e  or  disprcne  more  conclu- 
sively the  findings  of  previous  tests.  All  of  the  men  are 
active  in  national  concrete  organizations  and  they  are  the 
leaders  of  their  organizations  because  they  take  such  an  active 
interest  in  their  work.  Many  have  gained  world  recogni- 
tion as  experts  in  their  field. 

In  addition  to  the  research  work,  much  time  and  effort 
is  spent  in  the  development  of  test  books  which  present  the 
material  to  the  undergraduates.  The  combined  progress  of 
research  and  teaching  go  hand  in  hand  to  give  the  under- 
graduates the  greatest  possible  opportunities. 


8 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


How  can  a  throat  microphone 
help  win  battles? 


Two  microphones  fit  against  the  sides 
of  his  Adam's  apple.  He  doesn't  hare 
to  hold  this"mike"—  his  hands  are  free. 


This  throat  microphone  is  something 
new — made  by  Western  Electric  for 
the  nation's  air  forces. 

It  picks  up  the  vibrations  from  the 
flyer's  vocal  cords.  Motor  roar  and 
machine-gun  chatter  don't  get  in  to 
drown  out  his  radio  message.  And 
the  battle's  outcome  may  depend  on 
that  message  getting  through. 


This  important  device  was  devel- 
oped by  Bell  Telephone  Laborato- 
ries, pioneers  in  the  field  of  aviation 
radio,  and  was  made  in  the  same 
workshop  as  your  Bell  Telephone. 

It  is  among  the  many  benefits 
which  have  grown  out  of  Western 
Electric's  long  experience  as  manu- 
facturer for  the  Bell  System. 


Western  Electric 


. ,  .is  back  of  your 
Bell  Telephone  service 


JANUARY,  1942 


Alxivf.  Hotatins  (•oncave  i;iiii(liii^  <  ii|)  ;;iiiuU 
hiiUlci-  ti)  unbplievalile  accuracy.  I.iiiiils  of 
uncoininon;    some    defense   leuuiieiiients   are 


ind  polishes  lens  seen  on 
((.(MKMlO.'iH  inches  are  not 
nioi-e    severe. 


All  Cut.s  Courtosy   of  Bau.sch  and   Lomb  Optical  Co. 


Optical  I- 


By  Robert  E.  Mc(  -c 

The  process  of  converting  silica  s  q 
lor  aerial  cameras,  homh  sights,  rangi  r^ 
painstaking  researach  and  tedious  effii  (m 
which  locate  heisht  and  ran«e  of  a  -m 
several  tons  and  must  lie  ti4;htly  sea  | 
land   and  sea   warfare. 

Kanse  finder  tiihes  contain  lenst  u 
It  constitutes  one  side  and  measures  n 
whose  apex  is  the  aircraft  aliove.  .\ul  « 
of  the  other  two  sides  and  thereby  del  ■ 

V.   S.   ranse   finders   are   the    world  ki 
a  close  third.     So  intricate  and   variei  n 
single   article   can    he   called    "The    Nati  i| 
the   country's   products,    properl.\    utilii 
praise    must    be    allocated    to    the    dal 
ingenuity   in   providins;   our  country  vi\ 


.\bove.     Fi-ess   which    forms    many    op- 
tical parts  to  approximate  size. 


IJelow.      These 
shippiiift- 


•iris  check  and  record  rigidly  tested  binoculars   prior  to 


ISelow.      Contour   maps   may 
of  .Multiplex  .\erial  Alappinj 
graphs    throw    terrain    in   t 
green   glasses. 


ghlights 


Sheldon  J.  Leavitt 

precisiim  Dptical  insliiimcnts  if(|iiirecl 
il  hiiiiKulars  is  a  difficiilt  task.  Miuh 
he  piodiictioii  of  inixlern  ransje  finders 
ivaicraft.-  Many  laiiue  finders  weisli 
J)    to    Hitlistand    tlie    rigors    of    modern 

■nd.  perpendiiular  to  tlie  tube's  axis, 
iacent  an;;les  in  the  triangle  of  si};lit 
lometrie  calculators  sunpl>  the  lengths 
hip's  heisht. 

man  equipment  is  second,  and  British 
nponents  of  National  Defense  that  no 
Product."  It  is  the  augregate  of  all 
I  help  save  democrac.v.  Vet  adequate 
al  industries  for  resourcefulness  and 
al   articles. 


.VIjiA  c.      Tile    hroken    pots    .\icl(l    lliise    ice  liUc    rr.\stiils.      Iii^polor    finds 
only  40%  acceptable  for  optical  purposes. 


See  .\l.so   November   1',I41    Teehiioaraph — "Now   Kyes   for   Defense" 


.\bove.  Motorized  truck  whose  tongs 
are  removing  a  white  hot  pot  of  li(|uid 
glass   from  the   furnace. 


accurate    fire   control    l).\    use 

Pro.jected  stereostopic   photo- 

len    viewed    tlirough    red    and 


Below,     (lose   up  of  a   range   finder  tube.     Some  types  weigh  up   to   two 
tons;    a    roller   hearing   cradle   permits   its   turning   by   one   man. 


NAMES 


/;/  the  news 


By  William   R.  Schmitz 
Freshman  in   (.' hcmical  I'^ngiiicerinti 

BILL  BLOOD 

Acti\ity  mail  Hill  Blood  is  president  of  Caission  Club, 
member  of  Scabbard  and  Blade,  Plateau  and  Drum,  Blue 
Pencil,  A.S,ALK.,  Cadet  Captain  of  Field  Artiller\-,  on  the 
military  and  athletic  councils,  senior  wrestling  manager,  and 
has  worked  with  Illio  and  in  Men's  League.  He  is  also 
president  of   Skull    House. 

One  of  his  main  hobbies  is  horseback  riding,  being  the 
general  manager  of  the  recent  Horse  Show  put  on  by  the 
Caission  and  Cavalry  Clubs.  He  especialh  likes  to  partici- 
pate in  intra-mural  sports,  including:  Wrestling,  football, 
basketball,  swimming,  tobogganing,  skiing,  and  boat  riding. 

Since  Bill  is  senior  wrestling  manager  he  has  had  a 
chance  to  visit  other  of  the  Big  Ten  schools,  and  doesn't 
think  that  they  can  compare  with  Illinois.  Bill  does  a  lot 
of  dating  and  thinks  that  the  girls  here  are  a  better  class, 
both  in  looks  and  personality,  than  the  girls  on  the  other 
campuses.  The  spirit  here  is  very  good,  and  Bill  says  that 
he  wouldn't  e\er  want  to  go  to  any  other  school.  Dances 
and   picnics   have   a   particular   fascination. 

Although  Bill  is  in  the  Field  Artiller\,  he  would  like 
to  transfer  to  the  groimd  work  of  the  air  corps  when 
he  enters  the  army,  which  will  likely  be  this  spring.  When 
he  comes  back  from  the  army,  he  would  like  to  get  into 
either  sales  or  promotion  work,  especially  the  production. 
Bill  has  particvdarly  liked  refrigeration,  and  has  a  3.S  aver- 
age in  mechanical  engineering. 

MATTHEW  FINN 

Matthew  Finn  is  the  industrious  business  manager  of 
the  Illio.  Matt,  as  he  is  better  known  to  all  his  friends, 
is  aLso  a  member  of  A.S.M.E.,  Ma-Wan-Da,  and  vice- 
president  of  his  house,   Sigma  Chi. 

Working  on  the  Illio  as  business  manager  takes  most  of 
Matt's  time.  He  finds  that  it  requires  almost  all  of  his 
free  time  in  the  afternoons.  It  was  through  the  Illio  that 
he  received  the  honor  of  being  elected  to  Man-Wan-Da. 
He  finds  that  the  Illio  is  not  only  interesting  work,  but  it 
also  helps  his  personality.  Matt  believes  that  the  business 
education  he  receives  combined  with  his  engineering  will 
be  very  \aliiable  to  him  later  in  life. 


Matt  ge[ierally  spends  his  spare  time  catching  up  on 
some  extra  sleep  or  participating  in  some  sport.  He  partic- 
ularly likes  basketball,  \olle\-  ball,  touch  football,  and  ping 
pong.  He  says  that  the  wa\  to  be  able  to  get  in  activities 
and  school  work  at  the  same  time  is  to  co-ordinate  your 
schedule  so  that  you  have  time  available  when  your  activity 
requires  it.  If  a  person  is  going  to  go  through  college  he 
should  be  sure  and  get  into  .some  extra-curricular  activity. 
Matt   knows   that   it   has   sure   helped   him. 

Dark-haired,  slow-talking  Matt  bflic\cs  that  the  co-eds 
are  an  a\erage  group  of  girls,  particularly  likes  the  university 
dances  and  the  stag  jiarties. 


K\\ 


CHUCK 


BILL 


M.ATT 


RAY  DEVORKIN 

Ra\'  is  a  member  of  Tau  Beta  Pi,  Phi  Eta  Sigma, 
S.B.A.C.S.,  and  president  of  Keramos.  He  has  been  a 
member  of  a  championship  intramural  .softball  and  basket- 
ball team.  He  also  is  a  "pretty  good  bowler"  on  a  bowling 
team. 

Ray  said  that  he  was  too  bus\'  to  have  main  hobbies, 
but  he  guessed  that  playing  cards,  going  to  shows,  and, 
believe  it  or  not,  reading  Siifiennan  were  his  main  pastimes. 
He  says  that  he  really  spends  more  time  than  he  should 
playing  cards  with  his  roommate. 

Ray  lists  light  wa\es,  and  refractories  as  his  favorite 
subjects.  ]?eing  a  little  modest  about  his  grade  average, 
Ray  refused  to  commit  himself,  but  his  roommate  said  that 
it  was  plenty  high.  Ray  eventualh  hopes  to  become  a  head 
of  plant  production   in   Ceramic   luigineering. 

The  campus,  Ray  believes,  is  too  large.  However,  it  is 
still  the  nicest  campus  in  the  Big  Ten.  When  asked  about 
the  co-eds,  Ray  replied,  "I  ain't  talking,  but — .  M\  phil- 
osophy is:  Life  is  but  the  ephemeral  ecstacy  experienced 
within  the  ethereal  depths  of  effemeiiate  excursions."    Wow! 

CHARLES  SGHOTT 

A  niusicalU'  inclined  engineer  is  Charles  (i.  Schott. 
Charles,  better  known  to  his  friends  as  "Chuck"  or  "Buck,  " 
is  the  man  behind  the  scene  in  the  productions  of  the  Star 
Course.  As  senior  manager  of  the  Star  Course,  he  is  kept 
very  bus>'  and  generally  puts  in  about  16  to  20  hours  a 
week  on   the  job. 

Chuck  is  in  other  activities  besides  the  Star  Course.  He 
is  a  member  of  Tribe  of  Illiiii,  Dolphins,  Scabbard  and 
Blade,  Skull  and  Crescent,  Ma-Wan-Da,  and  is  a  Cadet 
Captain  in  the  Coast  Artillery.  He  has  also  been  a  member 
of  the  varsity  Water  Polo  team  and  the  track  team.  Chuck 
is  a  strong,  husk>-,  robust  fellow,  and  he  used  his  fine  phy- 
sique to  good  advantage  in  putting  the  shot. 

Chuck  also  has  quite  a  collection  of  hobbies.  One  of 
them  is  collecting  guns.  He  has  been  interested  in,  and  has 
(Please   See   Page   IS) 


12 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


LEADING  the  attack  on  the  production 
backlog  by  shaping  steel  and  build- 
ing it  into  ships,  tanks,  armored  trucks 
any  many  other  defense  items,  is  in- 
dustry's modern  production  tool  —  the 
Airco  Oxyacetylene  Flame.  It  slices  its 
way  through  steel  of  any  thickness  up 
to  30"  and  more,  cutting  it  to  the  de- 
sired contour  with  unrivalled  speed  and 
accuracy.  This  versatile  tool  flame  ma- 
chines metal  with  astonishing  speed; 
hardens  steel  to  any  desired  degree 
and  depth;  cleans  metal  surfaces  for 
quicker  and  longer  lasting  paint  jobs 
and  welds  metal  into  a  homogeneous 
lastingly  strong  structure. 

To  assure  the  maximum   efficiency 
from  this  modern  production  tool,  Airco 


has  developed  a  complete  line  of  ma- 
chines and  apparatus.  Airco  has  in- 
creased its  manufacturing  of  oxygen 
and  acetylene  and  distributing  facilities 
to  meet  the  accelerating  demand.  So 
that  the  Airco  Oxyacetylene  Flame 
may  be  used  most  efficiently  and  eco- 
nomically. Air  Reduction  offers  industry 
the  cooperation  of  a  staff  of  experi- 
enced engineers,  skilled  in  the  use  of 
this  modern  tool. 

An  interesting  booklet,  "Airco  in  the 
News",  tells  a  picture  of  this  Airco  pro- 
duction tool  and  the  numerous  ways  in 
which  it  is  aiding  the  defense  program. 
If  you  want  a  copy  write  to  the  Airco 
Public  Relations  Department,  Room 
1  656,  60  E.  42nd  St.,  New  Y'^rk,  N.  Y. 


REDUCTION 


^. 


'€//€/'</, 


/0/pc, 


v«-j.- 


ANYTniNG  AND  EVERYTHIIVO  FOR  GAS  \»EI.  ni; 


60  EAST  42nd  STREET,  NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 

/n  Texas: 

Magnolia-Airco  Gas  Products  Co. 

DrSTRICT    OFFICES    IN    PRINCIPAL    CITIES 

O  II    «■  I-  T  T  I  IV  «     X  ^'  n    .\  R  <■    W  E  I.  D  I  X  >r 


JANUARY,  1942 


13 


SKY  HOOKS  or  NEW  SPRINGING  * 


for  Your  Car  . 


By  Robert  E.  McCleary 

Junior  in  M cchiiiiiciil  EHi^inecritui 


As  far  back  as  1925,  an  excellent  le- 
view  on  springing  theory  was  published 
b\'  Prof.  James  J.  Cluest,  Institution  of 
Automobile  Engineers,  entitled  "The 
Main  Vibrations  of  an  Auto  Car."  It 
was  not  until  193S.  however,  that  the 
results  of  practical  applications  of  this 
theory  were  made  public.  About  that 
time,  independent  springing  was  first  in- 
troduced to  the  American  public  and 
studies  in  spring  rates  and  weight  dis- 
tribution were  being  religiously  pvir- 
sued.  Europe  has  long  used  various 
and  sundry  types  of  independent  wheel 
suspension,  all  American  types  being 
foreign  adaptations. 

The  three  main  factors  affecting  the 
riding  qualities  of  a  car  are: 

1.  Spring  rate  .  .  .  determines  the 
extent  of  shock  transmission  to  the  pas- 
senger and  of  direct  wheel  and  chassis 
motions  caused  by  irregularities  of  the 
road. 

2.  Shock  Absorption  .  .  .  provision  is 
necessary  to  diminish  succeeding  motion 
of  chassis  caused  by  energy  stored  in 
springs  due  to  road  irregularities. 

3.  Bod\'  Roll  .  .  .  must  be  compen- 
sated for  as  the  horizontal  forces  (cen- 
trifugal force)  acting  through  the  mass 
center  of  the  sprung  weight  cause  an 
outward  angular  rotation  of  the  body 
when  cornering. 

Consider  the  first  factor,  spring  rate 
(lb.  per  inch).  Softer  springs,  springs 
which  deflect  appreciably  with  small  ad- 
ditional loads,  have  lower  spring  rates 
and  are  being  used  wideh'  in  the  later 
cars.  However,  these  softer  springs 
have  definite  limitations.  They  tend  to 
cause  excessive  body  roll  in  cornering 
and  fail  to  return  the  wheel  to  the  road 
quickh  when  sharp  road  irregularities 
are  encountered  at  high  speeds.  This 
makes  for  insecure  steering  and  decreases 
stability.       Also,    soft    springs    tend     to 


"bottom"  easily  over  rough  roads  and, 
being  sensitive,  tend  to  lower  or  raise 
the  general  body  level  excessively  as  th'.- 
passenger  weight   varies. 

And  thus  it  is  that  we  consider  the 
second  factor,  shock  absorption,  or  spring 
damping.  To  date  no  complete  solution 
has  appeared  for  damping  of  wheel  and 
body  movements  resulting  from  stored 
energy  after  the  passing  over  of  road 
irregularities.  Adequate  shock  absorb 
ing  devices  must  be  free  of  viscous  dra;i 
and  unaffected  by  temperature  change, 
friction  and   inertia  effects. 

Consider  an  automobile  mo\ing  over 
an  irregular  road.  The  spring-mounted 
body  has  a  natural  frequency  of  its  own, 
and  often  resonates  to  the  reactions  of 
the  springs  as  irregularities  of  the  road 
are  encountered.  This  motion  ap- 
proaches simple  harmonic  motion  if,  and 
only  if,  the  spring  frequency  of  the  front 
wheels  is  nearly  that  of  the  back  wheels. 
Otherwise,  severe  pitching  results.  Most 
cars  of  today  have  the  mass  center  moved 
forward  to  nearly  the  midpoint  between 
the  front  and  rear  wheels,  thus  more 
evenly  distributing  the  body  weight  on 
the  wheels.  This  makes  possible  the  us'j 
of  springs  of  the  same  frequenc\'  on  both 
front  and  rear.  In  addition  to  the 
above-mentioned  movement,  there  is  the 
separate  and  distinct  movement  of  the 
wheels  which  follow  the  road  irregulari- 
ties. 

Now  with  this  picture  in  mind,  let 
us  consider  what  effects  a  damping  de- 
vice (whose  function  it  is  to  di.ssipate 
the  stored  energy  evenly  in  order  to  halt 
bouncing)  will  have  in  various  positions 
of  the  wheels  relative  to  the  body.  There 
are  four  major  cases  to  consider  in  the 
body-movement  cycle: 

1.  Damping  on  the  compression 
stroke     (wheel    mo\ing    upw.ird  )     with 


Air-Spring     H|)])lii'ali(iii     iiii     llie     (Dnl     rri>iit\vlii't'l     autoiniiliilc 
of   1!)37. 


body    moving    upward    tends    to    aggra- 
\  ate  the  movement. 

2.  Damping  on  compression  stroke 
when  the  body  iiio\es  downward  a  little 
later  in  the  cycle  is  desirable,  as  it  tends 
to  halt  body  displacement. 

3.  Damping  on  the  recoil  stroke 
( wheel  moving  downward  )  with  bod\' 
mo\ing  upward,  tends  to  minimize  bod\ 
motion  and  is  desirable. 

4.  Damping  on  the  recoil  stroke 
(wheel  moving  downward)  with  body 
moving  downward,  tends  to  increase 
body  motion  and  is  undesirable. 

Actually  the  work  cycle  of  an  ideal 
damping  device  approaches  that  of  the 
spring  itself,  which  might  suggest  that 
the  solution  lies  in  a  spring  construction 
with  inherent  damping  properties.  Re- 
member, that  with  true  aperiodic  damp- 
ing there  is  no  succeeding  cycle.  Thus 
there  is  no  frequency,  as  the  displace- 
ment from  roa(]  irregularities  is  limited 
to  one  cycle.  This  is  the  ideal  case  for 
which  spring  engineers  strive. 

We  now  come  to  body  roll,  the  third 
factor.  As  already  mentioned,  softer 
springs  with  lower  spring  rates,  (lbs. 
per  inch,  not  frequency  per  unit  of  time, 
which  is  known  as  the  frequency  value 
of  a  spring)  tend  to  ofYer  less  resistance 
to  the  angular  outward  rotation  of  the 
body  on  ciu'ves.  This  action  could  be 
eliminated  if  the  mass  center  of  the  car 
was  below  the  suspension  points.  De- 
signers have  long  tried  to  lower  this 
gravity  center,  but  without  complete 
success.  The  usual  method  of  controll- 
ing body  roll  has  been  to  affix  a  tor- 
sional membei'  between  front  or  rear 
wheels  or  both.  L  nfortunately,  such  a 
member  increases  the  spring  rate  and 
causes  the  loss  of  riding  comfort  gained 
by  decreasing  the  rate  in  all  cases  ex- 
cept when  the  actions  of  the  paired 
wheels  aie  in  the  same  direction  and 
equal  in  extent,  a  very  uncommon  thing 
in  actual  road  experience. 

There  are  some  other  factors  which 
give  present  day  spring  designers  bad 
headaches.  The  friction  of  spring  leaves, 
shackles  and  joints  present  a  bad  prob- 
lem in  relation  to  small  vibrations  trans- 
mitted by  wheels  mo\ing  over  such  sur- 
faces as  "washboard"  roads.  The  fric- 
tion of  a  spring  system  is  the  weight 
required  to  start  deflections  in  the  oppo- 
site direction  from  previous  spring 
movement.  This  weight  can  more 
clearly  be  thought  of  as  the  weight  that 
must  be  added  to  the  fender  above  a 
wheel  in  order  to  start  deflection  down- 
ward   when    the   car   is   idle    at   a    cvub. 


14 


THE  TECHNOGR.APH 


I  LUMP  OF  ZINC  ORE — unattractive,  insignificant,  common- 
place! 

But  with  the  light  of  science  shining  upon  it,  let  YOur 
imagination  visualize  the  reflections  which  emanate  from  it! 

In  defense:  on  land,  on  sea,  in  the  air.  Zinc  is  an  essential 
in  the  construction  of  ammunition/  armament,  battleships,  air- 
planes. In  industry.  Zinc  enters  vitally  into  the  construction  of 
engines,  tools  and  machinery.  In  agriculture.  Zinc  in  one  form 
or  another  protects  homes,  crops,  orchards,  animals.  In  ways 
almost  infinite  in  variety.  Zinc  is  used  to  effect  economy,  increase 
efficiency,  improve  safety,  augment  profits. 

It  pays  to  KNOW  about  Zinc.  If  is  essential  in  defense.  In 
the  period  of  America's  greatest  industrial  development.  Zinc 
has  rendered  indispensable  service;  it  is  reason- 
able to  expect  that  it  will  be  utilized  even  more 
extensively  in  the  greater  developments  yet 
to  come. 

An  interesting  mine-to-market  story  of  Zinc 
is  told  in  "The  Zinc  Industry,"  a  booklet  that  will 
be  sent  free  to  any  teacher  or  student  who  asks 
for  it  and  gives  the  name  of  the  school  with 
which  he  is  cormected. 

AMERICAN  ZINC  INSTITUTE 

/ncorporafed 

60  East  42d  St.,  New  York,  N.  Y. 


15 


This  friction  is  as  high  as  125  lbs.  per 
wheel  in  some  cars  and  as  low  as  80  lbs. 
in  other  cars.  Actually  this  means  that 
all  forces  from  road  irregularities  below 
125  lbs.  (or  SO  lbs.,  depending  on  the 
case)  are  transmitted  from  the  wheels 
directl.v  through  the  linkage  to  the  bod\ 
and  pa.ssengers. 

The  high  frequenc\'  of  the  tire  oscil- 
lations is  another  thing  with  which  to 
contend  in  spring  design.  Damping  of 
these  vibrations  further  complicates  the 
shock  absorbing  design. 

I  nsprung  weight  causes  trouble  no 
end  and  is  something  with  which  few 
la\nien  are  familiar.  AH  weight  not 
suspended  by  the  springs  is  unsprung 
weight.  This  includes  the  wheels,  tires, 
axles,  springs,  and  certain  parts  of  the 
linkage.  Such  unsprung  weight  is  dis- 
placed e\ery  time  a  road  irregularity  is 
encountered.  The  high  velocities  of  this 
displacement  under  abusive  driving  of 
today's  conditions  of  high  speeds  to- 
gether with  tile  sharp  reactions  from  the 
tire's  high  frequency  rates,  set  up  inertia 
forces  of  quite  an  unpredictable  nature 
and  frequency;  unpredictable  because  it 
depends  upon  the  speed  of  the  vehicle 
and  the  type  of  road  traversed,  both 
highl\'  varying  quantities. 

With  all  these  things  in  mind  the 
Firestone  Tire  and   Rubber  Co.  set  out 


several  years  ago  to  produce  a  suspen- 
sion member  with  inherent  damping, 
roll  resistant,  ami  varying  spring  rate 
characteristics   and    with    a   low    natural 


THE   PENIHI.l  .M    V.\LVK 

Hody  roll  ami  sliock  al>s()ri)ti()n  are  con- 
ti-Dlled  by  tliis  simple  valve.  The  penilu- 
luni  (."))  s«iiii;s  uutwardly  when  rounding 
turns  permitting  valve  disc  (li)  to  close 
inwardly,  thus  producing  tlie  higher  rate 
of  the  bellows  available  for  resisting  body 
roll.  Similar  action  prevents  nosing  down 
from  brake  applications.  Kecoil  control 
results  from  valve  (li)  viosing  downward- 
l.v,  thus  delaying  the  return  of  air  from 
the  reservoir  by  directing  the  flow  through 
the   restricted   part    Ci). 


frequency.  Their  answer  is  called  the 
'.■\ir-Spring'  and  consists  of  a  rubber- 
fabric  bellows,  intermediate  damping 
valve,  and  an  air  reservoir,  compressed 
air  being  the  shock  absorbing  medium. 
Variation  of  these  three  elements  (in 
size  or  design)  make  it  possible  to  adapt 
it  to  almost  every  type  of  passenger  au- 
tomobile. 

.An  air-spring  with  means  for  axle 
attaclunent  weighs  approximately  2  lbs. 
compared  with  from  10  to  55  lbs,  for 
steel  springs.  Thus  unsprung  weight 
is  greatly  reduced.  In  tests,  this  device 
withstood  8,000,000  2-inch  deformations 
uiuler  25' (  overload.  Road  tests  have 
been  equally  favorable  in  indicating  a 
tit-xing  life  appreciably  beyond  that  here- 
tofore demanded  for  suspensions. 

Another  spring  of  revolutionar\  na- 
ture has  been  designed  by  the  Goodrich 
Rubber  Co.  It  is  called  the  Torsilastic 
spring  and  consists  of  a  large  tubular 
rubber  bushing  which  is  bonded  to  a 
frame-fixed  tube  and  lower  control  arm 
shaft  of  a  transv'erse  suspension  link- 
age. Advantages  claimed  are  freedom 
from  lubrication,  rattles,  squeaks,  and 
less  transmi.ssion  of  road  noises.  It  is 
said   to  stiffen  up  as  speed  increases. 

All  in  all,  the  ride  engineer  will  be 
expected  to  do  great  things  for  our  fu- 
ture   riding  comfort. 


Luikin  Chrome  Clad  Steel 
Tapes  are  today's  out- 
standing value.  Jet  black 
markings  are  easy  to  read 
against  the  satin  chrome 
surface  that  won't  rust, 
crack,  chip  or  peel. 

WRITE  FOR  CATALOG 


NEW  YORK 

I06  La(.,>tl>  Si. 


THE /uF/ffit  Pule  pp. 

SAGINAW,  MICHIGAN 


WINDSOR,  ONT. 


TAPES -RULES -PRECISION   TOOLS 


IT'S  A  SELLER'S 

MARKET  FOR  USED 

BOOKS 

Bring  'em  in 
for  highest  prices 


University  Book 
Stores 

601  E.  DANIEL 
202  E.  MATHEWS 


16 


THE  TECHNOGR.4PH 


Here's  the  Glass  pump  that  couldn't  be  built . . . 


The  engineer  from  the  Chemical  Works 
had  one  of  his  usual  headaches. 

*^ We're  pumping  hot  corrosive  acids 
through  your  glass  pipe,  and  it  lasts  for 
years."  he  moaned,  "and  the  works  bogs 
down  because  the  pumps  can*t  take  it! 
Can't  you  people  build  a  glass  pump?" 

It  sounded  impossible.  Pump  makers  said 
it  couldn't  he  done.  Sucli  a  pump  required 
not  (tnly  highly  resistant  glass  but  also  in- 
tricate parts,  accurate  to  thousandths  of  an 


incli!  Even  Corning  had  doubts  but  decided 
to  tackle  the  problem. 

Pooling  its  ideas  with  Nash  Engineering 
Company's  knowledge  of  pumps.  Corning 
devised  new  methods  of  glass  manufacture, 
even  a  new  type  of  glass  for  certain  parts. 

And  today  chemital,  food  and  beverage 
plants,  and  other  industries  handling  cor- 
rosive solutions  have  a  glass  pump  that 
works  like  a  charm.  Resistant  to  corrosion, 
it  eliminates  a  cause  of  product  contami- 


The  Wash  Glass  Centrifugal  Pump  t  left —  crosn  sfciioti:  above 
— coupled  with  driving  motor,  glass  puiitp  parts  m  ha<kground) 
can  handle  up  to  6000  gal.  of  corrosive  acids  and  chemical  fluids 
per  hour  against  a  bS-ft,  head. 


nation  and  undesirable  chemical  reactions. 
Resistant  to  heat  shock,  it  may  be  cleaned 
with  hot  acids.  Transparent,  it  permits  con- 
stant visual  inspection  for  cleanliness, 
color,  sedimentation. 

In  the  same  way.  Corning  research  for 
three  quarters  of  a  century  has  licked  such 
glass  problems  as  the  bulb  for  Edison's  first 
lamp,  cooking  ware  for  housewives,  and 
tiny  glass  springs  for  chemical  equipment. 
And  in  these  days  of  metal-conservation. 
Corning  ability  has  reached  a  new  high  in 
usefulness  as  engineers  and  produc- 
tion men  use  glass  to  solve  their 
new  problems.  Industrial  Division. 
Corning  Glass  Works,  Corning,  N.  Y. 


c 


ORNING 


means 


Research  in  Glass 


JANUARY,  1942 


17 


TECHNOCRACKED... 


By  Edward  C.  Tudor 
Senior   hi    lUectrical    luif^huwrhii! 


Well,  well,  well, — To  coin  a  phrase,  here  «e  are  atjaiii, 
you  lucky  people.  We  missed  the  boat  the  first  couple  ot 
issues,  but  then  nobody  was  aware  of  our  absence  for  this 
page  was  in  other  hands,  so  for  spite  dear  readers  we're 
going  to  ruin  another  otherwise  good  issue.  The  circula- 
tion will  undoubtedly  drop  off,  but  so  what,  our  advertisers 
are  already  hooked. 

This  business  of  priorities  seems  to  have  the  country  in 
an  uproar.  Just  the  other  day  we  saw  where  the  C^l'M 
was  requisitioning  Marlene  Dietrich's  legs  to  popularize 
cotton  stockings. 

However,  we  know  of  one  lad  who  won't  be  bothered. 
Henry  Ford  has  just  announced  the  development  of  a  car 
with  a  plastic  body  made  from  vegetable  derivatives.  This 
verifies  a  long  standing  suspicion  of  ours  that  a  Ford  was 
part  automobile  and  part  succotash.  (Corny,  isn't  it?  But 
then  so's  the  auto.) 

We're  all  for  the  idea,  though.  But  we  hope  that  we 
don't  get  another  one  of  those  engines  made  out  of  the  iron 
extracted  from  mashed  potatoes. 

On  second  thought,  the  idea  isn't  so  novel.  It's  just  a 
case  of  reversing  the  process.  Mr.  Ford  has  been  making 
plenty  of  government   lettuce  out   of   automobiles. 

It  looks  as  though  we're  in  the  transition  period  between 
the  Age  of  Steel  and  the  Age  of  Salad. 

The  principal  ingredient  of  the  car  is  the  soy  bean. 
It  has  been  used  for  a  number  of  products  in  recent  years. 
This  just  goes  to  prove  that  any  ambitious  bean  can  get 
ahead. 

With  the  present  26  per  cent  cut  in  automobile  produc- 
tion it  looks  as  though  prices  on  this  year's  models  will  be 
marked   "OPM   Detroit." 

The  automobile  factory  has  bi'en  turned  into  an  arsenal. 
\Iaybe  this  season's  new  cars  will  have  such  names  as  the 
Blitzkreig  Eight  or  the  Blackout  Special. 

That  is,  provided  there  will  be  some  new  models  to 
name.  From  the  present  outlook  the  1942  Automobile 
Show  will  take  place  in  an  empty  phone  booth  under  a  "No 
Loitering"  sign.  .Maybe  there's  more  truth  than  poetry  to 
the  old  gag  where  the  customer  says  "I  would  like  to  see 
a  new  car,  "  and  the  salesman  replies  "So  would  I." 

The  unemployment  situation  will  undoubtedly  be  keener. 


since  we  know  of  one  contemporary  wag  who  says  that  ;it 
least  5(1  per  cent  of  American  labor  is  employed  in  the  busi- 
ness of  thinking  up  dashboard  gadgets. 

World  War  II  has  taken  on  a  new  aspect.  The  latest 
British  idea  for  increasing  the  dark  circles  luider  Der  Fuer- 
her's  opulent  optics  involves  a  new  unit  of  the  arm\  known 
as  the  Communicados. 

To  become  one  of  the  Communicados  a  man  has  to  be  a 
combination  of  Flash  (lordon.  Superman,  and  The  Green 
Hornet.  He  has  to  be  able  to  emulate  a  mountain  goat,  a 
ground  hog,  or  a  katydid  at  a  minute's  notice. 

These  lads  spend  their  evenings  roaming  over  the  coiui- 
tryside  of  Occupied  France  engaged  in  such  idyllic  pastimes 
as  strangling  German  sentries,  blowing  up  bridges,  and  scar- 
ing h— 1  out  of  the  whole  German  army.  It's  enough  to 
drive  the  (General  Staff  to  drink;  imagine  the  omnipresent 
fear  of  being  the  next  one  to  get  a  hotfoot  with  a  British 
hand  grenade. 

The  regulation  Comnuuiicado  uniform  is  pitch  black, 
and  to  carry  out  the  color  scheme  they  blacken  their  faces. 
Think  of  the  mortification  of  a  Shock  Trooper  who  has  been 
blitzkrieged  by  a  traveling  minstrel  show. 

The  most  effective  part  of  this  boogey-man  barrage  is 
the  extreme  silence  with  which  the  Communicados  can  get 
around.  All  of  which  brings  strongly  to  mind  the  thought 
that  one  stands  a  pretty  good  chance  of  becoming  .some- 
thing  more   than   a   reasonably  exact   facsimile  of   a   ghost. 

As  "Bugs"  Baer  puts  it:  "When  you  figure  what  hap- 
pened to  Norway,  France,  Greece,  Iran  and  points  smaller, 
you  can  see  a  small  country  has  its  choice  of  entertaining  a 
burglar  or  a  sneak  thief.  " 

Gag  of  the  Month  :  He — "Do  you  believe  in  life  after 
death?"  SHE — "No.  But  I  believe  in  life  before  death — 
let's  go!" 

Heard  at  the  last  dance;  "That's  a  nice  dress  you  almost 
have  on !" 


NAMES  IN  THE  NEWS (from  page  12) 

been  collecting  gims  since  he  was  about  ten  years  old.  He 
now  has  a  collection  that  he  values  at  $^0().  Among  his 
collection  are  two  German  pistols  that  are  of  particular  in- 
terest and  \alue.  He  has  started  the  other  boys  in  his 
house  collecting  guns,  and  they  are  always  trying  to  trade 
him  out  of  one  of  the  German  guns.  He  collects  a  few 
pipes  and  for  further  diversion  enjoys  aviation.  He  holds 
a  pilot's  license,   and   think>   that  aviation   is  a   lot  of   fun. 


i 


Kaptain  Klean  Says  — 

DO  YOU  MEN  F^EAD  THIS  PUBLICATION? 
DO  YOU  RE.AD  THE  .ADDS? 

If  so,  won't  you  cut  this  out  and  take  it  to  the  L.A.UNDRY  DEPOT,  SOS 
South  6th  street  and  we'll  give  you  a  pencil — if  you  want  to  keep  this  maga- 
zine intact  just  drop  in  and  ask  for  the  pencil  anyway  and  say  "K.AP  I 
READ  YOUR  ADD  IN  THE  TECHNOGR.APH ! 

WHITE   LINE   SERVICES 


PHONE 

4206 


18 


THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


When  the  war  is  over,  machinery 
of  all  kinds  will  be  closely  scrutinized  for  its 
ability  to  meet  the  changed  conditions. 
Thousands  of  machines  will  be  redesigned  to 
give  them  higher  speed,  greater  precision 
and  lower  operating  costs  in  order  that  their 
users  will  be  able  to  compete  at  a  profit. 

The  greatly  increased  use  of  Timken  Tapered 
Roller  Bearings  will  be  one  of  the  most  Im- 
portant factors  in  securing  these  results.  In 
many  machines — previously  only  partially 
Timken  Equipped — Timken  Bearing  advan- 
tages will  be  extended  to  every  rotating 
member.  Many  other  machines  will  be 
given  new  and  higher  standards  of  perform- 
ance through  the  use  of  Timken  Bearings 
for  the  first  time. 


When  you  have  gained  a  thorough  under- 
standing   of  Timken    Bearings   and   their 
application  you  will  be  able  to  solve  any 
bearing   problem  you   may  encounter 
and  get  100%  results.  Begin  to  acquire 
that  knowledge  now;  send  for  a  free 
copy  of  the  Timken  Reference  Manual. 

THE  TIMKEN  ROLLER  BEARING 
COMPANY,   CANTON,    OHIO 

TIMKEN 

TRADEMARK   REG     U     S.  PAT.  OFF. 

TAPfm  ROLLER  BEARIHBS 

Manufacturers  of  Timken  Tapered  Roller 
Bearings  for  autonnoblles,  motor  trucks, 
railroad  cars  and  locomotives  and  all 
kinds  of  industrial  machinery;  Timken 
Alloy  Steels  and  Carbon  and  Alloy  Seam- 
less Tubing;  and  Timken  Rock  Bits. 


(r'BCamfius  A/ews 


STEP  ON  TH£  GAS/ 

STEPPING  on  the  gas  to  produce  a  speed  increase  of 
six  teet  per  day  along  a  highway  wouldn't  break  an\ 
speed  laws.  But  six  feet  extra  per  day  mukes'  engineers 
hang  on  their  hats  when  the  traveling  is  through  solid 
rock.  And  that's  the  added  progress  being  made  by  the 
company  excavating  the  eastern  portal  of  the  new  i  v 
mile  Continental  Divide  tunnel  by  the  installation  ot  a 
new  ventilating  system  utilizing  G-E  motors  and  control. 

The  system  saves  20  minutes  in  the  time  between 
shooting  each  blast  in  the  tunnel  and  getting  back  to 
drilling  again.  Fans  spaced  along  the  tunnel  start  up 
immediately  after  the  blast,  suck  out  the  gas  and  smoke, 
and  then  reverse  and  blow  fresh  air  into  the  tunnel. 
The  fans  start  in  sequence,  with  an  interval  of  20  seconds 
between  each,  so  as  to  prevent  building  up  large  differ- 
ences of  pressure. 

The  tunnel  is  being  excavated  by  the  S.  S.  Magoffin 
Company,  under  the  direction  ot  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of 
Reclamation,  to  bring  water  for  irrigation  and  power  from 
Grand  Lake,  on  the  western  slope  of  the  Continental 
Divide,  to  the  eastern  slope. 


CR££py  BUSINESS 

OTEEL,  or  any  other  solid  material  for  that  matter, 
^-^  deforms  and  creeps  when  subjected  to  heat  and 
stress.  But  how  much  a  given  piece  of  steel  in,  say,  a 
steam   turliine,   is  going   to  creep  during  its  life  of  10  nr 


20  years  is  something  a  designing  engineer  can't  wait 
10  or  20  years  to  find  out. 

That's  why  all  sorts  ot  accelerated  creep  tests  have  been 
tried — ways  to  get  a  hurry-up  prediction  of  the  behavior 
ot  metal  in  service.  Dr.  Saul  Dushman  (U.  ot  Toronto 
'04),  assistant  director  ot  the  G-E  Research  Laboratory, 
has  thrown  some  new  light  on  this  problem  by  devising 
a  method  that  produces  extensions  in  length  ot  as  much 
as  half  a  per  cent  an  hour.  By  it  he  can  get  information 
in  a  day  or  two  that  would  have  required  months  by  older 
methods. 

The  method  consists  of  loading  a  thin  wire  ot  the  metal 
with  a  weight,  heating  it  with  an  electric  current  to  a 
bright  red  heat  in  an  atmosphere  of  nitrogen,  and  measur- 
ing the  extension.  The  results  seem  also  to  suggest  that 
creep  does  not  occur  atom  by  atom  along  the  length, 
but  rather  in  the  movement  of  groups  of  atoms  numbering 
from  <;o  to  1000. 


95%  PERFECT 

]\  /f  ll,AI)'\'  will  find  her  reflected  charms  brighter  If 
-^  -*■  her  mirror  is  coated  with  silver,  but  that  reflection 
will  wear  better  it  the  coating  is  aluminum.  That's  what 
Frank  Bentord  (I  .  ot  Michigan  '10)  and  \V.  A.  Ruggles, 
ot  the  G-E  Research  Laboratory,  found  when  they  tested 
T,~  kinds  ot  mirror  surfaces. 

Silver  evaporated  onto  the  front  surface  ot  the  mirror 
from  an  electric  filament  reflected  9<;  per  cent  ot  the  in- 
cident light.  The  initial  score  tor  aluminum  was  only  88 
per  cent.  But  six  months  later  the  aluminum  mirror  was 
just  as  good  as  ever,  while  the  sil\  er  one  had  deteriorated 
considerably. 

Gold,  incidentally,  scored  third  among  the  pure  metals, 
reflecting  S2  per  cent  ot  the  light.  But  while  all  the  other 
metals  gave  their  best  results  when  evaporated  on  the 
front  surface  ot  the  mirror,  gold  worked  best  when  de- 
posited on  the  back,  as  is  the  practice  with  ordinary 
looking  glasses. 


GENERAL  S  ELECTRIC 


i 


I 


February 
1942 


Fatigue  of  Metals 
Auto  Transmission 

Wind  Tunnels 

Better  Highways 

Names  in  the  News 

Technocracked 


Left:  Koads  of  loiiiorrnw  will  be 
ilhiiiiinated  .  .  .  see  page  V!.  lAike 
WashinitlDn   Itritl^e,   Wash. 


shed    1885 


Member  E.C.M.A. 


Science  Shoulders  Arms 


What  science  in  the  past  has  done   for   peacetime 
America  needs  no  recounting. 

But  science  today  tackles  a  grimmer  job.  Re- 
search now  must  give  America  at  war  the  fighting 
weapons  she  needs. 

That's  why  Westinghouse  Research  Engineers — 
working  in  one  of  the  world's  leading  laboratories — 
are  devoting  their  full  time  to  the  nation's  defense 
requirements. 


We  wish  we  could  tell  you  about  some  of  the 
remarkable  things  they've  done  already. 

We  shall — later. 

Ever  since  its  inception,  Westinghouse  has 
sought  out  and  trained  engineering  talent, 
encouraged  engineers  to  develop  and  work  out 
new  ideas,  made  itself  an  engineer's  company. 
We're  proud  of  the  way  our  engineers  have 
adapted  themselves  to  creating  and  producing 
wartime  equipment. 


Wfestinghouse 


"An    Engineer's    Company,"  Westinghouse    Electric   &    Manufacturing   Co.,  Pittsburgh,  Po. 


FEBRUARY  •  1942 


This  Issue  .  .  . 

Fatigue  of  Metals  7 

ISy  VVilliaiii  O.  Aliirpln 

New  Automatic  Transmission   H 

By   Fobcrt   K    M<(l(:ii.\ 

Canned  Hurricanes    10 

By   Robert   K.   M<(loaiy 

Highways  Across  America 12 

B>    Haywi-.rd  L.   Talley 

Names  in  the  News 14 

By  William  K.  Schmitz 

Technocracked     16 

By    K;l    Tiiilcir 

Height  of  Clouds 2'J 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


Staff  . . . 

Donald   K.    Stevens Editor 

William  G.   Murphy Office   Manager 

Melvin    Hurwitz Editorial   Assistant 

MAKE-UP    AND    ART 

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James     Austin Photographer 

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EDITORIAL   DEPARTMENT 

Robert  E.  McCleary Assistant  Editor 

William   G.    Murphy.    Hayward    L.   Talley,    William 

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Richard  W.   Landon Biisinrss  Manager 

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\t4  EVER  INCREASING 

Quantities 


For  a  long  time  we've  sought  a  word  to  de- 
scribe what  we  all  work  at  hard  here  at  Alcoa. 

It  takes  a  very  special  word  to  describe 
making  aluminum  cheap,  making  it  versatile, 
finding  totally  new  places  to  use  it,  and  then 
helping  people  use  it  where  they  should.  In 
war  times  it  takes  a  very  special  word  indeed 
to  describe,  also,  the  ingenuity  and  daring  that 
can  make,  almost  overnight,  three  and  four 
and  five  times  as  much  aluminum  as  was  ever 
made  before,  and  make  it  cheaper  than  ever. 

IMAGINEERING  is  the  word.  What  alumi- 
num did  for  civilians,  what  aluminum  is  doing 


for  our  armed  forces,  what  aluminum  will  do 
in  the  future,  all  come  out  of  that  one  word. 

Imagineering  is  letting  your  imagination 
soar,  and  then  engineering  it  down  to  earth. 
At  Alcoa  we  have  engineers  with  almost  every 
kind  of  diploma,  scientists  with  almost  every 
"key"  we  know.  Yet  whatever  career  they  fol- 
low with  us,  their  real  field  is  Imagineering. 
They  work  at  it  hard.  They  get  results.  The 
importance  of  aluminum  is  their  own  doing. 

We  at  Alcoa  would  like  nothing  better  than 
that  our  company  be  known  everywhere  as  the 
place  they  do  Imagineering. 


[ALCOA 


ONE  PAGE  FROM   THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

ALCOA     ALUMINUM 

^i«Ji^       •  This  message  is  printed  by  Aluminum  Company  of  America  to  help  people  to 
understand  what  we  do  and  what  sort  of  men  make  aluminum  grow  in  usefulness. 


THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


Illinois  Leads  .  .  . 

Fatigue  of  Metals 

Investigations 

By  William  G.  Murphy 
Junior  in  Civil  Engineering 


"When  you  lift  one  end  of  a  walking  stick,  why  does 
the  other  end  come  up?"  That's  a  good  $64  question  asked 
by  Sir  Oh'ver  Lodge,  an  English  physicist.  My  money  is 
safe  since  the  answer  to  that  question  has  been  sought  by 
research  men  since  the  middle  of  the  IQth  century. 

During  the  first  period  of  interest  in  the  subject,  the 
physicists  would  have  given  a  definition  of  the  reason  by 
speaking  vaguely  of  cohesion  between  the  particles.  Wohler 
and  Bauschinger  were  the  pioneers  in  a  field  opened  by 
the  advent  of  railroad  rolling  stock  with  "live"  axles.  The 
turning  axle  is  subject  to  "fatigue"  failure.  By  fatigue  I 
mean  the  apparent  wearing  out  of  the  property  of  metal 
which  enables  it  to  withstand  the  stresses  and  loads  to  which 
it  is  subjected — that  property  which  the  early  physicists 
called  cohesion. 

The  years  1870  to  1910  marked  a  "depression"  period 
in  the  investigation  of  "fatigue"  of  metals,  but  some  work 
was  carried  on  at  the  Watertown  Arsenal.  Rudyard  Kip- 
ling joined  Tennyson  and  others  as  a  scribe  prophet  during 
this  period  by  an  uncanny  anticipation  of  the  most  modern 
theories  in  his  story,  "Bread   Upon  the  Waters." 

The  development  of  the  automobile  and  the  increase 
in  the  use  of  metal  about  1910  caused  a  revival  in  interest 
which  did  not  catch  the  University  of  Illinois  napping.  In 
1907,  H.  F.  Moore,  research  professor  in  the  Department 
of  Theoretical  and  Applied  Mechanics  came  to  the  school 
and  his  interest  in  the  subject  caused  the  purchase  of  the 
department's  first  "fatigue"  testing  machine. 

The  testing  machines  used  today  are  direct  descendants 
of  the  first  machine  used  by  W^ohler  which  was  a  laboratory 
adaptation  of  the  rotating  loaded  car  axle.  The  Materials 
Testing  Laboratory  at  the  L  iiiversity  of  Illinois,  which  is 
recognized  as  one  of  the  oustaiiding  labs  in  this  field,  has 
about  50  machines  for  testing  metals.  Forty  of  these  are 
general  equipment  and  the  rest  are  used  for  a  special  project 
of  Professor  W.   M.  Wilson's. 

Early  in  the  investigations  several  views  were  published 
which  although  they  were  wrong  did  a  lot  to  stir  up  thought 
and  show  the  need  for  further  tests.  A  good  point  of  the 
engineering  reasoning  is  based  on  the  principal  that  a  thcor\ 
may  be  used  if  the  error  is  on  the  safe  side,  thus  the  carl\' 
work  provided  a  solid  foundation  on  which  to  begin  other 
experiments. 

One  of  these  early  investigations  advanced  a  theory  of 
"crystallization"  which  states  that  under  repeated  stress 
the  metal  becomes  brittle  (crystallizes).  It  has  been  proved 
with  the  microscopic  equipment  now  in  use  that  it  was  not 
"crystallization,"  but  a  progessive  fracture — a  crack  which 
spreads  each  time  the  load  is  applied.  Many  of  you  have 
split  wood  by  making  a  crack  and  then  forcing  the  axe 
through  by  repeating  pounding  on  the  ground. 

Since  1910  much  progress  has  been  made.  It  has  been 
established  that  sharp  niches,  notches,  and  even  rough  sur- 

FEBRUARY.  1942 


Repeated  loading  of  slefl  plate  is  dlitaiiifd 
in   this  fatisue   test   machine. 


faces  increases  the  possibility  of  a  "fatigue"  failure.  One  of 
the  big  contributions  of  this  university  was  in  proving  that 
there  is  a  limiting  intensity  of  internal  stress  below  which 
the  metal  will  not  fail  no  matter  how  often  the  load  is  ap- 
plied. This  took  a  large  number  of  tests  and  a  long  period 
of  time.  The  longest  test  at  the  L'liiversity  of  Illinois  labora- 
tories applied  a  load  at  the  rate  of  1500  times  per  minute  for 
over  400  days  with  the  machinery  running  constantly. 

The  lab  was  once  open  to  visitors  at  their  convenience, 
but  now  the  men  in  charge  insist  that  all  visitors  be  escorted 
through.  The  reason  being  that  some  young  boys  messed  up 
a  test  in  an  unguarded  moment  by  flattening  pennies  under 
a  load  that  was  being  applied  to  some  full  sized  rails.  These 
tests  on  rails  were  started  under  the  leadership  of  Prof. 
A.  N.  Talbot,  and  a  satisfactory  solution  reached  in  1931. 
The  experiments  have  been  continued  ever  since  in  an  at- 
tempt to  get  a  better  rail. 

Prof.  H.  F.  Moore  has  led  the  work  at  Illinois  for  some 
years  and  is  now  chairman  of  the  ASTM  Committee  on 
"fatigue"  of  materials.  At  the  present  time  6  or  7  mem- 
bers of  the  research  staff  are  engaged  in  the  field  carrying  on 
the  work  already  started  by  others  and  each  putting  to  test 
his  own  original  ideas  on  the  subject. 

The  Navy  Department  of  The  Bureau  of  Aeronautics 
is  indebted  to  the  men  here  for  a  big  percentage  of  the  in- 
vestigations made  to  determine  the  cause  of  failure  in  the 
parts  of  airplanes.  Aloore,  Lyon  and  Alleman  made  some 
tests  on  the  time  between  the  appearance  of  the  crack  and 
the  final  fracture;  Moore  and  Henwood  reported  on  the 
stress  by  the  constant  tension  on  screw  threads;  and  Moore, 
Kommers,  and  Thomas  found  a  great  difference  between 
polished  and  scratched  surfaces  in  effect  on  the  failure.  One 
of  the  most  interesting  investigations  reported  was  by  T.  J. 
Dolan  on  the  amazing  effect  of  corrosion  fatigue  when  com- 
bined with  stress  concentration   by  a  notch,  hole  or   fillet. 

There  is  an  experiment  now  in  progress  on  the  fatigue 
strength  of  a  specially  developed  alloy  for  aircraft.  Prof. 
W.  M.  W^ilson  is  studying  the  "fatigue"  in  welded  and 
riveted  structural  members.  Among  the  other  investigations 
are  a  study  of  the  damage  done  by  punching  on  soft  sheet 
steel  and  the  effect  of  making  sharp  corners  for  wing  ribs 
out  of  aluminum.  The  most  outstanding  fact  in  recent  years 

Illinois  is  most  proud  of  the  fact  that  men  trained  in 
the  undergraduate  and  graduate  schools  are  making  a  name 
for  themselves  in  "fatigue"  at  the  testing  labs  to  which 
thev  go  from  here.  Men  in  the  Department  of  Theoretical 
and  Applied  Mechanics  make  investigations  which  are  pre- 
sented in  the  text  material  of  the  up-to-date  books  written 
by  other  members  of  the  department.  This  is  the  infallible 
combination  which  is  becoming  the  "Tinkers  to  Evers  to 
Chance"  of  modern  education. 


For  a  long  time  we've  sought  a  word  to  de- 
scribe what  we  all  work  at  hard  here  at  Alcoa. 

It  takes  a  very  special  word  to  describe 
making  aluminum  cheap,  making  it  versatile, 
finding  totally  new  places  to  use  it,  and  then 
helping  people  use  it  where  they  should.  In 
war  times  it  takes  a  very  special  word  indeed 
to  describe,  also,  the  ingenuity  and  daring  that 
can  make,  almost  overnight,  three  and  four 
and  five  times  as  much  aluminum  as  was  ever 
made  l)efore,  and  make  it  cheaper  than  ever. 

IMAGINEERING  is  the  word.  What  alumi- 
imm  did  for  civilians,  what  aluminum  is  doing 


for  our  armed  forces,  what  aluminum  will  do 
in  the  future,  all  come  out  of  that  one  word. 

Imagineering  is  letting  your  imagination 
soar,  and  then  engineering  it  down  to  earth. 
At  Alcoa  we  have  engineers  with  almost  every 
kind  of  diploma,  scientists  with  almost  every 
"key"  we  know.  Yet  whatever  career  they  fol- 
low with  us,  their  real  field  is  Imagineering. 
They  work  at  it  hard.  They  get  results.  The 
importance  of  aluminum  is  their  own  doing. 

We  at  Alcoa  would  like  nothing  better  than 
that  our  company  be  known  everywhere  as  the 
place  they  do  Imagineering. 


ONE  PAGE  FROM  THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

ALCOA     ALUMINUM 

•  This  message  is  printed  by  Ahmiinum  Company  of  America  to  help  people  to 
understand  what  wc  do  and  tihat  sort  of  men  make  aluminum  grow  in  usefulness. 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


Illinois  Leads  .  ,  . 

Fatigue  of  Metals 

Investigations 

By  William  G.  Murphy 
Junior  in  Civil  Engineering 


"When  you  lift  one  end  of  a  walking  stick,  why  does 
the  other  end  come  up?"  That's  a  good  $b-\  question  asked 
by  Sir  Oliver  Lodge,  an  English  physicist.  My  money  is 
safe  since  the  answer  to  that  question  has  been  sought  by 
research  men  since  the  middle  of  the  19th  century. 

During  the  first  period  of  interest  in  the  subject,  the 
physicists  would  have  given  a  definition  of  the  reason  by 
speaking  vaguely  of  cohesion  between  the  particles.  Wohler 
and  Hauschinger  were  the  pioneers  in  a  field  opened  by 
the  advent  of  railroad  rolling  stock  with  "live"  axles.  The 
turning  axle  is  subject  to  "fatigue"  failure.  By  fatigue  I 
mean  the  apparent  wearing  out  of  the  property  of  metal 
which  enables  it  to  withstand  the  stresses  and  loads  to  which 
it  is  subjected — that  property  which  the  early  physicists 
called  cohesion. 

The  years  1870  to  1910  marked  a  "depression"  period 
in  the  investigation  of  "fatigue"  of  metals,  but  some  work 
was  carried  on  at  the  Watertown  Arsenal.  Rudyard  Kip- 
ling joined  Tennyson  and  others  as  a  scribe  prophet  during 
this  period  by  an  uncanny  anticipation  of  the  most  modern 
theories  in  his  story,  "Bread   Upon  the  Waters." 

The  development  of  the  automobile  and  the  increase 
in  the  use  of  metal  about  1910  caused  a  revival  in  interest 
which  did  not  catch  the  University  of  Illinois  napping.  In 
1907,  H.  F.  Moore,  research  professor  in  the  Department 
of  Theoretical  and  Applied  Mechanics  came  to  the  school 
and  his  interest  in  the  subject  caused  the  purchase  of  the 
department's  first  "fatigue"  testing  machine. 

The  testing  machines  used  today  are  direct  descendants 
of  the  first  machine  used  by  Wohler  which  was  a  laboratory 
adaptation  of  the  rotating  loaded  car  axle.  The  Materials 
Testing  Laboratory  at  the  L^niversity  of  Illinois,  which  is 
recognized  as  one  of  the  oustanding  labs  in  this  field,  has 
about  50  machines  for  testing  metals.  Forty  of  these  are 
general  equipment  and  the  rest  are  u.sed  for  a  special  project 
of  Professor  W.   M.  Wilson's. 

Early  in  the  investigations  several  views  were  published 
which  although  they  were  wrong  did  a  lot  to  stir  up  thought 
and  show  the  need  for  further  tests.  A  good  point  of  the 
engineering  reasoning  is  based  on  the  principal  that  a  theory 
may  be  used  if  the  error  is  on  the  safe  side,  thus  the  early 
work  provided  a  solid  foundation  on  which  to  begin  other 
experiments. 

One  of  these  early  investigations  advanced  a  theory  of 
"crystallization"  which  states  that  under  repeated  stress 
the  metal  becomes  brittle  (crystallizes).  It  has  been  proved 
with  the  microscopic  equipment  now  in  use  that  it  was  not 
"crystallization,"  but  a  progessive  fracture — a  crack  which 
spreads  each  time  the  load  is  applied.  Many  of  you  have 
split  wood  by  making  a  crack  and  then  forcing  the  axe 
through  by  repeating  pounding  on  the  ground. 

Since  1910  much  progress  has  been  made.  It  has  been 
established  that  sharp  niches,  notches,  and  even  rough  sur- 

FEBRUARY,  1942 


Repeated  loading;  of  steel  plate  is  obtained 
in   this   fatimie   lest   machine. 


faces  increases  the  possibility  of  a  "fatigue"  failure.  One  of 
the  big  contributions  of  this  university  was  in  proving  that 
there  is  a  limiting  intensity  of  internal  stress  below  which 
the  metal  will  not  fail  no  matter  how  often  the  load  is  ap- 
plied. This  took  a  large  number  of  tests  and  a  long  period 
of  time.  The  longest  test  at  the  L'niversity  of  Illinois  labora- 
tories applied  a  load  at  the  rate  of  1500  times  per  minute  for 
over  400  days  with  the  machinery  running  constantly. 

The  lab  was  once  open  to  visitors  at  their  convenience, 
but  now  the  men  in  charge  insist  that  all  visitors  be  escorted 
through.  The  reason  being  that  some  yoimg  boys  messed  up 
a  test  in  an  unguarded  moment  by  flattening  pennies  under 
a  load  that  was  being  applied  to  some  full  sized  rails.  The.se 
tests  on  rails  were  started  luider  the  leadership  of  Prof. 
A.  N.  Talbot,  and  a  satisfactory  solution  reached  in  1931. 
The  experiments  have  been  continued  ever  since  in  an  at- 
tempt to  get  a  better  rail. 

Prof.  H.  F.  Moore  has  led  the  work  at  Illinois  for  some 
years  and  is  now  chairman  of  the  ASTM  Committee  on 
"fatigue"  of  materials.  At  the  present  time  6  or  7  mem- 
bers of  the  research  staff  are  engaged  in  the  field  carrying  on 
the  work  already  started  by  others  and  each  putting  to  test 
his  own  original  ideas  on  the  subject. 

The  Navy  Department  of  The  Bureau  of  Aeronautics 
is  indebted  to  the  men  here  for  a  big  percentage  of  the  in- 
vestigations made  to  determine  the  cause  of  failure  in  the 
parts  of  airplanes.  Moore,  Lyon  and  Alleman  made  some 
tests  on  the  time  between  the  appearance  of  the  crack  and 
the  final  fracture;  Moore  and  Henwood  reported  on  the 
stress  by  the  constant  tension  on  screw  threads;  and  Moore, 
Kommers,  and  Thomas  found  a  great  difference  between 
polished  and  scratched  svnfaces  in  effect  on  the  failure.  One 
of  the  most  interesting  investigations  reported  was  by  T.  J. 
Dolan  on  the  amazing  effect  of  corrosion  fatigue  when  com- 
bined  with   stress  concentration    b\    a   notch,   hole   or   fillet. 

There  is  an  experiment  now  in  progress  on  the  fatigue 
strength  of  a  specially  developed  alloy  for  aircraft.  Prof. 
W.  M.  Wilson  is  studying  the  "fatigue"  in  welded  and 
riveted  structural  members.  Among  the  other  investigations 
are  a  study  of  the  damage  done  by  punching  on  soft  sheet 
steel  and  the  effect  of  making  sharp  corners  for  wing  ribs 
out  of  aluminum.  The  most  outstanding  fact  in  recent  years 

Illinois  is  most  proud  of  the  fact  that  men  trained  in 
the  undergraduate  and  graduate  .schools  are  making  a  name 
for  themselves  in  "fatigue"  at  the  testing  labs  to  which 
they  go  from  here.  Men  in  the  Department  of  Theoretical 
and  Applied  Mechanics  make  investigations  which  are  pre- 
sented in  the  text  material  of  the  up-to-date  books  written 
by  other  members  of  the  department.  This  is  the  infallible 
combination  which  is  becoming  the  "Tinkers  to  Evers  to 
Chance"  of  modern  education. 


Original  Design  .  .  . 

NEW  AUTOMATIC  TRANSMISSION 

By  Tech's   Dissatisfied   Automotive   Editor 


By  Robert  E.  McCleary 
Junior  in  Mechanical  Engineering 


The  placement  of  a  gear  reduction 
unit  between  the  motor  and  wheels  of 
an  automobile  is  due  to  the  shortcomings 
of  the  engine  itself.  The  torque  curve 
of  an  automotive  engine  starts  from  al- 
most zero  at  idling  speed  and  builds  up 
to  a  maximum  at  from  1200  to  2000 
R.  P.  M.  Obviously,  acceleration  will 
be  the  greatest  when  the  motor  speed  is 
in   this  vicinity. 

In  the  past  a  manually  operated 
clutch  and  a  3-speed  manually  changed 
gear-box  was  fitted  to  almost  all  Ameri- 
can cars.  Lately  the  shifting  range  has 
been   augmented    by   a   4th,    and    higher, 


automatic  speed  known  as  'over-drive' 
for  high  speed  driving,  which  results  in 
better  economy  and  less  wear  due  to  a 
slower  turning  motor.  "Kickdown" 
overdrive  makes  it  possible  to  drop  from 
cruising  gear  to  third  (direct)  by  de- 
pressing the  accelerator  to  the  floor,  for 
increased  accelerations  needed  for  pass- 
ing and   hill  climbing. 

Then  came  the  fluid  drive  and  its 
incorporation  into  automatic  transmis- 
sions of  great  complexity,  as  seen  in 
Olds  Hydamatic  drive.  This  system  con- 
sists of  an  involved  valve  mechanism  for 
controlling  oil  pressure  from  two  separ- 


ate pumps  supplied  to  operate  4  band 
and  disc  clutches. 

Chrysler  uses  a  fluid  drive  unit  and 
a  four  speed  transmission  with  two 
ranges  of  two  speeds  each.  Each  range 
is  shifted  automatically  by  vacuum.  The 
clutch  is  unnecessary  in  starting,  but 
shifting  from  one  range  to  another  ne- 
cessitates its  use. 

The  complexity  of  (jeneral  Motors 
Hydramatic  automatic  unit  and  the  in- 
adequacy of  only  two  automatic  shifts, 
even  in  conjiuiction  with  the  fluid  unit, 
of  the  Chrysler  design  has  led  the  writ- 
er to  design   a   transmission   to  suit  his 


\  \  \  ■. 


-^i 


|ii  (^*- 


u 


'Q 


THE  TECHNOGR.\PH 


'  m  M«iK  nm-m  hi«i  m  m  tnm  I  nc  mi  is  iiiwhed  n  m  ctMuun 


UWTUniK  TK  FUM  MR  mOU 


own  tastes  of  siniiplicit\ ,  compactness, 
and  flexibility. 

This  desifin  is  pictured  as  applied  to 
a  car  of  front  wheel  drive  design,  which 
design  is  based  on  sound  engineering 
principles  of  power  application.  After 
all  motor  weight  makes  the  front  wheels 
more  tractive.  Having  the  front  wheels 
pull  the  car  around  a  corner  instead  of 
the  back  wheels  tending  to  push  the  car 
off  the  road  is  obviously  sensible  prac- 
tice. 

The  transmission  shown  incorporates 
a  fluid  drive  unit,  as  in  Chrysler,  3 
automatic  units  as  used  in  1933  by  Reo, 
a  new  'kickdown'  mechanism,  and  a  new 
reversing  mechanism.  All  shifting  is 
done  automatically  and  mechanically  by 
centrifugal  force,  with  the  exception  of 
the  'kickdown'  mechanism  which  is  op- 
erated by  a  simple  electric  solenoid  coil. 
Drawings  are  diagramatic,  only. 

THE  FLOW  POWER 

...  is  through  the  fluid  unit  Q  from 
crankshaft  to  sun-gear  C  via  solid  shaft 
R.  Sun-gear  C  drives  internal-external 
gear  D  and  consequently  internal  gear 
in  drum  E.  Power  then  goes  through  a 
sleeve  around  main-shaft  R  to  unit  2  for 
further  reduction.  From  2  to  3,  power 
travels  for  further  reduction  prior  to 
finally  driving  differential  J  through 
the  hypoid  gear  on  sleeve  at  right  of  3. 
Power  reaches  wheels  through  R. 

THE  FLUID  UNIT 

.  .  .  consists  of  two  moving  parts,  the 
driver  and  runner.  They  are  alike  and 
are  made  of  pressed  steel.  They  resem- 
ble two  halves  of  an  eaten  grapefruit 
with  partitions  remaining  and  core  re- 
moved. The  unit  is  about  %  full  of  oil. 
The  driver  imparts  motion  to  runner 
much  like  one  electric  fan  imparts  mo- 
tion to  another  disconnected  fan  placed 
in  front  of  it.  The  medium  is  oil  not  air, 
however.  Actualh',  in  operation,  the 
driver  causes  the  oil  to  move  outward 
from  hub,  accelerating  each  particle 
from  44  ft.  per  second  to  96  ft.  per  sec- 
ond at  100(1  R.  P.  M.  In  the  driven 
unit  the  runner  decelerates  each  particle 
from  96  ft.  per  sec.  to  44  ft  per  sec. 
Such  a  decceleration  multiplied  by  the 
mass  of  the  oil  is  the  force  which  must 
be  absorbed  by  the  runner.  It  is  this  ab- 
sorbed force  which  is  transmitted  to  the 
wheels.  At  high  speeds  the  oil  takes  the 
shape  of  a  whirling  smoke  ring,  being 
like  a  rotating  and  whirling  torus  ring. 


Insufficient  torque  is  generated  at 
idling  speeds  to  move  the  car.  As  speed 
increases,  the  slippage  decreases  from 
100%  at  0  M.  P.  H.  to  5  per  cent  at 
10  M.  P.  H.,  and  to  %  per  cent  at 
crusing  speeds.  Thus  a  slight  depression 
of  the  accelerator  causes  a  standing  car 
to  glide  away,  replacing  the  function  of 
the  clutch.  This  unit  replaces  the  fly- 
wheel and  has  the  starter  ring  gear  on 
its  periphery. 

THE  AUTOMATIC  UNIT 

.  .  .  consists  of  a  novel  arrangement 
of  gears  and  a  centrifugally  operated 
disc    clutch.    (lear    reduction    is    accom- 


Why    Front   Wheel    Drive 
was  Chosen 

I'liint  wheel  driven  ears  have  hiii^ 
been  used  in  Kui-Dpe.  The  India- 
napolis ."ilKI  mile  raees  have  proven 
their  stamina  and  ease  of  handling:. 
The  author  has  been  partieularl,v 
inspired  by  one  of  .\nieriea's  fore- 
most finaneial  plunders,  E.  L.  Cord, 
who  brought  in  UKiH  a  ear  of  unique 
and  prophetic  design.  It  was  the 
front -wheel  drive  Cord,  a  ear  of 
splendid  performanee,  lii^h  speed, 
and  fine  riding  qualities,  engineered 
far  ahead  of  its  time. 


plished  by  sun-gear  C  meshing  with 
slightly  larger  internal  teeth  on  gear 
D,  whose  external  teeth  engages  main 
gear  E,  thus  driving  the  directly  con- 
nected sleeve  on  which  the  sun-gear  of 
the  next  iniit  is  mounted.  Gear  E  is  free 
to  rotate  about  a  center  which  is  5-8 
inch  from  the  center  of  the  main  shaft. 
This  center  is  also  free  to  rotate  about 
the  main  shaft,  an  over-running  clutch 
being  incorporated  which  does  not  per- 
mit parts  to  move  in  opposite  direction 
to  incoming  rotation.  Main  internal 
gear  E  is  concentric  with  C. 

As  speed  of  E  increases,  the  governor 
weights  G  near  rim  swing  outward  be- 
cause of  centrifugal  force  and  exert 
pressme  which  smoothly  engages  mul- 
tiple disc  clutch,  H.  This  causes  the 
automatic  unit  to  revolve  with  shaft  R 
as  a  imit,  reduction  ceasing.  Units  2 
and  3  are  identical  with  the  one  just 
described. 

The  forward  (left)  unit  has  an  ad- 
ditional mechanism  attached  which  al- 
lows governor  weights  G  to  be  retiuned 
to  their  original  position  at  any  time, 
permitting  this  unit  to  reduce  incoming 


power  even  at  speeds  which  normally 
causes  the  clutch  to  be  engaged.  This 
produces  the  'kickdown'  effect  so  es- 
sential for  quick  accelerations.  This  is 
accomplished  b\'  a  solenoid  coil  I,  draw- 
ing its  armature  inward,  the  resulting 
motion  being  transmitted  through  links 
and  a  shaft  collar  to  a  pin  on  weight  G, 
which  is  depressed. 

OPERATION 

.  .  .  From  a  standing  start,  the  motor 
is  speeded  up  by  pressing  accelerator. 
Torque  is  then  sufficient  to  drive  run- 
ner in  fluid  coupling  and  sun-gear  C  of 
left  unit.  Power  then  reaches  wheels 
through  units  1,  2,  3,  all  units  reducing. 
This  is  1  St  speed. 

As  speed  reaches,  say,  8  M.  P.  H., 
weights  pivot  outward  and  smoothly 
lock  left  unit  in  direct,  reduction  still 
taking  place  in  2  and  3.  This  is  2nd 
speed. 

At  about  15  M.  P.  H.,  the  weights 
on  2  overcome  a  stronger  spring  and 
smoothly  lock  this  unit  in  direct,  giving 
3rd  speed. 

At  about  30  M.  P.  H.,  the  weights 
in  uiut  3  lock  this  last  unit  in  direct; 
all  uiu'ts  are  now  locked  in  4th  speed 
and  motion  is  from  the  fluid  unit  di- 
rectly to  the  hypoid  differential  gear  J, 
and  thence  to  wheels. 

At  any  speed  above  8  M.  P.  H.,  the 
accelerator  may  be  forced  to  the  floor, 
closing  a  switch  which  causes  solenoid 
I  to  operate,  dropping  the  first  unit  into 
gear  reduction  once  more. 

All  gear  changing  is  smooth  and 
without  jerk  or  noise  in  these  units,  the 
oil  immersed  discs  of  the  clutch  engag- 
ing gradually.  All  weights  return  at 
proper  time  when  speed  is  lowered. 

The  new  non-automatic  reverse  is 
positive  in  operation,  a  foot  pedal  being 
used.  With  car  stationar\',  foot  pressure 
tightens  band  L,  stopping  drum  K  on 
which  are  mounted  planetary  gears 
which  are  turned  by  sun-gear  N  direct- 
ly connected  to  the  motor.  Thus  the 
power  is  transmitted  to  internal  gear 
on  drum  M,  which  is  bolted  to  shaft 
R,  causing  it  to  rotate  oppositely  to  en- 
gine. Power  does  not  travel  through 
fluid  unit.  Actually,  the  runner  now 
revolves  in  direction  opposite  to  which 
the  slapping  oil  tends  to  rotate  it.  How- 
ever, at  reversing  speeds,  this  torque  is 
slight  and  would  be  easily  overcome  by 
the  positive  drive  through  the  band  op- 
erated unit.  In  forward  speeds,  the  band 
is  off  and  the  drum  may  rotate  freely, 
allowing  all  power  to  pass  thru  fluid 
imit. 

This  transmission  is  belie\'ed  by .  its 
author  to  be  unsurpassed  in  simplicity, 
flexibility  and  compactness  in  the  auto- 
matic field.  The  application  is  not  lim- 
ited to  front  wheel  drives.  Gear  selec- 
tion ranges  may  be  altered  for  any  set 
of  speeds  at  will  by  increasing  or  de- 
creasing spring  pressure  on  respective 
governor  weights. 


FEBRUARY,  1942 


CANNED    HURRICANES 

Speed  Aerodynamic  Design 


Ry   Robert  E.  McGleary 

Junior  ill  Mecluiiticdl  Eiiiii)iccriiif< 


The  Wind  Tumid  and  Models  are  Aviation's  I>abora- 
tory  and  Guinea   Pigs. 

Millions  of  dollars  are  now  being  poured  into  aerody- 
namic research.  Most  of  this  capital  goes  into  wind  tun- 
nels, which  are  more  elaborate  successors  to  the  22-inch 
square  by  5-foot  bn\  in  which  tlie  Wright  Brothers  placed 
models  and  faiuied  air  through  at  27  m.p.h.,  in  1903. 
From  this  first  crude  wind  tunnel  came  facts  for  the  con- 
struction of  their  first  airplane  to  leave  the  ground. 

Scale  models  of  anything,  skyscrapers,  streamline  trains, 
automobiles,  transmission-line  towers,  bridges,  and,  of  course, 
airplanes,  can  be  easily  made  of  wax  or  plasticine  and  placed 
in  a  wind  tunnel  for  aerodynamic  observation.  These  mini- 
atures can  be  altered  and  re-tested  in  a  few  minutes  time. 
In  this  article  airplane  testing  only  will  be  treated. 

The  basic  principle  of  wind  tunnels  is  that  it  makes  no 
difference  whether  an  object  is  moved  through  the  still  air, 
or  is  held  stationary  and  air  blown  past  it.  The  wind  tun- 
nel's purpose  is  to  simulate  the  conditions  of  flight  so  that 
the  dangerous  and  costly  'cut-and-try'  process  of  altering 
full  size  planes  and  test-piloting  them  will  be  cut  to  a  mini- 
mum. 

Models  are  mounted  on  supports  through  which  reac- 
tions in  all  directions  are  transmitted  to  a  panel  where  they 
can   be   read   directly   from   dials. 

Two  extremely  important  factors,  the  'scale'  effect 
(which    ph\sically    represents    the    relationship    between    the 


inertia  and  viscosity  forces  acting  on  a  body  due  to  moving 
air)   and  the  compressibility  effect. 

The  first  involves  certain  factors,  and  is  measured  by 
the  Reynolds  Number,  i.e., 

^A'  =  air  density  X  ""'  st>iid  X  li'nyth   of  ohjti  t 
viscosity  of  air 

The  extent  of  the  effect  of  the  second  factor  is  repre- 
sented by  the  March  number,  i.  e.. 

^1/  ^  (speed   of  S'jiiiid )    (air  speed ) 

In  tlie  compressibility  phenomenon  lies  the  reason  for  the 
oft-heard  statement  that  'man  can  never  exceed  the  speed  of 
sound.'    Since  air  is  compressible,   any  solid  object  moving 


AliKve;  l)iaKi;im;itic  drawiii;;  iil  \\  liKliI  I'icid  wind  tiiiiiicl. 
Models  are  suspeiuled  upside  down  and  data  is  leiiirded  aiito- 
inaticall.v  in  a  separate  cuiitri)!  heside  the  test  cliamber. 

10 


Ahdve;  Dmihle  return  tunnel  la.vout  above  requires  less  over- 
all lenstli  for  same  expansion  of  the  air  than  the  single  elosed 
return  t.vpe,  and  less  power  than  open  end  designs. 

through  it  sends  ahead  a  convex-shaped  pressure  wave  which 
prepares  the  air  for  the  object's  coming  so  it  can  divide  and 
flow  around  it.  Actualh,  soiuid  itself  has  nothing  to  do 
with  flight ;  sound  is  simply  the  physical  effect  of  this  same 
pressure  wave,  the  speed  of  which  sets  the  upper  practical 
limit  for  flight  speed.  If  the  object  'runs  ahead'  of  this 
'warning-wave',  the  effect  is  to  produce  shock  waves  offer- 
ing large  resisting  forces  to  passage.  It  is  much  like  slap- 
ping the  surface  of  the  water  broadside  with  a  canoe  paddle 
instead  of  pulling  the  paddle  smoothly  through. 

Though  the  speeds  are  still  below  765  m.p.h.,  sound's 
speed,  there  are  often  eddy  cinrents  about  certain  parts  of  the 
plane  which  actually  reach  this  speed.  Propeller  tips,  air 
scoops,   rivet  heads,  and   cowling  are  main  offenders. 

If  model  test  data  is  to  be  strictly  correct,  the  Reynolds 
Numbers  must  be  equal.  If  the  model  is  smaller  than  its 
flying  counterpart,  its  RN  is  less.  Obviously,  to  get  equiva- 
lent Reynolds  Numbers,  the  air  speed  and/or  air  density 
must  be  increased. 

Actually,  identical  RN's  are  seldom  achieved.  However, 
at  Langley  field,  a  \  ariable-density  tunnel  which  can  be 
pumped  to  2U  atmospheres  has  been  built.  The  Wright 
Brothers  tunnel  at  M.I.T.,  can  be  operated  at  a  partial 
vacuum  for  high  altitude  simulation  or  at  pressures  up  to 
four  atmospheres. 

A  tunnel  large  enougli  to  test  fvdl  size  planes  would  be 
desirable,  but  unpractical  because  of  high  power  needed  to 
produce  wind   velocities  of   toda\'s  pursuit   ships.      In   Cha- 

THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


Kiitht:  l,000-h.!>.  motors  force  an  118-ni.|).li. 
wind  past  actual  airplane  in  the  N.  A.  ('.  A. 
full  .s<alc  lunncl  at  l.anulcy  Field.  Air 
stream  is  ()(I\U1I  feet   in  cross  section. 


lais-Mciuloii,  France,  and  at  Langley  field,  Virginia,  are 
the  world's  only  tunnels  large  enough  to  test  an  actual  pur- 
suit ship.  The  one  at  Langley  Field  uses  8U00  h.p.  to 
create  118  ni.p.h.  of  wind.  It  has  a  60  x  30-foot  cross- 
section.  Power  consumption  of  tunnels  increases  as  the 
cube  of  the  speed  and  the  square  of  the  crossectional  area, 


Above:  Kinlit  fool  model  of  a  twin-enyine  l>oml)er  lieinK  studied 
for  compressihilif J  effetls  in  the  N.  A.  ('.  A.  ,)()(l-in.p.li.  wind 
tunnel. 


thus  making  a  475  m.p.h.  wind  impractical,  512,0t)0  h.p. 
being  required  for  this  tunnel. 

Much  valuable  data  can  be  obtained  from  tunnels  of 
low  Reynolds  Numbers.  Tunnels  may  be  of  the  closed, 
continuous-circulation  type,  or  open,  where  the  air  at  at- 
mospheric pressure  is  brought  in  from  outside.  No  single 
tunnel  provides  all  the  answers,  and  many  specialized  types 
are  in  use. 

Langley  Field  has  no  less  than  sixteen  tunnels  of  various 
sizes  and  velocities.  One  produces  a  500  m.p.h.  wind  in 
a  section  8  feet  wide.  One  is  the  full-scale  tunnel  already 
mentioned.  Another  is  a  vertical  tunnel  for  tail-spin  study. 
A  40,000  h.p.  tunnel  at  Wright  Field  in  Dayton,  Ohio,  will 
soon  be  completed.  A  400  m.p.h.,  20-foot  wide  current  of 
air  will  be  available  to  test  models  of  16-foot  wingspread. 
A  still  larger  tunnel  is  being  built  at  N.A.C.A.'s  Ames  Lab- 
oratory, in  California. 

Certainly,  aerodynamic  research  offers  a  big  field  to 
engineering  graduates.  While  much  is  now  being  spent  on 
military  craft,  the  results  will  definitely  be  of  great  use  in 
maintaining  our  national  peacetime  air  superiority  after 
the  war. 


Above:   Wind  tunnels  have  been  called   Ihc   world's 
the  19-foot  variable-density  tunnel  at  l-ansley  Field. 


largest   precision   instruments.   This   is 


FEBRUARY,  1942 


11 


Every  Year  Better 

HIGHWAYS  .  .  . 

Across  America 


By  Hayward  L.  Talley 

Fresh wau   hi   Electrical  E)igi)ieerhi,i> 


The  building  of  roads  began  and  progressed  with  civili- 
zation itself;  historical  notices  remain  sufficient  to  tell  us 
brief  stories  of  the  road-building  efforts  of  ancient  Greece 
and  of  the  Egyptians  who  took  pride  in  their  horses,  chariots, 
and  roads.  To  enlarge  upon  the  history  of  ancient  roads,  we 
must  then  turn  to  a  less  ancient  Roman  Empire. 

The  roads  of  Rome  were  divided  into  two  distinct 
classes,  military  and  public.  The  methods  of  construction 
varied  with  the  purpose.  The  military  roads  were  in  most 
cases  si\t>  feet  in  width,  of  which  space  the  elevated  center 
occupied  twenty  feet.  The  public  roads  were  often  more 
remarkable  for  magnitude  and  breadth  and  for  their  straight- 
ness  over  surfaces  of  every  kind  than  for  smoothness  or  for 
general  ease  of  travel.  The  roads  were  higher  in  the  middle 
than  on  the  side,  and  there  were  channels  with  small  arches 
for  carrying  off  the  water.  The  roads  were  surfaced  in 
one  of  three  general  ways,  the  general  practibility  determ- 
ining which  was  used  on  each  specific  road :  pebbles  and 
gravel,  flint-stones,  and  large  flat  stones  laid  with  regular- 
ity.    The  latter  is  comparable  to  the  brick  streets  of  today. 

Many  striking  examples  of  Roman  skill  in  road  design- 
ing and  building  still  exist,  the  most  outstanding  being 
the  great  Appian  Way,  now  well  over  two  thousand  years 
old.  For  many  miles  it  seems  to  be  in  as  perfect  a  condi- 
tion as  the  day  it  was  built.     Roman  ronds  spoke  for  them- 


■J      "  '• 


r 
'4 


YESTEKUAV 


TO.MOKKOW 


selves,  and  thus  it  came  about  that  long  after  the  fall  of 
the  Roman  Empire,  their  proven  methods  of  road  construc- 
tion continued  to  be  used  throughout  Europe. 

In  America,  during  the  early  days  of  the  English  colo- 
nies, there  was  little  need  for  roads.  The  settlers  traveled 
by  waterways  or  used  the  Indian  trails  which  were  suit- 
able for  a  horse  and  rider  or  a  pack  train.  In  the  latter 
part  of  the  eighteenth  century,  the  need  began  to  arise  for 
better  lanes  of  transportation  between  settlements ;  as  a  re- 
sult, private  individuals  cleared  strips  of  timber  and  pre- 
pared narrow  turnpike  roads.  These  were  very  satisfac- 
tory in  good  weather,  but  gradually  the  need  arose  for  a 
surfaced  road  suitable  for  year-around  use.  The  United 
States  Congress,  soon  becoming  aware  that  ample  lanes  of 
transportation  and  communication  were  vital  to  the  welfare 
of  the  young  nation,  began  to  make  appropriations  for  road 
building,  the  various  states  usually  carrying  a  larger  part 
of   the   burden. 

American  road  builders,  ha\ing  had  little  or  no  practical 
experience  upon  which  to  base  their  planning,  began  to  use 
the  English  derivation  of  road-building  used  hundreds-of 
years  before  by  the  Romans.  Though  our  roads  have  been 
miracuously  improved  during  the  years  of  American  road 
building,  many  of  our  highways  today  reflect  the  early 
Roman  design. 

With  the  advent  of  the  automobile  in  1892.  travel 
speeds  increased  as  rapidly  as  the  roads  would  permit.  In 
1901  a  trip  was  made  by  auto  from  Detroit  to  Xew  York 
over  a  typical  road  in  the  record  time  of  seven  and  one-half 
days.  But  that  was  in  good  weather.  By  1904,  there  was 
only  144  miles  of  pavement  considered  to  be  adequate  for 
all-weather   use. 

Probabl\'  the  greatest  stimulus  to  road  improvement 
came  with  the  passing  by  Congress  of  the  Federal  Aid 
Highway  Act  in  1916,  previous  to  oin-  entry  into  the  first 
World  War.  During  the  following  few  years  the  need  for 
well-constructed  cross-country  highways  was  seen  as  never 
before.  Miles  upon  miles  of  hard-surfaced  roads  were  con- 
structed, linking  together  our  many  metropolitan  areas. 
During  the  war  these  roads  were  given  very  grueling  tests 
by  our  militarv'  vehicles.  While  a  few  seemed  to  meet 
requirements,  on  most  others  many  faidts  were  to  be  found. 
Pavements  were  as  a  rule  far  too  narrow.  Bridges  were  of 
an  insufficient  load  capacity.  Turns  in  the  road  were  flat 
and  square.  In  many  cases  the  pavement  itself  failed  to 
"stand  up"  due  to  a  lack  of  knowledge  concerning  proper 
mixtures  and  reinforcements  under  various  conditions. 

Road  building  efforts  previous  to  and  during  the  first 
World  War  were  designed  to  pull  motor-transportation  "out 
of  the  mud."     In  this  respect  the  efforts  were  not  fruitless. 


THE  TECHNOGR.\PH 


Later  efforts  were  concentrated  on  ironing  out  difficulties 
previously  encountered,  and  thus  prepared  to  meet  the  needs 
of  a  motoring  public.  Today  the  United  States  has  one- 
third  of  the  9, (100, 000  miles  of  the  world's  highways,  most 
of  which  is  well-constructed  two-lane  pavement.  Certainly 
under  any  ordinary-  situations  our  highways  which  together 
co\cr  over  1,000,000,000  acres,  would  be  adequate. 

Hut  ordinary  circumstances  do  not  exist.  While  we  have 
1  .?  of  the  world's  highways,  we  have  four-fifths  of  the 
world's  vehicles.  Further,  with  each  passing  day  additional 
burdens  are  placed  on  our  roads  by  their  increasing  u.se  by 
our  military  forces  and  defense  industries. 

During  1940  on  the  program  of  national  defense  there 
was  designated  a  strategic  network  of  military  highways 
throughout  the  L  nited  States  (known  as  the  Pershing 
Map.)  Various  state  highway  departments  were  requested 
to  prepare  estimates  of  improving  the  highways  and  bridges 
up  to  a  certain  minimum  standard,  so  that  they  could  be 
u.scd  for  quick  movement  of  heavy  army  trucks  as  well  as 
special  equipment.  Highway  engineers  predict  that  these 
circumstances  will  bring  about  a  second  new  era  of  road 
construction. 

Looking  to  the  future  we  see  a  country  which  is  ricli  in 
natural  resources  and  natural  beauty;  a  country  whose  engi- 
neering genius  has  provided  for  national  security  and  defense 
without  neglecting  to  design  for  its  citizens  comforts  and 
luxuries  of  life  such  as  the  world  has  never  known.  Our 
cities  will  manifest  the  wonder  and  splendor  of  an  age  of 
invention  and  mechanics,  our  roads  will  be  the  super-high- 
ways of  the  motorists'  dreams. 

All  bridges  will  be  wide  and  magnificent  in  design. 
Grade  separations  will  be  provided  at  all  intersections.  All 
ditches  will  be  closed.  Our  super-highway  system  will  be 
well  lighted.  No  telephone  or  power  line  poles  will  be  seen, 
for  all  wires  will  be  carried  underground.  The  wide  lanes 
of    traffic   will    be    divided    by    picturesquae    green,    shady 


TOD.AV 

parks,  providing  picnic  areas,  pla\grounds,  and  comfort  sta- 
tions. 

Yes,  America,  during  the  brief  span  of  your  national 
life  you  have  wrought  miracles  of  invention  and  discovery 
which  have  re\olutionized  the  world  and  advanced  civili- 
zation a  thousand  years  in  a  single  century.  The  vast 
wildness  has  melted  away,  and  the  new  continent  swings 
between  the  seas  like  a  huge  and  beautiful  hanging  garden — 
the  America  of  Tomorrow. 


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FEBRUARY,  1942 


13 


NAMES 


/;/  the  news 


By  William  R.  Schmitz 
Fresliuuiii  ill  (,' liciiiictil  Enginceriiii! 

BILL  GOONGE 

Cadet  Major  Hill  Coonce  is  one  of  the  most  active 
niilitarv  men  on  the  campus.  He  is  coniniaiuier  of  the 
Phalanx,  inemhei"  of  Pershing  Rifles,  T.N.T.,  and  A.S.M.E. 
He  says  that  military  is  his  Hrst  love,  and  wants  to  stay  in 
the  army  for  good. 

Bill  is  a  mechanical  engineer  and  lists  aero-dynamics 
and  design  work  as  his  favorite  subjects.  He  also  found 
that  Spanish  was  very  worthwhile  and  has  made  it  one  of 
his  interests.  Other  hobbies  of  Bill's  are  stamp  collecting, 
model   airplane  building,   swimming,   and    fencing. 

As  we  said  before.  Bill's  main  thought  is  military.  And 
one  of  the  reasons  that  he  chose  Illinois  as  his  school  is 
because  of  the  large  R.O.T.C.  unit  here.  Bill  thinks  that 
the  quality  of  men  in  the  R.O.T.C.  is  constantly  improving 
because  of  the  national  defense.  He  says  that  he  has  gotten 
more  out  of  military  training  than  any  other  thing  here  at 
the  university.  He  comments,  "It  is  a  big  help  to  you,  and 
tends  to  make  you  a  leader  in  outside  activities." 

Bill  thinks  qiute  a  bit  about  two  militar)'  organizations 
here  on  the  campus,  Pershing  Rifles  and  Phalanx.  Accord- 
ing to  Bill,  Pershing  Rifles  is  the  best  military  organization 
in  the  country.  There  is  no  parallel  to  that  organization 
for  the  training  of  basic  course  students.  Illinois  has  one 
of  the  largest  units  in  the  country.  Phalanx,  according  to 
Bill,  is  "tops."  Quoting  from  him,  "We  consider  the 
bo\'s  in  advanced  R.C^.T.C.  the  cream  of  those  in  military, 
and  the  boys  in   Phalanx  are  the  cream  of  the  cream.  " 

FRANGIS  WEIR 

Hailing  from  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  is  Francis  Weir, 
"sanitary  engineer  to  be."  Quite  naturally  he  is  thoroughly 
"wrapped  up"  in  sanitary  engineering.  Francis  stayed  out 
of  school  several  years  and  during  this  time  he  got  some 
experience  working  at  a  water  works  plant.  It  was  this 
work  that   really  influenced  his  choice  of  profession. 

After  spending  his  first  year  at  the  University  of 
Kansas,  Francis  transferred  to  Illinois.  Admitting  Kansas 
is  a  good  school,  he  thinks  its  engineering  school  could  com- 
pare in   no  way  with   Illinois.      He   did   add,   howe\er.   that 


Kansas  had  a  ver\'  prettv  campus,  and  was  probably  a  little 
more    democratic    than    Illinois. 

The  goal  of  Francis  (and  many  of  the  rest  of  us)  is 
to  make  a  lot  of  money  and  then  settle  down  and  loaf  in 
a  nice  comfortable  home.  In  order  to  attain  this,  he  ex- 
pects to  go  into  sanitary  construction  work,  or  possibly  into 
public  health  or  research  work.  Sanitary  designing  has 
especially  appealed  to  him  here  at  school.  Incidentally, 
he  thinks  that  it  is  a  very  good  idea  ne\er  to  put  off  until 


BILL 


FR.^NCIS 


JOHN 


(  H.VKLES 


tomorrow    what    you    can    do    toda\'.      And    he    gi\es    that 
reason   for  his  scholastic  average  of  3.9. 

Francis  is  vice-president  of  Mu  San,  honorary  sanitary 
engineering  fraternity.  Yes  sir,  for  a  fellow  who  has  gone 
through  earthquakes,  train  wrecks  and  explosions,  he  is  a 
very  quiet  mild  mannered  engineer. 

JOHN  LESSNER 

That  handsome  chap  with  the  appearance  of  Clark 
Gable  is  John  Lessner.  Most  of  the  girls  could  go  for 
John  in  a  big  way  if  he  would  let  them,  but  he  has  a 
certain  one  back  home  at  Shurtleff  College  in  which  he  is 
quite  interested.  John  lives  at  Alton,  Illinois  and  so  spent 
his  first  two  years  at  Shurtleff,  where  he  was  on  the  \arsity 
track  and  tennis  teams. 

John  is  a  true  sportsman,  enjoying  hunting,  fishing,  and 
all  outdoor  sports  along  with  his  hobby,  photography. 
Nothing  would  please  John  better  than  some  day  to  be 
able  to  become  a  retired  sportsman.  He  would  like  to 
take  an  extended  cruise  on  a  sailboat  and  fish  for  days  at 
a  time  if  he  so  chose.  He  might  be  content  to  go  to  movies 
and  to  read.  Beware,  for  his  pet  peeves  are  scatter-brained 
women   and   people   who  talk   too   much. 

John  is  a  member  of  Tau  Beta  Pi,  Phi  Kappa  Phi. 
vice-president  of  Pi  Tau  Sigma,  publicit\'  chairman  of 
A.S.M.E.,  M.I.D.A.,  and  a  member  of  the  Mi-Hila  ball 
committee. 

Laboratory  and  machine  shop  courses  have  proved  par- 
ticularlv  interesting  to  John.  He  sports  a  very  excellent 
scholastic  average  of  4.94.  John  has  had  several  offers 
from  different  companies,  but  he  believes  that  he  will  either 
go  into  research  work  for  the  Ethyl  Gasoline  company  or 
take  a  position  as  test  engineer  for  an  airplane  company  at 
Hartford,  Conn. 

The  objection  that  John  raises  to  the  mechanical  engi- 
neering curriculum  is  that  it  needs  modernization.  He  feels 
that  text  books  should  be  brought  up  to  date,  and  the  courses 
presented  in  a  more  interesting  way.  At  the  present  time 
John  is  doing  a  thesis  on  plastics  under  the  direction  of 
W.  N.  Finle\-  of  the  T.A.M.  department. 
(Please  sec  page   18) 


14 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


The  telephone  plays  a  vital  role  in  army 
communications.  So  the  Bell  System  is 
helping  to  school  Signal  Corps  men  in 
practically  every  phase  of  telephone  con- 
struction, operation  and  maintenance. 

This  training  job  is  but  a  small  part  of 
the  tremendous  task  Bell  System  people 
are  doing  in  tliia  national  crisis.  They're 
setting  up  telephone  systems  for  new 


camps,  bases  and  factories  —  handling  an 
enormous  volume  of  calls  needed  to  co- 
ordinate the  Nation's  war  effort. 

Throughout  the  country.  Bell  System 
people  are  wholeheartedly  cooperating 
in  the  drive  for  victory.  To  men  and 
women  of  their  high  caliber,  there  is  real 
satisfaction  in  a  difficult  job  well  done. 


FEBRUARY,  1942 


15 


TECHNOCRACKED 


» 


By  Edward  C.  Tudor 
Senior   in    Elcctricdl    Eni^ineerinii 


We  understand  that  a  recent  V.  K.  I.  in\ estimation  dis- 
closed that  ten  per  cent  of  the  population  earns  its  money 
by  criminal  p\u-suits.  ()b\ionsl\-  this  doesn't  include  gag 
writers. 

We  were  at  a  loss  for  material  this  month,  but  a  glance 
at  the  headlines  reminded  us  that  Italy  still  professes  to  be 
at  war  with  the  Allies.  For  example  one  headline  was:  Mus- 
solini Discusses  War  with  His  Generals.  They  must  have 
been  reading  about  it.  Xo  longer  need  II  Duce  urge  Italians 
to  "live  dangeroush."  The  British  are  taking  care  of  that. 


It  looks  as  though  we  will  ha\e  to  make  tanks  to  whip 
the  (Germans,  planes  to  use  on  Japan,  and  a  repeating  pea- 
shooter to  annihilate  the  spaghetti   eaters. 

Then  there's  the  pigeon  who  was  sunning  himself  on 
the  Tower  of  London  when  a  friend  flew  by.  "Hello  Bill," 
he  said,  "How  are  you."  "I'm  fine,"  said  the  first  pigeon, 
"but  my  brother  is  all  tired."  "What's  he  been  doing,"  asked 
the  friend.  "Well,"  answered  the  first,  "he  took  a  little 
flight  over  Lib>a  last  week  .  .  .  and  before  he  knew  where 
he  was,  he  had  brought  down  twelve  Italian  planes,  single- 
handed." 

They  tells  us  that  beyond  the  Alps  lies  Itah'.  So  what? 
Beyond  the  billboard,  lies  America. 

Churchill  on  his  visit  to  America  apparently  has  an 
Axis  to  grind.  He  is  quoted  as  saying  that  co-operation  be- 
tween Great  Britain  and  Russia  is  as  close  as  "geographical 
and  other  cotiditions  allow."  "(^ther  conditions"  couldn't 
mean  the  German  army,  could  they,  Mr.  Churchill? 

News  item — "British  forces  fall  back."  This  is  where  we 
came  in  on  the  first  feature. 

War  has  some  blessings,  anyway,  for  so  great  is  the  de- 
mand for  steel  the  number  in  new  shirts  will  have  to  be 
reduced. 

One  of  the  air  raid  instructions  needs  no  emphasis  for 
College  students.  It  says,  "Get  under  a  heavy  table."  If  this 
is  all  that's  necessary,  an  air  attack  New  Year's  Eve  would 
be  a  total  failure.  If  accompanied  by  a  blackout,  the  country 
would  look  like  jirobibition  was  here  to  stay.  People  will 
enter  a  bomb-shelter  by  knocking  twice  and  furtively  whisp- 
ering, "Joe  sent  me.  " 

Our  private  solution  of  the  Japanese  situation: — One 
thousand  AFL  workers  placed  on  a  Pacific  isle  would  stop 
the  Japs  cold  with  a  jurisdictional  dispute. 

Insurance  statistics  tell  us,  "People  7(1  can  expect  to 
live  nine  more  years."  Those  between  IS  and  44  cannot  all 
have  the  same  expectancy. 

"Germany  has  no  desire  to  injure  her  friends."  say  the 

16 


Rcrlin  An  griff.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  Germany  can  shoot  in 
almost  every  direction  without  fear  of  hitting  friends. 

Morgenthau  says  the  United  States  must  feed  the  people 
of  Europe.     Well,  there  are  fewer  of  them  every  day. 

"The  food  resources  of  America  set  world  record." — 
St.  Louis  Slar-Tinu's.  Now,  if  they  will  just  price  it  so  we 
can  buy  it,  we'll  eat  it. 

California  announces  they  produce  50  per  cent  of  the 
lemons.  The  other  50  per  cent  must  be  voluntary  residents. 

Another  headline: — "Record  Amount  of  Water  Used 
Here."  Somebody  must  be  drinking  the  stuff. 

And  another: — "Boy's  Throat  Coughs  Lp  Single 
Nickel."  Try  again.  Doc;  you  might  hit  the  jackpot. 

We  see  where  Harvard  has  a  course  in  ditch  digging. 
They'll  be  giving  WPA  degrees  next.  Queer  things  happen 
at  institutions  of  higher  learning.  For  example  there's  the 
wire-haired  terrier  that  has  been  enrolled  as  a  student  at 
Syracuse  University  for  three  years.  We  know  a  few  pro- 
fessors who  should  be  registered  with  the  American  Kennel 
Association. 

We  were  asked  the  other  day  if  \ovi  can  call  an  ex-sor- 
ority girl  a  fugitive  from  a  Jane  gang.  It  wouldn't  be  the 
healthiest  thing  one  could  think  of. 

Then  there's  the  Engineering  Assistant  who  couldn't 
afford  to  play  golf,  so  he  threw  an  aspirin  tablet  on  the  front 
lawn  and  spent  the  afternoon  looking  for  it. 

Norman  Bel  Geddes  predicts  the  automobile  of  the  fu- 
ture will  have  a  150-inch  wheelbase.  The  width  will  un- 
doubtedly remain  the  same  as  that  of  a  prostrate  pedestrian. 

Now  they  have  an  airplane  that  flies  with  no  human  in- 
telligence to  guide  it.  Heretofore,  only  automobiles  made  a 
practice  of  it. 

If  history  repeats  itself  the  .American  taxpayer  would  do 
well  to  take  heed  to  the  story  of  Percy  Lister,  member  of 
the  British  Purchasing  Commission. 

In  19,^7,  he  and  associates  purchased  an  established  busi- 
ness then  running  in  the  red.  L  iider  new  management  it 
prospered;  last  year  showed  a  profit  of  $L500,U0O.  But  the 
owners  didn't  get  a  nickel ;  in  fact,  owed  the  gov't  mone\ . 
Here's  whv: — 

On  the  $1,500,000  profit  the  tax  was  50%_$750,000. 
In  addition,  where  profits  are  o\er  :?l,()Ofl,000,  the  gov't 
takes  100%  of  the  first  $1,000,000.  That  made  the  tax,  ac- 
cording to  gov't  figures,  $1,750,11(10,  The  owners  protested 
that  they  had  made  only  $1,500,00(1. 

"That's  quite  all  right"  said  the  tax  official.  The  gov't 
has  made  provision  for  such  cases.  We  will  take  a  mort- 
gage on  your  plant,  and  leiui  you  the  $250,000  necessar\'  to 
pay  your  tax."     Qinck,  Jeves,  my  slipstick  ! 


* 


We  surrender  to   the   printer  with   this  parting  shot: — 


h 


If  nobody  quit  high 
lege  graduates? 


school  who  would  there  be  to  hire  col 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


rOR  $tJl^PE'*^e 


■•Olil^     ;%l«011ly%TlC     C^EMHC^mLS 


The  development  and  production  of  syn- 
thetic aromatic  chemicals  is  a  division  of 
Dow's  activities  that  is  rapidly  growing  and 
constantly  revealing  new  market  possi- 
bilities. They  are  chemicals  necessary  for 
the  creation  of  both  fragrance  and  flavor 
in  a  wide  variety  of  products. 

The  delightful  fragrances  of  the  rose,  the 
gardenia  and  the  orange  blossom  are 
being  recreated  with  the  aid  of  an  ever 
increasing    number    of    perfume    bases. 


Tobacco,  chewing  gum,  soft  drinks  and  a 
host  of  other  well-known  everyday  products 
likewise  benefit  through  the  accentuation 
of  their  flavor  characteristics  by  Dow  aro- 
matic chemicals. 

These  interesting  products,  resulting  from 
Dow's  rich  background  of  knowledge  and 
experience  in  advanced  chemical  re- 
search, represent  a  promising  phase  of 
Dow's  varied  program  of  chemical  develop- 
ment and  production. 


Dovs^ 


THE     DOW     CHEMICAL     C  O  M  PA  N  Y,    M  I  D  L  A  N  D  ,    MICHIGAN 


''^W     YORK       •       ST.     LOUIS       •       CHICAGO       •       SAN     FRANCISCO       •       LOS     ANGELES 


SEATTLE 


HOUSTON 


FEBRUARY,  1942 


17 


II 


THIS  IS  A  TYPICAL 
"^TP  GREENFIELD 
TAP 

I  •  «  I  Though  it  costs  less  than  a 
dollar,  it  may  cut  threads  in  as  many  as  50,000 
holes  before  it  wears  out. 

Without  efficient  small  tools  like  G.T.D. 
Taps,  Dies,  Twist  Drills,  Reamers  and  Gages, 
our  great  modern  metal  working  industry  could 
not  exist  as  we  know  it  today.  That's  why 
"G.T.D.  Greenfield"  tools  play  such  a  vital 
part  in  industry  and  in  Uncle  Sam's  war  effort. 

GREENFIELD  TAP  AND  DIE  CORPORATION 

GREENFIELD,   MASSACHUSETTS 


^l^GREENFIELD 


T*PS    .    DIES    •    GAGES    •    TWIST  DRILLS    ■    REAMERS    ■    SCREW  PLATES    •    PIPE  TOOLS 


NAMES  in  the  NEWS 

.    .    .    flUIII    pIK/l      14 

CHARLES  NEAS 

The  man  you  .see  behind  all  those  test  tubes,  retorts, 
and  other  chemical  apparatus  is  none  other  than  our  friend 
Charles  Neas.  He  comes  to  Illinois  from  the  deep  South, 
claiming  Johnson  City,  Tennessee  as  his  home  town.  Since 
Tennessee  State  is  located  at  Johnson  City,  Charles  spent 
his  first  two  years  there  before  transforring  to  Illinois.  At 
Tennessee  State  Charles  was  on  the  debating  team,  but 
since  coming  to  Illinois  he  has  not  had  extra  time  to  spend 
ill  outside  activities. 

Crging  that  chemical  engineering  be  transferred  from 
L.A.S.  to  the  College  of  Engineering,  Chuck  also  thinks 
too  much  emphasis  is  placed  on  grades. 

Charles  is  a  member  of  Sigma  Tau,  Tau  Beta  Pi,  and 
American  Institute  of  Chemical  Engineers.  Since  he  is  a 
chemical  engineer,  Charles  explains  he  doesn't  find  much 
time  for  hobbies  or  social  life,  and  he  confined  most  of  his 
entertainment  to  the  current  "flickers"  in  various  theaters. 

Having  a  fine  4.897  average,  Charles  is  allowed  to  do 
some  research  this  year.  At  the  present  time  he  is  working 
on  a  method  of  liquid  extraction  in  which  a  continuous 
flow  of  liquid  is  kept  in  several  tubes  and  the  extraction 
depends  on  the  character  of  the  molecules  instead  of  the 
size  of  the  molecules.  Ci{  course  no  one  but  a  chemical 
engineer  will  imderstand  this  process  but  it  sounds  inter- 
esting. 

Charles  is  looking  forward  to  getting  a  fellowship  at 
M.  I.  T.  There  he  intends  to  do  some  research  and  devel- 
oping, but  he  doesn't  know  for  sure  whether  or  not  he  will 
continue  his  work  on   continuous  liquid   extraction. 


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18 


THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


THE  SECOND  DISCOVERY  OF  AMERICA 


In  America,  science  is  discoverin<;  a  vast  new  world— a 
tupendous  world  that  Columbus  never  dreamed  of.  This 
lew  America  is  boundless.  Its  riches  are  infinite,  thanks  in 
arge  measure  to  the  magic  of  synthetic  organic  chemistry. 

One  of  the  discoveries  in  this  field  is  an  amazing  series  of 
ynthetic  plastics— "Vinylite"  resins. 

In  oie  fiarm  or  another,  these  astounding  materials  appear 
II  such  diverse  essentials  as  food-can  linings  .  .  .  and  tank-car 
inings;  as  airplane  cockpit  covers  .  .  .  and  non-flammable  in- 
uiation  for  vital  electrical  wiring:  as  corrosion-resistant 
trappings  for  cross-continental  pipe  lines  .  .  .  and  welders' 
oggles;  as  the  thin  film  on  paper  which  is  put  inside  bottle 
aps  .  .  .  and  as  the  invisible  interlayer  in  the  sandwich  of 
afety  glass. 

'Vinylite"  resins  can  be  formed,  drawn,  laminated,  and  bonded. 
a  basic  form,  they  are  odorless,  tasteless,  and  non-toxic,  and  range  from 
on-fiainmable  to  slow-burning.  They  can  be  made  stiff  or  llexibl.-  .  .  . 
ard  or  soft  .  .  .  colorless  or  almost  any  color  under  the  sun  .  .  .  trans- 
larenl,  translucent,  or  opaque.  And  the  result  is  resistant  to  oxidation  . .  . 
aterproof  .  .  .  alcohol-,  alkali-,  and  acid-resistant. 
I  These  unusual  properties  have  created  a  heavy  demand  for  "Vinylite" 


resins,  particularly  to  meet  defense  needs.  This  is  why  it  is  not  possible, 
at  present,  to  supply  all  manufacturers  of  articles  for  personal  and  home 
use  with  all  the  "Vinylite"  resins  needed.  Against  the  return  of  more 
normal  times,  when  larger  quantities  for  normal  uses  will  again  be  avail- 
able, manufacturers  are  invited  to  test  these  new  plastics  ...  to  develop 
new  and  improved  things  to  be  made  from  them  ...  so  that  all  can  benefit 
from  the  discovery  of  "Vinylite"  resins. 

•  •  • 

"Vinylite"  resina  nnd  /ilnstics  are  siipplempnted  by  the  nell-knottn  prod- 
ucts of  Bakelite  Corporation,  The  resins  themselves  are  produced  by 
Carbide  and  Carbon  Chemicals  Corporation.  Certain  elastic  sheetings  and 
fdms  are  made  from  these  resins  and  marketed  by  National  Carbon  Com- 
pany. Inc.,  under  the  trade-mark  "Krene,"  ivhile  other  compounded  forms 
useful  in  electrical  insulation  are  marketed  by  Haloivax  Corporation. 
The  manufacture  of  all  these  products  has  been  greatly  facilitated  by  the 
metallurgical  experience  of  Electro  Metallurgical  Company  nnd  Haynes 
Slellile  Company  and  by  the  melalfabricating  knotvledge  of  The  Linde 
Air  Products  Company.  All  of  these  companies  are  L  nits  of  Union  Car- 
bide and  Carbon  Corporation. 

CARBIDE  AND  CARBON  CHEMICALS  CORPORATION 

Unit  of  Union  Carbide  and  Carbon  Corporation 
30  East  42nd  Street  |IH3  ^«"'  york,  N.  Y. 


Producers  of  Synthetic  Organic  Chemicals 


HEIGHTS  of  CLOUDS 

Measured  With 

MERCURY   LAMP 


A  tiny,  l.OOfl-watt  mercury  lamp  developed  by  General 
Electric  for  searchlij^lits  and  television  studios  has  been  used 
to  solve  a  vital  problem  of  aviation — the  daylight  measure- 
ment of  the  height  from  the  ground  of  clouds. 

Maurice  K.  Laufer  and  Laurence  K.  Foskett  of  the 
National  Bureau  of  Standards  discovered  that  by  projecting 
the  light  from  one  of  the  high  intensity  water-cooled  quartz 
mercury  lamps,  and  noting  with  a  photoelectric  eye  the 
"splatter"  of  the  light  wliere  it  hits  the  cloud,  that  the 
altitude  can  be  calculated  by  triangulation. 

"During  the  daytime,"  they  explain  in  the  Journal  of 
Research  of  the  National  Bureau  of  Standards,  "dark  over- 
cast clouds  at  an  elevation  of  9,000  feet  have  been  readily 
detected.  For  cumulus  clouds  illuminated  by  direct  sun- 
light and  having  elevations  up  to  4,000  feet,  the  detection 
is  positive." 

The  projector  consists  of  the  lamp  located  at  the  focus 
of  a  24-inch  parabolic  mirror  having  a  10-inch  focal  length. 
The  "electric  eye"  detector  consists  of  a  vacuum-type  photo- 
tube placed  immediately  behind  a  diaphragm  with  a  slit 
opening  3  23  by  11  16  inch  located  at  the  focus  of  an 
eight-inch  plano-convex  condensing  lens. 

The  narrow  beam  from  the  1,000  watt  lamp  is  projected 
into  the  sky  at  a  frequency  of  120  flashes  per  second  and 
the  rays  scatter  when  they  hit  the  clouds.     This  light  scat- 


d^'^' 


ARTISTS 


e^rt>» 


CHAMPAIGN.  ILL. 


tcring  is  detected  by  the  photoelectric  eye  located  at  a  known 
distance  from  the  l;uiip  and  adjusted  for  this  flash  frequency 
that  will  distinguish  the  beam  from  background  atmospheric 
light. 

The  cloud  height  then  is  determined  b\  the  solution 
of  the  right  triangle  formed  by  the  line  of  the  beam  to  the 
clouds,  the  angle  of  the  electric  eye  sight  upon  the  clouds 
and  the  base  line  connecting  the  beam  projector  and  the 
phototube. 

The  Bureau  of  Standards  scientists  developed  the  method 
at  the  request  of  the  United  States  Weather  Bureau  which 
at  present  employs  small  helium-filled  captive  balloons  for 
the  job.  The  balloons  are  reeled  out  like  kites  and  observed 
through  optical  instruments.  When  the  balloon  disappears 
into  the  cloud,  its  height  is  estimated  by  the  length  of  played- 
out   line. 

Sometimes  these  balloons  are  equipped  with  instruments 
for  recording  the  temperature,  pressure,  and  humidity  at 
various  altitudes.  From  these  readings,  cloud  heights  are 
calculated  upon  the  basis  of  previous  records  and  the  result 
checked  against  the  visual  observation. 

The  quartz  water-cooled  lamps  are  the  outgrowth  of  the 
search  for  a  small  light  source  of  high  brightness  and  effi- 
ciency and  are  possible  because  the  industry  now  has  avail- 
able new  glasses  and  sealing  technique  for  quartz  b\dbs. 
The  1,000-watt  lamps  have  been  available  commercially  in 
this  country  for  about  three  years.  Single  lamps  of  this 
type  were  used  in  the  16  searchlights  whose  beams  crossed 
the  Court  of  Peace  in  the  New  York  World's  Fair. 


Doctor  (after  examining  patient)  :  "I  don't  like  the 
looks  of  yom-  husband,   Mrs.   Brown." 

Mrs.  Brown:  "I  don't  either.  Doctor,  but  he's  good 
to  the  children." 


■^  Buy  U.  S.  Defense  Bonds  and  Stamps  -^ 


W 


Equipment   for 
all    Sports'' 

Downtown  Champaign 


uil 


%z 


SPORT  SHOP  y 

SEEI.Y   JOHNSTON 


29   Main 


Phone  2929 


2(» 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


■^ 


How  to  Slice  a  Meteorite! 


Ever  see  a  shooting  star? 
There  are  about  7,500,000 
every  night!  Most  of  them 
burn  up  in  the  outer  at- 
mosphere, and  the  few  that 
reach  the  earth  are  man's 
only  material  link  with 
celestial  space.  For  exam- 
ination and  study,  these 
hard,  dense  meteorites 
are  easily  sliced  with  a 
special  type  of  bandsaw 
using  Carborundum  Brand 
Abrasive  Grain  as  cutting 
agent,  then  finished  with 
finer  grain  and  powders. 


Interesting,  too,  are  the 
many  industrial  uses  for 
Carborundum-made  abrasive 
grains.  They  help  polish 
and  finish  countless  prod- 
ucts, from  cutlery  to  plow- 
shares, from  the  bevelling 
of  glass  to  the  lapping  of 
transmission  gears  and  the 
grinding  of  optical  lenses. 


Whatever  may  be  the  use  of  grinding  wheels, 
coated  abrasives  and  other  abrasive  prod- 
ucts in  the  industry  you  enter,  you'll  find 
our  outstanding  research,  manufacturing 
and  engineering  facilities  can  render  a  real 
service.  Write  The  Carborundum  Company, 
Niagara  Falls,  New  York. 


Uarborundum  and  Aloxite  are  retristereri  irade-markB  of 
Bnd  indicBte  msnufscture  byTheCarboriindum  Companv  . 


J 


FEBRUARY,  1942 


21 


Typewriters  for  Rent 


^===<!S^ 


•  All   Makes 

•  Rates  per  Semester 
or  Month 

•  Free   Delivery 


R.  D.  Castle  Typewriter  Co. 


n    M:iin   St. 


Phone  .")«!):! 


Saved  Until  Last 


BRESEE    BROS. 

Cleaners 

20%  DISCOUNT 

for  Cash  and  Carry 

518   E.   Green   St. 

Champaign                                           Phone 

4444 

He  was  one  of  those  persons  one  does  not  often  meet 
at  parties,  and  luckily,  but  there  he  stood,  with  his  great 
white  beard  and  commanding  brow,  looking  triumphanth 
over  the  young  faces  about  him.  "I'm  seventy-eight 
years  old,  "  he  declared  proudly,  "and  never  tasted  strong 
liquor,  used  vile  language,  or  indulged  in  the  excesses 
of  smoking  in  any  form.  What  is  more,  I  have  worked 
harder   than   any  man   I    have   ever   known." 

A  young  man  near  him  sighed,  "What  a  tragedv  !  " 

"Tragedy!"  exclaimed  the  octegenarian. 

"Yes,  tragedy,"  replied  the  young  cynic.  "I  can 
understand  your  not  drinking,  your  refraining  from 
smoking,  and  yom"  distaste  for  wild  women  and  vile 
language,  but  what  in  hell  did  vou  work   for.'' 


I 


Do  You  Like  to  Eat? 

For  1!)  years  ^Morris'  Cafe  has  been  serving 
the  best  of  quality  and  the  greatest  in  quan- 
tity of  fine  foods  to  the  campus. 

* 

MORRIS  CAFE 

Open  24  Hours  a  Day 


See  Your  Daily  Illini 


FOR  COMPLETE  PRICE  LIST 

OF  ALL  SUPPLIES 

FOR  ALL  UNIVERSITY  COURSES 


UNIVERSITY  BOOK  STORE 


Phones:  2655,  7-1558 


610   E.   DANIEL 


202   S.    MATHEWS 


22 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


•  Our  "guest  artist,"  Dr.  Seuss,  has  caricatured  the 
remarkahle  machine  which  digs  ditches  for  pipe 
lines  or  for  Army  trenches. 

This  machine  is  shown  operating  through  ten 
inches  of  frost.  In  it,  67  New  De- 
parture ball  hearings,  many  of 
them  self-sealed  to  keep  dirt  out 
and  lubricant  in.  assure  long  life, 
maximum  power  for  digging  and 
extremely  low  maintenance. 


Since  war  is  now  highly  mechanized,  all  vital 
moving  parts  of  these  machines  must  revolve  or 
reciprocate  on   anti-friction   hearings. 

That's  why  New  Departure  is  concentrating  its 
great  manufacturing  facilities,  the  great- 
est hall  l)caring  plant  in  the  world. 
all-out  for  defense! 

New  Departure,  a  division  of  General 
Motors.  Bristol.  Connecticut.  Detroit, 
Chicago,    San    Francisco,    Los    Angeles. 


aatuae 


THE    FORGED     /STEEL   BEARING 


S059 


FEBRUARY,  1942 


23 


6"BCant/fUs  /\/ews 


UNDER  ONE  ROOF 

'  I  ''HE  General  Electric  Company  has  a  leased-wire 
■*■  comnninication  system  which  functions  as  smoothly 
as  it  all  G-E  branches  were  housed  in  a  single  building. 

During  the  year  1941,  a  total  of  3796  miles  was  added  to 
the  leased-wire  communication  system  to  help  speed  the 
handling  of  contracts.  A  network  of  11,565  miles  is  now 
available  for  telephone  and  teletype  messages. 

The  telephone  network  covers  5630  miles  and  serves 
17  key  industrial  cities  in  the  East  and  Middle  West.  It 
contains  37  individual  wires,  many  ot  which  can  be  inter- 
connected tor  greater  flexibility  and  coverage.  The  tele- 
type network  comprises  4822  miles  of  full-time  circuits 
and  1 1 13  miles  ot  part-time  circuits.  Thirty-one  cities  are 
served  directly,  and  many  others  are  served  indirectly. 


^y^f^''-^ 


VOLTS  AND  V»TAM/N$ 

'   I    "*HE  (leneral  Klectric  industrial  \-ray   laboratory  re- 
cently  moved  a  large  number  of  apple  anti  other  fruit 
trees,   berry   bushes,   and    tomato  ami   string   bean   seeds 
into  the  confines  ot  its  workrooms. 


Ihere,  under  an  X-ray  machine,  these  various  specimens 
ot  flora  were  bombarded  with  1,000,000-volt  X  rays. 
They  were  then  returned  to  the  New  York  State  Experi- 
ment Station  at  Geneva  for  planting  and  subsequent 
observation  of  the  effect  of  the  X  rays  upon  the  color, 
size,  flavor,  quality,  resistance  to  disease,  and  other 
characteristics  ot  the  truit  and  vegetables. 

Variations  and  mvitations  are  to  be  expected  when 
living  plant  cells  are  subjected  to  bombardment  with 
X  rays.  I'nder  forced  germination,  effects  of  the  1,000,000- 
volt  treatment  on  seeds  may  be  observed  within  a  tew 
days,  but,  tor  the  yoimg  trees  and  berry  bushes,  the  full 
effect  will  not  be  known  tor  at  least  five  years. 


-~<v^^ 


L£  DERNIER  CRf 

'  I  ''HE  General  Electric  Company's  construction  of  the 
first  large  electric  plant  in  the  Belgian  Congo  was 
stalled  by  the  lack  of  dowel  pins,  the  only  items  missing 
from  an  inventory  of  hiuidreds  ot  parts.  The  whole  camp 
was  searched,  natives  were  questioned,  but  not  a  single 
dowel  pin  was  found. 

With  a  90-day  deadline,  replacements  were  out  of  the 
question,  so,  with  makeshift  materials,  tools,  and  help, 
new  dowel  pins  were  fashioned.  The  joii  was  finished  on 
schedule. 

Months  afterwards  a  visitor  to  a  half-savage  tribe  in  the 
Belgian  Congo  found  men  and  women  alike  wearing  a  new 
type  ot  nose  ornament.  I'hriist  through  the  cartilage  of 
the  nose,  gleaming  and  twinkling  in  the  -African  sunlight, 
the  missing  dowel  pins  were  the  pride  ot  the  natives. 


GENERAL  m  ELECTRIC 


24 


THE  TEGHNOGR.APH 


i 


I 


MARCH 

1942 

• 

Strategic  Metal 
Submarines 


EE  Show  1942 

Betatron  Research 

Fluorescent  Lighting 

Names  in  the  News 


I.eff:  Oil  circuit  breakers  :iii(l  (rails- 
lorniers  at  Itoiilder  Dam  I'liwer 
I'lant  I'xeiiiplify  electrical  eiiKiiieer- 
ins  progress. 


shed    1885 


Member  E.C.M.A. 


The  heat  treatment  that 
contradicted  itself 

How  Westinghouse  Engineers  straightened  out  a  paradox  in  steel 


TV /TETALLURGISTS  have  been  heat- 
^^  treating  steel  for  2 ,500  years.  They've 
taken  steel  parts,  subjected  them  to  heat, 
cooled  them  quickly  by  quenching  them 
in  water,  oil,  or  gas,  and  so  hardened  them. 

But  the  heat  treatment  contradicted 
itself. 

For  while  they  were  heat-treating  the 
steel  to  harden  it .  .  .  they  also  softened  it. 
As  the  steel  was  being  heat-treated,  oxy- 
gen combined  with  the  surface  carbon, 
decarburized   and   softened   the  surface. 

Naturally,  metallurgists  had  to  remove 
this  softened  surface.  They  had  to  pickle, 
grind,  or  machine  the  surface — processes 


\ 


A*"^' 


This  photomicrograph  of  This    photomicrograph 

SAE-6  ISO  Sprint  Steel  of   SAE-6150   Spring 

shows  .005"  decarbiiri-  Sleel  shows  no  decar- 

zation     with    ordinary  burizatiun  with  Endo- 

scale-free  atmosphere.  gas  atmosphere. 

which  not  only  wasted  time  and  cost 
money  but  also  accounted  for  a  whole  lot 
of  inefficiency. 

The  dimensions  of  many  steel  parts, 
especially  dies,  have  to  be  accurate  to  a 
few  thousandths  of  an  inch.  So,  metallur- 
gists had  to  make  the  steel  parts  larger  to 
start  with,  just  enough  larger  so  that 
they'd  be  the  right  size  after  the  softened 
surface  had  been  removed.  And  that  left 
room  for  plenty  of  mistakes. 
►  Something,  Westinghouse  engineers  de- 
cided, should  be  done  to  get  rid  of  all  this 
heat-treating  trouble. 

They  figured  the  thing  to  do  was  to 
find  a  way  to  keep  carbon-hungry  oxygen 
from  getting  at  the  steel  surface.  And 
that  was  the  thing  they  did. 

First,  they  settled  on  using  an  electric 
furnace  since  it  would  give  them  accurate 


temperature  control  and  entirely  elimi- 
nate gas  fumes.  Then,  they  created  a 
special  atmosphere  for  the  furnace.  They 
heated  ammonia  (NH3)  in  the  presence 
of  a  catalyst  and  separated  it  into  its 
component  parts,  nitrogen  and  hydrogen. 
The  nitrogen  is  inert  and  won't  combine 
with  anything.  The  hydrogen,  in  the  ab- 
sence of  oxygen  and  water  vapor,  also 
refuses  to  have  anything  to  do  with  the 
carbon. 

In  this  special  atmosphere,  which  West- 
inghouse engineers  called  Ammogas,  steel 
parts  could  be  treated  with  electric  heat 
and  ...  no  softening  of  the  outer  surface 
took  place,  no  time-wasting,  inefficient 
finishing  had  to  be  done.  The  dies  and 
other  steel  parts  came  out  of  their  heat 
treatment  bright,  shiny,  all  ready  to  use. 
►  The  Ammogas  furnace  that  Westing- 
house engineers  created  took  care  of  the 
heat-treating  of  costly  parts  like  dies, 
which  can  be  gas-hardened  and  are  not 
produced  in  great  quantities.  But  Am- 
mogas is  expensive — too   expensive  for 


ture  heat-treating  jobs,  and  do  them  at 
low  cost.  They  heated  ordinary  gas  (nat- 
ural or  manufactured  city  gas  is  all  right) 
and,  by  a  special  but  inexpensive  process, 
changed  it  into  a  gas  rich  in  hydrogen  and 
carbon  monoxide  and  containing  a  little 
water  vapor  and  carbon  dioxide.  ■ 

Endogas  doesn't  do  its  work  by  avoid- 
ing all  decarburizing  agents,  carbon  diox- 
ide and  water  vapor;  it  overpowers  them 
by  the  inclusion  of  agents  like  carbon 
monoxide  and  methane  that  work  in  the 
opposite  direction. 

In  effect,  Endogas  maintains  a  balance 
between  carburizing  and  decarburizing 
forces.  This  balance  can  be  so  closely 
controlled  that  it  is  even  possible  to  add 


Here  is  an  .4mmogas  Eurnace, 

the  ordinary  heat-treating  of  thousands 
of  machine  parts.  And  it  is  not  suitable 
for  heat-treatments  requiring  high  tem- 
peratures. 

So  Westinghouse  engineers  developed 
Endogas — a  special  atmosphere  which 
would  do  large-quantity,  high-tempera- 


,4  diagram  of  the  Ammoiias  furnace. 


carbon   to   the   steel   that's  being   heat- 
treated. 

Today,  the  Ammogas  and  Endogas 
furnaces  are  hard  at  work  heat-treating 
dies,  castings,  airplane  parts,  steel  parts 
of  all  kinds,  helping  to  turn  them  out 
faster  and  better — saving  industry  time, 
money,  and  mistakes — speeding  crucial 
war  production. 


There  is  one  reason  \\hy  Westinghouse  was 
able  to  create  controlled  atmosphere  fur- 
naces and  lick  decarburization.  It  is  because 
Westinjihouse  is  an  engineer's  company. 

There  are  3,  ,^00  engineers  in  Westing- 
house ...  in  service,  in  sales,  in  design,  in 
research,  in  management,  in  every  branch  of 
the  business.  Hngineers  hold  key  positions 
in  eacli  of  the  17  Divisions  of  the  Westing- 
house Company. 

Engineers  determine  our  ability  to  find 
better  ways  to  get  jobs  done.  Engineers 
direct  the  creation  and  manufacture  of  our 
products.  Upon  engineers  our  success  de- 
pends. 

Behind  our  training  and  our  encourage- 
ment of  individual  effort,  there  is  a  definite 
purpose.  Behind  our  organization  set-up  of 
man\'  divisions,  which  are  like  small  com- 
panies within  a  company,  there  is  a  definite 
purpose.  That  purpose  is  to  de\clop  yi^img 
engineers  like  you  into  the  kind  of  cnginrt-rs 
who  will  take  good  care  of  our  ruKiic. 


Westinghouse 

'An   Engineer's   Company,"   Wettlnghouie    Electric    &   Manufacturing    Co.,    Pittsburgh.    Po. 


MARCH  •  1942 


Electrical  Show  Issue  .  .  . 

Magnesium  from  the  Sea  (Strategic  Metal) 7 

Bigger  Future  for  Submarines ^; 

1942  Electrical  Show  April  9,  10,  11 9 

Professor  Kerst's  Betatron  (Illinois  Research) 10 

I5.V  IJi))(it   i;.  IM-('li-:ir.v 

Fluorescent  Lighting 12 

r.y   Ila.vwanl   I,.  Tallc.y 

Names  in  the  News 14 

Technocracked    16 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


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KNOWLEDGE  IS  POWER 


•  At  Babcock  &  Wilcox,  knowledge  is  literally 
turned  into  power— more  power  from  a  ton  of  coal, 
a  barrel  of  oil,  a  cubic  foot  of  gas,  and  even  a  cord 
of  wood. 

For  B&  W— the  nation's  oldest  and  largest  manu- 
facturer of  steam  boilers— now,  as  always,  carries 
on  the  quest  for  new  knowledge— in  its  labora- 
tories, in  the  field,  in  many  leading  universities. 

Wherever  men  design,  construct  or  test  steam- 
generating  equipment,  they  rely  on  data,  formulas, 
principles  given  to  the  world  by  B&W  engineers. 

FREE  14.PAGE  BOOKLET 

"The  Design  of  Water-Tube  Boiler  Units,"  This 
liberally  illustrated  booklet  discusses  the  factors 
involved  in  determining  the  proper  type  of 
steam-generating  unit  for  any  given  service.  A 
copy  will  be  sent  to  you  on  request. 


THt    BABCOCK  IWILCOX    COMPANy 


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NEW    YORK     N 


BABCOCK  &  WILCOX 


The  Snpjap  Calls  It  Heaven 

lie  sits  all  day.  drilling  the  beau ti Jul  wood,  lie  has  lots  oj  time. 
Holes  tvont  be  spaced  right,  but  he  doesn't  care.  He  thinks  it's  cham- 
pagne—  the  sap. 

How  different  his  neighbor  heloiv.  It  has  work  to  do — last,  ac- 
curate, continuous  work.  10.80(1  holes  per  hour,  14,400  pistons  per 
day.     No  time  to  adjust  or  fuss  with  bearings. 


America  Demands  Speed    •    •    • 


and  gets  it  in  this  9-spinclle  Bradford  Drilling  Machine.  92  New 
Departure  ball  bearings  support  its  rapid  fire  spindles  and  other  vital 
parts.  92  positions  where  accuracy  and  rigidity  are  permanently 
assured.     It's  no  Sapjap. 

.  .  .  Engineers  Only:  A  special  bearing  requires  extra  tooling  and  different 
machine  set-ups — delays  the  delivery  of  many  standard  bearings.  To  speed  war 
])roduction,  consult  a  New  Departure  engineer  as  to  availability  of  bearing  tvpes 
and  sizes.  Do  this  when  your  design  is  still  "on  the  board."  New  De|)arlure, 
Division    of    (General    Motors,    Bristol,    Comi.      Detroit,    Chicago,    San    Francisco. 

Newuepmliuie 

THE    FORGED    /sTEEL   BEARING 


3078 


THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


The  pipe  that  can't  keep  a  secret 


LEFT:  PYREX  Pipe  Liiwi—frum  1"  to  4" 
in  diameter — are  hung  jnnrh  like  other  types 
of  pijtinii.  This  picture  sluurs  the  use  of 
slroi^ht  lengths^  an  "L'\  and  tiro  "T's". 

ABOVE:  77iis  close-up  of  4"  PYREX  Piping 
>hincs  the  parts  used  in  a  Joint:  metal  flanges^ 
ashesios  inserts,  and  a  gashet. 


THIS  ginger  ale  maker  isasfinickv 
as  a  New  Knglaiid  housewife. 
(Probably  why  his  ginger  ale  is  an 
Eastern  best -seller.) 
"I  want  pipe  I  can  see  through", 
he  said,  "so  I  know  it's  elean.  Pipe 
that  can't  alter  the  fla\  or  of  my 
product  an\  more  than  the  glass 
bottles  it  is  sold  in.  Darn  it.  I  want 
glass  pipe!" 

Glass  pipe  lines,  made  by  Corning, 
are  a  familiar  sight  in  food,  bever- 
age, and  chemical  plants  .  .  .  paper 
mills,  refineries,  explosives  factories 
.  .  .  drug,  medicine,  and  cosmetic 
plants  ...  in  short,  wherever  prod- 
uct purity  is  vital. 
HighK  resistant  to  corrosion  at- 
tack.    Coming's     PYREX     Piping 


eliminates  this  cause  of  contamina- 
tion. Transjiarrnt.  it  keejis  no  secrets 
...  a  glance  tells  of  flow,  cleanliness, 
color,  sedinu-ntalion.  \nd  freedom 
from  pitting  and  scaling  means  long 
life  for  these  pipe  lines,  with  low 
maintenance  costs. 
Important  ?  Yes.  For  in  today's 
urgent  program  there's  no  place  for 
imjiure  products,  production  stop- 
page, high  maintenance  costs,  or 
wasted  materials.  And  in  manv  in- 
stances, glass  has  proved  it  can  out- 
perform metals,  do  an  essential  job 
belter  and  at  a  lower  cost. 
To  the  engineer,  this  glass  ]>iping  is 
important  as  an  example  of  the 
man\  -sidedness  of  glass  in  industry 
and  of  Corning  research  in  glass  .  .  . 


research  that  takes  in  its  stride  such 
divergent  tasks  as  the  making  of  a 
lin\  chemical-resistant  glass  spring, 
smaller  than  M)ur  tluunii.  or  the 
casting  of  the  world's  largest  tele- 
scope  mirror,  a  giant  one-piece  disc 
20  tons  in  weight.  Today  more  than" 
ever  Corning  is  heachpiarlers 
for  research  in  glass.  Indus- 
trial Division.  Corning  (ilass 
Works,  Corning,  New  York. 


c 


ORNING 


means 


Research  in  Glass 


M.4RGH,  1942 


MAGNESIUM  • 

from  the  sea  .  . 

By  August  Uttich 
Freshman  in  C hemical  Engineering 


Near  the  spot  where  Staiitord  University  students  ilo 
their  daily  labors,  close  to  the  present  key  city  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, a  new  plant  has  been  erected;  and  late  in  August  it 
started  commercial  production  of  ingot  magnesium.  In  Palo 
Alto.  California,  the  Permaneate  Corporation  has  opened 
the  second  plant  in  the  L  nited  States  for  the  production  of 
this  metal,  proving  that  it  is  possible  and  profitable  to  pro- 
duce it  by  the  reduction  of  the  ore  with  carbon. 

As  an  alloy,  magnesium  is  most  largely  used  in  the 
manufacture  of  airplanes.  A  single  airplane,  on  the  average, 
uses  QS5  pounds  of  magnesium  in  its  construction.  Crank- 
cases,  oil  pans,  pistons,  landing  and  tail  wheels,  cockpit  fit- 
tings, door  frames  and  housings  are  ideal  parts  of  the  planes 
on  which  to  reduce  weight  by  the  use  of  light  magnesium 
alloys.  One  hundred  pounds,  it  is  estimated,  can  be  saved 
by  using  magnesium  instead  of  aluminum  in  the  five  foot 
landing  gears  of  some  planes. 

Though  these  uses  seem  most  important  in  the  present 
emergency,  and  are.  indeed,  most  important,  they  are  by  no 
means  the  only  commercial  uses  for  the  metal.  Parts  of 
cameras,  golf  club  heads,  parts  of  typewriters,  and  artificial 
limbs  all  employ,  in  their  manuftcaure.  alloys  of  magnesium. 
It  is  a  deoxidizer  in  metalhu'gy.  It  is  extremely  valuable  in 
flash  bulbs  and  in  flash  powders.  From  this  can  be  seen 
its  apparent  use  in  incendary  bombs  and  Hares. 

After  the  war  in  1918  two  companies  were  producing 
magnesium  commercially.  The  American  Magnesium  Cor- 
poration, however,  discontinued  and  turned  to  manufactur- 
ing magnesium  alloys  and  fabricating  alone.  This  left  the 
Dow  Chemical  Company  the  sole  producers  of  ingot  mag- 
nesium. Their  process,  the  Dow  Process,  is  essentialh 
electroh  tic. 

By  taking  advantage  of  differences  in  solubilities,  a 
relatively  pure  magnesium  chloride  salt  can  be  obtained  by 
crystallization  of  brine  taken  from  the  sea,  and  sometimes 
prepared  from  salt  deposits.  The  impurities,  magnesium 
hydrate  and  calcium  chloride,  are  removed  by  a  carbonat- 
ing  process  which  concentrates  the  magnesium  chloride  and 
leaves  a  chalk  waste.  From  the  magnesium  chloride  crys- 
tals, the  water  of  hydration  must  be  removed.  Five  parts 
of  this  can  be  driven  oft  by  gentle  heating,  but  the  persistent 
sixth  requires  a  dry  hydrogen  chloride  gas  stream  to  pry  it 
loo.se  from  the  compound.  Fused  magnesium  chloride  is 
then  electrolyzed  to  obtain  '^9.95'^ '<  pure  magnesium  and 
chlorine,  which  is  likewise  an  invaluable  product,  especialh' 
in  wartime. 

The  method  used  by  the  American  Magnesium  Corpor- 
ation during  the  last  war,  called  the  oxide  or  fluoride 
process,  was  likewise  electrolytic.  Magnesite  ores  were  cal- 
cined, the  oxide  was  fused,  and  to  it  was  added  barium 
fluoride  to  make  the  bath  more  fluid  and  a  very  small 
amount  of  sodium  fluoride  to  conduct  the  current.     When 


FRONTISPIECE: 

TV.\'s  PICKWICK  DAAI  will  picxUue  an  additional  :!(!  mil- 
lion watts  of  electric  power  for  defense  industries  when  this 
senerator  shaft  flange  turns.  .John  KelcUer.  veteran  machinist, 
is  sliown  making  the  hiire  for  the  governor  which  iiiaintains 
the  speed  of  the  45  ton  shaft  at  81.«  revs,  per  minute.  (Cut 
courtesy  of  Westinshouse). 

MARCH,  1942 


the  current  was  passed  through  the  bath  molten  magnesium 
and  oxygen  were  obtained.  The  chief  difHculty  in  using 
this  procedure  was  the  low  solubilitv  of  the  magnesium 
oxide  (0.1',  ).  In  addition,  a  half  pound  of  carbon  anode 
was  consumed    for  each   pound  of   resvdting  magnesium. 

Dr.  Fritz  Hansgirg  over  twelve  years  ago  originated  a 
process  for  the  production  of  ingot  magnesium  by  reduction 
with  carbon.  The  Austro-Amcrican  Magnesite  Company 
has  been  experimenting  with  this  inexpensive  method  and  has 
for  some  time  had  a  commercial  plant  in  Radenthein, 
Austria,  and  recently,  in  England  and  Korea.  It  was  Dr. 
Hansgirg  who  sviperviseil  the  building  of  the  Permaneate 
plant  at  Palo  Alto,  which  began  last  March  b\  certificate 
of  the  (Office  of  Production  Management. 

In  this  process,  magnesite  ores,  which  will  at  first  be 
taken  from  Luning.  Xev.ida.  deposits  (41.6',  Mg.)  must 
be  calcined  as  in  the  fluoride  process.  Anthracite,  coke,  or 
charcoal  are  mixed  with  the  magnesia  in  their  ratio  of 
combination  according  to  the  equation: 

MgO  +  C  =  Mg  +  CO 

The  mixture  is  finely  ground,  mixed  with  a  tarry  substance 
and  pressed  into  blocks.  When  these  blocks  are  placed  be- 
tween the  electrodes  of  an  electric  furnace  at  ^lOO'C  and 
the  electric  current  passed,  the  carbon  reduces  the  mag- 
nesium according  to  the  abo\e  equation. 

Magnesium  vapor  and  carbon  monoxide  leave  the  fur- 
nace at  a  temperature  of  2000°C.  If  allowed  to  cool  nor- 
mally, a  reaction  the  reverse  of  that  above  takes  place, 
reoxidizing  a  great  part  of  the  metal.  But  according  to 
the  process  outlined  by  Dr.  Hansgirg,  a  gas.  neutral  to 
magnesium,  is  introduced  to  "shock  chill"  the  mixture,  taking 
the  carbon  monoxide  by  sin'prise,  so  to  speak,  before  it  can 
recombine  with  the  metal.  The  powdered  magnesium  dust 
obtained  is  filtered  through  wool  bags. 

Yet.  the  engineering  is  not  complete.  The  dvist  is  only 
from  sixty  to  sixty-five  percent  pure.  The  powder  must 
now  be  pressed  and  distilled.  For  this  distillation,  vacuum 
retorts  have  been  devised  since  hot  magnesium  burns  vio- 
lently in  oxygen  and  air.  Crystals  of  distillate  are  at  last 
melted  and  cast  into  ingots. 

The  residue  from  the  vacuum  retorts,  which  is  nothing 
but  recombined  magnesia  and  carbon,  is  again  briquetted  so 
that  no  waste  occurs  there.  The  "chilling  gas"  is  often 
hydrogen.  In  this  case,  the  monoxide  can  be  removed 
through  action  with  steam  and  lime.  In  the  Permaneate 
plant,  natural  gas  is  being  employed,  which,  after  its  use  in 
"chilling."  is  led  as  water  gas  to  the  nearby  cement  mill 
to  be  burned  as  a  fuel.  It  requires  over  twenty  volumes  of 
"chilling  gas"  to  lower  one  volume  of  the  magnesium  vapor 
and  monoxide  to  the  necessary  200"C.  The  gas  can  be 
used  over  without  repair  till  a  7  or  8*7  CO  concentration 
is  reached.  The  power  required  is  only  22000  kilowatt 
hours  per  ton  of  metal. 

The  only  difficulties  of  this  procedure  are  the  ilangers 
in  handling  the  explosive  magnesium  powder  and  the  equally 
explosive  hydrogen  or  natural  gas.  It  seems,  however,  that 
imder  the  direction  of  Dr.  Hansgirg  these  difficulties  have 
been  overcome. 

In  a  government  sponsored  test  plant  in  Pullman.  W^ash- 
ington.  revisions  of  the  Hansgirg  method  are  being  tried. 
.Most  important  of  these  is  the  use  of  oil  pressure  to  chill 
the  gaseous  mixture.  This  eliminates  danger  from  an  ex- 
plosive gas  and  since  the  oil  absorbs  the  magnesium  dust 
and  forms  a  film  around  the  exit  of  the  products,  greatly 
reduces  the  danger  from  the  metal  itself. 

The  production  of  magnesium  is  a  growing  industry 
that  will  be  important  in  war  or  in  peace.  And  the  new 
Hansgirg  method,  quick  and  inexpensive,  is  another  triumph 
for  science  and  engineering. 


Bigger  Fiitiire  Seen  for 

SUBMARINES  • 

of  the  United  States  Navy 


Although  the  inception  ot  the  subniaiine  boat  dates  back 
to  the  seventeenth  century,  it  was  not  until  three  hiuiiired 
years  later  that  practical  development  was  begun.  The  rapid 
development  that  has  since  taken  place  is  realized  by  re- 
sults of  its  use  in  the  first  World  War  and  in  the  present 
conflict. 

In  1900  the  U.  S.  Navy  added  its  first  submarine.  The 
ship  was  torpedo  shaped,  had  a  length  of  33  feet,  a  beam 
of  10  feet,  and  a  74  ton  displacement. 

DEVELOPMENT  OF  SUBMARINE 

Many  varied  engineering  problems  were  yet  to  be  solved, 
however,  before  the  submarine  could  be  effectively  used  as 
an  implement  of  war.  The  distribution  of  weight,  for  ex- 
ample, is  of  prime  importance  for,  vmlike  a  surface  vessel, 
the  submarine  has  a  comparatively  small  reserve  buoyance. 
It  is  suspended  like  a  balance  scale  and  must  be  in  equili- 
brium in  a  horizontal  position.  The  balancing  moments 
about  this  point  must  be  gained  as  far  as  possible  by  the 
distribution  of  all  machinery,  equipment,  and  fixed  articles 
because  the  displacement  limitations  allow  only  a  relatively 
small  weight  of  permanent  ballast  to  be  utilized,  and  can 
be  of  but  little  assistance  in  effecting  the  trim.  The  laws  of 
submarine  navigation  demand  that  the  center  of  gravity  and 
the  center  of  buoyancy  be  kept  as  far  apart  as  possible. 

Speed  and  power  estimation  is  a  second  engineering  prob- 
lem of  great  importance.  In  estimating  the  speed  and  power 
required  for  the  propulsion  of  a  certain  proposed  design, 
there  are  three  factors  which  determine  propulsive  effici- 
ency :  engine  efficiency,  propeller  efficiency,  and  hull  effic- 
iency. The  propulsive  efficiency  is  the  ratio  between  the 
E.  H.  P.  (or  two-rope  Horse  Power)  and  the  I.  H.  P. 
taken  at  the  cylinders  of  the  engine.  In  actual  practice,  this 
value  ranges  from  42  to  62  per  cent  of  the  I.  H.  P.  The 
final  verdict  as  to  the  actual  efficiency  is  based  on  a  chart 
of  speed  and  power  curves  which  must  be  drawn  up  to  ac- 
company each  new  design. 

The  first  practical  means  of  motive  power  installed  in  a 
submarine  was  the  steam  engine,  but  this  was  found  to  be 
of  little  use  in  such  an  application.  Internal  combustion  en- 
gines solved  the  problem  to  some  extent,  but  obviously  these 
could  not  be  used  for  submerged  locomotion. 

ELECTRICAL  POWER  PLANTS 

Although  the  ideal  form  of  power  plant  for  the  sub- 
marine is  one  that  is  capable  of  operation  both  when  the 
submarine  is  on  the  surface  and  when  submerged,  so  far 
as  is  now  known  no  such  s\'stem  has  \et  been  devised.  At 
the  present  time  the  submarine  is  equipped  with  a  Diesel 
engine  for  surface  operation  and  with  a  direct  current  motor 
for  use  below  water  levels.  The  precnt  motors  are  ruggedly 
bvn'lt,  have  their  armatures  mounted  on  the  main  shafting  of 
the  engines,  and  are  well  insulated.  They  are  interpolar, 
D.  C.  ventilated  type,  capable  of  running  in  either  direction 
imder  great  variations  in  load.  They  are  often  operated  at 
an  overload  of  as  much  as  90  per  cent  without  injurious 
heating.  A  potential  difference  of  about  70  volts  is  allowed 
at  the  field  terminals  to  provide  for  speed  regulation  when 
running  as   a   motor   and    for   adjustment   of   \olt;ige   when 


operating  as  a  generator.  When  the  Diesel  engine  drives  the 
motor  as  a  generator,  storage  batteries  of  the  "Lead  Cell" 
or  of  the  "Edison"  type  are  charged.  Neither  type  of  battery 
may  be  called  ideal  for  this  use,  though  rather  efficient 
operation  is  secured  by  the  use  of  either. 

The  problem  of  navigation  for  some  time  was  of  great 
consequence  in  the  effective  use  of  submarines.  Until  the 
advent  of  the  gyroscopic  compass,  navigation  was  more  or 
less  a  combination  of  dead  reckoning  and  luck,  for  the  hull 
is  constructed  of  magnetic  material  and  large  electrical 
currents  flow  throughout  the  ship  constantly  during  opera- 
tion, the  variations  of  the  needle  of  an  ordinary  magnetic 
compass  rendered  it  useless  in  submarine  navigation.  At- 
tempts were  made  to  overcome  these  difficulties  by  mount- 
ing the  compass  outside  the  ship  in  a  composition  helmet,  but 
all  attempts  of  such  a  nature  proved  frvutless,  and  were 
finally  given  up  with  the  invention  of  the  gyroscopic  com- 
pass. Navigation  worries  were  over. 

The  advance  in  communication  systems  and  signaling 
devices  has  kept  pace  with  the  rapid  improvement  made  in 
other  submarine  equipment.  For  surface  navigation,  the 
submarine  is  equipped  with  practically  the  same  signaling 
devices  as  any  other  shipflags,  sirens,  bells,  and  lights.  For 
outside  comnumication,  a  wireless  sending  and  receiving  set 
is  among  the  usual  equipment.  Hut  here  too.  engineers  have 
yet  to  solve  some  problems,  for  at  the  present  time  the  radio 
can  be  used  only  when  the  boat  is  on  the  surface  of  the 
water.  It  is  now  necessary  to  break  all  electrical  connec- 
tions on  the  outside  of  the  hull  and  close  a  watertight  joint 
before  going  under  water.  No  wireless  messages  can  then 
be  sent  or  received  until  the  submarine  returns  to  the  sur- 
face and  the  radio  is  literally  reinstalled  on  the  ship's  deck. 

UNDERSEA  LIVING 

Perhaps  the  factor  which  should  be  considered  as  sec- 
ondary only  to  efficiency  and  safety  is  habitability.  At  its 
best,  service  on  a  submarine  is  almost  "a  dog's  life."  The 
physical  endurance  of  the  crew  is  one  of  the  chief  factors 
which  now  limit  the  radius  of  action  of  a  submarine ;  hence 
every  possible  effort  should  be  and  is  being  made  for  the 
crew's  comfort.  Comfortable  berths,  dry  lockers  for  storing 
clothing,  wide  decks  for  fair  weather  cruising,  and  an  effi- 
cient heating  plant  all  make  for  this  end.  An  electric  range 
and  ice  box  are  among  other  items  which  make  for  the  con- 
tentment on   the  part  of  the  crew. 

Looking  to  the  use,  past  and  present,  of  the  submarine 
in  the  present  conflict,  we  arrive  at  a  safe  and  sane  conserva- 
tive deduction  as  to  what  the  future  development  of  the 
submarine  will  bring  about.  Certainly  the  goals  to  be  at- 
tained are  evident:  a  roomier  craft  to  provide  for  a  less 
cramped  crew's  quarters;  a  new  power  plant  which  will 
operate  both  above  and  below  the  surface  of  the  sea;  a  new 
development  in  radio  which  will  provide  outside  communi- 
cation during  the  time  of  submersion ;  an  increase  in  surface 
speeds  and  crin'sing  range;  further  improvements  in  mine 
laying  apparatus,  cable  cutting  de\ices,  and  more  efficient 
means  for  the  rapid  handling  of  torpedoes. 

Engineering  must  march  onward  with  America  to  vic- 
tory !  ^ 

THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


Kiglit:  (iiant  Telsa  Cuil,  one  uf  the 
larger  exhibits  at  the  Eleetrieal 
sliow. 


\V.  VV.  WUELLNER 
i'haii  nnin 

KO^■  A.  IIA.MMER 
Bus.  Maiiaticy 

R.  W.  LANUOX 
Publicity 

M.  L.  ALLEN 
Treasurer 

EDWARD  F.  DcMERS 

Chief  Eiu/weer 

ALBERT  P.  BOVSEX 

Physics  Dc/\iitiitciit 

G.  H.XIBBE 

Asst.  Piiblicty 

G.  C.  DACEY 

Exhibits 

R.  C.  KUDER 

Personnel,  E.E. 

R.  E.  TAYLOR 

Personnel,  E.P, 

L.  S.  BIRKS,  JR. 
Programs 


1942   ELECTRICAL   SHOW 

FEATURES   VICTORY  PROGRAM  April  9,  10,  11 


Every  two  years  our  campiLs  is  stirred  b\'  the  appi<iach 
of  a  most  singular  attraction.  Emotions  run  high  and  amid 
the  wondering  and  anticipation  young  lovers  substitute  for 
their  usual  topics  of  conversation  prolonged  discussions 
about  this  forthcoming  event.  "What,  "  you  may  well  ask, 
"can  this  awe-inspiring  thing  be?"  "A  personal  appearance 
of  (npsv  Rose  Lee?  the  'Dance  of  the  Seven  Veils'?"  No, 
the  big  event  is  the  1942  ELECTRICAL  SHOW! 

.\Liintaining  their  reputation  built  up  in  years  past,  stu- 
dents of  the  Electrical  Engineering  and  Engineering 
Physics  departments  have  planned  a  show  which  is  both 
entertaining  and  instructive.  For  those  of  scientific  bent, 
there  will  be  such  exhibitions  as  the  high-voltage  Tesla  Coil, 
capable  of  producing  12-foot  sparks;  the  "Floating  Dish- 
pan";  and  many  others.  For  those  of  less  scientific  ten- 
dencies, such  attractions  as  the  Kiss-O-Meter  will  be  fea- 
tured. The  «,ff  of  this  interesting  device  we  will  leave  to 
your  imagination — only  one   guess  needed  ! 

It  was  suggested  that  in  view  of  de\elopments  dating 
from   December  7,   last,  we  abandon   plans   for  a  show   this 

MARCH,  1942 


\ear.  It  was  decided,  however,  that  a  show  this  >ear  could 
definitely  contribute  to  the  public  morale  by  focusing  the 
attentions  of  the  public  to  the  great  advances  on  the  front 
of  Engineering.  In  keeping  with  the  times,  the  imderhing 
theme  chosen  for  the  1942  show  is  "National  Defense." 

Many  exhibits  will  this  \ear  be  of  a  military  nature,  such 
as  the  radio-controlled  tank,  or  perhaps  a  model  of  a  mag- 
netic mine  now  under  construction.  Other  exhibits,  while 
not  of  obvious  military  character,  will  suggest  a  definite 
military  application.  It  is  hoped  an  exhibit  demonstrating 
the  micro-wave  phenomenon  may  be  made.  These  ultra 
high  frequency  radio  waves  may  be  used  for  the  detection  of 
enemy  airships  and  submarines  far  more  effectively  than 
an\'  other  medium.  Ob\iously  care  must  be  made  to  not 
liberate  military  secrets  by  such  an  exhibition. 

The  dates  for  this  year's  show  include  April  9,  10,  and 
1  1.  Circle  the.se  dates  on  your  calendar  and  plan  to  attend. 
The  combined  efforts  of  the  Engineering  Physics  and  Elec- 
trical Engineering  departments  will  guarantee  you'll  never 
regret  it! 


Professor  Kerst*s 

BETATRON 

New  Electronic  Developement 


By  Robert  E.  McCleary 
Junior  in  Mechanical  Enfiinccriiifi 


Tall,  young,  Professor  Donald  Kerst  of  the  University 
of  Illinois  Physics  Department  has  just  completed  the  in- 
stallation of  a  machine  which  develops  the  most  powerful 
X-ray  in  the  world,  and  has  many  important  possibilities  in 
industry,  medicine  and  atomic  research. 

It  is  called  "The  most  important  invention  of  a  decade 
in  the  field  of  atomic  physics,"  by  President  Arthur  Ciitts 
Willard,  head  of  the  University  of  Illinois  and  himself  a 
noted    engineer. 

The  name  Beta-tron  is  a  combination  of  words.  Beta 
refers  to  the  electrons,  or  Beta  particles  which  are  acceler- 
ated, and  'tron'  is  a  Greek  word  meaning  "agency  for  pro- 
ducing." 

The  machine  is  now  installed  in  the  new  Abbot  power 
plant,  within  a  two-foot  thick  wall  of  concrete  blocks  to 
shield  its  penetrating  rays.  It  is  an  induction  electron  ac- 
celerator, doing  for  the  electron  what  the  C\clotron  does 
for  the  positive  ions.  In  it,  electrons,  the  ncgativelv  charged. 


Closeup  view  iif  t\\v  "(l(Mi;;hiuit,"   heart  of  llif  ISetatrcm. 


Professor  D.  V.  Kerst  of  I'niversit.x   ul   llliiKiis 
with  Betatron.  General  view. 


satelite  particles  of  atoms  are  accelerated  to  a  velocity  of 
nearly  that  of  light,  186,000  miles  per  second,  the  fastest 
ever  attained   by  artificial  means. 

A  doughnut-shaped  vacuum  tube  placed  between  the 
poles  of  a  powerful  magnet  from  the  heart  of  this  revolu- 
tionary device.  Inside  the  tube,  magnetically  guided  elec- 
trons are  accelerated  for  200  miles  in  a  circular  orbit,  ob- 
taining an  energy  of  20,000,000  volts  before  crashing  into 
a  tungsten  target  where  X-rays  of  the  same  voltage  are 
generated.  The  X-rays  are  equal  in  intensity  to  the  gamma 
rays  from  1000  grams  of  radium,  more  than  the  present 
world's  extracted  supply. 

The  machine  weighs  4  tons,  to  the  massive  Cyclotron's 
<S0  tons.  Its  electro-magnet  is  5  feet  long,  2  feet  wide,  and 
.1  feet  high,  and  contains  between  its  poles  the  doughnut 
tube  whose  outer  diameter  is  18  inches  and  whose  inner 
diameter  is  12  inches.  A  steady  push  of  as  much  as  70  volts 
per  revolution,  speeds  each  electron  on  its  dizzy  journey. 

The  Cyclotron  cannot  accelerate  electrons,  and  high  ve- 
locity electron  beams  have  not  kept  pace  with  experiments 
done  on  positive  ions  by  that  machine.  Former  machines 
have  reached  a  practical  limit  of  electron  acceleration  of 
1/6  Dr.  Kert's  machine,  or  3  million  volts. 

Furthermore,  there  seems  to  be  no  limit  to  the  energy 
of  the  induction  accelerator.  Apparently  its  effective  volt- 
age can  be  increased  indefinitely.  Dr.  Kerst  directed  his  ef- 
forts toward  the  development  of  a  100  million  volt  accelator 
and  spent  the  past  year  at  the  (leneral  Flectric  Research 
Laboratory,  building  his  present  intermediate  20  million  volt 
Beta-tron. 

It  was  while  a  bid  was  being  solicited  tor  the  manu- 
facture of  the  100  million  volt  machine  to  be  built  for  the 
I  niversity  of  Illinois  that  the  Compain  confiscated  his 
plans  in  order  to  make  the  machine  for  themselves. 

Scientists  here  believe  that  such  a  machine  may  artificial- 
ly produce  Cosmic-ray  phenomena.  At  present,  journeys  to 
lonely  mountain  tops  are  necessary  for  study  of  these  mys- 
terious rays  from  outer  space.  Perhaps  a  year's  work  on 
Cosmic  rays  could  be  accomplished  in  a  day  by  a  machine 
which  produced  Cosmic  ray  effects  in  the  laboratory. 

OPERATION  .  .  . 

In  the  purely  diagramatic  drawings  on  this  page  are 
seen  the  principle  elements  of  the  accelerating  tube.  At 
lower  left  is  seen  the  magnetic  flux  which  is  produced  in  the 
laminated  field  magnets  by  the  AC  current  from  points  A 
to  B  on  the  sine  wave  shown.  About  20  watts  are  ab- 
sorbed b\   the  whirhng  electrons,  which  mcrease  their  masses 


10 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


Inject  Of     Sh/e/c/ 


© 


ffl 


o 


H  Curye  (Mifnetic    f/etd 
Current') 


Ktaq  n  ef/c   fju  x 


180  Cfc/e  s ,A'C. 


-h       ^ 


IhiecUr 

Unit 


40  fold  because  of  the  relativity  effect  as  they  approach  the 
speed  of  light. 

All  engineers  who  have  taken  physics  will  realize  that 
if  the  doughnut  tube  contained  loops  of  wire  instead  of 
whirling  electrons,  the  changing  magnetic  flux  would  cause 
an  E..M.F.  of  (f)  NXlO-**  volts,  where  (f)  was  the  flux, 
and  N  the  number  of  turns  of  wire,  to  be  induced  in  the 
loops. 

This  is  the  neucleiis  of  the  revolutionary  idea  for  such 
high  voltages  and  electron  velocities  as  obtained  in  this 
niachitie.  Actually  the  loops  of  wire  (corresponding  to  the 
secondary  of  a  transformer  coil)  are  replaced  by  electrons 
which  circle  450, ()()()  times,  the  equivalent  of  the  same  num- 
ber of  turns  of  wire,  with  a  70  volt  peak  per  revolution. 

The  hot  filament  glows  continuously  and  electrons  are 
injected  into  the  doughnut  by  sudden  application  of  a  po- 
tential difference  between  the  filament  and  the  injector 
shield.  This  voltage  is  applied  briefh'  at  time  A.  approxi- 
mately. After  injection,  electrons  are  caught  and  started  on 
their  dizzy  trips.  Dotted  lines  show  how  the  electrons  are 
curves  toward  the  normal  orbit  and  wavers  from  side  to 
side  before  finally  settling  down  to  whirl  450,000  times 
about  the  tube  in  the  time  the  current  has  changed  from  A 
to  R,  1-720  second. 

An  additional  surge  of  flux  through  the  center  of  the 
orbit,  when  magnetic  field  has  reached  peak  value,  H,  ex- 
pands the  orbit  outwardly,  causing  the  electrons  to  impinge 
upon  back  of  injection  structure,  which  acts  as  a  target. 

This  tungsten  target  so  bombarded,  emits  powerful 
X-rays  in  a  strong  concentrated,  directional  beam,  as  shown. 
As  soon   as   the   current  wave   has   traveled   2    H    or    1-180 

MARCH,  1942 


second,  the  same  cycle  repeats  itself.  Electrons  are  whirled 
one  way,  only.  The  tube  waalls  are  1-4  inch  thick  and  its 
silvered  inside  surfaces  are  grounded.  Occasionally  a  stray 
molecule  of  gas  is  struck  by  the  whirling  electrons  and 
X-rays  may  be  emitted  in  an\  direction,  right  through  the 
walls  of  glass. 

The  X-rays  have  been  shown  able  to  conxert  copper  to 
its  radioactive  isentrope  which  then  ilecays  to  nickel.  In 
principle,  every  element  known  is  susceptible  to  this  trans- 
mutating  effect. 

Professor  Kerst  was  born  in  (ialena,  Illinois,  and  later 
lived  in  Wauwatosa,  Wisconsin.  There,  while  helping  a 
neighbor  build  an  amateur  radio  station,  he  became  in- 
terested in  science.  He  attended  the  University  of  Wiscon- 
sin, where  he  received  his  AB.  degree  in  1934  and  his  Phd. 
degree  in  1937.  He  is  an  honored  member  of  Phi  Beta 
Kappa,  Sigma  Xi.  and  (^lamma  Alpha. 

At  Wisconsin,  he  did  researcii  work  w  ith  Dr.  Ra\ni()nd 
Herb  and  Dr.  David  B.  Parkinson  with  pressure  electro- 
static machines.  This  work  attracted  attention  in  scientific 
circles,  and  led  several  institutions  to  construct  similar  ma- 
chines for  neuclear  research. 

Then  Professor  Kerst  worked  for  a  year  on  X-ray  tubes 
in  the  General  Electric  X-ray  Corporation  laboratory  in 
Chicago.  In  1938,  he  came  to  the  University  of  Illinois, 
where  he  built  the  first  electron  accelerator,  a  table-top  size 
machine  of  2  and    1    2  nu'llion  volt  energy. 

Much  more  will  undoubtedh'  be  heard  of  the  Beta-tron, 
for  research  with  it  has  scarcely  begun.  The  l'ni\ersit\'  may 
be  justly  proud  to  have  on  the  faculty  such  a  ilistinguished 
and  competent  a  genius  as  Professor  Kerst. 

11 


Fluorescent 
Lighting 

Modern 
Illumination 

* 


By  Hayward  L.  Talley 

Freshman  in  Electrical  Engineeriua 

(Illustratidiis  <oiirli's.v   (iencral 
KIcctric   ('mii|):in> . ) 


Siicildiiifi  an  abuiulancc  ot  pleasing  light  over  the  draw- 
ing board,  the  office  desk,  the  drill,  the  lathe,  and  the  kit- 
chen table,  is  a  new  type  of  lighting  unit  which  has  won 
the  praise  of  the  draftsman,  stenographer,  industrial  worker, 
and  homemaker  alike.  During  1941  alone  o\er  twenty-two 
bdlion  fluorescent  tubes  were  purchased  by  the  American 
public. 

Actually,  fluorescent  illumination  is  not  as  new  as  it 
woidd  seem,   for  as  earh    as   1  S7l)  a  Spamsh  physician,   Nic- 


Ucldw:  Device  lestiiin  the  hiislitness  of  IIUDiesei-iit  powders 
used  ill  the  riuoicsceiit  lamps,  to  assure  users  of  maximuni  light 
output   throughout   lamp  life. 


In  war  imi.strie.s,  fiuores<-eiit  li^htiii^  is  helpn.^  to  speetl  up 
production.  Here  a  welder  is  "doiriK  his  part"  on  the  nisht  shift 
in  an  airplane  factor,^. 


colo  Monardes,  noticed  that  when  a  tincture  of  a  certain 
type  of  wood  was  illuminated  it  took  on  a  blue  color.  Three 
centuries  later  the  English  physicist.  Sir  (j.  C.  Stokes,  de- 
termined the  true  nature  of  the  phenomenon,  and  called  it 
flunrescciicc. 

About  1SS4,  Edison  discovered  that  if  inside  an  ex- 
hausted incandescent  electric  lamp  of  the  ordinary  type,  a 
third  wire  is  introduced,  insulated  from  the  filament  con- 
nections, and  maintained  at  a  voltage  positi\e  with  respect 
to  the  filament,  then  a  current  would  flow  across  the  vacu- 
um inside  the  tube  from  the  third  wire  to  the  filament  as 
long  as  the  filament  was  incandescent,  but  that  the  cmrent 
ceased  as  soon  as  the  filament  became  cold.  This  phenomenon 
was  called  the  Edison  Effect. 

These  facts  established  by  Stokes  and  Edison  are  the 
elementary  foundation  upon  which  modern  flouroscent  light- 
ing is  based.  In  contrast  to  the  well  known  filament  lamp 
in    which    electricit\    flows    from    one    lead    wire   to   another 


i 

i 


(ilass  (ultini;   lieic  inuryes   from   a   furnace  in   scmiliquid   form. 

through  the  solid  tungsten  wire,  thus  heating  it  to  uican- 
descence,  the  fluorescent  lamp  makes  use  of  ultra-\iolet 
enei'gy  to  activate  a  fluorescent  material  coat  on  the  inside 
of  the  tube's  surface. 

The  lamp  in  its  present  form  consists  of  a  tubidar  glass 
bulb  with  two  external  contacts  at  each  i:ni\  which  are  con- 


nected  to  cnileil  tiiiigsteii-wire  electroiles.  Also  within  the 
tube  is  a  small  drop  of  mercury  and  pure  argon  gas  at  a 
low  pressure.  When  electricity  passes  into  the  lamp,  the 
mercury,  vaporizes.  Presently,  with  the  aid  of  the  argon 
gas,  an  arc  forms  between  the  electrodes  at  each  end  of  the 
tube.  Although  the  arc  gives  off  a  little  light,  most  of  the 
radiation  generated  is  invisible  ultraviolet  light.  The  powder 
on  the  inner  surface  of  the  bulb  converts  this  invisible  radi- 
ation into  visible  light  whose  color  depends  upon  the  powder 
ingredients. 

In  common  with  all  electric  discharge  apparatus,  fluores- 
cent lamps  require  auxiliary  control  equipment.  The  func- 
tion of  the  starting  auxiliaries  is  to  create  a  momentarily 
high-voltage  impulse  in  order  to  establish  an  arc  between 
the  electrodes.  The  auxiliary  consists  of  two  principal  ele- 
ments; an  iron  core  choke  coil  (ballast)  which  limits  the 
arc  current  and  a  starting  switch  which  momentarily  closes 
and  then  opens  the  electrode  heating  circuit.  Each  lamp  re- 
quires a  separate  auxiliary,  although  the  elements  of  two  or 
more  lamps  may  be  contained  in  a  single  unit.  Specifically 
designed  ballast  equipment  is  required  for  each  wattage  size, 
for  each  frequency,  and  for  each  voltage  range. 

When  fluorescent  lamps  were  first  introduced  a  num- 
ber of  starting  methods  such  as  thermal  switch,  resonant, 
and   magnetic   switch    types   were    utilized.    Recently,    how- 


Hun<lre<ls    of    tuhes,    now    hard    and    cut    lo    lenytli,    have    been 
stacked   hi   readiness   for   assenibl.v   as   M^htin^    units. 


ever,  a  switch  known  as  the  gloiv  sivildi  operating  on  the 
thermal  principle  has  been  manufactured.  This  new  start- 
ing device  is  about  1  inch  long  and  about  3-8"  in  diameter. 
It  resembles  a  minature  electric  lamp,  and  contains  an 
easily  ionized  gas  and  two  bi-metallic  electrodes  which  serve 
as  the  switch  contacts.  The  switch  is  connected  in  series 
with  the  fluorescent  lamp  electrodes ;  when  the  current 
is  turned  on  a  glow  discharge  is  created  between  the  nor- 
mally open  switch  contacts  of  the  bi-metallic  electrodes.  The 
heat  of  the  flow  causes  the  contacts  to  close.  At  this  point 
the  lamp  electrodes  are  heated  to  a  bright  red  color.  As  the 
contact  closes  the  glow  discharge  automatically  ceases,  al- 
lowing the  bi-metal  elements  to  cool  and  separate,  opening 
the  switch  and  striking  the  arc  in  the  lamp.  The  whole 
operation  from  the  time  the  current  is  applied  until  the 
arc  is  established  requires  only  one  to  two  seconds. 

Power  consuming  apparatus  of  the  inductive  class  such 
as  coils  and  other  current  limiting  devices  have  a  lagging 
power  factor.  For  this  reason  the  equation  for  power  applied 
to  fluorescent  lamp  installation  is:  Watts=voltsX amperes 
Xpower  factor.  The  power  factor  of  the  average  fluorescent 
lamp  itself  is  about  QO  per  cent.  Due  to  the  ballast  choke, 
however,  the  power  factor  for  the  complete  unit  is  reduced 
to  5(1  or  b(l  per  cent.  This  low  power  factor  is  expensive  and 
undesirable,  hence  in  order  to  improve  the  power  factor, 
a  suitable  condenser  is  connected   across   the  choke   coil.   In 


the  case  of  two  lamps  operated  from  ballasts  housed  in  tiie 
same  unit,  the  split  filutsc  principle  is  used  ;  one  of  the  lamps 
is  ballasted  by  inducti\e  reactance  onl\'  and  the  other  h\  in- 
ductance and  capacitance  in  series. 

Comparing  fluorescent  equipment  with  its  preilecessor, 
the  tungsten  (filament  lamp),  the  filament  lamps  produced 
a  great  amount  of  radiant  heat;  fluorescent  lamps  produce 


Finished  fluoreseent  lightins;  tiil)es  are  assembled  on  raclts  for 
final   inspection   and   test. 


about  one-foLuth  that  protluced  b\  filament  lamps  for  the 
same  amount  of  light  delixcred.  The  fluorescent  tube,  for 
this  reason,  is  well  adapted  for  nearby  use.  Fluorescent 
equpiment  has  a  Irm-  surface  hric/htricss.  making  it  possible 
to  increase  the  comfort  level  of  a  lighting  system,  and 
(Please  sec  page  22) 

Below:  Liylit  outpnt  test — one  of  the  scores  of  tests  b.v  means 
of  which  the  manufacturers  assure  users  they  are  getting  the 
best  in  (lualit.v. 


NAMES 


in  the  neics 


By   William   R.   Schmit/. 
1' reshnian  in  Chemical  Engineering 

BOB   DEBS 

Bob  Debs  is  a  ineiiiber  of  Sigma  Phi  Delta,  Sigma  Tau, 
Pi  Mu  Epsiloii,  and  coiiesponding  secretary  of  Tan  I?eta 
Pi.  Last  year  Bob  was  general  chairman  of  the  music 
committee  for  the  music  hour  at  the  L  nion  Building.  Tall, 
thick-spectacled  and  dark  haired,  this  remarkable  person- 
ality hides  behind  an  easy  smile. 

As  you  might  suppose,  music  is  one  of  Bob's  hobbies. 
Another  hobb\',  which  you  would  be  equalh'  luilikely  to 
guess,  is  hitch-hiking.  In  fact.  Bob  likes  it  so  well  that  he 
hitchhiked  all  the  way  to  New  York  and  back  last  sum- 
mer. And  if  you  don't  know  why  he  would  go  that  far, 
just  remember  the  rumor — It  was  to  see  a  certain  little 
lady.  He  wouldn't  tell  your  columnist  whether  she  was  a 
blonde,  brunette,  or  a  red-head,  but  he  admits  liking  all 
three ! 

He  tells  freshmen  to  form  two  things  quickl\ — study 
habits  and  friendships.  He  says  that  at  Illinois  you  will 
meet  people  who  will  be  your  friends  for  life,  and  the  best 
thing  is  to  make  as  many  friendships  as  possible. 

Bob  has  found  particular  enjoyment  in  mathematics, 
physics,  and  English  literature.     As  an  engineering  physicist 


BILL 


(iKOI{(;E 


Bob  expects  to  go  mto  research  and  development  work.  He 
is  very  interested  in  X-rays  and  electronics.  His  laudable 
hope  is  to  be  able  to  dn  something  of  benefit  to  science  and 
man. 

BILL  WUELLNER 

Home  town  boy  makes  good!  That  is  the  story  of  Bill 
Wuellner.  Bill  is  a  resident  of  L  rbana  and  lives  very  close 
to  the  campus.  Bill  thinks  that  he  has  an  ad\antage  over  the 
other  fellows  in  being  able  to  stay  at  home.  He  appreciates 
those  home-cooked  meals,  but  wishes  that  he  was  a  little 
more  independent  and  did  not  ha\e  to  account  for  his 
every  move. 

Bill  is  also  an  electrical  engineer  of  some  reknown. 
Specializing  in  power.  Bill  once  came  close  to  having  an 
accident.  He  caught  hold  of  a  220  volt  wire  and  coidd  not 
let  loose.  (He  lived  to  tell  us  about  it.)  Bill  is  a  member 
of   Eta   Kappa   Nu,    Phi    Eta   Sigma,    Beta   Kappa.    Phalanx, 

14 


J(»HN 


liOlt 


T.N.T.,  Pershing  Rilfcs,  A.I.E.E.,  and  is  chairman  of  the 
forth-coming  Electrical  Show. 

Bill  is  a  true  gentleman,  scholar,  and  soldier.  Right 
now.  Bill's  main  thought  is  military.  He  is  looking  forward 
to  his  sojourn  in  the  army  with  enthusiasm.  A  Cadet  Cap- 
tain in  the  Engineers,  Bill  puts  in  about  ten  hours  a  week 
on  military  subjects  and  drill.  Although  he  is  not  looking 
ahead  into  the  future  too  much.  Bill  admits  that  he  would 
like  after  the  war  to  have  a  responsible  position  with  a 
good  salary,  a  nice  home,  and  a  good  wife. 

He  likes  the  same  things  that  you  and  I  like,  including 
the  ever  popular  female.  He  says  that  Illinae  are  a  fine 
bunch  of  girls,  but  insists  that  we  make  "co-ed"  singular. 
Not  only  is  he  a  good  tennis  and  golf  player,  but  he  is  also 
a  good  bowler.  His  pet  peeve  is  that  he  can  never  fiiul  a 
bowling  alley  open  when  he  wants  to  go  bowling. 

JOHN   FICOR 

John  Ficor,  senior  M.  E.,  is  a  quiet,  mild-mannered 
individual  with  a  great  love  for  engineering.  Interested  in 
engineering  since  his  early  boyhood,  John  began  looking 
about  for  the  best  engineering  school.  Quite  naturally  he 
chose  Illinois,  chiefly  because  of  the  reputations  of  the 
engineering  professors  here. 

Although  John  doesn't  have  a  whole  lot  of  spare  time, 
he  says  that  outside  activities  are  vital  to  a  college  stu- 
dent's life.  He  particularly  stressed  that  these  activities 
should  tie  up  with  your  profession  some  way.  Some  of  the 
organizations  to  which  he  belongs  are:  Phi  Eta  Sigma, 
Sigma  Tau,  Pi  Tau  Sigma.  Tau  Beta  Pi,  Scabbard  and 
Blade,  and  A.S.M.E.  He  holds  the  rank  of  Cadet  Captain 
in  the  Field  Artillery. 

This  stal\\'art  son  from  Madison,  HI.,  has  a  few  hobbies 
that  he  likes  to  pursue  in  his  spare  time:  building  model 
airplanes  and  reading  fiction  books,  pla\ing  baseball  and 
swimming.  Also  a  music  lover,  especially  of  light  opera, 
John's  favorite  piece  is  Andre  Kostelanetz's  Bcijin  The 
Hiz/iiinc. 

Right  now,  John  is  interested  in  writing  a  thesis  on 
the  photo-elastic  investigation  of  design  of  railwa\  car- 
wheels.  Principalh'  interesteil  in  design  and  power,  John 
has  especialh  liked  his  T.  A.  M.  and  Design  courses  here 
at  school,  which  nia\  contribute  to  his  good  4.^^  scholastic 
average. 

John  likes  the  way  the  campus  is  laid  out,  but  insists 
that  the  Alma  IVIater  statue  is  in  the  wrong  place.  He  be- 
lieves that  it  should  be  in  a  more  iirominent  place,  and  we 
are   inclined   to   agree  with   him. 

GEORGE   DACEY 

The  greatest  music  lover  of  the   E.   E.'s  is  genial  heavy- 
set  (George  Dacey.  (leorge's  interest  in  music  dates  back  to 
{Ph'dse  sec  page  22) 

THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


-I 


^x. 


Western  Etectric 


.  . .  is  back  of  your 
Bell  Telephone  service 


MARCH,  1942 


15 


TECHNOCRACKED 


By  Edward  C.  Tudor 
Senior  in   Electrical   I:ni>inccriiiii 


Kvfii  with  a  war  in  full  s\\in<i  tlicic  is  still  a  preponder- 
ance of  humor  availahic  along  all  the  walks  of  life.  We 
would  like  to  pass  along  a  iew  of  the  more  inane  items  from 
the  newspapers  that  we  think  deserve  comment. 

For  instance,  two  Chicago  policemen  who  went  to  the 
rescue  of  a  duck,  apparently  frozen  in  Lake  Michigan,  fell 
into  the  icy  water.  The  duck  flew  away.  This  bird  has 
evidently  been  reading  the  comic  strips. 

"You  can  provide  food,  bedding,  and  shoes  for  a  horse 
today  for  50  cents  a  day." — New  York  Daily  Mirror. 
— Wanna  bet? 

Headline:  "Speed  Wastes  Tires."  And  pedestrians,  too! 
"Wanted — Fireman.  Hotel  experience.  Apply  sober.  3t),i 
Times." — New  York  Times.  Need  we  say  anything! 

"A  whispered  word  in  Dallas,  Tex.,  that  only  black 
candles  would  be  allowed  in  blackouts  caused  a  run  on 
them.  One  dealer  sold  10,000  before  the  public  became 
aware  of  the  hoax." — St.  Louis  (iIobe-Democrat.  Quick 
Jeeves,  the  gold  bricks. 

"Hess  is  where  he  ought  to  be," — Churchill.  If  this  be 
the  case  we  hope  Dante  had  the  right  idea  about  things 
down   there. 

"Dishwater  recommended  as  poison  antidote."  No 
thank  you,  we'll  put  up  with  the  arsenic. 

It's  a  duty  to  drive  carefully  club  is  told."  And  against 
the  law  to  drive  any  other  way,  in  case  you're  interested. 

76  tires  stolen  in  city;  76  permits  for  new  ones  issued." 
Well,  at  least  they're  holding  their  own. 

Then  there's  always  some  good  ones  from  the  war 
situation,   to   wit: — 

Headline:  "Nazis  Willing  to  Rule  the  World."  We'll 
bet  that  if  they  had  half  a  chance  they'd  fight  to  do  it. 

"Cjoebbels  tells  (lermany  it  will  win  or  lose  all.  "  We 
get  the  impression  that  he's  half  right  at  tliat. 


"Biggest  gun  in  arm\  on  (lis|ila\  in  Chicago.  "  (Juard  it 
well,  fellows,  don't  let  those  Chicago  torpedoes  get  holil  of 
that  thing. 

"War  work  aided  b\  suiplus  corn."  At  least  it  helps 
some  Kngineers  to  foiget  their  worldly  troubles. 

"Another  (lerman  (leneral  ailing.  "  Better  rush  a  sur- 
geon, Adolph,  before  the  guy  gets  well. 

And  along  the  same  lines:  "So\iet  Amhassadoi'  ui  '1  okyo 
leaving  because  of  ill  health.  '  lle'd  better  hurry  before  the 
Japs  decide  to  operate. 

We  understand  that  there  aic  so  many  office-holders  in 
Washington  now  that  the  government  is  putting  names 
on  revolving  doors.  In  fact,  a  railroad  ticket  agent  fainted 
at  his  window  the  other  da\  when  a  man  asked  for  a  round- 
trip  ticket  to  Washington. 

16 


I 


It  is  standard  practice  these  days  when  entering  a  night 
club  for  one  to  hang  his  hat  and  coat  on  a  fireplug  and 
check   the  spare   tire.  # 


We  know  it  was  T;ille\  r;uul,  but  it  might  well  h;i\e 
been  "Buck"  Knight,  who  said  of  coffee,  "It  must  be  pure 
as  an  angel,  strong  as  love,  black  as  the  devil,  and  hot  as 


We  just  finished  (iroucho  Marx's  new  book  on  income 
taxes,  "Many  Happy  Returns."  We're  convinced  that  a 
better  title  would  have  been  "Many  Slap-happy  Returns." 
The  book  greatly  clarifies  ou  rquestions  on  the  case  of  a 
befuddled  fellow  in  Berkley,  Cal..  who  made  out  his  tax 
return  then  committed  suicide.  A  tavern  owner  in  Chicago 
found  an  easier  way  out.  After  tax  auditors  had  billed  him 
for  :!';1700  he  replied  with  the  following  laconic  note, — 
"Tavern  is  yours,  I'm  going  Jap  hunting.  " 

From  Howard  Brubaker  in  The  New  Yorker,  "Many 
officials  of  the  Coolidge  and  Hoover  administrations  are 
being  pressed  into  the  service  of  their  country.  In  this  crisis, 
our  leaders  are  not  too  proud  to  use  reclaimed  Republicans." 

Directions  for  extinguishing  an  incendiary  bomb  from 
the  San  Francisco  Chronicle;  "If  water  is  applied  too  rapid- 
ly, an  explosion  is  likely.  Never  apply  water  directh'  from 
a  bucket.  The  best  method  is  the  application  of  water  di- 
rectly from  a  bucket."  We're  giving  odds  on  the  bomb. 
[PI ease  sec  page  19) 


f 


Remember 
Last  Year? 


For  a  smoofh  evening 

it's  the  engineer's  dance 

at  the  Union  6a//room 

Slide  Ride  .  .  . 

SHUFFLE 


FRIDAY,  MARCH  20 
Informal 

Tickets  to    Engineers   $1.75   per  couple 


THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


What  does  it  take  to  smooth 
a  Warbird's  Feathers  ? 


A  wingspread  of  212  feet 
...every  inch  preened 
sleek  as  satin!  The  per- 
fect smoothness  of  the 
metal  sheathing  on  Amer- 
ican warbirds  like  the 
B-19,  world's  mightiest 
bomber,  isn't  there  for 
looks.  It's  essential  to 
top  performance.  How  do 
they  get  the  flawless 
sheets  of  metal  used  to 
make  airplanes?  They're 
rolled  out  by  the  ton  by 
giant  steel  rolls.  And 
keeping  the  surfaces  of 
these  rolls  ground  to 
almost  perfect  accuracy 
and  finish  is  another 
of  the  vital  contribu- 
tions of  Carborundum- 
made  wheels  to  America's 
defense . 


Thousands  of  other  products  for  defense  and 
for  normal  needs  are  made  by  the  rolling 
process.  Plate  glass  for  your  car,  steel 
rails,  plastics,  tin  plate  and  paper  are 
only  a  few.  And  since  their  surfaces  can  be 
only  as  perfect  as  the  faces  of  the  rolls 
that  roll  them,  finish  is  highly  important. 
Today,  surface  quality  of  rolls  can  be  main- 
tained to  within  a  few  millionths  of  an 
inch  by  the  use  of  Carborundum-made  grinding 
wheels. 


The  same  skill  and  experience  that  have  helped 
develop  modern  roll  grinding  technique  will  be 
at  your  disposal  in  any  industry  with  which 
you  may  become  associated.  Whatever  the  use  of 
grinding  wheels  or  coated  abrasives.  Carborundum 
engineers  are  ready  at  all  times  to  advise  and 
help.  The  Carborundum  Company,  Niagara  Falls, 
New  York. 


CARBORiyjOUIA 


Carborundum  urid  Aloxile  urc  reKi>4tt;re(l  Irodtf  (imrka  of 
andindiLHteiiiBnufaL'tureby  Thu  (-HrhorundiimCdmuany. 


MARCH,  1942 


17 


Return  of 
the  Carbon 

Age 

Carbon  .  . .  one  of  Nature's  oldest 
and  most  plentiful  materials  ...  is 
making  possible  some  of  industry's 
newest  achievements. 

In  the  chemical  industry,  massive 
black  towers  of  carbon  .  .  .  erected  in 
incredibly  short  periods  of  time  .  .  . 
speed  the  delivery  of  vital  acids.  The 
all-carbon  electrostatic  precipitator... 
built  of  carbon  from  the  bottom  to  the 
top  of  the  stack  ...  is  now  an  actuality. 
Such  towers  can  be  erected  in  as  little 
as  a  week's  time!  Staunchly  immwie 
to  corrosion  and  thermal  shock,  they 
should  last  indefinitely. 

Today  .  ,  .  due  to  basic  and  ap- 
plied research  into  the  proper- 
ties of  carbon  and  graphite  .  .  . 
it  is  possible  to  obtain  these 
black, wonder-working  materials 
in  such  a  variety  of  forms- 
blocks,  bricks,  beams,  tubes,  pipes,  and  fittings 
. . .  even  valves  and  pumps  .  . .  that  almost  any 
size  or  shape  of  structure  can  be  built  from 
them.  For  making  tight  joints,  which  give  the 
structure  uniform  properties  throughout,  spe- 
cial carbon-  and  graphite-base  cements  have 
been  developed. 

Undisturbed  by  the  torture  of  heat, 
carbon  is  also  a  '"must"  in  the  met- 
allurgicul  industry.  Carbon  cannot 
be  melted  .  .  .  will  not  soften  .  .  . 
and  has  remarkable  dimensional 
stability  even  at  incandescent  heat. 
In  addition,  it  will  not  flake  off  and 
hot  metal  will  not  stick  to  it.  That 
is  why  it  is  ideal  for  such  uses  as 

,  cores,  and  plugs  .  .  .  for  the  lining  of 

furnaces  .  .  .  and  for  sampling-dippers. 

\  Because  electric-furnace  graphite 
conducts  heat  even  better  than 
most  metals,  it  is  becoming  in- 
creasingly important  in  the  man- 
ufacture of  heat  exchangers  for 
the  processing  of  corrosive 
liquids  and  gases. 

These  new  uses  for  carbon  and  graphite  .  . . 
added  to  the  almost  interminable  list  of  uses 
that  existed  before  .  .  .  make  this  era  truly 
a  carbon  age.  Your  inquiries  are  cordially 
in\'ited. 

The  strides  made  in  the  development  of 
structural  carbon,  and  in  the  uses  of  other 
carbon  and  graphite  products,  are  greatly 
facilitated  by  the  technical  assistance  of  other 
L'nits  of  Union  Carbide  and  Carbon  Corpora- 
tion including  The  lAnde  Air  Products  Com- 
pany, Carbide  and  Carbon  Chemicals  Corpora- 
tion, Electro  Metallurgical  Company,  Haynes 
Stellite  Company,  and  inion  Carbide  and 
Carbon  Research  Laboratories,  Inc.  —  all  of 
uhich  collaborate  tcith  IS'ational  Carbon  Com- 
pany in  research  into  the  properties  and  ap- 
plications of  carbon  and  graphite. 

N.\TIOINAL  CARBOiN  COMPANY,  INC. 

I'nit  of    I'nion   Cttrbiiie   and   Carbon   i.urpuralion 

30  East  42nd  Street        [TH3        New  York,  N.  Y. 


Tbii    utl-carbon    vUctrostulic    prvcip* 
itatur  stands  55   fvet,   2  inches   high. 


TECHNOCRACKED 

(  .    .    .    frrjiii    l>iu/f    16) 

Daffynitioiis:  Uif^aniist — a  man  who  ilofsn'r  kniiw  wlu-n 
hf's  had   enough. 


Wf  note  that  Donald  Xelson  is  one  of  the  three  most 
noted  Nelsons  in  history,  the  other  two  being  Lord  Nelson 
and  half  Nelson. 

The  only  spy  killed  o\er  here  was  sideswiped  b\  a  taxi- 
cab  in  New  York's  Times  Square.  And  they  took  tile  d liv- 
er's license  away  for  two  months! 

We  close  with  the  following  reproduction  of  some  of 
the  questions  and  answers  supplied  by  Gracie  Allen  on  a 
routine  questionnaire  filled  out  when  she  reported  for  her 
newest   picture. 

Professional  name — "Gracie  Allen"   (big  letters). 

Travel:  cities  and  countries,  with  dates — "Have  travel- 
led, but  not  with  dates.  When  I  have  a  date  I'd  rather 
park  than   travel,  wouldn't  you  ?" 

Where  educated — "Partly  in  school,  iiarth  listening  to 
the  Quiz  Kids." 

Weight — "Yes,  but   not  \xhere  it  should  be." 

Military  record,  if  any — "Have  one  record:  Soiisa's 
'Stars  and  Stripes  Forever'  and  play  it  all  the  time." 

How  often  attend  picture  shows — "Two  or  three  times 
— after  that  a  picture  gets  monotonous." 

What  would  do  if  out  of  pictures — "I  don't  know. 
If  you  can  find  out  what  Clark  (^able  does  out  of  pictures 
I'd  be  glad  to  help  him." 

(Odious,  huh  ? 


We  now  retire  to  the  seclusion  of  our  padded  cell  to 
ponder  that  omnipresent  problem  during  air  air-raid: — 
whether  to  hide  in  the  cellar  and  let  the  house  fall  in  on  us, 
or  to  hide  in  the  attic  and  fall  in  with  the  house. 


H-ral    lUcctii,-    Cu. 
Nif;ht   view    i>l'  illiiininati-(l  erossiim. 

Sodium  Vapor  Lights 

Protect  Grade  Crossings 

Illumination  of  grade  crossings  may  greatly  improve 
dri\ing  safety  records.  Sodium  lights  installed  at  several 
grade  crossings  in  Faribault,  Minn.,  have  helped  cut  night 
accidents,  according  to  records  of  the  railroad's  claim  de- 
partment. The  lights  are  of  the  open  type  and  utilize  a 
l(),()l)0-lumen  sodium  lamp  in  a  horizontal  position.  Two 
lights  are  installed  at  each  crossing  on  Division,  Third,  and 
Foiu'th  Streets. 

Prior  to  tlie  sodium  lighting,  two  night  accidents  oc- 
curred in  three  years  at  these  crossings.  The  cases  involved 
automobiles  striking  the  sides  of  freight  trains,  and  both 
occurred  between  midnight  and  6  a.  m.  Two  other  acci- 
dents also  occurred  in  this  period,  one  happening  in  day- 
light and  the  other  time  unknown.  In  the  three  years  fol- 
lowing installation  of  the  lights,  onl\'  two  accidents  have 
happened  at  the  crossings — both  in  daylight. 


More  than  one  and  a  third  billion  lamps,  a  new  record, 
were  sold  in  the  United  States  during  IO4I,  it  is  reported 
in  the  annual  review  of  the  electrical  industry  by  Guy  Bart- 
lett.  The  estimated  total  of  l,35U,OUU,UUO  included  718,- 
000,000  large  and  610,000,0  miniature  incandescent  lamps, 
and  22,00,00  fluorescent  lamps.  Miniature  lamps  include 
automobile,  flishlight,  and  similar  lamps. 


■^  Buy  U.  S.  Defense  Bonds  and  Stamps  -^ 


Big  Interview? 

The  engineer  who's  on  his  toes 

will  make  sure  he  looks  his  best 

by  seeing  Lee  at 


CAMPUS   BARBER   SHOP 

Due  East  from  Physics  Lab. 


For  That  Morning  SNACK 

or  a 

DINNER  from  soup  to  nuts 

Engineers  go  across  the  street  from 
the  Physics  Building  to 


CHARLIE'S 

RESTAURANT 


MARCH,  1942 


19 


GERMAN  AIRCRAFT 

RADIO  .  .  . 

Not  Equal  to  U.  S.  Types 

Some  weeks  ago  a  (jerinan  fighter  plane,  a  Messer- 
schmidt  109,  was  shot  down  over  the  Thames  estuary.  Ar- 
rangements were  made  to  have  the  plane  shipped  to  the 
United  States,  enabling  American  engineers  to  examine  the 
plane  and   the  equipment  which   it  carried. 

The  radio  equipment  installed  in  the  plane  included  a 
receiver,  a  low-power  transmitter,  and  a  power  supply 
unit.  In  general,  each  unit  was  ruggedly  built.  The  chassis 
of  each  unit  is  a  light  weight  casting,  manufactured  from 
Elektron,   a  special   allo\'   replacing  aluminum  or  steel. 

The  units  themselves  are  interconnected  with  cable  and 
waterproof  coupling  plugs.  The  cable  is  fibre  covered,  and 
unlike  the  shielded  rubber  co\ered  cable  used  in  American 
designs,  humidity  and  abrasion  could  cause  considerable 
damage.  The  absence  of  metallic  shielding  also  makes  pos- 
sible the  entrance  of  undesirable  interference  set  up  by  the 
ignition  system  of  the  plane. 

THE  RECEIVER  occupies  730  cubic  inches  and 
weighs  thirteen  pounds.  It  is  a  five  tube  single  band  radio 
covering  a  range  of  from  2,500  to  3,700  kilocycles.  The 
superhetrodyne  circuit  employs  the  five  tubes  as  follows: 
first  RF,  detector-oscillator,  first  IF,  second  detector,  and 
audio  output.  Plate  leads  are  brought  out  at  the  top  of  the 
tube.  A  similar  circuit  layout  was  perfected  here  ten  years 
ago  employing  tube  No.  24  (R-F  Amplifier  Tetrode)  and 
No.  35  (Super-Control  R-F  Amplifier  Pentode).  No.  24 
also  is  used  as  a  bias  detector. 

The  coils  used  in  the  receiver  are  all  of  the  air-tuned 
type,  and  even  though  Germany  pioneered  in  the  develop- 
ment and  application  of  iron  core  coils,  none  are  used  ex- 
cept in  the  second  IF  transformer.  None  of  the  coils  are 
impregnated  with  a  wax  protecti\e  coating,  and  without 
doubt  extreme  temperatures  could  do  them  tremendous 
damage. 

The  recei\er  output  is  designed  for  8,0011  Li  load  and 
the  maximum  power  output  is  about  70  Milliwatts.  The 
receiver  selectivity  varies  from  10  microvolts  at  the  higher 
frequencies  to  60  microvolts  at  the  lower  end  of  the  band. 
The  IF  frequency  of  the  receiver  is  250  kilocycles,  and 
the  first  IF  transformer  is  double  tuned,  while  the  second 
has  but  one  tuned  circuit. 

Ceramic  resistors  and  condensors  are  used  extensively 
and  each  is  color-coded  for  easy  identification.  All  resistors 
and  condensors  are  mounted  on  a  ceramic  terminal  board. 
Ceramic  components  are  used  throughout  the  set  much  the 
same  as  we  use  bakelite  and  plastics. 

THE  TRANSMITTER  occupies  785  cubic  inches  of 
space,  and  has  a  weight  of  twenty  pounds.  It  is  composed 
of  four  tubes,  used  as  follows:  straight  feedback  oscillator, 
2  RF  amplifiers,  and  a  single  tube  as  the  modulation  equip- 
ment. Provision  is  made  for  the  addition  of  a  second  tube 
of  the  last  type  in  order  to  supply  more  audio  voltage  to 
the  grid  of  the  power  amplifier  tube  if  it  is  subjected  to  high 
plate  voltage.  The  frequency  of  the  oscillator  is  controlled 
by  a  tuning  condenser  in  the  plate  circuit  and  is  indicated 
on  the  front  panel  of  the  unit.  The  output  of  this  oscillator 
is  fed  to  the  two  RF  amplifiers  which  are  connected  in  a 
paralleled  circuit.  A  power  supply  of  275  volts,  90  cycle, 
AC  is  fed  from  the  power  supply  to  the  transmitter  and  here 
filtered  and  rectified  for  the  power  supply  and  the  bias 
voltages  for  the  oscillator  and  speech  amplifier  tubes. 

20 


THE  ANTENNA  SYSTEM  consists  of  a  short  fixed 
antenna  and  a  conventional  "trailing  wire."  The  antenna 
system  is  connected  with  the  set  through  a  variometer  and 
an  antenna  selector  switch.  The  circuit  is  so  arranged  that 
when  on  the  fixed  antenna  position  the  airplane  serves  as  a 
switch  is  on  the  trailing  antenna  position,  both  the  fixed  an- 
teruia  and  the  airplane  serve  as  a  counterpoise. 

THE  POWER  SI  PPLY  occupies  500  cubic  inches 
and  weighs  fifteen  pounds.  It  consists  of  a  motor-generator 
unit  and  filters  for  both  output  and  input  voltages.  In  addi- 
tion to  the  257  V.  AC  supply  to  the  transmitter,  the  volt- 
ages supplied  are:  12  \'..  I).  C.  (filament  voltage),  and 
4(10  v.,  D.  C.    (plate  and  screen  voltages). 

Comparing  the  operating  efficiency  of  this  (jernian 
radio  with  a  modern  imit  installed  in  fighter  planes  of  the 
I  nited  States,  there  is  no  doubt,  of  the  tremendous  su- 
periority of  our  radio  equipment ;  our  equipment  weighs  as 
low  as  40  pounds  as  compared  with  sixty  pounds  for  Ger- 
man equipment.  Our  equipment  occupies  about  .7  cubic  ft., 
while  (ierman  equipment  occupies  nearly  twice  that  space. 
German  equipment  has  a  frequency  range  of  2.500  to  3,700 
kilocycles,  while  American  equipment  has  a  tiuieable  range 
covering  the  15(1  to  410  kilocycle  airport  band,  the  1500- 
3900  kilocycle  police  band,  including  the  2,500  to  3,700 
kilocycle  aviation  band,  and  2  short  wave  bands  covering 
3,900  to  1800  kilocycles.  While  each  American  plane  has 
a  strong  enough  transmitter  to  maintain  contact  with  the 
ground,  only  the  commanding  (jerman  plane,  the  trans- 
mitter in  which  is  equipped  with  the  second  tube  in  the 
modulated  circuit,  has  a  range  sufficient  to  maintain  con- 
tact with  his  base.  Further,  American  aircraft  radio  includes 
a  radio-compass,  an  item  completely  absent  on  German 
eqiupment. 


To'MEPWFLmr 

"Greenfield"  Taps,  Dies  and  Gages  are  help- 
ing to  build  practically  every  plane  and  engine 
used  by  our  Army  and  Navy. 

70  years  of  practical  experience  enable  these 
tools  to  meet  Uncle  Sam's  most  rigid  require- 
ments. That  experience  is  one  reason  why 
skilled  workers  and  production  men  always 
have  confidence  in  '"Greenfield"  tools. 

GREENFIELD  TAP  AND   DIE  CORPORATION 

GREENFIELD.  MASS.,  U.  S.  A. 


^BvGREENFIELD 


tAP%       (Mi        GAGES        miStOSILLS       ItAMtKS        SCUWPIATLS        FiM  lOOU 

THE  TECHNOGR.\PH  i 


SWEEPING  over  metal  structures  and 
structural  parts  this  modern  broom 
of  fire  prepares  metal  surfaces  for  a 
long-lasting,  protective  coat  of  painf. 
It  is  the  Airco  Flame  Cleaning  Process 
and  removes  rust  and  scale  and  dehy- 
drates metal  surfaces  as  it  cleans.  It 
provides  a  warm,  dry  surface  condu- 
cive to  a  lasting  paint  job  and  assuring 
a  faster  one.  Flame  cleaning  is  the  most 
effective  method  yet  devised  to  pre- 
pare metal  surfaces,  new  and  old,  for 
painting  and  repainting.  Ultimate  main- 
tenance costs  are  lower. 

Versatile  is  the  oxyacetylene  flame. 
It  provides  better  and  faster  ways  of 
making   machines,   engines,   ships  and 


tanks  by  shaping  thin  steel  plates  or 
heavy  slob  forgings  and  structures  with 
economical  ease  and  with  a  high  de- 
gree of  accuracy.  The  oxyacetylene 
flame  hardens  steel  to  any  desired  de- 
gree and  depth.  It  softens  steel,  or 
bends  it,  or  straightens  it.  It  removes 
scale  from  billets,  castings  and  forgings. 
Possibly  you  are  interested  in  learning 
more  about  the  machines  and  appara- 
tus which  harness  the  Airco  oxyacety- 
lene flame  and  put  it  to  work  in  so 
many  different  ways.  If  so,  write  for  a 
copy  of  the  pictorial  review  "Airco  in 
the  News"  to  the  Airco  Public  Relations 
Department,  Room  1  656,  60  East  42nd 
Street,  New  York,  N.  Y. 


REDUPTM 


cc.yid^r^j.- 


60  EAST  42nd  STREET,  NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 

In  Texaz: 

Magnolia-Airco  Gas  Products  Co. 

DISTRICT    OFFICES    IN    PRINCIPAL    CITIES 


A  X  Y  T  H  I  .>  G    .\  >  D    EVERYTHING    FOR    G  .\  S    W  E  L  » I  >i'  G    OR    C  U  T  T  I  >  G    A  ?ir  D    ARC    WELDING 


MARCH.  1942 


21 


Fluorescent  Lighting  NAMES  in  the  NEWS 


for  Varied  Uses 

(.    .    .    frijiii    piKjc    1,1) 


l'"ort.v-l'ive  foot-caiidU's  of  coiiitiirlablt',  well-diffused,  fluorescent 
troffer   li^lititiK   are    provided    in    tliis    offiee. 

sinuiltaiieously  niininiizc  shailows.  The  color  quality  of 
fluorescent  equipment  is  much  improved  over  filament  equip- 
ment. Most  important,  perhaps,  is  efficiency.  While  best 
qualit\  filament  lamps  have  a  life  of  100(1  hours,  fluorescent 
tubes  have  a  2^00  hour  life.  Best  filament  lamps  produce 
about  16.3  lumens  per  watt  power  consumption,  uhile 
fluorescent  tubes  produce  about  .iLOH  lumens  per*  watt 
power  consumption.  That's  why  manufacturers  expect  the 
annual  fluorescent  tube  sales  to  reach  the  fiftv  billion  mark 
by  the  end  of  1943! 


IN  SELF  DEFENSE 

TAKE  NOTES 
\n  Class 


UNIVERSITY  BOOKSTORE 

202  S.  Mathews  610  E.  Daniel 


( .  .  .  frfj//i  ptuji    14) 

his  earh  school  days.  Since  he  has  been  here  on  the  cam- 
pus, George  has  had  a  prominent  part  in  musical  circles. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  cast  of  three  operas,  namelv: 
Yeomen  of  the  Guard,  Madame  Butterfly,  and  Manon. 
Possessed  with  a  fine  baritone  voice,  George  has  put  in 
soine  long  hours  in  training  it.  He  also  finds  much  en- 
joyment in  collecting  classical  records — a  welcome  relief 
to  the  neighbors?). 

To  show  that  he  doesn't  belong  in  the  school  of  music. 
George  has  a  fine  record  in  electrical  engineering,  at  present 
sporting  an  idtra-fashionable  average  of  4.7S.  When  he 
graduates,  George  expects  to  join  Westinghouse  and  do 
some  graduate  work   toward  a  degree. 

George  claims  Wauconda,  Illinois,  has  his  home  town, 
and  we  ma\  belie\e  the  people  of  Wauconda  claim  all  one 
of  him.  His  brilliance  is  not  mereh'  of  recent  origin,  but 
extends  at  least  back  to  his  high  school,  for  he  graduated 
as  the  valedictorian  of  his  class  there. 

During  his  four  years  here  on  the  campus,  George  has 
managed  to  inadvertently  gather  a  few  honors.  He  is  a 
member  of  Phi  Eta  Sigma,  Sigma  Tau,  Tau  Beta  Pi,  and 
Arepo,  musical  honorary  society.  He  is  treasurer  of  Eta 
Kappa  Nu,  is  chairman  of  the  publicity  committee  for  the 
A.I.E.E.,  and  is  exhibit's  manager  of  the  1942  Electrical 
Engineering  show. 


Skidding  is  the  action. 
When  the  friction  is  a  fraction. 
Of   the   vertical    reaction. 
Which   results   in   traction. 


Mystery . . . 


i 


1942  Electrical  Show 
April  9,  10,  11 


22 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


\ 

N 


\ 


Timken 

Bearings  are  Keeping 
Wheels  and  Shafts  Turn- 
ing For  Victory.  They'll 
^  Keep  Them  Turning 
For  Prosperity  After- 


wards. 


-.A 


^^  y  y   -*  btudent  engineers  of 

today  will  have  a  terrific  responsibility  In  the  future;  for 
upon  their  shoulders  to  a  very  great  extent  will  fall  the 
responsibility  of  developing  new  and  better  machines  of 
all  kinds  to  help  in  the  reconstruction  of  the  economic 
fabric  of  the  nation. 

A  thorough  knowledge  of  Timken  Tapered  Roller  Bearings 
will  be  a  valuable  asset  to  every  young  engineer  starting 
out  on  his  career  during  the  next  two  or  three  years — 
probably  the  most  critical^  period  our  country  has  ever 
had  to  face. 


Begin  to  acquire  this  knowledge  now;  write  for  a  free  copy 
of  the  Timken  Reference  Manual.  Then  you  will  be  in  posi- 
tion to  master  any  bearing  problem  that  may  ever  come 
up — no  matter  what  combination  of  requirements  It  may 
involve;  friction  elimination;  radial,   thrust  and  combined 
load  capacity;  preservation  of  alignment  of  moving  parts. 

Send    for   your   copy   of  the   Timken    Reference    Manual 
today.    Mention  the  name  of  your  school  when  writing. 

THE  TIMKEN  ROLLER  BEARING  COMPANY,  CANTON,  OHIO 


Manbfaciurers  of  TimUn  Tapered    Roller   Bearings  for  auto- 
mobiles, motor  frucics,  railroad  cars  and  locomotives  and  all 
liinds  of  industrial  machinery;  Timken  Alloy  Steels  and  Carbon 
and  Alloy  Seamless  Tubing;  and  Timken  Rocit  Bits. 


TIMKEN 

TRADE-MARK  REG.  U.  S.  PAT.  OFF. 

TAPim  ROLLER  REARINGS 


MARCH,  1942 


23 


(j'B  Camfius  A^ews 


JQ 


BLACKOUT  WATCHMAN 

THK  problem  ot  inaintairiiiig  a  night  light  in  his  place 
lit  business  and  at  the  same  time  complying  with 
blackout  regulations  was  solved  by  a  Schenectady  machine- 
shop  owner  by  means  ot  a  G-E  photo  tube,  or  "electric 
eye."  Rules  required  that  all  lights  be  extinguished  within 
five  minutes  ot  an  air-raid  warning.  That  meant  either 
hiring  a  watchman  or  turning  out  all  lights  at  closing 
time. 

The  tirst  night  that  the  lights  were  turned  out,  the 
shop  was  broken  into.  So  the  owner,  Andrew  Tessier,  put 
the  "electric  eye"  to  work.  He  installed  the  tube  in  an 
upstairs  window,  pointing  at  the  nearest  street  light. 
When,  during  a  practice  blackout  or  raid  warning,  the 
street  light  is  extinguished,  the  tube  immediately  turns 
out  all  lights  in  the  shop.  When  the  street  lights  go  on 
again,  so  do  the  night  lights.  The  "eye"  provides  a  watch- 
man who  doesn't  go  to  sleep  on  his  job,  and  whose  total 
cost  is  about  two  weeks'  pay  for  an  actual  watchman. 


w 


MOLECULES  MARCH! 

ITH   the  increasing  use  ot  plastics  and  ot  artificial 
silk  anil  rubber  in  detense  activities,  the  structural 
ities  ot  the  molecules  that  make  up  these  materials  is 


all-important  to  the  scientists  who  are  doing  the  research 
work. 

Dr.  Raymond  M.  Fuoss,  of  the  General  Electric  Re- 
search Laboratory,  in  Schenectady,  has  found  that  some 
molecules  wiggle  like  worms  when  an  alternating  electric 
field  is  applied  to  them.  Such  molecules  are  electrically 
lopsided,  and  when  in  an  electric  field  they  tend  to  line  up, 
just  as  compass  needles  line  up  with  the  magnetic  field  ot 
the  earth. 

From  this  tendency  ot  the  molecules  to  move  to  and  fro 
in  an  electric  field,  scientists  are  able  to  determine  how 
the  various  molecules  are  built.  With  this  information, 
new  molecules  can  be  designed  to  meet  specific  needs.  Since 
artificial  silk  and  rubber  and  many  plastics  are  composed 
ot  these  worm-like  molecules  which  react  in  an  electrical 
field,  materials  of  a  wide  variety  of  properties  may  be 
expected  as  a  result  ot  these  researches. 


~^fWr\*;/    .    All 


NOT  FOR  WILLIE- 

THK  (Jeneral  Electric  Company  is  proud  of  the  variety 
ot  services  it  renders  its  customers.  Nevertheless, 
company  officials  were  surprised  by  one  recent  request 
from  a  woman  who  had  seen  a  G-E  advertisement  in  a 
magazine. 

The  illustration  in  the  advertisement  contained  a 
picture  of  a  young  boy.  The  woman  also  had  a  boy,  and 
her  boy  looked  very  much  like  the  boy  in  the  photograph. 

Mother  and  son  had  only  recently  moved  to  New 
York.  Since  then,  she  had  taken  her  son  to  a  number  of 
different  barbers,  but  none  ot  them  had  produced  a 
haircut  that  suited  her.  And  so,  in  desperation,  she  wrote 
to  General  Electric  to  find  where  the  boy  in  the  adver- 
tisement had  his  hair  cut.  It  was  just  the  type  ot  cut  she 
had  vainly  tried  to  get. 


GENERAL  O  ELECTRIC 


24 


THE  TEGHNOGR.\PH  I 


Firth  of  Forth  Bridge 

License  Plate  Study 

Ceramic  Ruckus 

Illinois  Research 

Engineer's  Day 

Technocracked 


Left :  Battery  of  Eyes  for  the  Inited 
States  Army. 

— Cottrtes\   deneral  LU'ctr 


ished    1885 


Member  E.C.M.A. 


Engineers  responsible  for  the  design  of  American  mechanized  armament 
and  the  machines  that  make  it  have  found  that  they  can  successfully 
meet  every  bearing  requirement  with  one  kind  of  bearing — the  Timken 
Tapered  Roller  Bearing. 

Friction  elimination;  precision;  radial,  thrust  and  combined  load  capac- 
ities; maintenance  of  alignment  of  shafts  and  gears;  all  of  these  qualities 
are  inherent  in  the  design  and  construction  of  the  Timken  Bearing. 

You  never  may  be  called  upon  to  design  military  equipment,  but  a  thor- 
ough knowledge  of  the  Timken  Bearing  and  its  universal  application  will 
be  one  of  your  most  valuable  assets  no  matter  what  branch  of  mechan- 
ical engineering  you  eventually  may  enter. 

We  always  will  be  glad  to  give  you  any  information  you  may  require 
— including  the  solution  of  specific  bearing  problems. 

THE     TIMKEN     ROLLER     BEARING     COMPANY,     CANTON,     OHIO 


Manufacturers  of  Timken  Tapered  Roller  Bearings  for 
automobiles,  motor  trucks,  railroad  cars  and  locomo- 
tives and  all  kinds  of  industrial  machinery;  Timken 
Alloy  Steels  and  Carbon  and  Alloy  Seamless  Tubing; 
and  Timken  Rock  Bits. 


TIMKEN 


REG     U.   S.  PAT     OFF. 


TAPIRED  ROLLER  REARIHGS 


THE   TEGHNOGRAPH 


It  Pays 
Td  KIVDW 
Ahnul  ZmC 


In  the  period  of  America's  greatest 
industrial  development,  ZINC  rendered 
indispensable  service;  it  is  reasonable  to 
expect  that  it  will  be  utilized  even  more 
extensively  in  the  greater  developments 
yet  to  come. 

ZINC  has  now  gone  to  war,  as  an 
essential  element  in  every  form  of  fight- 
ing equipment,  on  land  and  sea,  and  in 
the  air.  In  times  of  peace,  it  is  used  in 
an  almost  infinite  variety  of  applications, 
from  the  tiny  elements  of  zipper  closures 
to  protective  coatings  for  the  hulls  of  the 
largest  ocean-going  ships.  You  can't  get 
away  from  it — ZINC  comes  into  intimate 
touch  with  the  life  of  every  individual. 

The  Zinc  industry  itself  is  earnestly 
and  wholeheartedly  striving  to  do  a 
worthy  job  in  supporting  the  nation's 
war  program.  It  is  also  anticipating  and 
preparing  for  the  day  when  Victory  is 
won,  when  new  problems  must  be 
solved. 


Are  Y0U9  T0O9  Looking 
To  The  Future? 

Will  you  be  prepared  with  the  knowledge 
you  must  have  to  solve  the  problems  of 
the  future? 

ZINC  is  a  material  that  it  pays  to  KNOW 
about.  You  can  get  some  interesting  and 
very  valuable  data  from  these  booklets, 
which  will  be  sent  to  you  free: 

"The  Zinc  Industry" 
"More  Facts  About  Zinc" 

Better  write  for  them  now. 


AMERICAN  ZINC   I]\STITUTE 

Incoipozated 

60  East  42nd  Street  New  York.  X.  Y. 


APRIL.  1942 


-Courtcs\   (icncral  Elcc 


WE  WILL  WIN  !     •        *        * 

Clouds  of  Airplanes  and  a  Tzco  Ocean  Navy 


This  ui'tK'iatidii  us  <iiir  fiitliers  and  liiiclathers.  has  a  (hily  (o  picscrvi'  a  Irccilom 
eariifd  thi<>ii;;h  saciiliic  1>.>  (J.-neial  WashhiKlDii  and  the  Ciinlin.'ntal  Arnij.  .Many 
I'lifMiifs  of  dfniixiacy  have  alt<'ni|)ted  to  ciiish  the  tide  of  Aniericanisni  tliat  rises  to 
enyulf   lliein    in    allaclis    iii>oii   our   siiores   and   our   government. 

(Jenerai  Santa  Anna  didn't  stem  tlie  tide  with  the  atfaeU  on  the  .Mamo.  The  IJarhary 
pirates  demanded  trilmte.  Iiiit  Lieutenant  Stephan  Deeatur  earried  tlie  fiulit  to  tlie  tyrants 
and  won.  .Sinluni;  tlie  I  .S.S,  .Maine  i;ave  us  Dewey  at  .Manilla  to  allow  liherly  to  flow 
unrestrained  hy  the  dam  of  ai^yression.  .\n  .\.l';.l'".  under  (ieneral  I'ershins  set  "The 
Terrihie  llun"  back  twenty  years.     .Ml  these  events  are  the  high  water  marks  of  the  tide. 

The  treaihery  at  IVarl  llarhor  yave  us  (ieneral  .Mae.Vrtliur  and  the  heroes  of  Bataan 
to  mark  the  rise  anain.  Kememlier  IJunker  Hill  and  \  alley  I'orue— Karbary  and  the 
.Maine— the    Luisitania    and    .Meuse    .\rgoniie — I'earl    Harbor    and    Kataan    and    we    will    win. 

WG.M 


Colossus  of 
Steel  and  Stone 

By   Robert  E.  McCleary 

Jiniior   ill    Mechanical   Eimiiiecriiig 


A  glancf  at  the  map  of  tlie  Bn'tisli  Isles  shows  Scot- 
land to  be  almost  cut  in  two  by  the  liitiis  of  Chile  aiul 
Forth.  These  firths  are  similar  to  the  Sexern  and  Thames 
estuaries  which  similarly  interrupt  direct  natural  com- 
municatinu  with  tlie  southern  and  midland  portions  of 
Knghuul. 

Prior  to  1S^*(),  tra\elers  from  Edinburgh  to  the  counties 


of  Fife  and   Perth 


to  choose  between   an   inconvenient 


and  often  stormy  passage  of  the  Forth  in  a  steamer  at 
Queensferry,  and  making  a  long  detour  by  rail  around 
by  Stirling. 

These  difficulties  became  intoleratjle  and  as  early  as 
1S()5  a  proposal  was  made  to  construct  a  double  tunnel 
under  the  bed  of  the  Forth.  Matters  got  nowhere,  how- 
ever. 

In  ISIS  James  Anderson,  an  engineer  whose  ideas  super- 
seded the  engineering  science  of  the  period,  proposed  a 
bridge  at  Queensferry  which  was  to  contain  main  spans 
of  1500  and  2000  feet  with  a  ii  foot  widtli.  The  cost 
was  to  be  a  mere  ifl  00,000.  A  survey  of  his  plans  show 
it  to  the  benefit  of  any  would-be  stockholders  that  the 
scheme  failed  to  pass  the  paper  stage. 

In  1S7.?,  the  Forth  Bridge  Company  made  a  start  \\ith 
subscribed  funds  to  carry  out  Sir  Thomas  Houch's  plans 
for  a  two  span  suspension  bridge  of  1500  foot  lengths  each. 
A  start  was  made  for  tower  foundations  on  Inchgarvie 
Island,  but  the  Tay  Bridge,  engineered  by  Sir  Thomas 
Bouch,  collapsed  in  disaster  in  1879,  and  the  work  stopped, 
for  he  lost  the  confidence  of  the  company  and  public. 

Engineers  confronted  with  the  problem  of  maintaining 
both  road  and  river  traffic,  as  in  this  case,  had  recoinse  to 
several  paths  of  action,  i.e. : 

1.  A   low-le\el    bridge,   with   openings   for   vessels. 

2.  A  high  level  bridge,  with  inclined   road  approaches. 

3.  A  high  level  bridge  with  hydraulic  lifts  at  each  end. 

4.  A   tunnel    under   the   ri\er   with   inclined   approaches. 

5.  A   tunnel    with    h\ilraulic   lifts   at   each   end. 

6.  A   ferrv. 

Engineers  toyed  with  plans  submitted  for  a  Thames 
estuary  bridge  which  called  for  a  rolling  platform  300  feet 
long  and  100  feet  wide  to  be  propelled  from  shore  to  shore 
on  rollers  placed  on  top  of  a  series  of  piers  100  feet  apart. 
Two  point  bearing  would  be  assured  and  it  was  calculated 
the  device  would  carry  100  vehicles  and  140(1  passengers 
per  each  3  minute  trip. 

Since  the  conditions  decreed  that  the  points  of  support 
must  be  few  and  far  apart,  Messrs.  Fowler  and  Baker,  in 
1881,  submitted  plans  for  a  cantilever  bridge  of  luiprece- 
dented  size  to  bridge  the  distance  between  North  and  South 
Queensferry.     These  plans  were  adopted. 

Let  us  explain  the  cantilever  principle.  Men  seated  in 
two  chairs  represent  the  towers  and  bases  of  a  cantilever 
bridge.  Both  extend  their  arms  simultaneously.  Small 
downward   pressures   would   easily  depress   their   hands,    so 


thev  are  provided  with  sticks  to  grasp  wliose  ends  rest  against 
the  chair  seats.  Now  their  arms  resist  tension  and  the  sticks 
resist  compression.  If  the  gap  remaining  between  the  mens' 
hands  is  bridged  with  a  loaded  plank,  the  men  tend  to  lose 
balance  and  fall  inward.  If  the  weights  are  placed  on  the 
outside  arms  and  the  loadeil  plank  is  placed  between  the 
men  and  resting  on  the  sticks,  equilibrium  and  strength  have 
been  achieved.     This  is  the  cantilever  principle. 

The  engineers  erected  three  huge  steel  towers,  each 
resting  on  massive  piers  at  the  extremity  of  the  North 
Queensferry  promontory,  the  western  end  of  Incharvie 
Island,  and  in  shallow  water  on  the  south  edge  of  the  south 
channel.     Each  tower  is  361   feet  above  high  water  level. 

From  these  huge  supports  six  cantilevers  were  built  out, 
each  680  feet  in  length.  Those  at  the  north  and  south  ends 
are  anchored  to  viaducts  which  carry  ihe  main  roadway, 
1  S7  feet  above  high  water,  to  higher  ground.  The  other 
two  pairs  terminate  while  yet  330  feet  apart,  and  these 
intervals  are  bridged  by  two  girders  resting  on  the  cantilever 
ends. 

Viewed  sideways,  the  four  vertical  columns  composing  a 
tower  are  parallel,  but  when  seen  from  the  railway  track  a 
decided  taper  is  noticed.  This  'batter'  of  1  in  7 yi,  which 
contracts  the  towers  from  12(1  feet  apart  at  bottom  to  33 
feet  at  top,  is  mamtained  throughout  the  structure  to  the 
cantilever  ends,  where  the  height  has  shrunk  from  330  to  34 
feet  and  the  width  from  120  to  32  feet. 

Inchgarvie  tower  is  at  a  disadvantage  with  regard  to 
'live'  or  train  loads.     If  two  hea\\'  trains  pass  one  another 

Above:    The   three   eantilever   lowers   in   eonstrurtion. 
ISelow:    The    bridge    "as   I'inall.v    eonipleted    in    I8!t(). 


APRIL,   1942 


at  an  end  of  a  cantih'ver,  they  exert  a  great  pull  on  the 
central  tower.  The  Kite  and  Qiieensferry  towers  arc 
counterweighted  on  their  landward  ends  by  two  huge  boxes, 
each  carrying  lOOO  tons  of  iron  and  resting  on  the  viaduct 
piers.  This  was  impossible  in  the  Inchgarvie  tower  so  this 
span  was  made  11  S  feet  longer,  the  difference  being  between 
a  pair  of  tower  piers,  which  gave  the  columns  farther  from 
the  live  weight  more  leverage. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  the  use  of  tubular  construction 
in  the  lower  compression  members.  These  tubes  aie  12  feet 
in  diameter  in  places  and  were  curved  by  massive  hydraulic 
rams.  The  upper  tensile  members  are  regular  girder  con- 
struction. 

The  problems  presented  to  construction  were  enormous. 
Winds  developing  pressures  of  as  high  as  20  poiuids  per 
square  foot  often  swept  the  firth.  The  great  wind  surface 
of  the  bridge  would  load  the  structure  heavily  under  such 
conditions.  The  depths  to  which  the  caissons  must  be  sunk 
for  pier  footing,  were  as  much  as  89  feet. 

Each  pier  is  of  solid  cylindrical  concrete,  60  feet  in 
diameter.  Ten  of  the  twelve  piers  were  sunk  by  means  of 
coffer  dams  or  caissons.  In  deep  water  a  pneumatic,  closed- 
bottom  section  caisson  was  used,  with  workmen  descending 
through  air  chambers  to  the  bottom  where  pressures  of  40 
pounds  per  square  inch  made  conditions  very  uncomfortable 
and  dangerous.  Electric  lights,  hydraulic  spades  and  blast- 
ing was  used  to  facilitate  the  sinking  of  these  caissons  into 
bed  rock. 

The  first  step  in  the  actual  construction  was  to  fix  the 
positions  of  the  main  circular  piers.  Direct  chain  or  rope 
measurements  were  impossible,  so  the  surveyors  laid  out  a 
4,000  foot  base  line  on  the  south  shore  and  there  built  an 
observatory  for  use  in  triangidating  the  distances. 

Shops  for  fitting  the  tubes,  drilling,  and  patternmaking 
were  erected,  in  addition  to  a  sawmill  and  houses  for  an 
army  of  workmen  numbering  4,600.  A  drawing  loft  where 
fidl  sized  drawings  and  templates  were  made  on  a  blackened 
200  X  60  foot  floor,  was  built. 

A  water  supply  and  facilities  for  haniUing  and  storing 
140,000  cubic  yards  of  masonry  and  35,000  tons  of  steel 
were  established.  A  cable  for  telephonic  communication 
between  various  shops  and  offices  crossed  the  bed  of  the 
Forth. 

A  jett\'  50  foot  wide  and  2100  feet  long  extending  from 


the  south  Queeiisferry  shore  to  the  Queensferry  tower  car- 
ried rails  for  con\\ing  material. 

From  ISS.^  until  its  opening  to  traffic  in  1890,  this 
colossal  railway  bridge  cost  over  1 5  millions  of  dollars. 
The  6,000,000  rivets  would  stretch  200  nules  if  placed  end 
to  end.  Inside  and  out,  its  surface  area  of  14^  acres  re- 
(pures  painting  once  every  3  years. 

A  more  detailed  study  of  the  iiistory  and  of  the  obstacles 
faced  and  o\ercome  in  its  construction,  makes  this  early 
colossus  of  steel  and  stone  an   inspiration   for  any  engineer. 


Xit'w  slKiwinsj 
nu'iiilier^. 


Iht'  tnhular  coiistruitiiin  in  the  liiwcr  <'(ini|)ressicin 


Annual  Highway  and  Surveying  Short  Courses  Discuss  Defense 


By  August  Uttich 
Freshnuni  in  (' licmical  Etifiiticeriufl 

The  twenty-ninth  annual  highway  conference  and  th? 
fifth  annual  surveying  conference  to  be  held  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Illinois  had  three  hiuidred  and  seventy-five  in 
attendance  from  March  .5-6.  Mr.  W.  W.  Polk  '81,  who 
had  just  taken  office  as  the  Chief  Highway  Engineer  of 
Illinois  was  introduced  at  the  conferences. 

The  main  discussions  centered  about  the  difficulties 
brought  about  by  the  war,  and  it  was  pointed  out  that 
since  the  war  began  many  new  demands  have  been  made  on 
the  highway  systems  of  the  state.  Road  materials  can  no 
longer  be  easily  obtained  and  the  equipment  for  construction 
and  repair  is  being  greatly  curtailed.  Even  the  rubber 
shortage  will  have  an  effect  on  the  highway  conditions,  if 
it  is  only  to  decrease  revenue  by  decreasing  the  number  of 
licensed    vehicles. 

Perhaps  the  most  interesting  discussion  of  the  confer- 
ence was  one  that  advocated  the  building  of  the  civilian 
defense  units  around  the  state  highway  luiits.  Highway 
units  are  already  sufficiently  organized  and  their  work  on 

8 


the  roads  and  highways  is  inseparably  connected  with  de- 
fense work.  With  these  groups  as  a  basis  it  would  become 
much  simpler  to  organize  defense  imits. 

Many  interesting  papers  presented  at  the  twenty-eighth 
annual  conference  were  available  to  those  who  attended  the 
session  this  year.  The  Illinois  Conference  on  highway  en- 
gineering began  twenty-nine  years  ago  as  a  two  weeks  course 
on  highway  engineering,  (iradualh'  it  has  become  a  three 
day  conference  of  all  state  and  county  highwav  officials, 
contractors,  engineers,  engineering  facult\'men,  and  the  stu- 
dents of  civil  enginering. 

President    Arthur    Cutts    W'iUard    was    present    at    the 
surveying  conference  where  the  most  interesting  discussions 
centered   aroiuid   the  progress  and   problems  of  the  Chicago  i 
subway.       President    Willard    was    counseling    engineer    for 
tile  project. 

Sound  motion  pictines  siiowing  the  dexelopments  in  the 
construction  were  presented.  It  was  pointed  out  that, 
though  the  branches  of  the  subway  are  not  numerous  or 
long,  the  present  work  is  just  a  basis  of  the  work  planned 
for  the  future.  Priorities  for  construction  materails  must 
be  obtained  to  meet  the  needs  of  the  further  developments. 

THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


License  Plate 
Color  Study 


By  William  G.  Murphy 
Junior  in    Civil   Engineering 


Mr.  C.  T.  Daiiiascke  '41  won  the  district  contest  of  the 
AIEE  for  papers  written  by  underfrraduate  students  in  the 
Great  Lakes  Area,  according  to  word  received  by  Prof. 
E.  B.  Paine,  head  of  the  Department  of  Electrical  Engi- 
neering. Damascke's  paper  will  go  from  the  district,  which 
included  all  the  Big  Ten  schools  and  many  other  engineer- 
ing colleges  in  the  North  Central  area,  to  the  national  con- 
test sponsored  by  the  electrical  professional  society. 

The  paper  by  Damasck  was  an  analysis  of  the  effective- 
ness of  highway  signs  and  license  plates  with  the  tests  being 
made  based  on  two  main  factors;  namely,  legibility  and 
attention  value.  Many  law  breakers  escape  punishment 
every  year  because  of  poor  legibility  due  to  the  color  com- 
binations and  the  numbers  being  poorly  arranged  with  re- 
spect to  glance  legibility. 

The  technique  of  measuring  the  legibility  involved  the 
use  of  a  universal  sign  board  with  racks  in  which  the  letters 
could  be  placed.     A  shutter  de\ice  consisting  of  a  Venetian 


Brightness   meter   ii>eil   in   <i)l(ir   stu(l>. 

blind  with  the  slats  mounted  vertically  to  control   the  time 
of  visibility  was  used  for  the  experiments. 

Studies  made  on  the  subject  have  led  to  the  following 
conclusions  on   glance  legibility: 

1.  Cilance  legibility  distance  was  slightly  less  than  the 
pure  legibilit)-  distance. 

2.  Svnibols  derived  their  advantage  from  simplicity  of 
layout  and  familiarity  value. 

3.  Not  more  than  three  or,  at  the  most,  four  words 
are  seen  at  a  simple  glance,  therefore  symbols  or  words 
should  be  limited  to  this  number  on  signs. 

APRIL.   1942 


Apparatus   used   by   Damaseke   showing   similar   "C"   chart. 


4.  Attention  value  ilcpends  on  color,  contrast,  rela- 
tive size,  simplicity',  and  contrast  of  layout. 

5.  Factors  expected  to  be  fundamental  for  priority 
value  were:  reading  habits,  position,  and  proximity  to 
another  attention  compelling  sign  or  object. 

Equipment  used  in  the  brightness  and  visibility  tests 
consisted  of  a  \isibility  meter  designed  by  \Litthew  Luch- 
iesh  and  Frank  Moss  and  a  brightness  meter  of  the  portable 
type  resembling  a  motion  picture  camera. 

The  visibility  meter  looks  like  a  pair  of  eye  glasses  and 
is  worn  as  such.  It  reads  in  both  foot  candles  and  relative 
visibility.  The  visibility  was  relative  to  the  number  of 
readings  taken  and  the  accuracy  of  the  reading. 

Due  to  the  wide  range  of  contrast  and  the  limited  range 
of  the  visibility  meter,  it  was  necessary  to  find  by  experi- 
ment the  correct  brightness  to  permit  measurements  during 
the  entire  experiment.  The  biightness  was  constant  at  22-ft. 
candles. 

Accuracy  with  the  brightness  meter  came  only  through 
experience  and  the  results  were  given  in  foot  candles  and 
foot  lamberts.  The  lighting  equipment  included  a  bank  of 
16-60  watt  incandescent  lamps.  Each  had  a  reflector,  and 
each  lamp  could  be  controlled  by  an  individual  switch.  It 
was  necessary  to  regulate  the  voltage  to  attain  daylight 
brightness.     The  average  was  about  135  volts. 

The  test  objects  consisted  of  31  separate  colored  plates 
6x6  with  the  international  "C"  to  match  each  color. 

A  test  was  necessary  to  find  if  there  was  a  relationship 
between  distance  and  relative  visibility  readings.  Three 
sets  of  readings  were  taken  and  a  ratio  of  the  distance  over 
the  relative  visibility  was  taken.  The  average  distance  di- 
vided by  the  average  relative  distance^  1.62  (in  all  cases). 

The  method  of  color  classification  used  was  the  Munsell 
method  of  classifying  by  visual  matching. 


Old  gentleman,  bewildered  at  elaborate  wedding:  "Are 
you  the  bridegroom  ?" 

Young  man:  "No  sir,  I  «'as  eliminated  in  the  semi- 
finals." 


APRIL  EDITORS 
This    Aprd    issue    of     The    Tcchnoyraph    was    edited    b\ 
William  G.   Murphy  '43   and   Sheldon   J.   Leavitt  '43i2. 


The  Ceramic  Ruckus  of  1942 


By   Donald   K.  Stevens 
Senior  in  Ceramic  Engineering 

Running  tivie  to  iorm,  the  ceramists  had  the  most  un- 
usual dance  programs  of  the  year  at  "Ruckus"  Saturda\ 
night,  March  7.  This  group  has  not  been  satisfied  with 
having  the  only  departmental  dance  on  the  campus,  but  by 
having  typical  ceramic  products  as  parts  of  the  program  they 
really  are  achieving  a  distinctive  reputation. 

In  the  past  enamelled  ash  trays,  enamelled  plaques,  glass 
cloth,  and  attached  miniature  drain  tile  ha\e  been  used  as 
programs.  The  1942  Ruckiis  programs  were  of  blue  flashed 
and  white  glass  plates,  with  orange  lettering  fired  on  the 
blue  glass. 

The  manufacture  of  the  programs  was  in  itself  a  diffi- 
cult job.  The  glass  plates  had  to  be  perforated  and  fitted 
together  with  metal  rings.  The  edges  of  the  plates  are 
ground   and   beveled. 

The  lettering  for  the  front  cover  was  done  by  Mr.  Axel 
Ottoson  of  the  Ceramic  Department  faculty  who  also  served 
as  advisor  to  the  students  making  the  programs.  By  a 
photographic  process  this  lettering  was  transferred  to  a 
gelatinized  screen  and  by  brushing  ceramic  color  through 
the  screen  the  exact  reproduction  was  achieved.  The  plates 
were  fired  to  mature  the  color  and  fuse  it  permanently  to 
the  glass.  The  various  steps  in  making  the  programs  are 
illustrated.  By  co-operation  with  several  commercial  firms 
the  otherwise  expensive  programs  were  made  at  rather 
moderate  cost. 

The  Student  Branch  of  the  American  Ceramic  Society, 
of  which  Bob  Grove  is  the  president,  is  looking  for  a  new 
and  attractive  program  idea  for  the  194.^  Ruckus.  These 
fellows  are  actually  hoping  to  better  their  '42  work! 


Perloratini;  the  ulass  platen  li.i    (hilling  was  a  (lillicult  opfralidii. 
(Additidiial    illustrations    nn    the    opniisilt'    paKi') 


("eramists   turn   "Hep-eats"    for   "Kiiekiis." 


Qtljc  '^bitm-B  ^n^  ^\nil 

. 

3Jiiiii 

the  faculti; 

;^n^  stubcnts  nf  tlic 

CCnllcac  n 

^niuni-crina 

in  nununti 

ici  tin-  ^e£ltll  nf 

fx. 

J^vtlnir 

^Vuicll  cEnlluit 

10 


THE   TECHNOGRAPH 


Illinois  Research  — 

Sound  Motion 
Pictures  Developed 

By  Hayward  F.  Talley 
Freshiuan  in  Chemical  Enginceriiia 


Each  week  millions  of  Ainerican  people  sit  in  ina;;- 
nificent  theatres  throughout  the  land  and  see  their  favorite 
actors  and  actresses  perform  upon  the  screen,  and  hear 
them  speak  in  all  the  naturalness  of  the  human  voice.  The 
facts  of  science  which  were  accumulated  tor  use  in  pro- 
ducing these  pictures  arc  many  and  their  applications  \aried. 

Long  before  the  days  of  the  silent  movie,  it  was  realized 
that  if  a  form  is  passed  before  the  eyes  at  the  steady  rat? 
of  thirty  times  a  second  the  brain  could  not  detect  the 
tiny  periods  of  its  absence.  Further  experiments  proved 
that  if  an  object  is  moved  in  its  position  before  the  eyes 
thirty  times  a  second  its  movement  would  appear  constant 
to   the   average   person. 

With  the  discovery  of  celluloid  and  its  application  to 
photographic  processes,  the  problem  of  movement  repro- 
ductin  by  means  of  pictures  was  reduced  to  a  mechanical 
one.  In  1895,  Edison  was  granted  a  patent  on  a  movie 
camera  and  an  apparatus  for  viewing  the  pictures  syn- 
thetically. By  1901,  further  experiments  had  led  to  another 
patent  on  apparatus  differing  from  the  prcv.ous  equipment 
in  that  the  film  was  perforated  on  both  edges  by  circular 
holes  in  which  pins  of  a  driving  mechanism  would  engage. 
The  film  was  thus  drawn  through  a  projector  before  a  strong 
source  of  light,  and  the  picture  projected  on  a  screen. 
This  is  quite  like  the   general  system   used   today. 

Still  not  content,  Edison  and  his  as.o;iates  began  ex- 
periments on  combining  his  recently  perfe.ted  phonograph 
and  the  photographic  equipment  in  an  endeavor  to  produce 
sound  mo\ies.  His  efforts  secmetl  fruitless,  however,  because 
of  his  inability  to  synchronize  the  voice  with  the  picture. 
With  the  aid  of  other  inventors,  suitable  synchronization 
equipment  was  perfected;  only  to  become  superceded  by 
an  entirely  new  system  of  sound  recording. 

In  1906-10  Lauste,  Mrs.  Von  Madeler,  and  others 
invented  theoretical  methods  for  recording  sound  on  and 
reproducing  the  sound  from  the  picture  film.  Due  to  in- 
accuracy of  sound  recording  or  reproduction,  this  system 
could  not  be  used  commercially,  and  most  movies  of  this 
period  were  of  the  familiar  "silent"  type. 

About  1920,  J.  T.  Tykonciner  of  the  I  iii\ersity  of 
Illinois  Electrical  engineering  staff  took  up  the  cause  of 
the  soimd-on-film  movie.  In  June,  1922,  he  obtained 
patents  on  a  perfected  sound-on-film  system  and  improved 
transmitter  or  "microphone."  This  system  was  proved 
thoroughly  practical  and  silent  movies  were  gone  forever. 
How  It  Works 

Although  there  are  two  practical  methods  of  recording 
sound  on  film,  a  reproducer  capable  of  reproducing  sound 
from  one  is  equally  capable  or  reproducing  from  the  other. 
The  two  methods  of  recording  on  film  are  ( 1 )  the  variable 
area  method  and   (2)   the  variable  density  method. 

The  variable  area  method  consists  of  a  source  of  light, 
a  mirror,  a  suitable  optical  system  for  concentrating  the 
light  into  a  ver\    fine  beam.    The  mirror  is  supported  by  a 


loop  of  wire.  This  wire  is  connected  in  a  circuit  with  the 
microphone  which  picks  up  the  sound.  As  the  sound  varies 
the  mirror  reflects  light  over  varying  portions  of  the  ground 
track  on  the  film.  When  the  film  is  developed  the  part 
of  the  film  which  was  exposed  to  the  light  beam  will  be 
opaque  while  the  remainder  of  the  soiuid  track  will  be 
transparent. 

The  variable  density  method  consists  of  a  variable  in- 
tensity light  source  and  a  light  valve.  The  light  varies 
with  the  amplified  sound  currents  and  shines  through  a 
slit  onto  the  moving  film  which  is  kept  at  a  constant  speed 
of  90  feet  per  minute.  When  the  film  is  developed  the 
sound  track  is  covered  with  horizontal  lines  of  various 
ilensity. 

The  method  of  reproducing  the  sound  consists  of  a  photo- 
electric cell  which  varies  in  resistance  with  the  amount 
of  light  which  falls  upon  it.  This  cell  is  acted  upon 
through  the  sound  track  of  the  film.  The  cell  is  connected 
in  a  high  impedance  circuit  with  an  amplifier  which  re- 
pioduces  accurately  the  sound  which  is  picked  up  by  the 
microphone  dining   movie   production. 

Thus  we  see  that  Illinois,  through  the  inventive  genius 
of  its  engineering  faculty,  has  scored  again — this  time  pre- 
senting to  the  American  people  a  most  enjoyable  means  of 
entertainment  and  a  most  effective  means  of  visual  educa- 
tion. 


Below:  Bob  (irove  and  Bob  Forth  stenciled  the  glass. 


■Above:    The    most    elaborate    anil    unusual    danee    pros;rains    on 
the   cainpus. 


APRIL,   1942 


11 


I 


A  Day  in  the  Lii 


By  Donald  K.  j 


Men's  Dorm  has  a  iiever-fail  alarm  clock  if  you  would  believe  Bill  Murphy 
as  he  pours  refreshing  waters  on  unsuspecting  Sterling  Snyder  at  about  7  :(l(l  a.  m.  .  .  . 
It  must  be  effective  for  that  lad  brushing  his  teeth  is  none  other  than  I.  Stirling 
Snyder  himself,  son  of  a  civil  engineer  in  Ripley,  Tennessee.  .  .  .  L  pholding  his 
family  tradition,  "Colonel"  forgoes  breakfast  and  pulls  a  "Dagwood"  as  he  dashes 
off  to  one  of  his  five  8  o'clocks.  .  .  .  Hill  has  meanwhile  donned  his  habitual  uniform 
and  has  "one  heck  of  a  time"  analyzing  a  simple  girder  for  his  C.  E.  62  instructor. 
.  .  .  And  isn't  it  an  engineer's  luck  to  have  to  dash  from  "north  of  Cireen"  to  the 
Armory?  Cadet  Lt.  William  G.  IVIurphy,  Infantry,  knows  that  Armory  doorstep 
like  his  own  home.  .  .  Bill's  roommate  realh  eats,  drinks,  and  sleeps  civil  engineering, 
so  it  isn't  surprising  we  overhear  him  imitating  Prof.  T.  C.  Shedd's  accent  for  the 
anuLsement  of  visitors  in  the  A.S.C.E.  office.  .  .  .  Checking  up  on  the  morning  mail 
Sterling  doesn't  get  an\',  but  Bill's  box  is  crowded  as  usual.  It  nuist  take  lots  of 
girls  at  home  to  write  enough  letters  to  fill  the  Men's  Dorm  boxes!  .  .  .  Not  taking 


A  Civil  Engineer 


Idon  J.  Leavitt 


P.  E.,  but  trying  to  get  in  shape  for  tlie  parachute  troops  (no  kidding),  "Colonel" 
and  "General"  may  soon  trade  in  their  nicknames  for  titles  of  the  same  category, 
though  not  as  glorious.  .  .  .  That  deserves  a  good  meal  and  time  out  to  "chew  the 
fat"  too.  Sterling,  a  southerner,  eats  slowly  and  Bill,  from  Decatur,  Illinois  but 
bearing  the  earmarks  of  his  Pittsbingh  background  finishes  only  a  little  ahead.  .  .  . 
Afternoon  classes  are  drab  events  for  the  two  juniors  in  C.  E.  but  important  never- 
theless. Bill  finds  a  little  time  for  study  this  afternoon.  The  picture  on  his  desk 
is  that  of  Eunice  McKee,  home  town  girl  going  to  Millikin  University.  .  .  .  Even 
with  slide  rules  hard  to  get  you  can't  blame  the  fellows  for  "fencing"  a  bit.  Ask 
them  wh\ ,  and  even  they  don't  know  —  probably  just  to  relax  the  nerves.  Bill's 
pipe  isn't  far  away.  Sterling  doesn't  smoke.  .  .  And  just  to  round  out  the  day's 
activity  dark  haired  Sterling  and  medium  complexioned  Bill  entertain  Janet  Houston, 
Tri-Delt  from  Concord,  Massachusetts  and  Eunice,  also  a  Tri-Delt.  Precise,  slow 
talking  Snyder  tries  to  get  the  girls  to  see  that  the  bending  moment  isn't  really  the 
instant  at  which  the  beam  bends.    It's  all   in   the  tla\'  for  an  engineer. 


NAMES 

.  .  .  in  the  neios 

By   William   R.   Schmitz 
Freshman  in   Cheiuical  Engineering 


JOHN    BOYD 

John  Boyii  is  a  little  man  witji  big  stutf.  He  is  an 
Urbana  boy  and  he  has  made  good  at  Illinois.  With  a 
good  4.63  scholastic  average,  John  is  all  set  to  joint  West- 
inghouse  this  spring  when  he  graduates.  At  the  present, 
he  doesn't  know  exactly  what  type  of  work  he  will  do. 
However,  he  expects  to  enter  the  student  graduate  training 
program  offered  by  Westinghouse.  Here  at  the  Univer- 
sity, John  has  been  working  on  a  new  type  railroad  car 
wheel.  His  object  has  been  to  find  a  new  type  wheel  that 
will  stand  up  under  greater  speeds.  He  is  also  quite  inter- 
ested in  hydraulic  turbines  and   fluid   flow. 

John  is  a  member  of  A.S.M.E.,  A.S.T.M.,  Tau  Beta 
Pi,  Pi  Tau  Sigma,  Sigma  Tau,  and  Y.IVI.C.A.  His  chief 
hobbies  are  model  airplane  building  and  whittling.  He 
has  built  and  designed  several  gas  model  planes,  and  has 
won  some  contests.  He  is  really  quite  an  expert  at  whit- 
tling. He  has  on  display  at  home  a  car  of  the  futiu'e  which 
he  carved  out  of  wood  in   1937.     Surprisingly  enough,  this 


.lOIIN 


JACK 


model  is  \ery  similar  to  the  present-day  models.  He  also 
has  some  horses  carved  out  of  wood  which  are  pretty  good. 
Last  summer,  John  had  a  chance  to  visit  M.I.T.  and 
Harvard.  One  visit  to  each  was  enough  to  make  him  glad 
to  get  back  to  good  old  Illinois.  He  doesn't  like  the  way 
they  have  everything  crowded  together,  and  their  M.E. 
departments  can't  compare  with  Illinois.  John  has  traveled 
aiound  a  good  bit,  working  in  the  I'.ast  one  summer,  on  the 


West    coast   the   next   summer. 
hopes  someday  to  live  there. 


lohn    likes    the    West    and 


JACK  LENOIR 

John  Lenoir,  better  known  to  his  friends  as  Jack,  is  a 
Chemical  engineer  extraordinary.  Besides  being  a  member 
of  Phi  Kappa  Phi,  Phi  Lambda  Upsilon,  Tau  Beta  Pi, 
Sigma  Xi,  Sigma  Tau,  and  A.I.Ch.E.,  Jack  is  one  of  th-.- 
very  few  fellows  on  the  campus  who  has  a  personal  letter 
from  Hed\-  Lamarr.  If  any  of  you  skeptics  doubt  it.  Jack 
has  the  letter  hanging  abo\e  his  desk  and  is  willing  to  show 
it  to  any  and  all. 

Jack  spent  his  first  year  at  Armour  Institute  before 
transferring  to  Illinois.  F"orced  to  drop  out  a  year  between 
his  sophomore  and  junior  year,  Jack  has  come  back  to  do 


a  good  job  in  his  studies.  When  he  entered  school  as  a 
freshman,  he  wanted  to  be  a  great  chemical  engineer,  but 
he  now  hopes  to  be  only  a  good  one.  But  from  the  4.937 
average  that  he  is  carrying  around,  we  are  inclined  to  be- 
lieve that  he  will  be  a  great  chemical  engineer.  At  any 
rate.  Jack  is  all  set  to  join  the  Westvaco  Chlorine  Products 
Corp.  when  he  graduates  this  spring.  He  expects  to  be  in 
the  research  department  working  on  organic  chemistry. 

As  you  might  guess.  Jack's  great  love  is  organic  chem- 
istry. At  the  present  time  he  is  doing  some  research  work 
on  the  polymerization  of  Styrene.  Just  the  other  dav.  Jack 
became  the  second  person  ever  to  make  a  certain  compound. 
This  compound  is  theoretically  possible,  but  until  Jack  hit 
on  the  right  combination,  it  had  been  made  but  once  before. 
The  chemical  and  physical  properties  of  this  compound  are 
such  that  it  is  impossible  to  keep  this  compound  more  than 
a  few  minutes.  Jack  also  spends  a  good  portion  of  his 
time  working  in  the  rare-earths  laboratory  on  the  separa- 
tion of  some  of  the  rare-earth  elements. 

Jack  has  some  ver\'  interesting  hobbies.  He  collects 
railroad  time  tables  from  various  parts  of  the  country. 
Besides  being  somewhat  of  an  authority  on  historical  events, 
especially  the  Civil  War,  Jack  is  also  very  interested  in 
astronomy.  He  has  a  collection  of  maps,  which  he  made, 
showing  the  positions  of  stars  every  two  hours  during  th? 
day.    On  top  of  this.  Jack  likes  sports  of  all  kinds. 


OCD  BULLETIN 

You  are  enjoined  not  to  disseminate  reports  of  indeterm- 
inate provenance  which  have  insufficient  bases  of  authen- 
ticity, and  which  by  repetition  tend  to  acquire  cumulative 
inexactitude.      In    other   words   don't   spread    rumors. 


SAVE    TIME    WITH    THESE 

Um/i/rKM  TAPE-RULES 


Eyery  busy  engineering  stu- 
dent needs  a  Tape-Rule  for 
his  vest  pocket  —  where  it's 
handy  and  ready  tor  those 
dozens  oi  little  measuring  iobs 
that  come  up  every  day. 
There's  no  need  wasting  time 
in  search  of  a  tape  or  in  try- 
ing to  guess  the  measurement. 
Just  reach  in  your  pocket  for 
your  "Meiurall"  or  "Wiiard." 
Your  dealer  can  help  you 
select  the  one  you  need. 


,>,<.L........  S.  SAGINAW.  MICHIGAN  WINDSOR,  ONI. 

TAPES -RULES -PRECISION   TOOLS 


NEW  YORK 

,06  La(ay<tl<  St. 


14 


THE   TEGHNOGRAPH 


■<^:j^'m 


S>'  '     - 


•'  I 


fit. 


/  Lasher  wins 
,W  on  Weather. 

J      VVMl  ,., tiff  >vire  rings  from  us 

to  arfeUs,         1  „„„id..  to  .l.e  "ell  S)  ^,„  teen 

the  urge  -  an^  ^ 

done  before. 


rviFi 


APRIL,  1942 


15 


TECHNOCRACKED... 


By  Edward  C.  Tudor 

Senior   in    Electrical   Eni;i>ieerinf; 


We   would   appreciate   knowing   who   tlie   jerk   was   that 
submitted   the  following: — 

ODE  TO  A  SCREWBALL 

You  try  to  be  clever 
And    what   do   you    get? 
You're  marked   down    forever 
As   strictly   all   wet. 

You  try  to  be  witty 
And   what's  the   reward  ? 
A   few  laughs  of   pity 
In  some  minor  chord. 

You  try  to  be  humorous 
But  strive  as  you  may. 
The  slams  will   be   numerous 
And  they'll  all  come  >our  way. 

The  moral   is  clear 

If  vour  life  would  he  sunnv 

Don't   try   to   be   FUNNY!!! 

As  a  come  back,  here  is  our  offering: — 
AX  ENGINEER 
Verih',  I  say  unto  \'ou,  marry  not  an  engineer, 
For  the  engineer  is  a  strange  being  and   possessed  of  main' 

devils. 
Yea,    he    speaketh    eternally    in    parables,    which    he    calleth 

"Formulae," 
And  he  weildeth  a  big  stick  which  he  calleth  a  slide  rule, 

and  he  hath  but  one  Bible — a  handbook. 
He  talkcth  always  of  stresses  and  strains,  and  without  end 

of  thermodynamics. 
He   showeth    always    a    serious    aspect    and    seemeth    not    to 

know  how  to  smile. 
And   he  picketh  his  seat  in    the  car   by  the  springs  therein, 

and   not  by  the  damsel  beside  him. 
Neither  does  he  know  a  waterfall,  except  for  its  power. 
Nor  the  sunset,  except  that  he  must  turn  on  the  light, 
Nor  a  damsel  except  for  her  specific  heat. 
Always  he  carrieth  his  books  with  him,  and  he  entertaineth 

his  maiden  with  steam  tables. 


Strauch's  are  Headquarters  for  Fine 
Cameras  and  Photo  Equipment  and 
Supplies 

PHOTO  SERVICE   IN 

FINISHING,   THESIS    PHOTOS, 

PHOTOSTATS,   ETC. 

Kciiu'iiibfi-,  iy/i    off  on   Eastman  Kepair  and   UecoiKli- 
tinning  Servile   on   <'anieias   until   IMa.v    I. 

Strauch's  at  Campus 

709  So.  Wright 


Veril\,  though  his  damsel  expecteth  chocolates  when  he 
calleth,  she  openeth  the  package  to  disclose  samples 
of  iron  ore. 

Yea,  he  holdeth  his  damsel's  hand,  but  only  to  measure  the 
friction,   and   kisses  but  to  test  the  viscocity. 

For  in  his  eyes  shineth  a  far-away  look  which  is  neither 
love  nor  longing — hut  a  \ain  attempt  to  recall  a  for- 
mula. 

There  is  but  one  key  dear  to  his  heart,  and  that  is  the 
Tau  Beta  Pi  key. 

And  one  lone  letter  for  which  he  yearneth,  and  that  an  "A." 

Even  as  a  young  boy  he  puUeth  a  girl's  hair  to  test  its 
elasticity,  but  as  a  man  he  discovers  different  devices. 

For  he  would  count  the  vibrations  of  her  heart  strings  and 
reckon  her  strength  of  materials. 

For  he  seeketh  ever  to  pursue  the  scientific  investigations, 
even  his  heart  flutterings  he  counteth  as  a  vision  of 
beauty  and  inscribeth  his  passion  in  a  formula. 

And  his  marriage  is  a  simultaneous  equation  invohing  two 
unknowns  and  vielding  diverse  answers. 


Gags  of  the  month : — 

Judge:  "Are  you  positive  that  the  defendant  was  drunk?" 
Officer:   "No  doubt." 
Judge:  "Why  are  you  so  certain?" 

Officer:   "Well,   I   saw  him   put   a   penny  in   the   patro! 
box  on  Green  street,  then  look  up  at  the  clock  on  the  L  nion 
{Please  See  Page  IS) 


THE  STORE 
FOR  MEN  < 


Where 

UNIVERSITY  MEN 
t  PREFER  TO  BUY 

33-35-37  Main  St.      •       Champaign 


16 


THE   TEGHNOGRAPH 


\^ 


ir'^j^  -^fc"* 


^^. 


» :^ 


HOW  JO  SEE  RED... AND  LIKE  IT! 


f 


Friction  . . .  arch  enemy  of  speed  in  the  niachinmg  of 
iron  and  steel .  .  .  meets  its  match  in  cutting;  tools  made  of 
Haynes  Stellite  non-ferrous  alloys.  For  these  alloys  ...  of 
cohalt,  chromium,  and  tungsten  .  .  .  have  tlie  amazing 
property  of '"red  hardness."  Unlike  cutting  tools  made  of 
ordinary  metals,  they  keep  their  edge  .  .  .  and  keep  on 
cutting  .  .  .  even  when  friction  heats  them  red  hot. 

Making  possible  tougher,  longer-lasting  cutting  tools  is  only  one 
of  the  vital  roles  played  by  Haynes  Stellite  materials.  Because  they 
stand  up  under  beat,  abrasion,  and  corrosion,  they  are  used  to  hard- 
face  many  different  kinds  of  metal  parts. 

Oil  well  drilling  bits  .  .  .  steam  shovel  bucket  lips  .  .  .  hea\'y  gears 
.  .  .  shafts  .  .  .  airplane  and  truck  exhaust  valve  seats  .  .  .  crusher 
blades  .  .  .  mixers  .  .  .  plowshares  .  .  .  and  other  pieces  of  equipment 
that  must  withstand  steady  punishment  have  their  lives  lengthened 
.  .  .  and  their  efficiency  stepped  up  .  .  .  with  welded-on  bard-facings 
of  Haynes  Stellite  alloys. 

Use  of  Haynes  Stellite  alloys  speeds  up  production  . .  .  lowers  pro- 
duction costs  .  .  .  saves  on  tool  and  part  replacements  .  .  .  reduces 
time  lost  while  replacements  are  being  made.  In  the  fabrication  of 


new  parts,  base  metals  can  be  selected  for  such  valuable  properties  as 
strength  and  ductility —  without  particular  regard  for  wear-resistance 
—  because  they  can  then  be  armored  against  abrasion,  beat,  and  corro- 
sion by  hard-facing  with  Haynes  Stellite  alloys. 

Further  savings  can  be  made  by  the  use  of  these  alloys  because  worn 
parts  can  be  renewed,  instead  of  being  sent  to  the  scrap  pile  .  .  .  thus 
eliminating  replacement  with  materials  hard  to  obtain. 

Faster  production  .  .  .  conservation  of  metals  .  .  .  lower  costs  .  .  . 
these  are  the  contributions  made  to  industry  by  Haynes  Stellite  alloys. 

•  ■  • 

The  development  of  Haynes  Stellite  Company  alloys  and  hard-lacing 
practice  has  been  furthered  by  the  metallurgical  knowledge  of  Electro 
Metallurgical  Company,  by  the  research  tacilities  oi  Union  Carbide 
and  Carbon  Research  Laboratories,  Inc.,  and  by  the  service  organiza- 
tion of  The  Linde  .Air  Products  Company-  which  companies  also  are 
inits  of  Union  Carbide  and  Carbon  Corporation. 

HAYNES  STELLITE  COMPANY 

Unit  of  Union  Carbide  and  Carbon  Corporation 


KOKOMO,   INDIANA 


NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 


TECHNOCRACKED 

{ .   .   .  frriin  payi    16) 
buiKiiiif;,   and   shout,   '(losh,   i  ve  lost   fourteen   poiuuls' !" 


"How  much  are  these  apples?" 

"Fifteen  cents  a  peck." 

"What  do  vou  think  I  am,  a  bii 


Toinist:  "Milking  the  cow?" 

Yokel:  "Naw,  just  feeling  her  pulse." 


Drunk    (in   telephone  booth):  "Xumb.T,   hell!      I   want 


my  peanuts 


SLIP  STICKING 
The    art    of    rubbing    two    twigs    together    and    looking 
througli  a  piece  of  rock  with  a  line  on  it  to  get  the  wrong 
answer. 


Spring  has  sprung 
And  I  have  sung 
'Most  split  a  lung 
And  swjir  my  tongue 
Your  phone  I've  rung 
I'm  all  unstrung 
To  me  you've  cliuig 
My  heart  I've  flung 
My  pin  I've  hung 
If  me  you've  strung 
Your  neck    I'll   wrung. 


"So  you're  working  yom-  way  through  school?  How  do 
you  do  it?" 

"Well,  don't  tell  my  father.  He  thinks  I'm  pediUing 
liquor,  but  I'm  really  editing  the  humor  magazine. 


CLIPBOARDS  65c 


University  Book  Store 

202  S.  Mathews 


Problem:  4x4  equals  ? 

ANSWER: 

Dial  4444  and  see  for  yourself — it's  the 

finest  and  most  prompt  cleaning  in  town — 

BRESEE    BROS. 

C\eonet% 

518  E.  Green   St. 

Champaign                                           Phone  4444 

What  is  the  Significance 
of  this  Mark  ? 


(^OR  over  30  years  this  trademark  has  appeared 
^^^  on  every  screw  threading  tool  and  screw  thread 
gage  manufactured  by  Greenfield  Tap  And  Die 
Corporation.  Guess— if  you  do  not  know— its  sig- 
nificance. Then  turn  this  page  upside  down  and 
see  if  your  guess  is  correct. 

GREENFIELD  TAP  AND   DIE  CORPORATION 

GREENFIELD,  MASS.,  U.  S.  A. 


^1B^,GREENFIELD 


TAPS      DIES       CAGES       IWISI OHILLS      BEAMtRS       SCREW  PLAIES   .   PIPE  TOOLS 


•3jjBni  sjqj  qjiM  sjooj 
Aq  jnD  spcajip  uo  Xpj  ubd  no_\  •sjbijiui  s^XuBd 
-uioD  aqj  3JE  sjDjjaj  3i[x  '^JS  'jsaja  'looj  'sjiba^ 

'pEajqi  A^3JDS.,UlJOJJBHOIJB^„  J33JJ3dEJ0  3UIJ 

-jno  jDExa  aqj  si  ^jjBuiapBjj  aqj  jo  auipno  9ci(~% 


KAUFMAN'S 

Are  Famous  For 

CORRECT 
MILITARY 
UNIFORMS 

ior 

U.S. 

ARMY-AVIATION  OR   NAVAL 

OFFICERS 

If  .Mill  are  siilijci  t  Id  call,  clrcip  inio  Kaiil'iiiaii's  iiiilliiriii 
depart IIK-Iil  aii>  ilay  and  lixiU  over  our  line  slinwiir^ 
lit    iiiililiiry    iiniriiniis   I'cir  iitlici'i's   ciT   (he   ariiu'il   fiirces. 

KAUFMAN'S 


ON   Till.   (  A.AII'U.S 
.\M)  KAMCtlL 


18 


THE   TECHNOGRAPH 


Determined 


.rossaeuni 


Determined  to  fty  a  true 
course  instead  of  nolhimi 
but  rolls  and  tailsfins,  tlie 
Antes  Crossaeum  (cross-eyed 
Floocus)  finally  overcame 
the  handicap  of  Converfient 
Strabismus  by  developing  a 
flight  control  independent  of 
vision. 


•  Twelve  New  Deicitture  aircraft  instrument  bear- 
ings like  those  above,  end-to-end.  equal  the  size 
of  a  slij^htly  fat  cigarette.  Others  you  could  hide 
under  a  match  head.  At  left :  Some  of  the  instru- 
ments   and    controls    in    a    twin-engined    transport. 


•  That  the  determination  of  American  Aircraft 
and  Instrument  makers  to  excel  in  their  fields  has 
l)een  no  figment  of  the  imagination  is  attested  hy  the 
fact  that  the  quality  and  performance  of  America's 
swiftly  growing  air  forces  are  second  to  none  in  the 
world.    And  in  no  small  measure  is  this  due  to  the 


superior  qualities  of  the  hall  bearings  used  in  the 
engines,  controls  and  instruments. 

New    Departure,    Division    of   General    Motors, 
Bristol,  Connecticut.   Detroit,  Chicago,  Los  Angeles, 
Seattle,  New  York  and  San  Francisco. 
Nothing       Rolls       Like       a       Ball 


Newuepa/iXUne 

BALL  /bearings 


S08S 


APRIL,  1942 


23 


6'BCantfif(^  A/ews 


HAVY  CLASSROOM 


A  U.S.  submarine  is  essentially  an  electric-propelled 
vehicle,  and  an  amazing  amount  ot  electric  equipment 
is  packed  away  in  its  steel  hull.  Responsibility  lor  opera- 
tion, maintenance,  and  repair  ot  all  this  electric  equip- 
ment is  in  the  hands  ot  two  classes  ot  petty  officers  chiet 
electrician's  mates  and  electrician's  mates  first  class. 

For  years  General  Electric  has  collaborated  with  the 
Navy  in  providing  instruction  tor  such  men.  They  are 
shown  how  all  kinds  ot  equipment  aboard  their  ships  is 
built  and  assembled.  Thus  petty  officers  are  better  quali- 
fied both  to  care  tor  electric  propulsion  and  other  appara- 
tus in  normal  service  and  to  repair  it  in  case  of  emer- 
gency. This  training  has  lately  been  accelerated.  G-E 
plants  are  seldom  without  groups  of  these  visiting  Nftvy 
men,  and  in  the  past  two  years  more  than  50  petty  officers 
have  taken  the  "course." 


100  TIMES  TOO  BRIGHT 

IN  the  early  days  of  electric  lights,  economical  city 
fathers  used  to  turn  out  the  street  lamps  on  nights 
when  there  was  a  full  moon.  For  the  best  blackout  tech- 
niques today,  even  moonlight  is  100  times  too  bright. 
But  although  air-raid  wardens  can't  do  anything  about 


the  moon,  for  overcast  nights  General  Electric's  illuminat- 
ing laboratory  has  developed  a  special  street  light  which 
produces  illumination  about  equal  to  starlight. 

The  fixture  contains  a  lo-watt  lamp,  so  concealed  that 
the  only  light  visible  comes  through  a  circular  narrow 
piece  ot  plastic  aroimd  the  side.  A  projecting  black  canopy 
screens  the  light  from  the  eyes  ot  aviators.  The  light  out- 
put, equivalent  to  that  from  a  single  candle  flame,  seems 
at  first  sight  to  be  practically  zero.  But  after  a  little  time 
eyes  become  adjusted,  as  they  do  in  a  movie  theatre, 
and  objects  can  be  dimly  seen  30  to  40  feet  away.  Speci- 
fications tor  the  new  lamp  are  based  on  the  experience  of 
the  British  in  their  blackouts. 


ELECTRON  WHIRLIGIG 

WHETHER  you  call  it  a  "rheotron"  or  "betatron" 
or  by  its  longer  name  ot  "induction  electron 
accelerator,"  a  new  science  tool  recently  built  by  Dr. 
Donald  W.  Kerst  in  the  G-E  Research  Laboratory  is  one 
of  the  world's  most  potent  merry-go-rounds.  On  it, 
electrons  ride  to  a  speed  closely  approximating  that  of 
light  -  equivalent  to  that  produced  by  20  million  volts. 
Copper  bombarded  by  these  dizzy,  super-speed  electrons 
becomes  temporarily  radioactive,  and  other  interesting 
possibilities  are  being  investigated. 

Dr.  Kerst,  young  professor  at  the  University  of  Illinois, 
got  the  idea  for  the  device,  built  a  sniall  model,  and  came 
to  General  Electric  to  build  a  bigger  one.  Like  the  much- 
publicized  cyclotron,  except  that  it  accelerates  electrons 
instead  of  positive  ions,  the  device  chases  the  charged 
particles  round  and  round  in  a  magnetic  field,  adiling  to 
their  speed  at  every  revolution.  Scientists  are  reticent 
about  predicting  what  the  rheotron's  chief  use  will  he, 
but  it  is  promising  enough  so  that  a  bigger  one  is  being 
built  in  the  G-E  laboratory  for  speeds  ot  loo  million  volts. 


GENERAL  O  ELECTRIC 


24 


THE   TECHNOGRAPH 


i 


I 


AH  out  -for 
defense 


JUN10  1942 
UNIVLRSIIY  OF  ILLINOIS 


MAY 


1942 


Steam  vs.  Hydro 
Power 

Polaroid 

Portable  X-Rays 

Mining  Progress 

Air-Conditioning 

Technocracked 

Naval  School 


ished    1885 


Member  E.C.M.A, 


"TO     PROVIDE    FOR    THE    COMMON    DEFENSE,    TO     PROMOTE!     THE     GENERAL    WELFARE" 


Bad  medicine  for  big  bombers 


ONE  WAY  to  spoil  a  bomber's  aim  is  to 
hang  a  curtain  of  steel  over  your  ship 
and  dare  him  to  come  down  through  it. 
To  get  that  curtain  of  steel  up  there 
requires  quick-firing,  flexible  guns. 

To  the  plant  of  the  Westinghouse 
Electric  Elevator  Company  the  Navy,  a 
few  months  ago,  brought  its  plans  for 
such  a  gun.  And  to  Westinghouse  was 
given  the  important  job  of  building  the 
mounts  that  would  control  the  aiming  of 
these  l)atteries  of  quick-firing  guns. 

And  the  Navy  said,  "Well  donel" 

Today,  over  the  Westinghouse  plant, 
there  floats  the  Navy's  "E"  pennant — 
for  excellence — eloquent  testimony  to 
the  manner  in  which  this  Westinghouse 
plant  jjcrforraed  the  job.  How  was  this 
plant  able  to  get  into  growing  produc- 
tion of  these  mounts  so  quickly?  The 
answer  lies  in  a  Westinghouse  character- 
istic called  "know  how" — the  ability  to 
get  things  done  in  the  best  possible  way. 


This  Westinghouse  "know  how"  makes 
itself  felt  wherever  Westinghouse  crafts- 
men build  things.  Whether  for  the  com- 
mon defense  or  the  general  welfare,  this 
"know  how"  is  doing  a  job.  The  same 
skill  and  ingenuity  that  made  so  many 
splendid  things  for  peacetime  living  are 
now  being  applied  to  many  important 
war  weapons. 


"Know  how"  will  work  for 
you  again 

AVe  look  forward  to  the  day  when  we 
can  give  your  home,  your  farm,  or  your 
factory  the  full  benefit  of  Westinghouse 
"know  how"  again.  To  speed  that  day 
means  just  one  thing  to  us:  to  produce, 
in  ever  increasing  quantities,  the  tools 
with  which  to  get  the  victory  job  done. 


Proudly  We  Hail  Our  600 


•  No  group  at  Westinghouse  li.is  met  its 
responsibilities  in  our  war  effort  with  iiKjre 
zeal  and  ingenuity  than  the  OUO  young 
engineers  who  only  last  year  were  your 
college  mates.  Already,  their  work  in  re- 
search and  design  has  made  vital  contri- 


butions to  our  country's  drive  for  victory. 
This  year,  hundreds  who  are  now  college 
seniors  will  find  at  Westinghouse,  as  per- 
haps nowhere  else,  an  opportunity  to 
apply  their  schooling  and  intelligence 
toward  winning  the  war. 


Westinghouse 


"An  Engineer's  Company/'  Westinghouse  Electric  &  Manufacturing  Company,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 


MAY   •   1942 


I'ower,   Steam   Versus   Hjilro 7 

l!y    Donald    K.    Stevens 

I'olaniiil    is    Versatile 9 

By  Hobeit  I':.  iMeCleary 

Portable    Hiyh    Voltage    X-Rays 10 

By  Aiiijust   I  ttich 

Progress  in  Metal  Mining ri 

By  Haywood  Talley 

Original    Air-Conditioner   Cycle 14 

By  John  Slonneger 

Technocracked lU 

By  Ftl  Tudor 

Names    in    the    News 17 

By  William  K.  Schniitz 

Kditorial   18 

By  Kobert  K.  MeCleary 

Old    (iym    I'onverted   to    'Naval    Traiiiins;    Ship' 20 

By  William  G.  Murphy 

CO.,  Kxtinguishes  Fires  in  Plane  Motors '»-! 

By  Kdwin   Thoinasson 

War  Boosts   Steel   Production 26 


THE  TECHNOCRAPH 


Staff . . . 

Donald   K.   Stevens Editor 

William  G.   Murphy Office   Manager 

Robert   W.   Kouts Editorial   Assistant 

MAKE-UP    AND    ART 

Sheldon  J.   Leavitt Assistant   Editor 

James     Austin Photographer 

Sydney  Wood Editorinl  Assistant 

EDITORIAL,   DEPARTMENT 

Robert  E.  MeCleary Assistant  Editor 

AVilliam   G.    Murphy,    Hayward   L.   Talley,    William 

R.  Sc-hmitz,  August  Uttich Editorial  Assistants 

Richard  W.  Landon Business  Manager 

Jay  Gossett Advertising  Assistant 

John  Morris Subscription  Manager 

Eugene  Wallace.  John  Graper,  Warren  Howard 

Subscription    Assistants 

William    Belch Circulation  Manager 

Alex    Green Circulation    Assistant 

Henry  P.  Evans  Faculty  Adviser 


MEMBER  OF  ENGINEERING  COLLEGE  MAGAZINES 
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Engineer,  Kansas  State  Engineer,  Marquette  Engineer,  Michigan  Technic. 
Minnesota  Techno-Log,  Missouri  Shamrock,  Nebraska  Bine  Print,  New 
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State    Engineer,    Wayne    Engineer,    Wisconsin    Engineer. 

Published   Eight   Times   Yearly   by   the   Students   of   the 
College  of   Engineering,   Iniversity  of  Illinois 

Published  eight  times  during  the  year  (October,  November,  Decem- 
ber, January.  Feljrnary,  March.  April,  and  May)  by  The  Illini  Publish- 
ing Company.  Entered  as  second  class  matter.  October  30,  1921,  at 
the  post  office  of  Urbana,  Illinois.  Office  213  Engineering  Hall, 
Urbana,  Illinois.  Subscriptions,  $1.00  per  year.  Single  copy  20  cents. 
Reprint    rights    reserved    by    The    Ulinois    Technograph. 


POWER 

To  Win  A  War 


Ci'&'&l'^A 


Behind  the  guns— behind  the  machines  and  the  motors 
that  drive  them  —  is  steam,  "prime  mover"  of  all 
industry.  •  Each  time  we  find  a  way  to  squeeze  an 
extra  B.T.U.  from  a  pound  of  coal  or  a  gallon  of  oil, 
industrial  output  is  accelerated  and  implements  of 
war  rush  sooner  to  waiting  hands  at  the  front.  Because 
B&W  engineers  have  always  been  the  first  to  origi- 
nate major  improvements  in  boilers,  Babcock  & 
Wilcox  has  become  America's  largest  producer  of 
steam  generating  equipment.  •  Today,  all  our  efforts 

are  devoted  to  helping 
utilities  and  industrial 
plants  produce  the  pow- 
er to  win  this  war.  In 
the  victorious  tomorrow, 
we  shall  stand  ready  to 
serve  you  whose  hands 
will  guide  the  future  of 
American  industry. 


FREE  14-PAGE  BOOKLET 

"The  Design  Of  Water-Tube 
Boiler  Units."  Not  a  manual 
of  design,  this  interesting 
hook  explains  what  types  of 
boilers  are  used  for  the  most 
common  types  of  service  and 
why.  Your  copy  tvill  be  sent 
on  request. 


THE    BABCOCX   *  WILCOX    COMPANY 


.  B)    IIIERTT   STIEET 


NEW    VOBK     N     f 


BABCDCK  &  WILCOX 


\  A  \ 


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ENGINEERING 

FOR  VICTORY 

WITH  TIMKEN 

BEARINGS 


y 


/     /      / 


J 


s 

N 

\ 
\ 
\ 
\ 


TP-'-rT" 


TO  ASSURE  VICTORY 


BUV  UNITED  STATES 
DEIENSEBONOSCSTtUPS 


Standard   single   row  Timlten  Bearing   as  used   in 
the  majority  of  applications. 


V  ic+ory  for  the  United  Nations  In  the  war 
will,  to  a  great  extent,  be  a  victory  for  American 
engineering  and  Incidentally,  for  TImken  Tapered 
Roller  Bearings. 

Many  lessons  will  be  learned  from  experience  gained 
In  designing  war  equipment  and  the  machines  that 
make  It — lessons  that  you  will  profit  by  In  future  years 
when  your  student  days  are  over  and  you  are  called 
upon  to  take  an  active  part  In  the  tremendous  work 
of  world  reconstruction. 

Among  other  things  you  will  find — as  thousands  of  ex- 
perienced engineers  already  have  proved — a  thorough 
knowledge  of  TImken  Bearings  and  their  application  as 
useful  as  your  slip  stick.  It  will  enable  you  to  meet 
every  bearing  requirement  completely  and  soundly. 
We  will  be  glad  to  help  you  with  your  bearing  pro- 
I    blems  at  any  time. 

THE  TIMKEN  ROLLER  BEARING 
COMPANY,       CANTON,       OHIO 

TIMKEN 

TRADE   MARK    REG     U      S.   PAT     OFF, 

TAPERED  ROLLER  BEARIHGS 

Manufacturers  of  Timlten  Tapered    Roller   Bearings  for  automobiles,   motor 
truclcs,    railroad   cars   and    locomotives  and   all    kinds   of   industrial   machin- 
ery;   Timlcen    Alloy    Steels    and    Carbon    and    Alloy    Seamless   Tubing;    and 
TImken  Rocic  Bits. 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


~\ 


"The  next  number  will  loe 
free  with  6  box  tops ,  followed 
by  occasional  showers" 


Doubletalk'   No,  it's  how  radio 
would  sound  if  stations  couldn't 
be  kept  on  their  assigned  fre- 
quencies. The  problem  was  licked 
once  and  for  all  when  engineers 
discovered  how  to  regulate  radio 
frequencies  with  a  tiny  disc  of 
quartz  crystal,  the  thickness  of 
which  governs  the  length  of  the 
waves.  Precision  cutting,  grind- 
ing and  finishing  of  the  quartz, 
a  process  Carborundum  helped 
pioneer,  makes  today ' s  accurate 
control  possible. 


No  larger  than  a  thumb  nail, 
only  about  1  16th  inch  thick, 
these  oscillators  must  be  fin- 
ished to  limits  as  close  as 
1.100th  the  diameter  of  a  hair. 
With  the  aid  of  Carborundum 
Brand  Abrasive  Grains  and  Pow- 
ders, the  discs  are  made  with 
optically  flat  and  parallel 
surfaces,  and  thickness  so 
accurate  it  must  be  measured 
in  terms  of  light  wave  length. 


In  the  development  of  many  modern 
aids  to  living,  abrasives  have 
played  a  vital  part.  And  Carborundum 
skill  and  knowledge  have  made  much 
of  this  progress  possible.  These 
facilities  will  be  at  your  disposal 
no  matter  what  industry  you  go  into. 
The  Carborundum  Company,  Niagara 
Falls,  New  York. 


L 


Carhtiriincliiiii  it-  n  reniytered  trade-mark  of  and  indi- 
cates miinufacture  by   The   Carborundum   Comptiny. 


MAY,  1942 


jr 


g 

^ 

ST 

1 

-  ] 

k 

H 

Before  reading  this  article,  which  type  of  power 
generation  would  you  think  more  economical?  Mark 
vour  ballot,  then  read  the  story  to  check  your  decision. 

H\dro-electric  Q 

Steam-electric    Q 

Combination   hydro-steam-electric  Q 


HYDRO  versus 
STEAM  POWER 


By  Donald   K.   Stevens 
Senior  in  Ceramic  Engineering 


In  connection  with  the  War  Effort  new  demands  have 
been  made  on  the  already  expanded  electrical  power  supply 
facilities  of  this  coimtry.  The  need  for  more  KV'A's  of 
power  at  a  minimum  expenditure  in  money  and  fuel  has 
refocused  attention  on  the  discussion  of  relative  merits  of 
the  hydro-electric  and  steam  electric  plants.  The  problem 
is:  Which  type  of  electrical  generation  is  more  economical 
— hydro  or  steam? 

One    factor   in    the   discussion   of   a   power   plant   is   the 


Above — I.ciwering  second  generator  into  place  at  one  of  (wo, 
million-Uw.  power-liouses  at  one  of  largest  government  lianis. 
(Courtes.v  of  \\  estin;;house). 

Left — Klectrical    power    on    the    march. 

MAY.  1942 


Mi;;ht.\    .Vsuan   Dam   ni   Kjj.vpt   Kciierates  hydi'opuwer. 


efficiency  of  the  actual  turbine  driving  the  AC  generator. 
The  extremely  high  efficiency  of  the  hydro-turbine  (94- j-^^  ) 
exceeds  that  of  the  better  type  steam  boiler-fed  turbine 
(90-|-%)  and  it  is  in  this  respect  that  hydro-plants  are 
often   considered    most   efficient. 

A  second  factor  in  comparing  economies  of  operation  i"> 
the  cost  of  obtaining  the  impelling  medium  (fluid  at  high 
pressure)  for  the  turbines.  It  is  in  this  respect  that  steam 
plants  jump  ahead. 

Following  rapid  improvements  in  boiler  design  the 
operating  pressures  in  steam  boilers  jumped  from  300 
pounds  per  square  inch  with  temperatures  of  630  degrees 
Fahrenheit  and  a  fuel  requirement  of  18,500  B.T.U.  per 
kilowatt-hour  of  net  station  output  (1918)  to  1,400  pounds 
per  square  inch  pressure,  steam  temperatures  of  850  de- 
grees Fahrenheit  and  a  fuel  requirement  of  only  12,500 
B.T.U.  per  kilowatt-hour  of  net  station  output  (1940). 
A  kilowatt-hour  can  now  be  produced  for  about  9,000 
B.T.U.  (1942),  utilizing  both  mercury  vapor  and  steam. 
Improved  water-cooled  furnace  wall  design  is  greatly  im- 
proving steam  boiler  efficiency.  It  is  interesting  to  note 
that  rate  of  evaporation  of  water  per  hour  in  a  steam 
generator  incrased  from  60,000  pounds  in  1910  to  30(^000 
in  1920  and  to  more  than   IJ.4  million  pounds  in  1935. 

The  hydro  plant  requires  a  large  volume  of  available 
water  or  a  considerable  head  (or  both,  depending  upon  the 
demand)  and  this  means  a  very  large  capital  expenditure 
for  a  dam,  penstocks,  and  et|uipment,  and  a  reliable  rain- 
fall   in    almost    all    cases. 

It  has  been  estimated  that  the  cost  of  power  measured 
at  the  plant  bus  is  4  mills  per  kilowatt-hour  for  the  steam 
and  6.3  mills  per  kilowatt-hour  for  the  hydro-electric  plant. 
Where  the  two  types  of  power  can  be  coordinated  unit 
costs  are  reduced.  Where  the  government  has  built  dual- 
purpose  dams  for  irrigation  and  power  it  is  difficult  to 
assign  a  definite  proportion  of  the  cost  to  its  power-pro- 
duction potentialities.  There  is  no  doubt  however  that 
such  structures  as  the  Boulder  Dam  (see  the  cover  pic- 
tures of  January  and  March  1942  issues  of  The  Techno- 
graphQ.  Norris  Dam,  Pickwick  Dam,  Shoshone  Dam  and 
others  will  require  many  years  of  active  power  production 
to  cover  the  capital  investment  therein.  In  each  of  these 
plants  the  equipment  is  remarkabh'  efficient,  but  it  is  notable 
that  none  of  theme  are  operating  continuously  at  full  ca- 
pacity. 

The  ideal  situation  for  hydro-electric  power  economy 
would  be  realized  if,  as  in  the  case  of  Niagara  Falls,  large 
power  consumers  would  be  located  near  the  point  of  power 
generation.  Normally  the  best  h\dro-electric  sites  are  found 
in  the  Northwest  where  the  power  demand  is  smaller  than 
for  corresponding  areas  in  the  Fast.    In  those  places  where 


sleek  tuibine-Kenerator  delivei-s  (i'2,30(l   K.V.A.    (max.)   at  Acme  Station  of  Toledo  Kdison  Co.    (courtesy   Westingliouse) 


it  has  been  possible  to  use  hydro-electric  power  to  handle 
peak  loads  and  steam  power  for  general  use,  in  which  the 
boilers  may  be  kept  on  constant  fire  at  full  load  them- 
selves, power  production  has  been  very  cheap  and  de- 
pendable. 

Other  factors  in  the  general  economy  picture  are  the 
ever-increasing  ta.xes  (local,  state,  and  federal),  which  are 
proportional  to  both  the  invested  fixed  cost  and  the  operat- 
ing income,  and  the  cost  of  transmission  and  distribution 
of  the  electrical  power  generated.  In  the  present  taxation 
program  ever  higher  levies  are  being  imposed  on  utilities, 
but  in  1934  taxes  had  already  approaciied  the  cost  of  fuel 
in  steam  plants.  Of  the  power  dollar  38  cents  go  toward 
the  cost  of  the  generating  plant,  24  cents  to  installation 
and  upkeep  of  transmission  ( "hi-tension")  lines,  and  38 
cents  to  the  cost  of  local  distribution  systems.  So  far  as 
the  generating  station  itself  is  concerned  it  can  probably 
be  built  for  $7^  to  $125  per  kilowatt  of  capacity,  depending 
of  course  on  size,  location,  t\pe  of  prime  mover,  and  design 
of   the  plant  in   general. 

Tide-harnessing  projects  and  other  schemes  at  first 
seeming  practical  have  been  shown  by  experts  to  be  less 
economical  than  either  the  steam  or  usual  hydro-electric 
type  of  power  plant.  Diesel  and  gasoline  internal  combus- 
tion motors  are  gaining  favor  in  small  power  units  but 
are  very  uneconomical  when  compared  to  the  turbine  for 
large   installations. 

In   the   final   consideration    in   every  case  one   returns   to 


the  combined  steam-electric  augmented  with  a  hydro-electric 
unit  as  most  economical  large  production  power  generator. 
In  communities  where  waterpower  is  not  immediately 
a\ailable,  or  demand  is  not  unusuall\'  large  the  steam 
turbine  is  the  most  economical  means  of  producing  electrical 
power. 


NEW   EROSION    RESISTANT   BEARINGS        ■ 

Use  "A"  MoHi'l  Metal  " 

A  new  development  now  makes  it  possible  to  use  ball 
and  roller  bearings  in  services  involving  exposure  to  many 
corrosive  liquids  and  gases. 

This  nickel-copper  alloy  can  be  lieat-treated  to  provide 
a  hardness,  wear-resistance  and  strength  not  ordinarily  I 
associated  with  non-ferrous  bearing  materials.  Its  resistance  I 
to  corrosion  is  such  that  it  can  withstand  the  action  of 
many  acids,  most  alkalies  and  a  wide  range  of  gases. 
Furthermore,  it  retains  high  mechanical  properties  over  a 
range  from  low  sub-zero  temperatures  to  above  80(1  de- 
grees F.    It  IS  non-magnetic  down  to  — 110  degrees  I*. 

Many  uses  already  have  been  indicated  for  these  new 
bearings  in  food  handling  equipment,  chemical  plants,  motor 
boat  service  and  elsewhere  where  it  is  not  practical  to  pro- 
tect ordinary  bearings  with  housings  or  grease  and  where 
slight  changes  in  design  and  increases  in  diameters  over 
corrodihle   materials,    are   permissable. 


8 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


By 

Robert  McCleary 

Junior  in  Mechanical 
Engineering 


stress   striatioiis    in    loaded   ansle   plate. 


Stress   alxilil    hole   III    loaded  plate 


POLAROID    is    VERSATILE 


Polaroid  is  a  transparent  material  that  produces  plane 
polarized  light  by  simple  transmission.  It  has  the  ability 
to  discriminate  among  the  many  possible  directions  of  trans- 
verse vibrations  in  a  given  beam  of  light  and  to  transmit 
light  that  is  vibrating  only  in  on  specified  direction. 
Polaroid  is  chemically  and  mechanically  stable,  and  easy 
to  handle.  It  is  manufacnired  exclusively  by  the  Polaroid 
Corporation. 

The  phenomenon  of  polarized  light  has  been  known 
to  science  since  1669  when  Erasmus  Bartholinus  observed 
the  double  refraction  of  Iceland  Spar.  In  1808  Malus 
accidentally  discovered  that  some  of  the  light  of  Luxem- 
bourg Palace  in   Paris  was  plane  polarized. 

Polaroid  is  manifold  in  use  and  it  is  believed  that  only 
a  fraction  of  its  useful  field  has  been  exploited. 

Polaroid  may  be  used  to  ehminate  headlight  glare.  The 
headlights  and  windshields  are  made  of  Polaroid  with 
polarizing  axis  inclined  45  degrees.  A  driver  sees  his  own 
lights  freely  but  his  windshield  blocks  out  direct  light  from 
an  auto  approaching  from  opposite  direction.  Needless  to 
say,  both  vehicles  must  be   Polaroid  equipped. 

Sun  glasses  of  Polaroid  greatly  reduce  glare  from 
pavements,  snow,  sandy  beaches  and  the  sea.  This  is  be- 
cause most  glare  is  reflected  light  which  has  become 
polarized  horizontally.  V^ertical  polarizing  axis  in  the 
glasses  with  double  adjustible  lenses  are  now  on  the  market. 

When  a  sheet  of  doubly-refracting  material,  such  as 
cellophane,  cellulose  tape,  mica,  etc.,  is  put  between  two 
Polaroid  sheets,  a  color  filter  is  formed.  The  colors  ma\' 
be  varied  by  rotating  one  sheet.  This  provides  a  new  method 
for  producing  vivid  advertising  displays  and  for  general 
illumination. 

Stereoscopic  vision  arises  from  the  slight  differences  in 
images  received  by  each  eye.  A  picture  may  be  projected 
upon  a  screen  with  horizontally  polarized  light  and  a 
slightly  different  picture  superimposed  upon  it  with  a  pro- 
jector of  vertically  polarized  light.  If  the  audience  wears 
glasses  with  one  vertically  polarized  lens  and  one  horizontal- 
ly polarized  lens,  the  two  different  pictures  are  seen 
separately  and  a  three  dimensional  effect  is  very  pronounced. 

In  photography,  a  polarizing  filter  may  eliminate  certain 
highlights  or  reflections  and  preserve  the  detail  over  a  wide 
range  of  densities. 

Covering  a  lamp  with  a  properly  oriented  piece  of 
polaroid  eliminates  glare  at  source,  leaving  reflected  light 
entirely   diffuse. 

Rock  sections,  crystals,  textile  fibres,  etc.,  may  be  studied 
with  ease  under  a  Polaroid  equipped  microscope.  Minero- 
logists,  crystallographers,  and  colloid  chemists  find  such  a 
microscope  their  basic   tool. 

MAY,  1942 


Perhaps  to  engineers  the  most  important  application 
of  Polaroid  is  in  the  study  of  stressed  test  specimens.  As- 
sociate Professor  Thomas  J.  Dolan  of  the  T.A.M.  depart- 
ment of  this  school  has  devoted  much  time  to  his  photo- 
elastic  laboratory  where  research  in  this  field  is  being  con- 
ducted. 

The  scope  of  this  article  is  such  that  only  the  basic 
principles  of  this  new  and  interesting  visual  study  of  stress 
concentration   in  stressed   members  can   be  enumerated. 

Basically,  photoelasticity  is  the  phenomenon  observed 
when  a  stressed  specimen  of  transparent  Celluloid,  Bakelite, 
Catalin,  Phenolite,  Lucite,  etc.,  is  viewed  from  between 
two  sheets  of  Polaroid  with  axis  crossed.  Such  specimens 
when  loaded  become  temporarily  doubly-refracting,  the 
refracting  quality  depending  upon  the  magnitude  of  the 
stress  at  that  point.  Thus  a  mixture  of  colored  bands  is 
presented  to  the  eye.  The  analysis  of  these  striations  makes 
possible  a  deduction  of  the  nature  of  stresses  and  strains 
in  the  material. 

The  prime  task  of  the  photoelastic  engineer  is  the 
preparation  of  uniform,  highly  transparent,  unprestressed, 
specimens  of  often  intricate  forms  and  the  correlation  of 
the  stress-strain  patterns  produced  with  a  pair  of  coordinate 
axis.  This  task  is  no  small  one,  although  much  progress 
has  been  made. 

Particular  interest  is  centered  around  localized  stresses 
caused  by  such  stress  raisers  as  abrupt  section  changes, 
fillets  and  holes.  The  stresses  about  these  points  in  a  speci- 
men may  reach  values  several  times  as  large  as  those  in 
the  main  body.  As  a  consequence  of  such  localized  stresses, 
crack  lines  and  or  plastic  flow  will  develop  even  under 
moderate  loading.  These  stresses  will  cause  premature 
failure  under  dynamic  loads  of  sometimes  only  If,  the 
ultimate   strength   of   the  material. 

Three  dimensional  study  of  stresses  in  built-up  (ce- 
mented) specimens  of  intricate  form  is  also  receiving  much 
attention.  The  original  studies  were  confined  to  two  di- 
mensional stress  study  of  constant  thickness  plates,  because 
of  difficulties  of  machining  without  pre-stressing  the  ma- 
terial. 

In  this  article  are  seen  photoelastic  pictures  of  two 
types  of  loaded  specimens.  Accurate  vision,  long  study 
and  experience  are  necessary  for  proper  interpretation  of 
the  stresses  and  strains  which  are  represented  by  these 
multi-colored  bands.  However,  definite  patterns  are  dis- 
cernible, and  changes  in  loading  is  very  graphically  im- 
pressed   upon    the   eyes   of   any  observer. 

Photoelasticity  provides  an  entirely  new  and  interesting 
field  of  endeavor  for  those  engineers  who  are  ambitious 
and  like  T.A.M.  courses. 


Portable  .  .  . 

High  Voltage 

X-RAYS 

By  August  Uttich 

Freshman  in   Chemical 
Engineering 


Largely  through  the  efforts  of  an  Illinois  alumnus, 
Dr.  E.  E.  Charlton,  the  General  Electric  research  laboratory 
ha-'  developed  a  portable,  million  volt  x-ray  outfit.  The 
new  unit,  which  is  a  development  of  their  high-voltage 
therapeutic  outfit,  is  greatly  reduced  in  both  size  and  weight 
so  that  it's  moveability  will  be  invaluable  as  a  radiographic 
tool  in  the  industrial  examination  of  metal  structures. 

sir  J|r  at  -Jft 

In  short  the  outfit  consists  of  a  low  frequency  resonance 
transformer  mounted  together  with  a  sealed  off,  multi- 
section x-ray  tube.  These  are  contained  in  a  steel  tank 
and  are  insulated  by  compressed  gas.  The  ex-rays  are 
generated  from  the  regular  tungsten  target  mounted  in 
the   end   of    a   chamber   extending   out   of   one   end   of   the 

Cnmplcteil   unit,      (eourte.sy   fi.K.) 


Transformer    removed    from    steel    tank.      (courtesy    G. 


tank.    The  whole  outfit  is  only  three  feet  in  diameter  and 
four  feet  in  length  and  weights  but   15(JU  pounds. 

The  transformer  for  the  unit  contains  238  miles  of 
insulated  wire  consisting  of  a  high  voltage  and  a  low  volt- 
age.. By  means  of  what  is  known  as  the  resonance  prin- 
ciple, the  usual  iron  core  is  eliminated,  making  way  for 
the  x-ray  tube  itself.  This  arrangement  not  only  saves 
space  but  facilitates  making  the  connections  to  the  tube 
electrodes  and  eliminates  electrostatic  interference  in  the 
tube. 

The  lower  end  of  the  high  voltage  coil  is  grounded 
and  the  number  of  turns  chosen  for  the  winding  is  such 
as  to  make  its  natural  frequency  of  oscillation  180  cycles 
per  second.  The  180-cycle  power  is  derived  from  the 
60-cycle  supply  line  but  an  intermediary  synchronous  motor 
generator  set  renders  operation  independent  of  line-voltage 
fluctuations.  The  coil  is  held  under  compression  by  seven 
spring-loaded  glass  rods,  which  make  it  possible  for  the 
unit  to  be  operated   in  any  position. 

Designed  to  go  with  the  transformer  is  the  novel  x-ray 
tube.  It  contains  the  electron-emitting  cathode  and  the 
copper-backed  tungsten  target  but  also  has  eleven  accelerat- 
ing electrodes  of  stainless  steel  spaced  evenly  along  its 
length.  These  eleven  sections  and  the  cathode  section  are 
molded  of  borosilicate  glass  tubing  joined  to  rings  of  fernico, 
a  new  alloy  with  the  same  coefficient  of  expansion  as  the 
gas.  The  inside  glass  walls  of  the  tube  en\elope  are  sand- 
blasted. The  chamber  walls  and  target  both  are  water 
cooled. 

The  tube  is  now  evacuated  and  sealed.    To  insure  sta- 
bility of   operation   and   long   life   all   sections   are   aged   at 
voltages  10(1  per  cent  higher  than  the  operating  voltage. 
^-     *     *     * 

The  tank  of  the  million-volt  units  is  made  of  sheet 
steel  one  fourth  of  an  inch  tliick,  36  inches  in  diameter, 
and  48  inches  high,  and  has  been  tested  hydrostatically  to 


200  lbs.  per  sq.  in.   Ry  means  of  a   rubber  gasket  the  joint 

between  the  shell  and  bottom  flanges  is  made  gas-tight. 

*■     *     -^     * 

The  gas  used  to  insulate  the  transformer  from  the  tank 
is  known  commercially  as  Freon.  It  is  odorless,  nontoxic, 
non-inflammable  and  for  all  practical  purposes  inert.  Be- 
fore the  gas  is  applied  the  tank  is  evaporated  to  a  28  in 
vacuum ;  then  it  is  filled  with  the  Freon  to  60  lbs.  per 
sq.  in.  A  pressure  state  of  the  main  tank  blocks  operation 
of  the  transformer  if  the  pressure  drops  below  50  lbs. 
per  sq.  in.  either  by  leakage  or  due  to  low  temperatures. 

-^-         *         •»         iit 

This  x-ray  unit,  which  can  operate  continually  at  a 
million  volts  and  a  maximum  current  of  3.0  milli-amperes, 
produces  very  penetrating  x-rays  of  high  intensity.  With 
this  unit  sections  of  steel  ranging  from  1  to  S  inches  in 
thickness  can   be   radiographed   in  short  time  exposures. 

Radiographs  taken  with  the  unit  will  clearly  define 
defects  ranging  from  two  percent  down  to  less  than  one 
percent.  Besides  the  speed  advantage  of  the  new  outfit,  it 
allows  greater  latitude  in  the  range  of  metal  thicknesses 
readable  on  one  radiograph  without  the  time  consuming 
complication  of  the  blocking  technique  used  in  the  lower- 
voltage  range.  Likewise  it  permits  greater  target-film 
distances,  still  keeping  the  time  of  exposme  down  to  seconds 
and   minutes. 

The    unit    is   operated    from    a   control    panel    on    which 


is  set  time  and  intensity  of  exposine.  All  people  are  called 
out  the  x-ray  room,  which  is  well  insulated  by  lead  or 
concrete,  and  after  a  few  pushes  of  buttons  the  radiograph 
is   ready   for  inspection. 

A  few  years  ago  x-rays  were  a  baby  science,  but  it  has 
grown  from  that  stage  till  with  this  latest  innovation  in- 
dustry has  recei\ed  rays  that  can  be  mo\ed  with  ease  and 
projected  through  metal  structvues  which  vary  grearh  in 
size  and  wall  thickness. 


HEY,   RED   CAP! 
Lives  there  a  man  since  Davy  Crockett, 
Who  hasn't  had  an  evening  bag  in  his  pocket? 
To  the  unwary  it  looks  so  tiny. 
But  it's  made  many  men  dive  in  the  briny. 
Into  it  she  crams  all  her  stuff, 
Fifteen  articles,  plus  a  powder  puff. 
"Would  you  mind,"  she  says  with  the  sweetest  smile. 
That's  started  many  on  their  last  mile. 
If  she  wants  it  once,  it's  at  least  five  times, 
To  check  it  is  a  waste  of  dimes. 
The  longer  you  carry  it,  the  heavier  it  seems. 
Until   it  exceeds  your  very  worst  dreams. 
And  when  the  evening's  over,  and  you  give  it 
It's  like  returning  a  five  pound  sack. 
It  stretches  your  pockets,  and  ruins  your  clothes, 
And  why  you  do  it,  nobody  knows. 


back. 


Preparing  to  liadiDgraph  thick-sliell  eastins.     (courtesy   <;.[•".) 


^-m. 


jfy. 


-^< 


Progress 


in 


Metal  Mining 


By  Hayward  F.  Talley 
Freshman  in  Chemical  Engineering 


II.Mli'uiilirUiii!:   with  a  Hindi   uiant 


(<()iirtes.\    I  .   S.   Huicaii   (if   Mines) 


In  after  years,  the  present  world  conflict  may  well  b:- 
known  as  the  War  of  Metals.  It  is  a  war  of  resources 
and  supplies.  Because  modern  mechanized  warfare  is  fought 
with  metallic  weapons  and  is  carried  on  with  the  aid  of 
metal  constructed  vehicles  of  transiiortation,  our  mines  are 
a  most  vital  front  line  of  defense. 

Then  entry  of  the  L  nited  States  into  the  war  has  not 
caused  radical  changes  in  methods  of  mining.  Rather, 
there  has  been  a  general  improvement  in  mining  practice 
and  in  unit  production.  Most  of  the  changes  have  been 
at  the  larger  mines  where  greater  use  of  mechanical  equip- 
ment in  stopes  has  been  made  and  a  more  rapid  extraction 
of   ore   made   possible. 

In  mines  where  the  ore  is  loaded  mechanically  in  the 
stope,  as  in  breast  stoping,  the  trend  has  been  towards 
deeper  rounds  and  larger  blasts.  Larger  blasts  are  also 
considered  effective  in  systems  of  open  stoping  where  the 
ores  fall  into  chutes.  The  increase  in  the  size  of  the  blast 
has  been  obtained  by  (  1  )  increasing  the  size  of  the  face 
and  the  depth  of  the  round,  (2)  shooting  two  additional 
rounds  between  loading  cycles,  or  (.?)  drilling  longer  holes 
as  nearly  parallel  to  the  face  as  possible  ami  utilizing 
heavier  burdens. 

In   the   past,   a   very  serious   problem   has   been   that  of 
ground    support.     As    mining    is    carried    to    greater    depths 
the  effect  of  either   not   supporting  or  of   improperly  sup- 
Coal  conveyor  iinloails  into  eleotricall.v  driven  ears, 
(eourtes.v    Westinghouse) 


porting  the  upper  workings  becomes  cumulative ;  seriuos 
consequences  such  as  rock  bursts  or  crushes  usually  result. 
Today,  where  stopes  with  pillars  between  are  used,  the 
trend  is  to  use  narrower  stopes  rather  than  to  see  how  large 
a  span  can  be  kept  open.  Hydraulic  fillings  of  stopes  offers 
excellent  support,  but  disposing  of  the  water  drained  from 
the  filling  may  present  quite  a  problem.  Hy  keeping  about 
a  foot  of  water  above  the  top  of  the  sand  filling,  it  has 
been  found  that  the  sand  filling  distributes  itself  with 
surprising  uniformity  over  the  entire  stope,  maintaining 
a  level  that  is  practically  horizontal. 

Where  the  use  of  wet  filling  would  be  objectionable, 
there  is  rapidly  opening  a  field  for  pneumatic  stowing  as 
is  used  abroad  in  coal  mines.  In  typical  tests  made  with 
pneumatic  stowing,  four  inches  of  material  was  blown  in 
at  an  effective  range  of  twenty  feet  by  a  stream  of  com- 
pressed air  under  65  to  8(1  povuids  of  pressure  per  square 
inch.  About  2,500  cubic  feet  of  air  was  consumed  per 
cubic    yard    of    filling. 

As  an  example  of  the  new  types  of  mechanical  equip- 


12 


Sluslier   operating    In    sub-level   eavinj;    drill,    Newport    mine, 
Ironwood,  Alieli.     (eourlesj    I  .  S.  IJnieaii  of  .Mines) 

ment  being  used  today,  we  shall  consider  the  belt  conveyor. 
It  will  handle  wet  and  sticky  ores,  but  is  not  suitable  for 
course  ores.  The  use  of  the  belt  conveyor  for  moving  hard 
ore,  except  under  unusual  conditions,  requires  excessive 
secondary  breakage  in  the  stope.  Belt  conveyors  have,  how- 
ever, one  decided  advantage  over  almost  all  other  forms 
of  transport  in  that  they  work  with  the  same  capacity  on 
all  slopes,  both  favorable  and  adverse,  that  do  no  exceed 
the  angle  of  21  dgrees  dip. 

In    modern    mine    ventilation,    which    is   so    essential    to 
allow  workmen   to  perform  their  tasks  etflcienth,   the  a\ial 

THE  TEGHNOGR.\PH 


«ki.>Ci>? 


t^y-^-^' 


■■^■-^^  ■:":--'.■  ^--y.!^-' - 


Waste   ripck  and   copper  ore  hauled   by   largest   lixoniotives   in    mininn    service,    .>loren<i,    Arizona.      (courlesj     Westingliouse) 


flow  or  modified  type  of  propeller  fan  is  finding  favor. 
Closer  control  is  being  paid  to  the  quantity  and  quality 
of  air  being  circulated  in  various  parts  of  a  mine.  L  nless 
the  shafts  were  considered  in  planning  the  system  of  ventila- 
tion for  a  mine,  the  shafts  may  later  prove  to  be  the  bottle- 
neck in  the  circulation  of  air.  Mine  resistance  may  be 
reduced  by  increasing  the  area  of  the  exhaust  shafts  where 
this  is  feasible. 

In  times  of  stress  when  production  is  pushed  to  the 
limit,  it  may  be  expected  that  the  ratio  of  accidents  to  out- 
put would  increase.  This  has  not  been  the  general  rule, 
however.  The  situation  has  been  handled  in  various  ways 
in  the  mining  industry.  In  some  cases  new  men  work  on 
the  surface  luitil  they  feel  at  home  and  have  shown  the 
management  what  they  can  do.  In  other  cases,  classes  of 
instruction  are  held.  In  one  mine  certain  stopes  are  con- 
sidered   as    training    schools    for    new    men,    and    accent    is 


placed  on  safe  production  rather  than  the  number  of  tons 
produced.  There  have  been  no  acidents  of  the  disaster 
type  for  well  over  a  year.  The  disabilities  and  fatalities 
have  involved  individuals  and  small  groups  only  at  any 
one  time.  While  this  type  of  acident  is  not  one  that  gains 
wide  publicity,  the  sum  total  of  them  is  impressive  and 
disturbing.  A  constant  safety  effort  in  the  mining  industry 
is  most  essential  to  prevent  an  increase  in  accidents.  A 
superior  effort  could  mean  that  tlie  mining  indvistry  need 
not  retain  its  very  low  relative  safety  in  relation  to  other 
industries. 

These  are  but  a  few  of  the  ways  in  which  the  mining 
industry  is  meeting  the  problems  encountered  when  a  na- 
tion at  war  calls  for  ever  increasing  amounts  of  the  nation's 
natural  resources.  The  Metal  Minnig  industry  is  truly 
doing  its  part  to  insure  that  The  War  of  Metals  will 
terminate    in    our    ultimate    \ictor\'. 


W 


Scorched   Earth''  Reseeded   by  Plane 

By  Edwin  Thomasson,  Freshman  in  Mining  Engineering 


Experiments  in  the  western  part  of  the  L  nited  States 
recently  have  proven  beyond  a  shadow  of  doubt  that  air- 
planes will  be  used  to  reclaim  vast  acres  of  land  formerly 
impossible  to  seed.  Burnt  forests,  inaccessable  mountains, 
and  wasted  grazing  lands  may  soon  be  blessed  with  green 
grass,   providing  new   grazing  lands   and   helping  to  check 

MAY,  1942 


disastrous   erosion    and    even    more   disastrous   floods. 

Planting  by  airplane  is  nothing  new,  although  its  appli- 
cation to  such  rugged  terrain  is.  Cotton  planters  in  the 
south  have  long  used  the  airplane  to  dust  their  crops, 
thereby  controlling  the  boll  weevil. 

(Please    See    Paye    15) 

13 


Original  Air- Conditioner  Cycle 


By  Jolin  L.  Slonneger 


The  system  dfsciibcd  lu-rc  is  a  cycle 
designed  by  the  writer  for  tlie  purpose 
of  producing  summer  comfort  conth- 
tions  at  a  mininuim  operating  cost. 
Comfort  air-conditioiu'ng  essentially  re- 
quires a  cooling  device.  The  conven- 
tional systems  now  in  use  use  re- 
frigerants for  this  purpos?.  In  the 
cycle  presented  here,  air  is  used  as  the 
refrigerant.  The  average  conventional 
cooling  system  requires  approximately 
one  horsepower  per  ton  of  refrigeration 
for  its  operation.  The  proposed  cycle 
requires  only  one-twentieth  horsepower 
per  ton  of  refrigeration  in  the  ideal 
case,  (assuming  iso-thermal  compression 
and  expansion)  and  even  though  we 
assume  such  a  low  operating  efflcienc\ 
as  25  per  cent,  the  proposed  cycle  woidtl 
require  only  one-fifth  as  much  power 
to  operate  it  as  do  the  cycles  now  being 
used. 

The  proposed  cycle  is  shown  dia- 
gramatically  in  the  figure.  All  of  the 
outside  air  introduced  to  the  room  to 
be  conditioned  must  first  pass  through 
a  cooling  and  dehumidifying  process. 
Outside  air  is  drawn  through  the  pre- 
cooler.  It  is  then  compressed  to  a 
pressure  of  about  two  atmospheres  and 
then  it  is  sent  to  the  intercooler.  In 
tin's  process  some  of  the  heat  of  com- 
pression is  absorbed  by  the  cooling 
water  surrounding  the  cylinder,  and 
some  of  it  is  absorbed  by  the  water 
passing  through  the  intercooler.  Tap 
water  is  used  for  cooling  the  air  in 
the  intercooler  and  compression  cylinder. 
This  same  cooling  water  is  used  after- 
wards  in    the   precooler. 

From  the  intercooler  the  air  Hows 
to  an  air-engine  cylinder  where  it  ex- 
pands to  atmospheric  pressure.  The 
system  has  a  circulating  duct  that  takes 
air  from  the  room  to  be  conditioned. 
The  air-engine  cylinder  is  located  in- 
side of  the  circulating  duct  so  that  the 
heat  absorbed  by  the  expanding  air  in- 
side the  cylinder  is  taken  from  the 
circulating  air.  When  this  air  passes 
over  the  air-engine  cyliner  the  expand- 
ing air  within  the  cylinder  absorbs  some 
of  the  heat  from  the  air  passing  o\er 
the  cylinder,  thereby  cooling  the  air. 
This  gives  a  desired  effect  by  lowering 
the  temperature  of  the  circulating  air 
passing  through  the  duct.  The  air  from 
the  air-engine  cylinder  is  discharged  in- 
to the  circLilating  duct.  Once  it  is  in 
the  duct,  it  mixes  with  the  circulating 
air.    This  mixed   air  is  then   discharged 

14 


J(jhii  L.  Slonneger ,  Senior  in 
AI.E.  and  inventor  of  this  unique 
device,  wrote  an  article  for  The 
Technograph  in  November,  I'^S'J 
conccrniny  his  theory  of  light  and 
heat  IV hie h  dmv  considerable  dis- 
cussion from  our  Physics  depart- 
ment. He  presented  ii  paper  ana- 
lyzing the  vibrations  in  oil  icell 
pump  rods  before  the  A.S.M.E. 
Conference  in  April .  1040.  ichich 
took  2nd  place,  .lohn  is  from 
II  ashing/on.  Illinois  and  has 
many  ideas  on  various  subjects.  He 
has  acicpted  a  permanent  position 
ill  the  Mechanical  Design  Dept. 
of  (General  Electric,  startin//  upon 
his  gradu/ilion   this  .lunc. 


to  the  room  that  is  to  be  cooled  for 
comfcHt  conditions.  About  ten  per  cent 
of  the  air  entering  the  room  is  outside 
air  that  is  discharged  from  the  air- 
engine  cylinder. 

As  shown,  the  crank  arrangement  is 
such  that  the  work  done  by  the  air- 
engine  can  be  used  to  drive  the  compres- 
sor. The  additional  power  needed  is 
supplied    by   a   small    electric   motor. 

To  remove  heat  from  a  room  at  the 
rate  of  12,000  BTU  per  hour  (equiva- 
lent to  one  ton  of  refrigeration),  cal- 
culations show  that  this  motor  would 
have  to  develop  about  0.05  horsepower. 
In  making  this  calculation,  the  condition 
of  the  air  and  cooling  water  entering 
and  leaving  the  system  were  assumed 
to  have  the  values  shown  on  the  dia- 
gram. These  values  were  selected  to 
conform  to  conditions  existing  in  Ur- 
bana-Champaign.  If  the  air  leaving  the 
intercooler  is  maintained  at  a  tempera- 
ture of  73  degrees  F  or  less,  the  air 
leaving  the  expansion  cylinder  will  have 
been  sufficiently  dehumidified  to  give 
comfort  conditions. 

This  system  maintains  comfort  condi- 
tions with  very  simple  controls,  because 
the  temperature  and  pressure  of  the  air 
entering  the  expansion  cylinder  are  the 
only  things  that  control  the  moisture 
content  of  the  outside  air  entering  the 
cooled  room.  The  maximum  pressure 
in  the  system  is  fifteen  poimds  per 
square  inch  (gage).  This  value  is  lower 
than  that  used  in  most  conventional 
systems.  Theoreticalh'  this  system  is 
cheaper  to  operate  than  other  systems 
now  in  use.  Only  through  experiment 
to  determine  the  actual  operating  effici- 
encies can  the  true  operating  cost  of  the 
system  be  determined. 


HKAT    KKM(>VIN<;     (  IIAU,\(  TKKISTK  S— Heat     of    outside    air    enterinu    syst" 
reiiioved    hy    eoinpressiiii;    tlic   air   and    transferrin?;    Iieat    of   <(iniiiri'ssion    to    eixilini; 
On   the   other   hand,   heat   is  ahsorlxMJ   friiin   air  passini;   tlirouiih   re<ir(iilatin4;   (hut   1)) 
isothermal    expansion    of    air    witliin    c.n  linder    of    air-eni;ine. 

l>KHrAlll)IKI('.\TI(»N    STAliKS— Outside   ail-  at    eonditiims   shown    is   drawn   inti  il 
eooler   where   it    is   (ixded   to    its   saturation    temperature,    IS    det;.    V.    Tliis   saturated 
eompressed  to   Vi  its  orii^inal  voluiiic  hy  eonu)r<'ss(ir,  heiny  diseliaryed  to  intercooler 
it    is   cooled   to   its  oi'i4:inal    T.\  dei;.    I'',   temperature.    Since   partial   pressure   of   water 
is   a   function   of   temperature    only,   and   each   component    of   a    mixture   ma>    he   cons  i 
to  occupy   the  entire    vidume   of  a    mixture    (Italton'-.    !,a\v),   therefore,   water   vapor  < 
considereil  to  occiip.\    the  entire  V(dmne  at   its  partial   prssure  of  (I. Id  psi.  al>s.  at   7H  (I 
Thus,    this    reduces    to    a    plain    steam    talile    urolilem,    i.e.,    sinci'    the    specific    xohime     '* 
saturated  vapcu'  is  rcduied   to    '-   its  ori:;inal  specitit'   vnlume,   it    is  ol>\  ious  that    the  <1  »'| 
of  this  steam   will   he  .">(!   per  cent,    ':•    of  the   vauor  <-ondensini;.    Now    air  enterini;  till 
ensine  from   the  interccxder  has  lost    i-   its  orii^inal   moisture.    I5y  diseharyini;   the  ait' 
the   airenKine   at    the    sauu'   temperatuie   and    pressure   as    it    had    upon   enterin;;    the  i 
pressoi-,    minus     '■.     its    nu)isture,    the    relative    humi(lit.\     will    he    oO    per    cent,    the    i  '' 
temperature    and    humidil.^    for   comfort    (onditions. 


'SCORCHED  EARTH'     ....     (from  page  13) 

The  principle  of  plane  planting  is  simple.  Movement 
thioiigh  the  air  and  wind  created  by  the  propellers  blows 
seed  outward  as  it  slides  from  a  hopper  in  the  plane. 
Recently,  a  seed  dispensing  device,  consisting  of  vanes  on 
the  bottom  of  the  hopper  and  a  small  fan  blade  to  throw 
the   seeds   outward,   has   proven    a    big   success. 

The  accuracy  and  evenness  of  dispensing  seeds  was 
proven  in  a  test  of  a  700  acre  tract  in  the  Squaw  Creek 
country  of  Idaho.  It  was  calculated  that  a  piece  of  paper 
12  by  18  inches  should  catch  21  seeds.  Then  greased 
cards  were  layed  diagonally  across  the  field,  and  a  check 
showed  that  the  average  number  of  seeds  falling  on  each 
card  was  2i.  The  plane  used  flew  300  feet  above  the 
field,  at  a  speeil  of  80  M.P.H.  To  insure  an  even  seeding, 
the  field  was  cross  seeded  at  right  angles. 

About  13.(100  acres  in  Coos  and  Curry  county,  (Oregon, 
which  had  been  destroyed  by  a  particularly  heavy  forest 
fire,  was  recently  saved  from  waste  by  use  of  a  plane 
planter.  In  this  project,  55  ranchers  pooled  resources  to 
buy  seeds  and  hire  a  plane.  A  Stearman  biplane,  with  a 
cruising  speed  of  120  M.P.H.  was  used  in  this  operation, 
which  turned  out  to  be  a  great  success.  The  plane  used  an 
average  of  40  gallons  of  gas  for  each  flying  hour,  and  the 
cost  was  just  $1.23  per  acre,  much  cheaper  than  sowing 
by  hand. 

Two  hoppers  were  used  in  the  plane,  each  carrying  500 
lbs.  of  seed.  Fourteen  inch  vents  with  3  inch  openings 
were  at  the  bottom  of  each  hopper.  These  vents  had 
baffle  plates  regulated  by  set  screws,  and  controlled  by 
the  pilot  from  his  cockpit. 


Tests  have  been  conducted  to  find  the  best  flying  speed 
and  thing  time.  These  tests  have  shown  that  a  plane 
fhing  at  500  feet  above  the  ground  at  a  speed  of  from 
100  to  105  M.l'.H.  gives  the  most  even  seeding.  August 
and  September  are  the  best  months  for  planting. 

Oi  course,  seed  planting  by  air  requires  the  .service  of 
a  good  pilot,  for  the  work  consists  of  flying  that  is  prac- 
tically "hedgehopping."  It  is  necessary  for  the  pilot  to  be 
familiar  with  both  the  plane  and  the  ground  below.  An 
inspector  on  the  ground  informs  the  pilot  of  changing  air 
currents  and  other  conditions  by  means  of  a  flag,  although 
a  two  way  radio  has  been  tried  with  more  success. 

Usually  the  pilot  plants  a  100  foot  swath  on  each 
flight,  sowing  50  feet  on  each  side  of  the  plane.  This  is 
the  maximum  range  of  seetl  distribution,  but  by  using  this 
distance,  no  overlapping  is  caused. 

In  California,  where  unprecedented  numbers  of  fires 
ha\e  burned  over  land,  leaving  it  bare  of  all  vegetable 
matter,  floods  are  a  regular  occurrence.  These  floods, 
which  run  down  the  bare  hills  and  canyons,  are  effectively 
reduced  by  planting  the  hills  with  any  vegetable  matter, 
thus  slowing  up  the  flow  of  the  water  and  preventing 
disastrous  erosion.  The  Forest  Service,  realizing  this,  have 
used  planes  to  replant  man}'  of  these  regions.  It  is  interest- 
ing to  note  that  instead  of  using  grass,  mustard  seeds  were 
used  to  replant  such  areas.  These  seeds  send  out  a  vigorous 
root  system,  and  are  low  in  price  and  easy  to  handle.  The 
method   used   is  the  same   as   for  other  seeds. 

It  is  hoped  that  other  uses  of  the  airplane,  as  beneficial 
as  this  one,  will  be  discovered,  and  airplanes  will  not  be 
used   primarily  as  an  instrument  of  death. 


COOLED    AIR 
DISCHARGED 
TO     ROOM 
TEMP  73-F 


AIR  FROM    ROOM 
TO   BE   COOLED 


ly|  OUTSIDE 
^       AIR 

TEMP  95-r 

RELATIVE 
^  HUMIDITY 
-N     50  7. 


MOTOR 


A   SUMMER    AIR-CONDITIONING    SYSTEM 


MAY,  1942 


15 


NAMES 


in  the  nezvs 


By  William  R.  Schmitz 
Freshman  in  dhcmical  Engineering 


BILL  STEWART 

Hill  is  niembei'  of  Pi  Tau  Sigma,  Alpha  Tau  Sigma, 
A.S.ALE.,  Cadet  Major  in  the  Infantry,  and  captain  of 
the  university  rifle  team.  During  the  past  inter-unit  rifle 
competition,  Hill  won  individual  first  place.  Bill  has 
especially  enjoyed  riHe  shooting  as  evidenced  by  the  number 
of  medals  he  has  won.  He  has  received  so  many  that  he 
must  keep  them  in  a  box.  The  rifle  team  was  pretty  good 
this  year,   it  won   the   Sixth   Corps  Area  championship. 

Right  now.  Hill's  immediate  plans  are  concerned  with 
the  army.  However,  he  expects  to  receive  a  commission  in 
the  Ordnance  Plant  at  Aberden,  Maryland.  Here  at  school 
Hill  has  been  interested  in  heat  treatment  and  design  work. 
The  M.F^  laboratory  has  proved  quite  fascinating  to  him 
also.  He  has  done  very  well  in  his  subjects  too,  as  shown 
by   his   respectable   4.4   scholastic   average. 

When  Hill  first  started  looking  for  a  college  to  enroll 
at,  he  thought  of  entering  California  Tech.  Hut  he  finally 
settled  on  Illinois  because  it  was  closer  home,  especially 
to  his  girl  friend  at  Rockford,  111.  Bill  is  going  to  leave  the 
ranks  of  a  bachelor  and  marry  his  childhood  sweetheart 
on  the  24th  of  May.  So  we  wish  him  a  lot  of  success  and 
happiness  in  his  mariage.  When  quiered  about  his  ambition, 
he  replied,  "I  want  to  be  a  damn  good  machine  designer." 

Hill  has  had  a  chance  to  visit  several  other  campuses, 
but  he  sa\s  that  he  will  take  good  old  Illinois  anytime.  Our 
military  facilities  are  far  above  most  other  schools  although 
they  may  have  a  little  more  beautiful  scenery  than  we 
have  here. 


CHICK 


BILL 


CHARLES  IRISH 

Charles  Irish,  better  known  to  all  his  friends  as  "Chick", 
is  a  Metallurgical  Engineer.  Chick  is  a  member  of  the 
national  A.I.!VI.E.,  and  is  treasurer  of  the  local  Mineral 
Industries  Society.    When  he  graduates  this  spring,  Charles 


is  all  set  to  go  into  the  Xavy  with  a  "V  special"  com- 
mission. He  doesn't  know  exactly  what  type  of  work  he 
will  be  doing,  but  he  thinks  that  it  will  be  Diesel  Engi- 
neering. 

There  are  two  types  of  Metallurgical  Engineering  and 
Chick  favors  Process  Metallurgy.  If  he  wasn't  going  into 
the  Navy,  he  believes  that  he  would  like  to  enter  the  Pro- 
duction field  and  then  use  that  as  the  basis  of  sales  engi- 
neerin.  However,  he  thinks  that  he  might  stick  in  the 
Navy  for  good  if  everything  turns  out  all  right.  His  am- 
bition is  to  do  some  kind  of  executive  work  in  engineering. 

Chick  spends  a  good  deal  of  time  working  for  the 
Collegiate  Cap  and  Co.  during  both  the  school  year  and 
the  summer  months.  He  thinks  that  his  greatest  thrill 
will  be  when  he  steps  up  to  receive  his  diploma  after  having 
worked  so  hard  to  get  it.  Hut  he  ranks  his  commission  in 
the  Navv  a  close  second. 


JOE 


LAVKRNK 


Chick  hails  from  Decatur,  111.,  and  lists  sports  of  all 
kinds  as  his  hobby.  He  says  that  he  first  got  the  urge  to 
come  to  college  while  he  was  visiting  one  of  the  northern 
colleges  and  a  group  of  sorority  girls  serenaded  him  one 
night.  Chick  likes  to  take  in  all  social  events,  but  insists 
that  he  must  have  variety  among  the  girls. 

JOE  THOMPSON 

Activity  man  among  the  mechanical  engineers  is  Joe 
Thompson.  Joe's  pet  peeve  is  engineers  who  say  they  don't 
have  time  to  work  in  activities.  Practicing  what  he 
preaches,  Joe  has  been  quite  an  active  man.  He  especially 
likes  to  meet  people  and  make  friends  with  them.  It  must 
be  this  quality  which  makes  him  such  a  good-natured  engi- 
neer. 

Joe  is  a  member  of  A.S.M.E.,  Tau  Nu  Tau,  Alpha 
Phi  (^mega,  and  Pershing  Rifles.  He  was  for  a  while  a 
member  of  the  Advanced  R.O.T.C.,  but  because  of  a 
physical  handicap  he  was  forced  to  drop  out  of  it.  Also  a 
member  of  the  Independent  Council,  Executive  council  of 
MIWA,  Y.M.C.A.,  Senior  Hall  committee.  Slide  Rule 
Shuffle  committee,  and  is  now  president  of  the  Univer- 
sity  Alodel   Airplane   Club. 

Quite  an  enthusiast  about  model  airplanes,  Joe  has  won 
several  trophys,  among  them  a  second  place  in  the  Mid- 
Western  States  Championship,  and  an  outstanding  achieve- 
ment award  in  model  aeronautical  engineering.  After  grad- 
uating, Joe  expects  to  enter  the  production  engineering 
field,  but  he  hasn't  definitely  decided  \et. 

Joe  also  likes  to  tinker  around  with  old  cars,  and  has 
built  a  sail  boat  which  he  makes  good  use  of  in  the  summer. 
Tennis  and  weight  lifting  prove  fascinating  to  him  as  well 
as  doe.s  concert  music.  Joe  plays  a  piano  accordian  and  is 
an  ardent  Jitter-bug.  He  is  not  slow  in  getting  around 
with  the  co-eds  either,  but  complains  that  they  don't  dance 
as  well  as  they  could.  He  advocates  that  engineers  should 
have  a  lot  of  social  life. 

(Please  See  Pa,/e  24) 


16 


THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


TECHNOCRACKED... 


K(I.  Note:  This  is  positively  tlie  last 
(you  Jiope)  that  Kd's  infamous  ■Koiigliei- 
than-aCot)'  style  of  columnisin  will  appear 
under   TK(  HNO(  KACKKD. 


We  see  where  the  University  has 
given  the  Old  Gym  over  to  the  Navy. 
The  Xavy  plans  to  install  800  men 
therein  for  the  purpose  of  starting  a 
signal  school. 

Just  our  luck.  After  the  draft  was 
getting  the  ratio  down  to  something 
smaller  than  an  astronomical  expression 
the  government  comes  along  and  blasts 
h-1  out  of  it. 

But  the  co-eds  won't  have  such  a 
Held  day  as  might  appear.  The  sailors 
have  to  stay  on  the  reservation  at  all 
times  except  Saturday  night  and  Sun- 
day afternoon.  This  leads  us  to  belie\e 
that  the  Committee  on  Student  Affairs 
will  soon  be  ra\iiig  about  North  Cam- 
pus as  much  as  they  do  South  Campus. 

According  to  the  latest  commiuiique 
the  boys  in  blue  will  "receive  training 
in  visual  signals."  We  get  it.  The  old 
Illini  standbys  like  the  handkerchief 
flvitter,  the  sly  wink,  and  the  lifted 
eyebrow. 

Instead  of  hanging  around  the  phone, 
the  local  gals  will  now  spend  their 
time  on  the  roof  with  a  pair  of  binocu- 
lars receiving  blinker  signals  from  the 
Old    Gvm. 


Since  this  is  the  last  issue  this  year, 
and  since  we  are  going  to  be  graduated 
— allegedly,  this  will  be  our  last  chance 
to  gi\e  prospective  freshman  engineers 
a  little  sage  (?)  advice.  Below  arc 
listed  a  few  of  the  courses  in  the  engi- 
neering curriculum  with  a  little  inside 
dope. 


Computing    'Flunk'    possibilities 

C.  E.  15 — This  is  a  survey  of  a  sur- 
vey course  in  surveying.  Best  time  to 
take  it  is  during  the  spring  when  the 
co-eds  spend  their  off  hours  on  the 
library  steps.  You  might  as  well  put 
the  transit  to  good  use  since  the  rod- 
man  is  always  in  the  wrong  place  any- 

MAY,  1942 


By  Edward  C.  Tudor 
Senior  in  Electrical  Engineering 

way,   and   besides  he's  too  far  away   to 
successfully   cuss   out. 

E.  E.  95  and  96 — After  the  first 
eight  weeks  this  course  resolves  itself 
into  a  contest  between  the  senior  E.  E.s 
and  Professor  Paine  to  see  if  any  of  the 
boys  can  find  anything  to  talk  about 
that  Prof.   Paine  isn't  hep  to. 

Eng.  39 — Theoretically  this  course  is 
on  industrial  relations.  The  final  benefit 
results  in  the  student's  being  able  to 
tell    the   difference   between   a  sit-down 


INTROUICING 
Engine-School    Eddie,   '45 

The  fidsh  Knitineer  cirieatured  on 
these  and  following  pages  is  from 
the  skillful  pen  of  .John  Keplinger 
'1.5,  of  the  Civil  Kngineerins  School. 
.lolin  lives  at  the  new  Men's  Resi- 
dence Hall  and  is  from  Lombard, 
Illinois. 


strike   and    the    Illini    football   squad    in 
action. 

G.  E.  D.  12  —  This  is  a  one-hour 
course.  (According  to  the  catalogue.) 
It  is  also  a  good  example  of  the  reason 
capital  and  labor  fight  over  the  40- 
hour  week. 

M.E.  10  and  13 — Thermodynamics — 
also  known  by  other  names,  some  defi- 
nitely euphonic.  Causes  one  to  marvel 
at  the  complex  processes  set  into  motion 
by  striking  a   match. 

Any  Physics  Course — These  courses 
usually  give  the  student  the  opportunity 
to  think  over  this  proposition  of  be- 
coming an  engineer.  Many  students 
think  it  over  twice  and  then  go  into 
bee-keeping.  No  comment  on  the  Phys- 
ics Dept.   This   rag  is  censored. 

Any  T.  and  A.  M.  Course — Known 
as  Gripe   lA.   No  comment  needed. 
*     *     * 

Resides  the  courses,  there  is  always 
the  curricidum.  Every  senior  will  argue 
with    all    the    enthusiasm    of    a    Dodger 


How    about    that,    huh? 

infield  chasing  an  umpire  that  his  de- 
partment is  the  toughest  one  in  the 
whole  imiversity.  We  feel  qualified  to 
make  a  few  remarks  on  each  one  after 
five  years  as  an  undergraduate.  ( Ed. 
Note:  The  five  year  plan  was  devised 
by  those  with  communistic  tendencies 
and  is  not  recommended  except  in  isolat- 
ed cases. ) 

Ag.  Eng. — The  lads  in  this  depart- 
ment are  .seen  occasionally  north  of 
Green  street.  Most  of  their  time  is 
spent  learning  how  to  drive  a  tractor 
straight  enough  to  plow  a  furrow.  After 
this  training  they  are  a  cinch  for  the 
Tank  Corps.  We  would  say  more,  but 
they  read  The  Agnculturist  and  the 
effort  would   be   wasted. 

Ceramic  Eng. — These  guys  are  the 
most  convincing  gripers  on  the  campus. 
The  most  effort  we  have  ever  seen  ex- 
pended is  the  baking  of  ash  trays  for 
Engineering  Open  House.  In  case  you 
have  never  seen  a  Ceramic  engineer 
running  around  loose  don't  feel  that 
you  don't  get  around ;  they  hang  out 
in  the  hinterlands  of  the  engineering 
campus,  the  region  being  more  com- 
monly known  as  the  Ceramic  Building. 
We've  ne\cr  seen  the  place  ourselves, 
but  we  understand  that  it  is  somewhere 
back  of  the  Transportation  Building. 

Chem.  Eng.  —  These  guys  are  sup- 
posed to  be  in  LAS,  but  their  ap- 
pearance belies  their  college.  The  prime 
advantage  of  being  a  Ch.  E.  lies  in  the 
fact  that  they  never  need  excursions 
to  Bidwell's  to  fortify  their  morale  since 
they  can  brew  their  own  with  the  Uni- 
versity's  equipment. 

C.  E. — These  are  the  lads  that  keep 
608,  Bunny's,  and  Twenty  Taylor  on 
a  paying  basis.  (Ed  Note:  Why  not? 
They  have  too  much  spare  time  any- 
wa\ . )  We  knew  a  C.  E.  once  who 
spent  three  semesters  trying  to  find 
something  to  do  in  the  way  of  studying 

(Sec    Page    19,   Sucker) 

17 


This  is  tlie  last  issue  of  TECHNOGRAPH  for  thia  semester.  There  will  be  no 
summer  school  edition.  Next  fall  the  magazine  will  be  in  new  hands,  hands  as  yet  un- 
selected    by    the    Illini    Publishing    Company   Board  of  Directors. 

However,  regardless  of  who  is  selected  to  head  the  Business  Managership  and  the 
Editorship,  TECHNOGRAPH  offers  an  excellent  chance  for  extra  curricular  work. 
Membership  on  the  staff  goes  a  long  way  in  impressing  many  prospective  job  inter- 
viewers near   graduation   time. 

Editorial  work  helps  the  engineer  to  develop  the  ability  to  write  reports  now  a 
very  vital  part  of  an  engineers  training,  and  to  put  down  in  black  and  white  any  or 
all  ideas  that  might  otherwise  never  find  expression.  There  is  a  certain  undescribable 
sense  of  satisfaction  in  seeing  the  words  from  ones  own  pen  in  a  printed  magazine  that 
can  be  found  in  many  large  libraries  all  over  the  United  States  and  in  engineering 
universities. 

Work  on  the  business  staff  teaches  the  value  of  bookkeeping,  economics,  and  some- 
thing  of   the    difficulties    of   business   administration. 

Any  staff  position  develops  dependability  and  initiative,  qualities  which  our  nation 
at  war  is   in   dire  need  of  at   this  crucial   moment. 

Matrix  keys  for  conscientious  work  on  the  staff  are  awarded  members  at  the  end 
of  each  year. 

Technograph  also  offers  an  excellent  outlet  for  undergraduate  idea  expression. 
Many  patentable  ideas  have  first  made  their  debut  in  college  engineering  magazines. 
(See  John  Slonnegers  original  plans  for  a  summer  comfort  air-conditioning  unit  in 
this  issue.)  Many  of  the  authors  of  new  ideas  have  received  high  salaried  positions 
upon  graduation  on  the  strength  of  their  printed  articles  in  college  in  college  engineer- 
ing magazines. 

Remember,  the  TECHNOGRAPH  is  no  picayune  pamphlet  with  purely  local 
circulation,  but  is  read  on  engineering  campuses  all  over  the  country  and  out  in  in- 
dustry. 

National  advertisers  realize  the  value  of  featuring  engineering  products  and  services 
for  the  future  engineers  from  one  of  this  country's  most  famous  engineering  schools. 
Thus  they  have  favored  TECHNOGRAPH  with  the  second  largest  amount  of  ad- 
vertising   given    college    publications    by    national   advertisers    in   this   country. 

TECHNOGRAPH  is  looking  for  new  talent  and  ideas.  Engineers,  this  is  your 
paper!  Subscribe  for  it,  read  it,  show  it  to  your  friends  and  parents,  and  try  out  for 
a  staff  position.  If  you  are  interested  make  it  known  to  Editor  Don  Stevens  (tele- 
phone 7-2820),  for  there  is  undoubtedly  some  position  which  you  can  successfully  fill 
if  you  so  will  it,  thus  aiding  the  Magazine,   the   University,  and  yourself! 

ROBERT  E.  McCLEARY,  '43 

A  ssistaiit  Editor 


18 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


"TECH" 
MANAGERS 

Bid  U.  of  I. 

FAREWELL 

-t^    ^    ik 


DON 


DICK 


Above  are  the  pictures  of  the  Editor  and  the  Business 
Manager  of  Technograph  for  the  past  year.  Donald 
Stevens  is  a  Ceramic  Engineer,  Richard  Landon  is  an  Elec- 
trical Engineer.  Don  is  not  so  tall,  is  an  independent  and 
loves  military,  holding  the  rank  of  Lieutenant  Colonel 
in  the  Coast  Artillery  Corps  of  the  R.O.T.C.  Dick  is 
over  six-foot  all,  a  member  of  Phi  Gamma  Delta,  and  is 
not  in  the  Advanced   Military  Program. 

However,  it  may  be  said  that  they  both  have  in  com- 
mon the  title  of  B.M.O.C.,  and  have  both  held  many  im- 
portant positions  and  served  on  numerous  committees 
throughout  their  school  years  here.  They  both  graduate 
this  June. 

The  list  of  their  accomplishments  is  impressive. 

Don  is  a  member  of  Tau  Beta  Pi,  Phi  Eta  Sigma, 
Alpha  Phi  Omega,  Sigma  Tau,  American  Ceramic  Society. 
Coast  Artillery  Club,  Keramos,  Pershing  Rifles,  Scabbard 
and  Blade,  Thunderbird  Battery,  Mens  Glee  Club,  Engi- 
neering Council,  and  has  the  Scholarship  Key. 

Dick  is  a  member  of  Phi  Kappa  Phi,  Tau  Beta  Pi,  Eta 
Kappa  Xu,  Sigma  Tau,  A.LE.E.  and  Engineering  Council. 


These  two  boys  were  fated  to  become  the  hosts  of  the 
famous  Engineering  College  IVIagazines  Association  Con- 
ference which  was  held  here  last  November  and  which  was 
attended  by  Engineering  Editors  from  all  over  the  country. 
This  task  they  performed  with  precision  and  finesse.  The 
Conference  proved  an  unmistakable  success  with  76  delegates 
attending,  the  largest  attendance  in  years. 

Technograph  has  fared  well  under  their  able  and  bril- 
liant administration.  More  pages  were  printed  per  issue 
this  last  year  than  imder  any  other  regime  in  the  past  five 
years.  We  believe  the  magazine  has  been  conducted  on  a 
very  creditable  plane  this  last  year  and  to  its  leaders  goes 
the  largest  share  of  credit. 

So  long,  Don  and  Dick.  .  .  We  wish  >ou  the  success 
in  life  we  know  vou  will  be  certain  to  attain. 


This  May   issue   was  eonipiled   and   edited   by   Robert 
K.   MiCleary  '43  and   Sheldon  .1.   Leavitt   '4:!H. 


TECHNOCRACKED . . . 

(from  page  17) 

and  finally  wound  up  in  a  sanitarium, 
a  victim  of  dypsomania  brought  about 
by  frustration. 

E.  E. — The  E.  E.s,  also  known  as  the 
playboys  of  North  Campus,  occasionalh' 
are  seen  mam'pvdating  a  slip  stick. 
Most  of  their  time  is  spent  arguing 
with  Commerce  studets  in  the  local 
coke  joints;  the  inevitable  result  of 
these  arguments  is  the  Engineer  coming 
out  second  best  but  with  a  feeling  of 
superiority  that  springs  from  his  un- 
touchable ego. 

Eng  Phys.  —  Occasionaly  someone 
registers  at  the  State  U.  who  is  too 
impractical  to  be  an  engineer  and  too 
practical  to  be  a  physicist.  The  result 
is  one  more  in  the  curriculum  of  Engi- 
neering Physics  to  further  disturb  the 
members    of    two    departments    at    once. 


General  Eng. — These  are  the  lads 
who  are  unable  to  make  up  their  mind, 
and  after  graduating  as  a  General 
Engineer  come  back  to  the  State  U.  to 
major  in  some  department  so  they  will 
be  able  to  hold  down  a  job. 

M.  E. — These  jokers  know  every  hot 
spot  within  a  radius  of  fifty  miles.  Their 
information  is  obtained  directly  from 
their  instructors  who  apparently  haven't 
heard  that  the  term  "Joe  College"  is 
only  applicable  to  LAS  students. 

Met.  Eng. — (^nce  in  a  great  while 
a  Met.  Eng.  wanders  away  from  the 
Met.  Lab.  and  gets  lost  along  Sororit\' 
Row.  This  is  the  only  time  they  are 
seen  in  public.  Just  exactly  what  the 
life  and  habits  of  a  Met.  Eng.  are  is 
one  of  the  campus  mysteries. 

Mining  Eng. — Contrary  to  popular 
opinion  a  Mining  Engineer  exhibits 
none   of   the   characteristics   of   a  mole. 


The  pasty  complexion  is  not  a  result 
of  hours  spent  underground  but  is  that 
not-too-uncommon  affliction  known  as 
night  club  tan. 


This  winds  up  our  stay  with  the 
Tech.,  and  at  this  point  we  take  a 
brisk  walk  around  the  block  to  our 
oxygen    tent. 


^K 


(limbing  toward  graduation. 


MAY,  1942 


19 


OLD  GYM      I 

Converted  to 


01(1  Gym,  Nortli  of  Talbot   Lab. 


\\ 


NAVAL   TRAINING   SHIP 


// 


W^ith  most  of  the  men  on  the  campus  wondering  about 
what  the  addition  of  about  800  "bluejackets"  will  do  to 
the  date  ratio,  the  engineers  are  beginning  to  wonder  how 
they  might  be  affected  by  the  navy's  technical  school  on 
campus.  The  answer  is  that  you  won't  notice  their  pres- 
ence unless  you  number  among  those  who  had  a  P.  E. 
class  changed  to  Huff  Gym,  and  even  then  you  will  only 
be  a  little  later  than  usual  for  your  class  in  Tarnsoprtation 
the  next  hour. 

Some  of  the  civil  engineering  students  will  do  their  part 
for  national  defense  by  giving  up  their  design  rooms  and 
class  rooms  on  the  fourth  Hoor  of  Engineering  Hall.  The 
navy  will  use  these  rooms  for  class  room  instruction. 

The  Old  Gym  and  the  property  immediately  around 
will  be  the  same  as  any  ship  in  the  fleet  as  far  as  the 
trainees  are  concerned.  The  ship,  however,  will  be  in  port 
every  weekend  so  if  these  sailors  live  up  to  their  reputation 
— look  out! 

The  time  during  the  week  will  be  spent  studying.  Their 
course  is  divided  into  six  major  parts,  namely:  visual  sig- 
naling, blinkers,  semaphore,  flags  and  flag  hoists,  navy 
procedure,  English  and  spelling,  and  general  instruction. 
An  additional  study  section  will  be  held  at  night  on  the 
"Bluejacket  Manual"  which  contains  information  of  all 
types  of  concern  to  navy  men. 

The  course  of  instruction  will  be  sixteen  weeks  long, 
and  at  the  end  of  that  period  the  men  will  be  sent  to  sea 
as  Signalmen,  third  class,  a  petty  officer's  rating.  Those 
who  don't  qualify  dining  this  period  will  be  assigned  to 
ships  as  signal  strikers,  and  at  the  end  of  an  apprentice 
period  in  this  capacity  they  will  receive  their  rating  as  a 
Signalman,   third   class. 

The  800  men  will  come  to  the  school  from  all  over 
the  country,  but  the  largest  numbers  will  be  from  the 
training  centers  at  San  Diego,  Great  Lakes,  Newport,  and 
Newark.  Some  will  be  veteran  seamen,  but  a  large  num- 
ber will  be  new  men  from  the  navy  reception  centers.  All 
have  had  a  high  school  education  and  many  have  college 
degrees.  Some  of  the  famous  athletes  of  the  recent  years 
will  be  included  in  the  group.  An  additional  100  men  will 
be  stationed  here  by  the  navy  to  act  as  instructors  and  to 
carry  out  the  administrative  details  of  the  "ship."  The 
"ship's  company"  will  include  several  of  the  veterans  of  the 
last  war  who  returned  to  the  service  to  fight  for  their 
country  in  a  different  capacity. 

Lt.  Charles  H.  Bowman,  the  commandant  of  the  school, 
came  up  the  hard  way  from  the  "rank  and  file."  He 
enlisted  at  the  age  of  sixteen,  and  dviring  the  later  part  of 
the  six  year  enlistment,  he  studied  law.  Following  his 
discharge  he  graduated  in  law  from  Cumberland  I'niver- 
sity.  He  attained  a  reserve  commission  in  the  navy  and  in 
the  summer  of  1940  he  was  calle  dto  active  duty. 

20 


By  William  G.  Murphy 
Junior  in   Civil  Engineering 


The  blinker  course  will  be  the  only  thing  to  resemble 
any  course  given  the  Signal  Corps  in  the  R.O.T.C.  brigade. 
It  will  include  the  operation  of  the  blinker,  the  directive 
flash,  wig-wags,  signal  lamps,  and  the  Very  pistol.  In 
their  course  of  general  information,  the  trainees  will  re- 
ceive a  brush  up  on  arithmetic  and  algebra  in  order  to 
enable   them  to  compute  deviation   and   variations. 

The  Technograph  welcomes  the  "gobs"  to  their  inland 
ship  and  wish  them  all  the  success  possible  in  the  course. 
And  as  a  brother  in  the  defense  of  our  country  I  say  "Bon 
Voyage!" 


Wanted! 

5,000  Engineering  Texts 
Used  or  New 


We  will  pay  as  high  as  fifty  per  cent  of  the 
new  price  for  any  engineering  textbook  that 
will    be   used    in   summer   or   winter   school. 


UNIVERSITY  BOOK  STORE 

202   SOUTH    MATHEWS 
610  EAST  DANIEL 


I 

I 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


The  girl  behind  "ihe  voice  \n\X\  a  smile"  is  known  to 
everyone.  You  have  learned  to  count  on  her  in  daily 
telephone  calls  as  well  as  when  emergencies  come. 


loiv  meet  her  sisier 


— also  aBell  System  girl.  She's  your  friend, 
too,  although  you've  never  heard  her 
voice.  Here  she  is  on  the  final  telephone 
assembly  line  at  one  of  Western  Electric's 


great  plants.  Like  the  fifteen  thousand 
other  women  in  the  Company,  she  does 
her  work  well.  She's  proud  of  the  part  she 
plays  in  making  telephone  equipment 
for  this  Nation  .  .  .  and  for  the  armed 
forces  of  the  United  Nations. 


Western  Electric 


is  back  of  your  Bell  Telephone  service 


FOR  VICTORY 


..keep  buying 
Defense  Bonds 


MAY,  1942 


21 


,-i**3S| 


DR.  NAVIAS 

Tight  seals  between  iron  and  glass,  eliminating  the  need 
of  nickel  and  cobalt,  critical  war  metals,  for  wires  leading 
into  certain  types  of  vacuum  tubes,  are  now  being  made 
with  a  new  development  of  General  Electric  scientists. 
Dr.  Albert  W.  Hull  and  Dr.  Louis  Navias.  of  the  G-E 
Research  Laboratory,  have  just  been  granted  a  patent  for 
their   invention. 

P"rom  early  days  of  the  electric  lamp,  a  problem  of 
construction  has  been  to  make  a  tight  seal  between  metal 
and  glass.  It  is  also  involved  in  making  radio  tubes.  Even 
with  tubes  in  which  the  glass  shell  is  replaced  by  one  of 
metal,  the  lead-in  wires  pass  through  glass  insulating 
bushings. 

The  difficulty  is  that  most  kinds  of  glass  expand  with 
heat  at  a  different  rate  from  that  of  the  metal.  Glass  and 
metal  may  be  tight  at  one  temperature,  but  when  they 
are  heated  the  glass  will  either  crack  or  pull  away  from 
the  metal,  because  the  change  in  their  dimensions  is  not 
the  same. 

Platiniun  was  used  in  the  first  electric  lamps,  since  it 
has  nearly  the  same  rate  of  expansion  as  the  glass  then 
employed.  Various  substitutes  for  platinum  were  devised, 
which  were  satisfactory  for  lamp  seals,  though  they  were 
not  adapted  to  the  large  seals  used  for  powerful  vacuum 
tubes,  for  example.  However,  Dr.  Hull  and  others  de- 
veloped special  nickel-iron-cobalt  alloys  for  this  last  ap- 
plication. 

Since  nickel  and  cobalt  are  used  in  many  ways  for  war 
equipment,  and  their  supply  is  extremely  limited,  the  new 
invention  of  Dr.  Hull  and  Dr.  Navias  is  an  important 
one,  since  for  certain  applications,  it  permits  tight  seals  to 
glass   without    their    use.     They    have    devised    a    series    of 

22 


^Alum'  Invents 

ron-Class 

Seal 


glass  compositions  which  can  be  used  with  iron  and  certain 
iron  alloys.  One  consists  of  45  per  cent  silicon  dioxide, 
14  per  cent  potassium  oxide,  six  per  cent  sodium  oxide, 
M)  per  cent  lead  oxide  and  five  per  cent  calcium  fluoride. 
The  rate  of  expansion  of  these  glasses  is  very  close  to  that 
of  iron. 

In  seals  using  these  glasses  a  further  and  separately 
patented  invention  of  Dr.  Navias  also  proves  useful.  When 
a  glass  containing  lead  is  sealed  in  contact  with  iron,  some 
of  the  lead  atoms  migrate  from  the  glass  into  the  metal. 
This  weakens  the  joint,  and  may  let  air  leak  into  the  tube. 
Dr.  Navias  proposed  placing  a  thin  layer  of  lead-free 
glass  directly  over  the  metal,  then  sealing  the  lead-con- 
taining glass  to  that.  The  thin  glass  layer  prevents  the 
lead  from  reaching  the  iron,  yet  it  is  not  thick  enough  to 
crack   and   let   air   in. 

Dr.  Navias  was  graduated  from  the  College  of  City 
of  New  York  in  1918  with  the  degree  of  B.Sc.  in  chemistry. 
In  1921  he  received  his  M.  Sc.  in  ceramic  chemistry  at 
this   University  and   two  years   later   his   Ph.  D. 


^^rwo^  THr^^ 


"'•-. 


Suniiner  sclmol,   or  the  arni.v' 


FOR  THE  GRADUATE 

Illinois  Pins,  Rings,  and  Keys 
in  variety  of  styles 

GRADUATION   GREETINGS 

and 

GIFTS    IN    PROFUSION 

Strauch's,  at  Campus 

709  So.  Wright,  Champaign 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


FLAMES    ARE    THE    CUTTING    TOOLS 


EACH  hour  is  worth  ten  in  production 
time  when  steel  plate  for  our  ma- 
chines, guns,  tanks  and  ships  are 
multiple  flame  cut  by  the  Airco  Oxy- 
acetylene  Flame.  Slicing  its  way  through 
steel  and  iron,  this  white  hot  flame  has 
revolutionized  metal  fabrication  by 
providing  a  swift,  accurate,  economi- 
cal method  of  shaping  sheets,  forgings, 
castings,  structures  and  pipe.  Size  and 
shape  which  can  be  cut  is  practically 
limitless.  A  single  piece  or  hundreds 
of  identical  pieces  can  be  shaped  to 
amazingly  close  tolerances.  Changes 
in  design  require  only  new  blueprints 
or  templets  to  guide  the  torch. 

Other  defense  jobs  being  done  by 


this  versatile  metal  working  tool  include 
hardening  steel  to  any  degree  and 
depth;  welding  two  or  more  metal  parts 
into  a  strong,  homogeneous  unit;  ma- 
chining metals  with  unrivaled  speed, 
and  cleaning  and  dehydrating  metal 
surfaces  for  long  lasting  paint  jobs.  To 
insure  greatest  speed,  efficiency  and 
economy  in  applying  the  Airco  Oxy- 
acetylene  Flame  to  defense  production, 
Air  Reduction  offers  industry  the  coop- 
eration of  a  complete  engineering  staff. 
To  better  acquaint  you  with  the 
many  things  that  this  modern  produc- 
tion tool  does  better  we  have  published 
"Airco  in  the  News",  a  pictorial  re- 
view in  book  form.  Write  for  a  copy. 


ANVTHIIVG    AXD    KVERYTHIIVC    FOR    GAS    WELRIWG     OR     C 


REDUCnON 

^Jeneraf  Ly/frei: 
60  EAST  42nd  STREET,  NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 

in  Texas: 

Magnolia-Airco  Gas  Products  Co. 

DISTRICT    OFFICES    IN    PRINCIPAL    CITIES 

II  T  T  I IV  G    A  !V  1»    A  R  <      W  E  L  U  I  :!V  t. 


MAY,  1942 


23 


CO2  Extinguishes 

FIRES  in 

Plane  Motors 


By   Edwin   Thomasson 
Freshman  in  Mining  Engineering 


CONTROL    PfiNEL-  PREFERABLE 
MOUNTED    ON    INSTRUMENT    B04RD 


SUPPLY    LINE    INDICATED 
BY    FULL     LINE 


SHORT     PULL     VALVE     8    CYLINDER 
ASSEMBLY 


OUTBOARD     SAFETY 
DISCHARGE    FITTING 


One  of  the  greatest  dangers  to  aviation  has  been,  and 
still  is,  fire.  The  engines,  being  extremely  light  and  ex- 
tremely powerful,  often  operate  at  very  high  temperatures, 
and  as  a  result,  fire  sometimes  results,  causing  crashes,  loss 
of  plane,   and   loss  of   life. 

However,  it  is  now  possible  to  equip  airplane  engines 
with  a  sure  and  almost  foolproof  fire  extinguishing  system. 
This  device  forces  a  flood  of  Carbon  Dioxide  gas  throughout 
the  entire  engine,  which  quickly  extinguishes  any  flames 
that  may  be  present.  It  is  controlled  by  the  pilot  from  the 
cockpit  or  cabin  of  the  plane,  from  where  it  may  be  turned 
on  at  will. 

The  system,  in  itself,  is  quite  simple.  It  consists  of  a 
cylinder  which  contains  from  5  to  15  pounds  of  liquid 
carbon  dioxide,  a  quick  release  valve,  a  perforated  ring 
which  fits  around  the  motor,  a  nozle  which  fits  into  the 
carburetor  scoop,  and  a  control  panel.  When  the  control 
lever  is  pulled,  it  opens  the  valve,  allowing  the  CO^,,  which 
is  held  under  pressure,  to  expand  greatly,  and  thus  flow 
into  the  perforated  ring  and  nozzle,  and  from  there  into 
the  engine.  Because  it  is  under  such  pressure,  the  gas  flows 
from  the  ring  with  a  great  deal  of  force,  thus  flooding 
the  engine  with  CO„.  Since  the  CO^  rushes  in  with  such 
force  and  in  such  great  quantities,  it  immediately  displaces 
all  the  oxygen  from  the  area  surrounding  the  engine,  and 
the  flame,  having  no  oxygen,  quickly  goes  out. 

The  extinguisher  is  easily  installed  in  any  type  of  plane. 
The  cylinder  containing  the  CC)„  can  be  mounted  any 
place  in  the  fuselage.  However,  it  should  be  placed  so  that 
the  control  cable  and  the  gas  supply  line,  leading  from  the 
cylinder  to  the  ring,  are  as  short  and  straight  as  possible. 
The  second  step  in  installatoin  is  mounting  the  ring.  It  is 
fastened  securely  to  the  engine  mounting  ring,  taking  care 
that  no  holes  in  the  ring  are  covered  by  the  mount  fasten- 
ings. The  nozzle  is  then  connected  to  the  carburetor  scoop. 
The  nozzle  is  merely  an  added  safety  factor,  since  most 
trouble  begins  in  the  carburetor,  and  the  flames  will  remain 
there   longer   than   any   other   place. 

Only  one  factor  need  be  considered  in  installing  the 
system.  There  are  two  distinct  types  of  cylinders,  one 
made  to  be  mounted  horizontally  and  the  other  to  be 
mounted  vertically.  The  mounting  place  must  be  selected 
and  the  correct  type  of  cylinder  installed  to  give  satis- 
factory results.  Then  too,  the  type  and  size  of  the  engine 
should  be  a  governing  factor.  The  cylinders  are  made  to 
hold  varying  amounts  of  CO^,  and  should  be  chosen  by 
the  size  of  the  engine. 

24 


Schematic    diagram    of    extinguisher    layout. 

It  is  entirely  possible  to  have  one  system  on  a  multi- 
engine  plane.  The  only  additional  equipment  needed  is  a 
distributing  valve,  allowing  the  gas  to  flow  to  only  one 
engine.  In  operating  this  type  of  system,  it  is  necessary 
for  the  pilot  to  first  turn  the  operating  handle  to  the  correct 
engine  before  pulling  the  release  cord.  Thus,  the  operating 
handle  is  set  in  a  neutral  position,  and  the  system  will  not 
work  until  the  handle  is  pointed  at  the  "right  engine,"  or 
"left  engine." 

With  airplanes  so  necessary  and  so  vital  to  America 
these  days,  it  is  hoped  that  this  simple  but  ingenious  fire 
extinguishing  system  will  do  its  part  in  preventing  crack 
ups  and  in  saving  planes. 


N.A.MES  IN  THE  NEWS     .     .     .  (from  page  16) 

LA  VERNE  BIRKS 

La  Verne  Birks,  better  known  to  his  friends  as  "Shorty," 
is  an  engineer  physicist.  At  the  present  tune  he  is  busy 
helping  the  E.E.'s  out.  He  is  in  charge  of  the  program  for 
the  coming  E.E.  show.  He  believes  that  if  you  go  in  for 
anything,  you  should  go  in  for  all  there  is  in  it.  One 
thing  that  La  Verne  especially  hates  is  to  have  to  wait 
around  for  someone  when  something  else  should  be  done. 

La  Verne  has  done  well  while  in  school  here.  Among 
the  courses  that  he  has  especially  liked  are  astronomy, 
X-rays,  and  building  space  models  of  molecules.  Having 
a  good  4.75  scholastic  average,  La  Verne  is  a  member  of 
Sigma  Phi  Delta,  Tau  Beta  Pi,  Sigma  Tau,  Pi  Mu  Epsi- 
lon.  Phi  Eta  Sigma,  and  Physics  Club. 

Claiming  Rockford,  111.,  as  his  home  town,  LaVerne 
came  to  Illinois  because  thought  it  was  a  lot  easier  to 
go  to  school  than  to  work.  He  got  his  first  taste  of  engi- 
neering while  working  in  a  metallurgical  laboratory,  and 
from  then  on  he  was  certain  that  he  wanted  to  be  an  engi- 
neer. When  he  graduates  this  spring.  La  Verne  is  all  set 
to  join  the  Rohm  Haas  Co.  He  expects  to  work  in  the 
research  laboratory  where  he  will  help  make  clear  windows 
out  of  acryclic  resinsis  for  our  bomber  planes. 

La  Verne  particularly  likes  to  play  golf,  tennis,  and  to 
swim  and  to  bowl.  He  also  likes  to  dance,  but  since  he 
is  pinned  to  a  girl  back  home,  he  has  not  been  too  active 
in  social  circles.  He  says  that  he  really  likes  to  entertain 
his  girl  down  here  at  the  University,  and  he  hopes  someday 
to  have  a  nice  home  in  siuiny  California. 

THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


COLOR  FOR  RUBIES  .  .  . 
BACKBONE  FOR  STEEL! 

^^^*  Chromium,  the  clement  that  imparts  pre- 
cious color  to  rubies,  imparts  something 
more  precious  to  steel.  It  gives  steel  in- 
credible hartlness  and  resistance  to  heat 
and  corrosion.  It  makes  steel  strong,  yet  ductile 
and  shock-resistant. 

Chromium  is  the  key  that  has  opened  —  and  is 
still  opening  —  great  new  fields  of  application  for 
steel.  Without  chromium,  the  whole  wonderful 
series  of  stainless  sicels  would  not  have  been  pos- 
sible. From  tarnish-free  tableware  to  corrosion- 
resistant  chemical  equipment .  .  .  from  strong,  light- 
weight truck  bodies  to  streamlined  trains  and 
airplanes  .  .  .  from  heat-defiant  boiler  tubes  to  high- 
temperature  steam  turbines  . . .  chromium  has  made 
possible  a  steel  with  properties  of  the  noble  metals. 

But  the  stainless  steels  are  only  one  preat  contribution  of 
chromium.  This  element  has  also  helped  to  provide  hard, 
shock-resistant  armor  plate  and  armor-piercing  projectiles; 
long-wearing  engine  valves;  strong,  tough  gears,  tools,  ball 
bearings,  car  trucks,  shafts,  springs,  and  dies;  and  hundreds 
of  otlier  improved  articles. 

Ve  do  not  make  steel  of  any  kind.  But  for  over  35  years, 
we  have  made  ferro-alloys  and  alloying  metals  used  in  steel- 
making.  Among  these  are  chromium,  silicon,  manganese,  va- 
nadium, tungsten,  zirconium,  columbium,  and  calcium. 

It  was  our  research  and  development  that  made  the  low- 
carbon  grades  of  ferro-chroniium  available  commercially. 
Without  these,  production  of  a  majority  of  the  stainless  steels 
would  have  been  impracticable.  Inquiries  about  stainless  and 
other  alloy  steels  —  their  manufacture,  fabrication,  and  use 
—  are  cordially  invited. 

The  progress  made  by  Electro  Metallurgical  Company  in  the 
manitjactiire  and  use  of  ferro-alloys  and  in  the  development  of 
alloy  steels  has  been  greatly  facilitated  by  metallurgical  re- 
search in  the  laboratories  of  Electro  Metallurgical  Company 
and  Union  Carbide  Company;  by  the  advances  in  electric  fur- 
nace electrodes  and  techniques  of  National  Carbon  Company, 
Inc.;  and  by  the  broad  experience  in  the  production,  fabrica- 
tion, and  treatment  of  metals  of  Ilaynes  Stellite  Company  and 
The  Linde  Air  I'roducts  Company.  All  of  these  companies  are 
Units  of  Union  Carbide  and  Carbon  Corporation. 

ELECTRO    METALLURGICAL    COMPANY 

Unit  of  Union  Carbide  and  Carbon  Corporation 
30  EAST  42iyD  STREET  L-Ll^ 


I 


Ore  boats  liko  tliis  one  at   Newpmt   News  keep  (ireat  Lakes  Steel  mills  supplied,     (eouitesy  Westinghouse) 

War  Boosts  Steel  Production 


All  daily  and  monthly  world's  records  for  blast  furnace 
production  were  broken  April  1,  1942,  by  Great  Lakes  Steel 
Corporation's  Zug  Island  furnace,  with  a  straight  ore  bmden 
production  for  the  month  of  43,478  tons  and  the  final  day 
production  of  1608  tons,  (icorge  R.  Fink,  president,  an- 
nounced today.  The  previous  widely  acclaimed  world  record 
of  41,782  tons  for  one  month  was  set  a  few  weeks  ago  in 
Pittsburgh. 

The  new  figures  are  approximately  40  per  cent  ahead 
of  the  average  for  a  large  furnace  before  Pearl  Harbor. 
This  record  was  established  with  a  consumption  of  less 
than  1,700  pounds  of  coke  per  ton  of  iron  produced  —  a 
decrease  of  five  per  cent  in  the  consumption  of  coke,  a  vital 
war  material.  Furnace  crews  throughout  the  country  in 
the  race  against  time  have  been  exerting  every  effoit  to 
win  this  distinction  and,  with  the  cooperation  of  tlie  War 
Department,  the  competitive  spirit  has  resulted  in  hundreds 
of  thousands  of  extra  tonnage. 

This  is  the  second  record  set  by  the  Cireat  Lakes  Steel 
furnace,  the  largest  in  operation  anywhere.  It  was  built 
and  blown  in  December  9,  1041.  Ordinarily,  it  would 
take  eighteen  months  to  build.  This  one  was  completed  in 
six  months. 


"Every   tap   for   a   Jap"   was   the   slogan   of   the   men   as 


thc\-  ncared  the  record  and  ran  their  last  day's  score  to 
an  unheard  of  tonnage.  Almost  all  have  sons,  brothers, 
and  ieiati\es  in  the  army,  navy,  and  air  force,  and  they 
set  out  to  back  them  up  with  a  record  production  of  \itally 
needed  steel.  To  "tap  "  a  furnace  is  to  release  the  molten 
pig  iron,  which  is  com  eyed  down  the  cast  house  and 
branches  off  to  drop  into  110-ton  hot  metal  ladle  cars 
in  which  it  is  transferred  to  the  mill  to  be  converted  into 
steel.  Great  Lakes  Steel,  a  unit  of  National  Steel  Corpora- 
tion, is  almost  100  per  cent  on  war  orders,  its  steel,  much 
of  it  low  alloy  wliich  cannot  be  produced  elsewhere,  going 
into  materials   for   the  War  and    Nav\'   Departments. 


Driving    tiiuard    a    .Ipnint     (?) 


26 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


The  little  glass  fireman  that  draws  no  pay 


TAKE  a  good  look  at  this  picture. 
For  without  a  ladder  you  sel- 
dom get  a  close-up  of  a  sprinkler 
head. 

This  one  is  said  to  be  the  last  word — 
so  reliable  that  industries  which 
equip  their  buildings  with  this  little 
"fireman"  obtain  low  insurance 
rates.  L  sers  sav  it  pavs  for  itself. 

When  the  heat  of  a  fire  reaches  a  cer- 
tain teniperalure.  the  little  "<,^nart- 
zoid"  bulb  \<(u  see  in  the  sprinkler 
head  is  shattered  by  expanding 
Uquid  inside  it.  A  valve  is  thus 
released,  and  water  is  directed  onto 
the  fire. 

For  the  engineer,  there's  more  to 
that  little  bulb  than  meets  the  eye. 
For  one  thing,  it  replaces  alloys 
formerly  used.  For  another,  it  shows 


how  glass  can  now  be  made  into 
accurate  meilianlcal  |)arts.  The 
bidb  must  sballcr  al  a  sjiecific  tem- 
perature. And  it  must  shatter  com- 
pletely, with  no  splinters  to  hinder 
valve  action.  Too,  it  must  fit  its 
hardware  exactly.  So  it's  up  to 
Corning  to  supply  glass  free  from 
weakening  flaws  and  to  hold  wall 
thickness  and  O.D.  to  the  small 
tolerances  that  can  make  or  break 
the  efficiency  of  a  sprinkler  head. 

Fussy?  Sure.  I?ul  I  ussy  and  tough 
jobs  are  stock  in  trade  at  Coming. 
Did  von  know  for  instance  that 
Corning  makes  a  light  gloljc  that 
also  protects  industry  because, 
unlike  the  "Quartzoid"  bulb.  «.J 
it  will  not  shatter?  That  Corn- 
ing has  developed   industrial 


glasses  to  withstand  heat  that  turns 
metals  to  liquid?  Or  that  glass  springs 
from  Corning  will  outlast  metals  in 
fatigue   tests? 

These  few  examples  give  you  an 
inkling  of  the  growing  usefulness 
of  glass  in  these  days  of  material 
shortages.  No  wonder  engineers  with 
urgent  problems  say  "Ask  Corning."' 
Corning  Class  Works,  Corning,  N.  Y. 


c 


ORNING 


means 


Research  in  Glass 


M.\Y,  1942 


27 


Quartz  Spring 


Quartz    .spring    and    pt'iicil. 

Because  it  excels  the  best  spring  steel  in  several  re- 
spects, glass-like  clear  fused  quartz  is  being  used  as  springs 
to  indicate  minute  differences  in  weight  in  the  General 
Electric    research    laboratory   at   Schenectady,    N.Y. 

Springs  made  of  hair-like  filaments  of  quartz  can  be 
stretched  to  ten  times  or  more  their  original  length  and 
will  return  exactly;  steel  springs  would  undergo  a  perma- 
nient  stretching.  Quartz  has  an  extremely  high  melting 
point,  and  quartz  coils  can  be  used  at  high  temperatmes ; 
steel  springs  lose  their  temper  at  a  relatively  low  tempera- 
ture. Quartz  spirals  are  not  affected  by  any  degree  of 
humidity;  steel  is  subject  to  corrosion.  Quartz  is  practical- 
ly invulnerable  to  the  multitude  of  chemicals  encovuitered 


Ohm's  Law  Calculator 


in  a  laboratory;  many  affect  steel.  And  finally,  quartz 
coils  weigh  far  less  than  and  have  resulting  advantages 
over  corresponding  steel  springs. 

In  the  laboratory  investigations  the  quartz  springs  are 
usually  suspended  within  a  glass  tube  maintained  at  the 
desired  temperature  by  immersion  in  an  oil  bath.  A  small 
glass  "Boat"  suspended  from  the  coil  holds  the  sample 
under  investigation.  As  the  sample  varies  in  weight,  so 
does  the  length  of  the  quartz  spring;  since  the  length  of 
the  spring  is  proportional  to  the  weight,  readings  of  length 
give  accurate  weight  values.  Measurements  are  made  with- 
in an  accuracy  of  a  milligram,  or   1   28,350  ounce. 

The  quartz  springs  are  used  in  measuring  weight  changes 
of  various  materials  under  different  conditions  of  heat 
and  humidity.  In  measuring  the  moisture  absorption  of 
cotton,  the  sample  is  suspended  from  the  spring  in  a  vacuum 
and  the  stretch  of  the  coil  noted.  As  water  vapor  is  intro- 
(Please  See  Page  30) 


CARL  W.  MOUCH 

Quality  Jeweler 

110  North   Neil  Street 
Champaign,  Illinois 


Sell  Your  Engineering  Texts 

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28 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


^^^^^^ms^immfmmm 


SEND  FOR  THIS  jJ?Vi  BOOK 


-::».-- 


Complete  Data  on 
Steel  Castings  . . . 
for  better,  quicker, 
more  economical 
production 


:  y-i  ;..;:.>  ;>ri.v?.»-i?  f;' 


««V.O«H»*** 


,,OCrtTtO» 


THE  NEW  STEEL  CASTINGS  HANDBOOK 
summarizes  the  experience  of  hun- 
dreds of  designers,  engineers,  metallurgists 
and  steel  foundrymen.  It  is  the  most  com- 
plete handbook  on  Steel  Castings  ever 
compiled  .  .  .  conveniently  arranged  for 
quick  reference  .  .  .  well  illustrated,  attrac- 
tively printed  and  durably  bound. 

The  book  contains  over  500  pages  of 
facts,  ideas,  tables,  charts  and  illustrations 
...  all  designed  to  help  manufacture  better 
and  more  modern  products,  often  at  a  sub- 
stantial cost  saving.  It  should  be  on  the 
desk  or  in  the  library  of  every  engineer. 
The    Steel   Castings  Handbook   is   pub- 


lished by  the  Steel  Founders'  Society  (the 
association  of  steel  foundrymen),  and  is 
offered  to  engineering  students  and  gradu- 
ates at  the  below-cost  price  of  $1.50  a  copy, 
postage  paid.  The  edition  is  limited  .  .  . 
use  the  coupon  to  order  your  copy  today. 


Sleel    Founders'    Society 

920  Midland    BIdg.,  Cleveland,  O. 

Hnclosed  is  remittance  of  Sl-50,  for 
which  send  me  The  Steel  Castings 
Handbook,    postpaid. 

Name _^^ 


Mailing  Address. 


University. 
Degree 


FOR    MODERNIZED    AND    IMPROVED    PRODUCTS  — 


M.\Y,  1942 


29 


"Greenfield"  Taps,  Dies  and  Gages  are  help- 
ing to  build  practically  every  plane  and  engine 
used  by  our  Army  and  Navy. 

70  years  of  practical  experience  enable  these 
tools  to  meet  Uncle  Sam's  most  rigid  require- 
ments. That  experience  is  one  reason  why 
skilled  workers  and  production  men  always 
have  confidence  in  "Greenfield"  tools. 

GREENFIELD  TAP  AND   DIE  CORPORATION 

GREENFIELD,  MASS.,  U.  S.  A. 


^^GREENFIELD 


lAPS       DIES        CAGES        IWISI  DRILLS       REAMERS        SCSEW  PLATES        PIPE  lOOLS 


QUARTZ    SPRING (from    page   28) 

diiced  at  different  pressure.s,  the  amount  of  absorption 
can  be  deterniined  by  the  increase  in  the  length  of  the 
spring.  Another  application  has  been  in  measuring  the 
rates  of  decomposition,  in  high  vacuums,  of  such  materials 
as  organic   resins. 

The  quartz  coils  used  in  making  ihc  measurements  are 
produced  in  the  (j-E  research  laboratory  out  of  rods  of  the 
fused  material  as  produced  in  Cieneral  Llectrics'  Thomson 
Research  Laboratory  at  Lynn,  Mass.  Some  of  the  coils 
measure  %  inch  in  diameter  and  li/j  inches  in  length  and 
have  5U  turns  to  the  inch;  other  are  of  "'s-  or  •54-inch 
diameter   and    ha\e   as   man\-   as   81)   turns   to   the   inch. 


■t^         ^         ^ 


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30 


THE  TECH  NOG  R.\PH 


America's  unlimited  source  of 


agnesium 


Even  today  with  astronomical  figures 
a  commonplace,  nine  billion  is  a  number 
sufficiently  vast  to  jolt  the  attention  of 
anyone  except,  perhaps,  an  astrophysicist. 

Imagine  trying  to  count  up  to  nine 
billion!  Yet  that  is  the  total  you  would 
have  to  reach  if  you  counted  every  pound 
of  magnesium  that  could  be  produced 
from  a  cubic  mile  of  sea  water. 

When  you  recall  that  magnesium,  lightest 
of  all  structural  metals,  is  vital  to  the  con- 
struction of  airplanes  and  other  war-time 
equipment,  you  begin  to  realize  the  im- 
portance  of  those   nine   billion   pounds. 

And  when  you  read  also  that  the  produc- 
tion of  airplanes  to  be  reached  by  the  end 
of  1943  is  set  at  185,000,  it  is  reassuring 


that  the  ocean  can  be  looked  to  for  this 
precious  weight-saving  metal. 

Magnesium  is  now  being  extracted  from 
sea  water.  The  metal  has  been  rolling  out 
since  January,  19-*1 — a  chemical  and 
engineering  feat  accomplished  for  the 
first  time  in  history. 

Fortunately,  for  our  national  defense 
program,  Dow  had  been  producing  mag- 
nesium from  brine  since  1915.  This  had 
given  American  industry  2  5  years  of 
experience  in  the  characteristics  and 
fabricating  technique  of  magnesium. 

It  was  this  quarter  century  of  magnesium 
production  by  its  own  American-devel- 
oped processes  that  enabled  Dow  to 
solve  the  chemical  engineering  problem 


of  tapping  the  inexhaustible  waters  of  the 
sea  as  a  basic  magnesium  source. 

Within  nine  months  after  construction 
started  on  the  coastal  plant,  the  ocean 
was  giving  up  its  treasure.  The  waters  of 
the  sea  were  pouring  in  and  the  metal 
was  rolling  out  in  ever-mounting  volume. 


CHEMICALS  INDISPENSABLE 
TO  INDUSTRY  AND  VICTORY 


THE    DOW    CHEMICAL    COMPANY,    MIDLAND,    MICHIGAN 

New  York  City,  St.  Louis,  Chicago,  San  Francisco,  Los  Angeles,  Seattle,  Houston 


MAY,  1942 


31 


6"BCamfiKs  /\/ews 


AU-TUB£-IOGRAPHy 

/^ENERAL  ELECTRICS  Radio  and  Tele- 
^^  vision  Department,  in  its  new  Radio 
News  Program  with  Frazier  Hunt,  is  telling 
the  story  of  electronics  to  a  nation  at  war — 
a  war  in  which  electronics  itself  is  one  of  our 
most  powerful  tools. 

For  electronics — the  youthful  science  that 
embraces  all  the  varied  applications  of  electron 
tubes — is  going  into  war  not  only  on  the  front, 
but  behind  the  front,  where  it  is  today  revolu- 
tionizing many  industrial  practices. 

Unique  about  this  thrice-weekly  broadcast 
(Tuesday,  Thursday,  and  Saturday)  is  the  fact 
that  G.E.  is  using  an  electronic  device,  radio, 
to  carry  the  story  of  electronics  to  America. 

In  addition  to  51  stations  of  the  Columbia 
Broadcasting  System,  G.E.  is  using  the  first 
network  of  FM  stations  ever  to  carry  a 
regular  series  of  broadcasts. 


"PLEASED  TO  MEET  YOU" 

TT  USED  to  take  General  Electric  18  months 
-*■  to  build  one  of  the  great  27<-ton  machines 
that  cut  low-speed  gears  for  cargo-ship  propul- 
sion sets.  Today  that  time  has  been  halved  by 
farming    out     the    construction    of    parts     to 


dozens   of  subcontractors. 

iVIajor  parts  of  the  machines  come  together 
for  assembly  from  12  separate  subcontractors  in 
five  states;  miscellaneous  smaller  parts  come 
from  38  firms  in  seven  states.  Jobs  of  casting, 
annealing,  and  machining  involve,  besides 
foundries  and  steel  companies,  a  Navy  yard, 
shipbuilding  yards,  a  locomotive  company,  and 
a  maker  of  steel  safes.  Co-ordinating  and  check- 
ing all  these  widespread  activities  is  a  major 
achievement  in  itself,  since  the  finished  ma- 
chine has  to  be  precise  enough  to  cut  gears  with 
an  accuracy  of  3/10,000  inch. 


B 


"FlU  HER  OP!" 

ECAUSE  the  ocean  isn't  equipped  with 
filling  stations  every  few  miles,  naval 
vessels  must  carry  enough  fuel  for  long  voyages. 
And  because  finding  storage  room  aboard  for 
this  fuel  is  a  serious  design  problem,  anything 
which  cuts  down  fuel  consumption  is  a  great 
advantage. 

Most  naval  ships  today  are  driven  by  steam 
turbines  connected  to  the  propeller  shafts, 
through  reduction  gears.  And  turbine  engineers, 
working  with  the  Navy,  have  pioneered  in  the 
use  of  higher  steam  pressures  and  temperatures 
— producing  turbines  of  such  improved  effi- 
ciency that  in  modern  ships  the  fuel  consump- 
tion per  horsepower  is  from  25  to  40  per  cent 
lower  than  in  vessels  of  the  same  type  used 
during  the  first  World  War.  Thus  it  has  been 
possible  to  design  ships  with  greater  cruising 
radius  for  the  same  amount  of  fuel  oil,  or  with 
more  armor  and  guns  for  the  same  over-all 
weight  of  the  ship. 


GENERAL  O  ELECTRIC 


32 


THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


i 


I 


.^uv  161942 

u'^i^ciiwnY  c-  ill::::;: 

OCTOBER 

1942 


• 

Stabilized  Soil 

Battle  of  Brains 

A.  S.  C.  E.  Smoker 

Tau  Beta  Pi  Theme 

Names  in  the  News 

Our  Societies 

Technocracked 

A.  S.  C.  £.  Conference 


)lished    1885 


Member  E.C.M.A. 


tim-    ! 


Gilbert  D.McCann,  Ph.D.,  M.S. 
.  Master  of  Thunderbolts,  too ! 


E 


MODERN  FARADAY  CAGE.  Three  million  volts  of  man- 
made  lightning  hit  a  car  in  Westinghouse  High  ^'oltage 
Laboratories,  while  Dr.  (iilbert  D.  Mct'ann  sits  safely  at 
the  wheel.  Dr.  McCann  .  .  .  co-inventor  of  the  "fulchrono- 
graph"  for  timing  and  measnring  the  intensity  of  thunder- 
bolts .  . .  joined  Westinghonse  in  19,'i!),  after  receiving  degrees 
of  M.S.  and  Ph.D.  at  the  <  alifornia  Institute  of  Technology. 


VERY  TIME  you   take   a   hreath,    175   thunderbolts 

CTa.sh  to  earth  somewhere. 

These  lightning  strokes,  streaking  down  at  600 
million  miles  an  hour,  are  charged  with  torrents  of 
electrical  power  ...  as  much  as  200,000  amperes,  at 
pressures  as  high  as  25,000,000  volts. 

No  wonder  protection  against  lightning  has  been  a 
major  problem  to  utility  companies  . . .  such  a  problem 
that,  up  to  a  few  years  ago,  lightning  frequently  shut 
down  power  service  to  industry. 

Today,  a  properly  designed  power  line  is  not  likely 
to  be  put  out  of  service  by  lightning  more  than  once 
in  5  or  10  years! 

Dr.  Gilbert  D.  McCann  and  Charles  F.  Wagner, 
Westinghonse  engineers,  have  done  much  to  make 
this  possible  through  their  studies  of  natural  thunder- 
bolts and  laboratory  lightning. 

One  of  their  contributions  is  the  "fulchronograph" 
which  automatically  times  natural  lightning  strokes 
and  measures  their  intensity.  Oscillographs  and  movie 
cameras  also  are  used  to  photograph  the  celestial 
fireworks. 

These  mechanical  "eyes"  .  .  .  perched  high  on  the 
top  of  scores  of  tall  buildings,  smoke  stacks,  and 
transmission-line  towers  .  .  .  are  constantly  collecting 
facts  about  lightning  phenomena  that  were  never 
known  before.  Facts  about  "cold"  lightning,  of  ter- 
rific blasting  power.  Facts  about  "hot"  lightning,  the 
incendiary  bomb  of  the  sky. 

Still  further  knowledge  is  gained  from  the  study  of 
artificial  lightning . . .  made  in  the  Westinghonse  High 
Voltage  Laboratories.  This  man-made  lightning  is  used 
to  bombard  insulators,  lightning  arresters,  and  other 
protective  devices  to  test  their  efficiency. 

These  studies  are  constantly  adding  to  the  store  of 
"know  how"  in  the  field  of  power  transmission.  As  a 
result,  Westinghonse  engineers  have  been  able  to 
design  and  build  lightning  arresters  and  ground-wire 
systems  that  tame  the  wildest  thunderbolt. 

The  work  done  by  Dr.  McCann  is  contributing 
mightily  to  America's  war  effort  by  helping  to  keep 
electric  power  flowing  night  and  day  to  our  vast  war 
industries  ...  as  well  as  by  protecting  ordnance  plants 
from  destruction  by  lightning. 

America  needs  .scientists  an<l  engineers  as  never 
before  ...  to  help  solve  the  technical  problems  of 
modern  warfare  and  to  rebuild  the  world  when  the 
last  shot  is  fired. 

Nearly  300  young  engineering  graduates  joined 
Westinghonse  last  Spring  to  carry  on  this  work.  In  the 
Class  of  '43  there  will  be  many  graduates  who  will 
hav'e  an  equal  chance  to  help  win  the  war  .  .  .  and 
the  peace  to  come  .  .  .  with  Westinghonse. 


Westinghouse  ^ 


WESTINGHOUSE    ELECTRIC   t   MANUFACTURING    COMPANY,  PITTSBURGH,  PENNSYLVANIA       •       PLANTS  IN  25  CITIES  — OFFICES   EVERYWHERE 

2  THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


1 


OCTOBER  *  1942 


This  Issue  .  .  . 

Stabilized  Soil 7 

By    I'nifessor    Craniifll 

E.  E.'s  Brain  Trust  Smashed  by  M.  E.'s 8 

Hy   Dean   Maildcri 

A.  S.  C.  E.  Smoker 10 

By  William  (i.  Murphy 

To  The  Freshmen H 

The  Value  of  Cultural  Subjects  to  the  Engineer 14 

By  Paul  Salerno 

Names  in  the  News 16 

By   William   11.   Schmitz 

Our  Societies 18 

By   Byron  Welsh 

A.  S.  C.  E.  Midwestern  Conference 21 

Technocracked   22 

By  Paul  Salerno 


THE  TECHNOCRAPH 


Staff  .  .  . 

L.  Byron  Welsh Editor 

William   G.    Murphy Associate   Editor 

Paul  Salerno Assistant  Editor 

Byron  Robinson Assistant  Editor 

Don  Hallberg.  Kenneth  Brunn.  Harold  Sorter. 
Jim  Murray,  Eugene  Bixby.  William  Rychel. 
Jack  Steele Editorial  Assistants 

Dean  E.  Madden Business  Mnnaycr 

William   Beich Circulation    Manager 

Bob   Rouse Subscription    Manager 

William  Lurvey Subscription  .\.ssistant 

By  run    Krulcvitch Subscription    Assistant 


MEMBER    OF    EXGIN'EERIXG    COLLEGE    MAGAZINES 
ASSOCIATED 

-Arkansas  Engineer.  Colorado  Engineer.  Cornell  Engineer.  Drexel  Tech- 
nical Jonrnal,  Illinois  Technograph,  Iowa  Engineer,  Iowa  Transit.  Kansas 
Engineer.  Kansas  State  Engineer,  Marquette  Engineer.  Michigan  Technic. 
Minnesota  Techno-Log.  Missouri  Shamrock.  Nebraska  Blue  Prnit,  New- 
York  University  Quadrangle.  North  Dakota  Engineer.  North  Dakota 
State  Engineer.  Ohio  State  Engineer,  Oklahoma  State  Engineer.  Oregon 
State  Technical  Record,  Pennsylvania  Triangle,  Purdue  Engineer,  Rose 
Technic,  Tech  Engineering  News,  Vtllanova  Engineer,  Wayne  Engineer, 
Wisconsin    Engineer. 


Published  Eight  Times  Yearly  by  the  Students  of 
the  College  of  Engineering,  University  of  Illinois 


Published  eight  times  during  the  year  (October,  November,  Decem- 
ber, January,  February,  March,  April,  and  May)  by  The  lllini  Publish- 
ing Company.  Entered  as  second  class  matter,  October  .^0,  1921,  at 
the  post  office  of  Urbana,  Illinois.  Office  21.1  Engineering  Hall, 
Crbana,  Illinois.  Subscriptions,  $1.00  per  year.  Single  copy  20  cents. 
Reprint    rights   reserved   by    The   Illinois    Technogi'aph. 


The  cover  cut  is  through  the  courtesy 
of  the  Westinghouse  Electric  and  Manu- 
factin-ing  Conipain.  The  pictvire  shows 
the  oil  well  drilling  rig,  drilling  tor  oil 
on  the  Mississippi  Delta  in  Louisiana.  The 
drilling  equipment  is  dri\en  by  electric 
motors.  Four  200  Kw.  generators  tiirnish 
the  power   for  the  motors. 


The  firi!itispit(  t  tliis  iii'inth  is  ii  picture 
of  four  ijinnt  air  roolcd  hroddnistiiuj  luhcs. 
Cut  courtesy   of   ll'esliiu/house. 


1 

^VV'  ' 

!W 

V    '  ^ 

■ 

vj|> 

1 

« 

J^ 

* 

'^ 

STABILIZED    SOIL 

By  J.  S.  CRANDELL 

Professor  of  Hi/^hway  Engineering 


To  build  your  house  out  of  your  own  cellar  excavation 
seems  to  many  people  to  be  a  sort  of  Alice-in-Wonderlanil 
trick.  But  it  is  being  done,  and  the  resultuig  house  is  ex- 
cellent. Hundreds  of  years  ago  the  Indians  of  our  south- 
west and  of  Mexico  built  adobe  houses,  and  the  descendants 
of  those  men  are  living  in  the  same  homes  today.  It  is 
doubtful  if  there  are  any  dwellings  in  the  rest  of  the  world 
that  are   as  old   and   still   in    use. 

But — if  long  drenching  rains  should  attack  those  adobe 
houses,  or  if  the  rivers  suddenly  rose  and  encompassed 
them,  the  mud  that  they  are  built  of  would  soon  be  washed 
away,  and  the  houses  would  be  a  bad  dream.  There  are 
mud  housese  in  Kansas,  Wyoming  and  other  western  states 
that  have  lasted  well  if  they  have  had  good  roofs  to  deflect 
the  rains;  these  are  known  as  sod  houses.  There  are  many 
people  in  the  United  States  today  who  were  reared  in 
these  sod  houses.  They  are  strong  advocates  of  such  con- 
struction, for,  as  they  say,  a  sod  house  is  cool  in  summer 
and  warm  in  winter,  and  its  cost  is  almost  nothing.  Why 
don't  we  build   more  of  them? 


Side   view  of  tlie   lour  room   adobe   lioiiit'   liuilt   on   Poplar   (Jrove 
Plantation    in    Adams   County,   Mississippi    in    1!K{!I. 


Photo   of   a   four  room    dwelling'   house   built   ol    stal>ili/t'cl    hricU 
in   Mississippi. 


cellent  home,  garage,  chicken  coop,  hog  house,  tool  shed, 
or  other  building  from  his  own  back  yard.  We  have  a 
bulletin,  No.  iZi,  Experiment  Station  of  the  University  of 
Illinois  that  tells  you  just  how  to  go  about  the  work.  It 
was  written  by  Mr.  E.  L.  Hansen  who  investigated  many 
emulsions,  many  soils,  and  laid  up  many  building  blocks 
in  order  to  determine  what  was  best.  He  determined  that 
the  soil  should  have  about  a  quarter  of  its  bulk  in  fine 
materials,  and  that  about  10  per  cent  of  asphalt  emulsion 
should  be  added.  This  mix  is  made  in  as  small  sized 
concrete  mixer.  The  earth  then  can  be  tamped  into  forms 
for  the  walls,  or  it  can  be  made  into  blocks  or  bricks.  The 
latter  can  then  be  laid  up  just  as  is  done  with  concrete 
blocks.  If  a  cellar  is  dug  first,  then  a  wooden  floor  is  laid 
for  the  ground  floor,  and  the  cellar  floor  is  laid  with 
stabilized  earth. 

Window    frames    and    doors    are    made    of    wood,    and 

these  can   be   bought   from   any  carpenter  shop,   or   by  mail 

from    mail-order    houses.     The    roof    is    cheaply    made    of 

|ilanks  overlaid  with  tar  or  asphalt  and  roofing  paper.    This 

(Continued  on  page   14) 


The  sod  houses  that  have  heretofore  been  built  have 
been  makeshifts.  No  one  who  knew  anything  about  archi- 
tecture ever  designed  them,  and  the  crudest  methods  were 
used  in  their  construction.  They  are,  for  the  most  part, 
ugly,  uiigaiiih',  and  ill-suited  to  our  1942  ideas  of  gadgetry. 
If  we  could  make  our  mud  housese  waterproof  so  that  they 
might  look  more  like  the  general  line  of  homes  we  would 
attain  our  end  of  building  a  home  that  would  give  us  just 
what  we  long  have  wanted  —  something  for  (almost) 
nothing. 

We  now  have  done  that.  We  have  stabilized  the  mud. 
We  have  made  it  waterproof,  and  at  a  minimum  cost.  We 
have  added  a  small  amount  of  a  bituminous  material,  known 
as  asphalt  emulsion,  to  the  earth  we  can  dig  up  almost 
anywhere,  and  the  result  is  a  water-proof,  temperature- 
proof,  rat-proof,  bug-proof,  snake-proof,  fool-proof  buihling 
material.    Any  man,  if  he  isn't  too  lazy,  can  make  an  ex- 


Kear  view  of  corn  potato  liouse,  sliowinj;  windows  lor  lif;lit  and 
ventilation.  A  cistern  built  of  4\S\18  in<li  stabilized  adobe 
bricks  is  used  to  catch  rain   water  from  the  roof  for  farm   use. 


OCTOBER,  1942 


E.E/s  Brain  Trust  Smashed  by  M.E.'s 


By  DEAN  MADDEN.  M.E.  '43 


E.  E.  Line-up     .     .     . 
Parker  Ellsworth 
Pete  Fenoglio 
George  Oberle 
Richard  Shoulders 


M.  E.  Line-up     .     .     . 
Paul  Salerno 
Bob  Kraft 
Robert  B.  Browne 
Dean  Madden 


On  October  7  the  sparks  flew  and  the  wind  blew  as 
the  sons  of  Faraday  took  on  the  superheated  power  house 
boys  from  the  Mechanical  Engineering  Lab  in  the  annual 
Battle  of  Brains.  The  reason  being  to  settle  the  long  and 
heated  debate  of  whether  electrical  engineers  with  their 
high  frequency  brain  cells  were  at  match  for  the  smooth 
riuining  and  well  oiled  involute  gears  which  are  constantly 
clicking  in    the   heads  of   the  mechanical   engineers. 

Professor  A.  R.  "Buck"  Knight,  a  prejudiced  but  well 
meaning  and  harmless  Electrical  Engineer,  was  the  mastei 
of  ceremonies  and  did  an  excellent  job  of  "Kay  Kiscring" 
the  whole  affair.  It  was  Prof.  Knight  who  first  originated 
the  idea  of  this  contest  three  years  ago  and  who  donated 
the  famous  "Buck  Knight  Trophy"  which  has  become  the 
symbol  of  intellectual  superiority  in  the  College  of  Engi- 
neering. 

This  trophy  consists  of  a  thimble  with  a  collar  button 
as  a  base  and  two  pieces  of  copper  wire  as  handles.  There 
is  a  very  sigiu'ficant  meaning  to  the  parts  of  the  trophy. 
The  thimble  is  a  symbol  of  industry.  The  collar  button 
signifies  the  eternal  search,  and  the  copper  handles  signify 
flexibility  and  adaptability.  These  are  all  qualities  you  will 
find    in    a   successful    engineer. 

The  questions,  which  were  stricth  non-engineering  of 
the  L.A.&S.  type  were  submitted  by  \arious  members  of 
the  faculty  who  seem  apt  at  asking  embarrassing  questions. 
Among  some  of  the  questions  asked  were  found  these  brain- 
teasers. 

1.  In  what  department  of  the  University  of  Illinois 
would  be  following  courses  be  taught?  a)  Cosmetics,  b) 
Institution  Management,  c)  Comparative  neurologv,  and 
d)    Ovid. 


A    Kriiiip   of   jubilant    M.E.'s   and   others   insperting    the    trophj 
beins  held  by  Paul  Salerno. 


\'ernon   IJ.vdbeeU,   president   of  .A.I.K.K.,   presenting   the   coveted 

'■|5u(k    Knight   Trophy"   to   Paul   Salerno,   president   of  A.S.M.K., 

as  Professor  Kni4;ht  loidis  on.      (The  seore,  incidentally, 

was  110  to  I'.'!).) 


2.  Sixth    and    John    Street    is    to    Wright    and    Green 

Street  as   Mathews  and   Califortiia   is   to  and 

;> 

3.  In  which  of  the  following  is  "contumeh"  correctly 
used:  (a)  The  shj'  girl  behaved  decorously  and  contumely. 
(b)  A  fashionable  young  matron  should  dress  herself  con- 
tumely, (c)  Because  of  contumely  he  was  charged  with 
contempt  of   coiu't. 

4.  Name  the  composers  of  the  following  operas:  (a) 
Barber  of  Seville,  (b)  Scherazade,  (c)  Tannhaeuser,  (d) 
Aida,  and    (e)    Mikado. 

5.  Idetify  the  following  men  prominent  in  foreign 
countries:  (a)  Nehru;  (b)  Serrano;  (c)  Hu  Shih;  and 
(d)    Castillo. 

Answers  to  these  questions  will  be  found  at  the  end 
of  the  article.  Test  your  own  knowledge  by  writing  down 
what  you  know  and  then  looking  at  the  answers.  It  is 
obvious  that  the  contest  was  a  real  test  of  the  mental  ca- 
pacities of  the  combatants. 

The  battle  raged  with  a  fury  only  excelled  by  Stalin- 
grad with  each  side  slugging  and  punching  toe  to  toe.  At 
the  end  of  the  first  round  the  defending  champions  were 
in  the  lead,  but  by  the  half  the  fighting  power  house  boys 
finally  had  gotten  their  steam  up  and  had  forged  into  the 
lead.  They  never  lost  it.  Their  redesigned  supercharger 
(The  details  of  which  are  a  military  secret)  had  done 
the   trick.    They  had  won   the  "Buck  Knight  Trophy." 

Broken  hearted  and  dejected  Jay  Hinchcliffe  of  the 
A.I.E.E.    presented    Paul    Salerno,    president    of    A.S.M.E., 

((yoritinutti  on   page   11) 


THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


COMMUNICATIONS 

.  .  .  directing  arm  of  combat 


"Get  the  message  through!"  That's  the 
tradition  of  the  men  who  wear  this  insig- 
nia.Of  the  18,000  BellSystem  people  now 
io  the  armed  forces,  nearly  4,500  are  with 
the  Signal  Corps.  Young  men  can  serve 
their  country  and  obtain  specialized  train- 
ing in  communications  in  this  great  branch 
of  the  Army. 


and  Western  Electri^  equipment  goes  to  every  battle  front 


Army  planes  fly  and  fight  with 
Western  Electric  radio  command 
sets,  which  keep  the  planes  of  a 
squadron  in  contact  ivith  each 
other  and  with  the  ground  forces. 


Wherever  American  soldiers  fight 
in  tanks,  they  get  their  orders  over 
Westerti  Electric  radio  sets— vital 
in  coordinating  today's  mechan- 
ized warfare. 


Observers  report  front-line  action  to 
Army  commanders  over  Western 
Electric  field  telephones,  field  wire, 
field  switchboards. 


A  major  source  for  this  specialized 
equipment  is  Western  Electric — for  60 
years  manufacturer  for  the  Bell  System 
—  one  industry  with  over  70,000 
skilled  men  and  w^omen  dedicated  to 
^'keep  'em  in  contact" 


Western  Etectric 


ARSENAL  OF  COMMUNICATIONS 


OCTOBER,  1942 


A.  S.  C  E.  Annual  SMOKER 

By  WILLIAM  G.  MURPHY,  G.E.  '43 

This  meeting  of  the  A.S.C.E.  was  typical  of  most  of  the  first 
meetings  of  the  departmental  organizations  all  over  the  campus 


^ 

■  .  al^ 

■j^ 

fe! '"  * 

£. 

PI  ,    yd 

7          1 
}        1. 

^m 

■  ^•<^M 

^*^^^H 

One  |>:ii(   i>f  the  proRraiii  in  which  everyone  took  ;i   very  active 
part   was   retreshnient    time. 

L  iidtT  the  direction  of  the  new  president  the  American 
Societ\'  of  Civil  Engineers  held  their  annual  smoker  last 
week.  The  meeting  marked  the  beginning  of  what  promises 
to  be  a  new  era  in  the  affairs  of  the  society.  Slide  rules 
and  scales  were  noticably  missing  as  the  "boys"  got  to- 
gether for  one  of  their  few  nights  out  of  the  year.  Sam 
Wiley    '43    was    program    chairman    for    the    evening. 

Sterling  Snyder  '43,  president,  opened  the  program  by 
welcoming  the  new  members  and  introducing  the  officers 
of  the  organization  for  this  semester.  The  officers  are: 
Hud  Christianson,  vice  president;  Marianna  Schroeder, 
secretary;    and     Eugene    Estes,    treasurer. 

Prof.  Harold  E.  Habbitt,  speaking  on  the  reasons  wh\- 
we  should  belong  to  ASCE  was  the  first  speaker  on  the 
program.  Hud  Christianson  '43,  president  of  Chi  Upsilon 
followed  Prof.  Babbitt  with  a  short  talk  on  engineering 
honoraries.     His  talk  was  designed   to  let  the  freshmen  and 


IH^B^P"!^ 

UMM 

HPV            "m        ^mm 

^Hr^l 

^L              |F        ^^ 

*^^^ 

^P^  s     *'  ^it  ^^^Ml 

^^^^^^^^B-                  ''>^B        ^^^^Hi^^l 

w 

!S.._i.fiM 

Big 

Dean    Enser,    head    of   the    eniiineerin;; 
senior   (  .K.'s. 

10 


school,    talking    to    two 


Sterlins;  Sn.xler,  president  of  the  .\.S.('.li.,  passing  out  cigarettes 
to   tlie   nienii)ers. 


sophomores    know    that    there   were    honorary   organizations 
on   the   campus   north   of   Green    St. 

Sheldon  Leavitt  '43i/),  gave  a  short  explanation  of  the 
new  department  in  the  organization  which  will  give  the 
freshmen  more  benefit  from  the  organization.  A  council 
is  being  organized  which  will  arrange  programs  and  enter- 
tainment   especially    for    the    new    members    of    the    society. 

Dean  H.  H.  Jordan  gave  a  brief  talk  on  the  draft 
and  its  eliect  on  the  engineering  students.  A  committee  is 
working  with  the  university  and  the  government  that  at- 
tempts to  secure  deferments  for  the  students  and  the  engi- 
neers are  in  a  high  spot  on  the  list  of  those  getting  defer- 
ments. As  soon  as  you  hear  from  the  draft  board  in  your 
community   let    the   committee   know   about   it. 

The  high  spot  on  the  program  was  the  talk  by  Col. 
L.  C.  Sparks,  Commandant  of  Cadets  at  the  university. 
The  colonel  enthusiastically  praised  the  American  soldier 
and  gave  his  opinion  that  we  are  following  the  right  path 
to  victory.  He  stated  that  this  summer  would  have  been 
ideal  as  far  as  morale  and  economics  were  concerned  to 
open  a  second  front,  but  that  it  would  ha\e  been  a  foolish 
waste   of    partially    trained    men. 

The  last  part  of  the  program  was  impromptu  since  it 
became  necessary  to  kill  time  between  the  speakers  and 
the  refreshments.  The  professors  present  were  asked  to 
introduce  themselves  by  a  short  story  about  when  they 
were  in  school.  I  believe  that  everyone  present  will  say 
that  the  men  in  the  Civil  Engineering  Department  are 
good  sports  and  they  did  pretty  well  in  "extra-curricular" 
activities   too. 

Refreshments  were  ser\ed  to  top  the  e\ening  which 
was  one  of  the  most  successful  in  the  organization's  histor\'. 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


- 


E.  E.,  M.  E.  BRAIN  BATTLE 

( (^tjiitiiund  from   Page  S) 

the  coveted  award  as  newsmen  and  photographers  went 
wild. 

The  judges  in  whose  hands  the  fate  of  the  contestants 
lay  were  Dean  H.  H.  Jordan,  Professor  Babbitt  of  Civil 
Engineering,  and  Professor  Lansford  of  the  T.&.A.  M. 
department. 

Highlight  of  the  humor  of  the  evening  was  when  the 
question   was   asked,    "What   is   a    fresh-water   college?" 

(No.  1  M.  K. )  snapped  back.  "A  school  of  fish",  which 
promptly    blew    four    fuses   in    the    E.  E.'s   circuit. 

-ik  ^  ^ 

Here    are    the   answers   to   the   quiz   questions. 

1.  (a)  Pharmacy,  (b)  Home  Economics,  (c)  Anatomy, 
and    (d)    Classics    (Latin). 

2.  Goodwin    and    Illinois   intersection. 

3.  Because  of  contumely  (insolence)  he  was  charged 
with    contempt    of    court. 

4.  (a)  Rossini,  (b)  Rimsk\-Korsokoff,  (c)  Wagner, 
(d)    Verdi,    and    (e)    Sullivan. 

5.  (a)  Leader  in  India,  (b)  ex- foreign  minister  of 
Spain,  (c)  e.\-ambassador  from  China  to  the  I  nited  States, 
(d)    President   of   Argentina. 


TO  THE  FRESHMEN  .  .  . 

I've  found  three  things  hard  to  do  in  m\  life:  one  was 
to  climb  a  fence  leaning  towards  me,  another  was  to  kiss 
a  girl  leaning  away  from  me  and  the  last  is  to  jiiake  a 
sales  talk.  I  have  done  the  first,  I  won't  commit  myself 
on  the  second,  and  I'll  let  you  be  the  judge  on  the  last. 

I  want  to  say  to  all  the  new  freshmen  that  you  have 
picked  the  hardest  field  of  endeavour  on  the  campus,  but 
you  were  fortunate  in  picking  the  finest  engineering  school 
in  the  country.  It  is  easy  to  prove  that  statement  without 
getting  very  technical.  When  you  first  came  to  the  campus 
5'ou  saw  several  students  representing  countries  in  four 
corners  of  the  world.  They  didn't  take  the  trouble  to  come 
here  because  of  the  women  on  the  other  side  of  Green  Street 
— that  you  probably  found  out  your  first  day  too. 

Getting  serious  for  a  minute  we  of  The  Technoi/raph 
staff  realize  the  reputation  of  our  college  and  we  would 
like  to  do  our  part  to  uphold  it.  With  your  support  of 
the  magazine  we  can.  All  the  good  things  in  engineering 
aren't  down  in  text  books  yet;  we  attempt  to  give  )ou 
some  of  those  and  in  addition  we  hope  to  help  you  pick 
3'our  field  in  engineering  so  that  \ou  will  be  able  to  move 
right    along    in    your    curriculum. 

Another  thing  you  probably  noticed  was  the  big  build- 
ing shaped  like  an  I  over  in  the  northwest  corner  of  the 
campus.  Get  o\er  there  to  look  around  the  first  chance 
that  >'ou  get.  No  one  minds  your  looking  around  as  long 
as  you  don't  tear  up  some  $50,(^00  experiment  or  push  a 
lever  on  the  3-milIion  pound   testing  machine. 

Don't  let  an\'  upper  classmen  fool  you  into  thinking 
that  they  know  how  to  use  all  the  scales  on  the  big  slide 
rules  that  everyone  carries.  I  can  tell  you  right  now  that 
you  don't  need  a  10  inch  log  log  decitrig  slide  rule,  but  you 
might  as  well  get  one  since  people  will  refuse  to  gi\e  you 
credit   for  being  an  engineer  luiless  you  carry  one. 

Did  any  of  you  know  that  Moses  was  an  engineer? 
The  Bible  (still  the  best  seller  of  all  time)  says  that  he 
smote   the   rock   and    water   gushed    forth. 

OCTOBER.  1942 


POWER 

To  Win  A  Wa 


p^r^^^. 


Behind  the  guns— behind  the  machines  and  the  motors 
that  drive  them  —  is  steam,  "prime  mover"  of  ail 
industry.  •  Each  time  we  find  a  way  to  squeeze  an 
extra  B.T.U.  from  a  pound  of  coal  or  a  gallon  of  oil, 
industrial  output  is  accelerated  and  implements  of 
war  rush  sooner  to  waiting  hands  at  the  front.  Because 
B&W  engineers  have  always  been  the  first  to  origi- 
nate major  improvements  in  boilers,  Babcock  & 
Wilcox  has  become  America's  largest  producer  of 
steam  generating  equipment.  •  Today,  all  our  efforts 

*  are  devoted  to  helping 
utilities  and  industrial 
plants  produce  the  pow- 
er to  win  this  war.  In 
the  victorious  tomorrow, 
we  shall  stand  ready  to 
serve  you  whose  hands 
will  guide  the  future  of 
American  industry. 


FREE  14-PAGE  BOOKLET 

"The  Design  Of  Water-Tube 
Boiler  Units."  Not  a  manuul 
of  design,  this  interesting 
hook  explains  what  types  of 
boilers  are  used  for  the  most 
common  types  of  service  and 
uhy.  Your  copy  will  be  sent 
on  request. 


THE    BABCOCK   twaCOX    COMPANY 


85    IIBEUTT    STBEtT     ....  NEW    YQBK 


BABCOCK  &  WILCOX 


\jne  or  many  new  Aiiis-\.naimers« 
turbines  which  are  helping  to  pov 
greatest  war  production  effort  in  hll 


Bundles  for 

Berlin... 

Power  for 

Pittsburgh! 


ALLIS-CHALMERS 

EQUIPMENT  HELPS 

MAKE  BOTH 


i 


f\ 


^ 


)\ 


S. 


Ore  for  Giant  Aerial  Torpedoes  and  bombs  is  mined  with  Allis-Chalmers  equipment. 


"A.  HITLER,  BERLIN,  GERMAN 

That's  what  we'd  Hke  to  label  just  one  ol 
thousands  of  tons  of  ore  which  Allis-(  "liali 
equipment  is  helping  to  mine  and  turn 
aerial  torpedoes  and  bombs! 

And  that  turbine  above  is  another  A 
Chalmers  product  that  will  soon  be  tur 
out  trouble  for  Hitler — supplyin<^  pu\^,- 
great  war  plants — helping  to  make  Aurti 
soldiers  the  best  equipped  in  the  world. 

These  are  just  two  examples  of  how  tl 


ALLI 


T 


OFFERS  EVERY  MANUFACTURER  EQUIPMENT  AND  ENGINEERINi 


ELECTRICAL 
EQUIPMENT 


STEAM  AND 
HYDRAULIC  TURBINES 


MOTORS  (  TEXROPE 

v-sar  DRIVES 


BLOWERS  AND 
COMPRESSORS 


ENGINES  AND 
CONDENSERS 


CENTRIFUel 
PUMPS  I 


of  Allis-Chalmers  people  are  fighting 
sis — are  icorking for  Victory! 
?r  1,600  Allis-Chalmers  products  are 
ng  in  the  Battle  of  Production.  And  our 
jrative  Engineering  service  is  helping 
rs  'produce  more — not  just  with  new  ma- 
!,  but  with  machines  now  on  hand! 
s  production  experience  will  be  of  added 

when  the  war  is  over.  AVe  work  for 
ry — we  plan  for  Peace ! 
-Ch ALGIERS  Mfg.  Co.,  Milwaukee,  Wis. 


8  out  of  10  loaves  of  bread  in  U.S. 
are  made  with  the  aid  of  A-C  farm 
and  flour  mill  equipment. 


VICTORY  NEWS 


Washington,  D.  C— Keels  for  more 
than  140  "Liberty"  ships  have  been  laid 
and  more  than  60  ships  have  been  launched 
from  ways  which  did  not  even  exist  before 
19-11.  Original  schedules  have  already  been 
more  than  doubled. 

To  set  the  fastest  shipbuilding  record  in 
history,  mass  production  principles  are 
used.  More  than  500  makers  are  feeding 
parts  to  Liberty  waj'S. 

From  Allis-Chalmers,  one  of  the  most 
important  of  the  contributing  firms,  comes 
products  ranging  from  machine-gun  cool- 
ing pumps  to  propulsion  shafting. 


Three-Stage  High  Speed  Pump  is  in- 
spected as  it  leaves  A-C  shops  for  a  mili- 
tary destination.  Equipment  includes 
Allis-Chalmers  motors  and  switchgear. 


MiiwaukeejWis.  — Mosquito  boats  no 
loufitT  have  to  use  their  motors  to  recharge 
their  batteries — small  Allis-Chalmers  rec- 
tifier units  now  do  this  job. 

This  unit  is  the  newest  means  of  obtain- 
ing nominal  d.c.  current  from  existing  a.c. 
power  lint-s.  It  eliminates  need  for  keeping 
ships  motors  running  for  battery  charging 
on  shore.  It  also  aids  coast  defense  by  help- 
ing to  supply  power  for  shore  searchlights. 

Industrial  plants  are  also  using  the  new 
unit  to  supply  small  amounts  of  d.c.  for 
individual  drives  on  planers  and  other  ma- 
chines, in  laboratories  for  testing  purposes, 
and  in  tool  rooms. 


FOR  VICTORY 
Buy  United  States  War  Bonds 


WE  WORK  FOR 

^VICTORY 


[      WE   PLAN    FOR 

'   PEACE 


iTION  TO  HELP  INCREASE  PRODUCTION  IN  THESE  FIELDS...     ^^T/'^^ 


R  AND  SAW 
EQUIPMENT 


CHEMICAL  PROCESS 
EQUIPMENT 


CRUSHING,  CEMENT  & 
MINING  MACHINERY 


BOILER  FEED 
WATER  SERVICE 


\^v?^'~ 


POWER  FARMING 
MACHINERY 


I  INDUSTRIAL  TRACTORS  | 
&  ROAD  MACHINERY 


The  Value  of  Cult  lira  I  Subjects 

...  TO  THE  ENGINEER 


By  PAUL  SALERNO,  M.E.  '43 

Each  spring,  the  pledges  to  Tau  Beta  Pi  compete  with  other 

pledges  all  over  the  country  in  a  theme  writing  contest.    This 

was  the  prize-winning  theme  chosen  to  represent  the  Illinois 

chapter  in  th  national  contest 


The  engineer  of  today  has  secluded  himself  in  a  narrow 
field  of  specialization,  sometimes  losing  sight  of  even  the 
effects  of  his  own  work  upon  the  world  surrounding  him. 
He  cares  little  and  knows  little  of  cultural  subjects,  probably 
believing  that  broad  knowledge  of  the  fine  arts,  literature, 
history  and  philosophy  is  incompatible  with  his  own  branch 
of  knowledge. 

An  appreciation  and  interest  in  these  subjects  enriches 
the  personality,  teaches  higher  standards  of  taste  and  morals, 
instills  qualities  of  leadership  and  promotes  good  citizen- 
ship. In  art  and  literature  is  the  revelation  of  genius;  the 
residts  of  a  creative  mind.  The  engineer  possesses  a  sense 
of  values  which  enable  him  to  appreciate  the  highest  attain- 
ments in  any  field,  and  although  the  very  best  in  music 
and  literature  is  available  to  everyone,  he  denies  himself 
the  many  hours  of  entertainment  and  pleasiu'e  which  might 
be  his.  The  engineer  should  learn  to  live  as  well  as  earn 
a  living.  He  should  learn  to  appreciate  the  subtle  values 
of  life  as  well  as  the  material. 

It  is  unfortunate  that  time  for  cultural  studies  in  the 
undergraduate  engineer's  curriculum  is  unavailable.  If  there 
were  time,  however,  it  would  be  difficult  to  arouse  cultural 
interests  in  a  mind  which  sets  such  great  store  by  the 
practical.  It  is  necessary  that  the  student  himself  realize 
the  benefits  resulting  from  a  study  and  appreciation  of 
cultural  subjects.  He  can  grasp  the  significance  of  world 
events  and  learn  to  rationalize  and  reason  onl\  through 
such  study  and  appreciation. 

A  mere  knowledge  of  facts  pertaining  to  cultural  sub- 
jects is  insufficient.  It  is  necessary  to  differentiate  between 
knowledge  and  wisdom.  Knowing  that  Beethoven's  Fif/h 
Sy  III  phony  is  musically  of  a  higher  caliber  than  R'isc  O'Day, 
or  that  the  Cathedral  of  Notre  Dame  is  a  better  example 
of  Gothic  architecture  than  the  Tribune  Tower,  is 
knowledge  but  knowing  why  constitutes  wisdom.  Since 
the   world    is   looking   more   and   more   to   the   professional 


man  for  leadership  and  inspiration,  wisdom  becomes  a 
necessary  quality.  A  profession  which  is  enjoying  the  grow- 
ing esteem  of  society  cannot  afiord  to  admit  inferior  men. 
Today  the  engineer  must  be  a  judge  of  social,  political 
and  ethical  situations  as  well  as  technical  problems.  This 
calls  for  a  higher  type  of  personalitv  than  was  formerly 
thought   adequate. 

The  comple.x  social  and  economic  problems  of  the 
present  can  be  analyzed  through  an  understanding  of  the 
problems  of  the  past.  The  world  has  progressed  in  the 
field  of  science  since  the  time  of  Aristotle.  We  know  that 
the  science  of  that  day  is  false,  but  the  political  and  social 
problems  remain  the  same.  For  example,  the  historian 
realizes  that  the  happenings  of  the  last  few  years  are  a 
re-enactment  of  the  Peloponnesian  Wars  and  that  un- 
employment and  strikes  were  problems  of  antiquity  as  well 
as  of  today.  It  is  revealing  to  discover  that  men  in  the 
past   faced    their   problems   with   clear   vision   and    fortitude. 

The  study  and  resulting  appreciation  of  cultural  sub- 
jects has  a  more  significant  influence  upon  the  engineer 
than  the  enrichment  of  his  personality  or  the  instillation 
of  qualities  of  leadership  and  good  judgment.  An  educated 
and  cultured  professional  group  forms  a  bidwark  against 
the  evil  effects  of  totalitarianism,  (jovernments  which 
emphasize  the  extreme  importance  of  race,  state,  or  class 
subdue  personality  and  individual  achievement  and  utilize 
the  neutral  forces  of  science  and  technology  for  vicious 
purposes.  The  fury  and  intensity  of  the  attack  which  has 
been  launclied  against  our  country  is  a  direct  result  of 
\ears  of  misdirected  scientific  and  technological  advance- 
ment. If  the  democratic  way  of  life  is  to  survive  after  the 
present  war  has  ended  we  must  have  a  professional  group 
possessing  high  ethical  and  moral  standards.  Those  re- 
sponsible for  technological  advancement  must  direct  such 
advancement  toward  a  humanistic  goal.  They  must  create 
instead   of   destrov.    Thev  must   liberate   instead   of  enslave. 


STABILIZED       SOIL         (Contmurd  from    Mac    ?) 


is   then   coated   with   tar   or   asphalt   and    shingles   made   out 
of  emulsified  earth  laid  on  top. 

Mr.  Chandler  Emer\',  of  Jackson,  Mississippi,  has 
biult  a  number  of  these  inexpensive  housese  on  his  planta- 
tion, and  he  writes  that  they  have  all  been  successful. 
Some  illustrations  of  these  houses  are  shown  here.  In 
addition  there  are  some  very  beautiful  homes  around  Holly- 


wood that  have  been  built  by  this  method  for  our  mo\ie 
actors  and  actresses.  These  homes  are  expensive,  ornate, 
and  in  excellent  taste.  So  we  have  from  the  cheapest  to 
the  expensive  types  built  of  earth,  and  serving  their  purposes 
alike  of  giving  our  people  their  homes  built  out  of  their 
own   property. 

If  vou  are  interested   then  get  Bulletin    No.  3,xi. 


14 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


^ou  have  TWO  kinds 
of  Future 


The  dominant  consideration,  now,  is 
your  immediate  future.  Many  of  you  are 
enlisted  in  the  reserve,  or  are  already  com- 
missioned. You  do  have  a  valuable  training 
which  the  country  needs  in  this  emergency. 
Make  every  day  count  in  perfecting  that 
training. 

The  war  you  will  undoubtedly  help  to 
fight  is  not  a  nice  war.  But  as  we  see  it,  the 
United  Nations  intend  that  it  shall  have  not 
only  a  victorious  ending,  but  also  a  hopeful 
ending — hopeful  in  the  sense  that  we  shall 
have  a  peace  in  which  our  goal  shall  be  jobs 
for  all  men. 

You  have  a  right  to  know  that  industry  is 
even  now  beginning  to  dream  up  the  where- 
withal for  those  jobs — ^new  things  to  make, 
and  new  ways  to  make  old  things  better. 

A  lot  of  everyday  sort  of  men,  many  of 


them  very  much  like  yourself,  doing  this 
kind  of  thinking  in  the  past,  are  the  reason 
Alcoa  Aluminum  became  the  leader  in  the 
aluminum  business.  They  are  the  reason 
Alcoa  Aluminum  will  have  such  a  big  part 
in  the  future. 

Call  this  kind  of  thinking  Imagineering 
— letting  your  imagination,  soar  and  then 
engineering  it  down  to  earth.  It  is  perhaps 
the  most  important  talent  a  man  can  have.  It 
is  the  point  of  view  that  industry  will 
always  need,  and  use,  to  make  America  a 
better  place  to  live  in. 

There  is  no  "pay-off"  in  this  little  mes- 
sage. We  just  wanted  to  have  you  know  that 
folks  like  us  can  be  completely  devoted  to 
high-speed  war  production,  and  have  an 
eye  on  a  good  future  for  all  men,  at  the 
same  time. 


A      PARENTHETICAL     ASIDE:      FROM     THE     AUTOBIOGRAPHY     OF 

ALCOA     ALUMINUM 

•  This  message  is  printed  by  Aluminum  Company   of   America   to    help   people    to 
understand  ivhat  ive  do  and    ivhat  sort  of  men  make  aluminum  grow  in  usefulness. 


OCTOBER,  1942 


15 


NAMES 


/;/  the  news 


By  WILLIAM  R.  SGHMITZ,  Ch.  E.  '45 

ik      -U      -^ 

RAY  BOHMAN 

Scholar,  statesinan,  soldier,  ami  gentleman,  that  is  the 
title  that  rightly  belongs  to  Ray  Bohman.  Ray  is  a 
Mechanical  Lngineer  and  has  done  very  well  tor  himself 
in  his  four  years  at  Illinois.  There  are  many  engineers 
that   would    like   to   ha\e   his   high   scholastic   average. 

Ray  is  a  member  of  Pershing  Rifles,  Scabbard  and 
Hlade,  Tau  Nu  Tau,  Phi  Kta  Sigma,  Tau  Beta  Pi,  Pi 
Tau  Sigma,  and  is  Cadet  Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the  Engi- 
neers. He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of 
the  Y..\LC.A. 

Military  has  claimed  quite  a  bit  of  Ray's  time  while 
here  at  the  University,  but  he  says  that  he  has  enjoyed  it 
more  than  anything  else.  Last  winter,  Ray  received  the 
Chicago  Tribune  award  for  having  the  highest  scholastic 
and  military  average  among  the  juniors  in  advanced 
R.O.T.C.  He  still  claims  that  his  greatest  thrill  came  last 
spring  when  he  was  one  of  the  floor  marshals  for  the 
(jrand   March   at  the   Military   Ball. 


Bob's  father  is  also  a  chemical  engineer  and  so  Bob 
is  more  or  less  following  in  his  father's  footsteps.  Sporting 
a  very  nifty  4.77  scholastic  average.  Bob  is  doing  some 
research  this  semester.  Right  now  he  is  working  out  a 
new  catalytic  process  by  which  he  can  obtain  butadiene  for 
making  synthetic   rubber. 

Bob  has  a  variety  of  hobbies,  and  among  those  which 
he  lists  are:  airplane  flying,  fishing,  cooking,  dancing,  and 
sports  of  all  kinds,  especially  swimming.  He  is  also  quite 
an  expert  on  movies  and  theatrical  productions.  Bob  has 
had  several  courses  in  play-directing  and  is  well-informed 
on   all   such  matters. 

The  new  co-eds  that  h.i\e  appeared  on  the  campus 
this  semester  seem  to  be  much  improved  according  to  Bob. 
Bob  is  quite  a  ladies  man  when  it  comes  to  escorting  the 
girls  around  campus  and  taking  in  the  social  events.  How- 
ever, when  he  graduates  in  Jiuie,  he  thinks  that  he  will 
go  over  to  Ohio  State  to  see  what  they  have  over  there. 
He  plans  to  get  his  Master's  degree  at  Ohio  State.  Bob 
thinks  the  best  thing  he  has  accomplished  so  far  is  the 
friends  he  has  made  here  at  school,  especially  those  at 
.\LR.H. 


MYRON  PFEIFER 


KAV 


DALK 


Whoever  said  that  athletics  and  engineering  didn't  mix- 
can  go  to  Myron  Pfeifer  as  a  living  example.  Myron  has 
earned  two  letters  on  the  varsity  squad,  having  also  made 
his  numerals  as  a  freshman.  He  is  a  senior  in  the  chemical 
engineering  school  with  a  3.9  average  to  his  credit. 

When  I  went  over  to  see  Myron,  I  interrupted  a  bridge 
game  long  enough  to  talk  to  him.  Bridge  is  one  of  his 
favorite  pastimes  which  he  finds  time  for  now  and  then 
in  the  midst  of  his  studies  and  football.  He  has  acquired 
the  nickname  "Pfeif"  from  the  fellows  at  the  Sigma  Chi 
house  where  he  is  a  member. 

^'Lvron  seems  to  be  a  stead\'  man  where  women  are 
concerned.  His  one  and  only  lives  just  across  the  street 
in  Presby  Hall.    She  has  had  his  pin  for  nearly  a  year  now. 

Concerning  his  plans  after  graduation,  Myron  is  as 
uncertain  as  most  of  us  who  aren't  in  the  advanced  course 
in  military.  As  a  chemical  engineer,  he  is  deferred  until 
graduation.  After  that  he  will  either  go  into  the  army 
or    into   some   chemical    defense   industry. 

Myron  hails  from  Illiopolis,  which  is  right  in  the  heart 
of  Illinois.  While  in  high  school  he  also  played  football. 
His  position  on  the  team  is  quarterback,  and  he  has  the 
all-important  job  of  calling  plays.  He  was  at  the  helm 
when  Illinois  made  three  of  her  touchdowns  over  Butler. 
((Continued  on  paye   1^ ) 


This  fair-haired  son  of  Alpha,  Illinois  has  gi\en  the 
folks  back  home  plenty  of  reasons  to  be  proud  of  him. 
He  and  his  roommate  spend  a  good  bit  of  their  spare 
time  in  making  and  designing  miruature  electric  motors, 
and  they  actually  run.  He  also  spends  quite  a  bit  of  time 
over  in  the  T.A.M.  department  testing  railway  carwheels 
and  brake  shoes.  And  like  all  the  rest  of  the  engineers 
on  the  campus,  he  thinks  Illinois  can't  be  beaten  in  engi- 
neering. 

BOB  ST.  JOHN 

That  engineer  you  see  over  there  behind  all  those  test 
tubes,  retorts,  and  distilling  flasks,  is  none  other  than  our 
old  friend,  Bob  St.  John,  chemical  engineer  extraordinary. 
Bob  is  a  member  of  Phit  Eta  Sigma,  Omega  Chi  Epsilon, 
A.I.Ch.E.,  and  Pierrots.  He  is  also  the  juiu'or  manager 
of  the  Theater  CJuild. 


16 


MVKON 


liOl! 

THE  TECHNOGR.APH 


While 


Victorq  is  being  won 
'  prepare  for  the  work  of 


^^•"-wy 


TO  ASSURE  VICTORY 


peace.  Learn  to  know  |5  . 
qour  bearings. 


t\rW 


American  planes,  tanks,  trucks,  guns  and 
warships  are  doing  an  outstanding  job  in  the  fight  for  free- 
dom because,  in  addition  to  being  good  all-around  engineers, 
their  designers  know  their  bearings. 

After  Victory,  when  we  have  made  sure  that  the  things  our 
forefathers  fought  and  died  for  shall  not  perish  from  the 
earth,  "knowing  your  bearings"  will  be  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant assets  you  or  any  young  engineer  can  possess. 

For  when  the  tremendous  work  of  reconstruction  starts, 
machines  of  all  kinds  will  be  required  to  have  higher  speeds, 
greater  precision  and  endurance  and  be  more  economical  to 
operate  and  maintain  than  ever  before. 

In  achieving  these  objectives,  Timken  Tapered  Roller  Bear- 
ings will  be  used  to  an  even  greater  extent  than  in  the  past 
because  of  their  ability  to  meet — and  beat — any  and  every 
bearing  condition  that  might  develop. 

Now  is  the  time  to  learn  to  know  your  Timken  Bearings. 
Our  engineers  will  be  glad  to  help  you. 

THE  TIMKEN  ROLLER  BEARING  COMPANY.  CANTON,  OHIO 


Manufacturers  of  Timlcen  Tapered  Roller  Bearings 
for  automobiles,  motor  trucks,  railroad  cars  and 
locomotives  and  all  kinds  of  industrial  machinery; 
Timlcen  Alloy  Steels  and  Carbon  and  Alloy  Seamless 
Tubing;  and  Timken   Rock  Bits, 


TIMK£N 

TRADE-MARK   REG     U     8.  PAT    OFF. 

TAPfm  ROLLEB  BEARIHGS 


OCTOBER,  1942 


17 


Our  Societies 


By  BYRON  WELSH,  M.  E.  '43 


TAU  BETA  PI 

Tail  Beta  Pi.  all-engineering  scholastic  honorary  tra- 
ternity,  started  off  the  year  with  a  steak  try  on  Oc- 
tober 2.  It  was  sponsored  by  Professor  Espy,  the  faculty 
adviser,  who  with  the  help  of  Mrs.  Espy,  gave  the  fellows 
a  fine  feed  with  plenty  of  applie  pie.  Rides  out  to  the 
farm  where  it  was  held  were  furnished  by  Mr.  Faucett 
and  Mr.  Shedd  of  the  electrical  and  civil  engineering  de- 
partments, respectively.  A  smoker  for  rushees  was  held 
on  October  15  by  the  members.  The  officers  for  the 
year  are : 

Ralph  R.   Paxton President 

Jay    E.    Hinchcliffe Vice-President 

Allen   M.   Henningsen (jorrespondiny  Secretary 

Robert  J.  Kallal Recording  Secretary 

George    F.    Asselin Treasurer 

Martin  Knell Master  of  Initiation 

A.  S.  GH.  E. 

The  American  Society  of  Chemical  Engineers  announced 
their  officers   for   the  coming  year. 

Homer    Pratt President 

Kenneth   R.   Nickolls Secretary 

Richard    O.   Wilson Treasurer 

Their  first  meeting  was  a  get-acquainted  smoker  at 
the  Alpha  Chi  Sigma  house  on  September  23.  The  faculty 
was  introduced  to  the  freshmen  and  refreshments  were 
served.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Hood  of  the  cavalry  gave  a 
talk  at  their  next  meeting  on   October   13. 

KERAMOS 

Keramos  is  a  professional  honorary  fraternity  for  ce- 
ramists. The  purpose  of  the  organization  is  to  foster 
alumni  relationships,  help  orient  freshmen,  and  to  help 
around  the  department  in  any  way  possible.  Their  new 
officers  are : 

Earl   Smith President 

Vaughn     Seitzinger Jlce-President 

C.     Leroy    Tinner Secretary-Treasurer 

Francis   Wright Warden 

PI  TAU  SIGMA 

Pi  Tau  Sigma  is  the  mechanical  engineering  honorary 
fraternity.  It's  facidty  adviser  or  sponsor  is  Professor  Mac- 
intire.  The  first  meeting  was  held  Thursday,  (October  <S 
in  the  L?nion  Building.  Plans  were  laid  for  the  fall  rush- 
ing, pledging,  and  initiation  proceedings.  At  the  head  of 
the  organization   are : 

George   .Mays President 

William    .Mareneck Vice-President 

Dale   Hankins (Jorrespondiny  Secretary 

Oliver  Schmidt Treasurer 

S.  B.  A.  C.  S. 

The  Student  Branch  of  the  American  Ceramics  Society 
held  a  picnic  at  Crystal  Lake  park  September  23.  They 
had  a  good  ball  game  and  plenty  of  food.  Their  first 
regular  meeting  was  held  on  October  7.    Their  officers  are: 

Poyson    Shonkwiler President 

Earl  Smith Vice-President 

Jack    Graham Treasurer 

Gordon  Q.  Johnson Actinij  Secretary 

18 


SIGM.A  TAU 

Sigma  Tau,  another  all-engineering  honorary,  held  their 
first  meeting  in  the  Union  Building  on  September  30. 
They  discussed  plans  for  their  rushing  smoker  and  initiation 
procedure.  They  are  planning  on  entertainment  for  their 
meetings  from  oft"  the  engineering  campus.  The  officers 
for  the  coming  year  are: 

Otto  Johnson President 

Ben    Muirheid Vice-President 

Martin  Knell Secretary 

Byron    Welsh Treasurer 

M.  I.  S. 

The  Mineral  Industries  Society  is  a  departmental  organ- 
ization affiliated  with  The  American  Institute  of  Mining 
and  Metallurgical  Engineering.  Their  first  meeting  was 
on  October  1  ;  the  purpose  of  which  was  to  acquaint  all 
underclassmen  with  the  faculty  and  the  facilities  of  the 
metallurgical  engineering  department.  Refreshments  were 
served.     Their    leaders    for    the    year    are: 

Gus    Simpson President 

Keller  Phillippe Vice-President 

Charles  Bate Secretary 

Jim   Haley Treasurer 

A.  S.  G.  E. 

The  American  Society  of  Civil  Engineers  started  ofi 
their  year  with  a  successful  get-together  smoker  on  Oc- 
tober 3.  As  part  of  the  program,  the  seniors  led  group 
singing.  The  freshmen  were  introduced  to  the  faculty  and 
the   officers   who    for   the   coming   year    are: 

Sterling    Snyder President 

Bud  Christiansen ^.Vice-President 

Marianna    Schroeder Secretary 

Gene    Estes Treasurer 

A.  S.  M.  E. 
The  officers  of  A.S.M.E.  at  the  present  time  are: 

Paul   Salerno (Chairman 

Bill    Mareneck J'ice-(Jhairinan 

George    Mays Treasurer 

Robert    Tuell Secretary 

At  their  first  meeting  Professor  Leutwiler  and  Professor 
Espy  each  gave  a  short  message  to  the  new  members  and 
old  explaining  the  benefits  of  the  organization  and  also 
it's  function.  At  their  next  meeting  which  was  held  on 
(October  21,  technicolor  movies  on  the  production  of  steel 
were   shown. 

A.  I.  E.  E. 

The  -American  Institute  of  Electrical  Engineers,  the 
departmental  organization  for  the  E.  E.'s,  is  headed  by  the 
following    officers: 

Vernon    R\dbeck President 

Donald  Henry Vice-President 

Jay     Hinchcliffe Secretary 

Bob    Krieger Treasurer 

They  had  their  usual  freshman  welcome  on  September 
23  where  they  met  the  faculty.  The  freshmen  were  enter- 
tained by  the  seniors  with  a  skit  about  studying  for  an 
E.  E.  25  exam. 

THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


A.  S.  A.  E. 

The  American  Society  of  Agricultural  Engineers  is 
open  to  any  student  with  six  hours  of  Ag.  Engineering. 
They  started  the  year  off  with  a  picnic  with  the  new 
members  at  Professor  Lehman's  home.  Professor  Lehman 
is  the  head  of  the  Ag.  Engineering  Department.  The 
organization   is   ably   guided   by   the    following  officers: 

Ben    Muirheid P  reside  nl 

William   Ciraves J'ue-Presidint 

Gilbert  North Treasurer 

A  Li  r  ray    Fourth Seeretnry 

CHI  EPSILON 

The  ci\il  engineering  honorary.  Chi  Epsiion,  held  their 
first  meeting  on  September  29.  Their  officers  for  the  year 
are : 

Bud  Christiansen President 

Bill  Schacht Jlee-President 

Ray  Ackerman Seen  /my 

Homer  Wong Treasurer 

Dan   Bechly Editor  of  Transit 

^Lul\•  of  their  speakers  this  year  will  talk  on  non- 
technical subjects.  Also  they  are  planning  a  fall  picnic 
before  its  gets  too  cold.  Liitiation  plans  are  also  under 
waw 


NAMES  IN  THE  NEWS 

((Continued  from  pa{/e   16) 

He  remarked  that  the  football  team  was  doing  a  lot 
better  than  most  people  expected  it  would.  Although  he 
liked  "Zup"  very  much  and  thought  he  was  a  good  coach, 
he  thinks  Eliot  is  an  excellent  man  to  replace  him.  He 
also  said  that  the  team  is  behind  Eliot  one  hundred  per 
cent. 


DALE  HANKINS 

From  north  of  Green  street  we  have  another  man  who 
has  made  good  in  activities  ;  namely,  seruor  track  manager. 
We  are  speaking  of  Dale  Hankins,  a  senior  in  mechanical 
engineering.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Athletic  Council, 
Sachem,  Mawanda,  Pi  Tau  Sigma,  A.S.ALE.,  and  has 
been  president  of   his   fraternity,   Zeta   Psi. 

Dale's  home  town  is  one  of  the  tri-cities,  Moline. 
While  in  Molin  High  School,  he  played  basketball  for 
two  years,  participated  in  dramatics,  and  was  associate 
editor  of  the  yearbook.  His  hobby  is  sports  of  anv  kind, 
especially    swimming    and    badminton. 

He  spent  an  interesting  summer  working  at  Pratt  and 
Whitney  Aircraft  Company  in  East  Hartford,  Connecticut. 
His  work  gave  him  an  opportunity  to  observe  all  the  work- 
ings of  a  large  plant.  He  was  in  the  factory  payroll  rating 
department  whose  job  it  is  to  rerate  wages  according  to 
different  requirements.  Some  of  the  considerations  are  skill 
needed,  experience  needed,  type  of  education  needed,  value 
of  the  tools  used,  and  the  physical  strain  on  the  employees. 

Dale  got  acquainted  with  engineers  from  other  schools 
doing  the  same  class  of  work  and  made  many  friendships. 
Their  social  activities  were  somewhat  limited  due  to  the 
fact  that  they  were  in  the  center  of  gas  rationing.  They 
did  make  a  few  enjoyable  trips  to  New  York  and  the 
ocean,  however. 

Dale's  4.0  average  was  instrumental  in  getting  him  a 
2-A  classification  which  will  allow  him  to  finish  school. 
He  is  very  anxious  to  graduate,  but  after  that  he  will 
either  go  into  industry  or  a  branch  of  the  service  depending 
entirely  on   L'ncle   Sam. 


SAVE    TIME    WITH     THESE 

HANDY  fuEKM  TAPE- RULES 


Every  basy  engineering  stu- 
dent needs  a  Tape-Rule  for 
his  vest  pocket  —  where  it's 
handy  and  ready  for  those 
dozens  oi  little  measuring  jobs 
that  come  up  every  day. 
There's  no  need  wasting  time 
in  search  of  a  tape  or  in  try- 
ing to  guess  the  measurement 
Just  reach  in  your  pocket  for 
your  "Meiurall"  or  "Wizard." 
Your  dealer  can  help  you 
select  the  one  you  need.      ,,^^ 


.-^^^^ 


106  L...,.».  :•>  SAGINAW,  MICHIGAN  WINDSOR,  ONT. 

TAPES -RULES -PRECISION   TOOLS 


NEW  YORK 
I06  Laf«r«tl«  St. 


.tA 


^V.L  TOOLS, 


TO  OUR  yA%l  WAR  EFFORT 

•  Efficient  small  tools,  such  as"  Greenfield"  has 
been  manufacturing  for  more  than  70  years,  are 
essential  to  America's  armament  program. 
"G.T.  D.  Greenfield"  Taps,  Dies,  Twist  Drills, 
Reamers  and  Gages  are  helping  to  build  planes 
and  tanks,  ships  and  guns  on  a  thousand 
"production  fronts." 

America's  great  metal  working  industry  has 
learned  by  long,  practical  experience  that  the 
"G.T.  D.  Greenfield"  trade  mark  means  utmost 
reliability  and  accuracy  in  these  vital  tools. 

GREENFIELD  TAP  AND  DIE  CORPORATION 

GREENFIELD,  MASS.,  U.  $.  A. 


'i^GREENFIELD 


lAPi  ■  Dl£S  ■  GAGK  •    rwiSI  OHltU  •  lt£AMUS  ■  JCJUW  PLAIES 


OCTOBER,  1942 


19 


THE  ILLINOIS 

TECHNOCRAPH 


's  all  Yours  .  .  . 


ADVANTAGES: 

Provides  general  and  specific  information  concerning  all 
fields  of  engineering. 

Introduces  activities  and  accomplishments  of  your  fellow 
classmates,  faculty,  alumni,  and  leaders  in  industry. 

Presents  news  selected  and    prepared  for  engineers. 

MATERIALS  OF  CONSTRUCTION: 

The  thought  and  spirit  of  engineering  students  at  Illinois. 

FOUNDATION: 

With  engineers  since  1885;  that  ought  to  make  it  suffi- 
ciently permanent. 

YOUR  OWN  engineering  college  publication.    Its 
success  is  determined  by  the  support  you  give  it. 

SUGGEST  -  CRITICIZE  -  JOIN  THE  STAFF  -  SUBSCRIBE 
CONTRIBUTE  ARTICLES  -  PATRONIZE  OUR  ADVERTISERS 


20  THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


A.  S.  C.  E.  CONFERENCE 


The  first  annual  Midwestern  Regional  Conference  of 
the  Student  Chapters  of  the  American  Society  of  Civil 
Engineers  at  Wisconsin  L  niversty  started  off  with  addresses 
of  welcome  by  Dr.  Daniel  Mead  and  Dean  Thompson 
at  10:00  Friday  morning,  May  1,  1942.  Dr.  Daniel  Mead 
is  probably,  since  Professor  Talbot's  death,  the  most  noted 
and  loved  Civil  Engineer  in  United  States  and  is  a  past 
president  of  the  A.  S.  C.  E.  Dean  Thompson  is  the  present 
dean  of  the  Wisconsin  Engineering  School.  Their  ad- 
dresses were  inspiring  and  were  very  enthusiastically  re- 
ceived. At  the  conclusion  of  Danny  Mead's  talk  he  passed 
out  cards  with   this   inscription: 

"THE  SUCCESS  FAMILY 

The   father  of  success   is — 
Ifork 

The  mother  of  success  is — 
A  inhition 

The  oldest  son  is 

Coiiiinon    Sf/isc 

Some  of   the   other   bo>s  are — 
Stability 
Courage 
Perserverance 
Honesty 
Thoroughness 
Foresight 
Enthusiasm 
Cooperation 

The    oldest    daughter    is — 
(Jhariii  ter 

Some   of    her   sisters    are — 

Personality 

Cheerfulness 

Loyalty 

Courtesy 

Care 

Economy 

Sincerity 

Harmony 

The  baby  is — 
O  fiportunity 

Get  acquainted   with   the   "old   man"   and   you   will    be   able 
to  get  along  pretty  well  with  all   the  rest  of  the   famih. 

— Anonymous  " 

Dr.  Mead's  parting  words  were  "Don't  take  your- 
self too  seriously  and   don't  take  anybody  too  seriously". 

Following  the  welcoming  address  we  heard  Dr.  Edgar 
End  of  ^Larquette  University  lecture  and  show  slides  of 
"The  Physiological  Problems  of  High  Pressure  Work". 
Dr.  End  has  contributed  greatly  in  this  field.  From  ex- 
periments, he  found  out  that  divers  could  go  almost  twice 
as  deep  by  mixing  helium  in  the  ox\gcn  they  breath  under 
great  pressures  as  compared  with  the  old  mixture  of 
nitrogen  with  the  oxygen.  The  old  record  of  a  22(1  foot 
descent  is  now  broken  with  a  420  foot  descent.  High 
pressures  have  a  mental  effect  on  di\ers,  who,  according  to 
Dr.  Ends,  are  screwy  people  anyway.  One  of  the  best 
divers  in  the  British  Navy  was  so  affected  by  pressure 
that  he  tried  to  unscrew  the  bolts  holding  his  helmet  on 
with  the  idea  of  crawling  thru  the  small  hole  thus  created 


.HiGGinS 


Photo  bir  U.  S.  trmy  SIgnll 
Corps  of  40  mm.  Bofors 
Anti-ilrcrafl  gun  tiken  al 
tberdeeii  Proving  Ground. 


iIILiIjIIIo   waterpriiof 

DRAWING  l\KS 

for  swift,  accurate   work   "under  fire" 

Speed  on  fhe  drawing  board  is  vital  /o  Viclory,  /oo.  That's 
why  engineers,  draftsmen,  artists  depend  on  Higgins  today 
— OS  they  have  for  more  than  60  years.  They  know  Higgins 
Inks  will  flow  freely,  evenly,  into  sharp-edged,  accurate 
lines — broad  or  fine,  drawn  swiftly  or  slowly  in  damp 
weather  or  dry,  on  paper  or  tracing  cloth. 

HIGGII1S  mr,  r.d,  mi:.  •  /jnonKLVjv,  jv.  y. 


(this  is  not  humanly  possible)  and  then  climbing  up  the 
air  cable  to  the  surface  of  the  water.  Another  diver  sent 
down  to  look  at  a  sunken  boat  tied  him.self  to  the  boat 
and   then  demanded   to  be  pulled   up. 

If  it  were  not  for  Dr.  End  and  his  discovery  of  the 
use  of  helium  in  diving,  the  submarine  "The  Squalus  " 
would  not  be  operating  in  the  Pacific  today.  The  present 
name  of  this  submarine  is  "The  Sailfish  ". 

The  above  ended  the  program  for  Friday  morning  and 
we  then  took  luncheon  at  the  Wisconsin  Wesley  Founda- 
tion. President  Elwyn  King  '42  introduced  the  speakei', 
"Parson  Jim"  Flint,  by  saying  that  Mr.  War/.ene  of  the 
Wisconsin  Chapter  said  he  was  a  "damn"  good  preacher 
whereupon  "Parson  Jim"  said  he  didn't  know  how  Mr. 
Warzene  knew  that,  as  he  never  came  to  church.  Parson 
Jim's  after  dinner  talk  was  highlighted  by  stories  of  his 
recent  trip  over  the  big  pond.  The  ship  he  was  on  ran 
into  a  heavy  sea  about  three-fourths  of  the  way  over.  Some 
of  the  passengers  went  up  on  the  deck  to  watch  the  fin'y 
of  the  sea  and  one,  a  little  girl,  was  washed  overboard. 
Any  attempt  to  save  her  by  lowering  a  lifeboat  was  im- 
possible and  no  lifebuoy  that  was  thrown  came  near  her. 
With  superhuman  effort,  he  made  the  rescue.  As  he  swung 
his  foot  over  the  rail  of  the  ship,  a  reporter  rushed  up 
and  exclaimed  "You  are  the  greatest  hero  I  have  ever  seen, 
what  are  your  first  words?"  With  his  chest  heaving  for 
air  the  man  wiped  the  water  off  of  his  face  and  eyes  and 
answered,    "Who   pushed    me   overboard?" 

Because  of  the  national  situation  the  afternoon  was 
devoted  to  a  symposium  on  "Aerial  Bombardment  Protec- 
tion" by  Professor  R.  J.  Roark,  University  of  Wisconsin  ; 
Mr.  John  Messmer,  Construction  Superintendent  of  Mil- 
(Continued  on  page  22) 


OCTOBER,  1942 


21 


TECHNOCRACKED... 


By  PAUL  SALERNO,  M.  E.  '43 


Enthusiastic  freshmen,  smait-aleck  sophomores,  com- 
placent juniors,  and  ver\'  bored  seniors  are  in  evidence  on 
the  engineerinfi  campus  again  this  year.  There  is  a  differ- 
ence, though,  in  the  boys  that  went  to  summer  school. 
They  look  a  bit  more  shop\\f)rn  than  those  of  us  that 
worked    {  ? )    this   summer. 

This  department  is  amazed  at  the  active  participation 
of  the  engineers  in  politics  ui  the  past  two  years.  When 
Tom  ^VIcEneely,  M.  E.  '42  discovered  that  the  engineers 
could  swing  an  election  and  put  John  Mcintosh  for  class 
president  last  year,  the  wise  politicos  south  of  (jreen  street 
have  followed  suit.  This  year  they  had  Hob  Alexander 
running  for  vice-president  on  the  Liberty  Party  ticket  and 
Bud  Christiansen,  C.  E.  and  Bill  Mareneck,  \1.  E.  running 
for  president  and  vice-president,  respectively,  on  the  infant 
Surprise  party  ticket.  Bud  didn't  kno\\-  until  two  davs 
before  that  he  wa.s  ruiuiing.  Wow,  what  a  surprise!  He 
went  to  each  sorority  personally  and  made  a  campaign 
speech.  Too  bad  about  the  surprise  party.  We  would  have 
liked    to    see    two    engineers    in    office    instead    of    one. 

We've  been  wondering  what  sort  of  vitamin  capsules 
Hill  IVLaraneck  uses.  He  can  be  seen  almost  any  night 
with  a  female  companion,  and  yet  his  university  average 
is   4.')S.     Wow!!     Bronze   tablet,    here   we   come! 

The  university  is  contributing  to  the  scrap  metal  drive 
ui  a  big  way.  Witness  the  piles  of  scrap  at  various  places 
on  the  engineering  campus.  We  understand  that  more 
than  one  instructor  was  forced  to  hide  some  of  his  pet 
equipment  from  the  searching  eyes  of  the  scrap  hiniters. 
Still,  the  drive  was  probably  a  good  thing.  Notice  how 
clean   the   crane   bay  in   Talbot   lab  looks. 

We  found  out  the  other  night  that  the  materials  rubber 


shortage  has  caused  more  trouble  than  one  might  suppose. 
The  girl  friend  said  she  found  herself  trying  to  unfasten 
her  liquid  stockings  from  the  girdle  that  she  ga\c  to  the 
scrap   rubber  dri\e   a  month   ago. 

When  asked  why  girls  don't  wear  cotton  stockings, 
she  answered,  "Don't  \ou  know  what  happens  to  girls  who 
wear  cotton  stockings?"    We  answered   no. 

"Nothing,"  she  said. 

It  is  usual  at  this  time  of  the  year  for  the  conductor 
of  this  column  to  give  some  sage  advice  to  the  incoming 
freshmen.  Here  goes.  Bidwells  is  the  best  place  for  candy. 
At  least  it  was  until  they  put  a  window  in  the  back  room. 
Stay  out  of  Hanle\s  on  a  Saturday  night.  You  won't  b? 
able  to  compete  with  the  sailors.  Don't  bother  to  go  over 
to  the  608.    It's  closed. 

Don't  be  discouraged  if  you  can't  get  a  date  some  night. 
Remember,  that  if  you  divide  the  number  of  males  on  this 
campus  b\'  the  number  of  women,  you  will  come  out  with 
approximately    .1.42687    (slide    rule    calculations). 

In  addition  to  the  W.A.V.E.S.  and  the  W.A.A.C.S., 
we  now  have  the  W.E.E.D.S.  These  won't  effect  your 
hay  fever,  though.  Their  full  title  is  Women's  Emergency 
Engineering  Drafting  Service.  (Incidently,  this  isn't  the 
1-A  type  of  drafting  that  we  are  talking  about.)  This  is 
realh'  on  the  legit.  We  know  a  couple  of  W.E.E.D.S.  up 
in    Chicago. 

Because  the  senior  inspection  trips  are  no  longer  possible, 
some  of  the  senior  \l.  E.'s  were  considering  .seriously  tak- 
ing a  few  kegs  over  to  the  basement  of  the  Abbott  power 
plant  and  spending  the  equivalent  time  there.  Hm,  not  a 
bad    idea. 


A.  S.  C.  E.  CONFERENCE 

(  (Idiitiniii  d  fidin  fiiu/c  21) 

waukee  County;  and  Mr.  J.  G.  Kessler,  Fire  Prevention 
Engineer  of  the  State  of  Wisconsin.  The  types  of  bombs 
discussed  were  the  500  pound  demolition  bomb,  the  30 
pound  fragmentation  bomb  and  the  2.2  pound  incendiary 
bomb.  (M  these  the  most  economical  and  also  the  most 
effective  destroyer  is  the  incendiary  bomb.  Engineers  in 
this  field  have  developed  basic  formulas  with  which  to 
calculate  the  action  and  characteristics  of  these  bombs. 
Knowing  that  we  would  not  remember  the  formulas  and 
the  different  graphs  between  Blast  Pressure  and  Time,  the 
whole  discu.ssion  was  summarized  by  saying  that  it  was  not 
economically   practical   to  build   structures   to   resist  bombs. 

The  evening  banquet  was  held  in  the  C^ld  Madison 
Room  of  the  Wisconsin  Memorial  Union.  The  speaker 
was  Pat  Norris  a  well  known  after-dinner  speaker  and 
his  topic  was  "Supersonic  Sound  Waves".  Mr.  Norris,  a 
Wisconsin  graduated  engineer,  gave  us  a  \  ery  humorous 
definition  of  a  Decibel  and  told  of  some  of  the  funnier 
incidents  of  his  school  days.  These  well  placed  technical 
jokes  made  us  engineers  feel  right  at  home.  By  this  time 
everybody  was  in  a  mirthful  mood  and  the  talk  was  jur.t 
getting  started.  Since  a  paper  record  of  this  hour  thit 
Freddie    Horton    '43   will    always   be   laughing  about   mif;!^ 


reveal  .some  trade  secrets,  it  will  have  to  be  stricken  from 
the  records. 

After  the  banquet  came  the  ball,  the  most  successful 
e\ent  of  all.  According  to  the  boys  the  blind  dates  were 
good  looking  and  nice  and  here  we  must  again  pay  a  tribute 
to  the  Wisconsin  A.  S.  C.  E.  Student  Chapter  for  the  care 
and  work  they  went  to  in  arranging  this  and  also  the  other 
parts  of  the  program.  Without  a  doubt  this  was  a  re- 
markable feat,  for  absolutely  e\-er\  part  of  the  program 
went  off  without  a  hitch. 

Saturday  morning  was  spent  with  talkies  on  "Un- 
finished Rainbows"  by  the  Aluminum  Company  of  .'\merica. 
"Defense  and  the  Telephone"  and  "Safe  (luarding  Military 
Information"  by  the  Western  Electric  Company  and  with 
the  presentation  of  a  paper  on  the  "Design  and  Technique 
of  Welded  Joints"  by  Mr.  Archer  of  the  Lincoln  Electric 
Company.  Oddly  enough  the  great  de\eloiiment  in  this 
field  has  come  in  the  last  ten  years  just  as  in  the  High 
Pre.ssure  Field  which  was  discu.ssed  by  Dr.  Ends.  This 
development  has  been  so  great  that  it  is  now  almost  im- 
possible with  present  day  equipment  and  shielded  electrodes. 
to  make  a  bad  weld. 

The  first  annual  Midwestern  Regional  Conference  of 
the  Student  Chapters  of  the  A.  S.  C.  E.  was  adjourned 
following  the  announcement  of  the  names  of  the  officers 
for  the  next  meeting  which  would  be  held  at  the  Uni\ersity 
of  Illinois  and  expressions  of  thanks  to  our  host  for  the 
fine  time  we  all   had. 


22 


THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


BLAZING  THE  WAY 
TO  FASTER  PRODUCTION 

As  EASILY  as  a  kiiife  cuts  through  pancakes,  this 
white-hot  oxy-acetylene  flame  zips  through  stacks  of 
steel  plates  .  .  .  turning  out  metal  parts  in  a  fraction 
of  the  time  required  hy  other  methods. 

Cutting  as  many  as  twenty  plates  at  a  time,  this 
knife  that  never  dulls  .  . .  guided  by  positive  tem- 
plates .  . .  can  follow  the  sharp  twists  and  turns  of 
highly  complicated  patterns.  Oxy-acetylene  stack- 
cutting  saves  shaping,  machining,  and  assembly  time. 
It  produces  parts  of  identical  size  and  shape.  It  re- 
duces scrap  losses  .  .  .  makes  possible  substantial  sav- 
ings in  subsequent  machining  and  fitting  operations. 

Stack-cutting  is  only  one  of  the  many  oxy-acety- 
lene processes  for  cutting,  fabricating,  and  treating 
metals  which  manufacturers  are  using  to  speed  up 
production  today.  Whether  cutting  up  scrap ...  or 
skimiing  steel  alive  by  planing  a  light  cut  from  the 
four  sides  of  steel  blooms  as  they  speed  down  the  roll 
table  ...  or  helping  to  shape  and  weld  finished  steel 
.  .  .  the  oxy-acetylene  flame  is  a  tireless  worker  in 
modern  manufacturing. 

Would  you  like  to  know  how  flame-cutting  and  other  oxy- 
acetylene  processes  could  be  applied  to  your  business?  You  are 
cordially  invited  to  avail  yourself  of  the  store  of  knowledge 
Linde  technicians  have  assembled  over  a  long  period  of  years. 

The  imporlaiu  developments  in  flame-culting — an<l  other  proc- 
esses unci  methods  for  producing,  fabricuting.  and  treating 
melids — which  have  been  made  by  The  Linde  Air  Products 
Company  were  greatly  facilitated  by  collaboration  with  Union 
Carbide  and  Carbon  Research  Laboratories.  Inc..  and  hy  the 
metallurgical  experience  of  Electro  Metallurgical  Company  and 
Haynes  Stellite  Company — all  Units  of  Union  Carbide  and 
Carbon  Corporation. 

THE  LINDE  AIR  PRODUCTS  COMPANY 

Unit  of  Union  Carbide  and  Carbon  Corporation 


S 


OFFICES  IN 
PRINCIPAL  CITIES 


6'BCamfius  /i/ews 


COLLECTOR 


VINCENT  J.  SCHAKFER,  ot  the  G-E  Researcli 
Laboratory,  used  to  collect  snowflakes,  and  because 
ot  his  hobby  metallurt;ists  now  have  a  simple  method  ot 
observing  details  ot  metal  structures  tar  too  tine  to  be  seen 
with  an  ordinary  microscope. 

The  young  scientist's  method  ot  "  casting"  snowflakes 
in  a  film  of  Formvar  has  solved  the  problem  ot  how  to  get 
a  metal  specimen  thin  enough  to  be  examined  in  the  elec- 
tron microscope.  (This  device  uses  electrons  instead  ot 
light  to  form  the  magnified  images,  and  the  electrons 
must  pass  through  the  specimen.) 

A  thin  film  of  resin,  stripped  from  the  specimen  and 
retaining  all  the  details  of  the  metal  surtace,  can  be  placed 
in  the  microscope  and  be  magnified  as  much  as  100,000 
diameters. 


CALAM/TV  /OE 

EVERYTHING  happens  to  Joe. 
And  anything  is  likely  to  happen  when  he  picks 
up  the  welder's  electrode,  because  Joe  MaGee,  an  animated 
cartoon  character,  doesn't  know  the  first  thing  about  weld- 
ing. Throughout  the  new  Ci-E  instructional  movie,  "The 
Inside  of  Arc  Welding,"  he  seems  to  do  the  wrong  thing. 

Copyright,  1942,  General  Electric  Company.  Schenectady.  N.  Y. 


But  Joe  does  a  good  job  of  teaching  you  how  not  to 
strike  the  arc  and  how  not  to  control  the  metal  in  the 
molten  pool.  His  bungles,  plus  close-ups  of  the  arcs  in 
action,  make  this  full-color  film  "one  ot  the  most  helpful 
training  aids  ever  offered  to   the   welding   industry." 

The  movie  is  in  six  parts.  Each  part  {16  mm.)  is  com- 
plete in  itself — a  lo-minute  sound  production  covering 
one  particular  phase  ot  arc  welding  in  full  detail. 

Organized  groups  may  borrow  the  films  with  no  charge 
other  than  transportation  costs;  schools  and  industry 
may  buy  single  reels  at  cost — J52  each — tor  use  in  training 
welders.  Write  Campus  News,  General  Electric,  Co., 
Schenectady,  N.  Y. 


THE  one  announcer  in  the  country  who  can  give 
weather  forecasts  over  the  air  is  a  mechanical  man 
who  broadcasts  from  a  point  12  miles  up  in  the  stratc^- 
sphere,  where  next  week's  weather  is  in  the  making. 

This  mechanical  investigator,  whose  heart  is  an  electron 
tube,  works  for  the  U.  S.  Weather  Bureau.  He  weighs 
only  a  couple  of  pounds  and  looks  like  a  large  box  camera. 
As  a  small  balloon  takes  him  up,  the  robot  broadcasts 
the  atmospheric  conditions  he  finds.  Tuned  in  with  a 
ground  receiver,  the  radio  signals  tell  the  temperature, 
wind  velocity,  etc.  The  balloon  bursts  at  the  low  pressure 
limit  (about  60,000  feet  above  ground),  and  a  parachute 
brings  the  radio  sonde,  as  it  is  called,  down  to  earth. 

The  mechanical  weatherman  carries  a  calling  card  with 
his  return  address  on  it  in  case  he  gets  lost  on  the  way 
back. 


GENERAL  A  ELECTRIC 


24 


THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


i 


I 


iKARy  OF  THE 

^^^  i  1  1543'  .< 

November 

1942 


NOMOGRAPHS 

BERMAN  LOCATOR 

AMERICA'S 
SEVEN  ACES 

NAMES  IN  THE 
NEWS 

TECHNOCRACKED 
OUR  SOCIETIES 


lished    1885 


Member  E.C.M.A. 


HE   SPECIALIZES  IN  "BIG  STUFF." 

L.  A.  Kilgore  has  been  designing  elec- 
tric generators,  rectifiers,  and  motors 
es'er  since  he  joined  Weslinghouse 
...  but  his  40,000  h.p.  Wriglit  Field 
wind-tunnel  motor  tops  them  all. 
Kilgore  received  his  E.  E.  at  the 
University  of  Nebraska  and  his  M.S. 
at  the  University  of  Pittsburgh. 


The  hurricane  that  shapes 
an  eagle's  wings. 


THE  LIGHTNING  SPEED  of  the  modern  warplane  lias  brought 
a  lot  of  headaches  to  aircraft  designers. 

Wind-tunnels,  the  "proving  grounds"  of  aviation,  were  satis- 
factory for  studying  the  performance  of  the  lighter,  slower 
planes  of  yesterday.  But  tliey  were  not  adeciuate  for  today's 
fighter  planes  .  . .  with  top  speeds  of  oi'er  400  miles  per  hour. 

To  investigate  the  terrific  forces  at  work  at  these  high  speeds, 
the  U.  S.  Army  demanded  a  wind-tunnel  that  would  produce 
a  tornado  many  times  greater  than  Nature's  wildest  gale. 

Army  officials  asked  AVestinghouse  to  take  over  the  job  of 
building  the  electric  motor  to  drive  the  fans  in  this  tunnel. 

The  two  fans  were  to  be  truly  colossal ...  40  feet  across,  with  a 
combined  weight  of  nearly  150  tons.  They  were  to  be  mounted 
on  a  16-inch  solid  steel  shaft,  120  feet  long.  Merely  starting 
this  great  mass  in  motion,  with  minimum  disturbance  to  the 
power  system,  was  the  toughest  kind  of  engineering  problem. 

To  complicate  the  problem  further,  a  wide  range  of  air 
speeds  is  required  for  wind-tunnel  testing.  And  at  each  air 
speed  the  motor  speed  must  be  held  constant,  regardless  of 
fluctuations  in  the  electric  power  lines. 

L.  A.  Kilgore  ...  in  collaboration  with  J.  C.  Fink  .  .  .  tackled 
the  problem.  In  twelve  months  these  Westinghouse  engineers 
designed  and  supervised  the  construction  and  installation  of  a 
40,000  hp  wound-rotor  induction  motor .  .  .  world's  largest  of 
its  kind  ...  an  installation  that  met  every  Army  requirement. 

That  40,000  horse  power  motor  ...  a  direct  result  of  West- 


inghouse "know  how". . .  is  now  in  service  in  the  new  $2,500,000 
wind-tunnel  at  Wright  Field.  Large  airplane  models  and  actual- 
size  motors,  with  whirling  propellers,  are  tested  and  studied 
in  its  400-miIe-an-hour  windstream. 


Kilgore  and  Fink  have  given  vital  aid  to  winning  the  war  .  .  , 
for  they  have  helped  to  make  it  possible  for  Army  experts  to 
learn  many  new  facts  about  plane  performance  and  plane 
design,  facts  of  utmost  importance  in  gaining  and  maintaining 
air  supremacy  over  the  Axis. 

Today  the  need  for  engineers  is  very  great.  Of  the  300  young 
engineering  graduates  who  joined  Westinghouse  last  spring, 
many  are  already  showing  great  promise  in  engineering. 

Westinghouse  looks  to  the  Class  of  '43  for  its  future  scientists 

and  engineers. 

•       •       • 

THE  WESTINGHOUSE  ENGINEER  ...  a  quarterly  magazine 
brimful  of  iulcrestiug  articles  on  electronic  research  and  elec- 
trical engineering  .  .  .  keeps  you  posted  on  the  latest  scientific 
developments.  Profusely  illustrated.  Subscription,  only  50fi  a 
year.  Address:  Westinghouse  Electric  &  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, Department  6N-17,  East  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania. 


Westinghouse 


...MAKING   ELECTRICITY    WORK  FOR    VICTORY 

THE  TECHNOGRAPF 


NOVEMBER  •  1942 


This  Issue  .  .  . 

A  Short  Course  in  Nomography 7 

By  S.  H.  Pierce,  Associate  in  G.E.D. 

Berman  Locator H 

By  Donald  Haliberg 

America's  Seven  Aces 12 

Names  in  the  News 14 

By  William  R.  Schniitz 

Our  Societies 16 

By   Byron    Robinson 

Technocracked   20 

By   Paul   Salerno 


THE  TECHNOCRAPH 


Staff  .  .  . 

L.  Byron  Welsh Editor 

William   G.    Murphy Associate    Editor 

Paul  Salerno Assistant  Editor 

Lee  Sullivan Photographer 

SENIOR    EDITORIAL    STAFF 

Walter    J.    Gailus,    Steven    Yurenka.    John    L.    Colp 

EDITORIAL    ASSISTANTS 

William  R.   Schmitz,   Byron   M.   Robinson.   Don  Hallberg, 

Jim  Murray.   Eugene   Bixby,   William  Rychel.  Charles  E. 

Yale.    Jack    Steele,    Herb    Newmark 

Dean  E.  Madden Business  Manager 

William  Beich Circulation  Manager 

Alex  Green Subscription  Manager 

BUSINESS    STAFF 

David    Causey,      Byron     Krulevitch,      Don     Deno,      John 

Henton,      Bob    Rouse.      William     Lurvey,      James     Lyle, 

James   A.   Chapman 

MEMBER    OF    ENGINEERING    COLLEGE    MAGAZINES 
ASSOCIATED 

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Published  Eight  Times  Yearly  by  the  Students  of 
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Frontispiece  . . . 

In  the  20-below  zero  temperature  of  the 
refrigerated  "igloo"  of  a  Westinghouse 
laboratory,  a  circuit  breaker  is  being  pre- 
pared for  a  high-voltage  test.  (Cut  courtesy 
Westinghouse). 


Cover  .  .  . 

All-out  production  of  war  materials  by 
American  Industry.  (Cut  courtesy  General 
Electric). 


I 


t 


X  ^v^^:^ 


ih   *S 


Afii^yA^i»w 


A  SHORT  COURSE 


in  Nomography 


By  MR.  S.  H    PIERCE 

Associate  hi  G.E.D. 


Through  the  ages  man  has  endeavored  to  find 
methods  for  simpHfying  calculation  of  numerical  equa- 
tions so  that  speed  and  accuracy  may  be  achieved.  One 
notable  forward  step  was  Napier's  discovery  of  loga- 
rithms that  was  published  in  1614.  By  means  of  a 
table  of  logarithms,  a  thorough  understanding  of  its  use 
and  accuracy  in  application  to  specific  problems,  one  is 
able  to  shorten  the  time  required  to  determine  the 
answer  to  a  mathematical  equation. 

Lieutenant  Amedee  Mannheim,  a  French  artillery 
officer,  found  that  he  required  a  faster  means  of  calcu- 
lation in  order  to  train  his  guns  on  a  target  with  greater 
speed.  He  constructed  one  of  the  first  slide  rules  that 
took  advantage  of  the  principles  of  logarithms  but 
eliminated  the  necessity  of  adding  logarithmic  numbers 
to  realize  an  answer.  Of  course  his  slide  rule  was  not 
the  "slip  stick"  of  beauty  and  dexterity  that  we  see  on 
the  hip  of  most  every  engineer  today,  but  it  was  a 
modest  beginning  in  the  field  of  rapid  calculation. 

Eventually  the  alignment  chart,  or  nomograph,  was 
devised  by  Maurice  d'Ocagne  in  1899.  His  classical 
work  on  this  subject  was  published  in  the  book  "Traite 
de  Nomographie."  Briefly,  a  nomograph  is  an  arrange- 
ment of  scales,  each  representing  a  variable  in  an  equa- 
tion, that  are  spaced  and  graduated  so  that  by  laying 
a  straight  edge  across  them  at  known  values  the  un- 
known quantity  may  be  read  directly.     Such  a  chart 


can  be  used  by  persons  who  have  had  comparatively 
little  training  in  mathematical  problems  and  the  results 
obtained  are  sufficiently  accurate  for  most  engineering 
work.  There  is  no  difficulty  in  determining  the  posi- 
tion of  the  decimal  point  as  is  the  case  with  slide  rule 
calculations  and  furthermore,  the  time  saved  by  the  use 
of  nomographs  is  tremendous. 

Many  forms  of  alignment  charts  have  been  devised 
to  represent  the  diversified  types  of  equations  that  are 
encountered;  also,  several  methods  are  used  in  their 
design.  Since  each  variable  in  an  equation  is  repre- 
sented by  a  scale  on  the  chart,  it  is  necessary  to  have 
at  least  as  many  scales  as  there  are  variables  in  the 
equation.  Also  the  arrangement  of  the  functions  of  the 
variables  has  a  bearing  on  the  form  of  chart  to  be  used. 
The  illustration  below.  Figure  1,  shows  typical  arrange- 
ments of  scales  for  several  type  forms  of  equations. 
Where  an  equation  has  a  product  of  functions  it  may 
be  reduced  to  a  sum  of  functions  by  taking  logarithms 
of  the  equation.  Such  scales  would  be  graduated  loga- 
rithmically on  the  chart. 

Two  methods  generally  used  in  designing  nomographs 
are  the  determinant  and  the  geometrical  method.  The 
use  of  determinants  is  a  delicate  mathematical  procedure 
and  is  used  best  by  those  who  have  had  considerable 
experience  with  them.  Excellent  results  are  obtained 
by  the  novice  with  the  geometrical  method  if  he  has  an 


Parallel  Scale 

Chart 
f(r)4f(s)=f(t) 


Parallel  Scale  Chart 
f(q)  +  f(r)-ff(s)  =  f(t) 


N-Chart 
f(r)=f(s)/f(t) 


Proportionality 
Chart 
f(q)  _  lUi 


Concurrent  Scale 
Chart 
1    ,1^1 

rr^+  fR)   nry 


Chart  with  one 

Curved  Scale 
f(r)-ff(f,)*fi(t) 
=fo(t) 


Combination  Parallel 

Scale  &  N-Chart 
f(q)-H^(r)rf(G)/f(t) 


Chart  with  two 
Curveo  Scales 
f  (q)fL(G)^f^(r)f^(s)- 
f2(r)f^(o)-f  (q)f^(r)  =  0 


Fig.  1.    Common  Chart  Forms 


NOVEMBER,  1942 


average  knowledge  of  algebra,  logarithms  and  geometry. 

All  parallel  scale  charts  of  three  or  more  variables 
have  as  their  basis  the  simple  three  variable  parallel 
scale  nomograph  shown  in  Fig.  1.  The  type  form  of 
equation  that  this  chart  solves  is  f(r)  +  f(s)  =  f(t)  and 
the  functions  do  not  necessarily  have  to  be  of  the  same 
kind.  The  function  of  (t)  is  plotted  on  the  middle  scale 
and  the  other  functions  are  plotted  on  the  outside  scales. 

When  designing  a  chart  for  this  type  of  equation, 
the  relative  scale  spacing  and  the  method  of  graduating 
them,  to  give  a  proper  solution,  must  be  determined. 
The  derivation  of  these  relationships  is  short  and  will 
be  given  below. 

The  separate  scales  are  called  functional  scales, 
because  they  indicate  distances  that  are  proportional 
to  the  values  of  the  functions  for  the  numbered  values 
of  the  variable.  In  making  a  functional  scale  between 
certain  definite  limits,  the  values  of  the  function  are 
multiplied  by  a  factor  of  proportionality.  This  factor 
is  termed  a  functional  modulus  and  is  designated  by  the 
letter  "m"  with  a  subscript  to  denote  the  function  to 
which  it  is  assigned. 

The  meaning  of  a  functional  modulus  ma>'  be  made 
clear  by  an  example  such  as  the  scales  on  a  mechanical 
engineer's  scale.  The  length  of  the  full  size  scale  is 
divided  into  twelve  one  inch  units  so  that  one  inch  on 
the  scale  represents  one  unit  of  measurement.  On  the 
1^"  =  1"  scale  there  are  forty-eight  units  and  in  this 
case  one-fourth  inck  on  the  scale  represents  one  of  these 
units.  The  value,  one-fourth  inch  per  unit  is  termed 
the  functional  modulus  for  the  scale. 

Expressed  in  mathematical  form:  where  Lx  is  the 
length  of  the  scale,  mx  is  the  functional  modulus,  f(X2) 
the  upper  limit  of  the  function  of  the  function  to  be 
plotted  and  f(Xi)  the  lower  limit  of  the  function 

Lx  =  mx  [f(X2)  -  f(X,)]        •     • 


If  the  lower  limit  of  the  function  is  zero,  then 


Lx  =  mx  flXj) 


(1) 


(2) 


Figure  2  shows  the  geometrical  basis  for  the  con- 
struction of  a  three  variable  parallel  scale  chart  that 
solves  an  equation  of  the  form  f{r)  -f-  f(s)  =  f(t). 


Fie. 


Geometrical    basiK    for    constriK'tion    <if 
Parallel    Scale    Charts 


It  is  assumed  that  A,  D  and  H  are  zero  values  of 
the  functions  (r),  (t)  and  (s)  respectively  and  the  iso- 
pleth  is  a  line  that  intersects  the  three  scales  at  values 

8 


satisfying  the  given  equation.     BF  and  EG  are  drawn 
parallel  to  AH.  . 

From  the  similar  triangles  BCF  and  EFG  ' 


BC 

a 


EF  AC 

;  or,  


DF 


DF-GH 


(3) 


From   the   previous  discussion,   the   lengths  of   the 
functional  scale  are 

AC  =  mrf(r),  DF  =  m,f(t)  and  GH  =  mj(s) 

Substituting  these  \alues  in  equation   (3)  and  col- 
lecting terms 


mrf(r)  +  7-mJ(s) 


=  m.(l+|) 


^    f(t) 


(4) 


To  reduce  this  equation  to  the  type  form  f(r)  +  f(s) 
=  f(t),  the  coefficients  of  the  three  terms  must  be 
equal,  or 


mr 


m. 


mt(l+-j~).     Ifmr=    .m,,  then 


mr 

ms 


a 

IT 


(5) 


25006— mini    Publishing  Co.  10  pt.   No.   1 

Schmidt— 11-4-42  Galley    TWO 

This  establishes  the  scale  spacing  a  b  in  terms  of 
the  functional  moduli  of  the  two  outside  scales. 


If       mr 


m,  (  1  +  j    ) .  then  m,  =  m,  f  1  H '-  j 


or  mt  = 


mrms 


mr  +  ma 


(6) 


which  gives  the  relationship  between  the  outside 
scale  functional  moduli  and  the  functional  modulus  for 
the  center  scale.  Equations  (1),  (5),  and  (6)  are  always 
used  in  designing  any  parallel  scale  chart  and  they 
should  be  learned  thoroughly  by  the  beginner. 

The  application  of  these  equations  in  designing  a 
simple  chart  will  be  given  for  the  kinetic  energy  equa- 
tion, KE  =  W\"-  64.4  with  limits  of  the  velocity  \' 
from  30  to  90  feet  per  second  and  the  weight  W  from 
10  to  100  pounds.  The  limits  for  KE  are  140  to  12,600 
foot-pounds  as  found  by  substituting  the  values  of  W 
and  V  in  the  equation. 

Conversion  of  the  equation  into  a  sum  of  functions 
is  accomplished  1)\'  taking  logarithms  of  the  expression 
to  obtain 

Log  K.E.  =  Log  W  +  2  Log  V  —  Log  64.4 

The  constant  term  Log  64.4  may  be  disregarded,  as  it 
will  be  taken  care  of  automatically  when  the  third  scale 
is  plotted.  It  is  possible  to  choose  functional  moduli 
for  two  of  the  scales  but  the  moduli  for  the  third  scale 
is  determined  from  equation  (6)  above. 

Equations  for  the  lengths  of  the  W'  and  \'  scales  are: 

Lw  =  m\v[Log  100  —  Log  lO]  =  1  •  mw 
Lv  =  mv[2  Log  90-2  Log  30]  =  0.954mv 

If  we  choose  niw  =  10"  per  unit  and  my  also  10" 
per  unit,  the  lengths  of  the  W  and  V  scales  will  be  10" 
and  9.54"  respectively.  The  ratio  of  a,  b  will  be  unity 
so  that  the  middle  scale  will  be  placed  exactly  half  way 
between  the  outside  scales. 

Calculation  of  the  functional  modulus  for  the  center 
scale  is  determined  from  equation  (6). 


mwmv 


10  X  10 


mKE  = T =    ,n    I    1(7  =  ^  inches  per  unit 

mw  +  niv  10  +  10 

This  completes  the  calculations  needed  to  construct 

THE  TECHNOGR.APH 


100 


90  — 


80 


70 


60  — 


50  — 


45 


40 


35 


30  — 


25 


20 


15    - 


O 

Z 
D 
O 
Q. 


I 

o 

u 

I 


10  — ' 


10,000  - 
9,000  - 
8,000  - 

7,000  - 
6,000  - 

5,000 
4,000  -=: 

3,000  -^ 


2,000 


1,500    - 


KINETIC    ENERGY 
FORMULA 


1,000  - 
900 
800 
700 

60  0  — 

500  —_ 

400  -^ 
300  — 


200 


CQ 


>- 
O 
t£. 

UJ 

Z 

u 

I- 
u 

z 

I 


K.E.= 


64.4 


90 


-  85 


80 


-  75 


—  70 


-  65 


—  60 


U 
UJ 
</) 

CC 

LJ 

a. 


ii. 

z 

>■ 

H 
O 

o 
_l 
u 
> 
I 

> 


55 


—  50 


45 


—  40 


-  35 


•—  30 


Fig.    3.     Chart    for    Kinetic   Energy 


NOVEMBER,  1942 


g 

z 

UJ 

Z 

o 
a 

O 
II 

>- 


-2— ' 


X  =  Abscissa   in   iooo  ft. 

A  =  Angle  of  elevation  in  degrees 

Fig.   4.    Projwtile   Trajectory   Chart 


the  nomograph.  To  plot  values  of  \V  =  10,  20,  etc. 
to  100  on  the  \V  scale,  multiply  the  logarithms  of  these 
numbers  by  the  functional  modulus  mw  =  10  and  mark 
off  these  distances  on  the  left  hand  scale.  The  V  scale 
is  plotted  by  multiplying  values  of  the  function  2  Log  V, 
when  V  equals  30,  40,  etc.,  by  the  functional  modulus 
mv  =  10  and  marking  these  distances  on  the  right  hand 
scale. 

If  a  line  is  drawn  connecting  the  values  of  \V  =  10 
and  V  =  30  its  intersection  with  the  middle  scale  is  the 
point  where  KE  =  140.  This  establishes  a  starting 
point  for  graduating  the  K.E.  scale  logarithmically  using 
a  functional  modulus  of  5"  per  unit.  After  marking  the 
major  graduations  it  is  best  to  check  the  chart  to  be  sure 
that  it  solves  the  equation  for  several  positions  of  the 
isopleth.  Further  subdivisions  can  be  added  to  allow 
accurate  reading  of  intermediate  values.  Figure  3  shows 
the  completed  chart  for  this  equation. 

The  equation  for  projectile  trajectory  contains  four 
variables  but  for  convenience  is  reduced  to  one  of  three 
variables  by  assuming  values  for  the  angle  "A".  Since 
the  variable  X  appears  in  two  different  functions,  the 
scales  for  X  are  curved.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that 
in  most  cases  two  values  of  X  are  obtained  when  using 
an  i.sopleth  across  the  chart.  An  examination  of  the 
path  of  a  projectile,  as  shown  in  the  sketch  in  the  upper 


corner  of  Figure  4,  shows  that  this  is  to  be  expected. 

In  recent  years  the  v'arious  technical  journals  have 
been  publishing  charts  for  use  in  engineering  fields. 
Civil  engineers  would  be  interested  in  the  charts 
designed  by  Lieutenant  James  R.  Griffith,  ITSNR, 
formerly  professor  of  structural  engineering  at  Oregon 
State  College.  These  have  been  published  monthly  in 
Western  Construction  News  since  1939.  Electrical 
Engineering  for  December  1940  contains  an  article  by 
Guido  E.  Farrara  dealing  with  charts  for  electrical 
engineers.  A  large  number  of  charts  are  found  in 
mechanical  engineering  magazines  because  they  are 
especially  useful  for  formulas  that  are  met  in  mechanical 
design. 

From  this  brief  description  of  the  construction  and 
use  of  alignment  charts,  it  is  evident  that  they  are  tools 
of  great  importance  in  the  engineering  world. 

Note:  Figures  1,  2  and  4  are  reproduced  from  Graphic 
Aids  in  Engineering  Computations  with  permission  of  the 
authors. 


Professor  Babbitt:  Why  are  so  many  Chinese  named 
Wing? 

Homer  Wong:  Because  fifty  million  Chinese  can't  be 
Wong ! 


10 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


THE   BERMAN   LOCATOR 


By  DONALD  HALLBERG,  G.E.  '46 


There  was  but  one  instrument  nt  Its  kind  in  the  world 
that  could  immediately  locate  bullets,  metal  frag:ments,  and 
shrapnel  which  were  lodged  in  the  human  body.  This  instru- 
ment was  the  Berman  Locator.  On  the  seventh  day  of 
December,  1041,  by  an  act  of  fate  it  was  placed  in  a 
Honolulu  hospital.  During  the  da\  which  we  remember 
so  well,  it  helped  a  small  number  of  doctors  to  treat  960 
casualties!  Such  is  the  dramatic  opening  to  the  story  of 
an  instrument  which  was  developed  to  fill  a  long-felt  want 
in  the  field  of  surgical  aid. 

The  Berman  Locator  was  designed  to  aid  surgeons 
in  locating  metal  fragments  which  are  lodged  in  the  body. 
Despite  the  development  of  X-Ray  localization  devices  by 
means  of  which  the  position  of  a  foreign  body  may  be 
indicated  with  high  precision,  the  fact  remains  that  at  the 
operation,  when  an  incision  is  made,  the  disturbances  to 
the  tissue  by  knife,  forceps,  and  retractors  move  the  foreign 
body  from  its  original  position,  and  the  surgeon  is  left 
entirely  on  his  own.  Some  may  say :  "Why  not  use  a 
fluoroscope  ?"  There  are  many  difficulties  connected  with 
the  use  of  the  fluoroscope  during  an  operation.  First,  the 
surgeons  cannot  readily  protect  his  hands  with  lead  gloves 
while  operating.  Then,  the  darkened  room  may  endanger 
sterilization,  and,  as  a  number  of  attempts  are  usually 
necessary,  much  valuable  time  is  lost.  Because  of  these, 
and  other  difficulties,  the  fluoroscope  is  not  entirely  satis- 
factory. These  facts  make  foreign  body  surgery  extra- 
ordinary difficult,  and  surgeons  of  unquestioned  skill  are 
at   times   forced   to   give   up   in    failure. 

The  Berman  Locator,  which  is  operated  on  the  principle 
of  electro-magnetic  induction,  safely,  silently,  gives  the 
surgeon  instantaneous  and  continuous  localization  of  metallic 
foreign  bodies  both  from  the  exterior,  prior  to  operation, 
or  within  the  incision  during  an  operation.  The  locator, 
which  is  a  light  instrument,  weighing  only  20  pounds,  has 
none  of  the  disadvantages  of  the  X-ray,  when  used  at  the 
operating  table.  It  is  quick,  reliable,  highly  sensitive,  small, 
easily  portable,  and  has  no  injurious  radiation  or  high  volt- 
ages, is  readily  sterilizeable,  and  is  used  under  full  illumina- 
tion of  the  operating  field. 

In  quite  a  number  of  foreign  body  operations,  this  in- 
strument has  been  used  without  a  single  failure,  and  in 
some  cases  without  the  aid  of  X-ray  photographs.  It  must 
be  emphasized,  however,  that  the  locator  is  by  no  means 
intended  to  take  the  place  of  or  render  superfluous,  the 
usual  X-ray  localization  prior  to  operation.  In  some  simple 
cases,  such  as  a  small  fragment  in  the  hand,  where  the 
histor\'  is  fidh  known,  the  locator  itself  may  be  quite 
sufficient.  In  general,  though,  and  particularly  where  there 
may  be  multiple  fragments.  X-ray  photographs,  if  at  all 
available,   should   be  obtained   first. 

Essentially,  Model  BL3  is  a  modified  form  of  vacuum 
tube  voltmeter  comprising  a  probe  containing  a  search  coil 
and  its  associated  circuit,  connected  to  a  high  gain  amplifier 
whose  output  feeds  into  a  meter  circuit.  The  probe  and 
meter  circuits  are  so  balanced  that  when  there  is  no  metal 
within  the  effective  field  of  the  probe,  the  meter  reading 
is  approximately  zero.  When  metal  is  introduced  within 
the  effective  field  of  the  probe,  the  original  inductive  balance 
is  disturbed,  and  the  meter  needle  rises  higher  and  higher 
until  a  maximum  indication  is  reached  where  the  probe  is 
closest  to  the  bodv. 


Each  instrument  is  provided  with  a  2U-foot  ground 
lead  which  terminates  in  a  spring  clip.  This  clip  should 
be  attached  to  a  good  ground,  such  as  a  water  pipe,  an 
electrical  conduit,  or  other  grounded  metallic  conductor 
which  has  been  thoroughly  cleaned  of  rust,  paint,  dirt,  etc.,  so 
that  a  good  electrical  contact  is  assured.  This  is  necessary 
for  two  reasons:  the  elimination  of  body  capacity,  which 
may  affect  the  meter  indications,  and  the  removal  of  static 
charges  which  ma\'  otherwise  cause  tiny  sparks  upon  con- 
tact with  the  probe. 

On  the  instrument  panel  there  is  but  one  operating 
control,  located  near  the  upper  left-hand  corner,  marked 
"Sensitivity."  This  control  is  combined  with  the  113-volt 
A.C.  power  switch,  and  is  similar  in  its  action  to  the 
ordinary  volume  control  of  a  radio  receiver.  The  low 
senstivitiy  is  obtained  near  the  "off"  position  of  the  control 
and  the  maximum  sensitivity  is  obtained  at  the  extreme 
right-hand  end  of  the  dial. 

The  probe  handle  has  a  control  sleeve  can  be  rotated 
to  the  right  or  left,  and  can  also  be  slid  up  or  down.  This 
sleeve  moves  two  inductive  elements  whose  correct  adjust- 
ments are  essential  for  obtaining  maximum  efficiency  in  the 
operation  of  the  locator.  For  a  better  understanding  of  these 
controls,   the   following  information  will   be  helpful. 

The  detecting  circuit  associated  with  the  probe  consists 
(Continued   on   page   IS) 


— CoHitcsy    li'atiyh    Laboratories 
THK    BKRM.AN    LOCATOR 


A.  Indicating    Meter 

B.  Switch    and    Sensitivit.v    Control 

C.  Prohe 

I).  Power   Plug 

K.  (irounding    Connection 


NOVEMBER.  1942 


11 


'i!}MJk^/ 


The  F4F  Wildcat  is  the  Navy's 
>tandard  fighter.  Its  short,  barrel- 
h'ke  fuselage  and  stubby  wings  make 
it  ideal  for  use  from  the  cramped 
space  of  aircraft  carrier  decks.  Pow- 
ered with  a  radial  air-cooled  engine, 
it  mounts  heav\'  calibre  guns  in  the 
wings. 


The  Army's  P-39  Aircobra  is  the  world's  only 
single-engine  fighter  armed  with  a  37-mni.  cannon.  In 
addition,  it  is  armed  with  heavy  and  light  machine 
guns.  Designed  to  operate  out  of  small  fields,  as  a 
destroyer  of  heavily  armored  bombers  and  as  an 
attacker  of  armored  ground  forces,  it  has  been  in 
successful  combat  as  high  as  30,000  feet. 


The  Army  Air  Force's  newest  threat  to  an  axis'  bid  for  air 
supremacy  is  the  huge  and  powerful  P-47  Thunderbolt.  No  foreign 
fighter  in  service  has  an  engine  as  powerful  as  its  2,000  h.p.,  18-cylinder, 
air-cooled,  turbosupercharged,  radial  motor,  that  drives  this  seven-ton 
devastator.  These  power  plants,  the  fruit  of  years  of  American  avia- 
tion industry  pioneering,  are  now  being  produced  in  quantity  by  a 
former  motor  car  manufacturer.  The  Thunderbolt  may  prove  to  be 
one  of   the  most  sensational    fighters  of   the  war. 


The  Anny's  P-51  Mustang  fighters  got  their  baptism  of  fire  in  the  hands  of 
the  R.A.F.  Their  speed,  maneuverability  and  firepower  made  them  important  factors 
in  the  air  war  before  Pearl  Harbor.  Rated  among  the  best  by  the  British,  it  has 
been  used  with  devastating  effect  in  operations  over  northern  France.  The  Mustang 
was  designed  primarily  for  ground  force  cooperation.  It  performed  brilliantly  in 
the  Dieppe  raid.  Like  most  Army  fighters,  the  Mustang  derives  its  motive  power 
and   firepower  from  the  automotive   industry. 


(Courtesy  Autot  It 


/ 


The  Army's  P-40  Hawk  is  a  versa- 
tile performer  with  an  imposing  battle 
record  on  all  fronts.  It  has  written 
brilliant  chapters  of  history  in  the 
hands  of  the  famous  "Flying  Tigers" 
in  China,  in  the  Far  East,  the  Near 
East,   and   on  the   Russian   front. 


In  its  new  F4U  Corsair,  the  Navy  has  a  fighter  of 
great  horsepower  now  in  production.  The  engines 
of  Corsairs  are  the  same  as  those  used  in  the  Thunder- 
bolts, and  are  being  manufactured  in  quantity  by 
an  automotive  company.  Other  automotive  plants 
are  supplying  wings  and  sections  of  the  airframes. 
Designed  to  take  ofJ  from  carrier  decks,  the  Corsair 
is  one  of  the  world's  fastest  planes. 


One  of  the  most  effective  fighters  is  the  Army's  P-38  Lightning. 
Powered  by  two  turbosupercharged,  liquid-cooled  engines  of  automotive 
industry  design  and  manufacture,  it  is  a  single-place  craft  of  tremend- 
ous speed.  Capable  of  working  at  extreme  altitude,  it  carries  cannon 
and  machine  guns,  also  produced  on  automotive  assembly  lines.  Light- 
nings are  designed  to  intercept,  attack  and  pursue,  to  dive  into  enemy 
craft  and  blast  them  out  of  the  sky.  Weighing  nearly  seven  tons,  the 
Lightning  is  built  to  get  "upstairs"  fast — about  seven  miles  up,  if 
necessary. 


All  of  these  airplanes  are  being  turned  out  wholly  or  in  part  by  former  auto- 
mobile manufacturers,  who  have  changed  over  to  the  production  of  war  planes. 
The  unique  design  of  the  Aircobra  was  made  possible  by  an  automotive  manu- 
facturer's development  of  its  liquid-cooled  power  plant  and  its  unique  power-transfer 
principle.  Like  Aircobras,  Hawks  are  also  powered  with  liquid-cooled  engines.  The 
Mustang  derives  its  motive  power  and  firepower  from  the  automotive  industry. 
Throughout  the  automotive  and  aviation  industries,  formerly  competing  companies, 
have  banded  together  for  the  teamwork  which  modern  war  demands  of  fighters. 


Froiiuctio)r ) 


NAMES  in  the  NEWS 


By  WILLIAM  R.  SCHMITZ,  Ch.  E.  '45 

and 

LEE  A.  SULLIVAN,  M.  E.  '46 


PAUL  SALERNO 

Paul  Salerno  is  chairman  of  A.S.M.E.,  member  of  Pi 
Tan  Sigma,  Tail  Beta  Pi,  and  is  the  writer  of  "Techno- 
cracked"  appearing  elsewhere  in  this  issue.  Paul  spent  his 
first  two  years  at  Wright  junior  College  in  Chicago.  After 
that  he  stayed  out  of  schw)!  for  two  years  and  worked. 
It  was  then  that  he  found  out  that  he  wanted  to  be  a 
mechanical  engineer. 

Since  transferring  to  Illinois,  Paid  has  been  doing  very 
well.  He  has  a  fine  4.4  scholastic  average  and  is  working 
on  a  research  project  in  the  T.A.M.  department.  He  is 
working  on  water  ejector  pumps  and  is  writing  a  thesis  on 
it.  Subjects  relating  to  hydraulics  have  been  especially  inter- 
esting to  Paul.  The  idea  of  being  a  business  executive  ap- 
peals ver\-  much  to  Paul  and  he  would  like  to  work  himself 
e\entually  to   that  position. 

Paul  has  several  hobbies  including  photography,  bowling, 
and  tennis.  Paul  does  some  dating,  but  saves  most  of  it 
until  he  goes  home  to  Oak  Park.  He  says  the  worst  trouble 
down  here  is  that  there  aren't  enough  coeds,  but  what  there 
are,   aren't   too   bad. 

Like  all  the  other  outstanding  engineers,  Paul  thinks 
that  all  too  many  engineers  stay  too  close  to  their  books. 
He  says  only  half  of  a  college  education  is  gained  in  the 
classroom.  The  other  half  comes  from  working  in  activities 
and  meeting  people.  That  is  one  reason  he  likes  being 
chairman  of  A.S.M.E.,  he  gets  to  meet  all  the  guest  speakers. 

STERLING  SNYDER 

One  of  the  most  likeable  fellows  in  the  Engineering  school 
is  Sterling  Snyder.  He  is  president  of  A.S.C.E.  this  se- 
mester and  is  doing  a  good  job  of  it.  The  biggest  job, 
according    to    Sterling,    is    to    keep    the    various   committees 


■STKKMNt. 


I'Al  1. 

coordinated  and  functioning  properly.  It  takes  a  lot  of 
time,  but  the  enjoyment  he  receives  makes  it  worth  while. 

Coming  from  Memphis,  Tenn.,  Sterh'ng  uses  his  southern 
accent  and  good  looks  to  the  best  advantage  in  dating  the 
coeds  around  the  campus.  In  the  words  of  a  civil  engineer, 
he  says,  "My  dating  is  statically  indeterminate."  Sterling 
believes  the  girls  at  Illinois  are  a  lot  more  industrious  than 
the  girls  down  South,  but  they  also  have  slightly  less  beauty. 

Sterling  came  to  Illinois  partly  because  his  father,  who 
is  also  a  C.E.,  was  much  impressed  by  the  work  turned 
out  by  Illinois  engineers.  Quoting  Sterling,  "One  hardh' 
realizes  how  outstanding  men  at  Illinois  are  until  he  works 
for  practicing  engineers  who  constantly  refer  to  methods 
of  analysis  of  engineering  problems  developed  by  men  at 
Illinois." 

Sports,  especially  softball  and  tennis,  appeal  \ery  much 
to  Sterling.  He  also  has  one  other  favorite  pastime,  and 
that  is  eating — eating  fried  chicken.  He  enjoys  hearing 
classical  music  too. 


-k 


JIM  MEEK 

Activity  man  among  the  ci\il  engineers  is  Jim  Meek. 
Jim  is  business  manager  of  the  Illio,  President  of  Phi  Delta 
Theta,  member  of  Chi  Epsilon,  A.S.C.E.,  Phi  Eta  Sigma, 
Skull  and  Crescent,  Sachem,  Ma-Wan-Da,  T.N.T.,  Scab- 
bard and  Blade,  and  is  a  Cadet  Captain  in  the  Engineers 
Corps. 

Hailing  from  Carrolton,  Illinois,  Jim  has  done  very 
well  since  he  came  to  Illinois.  He  has  a  nifty  4.25  scholastic 
average  and  is  teaching  (i.E.D.  I  this  semester.  He  passes 
this  little  bit  of  advice  on  to  the  freshmen,  "Study  hard  and 
make  the  most  of  every  available  opportunity." 


14 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


JIM 


Jim  is  quite  a  sportsman.  He  likes  to  hunt,  fiish,  and 
participate  in  athletics  of  all  kinds,  especially  football,  bas- 
ketball, track,  wrestling,  \olleyball,  tennis,  and  handball. 
He  also  takes  in  a  good  number  of  social  afifairs.  His  atten- 
tions have  all  been  directed  to  one  girl  since  he  has  his 
pin  on  the  woman's  editor  of  the  Illio. 

A  business  manager  of  the  Illio,  Jim  is  kept  pretty 
busy.  It  is  his  job  to  take  charge  of  all  underclassmen  work- 
ing on  the  Illio  business  staff.  He  is  also  responsible  for  all 
sales,  bills,  and  anything  connected  with  the  financial  end 
of  the  Illio. 

Jim  first  got  his  taste  of  engineering  from  his  uncle, 
and  ever  since  he  has  liked  that  kind  of  work.  This  last 
year  he  worked  on  a  project  determining  the  mixing  tempera- 
ture on  the  setting  of  concrete. 

ART  POPE 

Art  is  a  member  of  Phi  Eta  Sigma,  Scabbard  and  Blade, 
T.X.T.,  Pershing  Rifles,  secretary-treasurer  of  Military 
Council,  Cadet  Major  of  the  Engineers,  senior  manager  of 
the  Theater  (juild,  and  is  on  the  military  ball  committee. 

As  manager  of  the  Theater  Guild,  Art  has  charge  of 
everything  that  takes  place,  except  the  actual  production. 
It  is  his  job  to  advertise  the  show  and  see  that  the  house 


is  full  the  night  of  the  perfonnance.  This  takes  most  of 
his  spare  time,  but  Art  still  finds  time  to  do  some  reading 
and  fencing.  He  also  likes  boat  riding  and  horseback  rid- 
ing. 

Art  was  president  of  his  sophomore  class  and  likes 
to  work  in  politics.  He  has  especially  enjoyed  the  contacts 
he  has  made  with  people,  and  the  new  ideas  he  has  re- 
ceived from  them. 

His  pet  peeve  is  women  who  wear  too  much  make-up. 
So  girls,  you  had  better  beware  if  you  hope  to  interest  Art. 
Art  says  that  he  hasn't  done  much  dating  lately,  but  has 
been  going  with  a  girl  at  Evanston.  His  home  town  is 
Lake   Forest,   Illinois. 

Art  thinks  there  ought  to  be  some  way  in  which  students 
and  faculty  members  could  get  to  know  each  other  better. 
One  other  suggestion  that  Art  has  is  that  Illinois  needs  a 
lake.  He  particularly  admires  Wisconsin's  lake,  but  on  the 
whole  he  likes  Illinois'  campus  better  than  any  he  has  seen. 

JACK  BOGGS 

Jack  Boggs  is  a  mechanical  engineer  and  came  to  Illinois 
from  the  deep  South.  Sarasota,  Florida  claims  this  fair- 
haired  son  and  is  justly  proud  of  him.  There  are  several 
reasons  why  Jack  came  all  the  way  to  Illinois,  but  the  main 
reason  is  that  he  wanted  to  go  to  a  good  engineering  school, 
naturallv  it  was   Illinois. 


-LACK 


ART 


Jack  has  been  an  active  man  since  he  arrived  on  Illinois 
campus.  He  is  senior  manager  of  Intramural  athletics, 
president  of  Alpha  Tau  Omega,  member  of  Scabbard  and 
Blade,  T.N.T.,  Sachem-  Ma-Wan-Da,  and  is  a  Cadet  1st 
Lieutenant  in  the  Engineers  Corps.  He  has  also  worked 
on   The   Daily   Illini. 

It  may  be  just  a  coincidence,  but  Jack's  home-town  girl 
is  also  going  to  school  at  Illinois.  He  has  been  going  with 
her  for  five  years  and  she  now  has  his  pin.  He  says  that 
he  likes  to  take  in  all  dances  and  big  social  events  possible. 

Jack  thinks  that  the  engineers  here  at  Illinois  don't 
get  out  enough  and  enjoy  themselves.  Everyone  should  be 
in  an  activity,  and  still  keep  up  his  studying.  Jack  likes 
popular  music  and  rates  (jlenn  Miller  as  his  favorite  band. 
Jack,  himself,   used  to  play  a  saxophone. 

From  his  early  youth.  Jack  has  worked  with  his  father, 
who  is  a  civil  engineer.  He  says  that  he  finally  would  like 
to  get  into  aeronautical  engineering.  Jack  has  done  pretty 
well  since  coming  to  Illinois  as  shown  by  his  good  4.1 
scholastic  average. 


NOVEMBER,  1942 


15 


Our  Societies  .  .  . 


By  BYRON  M.  ROBINSON,  M.  E.  '44 


TAU  BETA  PI 

On  Wednesday  night,  Noveinber  18,  Tan  Beta  Pi  will 
have  a  meeting  for  all  the  pledges.  At  this  time  pledges 
will  sign  into  the  chapter  record,  and  will  receive  their 
pledge  rules.  Tau  Beta  Pi  will  hold  its  formal  initiation 
and  initiation  banquet  on  November  28  at  5:45  o'clock 
followed  by  a  dance  at  9  o'clock.  This  will  be  held  in  the 
Union  Building.  All  actives,  and  especially  faculty  mem- 
bers of  Tau  Beta  Pi,  are  invited  to  attend  not  only  the 
banquet  but  also  the  dance.  Further  details,  as  well  as  a 
reservation  blank,  have  been  mailed  to  all  members.  Ja\' 
Hinchcliffe,  Y..  E.  '4J  is  handling  the  banquet  arrangements; 
and  Bob  Kallal,  Ch.  '43  and  George  Asselin,  Ch.  '4J  are 
taking  care  of  the  dance. 

A.S.M.  E. 

At  the  fourth  meeting  of  the  Student  Branch  of  the 
A.S.M. E.,  held  on  November  13,  papers  were  presenteil 
by  four  senior  mechanical  engineering  students.  The  titles 
of  the  papers  and  the  men  who  presented  them  are  as 
follows: 

"EfiFect  of  Hot  Quenching  on  the  Toughness  of  High 
Speed    Steel"    by   Gus   Greanias. 

"Water   Ejector  Pumps"   by   Paul   Salerno. 

"The  efifect  of  Range  of  Stress  on  the  P'atigue  Strength 
of  a  Phenolic  Plastic"  by  W.  A.  Lindahl. 

"Creep  Test  of  a   Phenolic   Plastic"  b\    Otto  Hintz. 

Members  of  the  Peoria  section  of  the  A.S..M.E.  were 
present  at  the  meeting  as  guests  of  the  student  chapter. 

A.  I.  E.  E. 

"Electric  Power  and  the  War  f^ffort"  was  the  inter- 
esting and  very  up  to  the  minute  subject  discussed  at  the 
AIEE  meeting  of  November  4th.  The  meeting  held  in 
conjunction  with  the  Urbana  section  of  the  AIEF]  was 
addressed  by  Mr.  T.  (i.  LeCIair  who  proved  himself  to  be 
a  most  capable  and  enlightening  speaker  as  well  as  possessing 
a  very  amiable  and  friendly  attitude  toward  questions  asked 
of  him  after  the  session.  It  was  encouraging  to  see  a  goodly 
number  of  engineering  students  from  all  classes  present 
and    from   all    expressions,   it   was   very   well    received. 

"Our  student  AIEE  section  is  the  only  orgaiu'zation  on 
Campus  which  represents  the  Electrical  Student  and  unites 
both  student  and  faculty  in  a  umted  effort  of  mutual  benefit. 
The  AHCE  needs  you  and  even  more,  you  need  us.  We 
certainly  welcome  you  at  any  and  all  of  our  sessions,"  says 
Vern    Rydbeck,    chairman. 

A.  S.  G.  E 

At  the  second  meeting  of  the  A.S.C.E.,  held  October  13, 
Ensign  Burnett  of  the  U.  S.  Naval  Diesel  School  spoke  on 
"The  Part  the  Civil  Engineer  Plays  in  the  Navy."  At  the 
October  29  meeting,  Mr.  Paul  Kent  of  the  (leneral  Paving 
Company  presented  color  movies  and  spoke  of  the  building 
of  Illinois  highway  45  between  Urbana  and  Rantoul.  (^n 
November  13  and  14,  the  Illinois  chapter  was  host  to  the 
Annual  Midwest  Conference  of  Student  Chapters  of 
A.S.C.E. 


S.  B.  A.  C.  S. 

At  the  third  meeting  of  the  Student  Branch  of  the 
American  Ceramic  Society,  held  November  3,  Mr.  C.  S. 
Pierce,  Director  of  the  Porcelain  Enamel  Institute,  Wash- 
ington D.  C,  spoke  on  "How  the  Enameling  Industry  is 
Meeting  the  War  Needs."  He  gave  many  interesting  in- 
sights into  the  war  work  of  that  industry,  and  he  stated 
that  the  future  of  the  enameling  industry  looks  bright.  With 
the  announcement  that  plans  for  the  pig  roast  to  be  held 
December  10  were  well  under  way,  the  meeting  was  ad- 
journed  to  enjoy  refreshments  of  cider  and  doughnuts. 

CHI  EPSILON 

Senior  civil  engineers  who  will  be  initiated  into  Chi 
Epsilon  this  semester  are  Bill  Hickman,  Erwin  Mueller, 
Erasmo  Mendez,  Bob  Randall,  and  Lowell  Lambert. 

The  incoming  juniors  are  Howard  Eichstadt,  Sidney 
Epstein,  Eugene  Estes,  Harold  Hecker,  Sheldon  Leavitt, 
Bob  Mosher,  Carl  Mueller,  Harold  Schwellenstattl,  Arthur 
Skale,  George  Thomson,  and  Robert  Tillman. 

PI  TAU  SIGMA 

A  meeting  entertaining  prospective  members  was  held 
on  (October  14  at  which  time  Prof.  O.  A.  Leutwiler,  one 
of  the  charter  members,  gave  a  talk  on  the  history  and 
purposes  of  Pi  Tau  Sigma.  From  the  group  eligible,  seven- 
teen were  selected  and  pledged  on  October  12.  They  were : 
H.  H.  Aiken,  C.  C.  Arnold,  K.  N.  Drager,  G.  G.  Greanias, 
I.  W.  Huff,  P.  Kohler,  R.  E.  Kraft,  B.  [.  Lattvak,  ].  ]. 
Luza,  R.  G.  Moldt,  D.  E.  Munie,  W.  j.  North,  B.  W. 
Porter,  C.  I.  Roach,  R.  G.  Settle,  V.  K.  Viitanen,  and 
W.    J.   Worle\. 

At  the  meeting  on  November  4,  Elmore  Mays,  Presi- 
dent, was  elected  delegate  to  the  Pi  Tau  Sigma  National 
Convention  which  was  held  in  Minneapolis,  Minnesota  on 
November  12,  13,  and  14.  He  reported  that  the  convention 
was   both    beneficial    and    enjoyable. 

KERAMOS 

Keramos  began  its  activities  of  the  \ear  with  a  pledge 
smoker  at  the  lllini  I  nioii  Building  on  October  28.  1  ues- 
day,  November  3,  eight  "neophytes"  began  their  period, 
which  ended  with  an  informal  initiation  and  a  "feed  "  on 
November  12.  Simday  evening,  November  15,  the  follow- 
ing men  were  formally  initiated  into  Keramos:  F.  A.  Peter- 
son, research  department  on  Enamel  Standards;  C.  R. 
Filipi,  instructor  in  Ceramic  Engineering;  F.  P.  Shonk- 
wiler  and  Ra\'  Davies,  seniors;  W.  .[.  Prentice,  M.  Klimboff, 
J.    D.    Peterson,   and   J.    M.    Durrant,  juniors. 

SIGMA  TAU 

Sigma  Tau  had  a  smoker  for  rushces  at  the  T.K.E.  fra- 
ternity, on  (October  22,  featuring  a  quiz  program  conducted 
by  Bill  Lindahl,  G.E.  '43.  Cider  and  doughnuts  were  served 
at  the  end  of  the  meeting  to  relieve  the  mental  strain. 
Tentative  arrangements  have  been  made  for  an  initiation 
banquet  at  the  end   of   November. 

( (Uintiniicd   on    p(ujc    22) 


16 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


Before  you  call  Long  Distance,  please  ask  yourself: 

1.  Is  it  really  necessary?      2.  Will  it  interfere  with  war  calls? 

TELEPHONE  lines  —  especially  Long  Distance  circuits  —  are 
crowded  as  never  before,  these  war  days.  Materials  to  build 
new  lines — copper,  rubber,  nickel — are  needed  for  the  shooting 
war.   So  we  must  get  the  most  out  of  present  facilities. 

You  can  help  us  keep  the  wires  clear  for  vital  war  calls  if 
you  will  do  these  two  things:  (1)  Don't  call  Long  Distance  un- 
less it's  urgent;  (2)  Call  by  number  if  possible  and  please  be 
brief.  Thank  you ! 


NOVEMBER,  1942 


17 


H I G  G I  n  s 

AMERICAN  DRAWING 

INKS 

for  speed  and 

accuracy 

The  razor-edged  sharpness  of 
line  that  is  characteristic  of 
(Iraw-ings  made  with  Higgins 
American  India  Ink  saves  time 
and  temper  when  both  are 
precious.  For  more  than  60 
\ears  draftsmen  have  useil 
lliggins  to  insure  accuracy  and 
permanence  for  their  creative 
efforts.  Use  of  lliggins  Water-  ^ , 
proof  India  Ink  means:  com-  B.'Jil 
plete  absence  of  "ghosts,"  eye- 
having  visibihty,  proof  against 
MHudging  and  cleaning  with 
carbon  tetrachloride. 


The  Johnson  Semi- 
Automatic  Military 
Rifle,  illuttrated  by 
courtesy  of  Johnson 
AutomaticSf  Inc. 


AVAILABie  IN  A  COMPLETB 
COIOR  RANGE 


IGGinS  INK  CO.,  IN 

271  NINTH  ST.,  BROOKLYN,  N.  Y. 


BERMAN  LOCATOR  (Com.  from  page  11) 

of  carefully  balanced  inductive  elements,  one  of  which  is 
in  the  probe  tip.  In  this  balanced  condition,  there  is  no 
input  from  the  detecting  circuit  into  the  meter  circuit. 
When  a  piece  of  metal  approaches  the  probe  sufficiently 
to  be  within  the  effective  range  of  its  electro-magnetic  field, 
the  probe  tip  element  suffers  an  inductance  which  raises 
or  lowers  its  voltage  or  produces  a  shift  in  its  phase  with 
respect  to  the  balance  of  the  circuit.  When  any  of  these 
effects  take  place,  the  original  balance  is  vipset,  and  the  meter 
needle  moves  toward  the  high  end  of  the  scale. 

Magnetic  metals  such  as  iron  and  steel  affect  the  circuit 
by  virtue  of  their  high  magnetic  permeability  increasing 
the  inductance  and  raising  the  voltage  of  the  probe  tip  ele- 
ment, with  practically  no  phase  shift.  Magnetic  metals  are 
detectable  in   the  order  of  their  magnetic  permeability. 

Non-magnetic  metals  such  as  silver,  copper,  aluminum, 
magnesium,  lead,  platinum,  which  affect  the  detecting  circuit 
in  a  different  manner,  have  eddy  currents  generated  in 
them  through  the  action  of  the  alternating  electro-magnetic 
surrounding  the  probe.  These  eddy  currents  produce  a 
local  magnetic  field  which  reacts  with  the  probe  tip  element, 
lowering  its  voltage  somewhat  and  causing  a  relatively  large 
phase  shift.  These  non-magnetic  metals  are  detectable  iti 
the  order  of  their  electrical  conductivity;  silver,  copper, 
and  aluminum  being  the  most  easily  detected,  while  the 
poorer  conductors  such  as  lead,  platinum,  etc.  have  a  cor- 
respondingly lower  order  of  detectability. 

Thus,  the  two  general  classes  of  metals,  the  magnetic 
and  the  non-magnetic,  are  detected  through  entirely  different 
and  somewhat  opposed  action  of  the  circuits,  the  magnetic 
metals  being  detected  largely  by  voltage  change,  and  the 
non-magnetic  metals,  mainly  by  phase  shift.    This  requires 


a  slight  readjustment  of  the  probe  handle  control  sleeve 
when  going  from  magnetic  to  non-magnetic  metal  detection 
if  maximum  sensitivity  of  the  instrument  is  to  be  realized. 

The  necessary  circuit  adjustment  for  maximum  efficiency 
of  detection  is  conveniently  made  with  a  control  sleeve 
on  the  probe  handle.  This  control  sleeve  by  its  movement 
varies  the  inductance  and  shifts  the  phase  of  the  probe  cir- 
cuits. Sliding  the  control  sleeve  up  and  down  varies  the 
inductance,  and,  therefore,  the  voltage  of  the  probe  circuit. 
Rotating  the  control  sleeve  to  the  right  or  to  the  left  shifts 
the  phase  of  these  circuits.  This  is  accomplished  without 
any  sliding  or  other  electrical  contacts,  but  by  purely  in- 
ductive   means. 

In  the  circuit  alignment  of  the  instrument  at  the  factory, 
the  probe  circuits  are  accurately  balanced  for  both  voltage 
and  phase.  But  because  the  sensitivity  of  the  probe  is  con- 
siderably higher  at  a  slight  imbalance  than  at  the  point  of 
absolute  balance,  the  meter  needle  is  depressed  electrically, 
below  the  scale  zero,  so  that  in  the  actual  use  of  the  in- 
strument a  definitely  predetermined  amount  of  unbalance 
is  imposed  upon  the  circuit  in  order  to  bring  the  needle  up 
within  the  meter  scale.  This  is  what  the  operator  ac- 
complished with  the  handle  control  when  he  adjusts  the 
instrument  to  the  zero  of  the  meter  scale. 

Since  by  "balance"  is  meant  the  point  at  which  there  is 
no  input  into  the  meter  circuit,  a  condition  approaching 
balance  is  indicated  by  the  meter  needle  moving  in  a  down- 
ward direction  toward  the  zero  of  the  meter  scale.  Since 
there  are  two  different  conditions  for  which  a  balance 
is  obtainable,  namely,  voltage  and  phase,  and  since  the  two 
are  very  nearly  indepedent  of  each  other,  a  balance  may  be 
obtained  for  either  one  while  the  other  is  unbalanced.  For 
example,  if  a  phase  balance  is  desired,  the  control  sleeve  is 
rotated  in  the  direction  which  causes  the  meter  needle  to 
move  downward  toward  zero,  until  some  point  is  reached 
at  which  the  needle  reverses  its  direction,  and  moves  off 
toward  the  high  end  of  the  scale.  The  point  at  which  the 
needle  reverses  its  direction  is  the  Phase  Balance  point 
and  may  occur  at  any  point  on  the  meter  scale,  depending 
upon  the  degree  of  voltage  balance  at  the  time.  Exactly 
the  same  is  true  of  a  voltage  balance.  The  lowest  position 
of  the  needle  in  the  direction  toward  the  zero  that  is  possible 
to  obtain  when  the  control  sleeve  is  slid  up  and  down  is 
the  voltage  balance  point,  and  this  may  occur  at  any  point 
on  the  meter  scale  depending  upon  the  degree  of  phase 
unbalance  at  the  time.  Due  to  fact  that  the  instrument 
has  a  depressed  zero,  an  absolute  balance  (simultaneous 
voltage  and  phase  balance)  would  cause  the  meter  needle 
to  go  below  the  zero  of  the  meter  scale;  so  that  in  practical 
use  of  the  instrument  only  one  balance,  either  voltage  or 
phase,  is  obtained  while  the  other  is  unbalanced  sufficiently 
to  bring  the  needle  within  the  meter  scale. 

It  is  the  hope  of  Sam  Herman  that  his  locator  can  be 
used  on  the  field  of  battle  to  help  save  the  lives  of  many 
more  wounded  soldiers. 


Our  Christmas  Wish 

is  that  all  you  good  U.  of  I.  engineering 
STUDENTS 

will    riinie    f<i 

NORMAN-ANDERSON 
Jewelers 

Gre<'n  Street  —  On  the  Campus 
FOK  THK    FINKST    IN    XMAS   (ilKTS 

FOR    HER  —   FOR    HIM 


18 


THE  TECHNOGR.APH   . 


WEEK'S      WORK      EVERY      DAY 


TUBULAR  headers  now  race  off  the 
production  line  at  Combustion  Engi- 
neering Company's  Chattanooga, 
Tenn.  plant  at  the  unprecedented  rate 
of  100  a  day  —  with  the  aid  of  this 
Airco  10  cutting  torch  Oxygraph.  Com- 
pared to  the  19  a  day  formerly  pro- 
duced, it's  practically  a  week's  work 
every  day.  This  Airco  oxyacetylene  cut- 
ting machine  is  making  metal-working 
history  —  never  before  was  such  an 
elaborate  multiple  torch  arrangement 
deemed  practicable.  Yet,  as  perfected 
by  Airco,  every  beneficial  feature  of 


flame  cutting  is  retained.  Steel  is  accu- 
rately cut  to  the  desired  shape  with 
amazing  speed.  And  there  is  no  time 
out  for  sharpening  or  regrinding. 

New,  faster,  better  ways  of  produc- 
ing more  planes,  ships,  tanks,  guns  and 
machines  are  made  possible  by  the 
efficient  and  proper  application  of  the 
oxyacetylene  flame. 

To  better  acquaint  you  with  the 
many  things  that  this  modern  produc- 
tion tool  does  better  we  have  published 
"Airco  In  the  News",  a  pictorial  re- 
view in  book  form.  Write  for  a  copy. 


REDUOTON 


t/  0//ic. 


^enet^f  {Ly/licei: 


60  EAST  42nd  STREET,  NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 

/n  Texas : 

Magnolia-Airco  Gas  Products  Co. 
Genera/  Offices:    HOUSTON,   TEXAS 
OFFICES    IN   ALL    PRINCIPAL   CITIES 


AIVYTHING      AlVD      EVERYTHIIVG       FOR      GAS       IVELDIIVG       OR      CUTTING       AND       ARC       WELDING 

NOVEMBER,  1942  19 


TECHNOCRACKED... 


By  PAUL  SALERNO,  M.  E.  '43 


PORTRAIT  OF  AN  ENGINEER 

A  peculiar  breed   .   .   .   the  engineer 
Not  even   a   date   can   interfere 
With  his  ambition 
To  win  recognition. 
Forever   will    he    persevere. 

Handbook  open  .  .  .  slipstick  working 
Never,    never,    his    duty    shirking 
Attempts    acrobatics 
With    laws  of   mathematics 
Somewhere   near,   the  answer's  lurking 

Far  into  the  night  does  the  oil  burn 

Study  and  cram  and  try  to  learn 

The    rules    of    mechanics 

And    thermodynamics. 

All  else   is  of   little  concern. 

You'll    agree   his   plight's   distressing 
In  fact  this  tale  is  quite  depressing 
To  be  a  right  guy. 
Any  change  would   be  a   blessing. 


Coed  to  roommate:  "I  don't  care  much   for  that  engi- 
neer you  have  been  dating  lately.    He  whistles  dirty  songs." 


Instructor:  Mr.  Johnson,  what  is  an  octogenarian? 
Johnson :  I   don't  know,  but  it  must  take  a  long  time 
to  become  one.    They're   all    real   old   people. 


In  case  any  of  you  boys  have  been  feeling  pretty  sharp 
lately,  I  wish  you  would  try  your  hand  at  some  of  these. 

1.  Is  it  legal   for  a  man  to  marry  his  widow's  sister? 

2.  If  three  cats  can  kill  three  rats  in  three  minutes, 
how  long  will  it  take  100  cats  to  kill   100  rats? 

3.  If  a  farmer  has  3%  haystacks  in  one  corner  of  a 
field,  4%  haystacks  in  another  corner  and  2%  haystacks  in 
a  third  corner,  how  many  haystacks  will  he  have  if  he  puts 
them  all  together. 

4.  A  big  Indian  and  a  little  Indian  are  walking  along 
a  street.  The  little  Indian  is  the  son  of  the  big  Indian  but 
the  big  Indian  is  not  the  father  of  the  little  Indian.  What 
is  the   relationship? 

5.  A  steel  ladder  hangs  over  the  side  of  a  ship.  The 
rungs  are  a  foot  apart  and  the  lowest  rung  just  touches 
the  water  surface.  The  tide  begins  to  rise  at  the  rate  of 
four  inches  per  hour.  How  long  will  it  take  the  water  to 
reach    the    third    rung    from    the    bottom? 

6.  I  have  two  common  U.  S.  coins  in  my  pocket.  They 
total  sixty  cents  and  one  is  not  a  dime.  What  are  the 
coins  ? 


ANSWERS: 

1.  A  dead  man  can't  marry  anyone. 

2.  Three   minutes 

3.  One  big  haystack. 

4.  The  big  Indian  is  the  mother  of  the  little  Indian. 

5.  The  water   level   will   never   rise   above  the  lowest 
rung  because  the  ship  rises  with  the  tide.    Stupid,  aren't  you? 

6.  A  half-dollar  and  a  dime.    One  coin  is  a  dime  and 
the  other  isn't. 

First  student:  I  feel  like  telling  that  professor  off  again. 
Second:  Waddaya  mean,   "again." 
First:   I   felt  like  it  yesterday,   too. 

A  college  bov  wrote  the  following  letter  home. 
Dear  io\k$: 

Gue$$  what   I    need   mo$t.    That'$  right.    $end  $ome 
$oon.    Be$t  wi$he$. 

Your  $on, 

Joe. 
His   father   answered : 
Dear  Joe : 

NOthing   ever   happens   here.     NOt    a    thing.      Write 
aNOther  NOte  soon.    NOw  I  must  say  goodbye. 

Love, 

Dad. 

»     #     »     *     » 

FAMOUS  LAST  WORDS 

Here's  hoping  you  all   have  a  very  enjoyable  Thanks- 
giving vacation. 


-^  Buy  U.  S.  Defense  Bonds  and  Stamps  ^ 


STATEMENT  OF  THE  OWNERSHIP,  MANAGEMENT, 
CIRCULATION.  ETC..  REQUIRED  BY  THE  ACTS  OF  CON 
CRESS   OF   AUGUST   24,    1912,   AND   MARCH   3,    1933. 

Of  The  Illinois  Technograph  published  eight  times  a  year  (Oct., 
Nov.,  Dec,  Jan.,  Feb.,  Mar.,  Apr,,  and  May)  at  Urbana,  Illinois 
for   Octol^er,    1942. 

State    of    Illinois  1 

County   of   Champaign     /      ^^* 

Before  me,  a  notary  public  in  and  for  the  State  and  County  afore- 
said, personally  appeared  Dean  E.  Madden,  who.  having  l»een 
duly  sworn  according  to  law,  deposes  and  says  that  he  is  the  busi- 
ness manager  of  The  Illinois  Technograph  and  that  the  following 
is,  to  the  best  of  his  knowledge  and  belief,  a  true  statement  of  the 
ownership,  management  and  the  circulation,  etc.,  of  the  aforesaid 
publication,  for  the  date  shown  in  the  above  caption,  required  by 
the  Act  of  August  24,  1912,  as  amended  by  the  Act  of  March  3, 
1933,  embodied  in  section  537,  Postal  Laws  and  Regulations. 

'1  hat  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  publisher,  editor,  aad  busi- 
ness manager  are:  Publisher,  Illini  Publishing  Company,  University 
Station.    Urbana.    Illinois: 

Editor,    L.    Byron    Welsh,    Champaign.    Illinois 

Business    Manager,    Dean    E.    Madden.    Champaign.    Illinois. 

That  the  owner  is  the  Illini  Publishing  Company,  a  non- 
commercial corporation,  whose  directors  are  A.  R.  Knight,  Fred  H. 
Turner,  C.  A.  Moyer,  and  Mrs.  Ralph  B.  Clark  of  Urbana,  Illinois, 
and  Fred  Siebert.  Joseph  Rarick,  Margie  Bitzer  and  Christ  D. 
Kacalieff    of    Champaign,    Illinois. 

DEAN    E.    MADDEN,    Business    Manager. 

Sworn  to  and  subscribed  before  me  this  26th  day  of  October,  1942. 
(SEAL) 

ALICE    SMITH,    Notary    Public. 


20 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


heavy  part  of  the  burden  of 
world  reconstruction  following  the  United 
Nations'  victory  in  the  war  will  have  to 
be  borne  by  graduate  engineers,  now 
in  school. 

Revolutionary  advancements  in  machines 
of  all  kinds  will  be  the  order  of  the  day  and, 
among  other  things,  you'll  have  to  know 
your  bearings  in  order  to  be  able  to  hold 
your  own  when  competition  gets  tough. 

By  getting  a  sound  basic  knowledge  of 


Timken  Tapered  Roller  Bearings  and  their 
application  now,  you  will  be  that  much 
ahead  of  the  game  when  the  time  comes, 
for  you  will  be  prepared  to  solve  any  bear- 
ing problem  that  ever  is  likaly  to  come  up. 

Furthermore,  through  the  intelligent  use  of 
Timken  Bearings  you  will  be  able  to  create 
machines  that  not  only  perform  better, 
but  also  sell  better — for  wherever  civiliza- 
tion exists,  no  name  in  bearings  means  so 
much  to  the  machine  buyer  as  "TIMKEN". 

Our  engineers — specialists  in  bearing  de- 
sign and  application — will  be  glad  to  help 
you   in   your  study  of  Timken   Bearings. 


THE    TIMKEN    ROLLER    BEARING    COMPANY.    CANTON,    OHIO 


TIMKEN 

tradcmauk  rcb.  u.  •.  i»AT.  orr. 

TAPiRiD  ROLLiR  BEARIHSS 


Manufacturers  of  Timken  Tapered  Roller  Bearings  for  automobiles,  motor 
truelts,  railroad  cars  and  locomotives  and  all  kinds  of  industrial  machinery; 
Timken    Alloy   Steels   and  Carbon   and    Alloy   Seamless  Tubing;    and  Timken 

Rock  Bits. 


NOVEMBER,  1942 


21 


^p^V-L  TOOL' 


x 


'^>^3- 


TO  OUR  VAST  WAR  EFFORT 

•  Efficient  small  tools,  such  as  "Greenfield' '  has 
been  manufacturing  for  more  than  70  years,  are 
essential  to  America's  armament  program. 
"G.T.D.  Greenfield"  Taps,  Dies,  Twist  Drills, 
Reamers  and  Gages  are  helping  to  build  planes 
and  tanks,  ships  and  guns  on  a  thousand 
"production  fronts." 

America's  great  metal  working  industry  has 
learned  by  long,  practical  experience  that  the 
"G.T.  D.  Greenfield"  trade  mark  means  utmost 
reliability  and  accuracy  in  these  vital  tools. 

GREENFIELD  TAP  AND  DIE  CORPORATION 

GREENFIELD,  MASS.,  U.  S.  A. 


^l^GREENFIELD 


YAn>01U  •   OAGU*    IWDIDUIU*  UAMOS  •  KMWrLAlIS 


"METALLIC"  WOVEN  TAPES 

Woven,  finished  and  coated  to  protect 
against  wear  and  moisture,  to  resist  stretch- 
ing and  shrinking,  and  to  prevent  fraying 
at  the  edges,  the  Ltdkin  "Metallic"  is  con- 
sidered the  best  woven  tape  made. 

WRITE  FOR  FREE  COMPLETE  CATALOG 


NEW  YORK      TM£ /uFKfft  Pule  Co.     c-.ji.n  f , 

sf^;;:i;r  m  ch.gan  Windsor,  ont. 

TAPES -RULES -PRECISION   TOOLS 


OUR  SOCIETIES  (Cont.  from  page  16) 
A.  S.  A.  E. 

The  first  meeting  of  A.S.A.E.  on  October  6  was  de- 
voted to  acqviainting  the  members  with  two  aspects  of 
Civilian  Defense.  Mr.  Fred  Wilei,  of  the  local  CD  organi- 
zation presented  two  sound  films — The  Incendiary  Ihjnih 
and    '/'/;('  Air-Raiil  If  nrdcn. 

On  October  12,  Mr.  Leslie  Wright,  Assistant  State 
Coordinator  of  the  L  .S.  Soil  Conservation  Service,  ad- 
dressed the  group,  choosing  as  his  subject,  The  Engineer 
and  Soil  Conseri'ation.  His  talk  was  highly  appreciated  in 
that  it  helped  to  answer  the  question  foremost  in  the  minds 
of  most  of  us,  namely,  what  is  expected  of  us  when  we 
enter  a  particular  branch  of  the  engineering  profession. 

The  (Officers  are  arranging  to  have  one  of  the  engineers 
from  the  Ferguson  Company — developers  of  the  Ford- 
Ferguson  Tractor — as  the  speaker  at  one  of  the  regular 
meetings    in    the    near    futine. 

TAU  NU  TAU 

On  September  22,  a  ru.shing  meeting  of  T.N.T.  was 
belli.  Instructions  were  given  in  the  field  stripping  of  the 
4.5  caliber  pistol.  As  a  result  of  this  meeting,  34  pledges 
attended  formal  pledging  on  September  29.  The  honor 
system  for  cadets  was  discussed  at  the  meeting  of  October 
\i.  On  November  3,  the  pledge  period  ended,  and  a 
personal  defense  demonstration  was  given  by  Coach  Hek 
Kenney.  On  November  13  and  14,  an  Engineer  unit  and 
T.N.T.  maneuver  was  held  at  CoUison,  Illinois.  At  the 
November  24  meeting,  the  army  jeep  was  demonstrated. 
The  annual  T.N.T.  formal  dance  is  to  be  held  at  the 
Union    Building  on  January  9,    1943. 


for  .  .  . 

Ch  ristmas 

See  Our  NEW 
Complete  Line  of 
Gifts  for  Everyone 


FOLLETT'S 

BOOKSTORE 

629  E.  Green  Phone  No.  8134 


22 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


MAKING  ONE-PIECE  SUITS  FOR  SHIPS! 


There's  news  on  America's  ship  ways  today  ...  an 
amazing  machine  that  unites  steel  plates  without  noise, 
fuss,  sparks  or  visible  arc !  A  process  that  is  helping  to 
construct  those  marvels  of  speed,  strength,  safety,  and 
carrying  capacity  .  .  .  "all-welded"  ships! 

This  process  .  .  .  known  as  "Unionmelt"  Welding  .  .  .  joins 
steel  plates  of  any  commercial  thickness  as  much  as  20  times 
faster  than  any  other  similarly  applicable  method!  And  it  pro- 
duces uniformly  high-quality  welds! 

How  does  it  work?  A  special  welding  composition  .  .  . 
'"Unionmelt"  .  .  .  flows  from  a  hopper  and  blankets  the  edges  to 
be  joined.  Within  this  granulated  mixture,  intense  concentrated 
heat  is  generated  by  electric  current.  A  bare  metal  electrode  and 
the  edges  being  welded  are  melted  and  fused.  Some  of  the 
■"Unionmelt"  melts  and  remains  as  a  temporary  protective  coating 
over  the  weld. 

The  process  is  completely  automatic.  Special  apparatus  feeds 
the  "Unionmelt,"  the  welding  rod,  and  the  electric  current.  Speed 
and  current  values  are  adjusted  by  an  operator. 

'"Lnionmelt"  welding  is  also  speeding  up  the  construction  of 
fighting  tanks  and  chemical  tanks  .  .  .  artillery  mounts  and  air- 
craft parts  .  .  .  pressure  vessels  and  locomotive  boilers  .  .  .  pipe 


and  pipe  lines  .  .  .  and  all  kinds  of  heavy  mechanical  equipment. 

Working  with  this  unique  process  is  an  astoundingly  fast  Linde 
method  of  preparing  steel  plates  for  welding.  White-hot  oxy- 
acetylene  flames  . .  .  cutting  simultaneously  at  different  angles  . . . 
bevel  and  square-up  steel  plates  as  fast  as  they  are  needed! 
Together,  these  two  processes  are  speeding  up  the  fabrication 
of  key  equipment  at  a  remarkable  rate. 

Many  years  of  research  into  welding,  flame-cutting,  flame- 
fabricating,  and  flame-conditioning  of  metals  have  given  Linde 
engineers  a  vast  store  of  useful  knowledge  about  these  methods. 
Have  you  a  war  production  problem  which  might  be  solved  by 
this  "know  how"? 

The  important  advances  in  the  cutting,  conditioning  and  fabri- 
cation of  metals  made  by  The  Linde  Air  Products  Company  have 
been  facilitated  by  collaboration  with  Union  Carbide  and  Carbon 
Research  Laboratories,  Inc.,  and  by  the  metallurgical  experience 
of  Electro  Metallurgical  Company— which  companies  also  arc 
Units  of  Union  Carbide  and  Carbon  Corporation. 

THE  LINDE  AIR  PRODUCTS  COMPANY 

Unit  of  Union  Carbide  and  Carbon  Corporation 

1IH3 

GENERAL  OFFICES:  New  York,  N.  Y.  Office,  in  Principal  Cities 


6'BCamfius  A/em 


GfRLS,  Q\V.tS,  GfRLS 

INASMUCH  as  only  one-third  of  the  12,000 
engineers  who  will  graduate  i^  1943  will  be 
available  tor  private  industry,  General  Electric 
is  hiring  young  college  women  to  do  work  formerly 
done  by  male  engineers. 

Forty-four  "test  women"  are  on  the  job  now, 
and  others  will  report  each  week  until  the  quota 
(i  «;o)  is  reached.  The  girls  will  make  computations, 
chart  graphs,  and  calibrate  hne  instruments  for 
use  in  the  machine-tool  industry. 

Miss  Virginia  Frey  (U.  of  Michigan),  one  of  the 
12  women  in  the  country  who  received  engineer- 
ing degrees  this  year,  is  the  only  graduate  engi- 
neer in  the  group.  However,  each  ot  the  others  has 
majored  in  either  mathematics  or  physics  and  has 
received  training  in  both. 

Although  no  one  expects  these  girls  to  become 
full-fledged  engineers,  most  of  them  will  be  given 
the  Company's  famous  "test"  course, 


B. 


Hi-yo.  silver; 


'ROTHER,  can  you  spare  a  dime? 

Manufacturers     don't     really     need     it     yet, 

but  they  are  using  more  and  more  silver  as  other 

metals  become  increasingly  difficult  to  get.  G-E 

engineers,  for  example,   are   using  silver  in   the 


manufacture  of  electric  apparatus  in  order  to 
conserve  tin,  copper,  and  other  scarce  materials. 

There  is  now  at  least  a  little  of  the  precious 
metal  in  almost  every  motor,  generator,  trans- 
former, and  other  piece  of  equipment  built  by 
General  Electric  for  the  war. 

In  many  cases  the  use  of  silver  adds  to  the 
cost — a  consideration  secondary  to  production  at 
present.  Here  its  use  is  probably  temporary. 

But  in  current-carrying  contacts  and  in  brazing 
alloys,  the  use  of  silver  results  in  an  improvement 
in  quality  sufficient  to  justify  the  greater  cost.  For 
these  purposes,  silver  will  very  likely  be  used  in 
even  greater  quantities  after  the  war. 


Tl 


TEST  paOT 

VHE  versatile  electronic  tube  has  now  become 

somewhat  of  a  test  pilot.  On  test  flights,  it 

goes  along  and  writes  a  complete  record  of  the 
strains  on  certain  structural  parts  of  the  plane  as 
it  dives  and  twists  and  streaks  across  the  sky. 

When  a  fighter  plane  goes  into  a  power  dive  at 
500  miles  an  hour,  for  example,  it  has  to  with- 
stand terrific  strains.  How  great  a  strain  is  a  vital 
question  to  the  designer,  who  wants  to  know 
whether  he  can  reduce  the  weight  of  the  plane  to 
give  it  greater  speed. 

Here's  how  the  electronic  tube  helps  furnish 
the  answer  to  that  question:  strain  gages  measure 
minute  changes  in  dimensions,  converting  them 
into  tiny  electric  impulses  which  electronic  tubes 
amplify  sufficiently  to  drive  a  highly  sensitive 
oscillograph  galvanometer;  the  galvanometer 
makes  a  permanent  record  of  the  impulses  on  a 
photographic  film.  General  Electric  Company, 
Schenectady y  N.  Y. 


NOVEMBER,  1942 


GENERAL  m  ELECTRIC 


24 


i 


» 


fthT 

1943 
|JU!?iOJ3 


December 


1942 


AIR   TRANSPORTATION 

MECHANISM    OF 
MAGNETISM 

PARACHUTES 

SYNTHETIC  RUBBER 

A.S.C.E.    CONFERENCE 

OUR    SOCIETIES 

TECHNOCRACKED 


Shed    1885 


Member  E.C.M.A- 


Fboto  courtesy  ol  the  Crown  Cork  &  Seal  Company 


The  best  news  about  tin 
since  ^e  ^ent  to  ^ar 


WHEN  THE  JAPS  Overran  IMalaya  and 
the  East  Indies,  they  thought  they 
had  dealt  a  staggering  blow  to  America. 

For,  overnight,  tin  became  a  most 
critical  raw  material,  because  America 
relies  upon  this  bright  metal  for  tin 
plate,  bearing  alloys,  solder,  collapsible 
tubes  .  .  .  but  mostly  tin  plate. 

However,  T'ncle  Sam  had  an  ace  in 
the  hole  .  .  .  electrolytic  tin  plate.  In  this 
process  tin  is  deposited  electrolytically 
.  .  .  not  hot-dipped  ...  on  steel  strip. 
And  only  one  third  the  normal  thickness 
of  tin  is  required. 

Unfortunately,  electrolytic  tin  plate 
is  far  from  perfect  as  it  conies  from  the 
plating  baths.  It  isporousand  not  com- 
pletely resistant   to  corrosion, 

In  order  to  make  electrolytic  tin  plate 
usable,  the  tin  deposit  must  be  re-heated 
and  floired  after  plating.  But  until  re- 
cently, even  the  best  available  re-heating 
and  flowing  processes  were  painfullyslow. 

Right  here  is  where  Westinghouse 
"know  how"  stepped  into  the  picture. 

R.  IVI.  Baker,  Westinghouse  Research 
Engineer,  together  with  Glenn  E.  Stoltz, 
of  the  Westinghouse  Industry  Engineer- 
ing Department,  decided  that  the  [jor- 
ous  tin  coating  could  he  fused . . .  through 
the  magic  of  electronics  ...  to  give  the 
tin  plate  the  desired  corrosion-resistant 
property  and  smfaee  brightness. 

Baker  and   Stoltz   built   a   high   fre- 


quency coil,  using  radio  broadcasting 
oscillator  tubes  for  their  power  source. 
Through  this  coil  they  passed  electro- 
lytic tin  plate.  The  inductive  heating 
effect  melted  the  tin  coating  .  .  .  and  it 
fused  smoothly  and  evenly  over  the  por- 
ous surface. 

The  new  Westinghouse  tin  reflowing 
process  is  now  in  actual  use,  turning 
out  gleaming  ribbons  of  tin  plate  at 
better  than  500  feet  per  minute.  It  will 
save  many  thousands  of  tons  of  tin 
every  year! 


What  Baker  and  Stoltz  did  for  the  tin 
plate  industry  many  engineering  stu- 
dents in  college  today  will  do  for  other 
industries  tomorrow. 

Westinghouse  knows  where  to  find  the 
future  scientists  America  needs  so  badly 
on  the  industrial  front  .  .  .  many  will  be 
among  the  technical  graduates  of  the 
Class  of  '43. 

Westinghouse  Electric  &  Manufactur- 
ing Company,  Pittsburgh,  Penna.  Plants 
in  25  cities,  offices  everywhere. 


RADIO  WAVES  FUSE  TIN  .  .  .  K.  M.  Baker, 
Westiiifjhousc  Research  Engineer,  examines  a 
tost  strij)  of  tin  plate  w  hich  is  passing  through 
the  experimental  tin  flowing  mill.  Baker 
joined  Westinghouse  after  receiving  his  B.S. 
at  Texas  University.  He  earned  an  M.S.  de- 
gree at  the  University  of  Pittsburgh. 


Westinghouse 

.  .  .  making  Electricity  work  for  Victory 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


.^1. 


For  More  Than  a 
decade  designers  of 
aircraft  have  foreseen 
the  day  of  freight-carrying  planes 
flying  the  airways  of  America. 
Now,  with  Dow  successfully  ex- 
tracting weight-saving  magnesium 
from   sea   water,  the  era   of  com- 


mercial freight  transport  by  air 
draws  measurably  closer.  Vast 
quantities  of  this  lightest  of  struc- 
tural metals  are  being  used  in  the 
construction  of  aircraft  for  our 
armed  forces  and  will  eventually 
be  available  for  industry  at  large 
after  Victory  is  won.  Thus  from 


the  waters  of  the  sea  will  come 
wings  destined  to  transport  many 
of  the  nation's  products  of  peace 
by  air. 

the  dow  chemical  company 
Midland,  Michigan 

New  York,  St.  Louis,  Chicago,  San  Francisco 
Los  Angeles,  Seaitle.  Houston 


MAGNESIUM 


CHEMICALS  INDISPENSABLE 
TO  INDUSTRY  AND  VICTORY 


DECEMBER,  1942 


Son... 


HE  has  just  turned  eighteen.  Shaves  twice  a  week 
and  maybe  a  hair  or  two  is  sprouting  on  his 
chest.  He  shies  away  now  when  his  dad  tries  to  be 
affectionate  and  we  noticed  some  lipstick  on  one  of 
his  handkerchiefs  after  a  country  club  junior  dance 
not  so  long  ago.  But  it  seems  only  yesterday,  perhaps 
it  was  the  day  before,  that  he  was  a  chubby  legged  kid 
swinging  from  the  arch  of  the  doorway,  leading  to  the 
dining  room,  in  a  gadget  that  was  something  like  a 
breeches  buoy  and  he  was  sucking  at  the  end  of  a 
turkey  bone. 

He  went  back  to  school  this  Fall,  a  tall,  athletic  lad, 
budding  into  manhood,  but  there  was  something  else 
on  his  mind  beside  the  football  and  hockey  teams  or  the 
little  blonde  girl  with  whom  he  had  "palled"  around 
during  the  Summer.  It  seems  as  though  he  was  listening 
for  a  certain  call — the  Clarion  call  that  poets  sing 
about — and,  perhaps  we  just  imagined  it,  but  we 
thought  we  saw  an  upward  jutting  of  his  chin,  a  cer- 
tain light  in  his  eyes,  and  a  sort  of  a  rearing-to-go 
expression  in  his  face. 

It  chilled  us  a  bit  in  the  region  of  our  heart,  when  we 
thought  of  his  discarding  the  sports  coat  for  the 
"O.D."  of  the  Army  or  the  blue  of  the  Navy.  There 


was  a  bit  of  a  catch  in  our  throat  as  we  thought  of  his 
putting  aside  his  football  helmet  for  one  of  steel;  of 
his  hanging  up  his  hockey  stick  and  reaching  for  a 
gun.  After  all  we  still  regard  him  as  just  a  little  boy. 

They  tell  us  that  the  eighteen  and  nineteen  year  old 
lads  are  to  be  called  to  the  service.  When  that  day 
comes  to  us  there  will  be  prayers,  but  no  tears.  We 
shall  not  mourn  nor  shall  we  be  fearful.  Rather  there 
will  come  welling  up  from  our  hearts  that  warm  feel- 
ing of  pride  that  millions  of  other  parents  will  sense 
when  their  beloved  lads  marched  away.  Our  lad  is  no 
different  than  the  others.  We  are  no  different  than 
other  loving  parents,  nor  is  our  sacrifice  any  greater. 
They  are  going  to  make  great  soldiers,  sailors,  marines 
and  fliers  out  of  these  youngsters.  And  they  will  be- 
come a  mighty  force  when  they  take  their  places  be- 
side their  brothers  in  arms.  They  too  know  what  they 
fight  for.  They  too  know  full  well  of  the  sacrifices  that 
must  be  made  before  the  evil  powers  that  threaten  the 
world  can  be  overcome. 

And  let  us  not  forget  that  they  are  counting  on  us. 
They  know  that  we  shall  not  fail  them. 

God  be  with  them  and  their  brothers. 


THE     CARBORUNDUM     COMPANY,     NIAGARA     FALLS,    N.    Y. 

fiCG       U.     S.      PAT.     OFF. 

4  THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


DECEMBER  •  1942 


This  Issue  .  .  . 

Air  Transportation 7 

IJj-  Dean  M.  L.  Knger 

The  Mechanism  of  Magnetism 8 

15.V  Sidney  Sioyel 

Parachutes 11 

By  William  G.  Murphy 

Synthetic  Rubber — Newest  Major  Industry 12 

By  Byron  Wtlsli 

Names  in  the  News 14 

By   Williani  Sriiniitz  and   l,ee  Sullivan 

Our  Societies 18 

By  Byron  Robinson 

Technocracked   20 

By  Paul  Salerno 

Report  on  the  A.S.C.E.  Conference 22 

By  William  (i.  -Murphy 


THE  TECHNOCRAPH 


Staff  .  .  . 

L.  Byron  Welsh Editor 

William   G.    Murphy Associate   Editor 

Paul  Salerno Assistant  Editor 

Lee  Sullivan Photogiiapher 

SENIOR    EDITORIAL    STAFF 

Walter    J.    Gailus.    Steven    Yurenka.    John    L.    Colp 

EDITORIAL    ASSISTANTS 

William   R.   Schmitz.   Byron   M.   Robinson.   Don   Hallberg. 

Jim  .Murray.   Eusene   Bi.Kby.   William   Rychel.  Charles  E. 

Yale.    Jack    Steele.    Herb    Newmark 

Dean  E.  Madden Business  Manager 

William   Belch Circulation   Manager 

Alex  Green Stibscription  Manager 

BUSINESS    STAFF 

David    Causey.      Byron     Krulevitch,      Don     Deno,      John 

Henton,      Bob     Rouse.      William     Lurvey.      James     Lyle. 

James   A.   Chapman 

MEMBER    OF    EXGIXEERING    COLLEGE    MAGAZINES 
ASSOCIATED 

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nical Journal,  Illinois  Technograph.  Iowa  Engineer,  Iowa  Transit,  Kansas 
Engineer,  Kansas  State  Engineer,  Marquette  Engineer,  Michigan  Techin'c, 
Minnesota  Techno-Log,  Missouri  Shamrock.  Nebraska  Blue  Print,  New- 
York  L'niyersily  Quadrangle,  North  Dakota  Engineer.  North  Dakota 
State  Engineer,  Ohio  State  Engineer,  Olclahoma  State  Engineer,  C)regon 
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Technic,  Tech  Engineering  News,  Villanova  Engineer,  Wayne  Engineer, 
Wisconsin    Engineer,    and    Cooperative    Engineer. 

Published  Eight  Times  Yearly  by  the  Students  of 
the  College  of  Engineering,  University  of  Illinois 

Published  eight  times  during  the  year  (October,  November,  Decem- 
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ing Company.  Entered  as  second  class  matter,  October  30,  1921,  at 
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Reprint   rights  reserved  by   The  Illinois  Technograph. 


Frontispiece  .  .  . 

Electric  power  generation  and  trans- 
mission. ( Photoniontaye,  (Jourtesy  General 
Electric). 


Cover  . . . 

Three   Aircobras    in    tonnation.    (Photo. 
(Courtesy  Bell  Aircraft  ('oiiipany ). 


AIR  TRANSPORTATION 

By  M.  L.  ENGER 
Dean  <if  the  College  of  Engineering 


The  war  has  crowded  into  a  tew  years  the  development 
of  air  transportation  which  would  have  required  decades 
under  peace  time  conditions.  Planes  are  being  produced 
in  numbers  which  seemed  fantastic  when  first  mentioned. 
Flights  over  oceans  have  become  routine.  After  the  war 
we  shall  have  an  over-expanded  manufacturing  capacity  for 
planes  of  every  type  and  a  reservoir  of  pilots  and  other 
personnel  needed  to  put  them  into  use.  The  ine\itable 
result  will  be  a  revolution  in  transportation  which  will 
produce   social   and   economic  effects   of   great   consequence. 

The  growth  of  air  transportation  was  very  rapid  before 
the  war.  Each  succeeding  year  saw  a  great  increase  in  the 
air  transport  of  passengers,  mail,  and  express.  However, 
at  its  peak,  air  line  service  was  available  over  a  limited 
number  of  routes,  and  only  a  few  hundred  planes  were  in 
service.  After  the  war  there  will  be  a  great  and  sudden 
increase  in  all  phases  of  air  transport.  Large  cargo  planes 
will  compete  with  railroads  for  the  perishable  freight  busi- 
ness. Smaller  transport  planes,  and  possibly  gliders,  will 
compete  with  trucks.  Long  distance  passenger  travel  by 
airplane  will  increase.  Air  transportation  is  destined  to 
become  one  of   the   great  industries   after   the  war. 

A  \er\"  large  number  of  airports  will  be  necessary  before 


it  will  be  possible  fulh  to  develop  air  transportation.  Just 
as  vast  expenditures  have  been  made  for  paved  highways 
for  automoti\e  transportation,  great  expenditures  for  air- 
ports must  be  made  for  transportation  by  air.  The  time 
required  to  construct  an  adequate  number  of  airports  will 
be  the  principal  factor  in  retarding  the  use  of  the  airplane. 
The  existing  capacit\'  for  manufacturing  airplanes  exceeds 
by  many  times  the  available  airport  capacity.  It  follows 
that  airport  construction  will  be  one  of  the  major  engi- 
neering activities  in   the  decade   following  the  war. 

The  Civil  Aeronautcs  Administration  several  years  ago 
proposed  Federal  aproprations  for  a  system  of  airports  and 
airways  which  were  attacked  as  fantastic  and  visionary  at 
that  time.  It  is  evident  now  that  the  proposed  system 
represented  a  very  modest  beginning  of  the  much  more 
comprehensive  plan  which  is  known  to  be  needed. 

Airport  planning  and  construction  is  in  its  infancy. 
Many  airports  have  been  abandoned  as  unsuitable  after  large 
expenditures  had  been  made,  because  of  inadequate  areas 
or  unfavorable  locations.  The  Civil  Aeronautics  Administra- 
tion recommends  a  square  mile  of  land  for  important  air- 
ports and  has  set  up  standards  for  runway  lengths,  widths, 
(Cnntiiiiitd  (III   Pni/c  27 J 


PRESENT    DAY     TRANSPORT    AIRCRAFT 

UP    TO    30    PLACE 

ADEQUATE     FOR     AIRCRAFT    FROM     10.000  *   TO 
50000  *  GROSS     WEIGHT 

CITIES    OF    25.000    TO    250.000    POPULATION 
ON    AIRWAYS    SYSTEM 

LANDING    STRIPS     3500'     TO    4500'     LENGTH. 


LARGEST  AIRCRAFT   NOW    IN 
PLANNED     FOR    IMMEDIATE 


USE   AND  THOSE 
FUTURE. 


50    PLACE     AND    LARGER 

ADEQUATE    FOR     AIRCRAFT    OF    GROSS    WEIGHTS 
OF    50.000  *  AND     OVER. 

MAJOR    METROPOLITAN    CENTERS    AND 
AIRWAY    TERMINALS 

LANDING    STRIPS    4500'    LENGTHS     AND    OVER 


Hecoinmendations     of     Airport     Section     of     Civil     .Aeronautics 
.Administration    for    .Airports    for    use    of    Transport    .Aiitraft. 


~s~T"T"T"T"T"!r"T~s    s   ■■.  s  s  s 


DECEMBER,  1942 


The  Mechanism  of  Magnetism 

By  SIDNEY  SIEGEL 

Research    /:iii^inei'r.    li'estinghouse   Electric   tiiij  Maiitifdcturiin;   danipaiiy 


Xcarh'  a  lialf-bilhoii  pournis  of  iron  is  used  in  tin- 
United  States  yearly  for  electrical  purposes.  The  reason 
is,  of  course,  that  iron  is  the  material  most  readily  capable 
of  becoming  magnetized.  Just  what  happens  inside  a  trans- 
former lamination  or  a  lifting  electromagnet  element  has 
been  thoroughly  explored  and  it  is  possible  to  describe  fully 
and  clearly  the  phenomena  occurring  while  iron  is  being 
magnetized. 

From  the  magnetic  point  of  view,  all  substances  can  be 
grouped  into  two  classes.  In  the  first,  the  paramagnetic 
materials  (such  as  aluminum,  calcium,  platinum,  tungsten), 
the  atoms  of  the  substance  have  a  permanent  magnetic  mo- 
ment; ie.,  each  atom  even  in  the  absence  of  an  external 
field  is  a  tiny  magnet.  The  substances  of  this  class  all 
have  nearly  the  same  magnetic  moment  per  atom,  several 
atomic  units  of  magnetism.  Each  atom  is  a  miniature  solar 
system  in  which  free  electrons  revolve  around  a  heavy  nucleus 
of  protons  and  neutrons.  In  addition  to  revolving  about  the 
nucleus,  each  free  electron  is  also  believed  to  spin  about  its 
axis,  thereby  producing  a  magnetic  moment  corresponding 
to  the  atomic  unit  of  magnetism.  The  magnetic  moment  of 
the  w^hole  atom  depends,  of  course,  on  the  number  of  im- 
paired electrons  in   the  orbits  surrounding  the  nucleus. 

When  a  paramagnetic  substance  is  placed  in  a  magnetic 
field,  the  atomic  magnets  tend  to  line  up  in  the  direction 
of  the  field  against  the  disorienting  effect  of  the  random 
thermal  vibration  of  the  atoms.  Most  of  these  substances 
have  a  permeability  (ratio  of  magnetic  induction  to  mag- 
netizing force)  of  the  order  1.001,  and  are  only  weakly  mag- 
netized in  the  ordinary  magnetic  fields  encountered  in  prac- 
tice. The  reason  for  this  is  that  the  disorienting  effect  of 
the  thermal  agitation,  at  room  temperature,  is  far  larger 
than  the  orienting  effect  of  the  applied  field. 

In  the  second  class  of  substances,  the  atoms  have  no 
magnetic  moment  in  the  absence  of  an  external  magnetic 
field.  These  are  the  diamagnetic  materials  (such  as  silver, 
gold,  zinc,  bismuth),  and  have  permeability  less  than  unity, 
but  by  an  amount  so  small  that  very  sensitive  apparatus  is 
required  to  detect  the  difference.  For  example,  the  per- 
meability of  pure  copper,  which  is  diamagnetic,  is  0.999999. 
For  all  practical  purposes,  all  diamagnetic  and  most  para- 
magnetic substances  are  usually  designated  "non-magnetic" 
due  to  the  fact  that  their  constant  of  permeability  is  nearly 
unity,  within  one  part,  or  less,  in   10,000. 

A  small  group  of  paramagnetic  materials  namei\',  iron, 
cobalt,  nickel,  alloys  and  compounds  of  these  metals,  and 
certain  alloys  containing  manganese,  differ  radically  from  all 
other  substances.  The  outward  difference  between  these 
materials,  called  ferromagnetics,  and  other  paramagnetic 
materials,  is  in  the  magnetic  properties  and  is  well  known. 
As  shown  in  Fig.  1,  it  is  possible  to  induce  high  flux  densities 
in  iron.  These  flux  densities  are  much  higher  than  those 
in  most  paramagnetic  materials — about  1000  times  as  high. 
The  reason  for  this  difference  is  that  in  the  ferromagnetics 
there  is  a  strong  interaction  between  the  individual  atoms 
of  the  solid  tending  to  line  up  neighboring  atoms  -so  that 
the  atomic  magnets  are  parallel  .while  in  the  paramagnetics 
there  is  no  such  interaction. 

Ferromagnetic  atomic  interaction  is  so  great,  even  witli- 
out  an  external  field,  that  a  comparable  magnetization  in- 
tensity of  the  same  magnitude  in  a  paramagnetic  metal  could 
only  be  achieved   by  means  of  an  external  field  of  some   10 

8 


million  oersteds.  Such  intense  iields  have  never  \et  been 
attained  by  laboratory  or  commercial  apparatus.  (The 
oersted  is  the  unit  of  magnetic  field  strength,  equal  to  1  0.4 
pi  ampere  turns  per  centimeter.  The  earth's  magnetic  field 
is  about  one  oersted ;  the  exciting  field  in  a  transformer 
about  ten  oersteds,  and  the  field  in  the  air  gap  of  a  gener- 
ator is  about   10, 00(1  oersteds.) 


, 


Kiy.  1. — The  iiiau"*'tiz:itiiiii  cuive  nl  a  IVrr<(iiia;;iielic  niatt'iinl 
tvilli  the  iiKiiK'tioii  IS  plotted  vcrticall.v.  (he  iiiaKiietizin^  lieltl  II 
plotted  hiiriz(intall.\ .  A  iiiiinber  of  ina;:iietizatioii  principles,  di.s- 
eii.ssed  in  the  text,  are  iiulicatt'd  on   the  eiiive. 

One  feature  of  our  picture  of  a  piece  of  iron  is,  there- 
fore, that  nearly  every  atomic  magnet  is  parallel  to  its  neigh- 
bors, because  of  the  interaction  between  neighboring  atoms, 
even  in  the  absence  of  an  external  field.  This  view,  that 
ferromagnetic  materials  are  spontaneoush'  magnetized,  is 
essential  to  our  understanding  of  the  behavior  of  a  piece  of 
iron  in  a  magnetic  field,  and  was  first  set  forth  by  Weiss.' 

If  all  the  atomic  magnets  are  parallel  without  ;.n  e.xternal 
field,  how  is  it  po.ssible  to  obtain  a  demagtietized  piece  of 
iron?  Weiss  provided  the  answer  to  this  question,  too,  by 
explaining  that  each  piece  of  iron  is  divided  into  minute 
"domains  of  spontaneous  magnetization.  "  In  each  domain 
the  atoms  are  all  parallel,  so  that  each  domain  is  saturated; 
i.e.,  within  each  domain  the  ferric  induction  (fig.  1  )  is  equal 
to  its  saturation  value  of  about  20,000  gausses.  The  direc- 
tion of  the  induction  varies  from  one  domain  to  another  in 
such  a  manner  that  the  induction  of  the  specimen  as  a 
whole  is  zero,  and  the  specimen  is  therefore  demagnetized. 
In  other  words,  whereas  in  each  domain  all — or  most  all — 
the  atoms  are  oriented,  the  domains  themselves  are  disposed 
at  random,  gi\'ing  zcio  net  magnetization. 

THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


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Df 


The  size  and  shape  of  these  domains  depend  to  some 
extent  on  the  size  and  shape  of  the  specimen,  and  on  the 
nature  of  the  material,  but  in  a  general  way  the  dimensions 
of  the  domains  are  of  the  order  one-tenth  to  one-thousandth 
cm,  each  containing  about  10''  (a  million  billions)  atoms. 
The  domains  exist  as  a  result  of  a  balance  between  two 
opposing  types  of  forces.  Consider  a  cylindrical  single 
crystal  of  iron,  such  as  is  shown  in  Fig.  2a.  The  atomic 
interactions  tend  to  make  all  the  atoms  parallel  to  each 
other.  Were  this  tendency  satisfied,  the  bar  would  be  sat- 
urated and  magnetized  in  the  direction  shown.  The  mag- 
netic poles  at  the  end  faces  of  the  crystal  would  give  rise  to 
a  demagnetizing  field  in  opposite  direction  to  that  in  the 
crystal.  This  field  woidd  tend  to  reverse  the  atomic  magnets. 
H(nve\er,  another  force  opposing  the  magnetization  in  the 
crystal  is  the  thermal  agitation  tending  to  orient  the  atomic 
magnets  in  all  directions.  As  a  result,  to  preserve  equi- 
librium, the  crystal  becomes  divided  into  small  regions.  Fig. 
2b.  Kach  region  contains  a  large  number  of  atomic  magnets 
oriented  in  one  direction,  and  is  therefore  magnetized  in 
the  same  directions,  and  the  net  result  is  that  the  crystal, 
or  the  whole  piece  of  iron  of  which  the  crystal  is  hut  a  part, 
is  demagnetized. 

The  existence  of  these  domains  has  been  proved  by  many 
experimenters,  the  first  direct  visual  evidence  having  been 
Bitter.-  If  a  properly  prepared  collodial  suspension  of  iron 
oxide  is  placed  on  the  polished  surface  of  a  ferromagnetic 
material,  and  the  surface  examined  under  the  microscope, 
patterns  such  as  those  of  Fig.  3  are  observed. 

All  metals  are  crystalline,  which  means  that  their  atoms 
are  regularly  distributed  on  the  points  of  a  space  lattice. 
For  iron  crystals  this  lattice  is  a  series  of  cubes  each 
2.86x10*  cm  (about  one-hundred-millionth  inch)  on  edge, 
with  an  iron  atom  at  each  corner  and  at  the  center  of  each 
cube.  Since  in  a  piece  of  iron  such  as  a  transformer  lamina- 
tion each  crystal  contains  an  enormous  number  of  very  regu- 
larly arranged  iron  atoms.  Each  crystal  is  divided,  as  we 
ha\e  seen,  into  many  magnetic  domains.  The  regularity 
of  position  continues  from  one  domain  to  another  within  a 
single  crystal,  but  the  regularity  of  direction  of  atomic  mag- 
netic moment  is  continuous  only  over  a  domain.  This  situ- 
ation is  pictured  in  Fig.  2b.  In  iron  these  domains  are  not 
randomly  oriented,  for  each  domain  is  magnetized  to  satura- 
tion along  one  of  the  six  possible  directions  parallel  to  the 
cube   edge  of   the   crystal   in   which   the   domain   is  situated. 

(^m-  picture  of  a  piece  of  demagnetized  iron  is  therefore 
the  following:  Crystal  grains  about  one-tenth  cm  in  size 
are  more  or  less  randomly  oriented  in  the  iron.  Within 
each  grain,  many  saturated  domains  of  magnetization  are 
present,  \vith  the  direction  of  magnetization  of  any  one 
domain  restricted  to  one  of  the  cube-edge  directions  in  that 
ciNstal.  There  is  an  equal  number  of  domains  in  each  direc- 
tion, so  that  each  crystal  shows  no  net  magnetization,  and 
the  specimen  as  a  whole  is  demagnetized.  This  condition  is 
shown  schematically  in  Fig.  3a,  where  two  grains  are  shown, 
each  divided  into  idealized  square  magnetic  domains.  The 
cubic  axes  lie  along  the  lines  in  each  crystal,  and  each  domain 
is  magnetized  in  the  direction  indicated  by  the  arrows.  Ths 
material  is  demagnetized,  in  the  state  given  by  the  point  H 
on   the  magnetzation  curve  of   Fig.    1. 

A  small  positive  field  is  now  applied,  and  the  magnetiza- 
tion increases  along  (OA  in  Fig.  1.  This  initial  increase  in 
nrignetization  occurs  by  a  process  of  domain-boundary  dis- 
placement. This  is  shown  in  Fig.  3b.  Domain  1  in  the 
upper  crystal,  for  example,  grows  at  the  expense  of  its 
neighboring  domains  by  shifting  its  boundaries  to  the  posi- 
tion of  the  dotted  lines.  By  this  process,  all  the  domains 
that  are  favorably  oriented  with  respect  to  H,  i.e.,  mag- 
netized at  a  smaller  angle  with  the  applied  field,  grow  at 
the  expense  of  their  less  favorably  oriented  neighbors.  This 
|irocess  is  a  nearly  reversible  one,  and  if  the  field  is  removed, 

DECEMBER,  1942 


most  of  the  domain  boundaries  return  to  their  original  posi- 
tions. 

If  the  applied  field  is  increased,  and  becomes  of  the  order 
of  the  coercive  force  H,,,  which  in  well-annealed,  high-purity 
materials  ma\  be  only  a  fraction  of  an  oersted,  a  new  pro- 
cess of  magnetization  comes  into  play.  The  boundary  be- 
tween domains  shifts  suddenly  so  as  to  wipe  out  entirely 
an  unfavorably  oriented  domain,  such  a,s  domain  2  in  the 
upper  crystal  of  Fig.  4b.  This  sudden  shift  of  domain  boun- 
daries, in  which  entire  domains  change  their  direction  of 
magnetization  from  one  cubic  axis  to  another,  is  known  as 
tile  Barkhauscn  effect.  Bozorth'  has  shown  that  practicalh' 
all  the  change  in  induction  from  A  to  B  in  Fig.  1  occurs 
by  tiiis  process  of  domain-boundary  shifts.  Because  of  these 
changes  in  induction  occur  rapidly,  in  about  one  ten-thou- 
sandth second,  local  eddy  currents  are  induced  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  each  domain,  and  these  dissipate  energy.  This 
energy  is  supplied  from  the  power  source  that  provides  the 
current  to  magnetize  the  specimen,  and  is  di.ssipated  as  heat 
in  the  iron.  This  part  of  the  magnetization  curve  is  not 
re\ersible ;  if  the  field  is  reduced,  the  portion  BA  is  not 
retraced. 

The  magnitude  of  the  field,  H,.,  at  which  there  processes 
occur,  is  of  great  importance  for  the  coercive  force  determines 
to  a  large  e.xtent  the  amount  of  energy  dissipated  as  hysteresis 
in  a  cycle  of  magnetization.  Detailed  experiments  on  the 
energy  dissipation  during  various  parts  of  the  cycle  show 
that  almost  all  the  energ\^  is  lost  on  the  steep  part  of  the 
magnetization  curve.  It  therefore  appears  quite  probable  that 
the  loss  is  a  result  of  these  discontinuous  boundar\'  emotions. 
Extensive  investigations  by  Yensen'  have  shown  that  the 
magnitude  of  hysteresis  loss  depends  primarily  on  the  impuri- 
ties present  in  the  material  and  on  the  internal  strains  in 
the  structure  of  the  specimen. 

The  position  at  which  a  domain  boundary  is  situated  is 
determined  by  the  manner  in  which  random  internal  stresses 
vary  from  point  to  point  within  a  crystal.  The  ease  with 
which  such  a  boundary  can  be  made  to  move;  i.e.,  the  field 
required  to  cause  a  sudden  boundary  shift  giving  rise  to  a 
Barkhausen  jump  in  magnetization,  depends  on  the  internal 
( ('.fintiniicd  on  Next  Pngc) 


Magnetization 


Demagnetizing  Field 


^Arlrir! 


(b) 


I'ii;.  'I. — (a)  A  single  iron  cr.vstal  wliieli  is  entirel.v  saturated 
liccaiise  (if  the  atimiic  iiiteraetions  tliat  tend  to  make  each  atmn 
parallel  to  its  neisjlihor.  A  deMiai;netizing  Held  opposite  in 
(lireition  to  that  of  the  iiiaunetization  is  produced.  (I))  Cr.vstal 
divide:!  into  small  inaunetic  domains  su  arranged  that  the 
sample  as  a  whole  is  demagnetize<l,  with  no  resulting  external 
demagnetizing  field. 


•"is.  -I- — (iiaiiis  showiii);  etIVct  of  :i|)|)l.\  ill:;  a   iii:i:;ii<'(ic  field  as  shown  in   I'if;.   1 


a)  Two  grains,  each  one  divided  into  idealized 
square  magnetic  domains  whose  magnetism  is  in  tlie 
direction  indicated  l»y  the  arrow.  As  there  is  an 
ecjual  nnmher  of  domains  in  each  direction,  the 
grains  as  a  whole  are  demagnetized,  (li)  The  two 
grains  are  now  suhjected  to  a  small  positive  field, 
which  causes  a  slight  domain  bovnidary  displace- 
ment. IJomains  favorably  oriented  with  regard  to 
the  field  are  enlarged  and  those  tnifavorahly  dis- 
posed are  made  proportion.ately  smaller.  (c)  Two 
grains  showing  completion  of  reversals  of  magnetism 
of  individual  domains  and  each  crystal  in  effect  a 
single  domain  with  magnetic  saturation  along  the 
culiic  axis  making  the  smallest  angle  with  the  applied 
field.  (d)  Saturation  magnetization  in  each  crystal 
swings  gradually  from  the  cubic  axis  of  the  crystal 
toward  the  axis  of  the  applied  field,  when  the 
applied  magnetizing  field  intensity  is  sufficiently  large. 


Stresses  in  the  interior  of  a  grain.  If  there  are  many  impuri- 
ties, or  if  there  are  internal  stresses  as  a  result  of  plastic 
deformation,  these  distort  the  lattice  of  the  crystal  and  make 
the  boundary  between  domains  difficult  to  move;  i.e.,  act 
as  a  sort  of  domain  friction.  As  these  impinities  are  re- 
moved, and  as  random  internal  strains  are  relieved  by  an- 
nealing, thereby  lessening  lattice  distortion,  the  field  H,. 
required  to  make  a  boundary  move  becomes  smaller,  and  as 
the  coercive  force  decreases  the  hysteresis  loss  decreases. 

At  this  point  it  is  appropriate  to  ask,  "What  is  the  correl- 
ation between  mechanical  strains  and  magnetic  properties?" 
To  answer  this  it  is  necessary  to  consider  another  magnetic 
phenomenon,  magnetostriction.  A  piece  of  iron  on  being 
magnetized  becomes  longer  by  a  very  small  amount,  the 
longitudinal  strain  being  about  one  part  in  one  hundred 
thousand.  Look  again  at  Fig.  3b,  and  assume  first  that  the 
material  has  no  internal  strains  other  than  those  caused  by 
magnetostriction;  i.e.,  that  it  is  of  high  purity  and  has  been 
proper!}-  annealed.  Because  of  magnetostriction,  domain  1 
which  is  magnetized  to  the  right  is  longer  by  one  part  in  a 
hundred  thousand  in  that  direction.  In  order  for  the  mag- 
netization in  domain  2  to  change  suddenly  to  that  of  domain 
1,  it  is  obviously  necessary  for  the  magnetic  field  to  perform 
useful  work  against  the  elastic  force  caused  by  magneto- 
striction. The  field  strength  necessary  to  perform  this  work 
in  pure  iron  was  found — both  by  calculation  and  e.xperiment 
— to  be  approximately  0.04  oersted.  Since  the  internal 
strain  due  to  impurities  or  cold  work  may  be  on  the  order 
of  the  elastic  limit,  a  strain  of  A///^10-',  the  coercive  force 
in  such  a  case  can  be  hundreds  of  times  larger  than  it  is  in 
pure,  well-annealed  iron. 

In  most  magnetic  materials  these  discontinuous  reversals 
of  magnetization  of  individual  domains  are  completed  in 
fields  of  the  order  of  several  oersteds.  The  situation  is  now 
that  depicted  in  Fig.  3c.  Each  crystal  is  in  effect  a  single 
domain  magnetized  to  saturation  along  that  cubic  a.xis  mak- 
ing the  smallest  angle  with  the  direction  of  the  applied  field 
H.  While  each  grain  is  now  saturated,  the  specimen  as  a 
whole  has  only  the  magnetization  corresponding  to  the  point 
B  in  Fig.  1,  because  crystals  themselves  are  randomly  oriented 
and  contribute  only  the  component  of  the  saturation  magneti- 
zation parallel  to  H.  The  amount  of  induction  at  the  point 
B  is  determined  primarily  by  the  orientation  of  the  crystal 
grains  in  the  specimen.  The  two  grains  of  Fig.  3d  are 
randomly  oriented.  The  component  of  B  along  H  in  the 
upper  grain  is  about  90  per  cent  of  saturation  ;  in  the  lower 
grain  it  is  75  per  cent  of  saturation.  Such  a  material  there- 
fore has  a  lower  permeability  in  fields  of  the  order  10  oersteds 
than  one  in  which  the  grains  are  oriented  with  a  cubic  axis 
along  H.  In  the  latter  case  each  grain  contributes  its  full 
saturation  magnetization  to  the  component  of  B  along  H. 
This  property  of  iron,  that  the  cubic  axis  is  a  direction  of 
easy  magnetization,  is  the  basis  for  the  higher  permeability  of 
the  new  magnetic  material  Hipersil,  in  which  nearly  all  the 
grains  are  oriented,  with  a  cubic  axis  along  the  direction  in 
which   the  flux  traverses  the  material. 

If  the   flux   is   furrhcr  increased,   up   to  several   hundred 


oersteds,  the  portion  BC  of  the  magnetization  curve  is  fol- 
lowed. This  rather  slow  approach  to  saturation  at  C  is 
achieved  by  a  process  in  which  the  direction  of  magnetiza- 
tion in  each  crystal  rotates  gradually  from  the  direction  of 
the  cube  edge  to  that  of  H.  This  process  is  shown  in  Fig. 
3d,  and  at  its  completion  the  entire  specimen  is  saturated. 
This  rotation  process  is  nearly  reversible,  and  is  accomplished 
by  little  dissipation  of  energy. 

In  following  the  magnetization  curve  from  the  demagne- 
tized state  at  D,  we  have  encountered  three  magnetization 
processes;  first,  the  boundary  displacement  in  fields  less  than 
the  coercive  force;  second,  the  Barkhausen  process  in  which 
entire  domains  suddenly  change  their  directions  of  magneti- 
zation in  fields  of  intensity  approximating  that  of  the  co- 
ercive force;  and,  thiril,  the  slow,  rexersible  rotation  of  the 
magnetization  of  entire  crystals  in  relati\ely  large  fields 
until  saturation  is  attained  at  the  point  C  of  Fig.  1.  In  a 
cycle  of  magnetization,  such  as  occurs  in  an  electrical  ma- 
chine, only  the  last  two  processes  are  constantly  repeated ; 
the  first  takes  place  only  once.  Thus  in  going  from  C  to  E 
we  have  mainly  reversible  rotations,  in  going  from  E  to  F 
almost  entirely  discontinuous  jumps  of  the  Barkhausen  type, 
and  from  F  to  Cj  again  reversible  rotations.  The  remainder 
of  the  cycle  is  of  course  identical  with  the  portion  CDEFd. 

To  summarize,  in  the  demagnetized  state,  each  crystal  is 
divided  into  a  large  number  of  domains,  each  magnetically 
saturated  along  one  of  the  cubic  axes  of  the  crystal.  Fhe 
saturation  magnetization  in  each  domain  is  determined  en- 
tirely by  the  atomic  properties  of  iron,  and  cannot  be  changed 
except  by  adding  alloying  elements  to  iron.  When  the  field 
reaches  the  coercive  force,  favorably  oriented  domains  grow 
at  the  expense  of  less  favorable  oriented  domains.  The  mag- 
nitude of  the  coercive  force  depends  on  random  internal 
stresses  because  of  impurities  or  cold  work,  and  can  be 
greatly  reduced  by  purification  and  strain-relief  annealing. 
The  final  process  consists  of  a  slow  approach  to  saturation 
through  the  rotation  of  the  direction  of  magnetization  in 
each  grain  from  that  of  a  cubic  axis  to  that  of  the  field. 
The  magnetic  induction  at  which  this  process  begins  depends 
primarily  on  the  orientation  of  the  grains,  and  can  be  con- 
trolled by  special  rolling  and  heat  treatments,  yielding  a 
material  such  as  Hipersil  with  pronounced  grain  orientation. 

RFFERFNCES 

1 — "L'Hypothese  du  Champ  Moleculaire  et  la  Propriete 
Ferromagnetique,"  bv  P.  Weiss,  Journal  de  Physique  6 
(1907),  p.  661. 

2 — "On  Inhomogeneities  in  the  Magnetization  of  Ferro- 
magnetic Materials,"  bv  F.  Bitter,  Physirti!  Riviru'  3S 
(1931),  p.  1903. 

3 — "The  Magnetic  Structure  of  Cobalt,"  by  W.  C.  Elmore, 
Physical  Revini'  53    (1938),  p.   757. 

4 — "Barkhausen  Effect  III — Nature  of  Change  of  Magneti- 
zation in  Elementarv  Domains,"  bv  R.  M.  Bozorth  and 
J.  F.  Dillinger,  Physiral  Rcvieu'  41    (1932),  p.  345. 

5 — Chapter  4,  by  T.  D.  Yensen,  in  "Introduction  to  Ferro- 
magnetism,"  Francis  Bitter,  McCiraw-Hill  Book  Co., 
1937. 


10 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


PARACHUTES  .  .  . 


By  WILLIAM   G.  MURPHY,  G.  E.  '43 


There  is  no  feat  of  modern  war  that  amazes  and  excites 
the  lay  public  more  than  the  Parachute  Battalions  dropping 
to  attack  by  surprise  some  strategic  position  behind  the 
enemies  lines.  In  almost  every  newspaper  there  are  accounts 
of  investigations  to  determine  the  whereabouts  of  a  para- 
chutist reported  to  have  fallen  from  the  clouds.  The  de- 
velopment of  the  parachute  for  modern  warfare  has  made 
people  conscious  of  the  danger  of  attack  even  in  these 
spots  remote  from  any  theatre  of  war,  but  the  parachute 
even  today  is  still  serving  a  purpose,  the  one  for  which  it 
was  developed,  greater  than  that  of  transporting  troops  to 
a  spot  of  laimching  a  surprise  attack.  This  purpose  is  the 
one  that  the  Chinese  and  Leonardo  da  Vinci  were  thinking 
of  when  they  conceived  the  idea  of  a  free  fall  from  the 
sky   without   injury,   that   of   saving  lives. 

The  early  days  of  the  parachute  date  back  to  the  bal- 
loonist of  the  carnival  era  who  used  them  to  save  them- 
selves when  their  balloons  caught  fire.  The  unimaginative 
people  of  the  time  did  not  foresee  the  possibilities  of  the 
parachute ;  and  therefore,  progress  v>^as  limited  to  a  few 
coiM'ageous  pioneers  who  experimented  with  different  pur- 
poses but  toward  the  same  end  —  a  safe  fall  from  any 
height. 

Andrew  Jacques  (jarnerin,  a  Frenchman,  is  credited 
by  all  as  the  first  parachutist  even  thoLigh  there  is  some 
doubt  as  to  whether  he  actually  made  the  first  jump.  His 
first  jump  was  on  October  22,  1797  in  Paris,  France  from 
a  height  of  about  2000  feet.  Five  years  later  he  is  believed 
to  have  ascended  to  8000  feet,  but  on  this  jump  the  "chute" 
oscillated  and  Garnerin  was  badly  shaken  up. 

Another  Frenchman,  Lelande,  is  given  credit  for  soh- 
ing  this  problem  by  his  suggestion  that  hole  cut  in  the  top 
of  the  canopy  would  equalize  the  pressure  on  the  inside. 
This  reduced  the  oscillation  but  "chutes"  still  rock,  violent- 
ly at  times,  and  make  the  landings  hazardous  for  the  chutist. 

In  July,  180S,  the  parachute  saved  its  first  life  when 
Kuparento,  a  Polish  baloonist,  was  forced  to  jump  when 
his  baloon  caught  fire.  In  spite  of  the  attempts  of  many 
men  to  develop  the  parachute,  it  remained  only  an  amuse- 
ment device  for  carni\al  and  circus  crowds  until  the  de- 
velopment of  the  airplane. 

In  the  early  days  of  aviation  many  jumps  were  made, 
but  Grant  Morton  is  reported  to  have  jumped  from  a  plane 
in  1911.  Captain  Albert  Berry  made  two  jumps  from  a 
static  "chute"  in  1912  over  St.  Louis,  Missouri.  These 
were  the  first  jumps  recorded.  Parachutes  to  this  date 
were  makeshift  models  that  the  jumper  had  made  himself. 

No  aviators  at  this  time  considered  the  parachute  as  a 
safety  device,  and  anyone  who  wore  one  was  either  a  sissy 
or  fool.  French  aviation  officials  were  of  a  different  mind 
on  the  problem.  Colonel  Lalance  offered  a  prize  and  many 
experimental   chutes  were  tried.     None  were  satisfactory. 

The  period  from  1914  to  1925  was  very  important  in 
the  growth  of  the  parachute.  Many  observation  baloonists 
lost  their  lives  in  flames  when  they  fell  in  binning  baloons. 
These  caused  the  British  government  to  develop  a  "chute" 
to  be  used  by  these  men.    The  French  and  Germans  also 


developed  parachutes  for  the  same  purpose.  Nearly  a 
thousand  lives  were  saved  by  chutes  following  this  new 
use. 

To  offer  some  protection  to  pilots  both  the  Germans 
and  the  Allies  experimented  with  static  line  chutes.  The 
static  line  was  a  cord  of  some  sort  which  was  fastened  to 
the  plane  and  pulled  the  chut  from  either  a  pack  on  the 
pilot's  back  or  a  seat  pack  as  he  jumped. 

At  McCook  Field,  Dayton,  Ohio,  the  United  States 
Army  was  making  experiments  which  were  not  dropped 
at  the  end  of  the  war.  Major  E.  I.  Hoffman  was  placed 
in  charge  and  he  and  his  staff  made  many  valuable  experi- 
ments in  parachute  design. 

These  men  after  many  failures  developed  the  forerunner 
of  today's  "chute  of  many  purposes."  All  manufacturers 
of  parachutes  must  use  the  Army-Navy  specifications.  Tech- 
nical data,  test  records,  and  information  showing  the  break- 
ing strength,  weight,  thread  count,  tensile  strength,  and 
data  on  all  other  chute  characteristics  must  be  submitted. 
When  this  is  aproved,  functional  tests  using  a  170  lb. 
dummy  followed  by  a  600  pound  lead  weight  and  finally 
two  live  jumps  with  a  rate  of  fall  of  not  more  than  21  feet 
per  second.  The  chute  must  come  through  100%.  In 
addition   the  chute   must   be   tested   every  sixty  days. 

Floyd  Smith,  one  of  the  original  group  at  McCook 
Field,  is  still  active  today  as  a  manufacturer  of  parachutes. 
They  are  using  a  fifty  foot  steel  tower  with  a  swinging 
beam  that  rotates  at  200  miles  per  hour.  This  invention 
proves  itself  invaluable  time  after  time  by  enabling  new 
designs  to  be  tested  without  endangering  the  lives  of  test 
men. 

In  recent  years  the  parachute  has  been  used  for  many 
purposes  such  as  carrying  meterological  equipment  safely 
back  to  earth  after  registering  conditions  at  high  altitudes, 
dropping  food  and  supplies  to  isolated  communities,  dropping 
medical  supplies  and  doctors  quickly  at  needed  places,  and 
perhaps  the  most  spectacular,  carrying  soliders  to  a  scene 
of  battle. 

Parachute  troops  are  a  recent  addition  to  modern 
armies,  but  the  idea  is  not  new.  Benjamin  Franklin  sug- 
gested dropping  armies  from  the  clouds  in  balloons  while 
serving  as  our  ambassador  to  France  in  1784.  It  is  also 
interesting  that  General  Billy  Mitchell  first  conceived  the 
idea  of  a  parachute  army  in  modern  times.  In  1928  he 
arranged  a  demonstration  and  dropped  a  machine  gun  squad 
from  Martin  bomber.  The  operation  was  successful,  but, 
was  filed  in  the  War  Department  and  forgotten  until  some 
other  country  ad\anced  the  idea  and  used  it  with  much 
damage. 

The  most  important  phase  in  the  parachute  is  its  grow- 
ing importance  in  the  field  for  which  it  was  developed. 
Today  many  valuable,  highly  trained  men  are  jumping 
safely   from   disabled    planes    to   return    to   dut)'. 

BIBLOGRAPHY: 

Zim,   Herbert   S. ;   Parachutes 

Harcourt,    Brace,    and    Co..,    New  York,    1942. 


DECEMBER,  1942 


11 


Synthetic  Rubber— New  Major  Industry 


By  BYRON  WELSH,  M.  E.  '43 


The  oiih'  iiif^rt'dient  lacking  in  the  L'niteii  States  for 
the  production  of  ample  quantities  of  good-quality,  low-cost 
s\tithctic  rubber  is  time.  This  country  has  all  the  basic 
materials  in  abundance.  It  has  the  know-how;  in  fact, 
one  major  problem  has  been  which  of  several  entirely 
practical  products  to  select.  Even  the  machinery  for  making 
synthetic  rubber  is  familiar  to  United  States  industry; 
much  equipment  that  has  been  used  for  years  in  petroleum, 
chemical,  and  rubber  industries  is  applicable  with  modifica- 
tions. However,  an  industry  doesn't  grow  from  an  annual 
production  of  less  than  ten  thousand  tons  to  nearly  a  million 
tons — a  hundred-fold  increase — overnight.  Not  even  in 
the  United  States,  scene  of  man\'  industrial  miracles,  can 
that  happen. 

The  motorist,  with  an  e\e  on  the  calendar  and  another 
on  his  fading  tires,  can  be  sure  of  only  one  thing.  He  will 
eventualh'  get  tires  made  of  synthetic  rubber  and  they  will 
be  as  good  or  better  than  those  before  Pearl  Harbor,  al- 
though possibh'  not  at  first.  Whether  he  gets  them  soon 
enough  to  keep  his  car  going  depends  on  how  quickly 
synthetic-rubber  plants  can  be  built,  and  upon  how  much 
and  for  how  long  rubber  is  needed  by  the  armed  forces. 
This  last  is  unknown ;  but  out  of  the  welter  of  plans, 
arguments,  discussions,  and  investigations,  which  has  ap- 
peared to  be  only  confusion,  the  synthetic-rubber  program 
is   taking   definite   shape. 

Plans  are  laid,  plant  designs  are  drawn,  and  equipment 
has  and  is  being  purchased  for  a  total  plant  capacity  of 
about  800,000  tons  yearly.  As  of  July  15,  700,000  tons  of 
this  annual  capacity  is  scheduled  to  be  the  kind  known  as 
Buna  S.  Of  the  remainder  about  60  per  cent  will  be  of 
a  type  recently  announced,  called  Butyl,  and  40  per  cent 
of  neoprene.  Several  other  rubber-like  materials  may  give 
an  additional  5( ),()()()  tons  yearly.  It  is  expected  that  some 
200,(100  tons  of  the  Buna  S  will  be  made  from  ethyl  alcohol, 
which  can  be  produced  from  agricultural  products,  pe- 
troleum, or  coal  tar.  Thus,  in  the  race  of  the  several  types 
it  appears  that  w  can  expect  Buna  S  to  win,  Butyl  to  place, 
and  neoprene  to  show.  Also,  there  is  a  dark  horse,  Thiokol, 
the  oldest  of  them  all,  that  may  make  a  strong  showing  as 
the   race   progresses. 

Four  of  the  major  rubber  companies  each  have  15,000- 
or  30,000-ton  plants  that  are  or  soon  will  be  in  operation. 
The  first  of  the  new  government-financed  plants  should  be 
producing  early  next  year.  It  is  expected  that  by  the  end 
of  1943  half  or  more  of  the  total  projected  plants  will  be 
ready,  and  the  remainder  going  full  tilt  sometime  in   1944. 

The  1938  rubber  consumption  was  660,000  tons.  The 
program  for  synthetic  rubber  plants  of  nearly  a  million 
tons  annual  capacity  for  installation  before  the  end  of 
1944  seems  to  give  the  answer  as  to  "when.  "  But  it 
doesn't.  It  is  estimated  that  not  over  25,000  tons  of  syn- 
thetic rubber  will  be  produced  this  year,  possibly  350,000 
tons  in  1943,  and  750,000  tons  in  1944.  Probably  none 
of  the  1944  production,  and  certainly  none  before  then 
will  be  available  for  non-essential  use.  Little,  if  any, 
\\'ill  remain  after  supplying  our  own  military  forces,  essen- 
tial civilian  needs,  and  —  what  is  so  often  overlooked  — 
replenishing  the  dwindling  rubber  stocks  of  the  United 
Nations.  Svnthetic  rubber  for  voiu-  car  and  mine  after 
1944?     Perhaps. 

When  chenu'sts  start  out  to  simulate  a  product  of  nature, 
they  ordinarih'  seek  first  to  determine  the  molecular  struc- 


ture of  nature's  product,  and  then  to  duplicate  it  b\  factory 
methods.  Nature  makes  the  latex  that  flows  between  the 
inner  and  outer  bark  of  the  rubber  tree  by  building  a 
complex  molecide  from  many  simple  molecules  of  a  hydro- 
carbon called  isoprene.  This  much  was  learned  over  eighty 
years  ago  but  scientists  have  never  been  able  to  discover 
the  secret  of  how  the  transformation  is  made,  or  exactly 
what  the  final  molecular  structure  is,  or  —  for  that  mat- 
ter —  the  purpose  of  the  latex.  Not  until  chemists  gave 
up  trying  to  duplicate  nature  were  they  able  to  produce 
an   acceptable  synthetic   rubber.    This  has  proved   fortunate 


-Courtesy    li'cstingJionse. 


because  in  endeavoring  to  match  the  properties  of  rubber 
instead  of  duplicating  its  chemical  structure  chemists  have 
produced  many  rubber-like  materials  in  man\  ways  superior 
to  natural   rubber. 

During  World  War  I  the  Germans,  under  the  pressure 
of  dire  necessity,  made  2500  tons  of  so-called  methyl  rubber. 
It  was  of  inferior  quality,  and  the  process  was  abandoned. 
The  rapid  gyrations  in  price  of  crude  rubber  after  the  war 
(reaching  a  maximum  of  $1.23  per  pound  in  1925)  spurred 
research  in  Germany,  Russia,  and  the  L  nited  States.  C^ut 
of  that  research  has  come  not  one  but  several  synthetic 
rubbers,    each   important   because   of   special    characteristics. 

Chemists  in  Europe  discovered  that  a  rubber-like  sub- 
stance can  be  made  from  butadiene,  a  hydrocarbon.  In  the 
presence  of  water,  an  emulsifier,  and  sodium  serving  as 
a  catalyst,  and  with  proper  heat  and  pressure,  2000  or  3000 
of  the  fundamental  butadiene  molecules  (C^H,;)  are  in- 
duced to  join  hands  with  each  other,  chain  fashion.  This 
chain-like  structure  is  a  fundamental  characteristic  of  all 
rubbery  substances.  The  chemical  process  by  which  many 
simple  molecides  aie  joined  into  a  giant  one  is  pohnieriza- 
tion. 

(jermans  later  foLuul  that  mixing  small  proportions 
of  other  substances  with  butadiene  results  in  a  better  pro- 
duct. C^ne  such  substance  is  styrene,  which  is  added  to 
the  butadiene  in  the  proportion  of  about  one  to  three,  to 
form  Buna  S.  The  second  substance  combined  (co-poly- 
merized) with  butadiene  to  form  a  synthetic  rubber  is 
acrylonitrile,  the  resulting  product  being  known  as  Buna  N, 
or   Perbunan. 


12 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


Buna  S  is  the  rubber  used  by  Germany  and  Russia 
for  their  fighting  forces.  Accurate  production  figures  are 
not  available  but  it  is  believed  that  Germany,  with  coal 
as  a  source,  produced  about  3000  tons  of  Buna  S  rubber 
in  1937;  10,000  tons  in  1938,  and  20,000  tons  in  1939. 
Reliable  recent  estimates  are  not  available  but  present 
production  is  undoubtedly  much  higher.  Production  of 
Buna  S  in  Russia,  from  alcohol,  started  earlier,  has  been 
much  higher.  Beginning  with  about  3000  tons  in  1933, 
it  had  grown  steadily  to  about  30,000  tons  at  the  outbreak 
of  the  war. 

While  chemists  in  Europe  were  working  with  butadicie 
t.\pes  of  rubber,  research  men  in  the  L  nited  States  were 
bus\'  along  diiierent  lines.  In  1931,  Dr.  J.  C.  Patrick,  a 
research  chemist  for  Armour  (S:  Company  in  Kansas  City, 
mixed  ethylene  dichloride  (Prestone)  and  sodium  poly- 
sulfide  together,  in  a  search  for  a  better  anti-freeze.  He 
expected  a  liquid.  Instead  a  gummy  mass  resulted  that 
looked,  felt,  and  acted  like  rubber.  This  was  Thiokol,  the 
first  commercial  synthetic  rubber  produced  in  the  United 
States. 

In  1923  Julius  Nieuwland,  professor  of  chemistry  at 
the  L  niversity  of  Xotre  Dame,  presented  a  paper  on 
acetylene  before  a  group  of  chemists.  In  his  audience  was 
Elmer  Bolton,  of  the  DuPont  laboratories,  who  had  been 
working  on  synthetic  rubbers.  Bolton  saw  in  Nieuwland's 
results  the  missing  key  by  which  he  was  able  to  produce, 
in  1932,  a  product  now  known  as  neoprene.  Neoprene  has 
many  rubber-like  properties,  yet  it  contains  40  per  cent 
chlorine,  which  is  not  present  in  natural  rubber. 

Other  synthetic  rubbers  followed  in  rapid  succession. 
In  1933,  a  patent  was  granted  to  B.  F.  Goodrich  Company 
(m  Koroseal,  a  plasticized  polyvinyl  chloride,  that  has  many 
tlesirable  properties  of  rubber.  The  Standard  Oil  Company 
of  New  Jersey  developed  in  this  country  a  rubber-like 
product  from  isobutylene,  a  petroleum  product.  This  is 
called  Vistanex,  and  was  originally  produced  in  Germany 
as  Oppanol. 

Chemists  of  large  rubber  companies  in  Akron  also 
developed     butadiene  typed   of  synthetic   rubbers  which   are 


— Cmirtesy   Westinghousc, 

being  made  in  commercial  quantities.  Instead  of  combining 
styrene  or  acrylonitrile  with  butadiene  they  are  using  other, 
but  undisclosed  substances.  The  Cioodrich-Phillips  Petrole- 
um product  is  known  as  Ameripol.  The  Goodyear  variety 
is  called  Chemigum,  of  which  there  are  three  grades  of 
hardness. 

Newest  of  synthetic  rubbers  is  Butyl,  another  product 
developed  by  Standard  Oil  Company  of  New  Jersey.  Butyl 
is    made    almost    entirelv    from    isobutvlene    obtained    from 


petroleiuii,  and  a  small  amount  of  butadiene.  This  rubber 
ma>  become  \er\  important.  As  compared  with  other  Biuia 
rubbers,  the  raw  material  cost  is  lower.  Also  it  can  be 
produced  by  a  continuous  process,  instead  of  in  batches, 
as  is  necessary  at  present  with  Buna  rubbers.  Butyl-produc- 
ing plants  are  cheaper  to  build  and  require  lesst  steel  and 
other  strategic  materials.  It  appears  that  tires  made  of 
But\I,  while  not  as  good  as  from  Buna  because  of  the  in- 
ternal heat  developed  on  flexing,  will  be  satisfactory  for 
low  speed  and  light  duty  (figures  of  10,000  miles  and  35 
miles  per  hour  have  been  quoted).  Butyl  is  still  new  and 
virtually  untried;  improvements  can  be  expected,  but  time 
is  not  available  for  prolonged  experimentation. 

Buna  S,  Perbunan,  Thiokol,  neoprene.  Butyl  are  the 
present  headliners  in  the  synthetic-rubber  show;  certainly 
they  are  the  ones  most  like  natural  rubber.  Because  there 
is  no  synthetic  counterpart  of  natural  rubber,  whether  a 
product  is  classed  as  a  syntheic  rubber  depends  on  how  one 
chooses  to  define  the  field.  It  is  a  matter  of  degree;  the 
boundaries  of  synthetic  rubber  are  not  clear  cut.  Many 
other  plastics  are  rubber-like  in  some  respects.  Because 
each  is  superior  to  natural  rubber  in  some  ways  they  will 
replace  natural  rubber  for  special  purposes  even  with  a 
cost  handicap. 

Clearly,  synthetic  rubber  has  long  passed  the  dream 
stage,  although  commercial  production  until  now  has  been 
low.  About  17,000  tons  were  produced  in  1941  (which  is 
nonetheless  about  four  trainloads).  Of  this  1300  was 
Thiokol;  6300,  neoprene;  4000  Bune  types  (Ameripol, 
Chemigum  ,etc. )  ;  aiid  3000  tons  miscellaneous.  Unlike 
the  situation  in  Europe  where  development  was  spurred  by 
hea\y  government  subsidy,  new  rubbers  have  been  de- 
veloped in  this  country  by  privately  financed  research,  and 
were  being  given  the  usual  careful  tests  before  large  plant 
expansions  were  planned.  December  7  suddenly  changed 
the   whole    program. 

Buna  S  is  the  synthetic  rubber  of  greatest  immediate 
interest  to  us  because  it  has  been  named  to  carry  the  burden 
in  the  absence  of  natural  rubber.  In  making  the  selection, 
each  synthetic  rubber  had  to  be  reviewed  in  the  light  of 
its  potentialities  as  tire  rubber,  the  experience  of  the  rubber 
manufacturers  with  it,  its  workability  on  existing  rubber- 
mill  machinery,  the  speed  with  which  production  could 
start,  and  the  availability  and  cost  of  raw  materials.  Laying 
the  blue  chips  on  Biuia  S  does  not  necessarih'  imply  that 
it  is  superior  in  each  of  these  respects,  but  simply  that,  all 
factors  considered.  Buna  S  is  the  most  practical  synthetic 
rubber  on  which,   literally,   to   ride   through   the  war. 

"Is  synthetic  rubber  as  good  as  natural  rubber?"  A 
yes  or  no  answer  cannot  be  given.  Nor  can  the  question, 
"Are  tires  made  of  synthetics  as  good  as  those  of  rubber?" 
be  given  a  categoric  answer.  It  must  be  stated:  "Can  as 
good  tire  tread — or  tire  sidewalls — or  inner  tubes  be  made 
from  synthetic  as  natiual  rubber?"  Even  at  this  early 
stage  it  appears  that  the  answer  to  each  specific  question  is 
"Yes,"  although  even  the  experts  are  reluctant  to  commit 
themselves.  Obviously  each  part  of  a  tire — tread,  side- 
walls,  carcuss,  and  tube — has  its  own  requirements  as  to 
stretchability,  resistence  to  abrasion,  cutting,  aging,  strength, 
porosit\'  to  air,  and  many  other  properties.  There  are 
many  kinds  of  synthetic  rubbers  and  each  can  be  com- 
pounded and  processed  in  dozens  of  ways,  making  literally 
hundreds  in  all.  Each  variant  must  be  tested  for  a  score 
or  more  of  physical  properties,  not  only  by  itself  but  in 
various  combinations  with  natural  rubber.  There  simply 
has  not  been  time  enough  for  this.  Selection  is  further 
complicated  by  the  fact  that  there  is  no  "best"  tire.  The 
rubber  best  suited  for  tread  on  a  taxi  is  not  the  best  for 
a  tire  in  high-speed  passenger-car  service,  or  for  a  truck, 
or  a  bus.  Which  of  the  multitudinous  combinations  is  best 
(Continued  on  Page  2S) 


DECEMBER,  1942 


13 


NAMES  in  the  NEWS 

By  WILLIAM    R.  SGHMITZ.  Gh.  E.  '45 

and 

LEE  A.  SULLIVAN,  M.  E.  '46 


BILL  MARENECK 

AttLT  Bill  had  workt'd  tor  two  years  in  the  industrial 
world,  he  decided  that  they  didn't  appreciate  his  efforts 
enough,  so  he  came  to  Illinois  to  become  an  engineer.  And 
he  has  done  very  well  since  he  came  as  shown  by  the  very 
high   scholastic   average  of   4.96. 

Bill  is  ward  president  of  MIWA,  member  of  Phalanx, 
T.N.T.,  Tau  Beta  Pi,  Phi  Eta  Sigma,  vice-president  of 
Pi  Tau  Sigma,  vice-president  of  A.S.M.E.,  and  is  a  Cadet 
Captain  in  the  Engineers.  He  also  puts  in  a  good  deal 
of  time  on  house  activities,  and  was  president  of  Citadel 
this  past  year. 

Most  of  Bill's  axailable  extra  time  is  spent  working  in 
Talbot  Laboratory.  He  is  helping  with  a  research  project 
on  rails  investigation.  This  last  summer.  Bill  worked  for 
the  American  Association  of  Railroads.  He  made  tests 
on  engines  to  determine  the  effects  of  different  methods 
of  counter-balance  of  the  cars  and  engines. 

Claiming  Lombard,  Illinois,  as  his  home  town.  Bill  has 


thoroughly  enjoyed  his  college  career  at  Illinois.  His  chief 
hobby  is  photography,  but  he  also  likes  to  swim.  He  takes 
in  all  big  dances  possible,  and  thinks  the  senior  ball  of 
last  spring  was  the  most  outstanding.  He  rates  Claude 
Thornhill  as  his  favorite  band,  and  he  al.so  has  a  collection 
of  popular  records. 

DICK  HORNING 

Probably  one  of  the  most  active  engineers  here  at  Illinois 
is  Dick  Horning.  He  is  a  member  of  Ma-Wan-Da,  Band 
of  X,  president  of  Inter-fraternity  Council,  vice-president 
of  the  Student  Senate,  member  of  lUini  Union  Board,  Illini 
Union  student  activity  board,  fraternity  advisory  board, 
Dean  of  Men's  council,  board  of  directors  of  Y.M.C.A., 
and  was  listed  in  the  Who's  Who  among  students  in 
colleges  in  the  United  States.  He  is  also  a  Cadet  1st 
Lieutenant   in   the   Engineer's   Corps. 

Dick  came  to  Illinois  from  Lancaster,  Pa.  He  said, 
"This  is  the  only  imiversity  I  ever  visited,  and  both  my 
mother  and  dad  attended  Illinois."  Being  a  general  engineer, 
Dick  is  more  or  less  following  in  his  father's  footsteps.  He 
has  spent  his  last  three  summers  working  at  various  jobs  in 

14 


DICK 

the  engineering  field.  He  is  specializing  in  machine  design, 
and  hopes  to  go  eventually  into  sales  production. 

Like  a  good  many  other  engineers,  Dick  likes  to  date. 
He  is  engaged  to  a  girl  on  the  campus,  and  likes  dances, 
movies,  parties,  plays,  and  things  in  general.  Dick  also 
plays  the  piano  and  his  favorite  musical  selection  is  Rhapsody 
in   Blue. 

The  biggest  trouble  with  engineers,  in  Dick's  opinion, 
is  that  they  need  to  broaden  themselves.  They  should  try  to 
learn  how  to  get  along  with  other  people  without  trampling 
on  their  toes. 

HILMAR  GHRISTI.ANSON 

Hilmar  Christiansen,  better  known  to  all  his  friend  as 
Bud,  is  one  of  the  most  likable  engineers  on  the  campus. 
In  fact.  Bud  is  such  an  agreeable  fellow  that  there  aren't 
many  things  that  he  doesn't  like  to  do.  He  enjoys  bridge, 
dancing,  music,  poetry,  chess,  and  sports  of  all  kinds.  He 
also    takes    an    interest    in    photograph},'. 

Bud  was  the  winner  of  the  high  jump  at  the  recent 
intramural  track  and  field  meet.    He  also  plays  touch  foot- 


\n  n^ 


mi) 
THE  TEGHNOGR.APH 


ball,  hockey,  and  is  quite  a  wrestler.  Riui  foiiiid  time  to 
enter  the  election  for  president  of  the  senior  class,  but 
was    defeated    by   the    narrow   margin    of    three    votes. 

A  civil  engineer,  Bud  is  a  member  of  Phalanx,  T.N.T., 
Tau  Beta  Pi,  Triangle  Fraternity,  [iresident  of  Chi  Epsilon, 
and  \ice-president  of  A.S.C.E.,  and  a  Cadet  Captain  in 
the  advanced  ROTC  Engineers  Corps.  In  talking  about 
the  various  campus  organizations.  Bud  says  that  engineers 
should  support  the  things  they  are  interested  in,  quoting 
Bud,  "\ou  should  go  into  an  organization  not  asking  how 
much  you  can  get  out  of  it,  but  how  much  >ou  can  give 
to  it." 

During  the  last  few  summers.  Bud  has  worked  for  the 
.Milwaukee  Railroad  Company.  He  says  that  he  would 
like  to  combine  his  structural  engineering  with  architecture. 
A  civil  engineer  must  not  only  know  how  to  design  struc- 
tures economically,  but  they  must  be  beautiful.  It  is  his 
desire  to  be  a  gentleman,   farmer,  and  an  engineer. 

BOB  PAXTON 

The  chemical  engineer  you  see  over  there  behind  .ill 
the  retorts,  flasks,  and  test  tubes  is  Bob  Paxton.  He  is  one 
of  the  best  chemical  engineers  ever  to  graduate  from  Illinois. 
He  has  a  very  excellent  scholastic  average  of  4.97.  At  the 
present.  Bob  is  doing  some  research  on  the  equilibrium 
\  apor  pressure  of  carbon  tetrachloride  toluene  system. 
L  nless  you  are  also  a  chemical  engineer  you  wouldn't  under- 
stand what  Bob  is  doing,  so  we  won't  bother  to  tell  about 
it  in  detail. 


BOB 

Bob  is  \er\  interested  in  music  and  plays  baritone  in 
the  Concert  band.  During  his  high  school  days  at  Wau- 
kegan,  Illinois,  he  won  second  in  the  national  contest.  Bob 
is  engaged  to  a  girl  on  campus  and  generally  spends  most 
of  his  Friday  and  Saturda\'  nights  with  her.  He  especially 
likes  to  go  dancing  or  go  to  a  mo\  ie. 

Bob  is  a  member  of  Tau  Beta  Pi,  Phi  Kappa  Phi,  Phi 
Lambda  Upsilon,  Omega  Chi  Epsilon,  Phi  Eta  Sigma, 
A.I.Ch.E.,  and  Alpha  Chi  Sigma,  chemistry  professional 
fraternity.  He  plans  to  graduate  in  June  and  then  would 
like  to  do  some  graduate  work.  Process  development  or 
administration    particularly   appeals    to   him. 

The  biggest  thrill  that  Bob  has  received  so  far  was 
when  he  received  his  in\itation  to  pledge  Tau  Beta  Pi 
during  his  junior  year.  During  the  past  summer,  Bob 
worked  as  an  inspector  in  a  factory  inspecting  aircraft  in- 
struments. Last  year  he  received  the  Gregory  .scholarship 
and  this  year  he  has  received  the  Phi  Beta  Kappa  scholarship. 

PAUL  FREELAND 

Paul  Freeland  is  a  scholar,  gentleman,  statesman,  and 
soldier.    He  is  a  member  of  Tau   Beta   Pi,    Phi   Eta  Sigma, 


P.\l  L 

Pi  Tau  Sigma,  Military  council,  and  is  Cadet  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  of  the  Signal  Corps.  He  is  also  helping  in  getting 
the  new  Honor  System  installed  for  the  advanced  ROTC 
cadets. 

Hailing  from  Sulli\an,  Illinois,  Paul  doesn't  think  too 
much  of  the  average  co-ed  here  on  the  campus,  particularly 
those  who  smoke.  Whenever  possible,  Paul  takes  a  week 
end  off  and  runs  up  to  Chicago  to  see  his  one  and  only. 
Paul  is  a  quiet,  dark-haired  fellow  and  is  easy  to  get 
along  with. 

Before  the  war  started.  Paid  was  a  radio  ham,  and 
held  a  pilot's  license.  Since  then,  however,  he  has  had  to 
give  up  his  airplane  flying  and  radio  operating.  Paul  has 
a  low-power  radio  set  at  home  on  which  he  is  able  to 
contact  every  state  in  the  United  States.  While  he  was 
in  high  school  he  served  a  term  in  the  National  Guard. 

Paul  is  an  electrical  engineer  and  has  been  doing  very 
well  as  shown  by  his  good  4.65  scholastic  average.  He  is 
also  teaching  G.E.D.  I.  Dining  his  spare  time  he  enjoys 
playing  the  piano  and  harmonica.  Paul  will  graduate  in 
February  and  then  will  go  to  one  of  the  Signal  Corps 
training  schools  where  he  will  be  commissioned  a  2nd. 
Lieutenant  in  the  army.  He  hopes  to  make  the  service  a 
career. 

TOM  GLOKE 

One  of  the  best  military  men   to  attend  the   L'niversity 
of  Illinois  in  some  time  is  Tom  Cloke.    He  is  Cadet  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel of  the  Coast  Artillery,  member  of  Scabbard 
and   Blade,   Pershing  RiHes,  Coast  Artillery  Club,   Military 
(('continued  on  Pii/jc  30) 


TOM 


DECEMBER,  1942 


15 


EGGS...ON  TOAST  OR 


Hens'  eggs — bombers'  eggs. ..both  are 
needed  for  ^'ieto^y.  And  both  are  sym- 
bols of  AlUs-Chalmers  all-out  participation 
in  the  Nation's  war  effort ! 

From  Allis-Chalmers  plants  come  more 
than  1 ,600  different  capital  goods  products... 

—  Tractors  and  other  farm  equipment  which 
help  feed  the  U.S.A.  and  the  United  Nations! 

—  Mining  equipment,  electrical  equipment, 
'pumps,  turbines,  drives. ..the  greatest  variety  of 
machinery  in  the  world  to  help  manufacture 


bombs,  bullets,  guns,  tanks,  planes,  ships! 

Backing  up  the  men  and  women  working  for 
Victory  in  our  plants  are  Allis-Chalmers  en- 
gineers in  the  field.  They  are  helping  manu- 
facturers i)roduce  more — not  just  with  new 
machines,  but  with  machines  now  on  hand ! 

Allis-Chalmers  past  experience  is  vital  to 
the  Nation  now.  Its  present  experience  will 
be  invaluable  after  the  war  to  help  produce 
more  and  better  peacetime  goods  f  oreveryone ! 
Allis-Chalmers  Mrc.  Co.,  Milwaukee,  Wis. 


ALUS 


4 


I 


OFFERS  EVERY  MANUFACTURER  EQUIPMENT  AND  ENGINEERIM  \l 


STEAM  AND 
HYDRAULIC  TURBINES 


MOTORS  &  TEXROPE 
V-Bai  DRIVES 


BLOWERS  AND 
COMPRESSORS 


ENGINES  AND 
CONDENSERS 


— > 

CENTRIFU  t 
PUMP! 

TOKYO ! 


A-C  Equipment  belps  produce  both  steel 
and  explosive  charge  for  demolition  bombs 
like  the  one  here. 


VICTORY  NEWS 


Rosiclare,lll — 91  Allis-Chalmers  motors 
constitute  the  major  portion  of  a  connected 
load  of  close  to  1,000  hp  driving  the  new 
fluorspar  mill  of  the  Mahoning  Mining 
Company  here. 

The  efficient  layout  of  flexible  motors 
and  drives  is  largely  responsible  for  the 
plant's  record  production  of  high-grade 
fluorspar  zinc-lead  ore.  Throughout  the 
mill,  the  Allis-Chalmers  motors  operate 
dump  hoppers,  flotation  cells,  vibrators, 
kilns,  pumps  and  many  other  machines. 


'We're  Buying  and  Building, '  an  A-C 
workman  tells  MGM  bond  rally  starlets, 
as  he  machines  a  Navy  propeller  shaft. 


Chalmers  tractors  and  grad- 
jquipment  are  helping  build 
ary  roads  and  airports.  L 


Milwaukee,  Wis — The  "feed-back" 
system,  which  utilizes  85%  of  the  enor- 
mous power  expended  in  breaking  in  air- 
craft engines  on  test  stands,  has  been 
adopted  by  Buick  in  its  new  plant  in  a 
mid-western  city. 

The  new  engines  are  connected  by  flex- 
ible shaft  couplings  to  water-cooled  mag- 
netic couplings,  which  transmit  power  to 
1'200  kva  synchronous  generators. 

Allis-Clialmers  alternating  current  units 
are  at  work  here.  They  not  only  help  to 
crank  the  new  engines,  but  they  also  oper- 
ate as  current  absorption-tj'pe  dynamo- 
meters— receiving  power  from  the  aircraft 
engine,  turning  it  into  electrical  energy 
and  feeding  it  back  into  the  line.  This  test 
set-up  provides  a  high  percentage  of  the 
power  required  by  this  company's  manu- 
facturing operations. 


FOR  VICTORY 
Buy  United  States  War  Bonds 


WE  WORK  FOR     I 

.VICTORY  ^ 


mON  TO  HELP  INCREASE  PRODUCTION  IN  THESE  FIELDS... 


i       WE    PLAN    FOR 

^  PEACE 


IR  AND  SAW 
EQUIPMENT 


CHEMICAL  PROCESS 
EQUIPMENT 


CRUSHING.  CEMENT  & 
MINING  MACHINERY 


BOILER  FEED 
WATER  SERVICE 


POWER  FARMING 
MACHINERY 


JINDUSTRIAL  TRACTORS  I 
t  ROAD  MACHINERY 


Our  Societies 


By  BYRON  M.  ROBINSON,  M.  E.  '44 


SIGMA  TAU 

Sigma  Tail  hclii  its  tall  initiation  and  ilinntT  at  the 
Iiiman  Hotel,  on  Xo\ember  29.  "Raiiioatis  in  the  War" 
was  the  very  timely  subject  of  Prof.  H.  j.  Schrader,  speaker 
for  the  evening. 

Sigina  Tail's  annual  award  for  excellence  in  scholarship 
during  a  student's  freshman  year  was  presented  to  Philip  M. 
Dadant,  E.E.  The  names  of  the  newly  initiated  members 
are  as  follow:  Raymond  Ackerman,  George  Beck.  Eugene 
Bierman,  Pete  Fenoglio,  Evan  Greanias,  Lowell  Lambert, 
Sheldon  Leavitt,  Gordon  McClure,  James  Meek,  Arthur 
Radke,  Cjeorge  Roller,  Harold  Schick,  Nathan  Schwartz, 
Robert  Settle,  Robert  Turner,  Harold  Wandling,  and 
Homer  Wong. 


CHI  EPSILON 

Chi  Epsilon  held  an  initiation  and  banquet  on  Novem- 
ber 18,  at  Latzer  Hall,  Y..\LC.A.  Dr.  Moore  of  the 
T.  &  A.  \l.  Dept.  gave  a  most  interesting  speech  entitled 
"Is  the  Engineer  Cidtured  ?"  His  answer  being  that  the 
engineer  is  cultured — he  has  a  culture  all  his  own.  Pi  Tail 
Sigma  was  a  co-sponsor  for  the  banquet. 


PI  TAU  SIGMA 

On  November  18,  seventeen  new  members  were  initi- 
ated into  Pi  Tau  Sigma.  The  names  of  the  new  initiates 
are  as  follows:  H.  H.  Aiken,  C.  C.  Arnold,  K.  N.  Drager, 
G.  G.  Greanis,  J.  W.  Huff,  P.  Kohler,  R.  E.  Kraft,  D.  ]. 
Lattvak,  ].  ].  Luza,  R.  G.  Moldt,  D.  E.  Muni,  W.  ]. 
North,  B.  W.  Porter,  C.  J.  Roach,  R.  G.  Settle,  V.  K. 
Viitanen,  and  W.  J.  Worley.  Following  the  initiation,  a 
banquet  was  held  in  Latzer  Hail,  Y.I\LC.A.,  with  Chi 
Epsilon  as  co-sponsor. 

A  Mark's  Hand  Book  was  awarded  at  a  banquet  held 
at  the  Inman  Hotel  on  December  6.  The  recipient  was 
Harold  E.  Secrest,  sophomore,  who  had  the  highest  grade 
average  among  freshmen  ALE.'s  last  year.  This  is  an 
annual  award  given  by  Pi  Tau  Sigma. 


A.S.A.E 

At  their  last  meeting  on  October  27,  the  Ag  Engineers 
were  privileged  to  hear  Prof.  P.  E.  Johnston.  He  spoke 
on  the  subject  "Farm  Labor  and  Machinery  and  the  War." 
(The  farm  machinery  situation  should  be  good  as  long  as 
baling  wire  is  available.) 

A.S.A.E.  lost  one  of  its  most  active  members  in  IVIurray 
Forth.  He  was  secretary  of  the  A.S.A.E.  before  he  was 
drafted. 


TAU  BETA  PI 

The  semi-annual  initiation  of  Tau  Beta  Pi  was  held 
November  28,  1942  on  the  third  floor  of  the  Illini  L^nion. 
The  following  men  were  initiated:  First  semester  junior 
honor  man — Cjeorge  Roller,  Ch.E  ;  Seniors — AL  C.  Shedd, 
Arch.E. ;  O.  E.  Johnson,  Agr.E. ;  Tom  Baron,  ].  L.  Erick- 
son,  N.  W.  Myers,  and  R.  C.  St.  John  Ch".E's;  D.  S. 
Bechly,  H.  B.  Christianson,  Sidney  Epstein,  C.  E.  Kesler, 
A.  F.  Kohnert,  Ji.,  and  O.  W.  Schact,  T'.,  C.E.'s;  P.  A. 
Freeland  and  S.  D.  Larks,  E.E.'s;  G.  D.  Schott,  E.P. ; 
W.  A.  Lindahl,  G.E.;  W.  I.  (kilus,  C.  G.  (neanias,  G.  M. 
Long,  G.  E.  Mays,  Clarence  Ritchard,  O.  R.  Schmidt,  R.  (I 
Settle,  O.  !VL  Sidebottoin,  and  Steven  Yurenka,  ^LE.■s.    A 


certificate  of  merit  was  awarded  to  .Miss  Marianna  Schroe- 
der  for  her  outstanding  achievement  in  Architectural  Engi- 
neering. 

Following  the  initiation,  a  banquet  was  held,  faculty 
members,  actives,  and  new  initiates  of  Tau  Beta  Pi  being 
present.  Prof.  J.  J.  Doland  was  the  toastniaster,  and  Prof. 
H.  E.  .Murphy  was  the  principal  speaker  of  the  evening. 
After  the  banquet,  the  annual  Tau  Beta  Pi  dance  was  held. 


A.S.M.E. 

Every  year,  the  A.S.\LE.  presents  the  Charles  T.  Main 
Award  of  $150,  and  an  engraved  certificate  for  the  best 
paper  submitted  on  the  subject  selected  by  the  Board  of 
Honors  and  Awards.  The  subject  for  1943  is  "Government 
as  Affected   by  Engineering." 

Two  awards  of  twenty-five  dollars  each  will  be  given 
for  the  best  papers  on  any  engineering  subject  or  investi- 
gation written  by  a  member  of  the  student  branch  at  this 
university — one  award  for  a  graduate  student — one  award 
for  an  undergraduate. 

This  competition  is  restricted  to  student  members  of  the 
A.S.IVLE.  The  awards  will  be  given  for  the  best  papers, 
judged  from  the  standpoint  of  applicability,  value  as  a  con- 
tribution to  mechanical  engineering  literature,  completeness, 
and  conciseness.  For  further  information,  see  Paul  Salerno, 
or  Prof.  P.  E.   Mohn  in   104  ^L  E.  Lab. 


S.B..\.C.S. 

It  was  on  the  night  of  December  10,  that  the  annual 
Ceramic  Department  pig  roast  was  held  at  the  Y.M.C.A. 
The  Seniors  really  roasted  the  faculty,  but  then  the  pro- 
fessors were  not  lacking  for  choice  bits  of  interesting  dirt, 
either.  Coach  Hek  Kenney  gave  a  demonstration  of  rough 
and  tumble  fighting. 

On  the  pig  roast  committee  were  Ray  Davies,  in  charge 
of  arrangements,  and  Eugene  Lynch,  in  charge  of  favors. 
The  favors  were  little  white  porcelain  pigs  shaped  so  that 
they  could  be  used  either  as  cigarette  trays  or  cream  pitchers. 
These  useful  articles  were  made  by  the  ceramic  students. 


KER.\MOS 

The  members  of  Keramos  indulged  in  the  Ceramic  De- 
partment pig  roast  on  December  10.  Plans  for  the  Keramos 
Senior  Banquet  to  be  held  in  January,  are  not  yet  complete. 


M.I.S. 

At  the  November  11  meeting  of  M.I.S.,  .Mr.  Ci.  ^\^ 
Bruce,  Assistant  Superintendent  of  Open  Hearth  No.  2  at 
Carnegie  Illinois  Steel  Company  South  Works  in  Chicago, 
spoke  on  general  plant  practice.  The  main  purpose  of  his 
speech  was  to  show  the  practical  side  of  production  in  the 
steel  mill. 

(^n  December  ,?,  three  \ery  interesting  sound  films  were 
presented  to  M.I.S.  by  the  Aluminum  Company  of  America. 
The  films  shown  were  Aluminum — Mine  to  Metal.  Alumi- 
num Fabricntiiu/  Processes,  and  I'nfinished  Rainhous :  the 
latter  being  a  Kodachrome  film  of  the  history  of  aluminum 
from  its  beginnings,  the  discovery  of  the  electrolytic  pro- 
cess, and  the  progress  aluminum  has  made  since  then,  and 
its  possibilities  in  tile  future,  which  prompted  the  title  of 
the  movie. 

( Cdulinued  on   Piu/c  24) 


18 


THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


COMMUNICATIONS 

. . .  directing   arm  of  combat 


—       '  •^i*^ 


lii^TOi 


his  battle  drawing  ivas  prepared  with 
the  aid  of  Army  and  Navy  authorities. 


IN  modern  battle,  our  fighting  units  may  be  many  miles 
apart.  Yet  every  unit,  every  movement,  is  closely  knit  into 
the  whole  scheme  of  combat  —  through  communications. 

Today  much  of  this  equipment  is  made  by  Western  Electric, 
for  60  years  manufacturer  for  the  Bell  System. 

Here  are  some  examples  of  communications  in  action* 


1  Field  H.Q.  guidestheaction  through 
field  telephones,  teletypewriters. 
switchhoard9,wire,cable,radio.Backol 
it  is  G.  H.  Q.,  directing  the  larger  strat- 
egy . . .  also  through  electrical  commu- 
nications. The  Signal  Corps  supplies 
and  maintains  all  of  this  equipment. 

2  Air  commander  radios  his  squad 
ron  to  bomb  enemy  beyond  river. 

3  On  these  transports,  the  command 
rings  out  over  battle  announcing  sys- 
tem, "Away  landing  force!" 

4  Swift  PT  boats  get  orders  flashed 


by  radio  to  torpedo  enemy  cruiser. 

O  From  observation  post  goes  the  tele- 
phone message  to  artillery,  "Last  of 
enemy  tanks  about  to  withdraw  across 
bridge  . . ." 

O  Artillery  officer  telephones  in 
reply,  "Battery  will  lay  a  5  minute 
concentration  on  bridge." 

7  Tanks,  followed  by  troops  in  per* 
sonnel  carriers,  speed  toward  right  on 
a  wide  end-run  to  flank  the  enemy. 
They  gel  their  orders  and  keep  in  con- 
tact—by radio. 


Western  Electric  ( 

""arsenal  of  communications -^I 


11^^^ 


■T5W 


DECEMBER,  1942 


19 


TECHNOCRACKED... 


By  PAUL  SALERNO,  M.  E.  '43 


A  chemical  genius  south  of  Green  Street  has  completed 
an  exhaustive  study  of  an  element  that  has  long  puzzled 
the   greatest  scientific  minds. 

ELEMENT:   Woman. 

SYMllOL:    Wo. 

ATOMIC  WEKjHT:  About  120. 

OCCURRENCE:  Can  be  found  wherever  man  exists— 
always  appears  in  a  disguised  condition — surface  usually 
covered  by  a  film  of  powder — boils  at  nothing  and  may 
freeze   at   any   moment. 

CHEMICAL  PROPERTIES:  Extremely  active  — 
possesses  a  great  affinity  for  gold,  silver,  platinum,  and 
precious  stones  of  all  kinds  —  able  to  absorb  tremendous 
quantities  of  expensive  food  at  any  time  —  undissolved 
by  liquids,  but  activity  is  greatly  increased  when  saturated 
with  alcohol  —  turns  green  when  placed  next  to  a  better 
sample  —  ages  rapidly  —  very  dangerous  and  highly  ex- 
plosive  in   inexperienced   hands. 


Maybe  you've  heard  this  story  about  the  draft  dodger 
who  said,  "What  chart?"  to  the  army  doctor.  After  being 
deferred  because  of  near  blindness,  he  went  to  a  movie  to 
celebrate.  Imagine  his  dismay  when  he  saw  that  the  same 
doctor  who  examined  him  was  sitting  in  the  next  seat. 
Thinking  fast,  he  reached  over  and  tapped  the  doctor  on 
the  shoulder. 

"Pardon  me,"  he  asked  politeh',  "Is  this  where  I  catch 
the  bus  to  Chicago?" 


The    latest    addition    to    the    women's    auxiliary    services 
such  as  the  WAV^ES  and  WAACs,  are  the  WORMS. 
They're   in    the   Apple    Corp. 


Two  pigeons  were  flying  over  Tok\o. 
"Say,   isn't  that   Hirohito  down   there." 
"I    think   it  is." 
"Well,   what  are  we  waiting  for?" 


ODE  TO  A  SCREWBALL 

You  try  to  be  clever 
And  what  do  you  get  ? 
You're  marked  down   forever 
As  strictly  all  wet. 

You  try  to  be  witty 
And  what's  the  reward  ? 
A  few  laughs  or  pity 
In   some   minor   chord. 

You   try    to   be   humorous 
But  strive  as  you  may. 
The  slams  will  be  numerous 
And   they'll    all    come   your   way. 

The  moral   is  clear 

If  your  life  woidd  be  sunny 

n.)n't  trv  to  be  FLNNY!!! 


Skidding  is  the  action. 
When  the  friction  is  a  fraction. 
Of   the    vertical    reaction. 
Which   results  in   traction. 


First   small    boy:   "See   th.it   little   girl   over  there?    Her 
neck's  dirty.  " 

Secon<l    sni.ill    bov :    "Her    does?" 


A  rookie  paratrooper  was  receiving  orders  from  his  com- 
manding officer  just   before  his  first  jump. 

"Remember,"  he  was  told,  "your  chute  will  open  as 
soon  as  you  leave  the  plane.  If  it  doesn't,  pvdl  this  emerg- 
ency rip-cord.  It  will  always  work.  A  jeep  will  be  waiting 
for  you  when  you  land.    That  is  all." 

The  soldier  jumped.  Nothing  happened.  He  pulled 
the    emergency    rip-cord.     Still    nothing    happened. 

"Damn,"  he  muttered,  "I'll  bet  that  jeep  won't  be 
there  either." 


HE:    "Are    you    free    tonight?" 

SHE:   "Well,   not   exactly   free,   but   very   inexpensive.' 


Wife:   Did   you  see  those  men  stare  at   that  pretty  girl 
as  she  went  up  the  stairs. 
Husband:  What  men? 


20 


THE  TECHNOGR.4PH 


\\fhat  kind 

of  Future  should  u  man 

prepare Jbr  ? 


One  thing  is  certain:  The  future  is  going 
to  be  very  different. 

Now,  as  you  finish  your  training,  many 
of  you  with  your  war  participation  fully 
determined,  the  future  of  peacetime  seems 
very  remote. 

It  is  a  bridge  we're  all  going  to  have  to 
cross  when  we  come  to  it.  Nobody  knows 
exactly  what  it  will  look  like.  But  we  do 
know  that  what  lies  on  the  other  side  will 
be  largely  what  all  of  us  together  make  it. 

Even  now,  responsible  men  in  industry 
are  thinking  how  to  make  jobs  for  the  men 
coming  back  from  the  services,  and  for  the 
men  now  in  war  applications.  It  will  be 
done  by  dreaming  up  new  things  to  make, 
and  new  ways  to  make  old  things  better. 

This  is  being  done  by  a  combination  of 
imagination  and  engineering,  industry  by 


industry.  Here  at  Alcoa  Aluminum  we  call 
it  Imagineering.  It  is  the  thing  that  made 
our  company  the  leader  in  its  industry — 
that  got  aluminum  ready  to  do  the  great  job 
it  is  doing  in  this  war.  All  our  people 
practice  Imagineering,  as  second  nature, 
whether  they  are  called  engineers,  or  sales- 
men, or  production  men,  or  research  men. 

The  future  isn't  going  to  be  made  out  of 
laws,  or  pacts,  or  political  shibboleths.  The 
only  kind  of  future  worth  having  will  come 
out  of  freedom  to  produce,  and  out  of  the 
Imagineering  of  men  who  make  the  things 
that  civilization  rests  on. 

If  we  could  go  back  to  college  again,  we 
would  get  ready  to  be  an  Imagineer,  in 
whatever  particular  field  our  interests  lay. 
The  opportunity  for  young  men  with  imagi- 
nation is  going  to  be  unparalleled. 


A     PARENTHETICAL     ASIDE:     FROM     THE     AUTOBIOGRAPHY     OF 

ALCOA     ALUMINUM 

•  This   message   is  printed   by   Aluminum   Company   of  America  to  help  people   to 
understand  what  we  do  and  what  sort  of  men  make  aluminum  grow  in  usefulness. 


DECEMBER,  1942 


21 


Report  on  the  A.  S.  C  E.  Conference 


By  WILLIAM   G.  MURPHY,  C.  E.  '43 


The  Second  Annual  Miiiwestern  Conference  of  the 
Student  Chapters  of  the  American  Society  of  Civil  Engineers 
was  held  at  the  University  of  Illinois  on  November  13  and 
14  in  spite  of  gas  rationing,  rubber  rationing,  and  transpor- 
tation difficulties.  The  decision  to  have  a  conference  this 
year  came  after  the  Executive  Coinicil  had  considered  every 
angle  and  it  was  recommended  that  the  conference  be  used 
as  a  means  to  direct  the  students  minds  toward  engineering 
and   the   war  effort. 

Iowa  State  College,  Illinois  Institute  of  Technology, 
Northwestern,  Illinois,  Purdue,  Rose  Polytechnic  Institute, 
I'niversity  of  Wisconsin,  and  the  University  of  Iowa  were 
represented  at  the  conference.  The  delegate  who  received 
the  most  attention  was  the  girl  who  attended  from  Iowa 
State. 

The  conference  was  directed  by  Sterling  Snyder  who 
was  assisted  by  three  co-ordinators :  Marianna  Schroeder, 
William  Murphy,  and  Bud  Christianson.  The  co-ordinators 
were  responsible  for  the  work  of  the  committees  who  made 
the  arrangements  for  the  meeting. 

The  Conference  opened  with  a  welcoming  address  by 
Dean  M.  L.  Enger,  a  talk  by  Dean  H.  H.  Jordan  on  "What 
This  Conference  Should  Accomplish,"  and  a  talk  by  Pro- 
fessor W.  C.  Huntington  on  "The  Chapter  and  The  De- 
partment." Dean  Enger  cranked  the  conference  bandwagon, 
Dean  Jordan  put  in  the  right  fuel — profession  solidarity, 
objects  and  ethics  of  the  society,  and  the  preamble  of  the 
Constitution  of  the  Conference,  and  Professor  Huntington 
got  the  program  off  to  a  fine  start  with  his  talk. 

The  afternoon  of  November  13  was  saved  for  Struc- 
tural Engineering  in  Defense  with  talks  on  "Timber  Con- 
struction" and  "Fatigue  of  Welded  and  Riveted  Joints"  by 
Mr.  J.  F.  Seiler  and  Professor  W.  M.  Wilson,  respectively. 
Mr.  Seiler  of  the  American  Wood  Preservers  Association 
emphasized  the  importance  of  timber  due  to  the  priorities 
on  metal,  and  told  how  the  Armed  Services  are  using  com- 
posite construction  to  preserve  the  metal.  The  first  talk 
was  concluded  by  slides  showing  various  uses  and  processes 
in   timber  construction. 

Professor  W.  M.  Wilson,  research  professor  in  Struc- 
tural Engineering,  spoke  on  the  results  of  his  research  on 
the  fatigue  strength  of  riveted  and  welded  structural  mem- 
bers. One  of  the  most  difficult  problems  of  the  investiga- 
tion was  the  design  of  a  machine  to  use  in  the  project.  Pro- 
fessor Wilson's  talk  centered  on  the  highlights  of  his  work 
for  the  last  six  years. 

Saturday,  November  14,  was  set  aside  by  the  program 
committee  for  Sanitary  Engineering  in  Defense  with  ad- 
dresses by  Mr.  William  Wisely,  Executive  Secretary  of  the 
Federation  of  Sewage  Works  Association,  a  worldwide  or- 
ganization; and  Mr.  C.  W.  Klassen,  Chief  Engineer  of  the 
Illinois  Public  Health  Department. 

Mr.  Wisely  spoke  of  some  of  the  experiences  that  he 
had  had  in  the  field  of  Sanitary  Engineering.  Some  of  his 
talks  appeared  humorous  to  the  audience  but  they  were  very 
real  problems  in  dealing  with  people  that  a  sanitary  engi- 
neer must  face.  In  his  conclusion  Air.  Wisely  stated  that 
Sanitary  Engineering  is  a  profession  that:  brings  cleanliness 
into  this  civilization,  helps  cities  abide  by  the  Golden   Rule 


to  meet  moral   as  well    as   legal   obligations,   and  conserves 
not   destroys   the   natural    resources   loaned    for   use. 

Mr.  Klassan  spoke  on  the  "Plans  for  Supplying  Sanitary 
Engineers  in  War  Time."  The  demand  greatly  exceeds 
the  suppl\'  according  to  the  speaker  and  the  requirements  and 
age  limits  are  going  to  ha\e  to  be  cut  in  order  to  obtain 
the  number  that  will  be  needed  for  the  progress  of  the  war. 
Mr.  Kla.ssan  illustrated  his  talk  with  slides  of  disasters  in 
Illinois. 

The  afternoon  session  of  November  14,  consisted  of  two 
speeches:  Dean  M.  L.  Enger  on  "Airports"  and  Mr.  Fullen- 
wider  of  the  State  Highway  Department  on  "The  Effect  of 
the  War  on  Highways." 

According  to  Dean  Enger  the  war  has  accelerated  the 
development  of  air  transportation  and  the  post  war  era 
will  see  a  very  rapid  change  in  the  transportation  of  freight 
and  passengers.  Many  engineers  and  scientists  will  be 
needed  to  design  the  necessary  airports  to  carry  all  the 
traffic  that  is  anticipated. 

Mr.  Fidlenwider  told  the  assembly  that  the  only  roads 
being  built  in  the  state  at  this  time  are  the  necessary  trunk 
lines  for  military  transportation.  There  is,  however,  a 
great  deal  of  maintenance  work  being  done  to  preserve 
the  existing  system  until  after  the  war.  Priorities  are  caus- 
ing the  big  problem  in  the  field  today.  Recently  specifica- 
tion for  highway  bridges  made  a  transition  from  all  steel 
construction  to  one  of  timber  with  steel  connectors. 

The  members  of  the  local  chapter  made  every  effort 
to  impress  the  visitors  with  the  excellence  of  the  engineering 
department  hei'e.  How  well  they  succeeded  can  be  shown 
by  a  story  told  by  the  president  of  the  conference.  He 
told  of  a  dream  where  he  had  gone  to  Heaven  and  while 
on  a  tour  of  his  new  residence  with  Saint  Peter  he  learned 
that  all  the  people  of  the  \arious  professions  live  in  separate 
comminn'ties  according  to  their  profession  here.  Suddenly 
his  guide  directed  him  to  remain  quiet  while  going  through 
a  village  and  to  ask  no  questions.  After  passing  the  village 
and  being  unable  to  control  himself  any  longer  he  asked 
Saint  Peter  what  that  last  place  was.  Saint  Peter  answered, 
"Those  are  the  boys  from  Illinois,  they  think  there  isn't 
anyone  else  up  here." 


Engineers— It's 

Ch 

ar  \es  Restaurs 

GOOD  FOOD 
QUICK  SERVICE 

* 

2021/2  S.  Mathews  —  Urbana 

nt 

22 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


BILLETS    TO    BULLETS    FASTER! 


BY  reducing  billets  to  slugs  faster, 
this  recently  perfected  Airco  ma- 
chine gas  cutting  application  speeds 
shell  production.  The  Airco  cutting 
torches  —  as  many  as  ten  can  be 
mounted  in  this  new  Billet  Nicking  Ma- 
chine—make simultaneous  cuts  a  frac- 
tion of  an  inch  into  a  billet,  at  a  speed 
of  from  20"  to  30"  per  minute.  After 
nicking,  a  sudden  blow  produces  a 
clean  break. 

This  new  Airco  developed  cutting 
application  reflects  the  ability  of  Air 
Reduction's  Research  and  Develop- 
ment  Engineers   to  quickly  fulfill    new 


industrial  needs.  Thus,  Air  Reduction 
customers  are  first  to  benefit  from  many 
oxyacetylene  applications  now  speed- 
ing war  production. 

Even  as  they  have  revolutionized  all- 
out  war  production,  so  in  the  peace  to 
come  these  processes  will  show  the 
way  to  better  products,  machines  and 
structures  at  less  cost. 

To  better  acquaint  you  with  the 
many  things  that  this  modern  produc- 
tion tool  does  better  we  have  published 
"Airco  in  the  News",  a  pictorial  re- 
view in  book  form.  Write  for  a  copy. 


REDUCTION 


c/eneraC  yJ//u 


'uxi: 


60  EAST  42nd  STREET,  NEW  YORK,  N.Y. 

/n  Texas: 

Mognolia-Airco  Cos  Products  Co. 
Genefol  Offices:    HOUSTON,  TEXAS 
OFFICES   IN  All  PRINCIPAl  CITIES 


ANYTHING      AND       EVERYTHING       FOR       GAS       WELDING       OR      CUTTING      .%ND       ARC       WIELDING 

DECEMBER,  1942  23 


"s;^^*^ 


The  Liberty  Ship  program  is  the  biggest 
shipbuilding  project  in  history  and  every 
Liberty  Ship  that  goes  into  commission  is 
powered  by  B&W-designed  boilers.  B&W 
is  now  building  many  of  these  boilers; 
other  manufacturers,  working  to  B&W  designs,  are  producing 
the  remainder. 

Thus  the  skills  and  knowledge  gained  by  B&W  during 
peace-time  leadership  in  boiler  manufacturing  are  now  con- 
contributed  to  the  war-time  needs  of  the  nation.  When  Victory 
is  won,  B&W  will  be  able,  better  than  ever  before,  to  supply 
those  of  you  who  enter  the  power  industry  with  superior 
steam  generating  equipment. 


f^ 


The  Maritime  Victory  flag  and  "M" 
burgee  now  float  proudly  along- 
side the  Navy  "E"  at  the  Barberton 
Works.  Each  is  an  award  for  "out- 
standing achievement"  and  is  "an 
honor  not  lightly  bestowed". 


THE   BABCOCK  &  WILCOX  COMPANY    •    85  LIBERTY  STREET    •    NEW  YORK.  N.  Y. 


BABCOCK  &  WILCOX 


TAU  NU  TAU 

((jontinucd  fro/ii  Pnyc  IS) 

On  December  8,  the  Bofons  40mni  anti-aircraft  gun  was 
ilenion.strated.  The  gun's  various  acconiplishnients  were 
enumerated,    and    its   mechanism   was   thoroughly   explained. 

The  annual  T.N.T.  dance  will  be  held  January  9,  194J 
in  the  Illini  Union.  This  dance  will  be  sponsored  jointly 
by  T.N.T.  and  C.A.C.,  and  will  be  uniformal.  There  are 
to  be  no  corsages  of  any  sort   for  the  dance. 

The  final  meeting  of  T.N.T.  for  the  semester  will  be 
January  12,  1943,  with  election  of  officers  for  the  coming 
\'ear. 


NEW  ANTI-AIRCRAFT  GUN 

Workmen,  men  and  women  alike,  wear  a  bronze  button 
with  an  E  on  it  around  a  certain  Pontiac  plant  somewhere 
in  Michigan.  Henry  Klingler,  the  head  of  the  company 
wears  one  of  these  little  bronze  E  buttons,  too.  He's  proud 
of  it  and  is  workmg  hard,  and  overtime  for  the  right  to 
wear  it,  for  the  right  to  fly  that  beautiful  E  pennant  from 
the  flag  staff  of  the  factory.  For  that  Navy  E  means  "ex- 
cellence," and  denotes  that  this  factory  and  these  work- 
men are  doing  a  great  job  for  their  navy.  The  job  they're 
actually  doing  is  helping  to  keep  tlie  deadly  enemy  dive 
bombers  flying  high,  keeping  them  from  effective  bombing, 
anil  shooting  them  out  of  the  sky  if  they  dare  it.  For 
I'ontiac  has  made  a  record  manufacturing  the  famous 
( )erlikon  20  millimeter  (that's  a  little  better  than  a  half 
inch)  antiaircraft  cannon.  This  Oerlikon  shoots  like  a 
garden  hose,  spraying  450  shells  a  minute.  That's  almost 
eight  shells  a  second.  And  you  just  lay  back  in  a  cradle 
and  sight  it  like  a  shotgun  or  a  garden  hose.  Eight  deadly 
half-inch    shells    a    second,    in    one-two-thrce    order.     First 

24 


an  explosive  shell,  then  an  armor  piercing,  and  the  third 
a  tracer.  You  can  see  how  you're  shooting  with  that  dotted 
line  of   tracer  shells  splitting  the  sky. 

Now  a  dive  bomber  is  well  in  the  range  of  (ire  from 
an  Oerlikon  cannon  for  1 7  seconds.  That  means  that  a 
gunner  can  get  in  more  than  100  shots  —  allowing  for  a 
change  of  shell  holder  —  during  the  time  the  dive  bomber 
is  well  in  the  range  of  his  fire.  And  no  bomber  can  take 
that  kind  of  rough  treatment.  Even  a  single  explosive  shell 
through  a  wing  would  knock  it  off  its  fl\ing  course  and 
spoil   its   bomb  aim. 

It's  a  marvelous  little  gun  with  quite  a  romantic  history. 
A  German  inventor  sold  his  patent  to  a  Swiss  gun  maker 
who  named  the  weapon  after  the  little  Swiss  town  of  Oer- 
likon, where  the  gun  was  made.  At  the  fall  of  France,  a 
certain  British  naval  commander  assigned  as  an  inspector 
at  the  plant,  grabbed  up  the  plans  and  flew  them  out  via 
Roumania.     From    England    the   plans    reached   us. 

Now  it  took  the  Swiss  armament  maker  eleven  and  one- 
half  months  to  get  this  gun  into  production.  In  England 
it  took  an  armament  firm  nine  and  one-half  months  to 
start  turning  out  the  gim.  But  Pontiac,  without  an\  previ- 
ous experience  in  armament  making,  got  into  production  in 
exactly  seven  months,  including  getting  the  subcontractors 
going. 

But  the  swiftly  moving  American  eflicienc\'  didn't  stop 
with  getting  into  production.  All  along  the  line,  time 
schedules  were  speeded  up.  It  was  an  entirely  new  and 
different  method  that  American  mass-production  genius 
pioneered  here.  It  was  a  case  of  transforming  "the  whittle 
and  yodle  school  of  Swiss  manufacturing,"  where  there  was 
plenty  of  time,  to  the  quick,  vibrant,  highly  efficient  speed- 
up of  American  industry.  In  the  old  methods,  breech-block 
castings  weighing  around  170  pounds,  had  to  be  bored, 
worked,  filed,  and  babied  by  hand.  Today  240  separate 
operations  are  performed  by  machines.  And  when  the  job 
is  over,  that  170-pound  casting  conies  out  a  beautiful  breech- 
block,  weighing  exactly   41    pounds. 

When  the  government  gave  out  the  order,  10  fine 
machines  for  boring  gun  barrels  lay  boxed  on  the  docks 
in  New  York,  ready  for  shipment  to  France.  Henry 
Klingler  grabbed  these  and  set  them  up  in  his  plant.  Each 
machine  could  bore  out  a  solid  gun  barrel  in  two  hours 
and  16  minutes.  That  was  pretty  fast.  But  the  brand  new 
boring  machines  today  do  a  gun  barrel  in  six  minutes: 
and  the  ten  old  machines  ha\'e  been  replaced  by  two  special 
outfits,   that  don't  even   work  all   the   time  at  that. 

Now  from  the  "whittle  and  yodle"  European  school  of 
manufacturing,  to  the  mass  production  of  the  transformed 
and  transmigrated  American  motor  industry,  is  a  leap  from 
the  past  to  the  future.  This  beautifid  Gerlikon  killer  of 
enemy  dive  bombers,  and  protector  of  American  ships  and 
American  sailors,  is  like  a  Swiss  watch.  Yet  it  is  now  be- 
ing made  even  more  accurately  under  super-modern  Ameri- 
can   mass-production    methods. 

From  one  end  of  America  to  the  otlicr,  this  miracle 
of  the  "change-over  "  is  going  on.  You  don't  turn  a  faucet 
or  a  crank,  and  have  tanks  or  bombers  or  fast-firing  cannon 
roll  off  the  same  assembly  lines  that  once  turned  out  our 
automobiles  or  tires  or  sewing  machines.  Most  of  the  old 
machines  of  industry  must  be  scrapped  and  shoved  aside 
and  special  new  machines  built  —  new  jigs,  dyes,  tools  of 
every  kind.  It's  been  a  hard,  slow  and  often  discouraging 
job.  But  America  has  done  it,  and  the  world  has  never 
seen  such  a  flow  of  war  goods  as  this  very  day  are  poming 
from  thousands  of  factories  and  plants. 

Within    a    very    few   months   we   will    reach    our   peak 
production.    But  there  is  no  moment  to  lose.    Destiny  does  - 
not  wait  for  her  appointments.    Anil  we  do  have  "a  rendez- 
vous with  Destiny."    Let's  keep  it. 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


1 

i 


1 


New  Multicircuit  Switch  for 
Aircraft  Service 

A  new  multicircuit  switch  which 
opens,  closes,  or  transfers  as  many  as  20 
circuits  smiultaneously  by  means  of  a 
two-position  operating  knob,  has  been 
annoiHiced  by  the  General  Electric 
Company   for   aircraft   service. 

1  he  contact  mechanisms  used  are 
(j-E  switchettes  stacked  in  pairs.  The 
switchette  is  snap  action,  doublebreak  in 
construction,  giving  it  a  high  current 
rating.  The  switch  is  available  with 
from  8  to  20  switchettes,  and  in  either 
single-circuit  or  two-circuit  form.  A 
shaft  toggle  switch  insures  positive 
switch   position. 

The  multicircuit  switch  meets  speci- 
fications set  up  by  the  U.  S.  Army  Air 
Forces  for  devices  of  this  type.  Weight 
\aries  from  3V:)  ounces  to  10-/-^  ounces, 
depending  upon  the  size  selected. 


New  Relay  in  Line  of  Aircraft 
Control  Devices 

A  new  four-pole  relav,  designated 
CR2791-GLOOK,  has  been  added  to 
the  line  of  General  Electric  control 
devices  for  aircraft  applications.  Fea- 
tures of  the  new  relay  are  lightweight, 
permanence  of  contact  position  and  as- 
surance of  operation  under  severe  vibra- 
tion conditions,  and  operation  at  high 
altitudes  at  rated  current. 

The  relay  has  a  maximum  continu- 
ous current  rating  of  10  amperes  at  12 
or  24  volts  d.c,  and  a  maximum  make 


Seamless  an* 
Sue\  ^^^^^^^^ 


jna  Car 


THIS   102-PAGE  CATALOG   IS  FREE.    SEND 

FOR  IT,  Contains  official  S.  A.  E.  Standord  Specifications; 
Information  on  Cylinders,  Flanges,  Couplings,  Pump  Liners: 
Up-to-date  data  on  the  Liquefler.  Well  illustrated.  An  im- 
portant reference  book  to  have  in  your  possession. 


HARRISBURG  STEEL  CORPORATIOH 

HARRISBURG,     PENNSYLVANIA 


DECEMBER,  1942 


25 


Meet .  .  . 

COLLEGE  JOE 

and  His  Slide  Rule 


A  COMPENDIUM  (get  the  word)  for 
engineers  on  all  the  short  cuts  and 
slick  tricks  of  the  Slide  Rule. 


UNIVERSITY  BOOK  STORE 


202   S.    MATHEWS 


Juniors  .  •  . 

it  is  Still  Not  to  Late  for  You 
to  "Go  Out"  for  an  Activity! 

Positions  open  for  Juniors  on  the  staff  of 
the  ILLINOIS  TECHNOCRAPH  —  by  work- 
ing only  one  year  you  may  become  eligible 
for  position  of  Senior  Editor  or  Business 
Manager. 

Valuable  Experience  Offered  in  Busi- 
ness Administration,  Advertising, 
Reporting,  and  Publishing 

APPLY  NOW! 

Call 

L.  Byron  Welsh,  Editor  PHONE  5128 

Dean  E.  Madden,  Bus.  Mgr.    PHONE  6-2106 


TECHNOGRAPH   OFFICE 

213   Engineering  Hall 

S-5  |i.   Ml.   .Mdiida.v.   Wt'dnt'Mla.v,  I'Yidav 


or  break  current  rating  of  50  amperes  at  12  or  24  volts 
(I.e.  The  normally  open  contacts  have  a  tip  travel  of  3  64. 
Coil   wattage  is    1.80.    The   relay  weighs  .281    pound. 

Dimensions   are:    length,    21/0    in.,;    width,    1  3  32    in.; 


zht. 


_'•>    .ij 


NEW  SMALL  MOTOR  FOR 
AIRCRAFT  SERVICE 

A  new  ^mall  fractional-horsepower  frame  motor  for 
aircraft  service  has  been  added  to  the  line  of  (Jeneral 
Electric  motors  for  specific  aircraft  applications.  The 
motor,  designated  RA-IO,  is  designed  for  use  with  control 
and   protective   devices. 

The  RA-10  motor  weighs  only  eight  ounces,  is  3  9  16  in. 
long,  l-">s  in.  in  diameter,  and  includes  a  gear  reduction  to 
a  speed  of  approximately  125  rpm.  The  motor  is  also 
available    without    gears,    or    with    additional    lightweight 

gears  to  gi\e  an  output  speed   as  low   as   1    to  2   rpm. 


^"^k^ 


TINY   LIMIT   SWITCH   FOR 
AIRCRAFT    SERVICE 

A  nvw  lightweight  limit  switch  designed  especially  for 
aircraft  applications  has  been  introduced  by  the  General 
Electric  Company. 

The  contact  mechanism  used  is  the  G-E  switchette. 
Snap  action  and  double-break  operation  give  the  switch  a 
high  current  rating.  The  switch  is  designed  to  meet  all 
U.  S.  Army  Air  Forces  stipulations.  The  plunger  operates 
with  a  7/32  in.  overtravel,  which  increases  the  number 
of  applications  for  which   the  switch  can  be  used. 

The  aluminum  housing  is  made  dustproof  by  the  use 
of  a  gasketed  cover.  There  is  adequate  space  inside  the 
housing  for  easy  wiring.  The  switch  is  available  in  three 
contact  arrangements:  single-circuit,  normally  open  or 
normalh'   closed  ;    and    smgle-pole,    double-throw. 

Each  form  can  be  furnished  with  a  contact  air  gap  of 
.010,    .020,   or   .030   in.     The  switch   weighs   .13   lb. 


I 


26 


-^  Buy  U.  S.  Defense  Bonds  and  Stamps  -^ 

THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


AIR  TRANSPORTATION 

( (jontinued  from  Page  7 ) 
ami  grades,  for  permissible  heights  of  obstructions  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  field,  for  field  lighting,  radio  and  other 
facilities.  It  is  recommended  that  no  field  be  selected  which 
cannot  be  enlarged  to  a  square  mile  if  future  traffic  should 
demand.  Light  planes  can  take  off  and  land  safely  on  sod 
runways  ISOd  feet  long,  but  heavy  transports  require 
pa\ed  runways  45011,  or  more,  feet  in  length.  Future  de- 
\elopments  in  the  airplane  may  make  shorter  runways 
possible,  but  the  present  trend  is  to  large,  fast  planes  which 
may    require   even    greater   runway   lengths. 

Engineers  and  scientists  will  be  needed  for  the  design, 
construction,  and  operation  of  airports,  flight  strips,  and 
airwa\s,  and  for  the  design  and  manufacture  of  engines, 
propellers,  airplanes,  instruments,  and  other  equipment,  and 
for  research  and  development.  The  business  operations  of 
air  lines  will  require  accountants,  lawyers,  and  other  gradu- 
ates. In  order  that  the  University  may  provide  education 
and  research  in  air  transportation  it  is  recommended  that 
a  Class  3  airport  be  constructed  near  the  campus.  Such 
an  airport  would  require  640  acres  of  land,  three  pa\ed 
runwa\s  each  4000  feet  long  and  150  feet  \\Mde,  field 
lighting,  hangars,  shop,  laboratory,  and  an  administration 
building. 


CUTTERS  FOR  fVERV  REQUIREMENT 
OF  TODAY'S  VARIED  NEEDS 


TRIM  T.AB  FOR  AIRPLANES  WINS 

Top  award  in  the  Transport  Cjroup  of  the  Fifth  An- 
nual Modern  Plastics  Competition  sponsored  by  Modern 
Plastics  Magazine  goes  to  the  Glenn  L.  Martin  Company, 
Baltimore,  Md.  for  laminated  plastic  airplane  trim  tabs 
developed  in  conjunction  with  the  Formica  Insulation  Com- 
pany, Cincinnati,  (^hio,  and  the  Taylor  Fibre  Company, 
Norristown,    Pa. 

The  triin  tabs  developed  by  each  of  the  collaborating 
companies  differ  in  size  and  detailed  design  and  apph  to 
different  airplanes.  The  basic  purpose  of  the  trim  tabs  is 
to  relieve  the  pilot  of  unnecessary  forces  on  the  normal 
flight  controls.  The  tabs  are  adjustable  from  the  cockpit 
and  by  varying  their  setting,  relative  to  the  surfaces  to 
which  the\'  attach,  the  pilot  is  able  to  balance  the  airplane 
for  various  conditions  of  flight,  such  as,  cruising,  climbing, 
or  gliding.  The  controls  leading  to  these  tabs  are  non- 
re\ersing  in  character  and  therefore  the  settings  are  con- 
tinuously maintained  until  the  pilot  desires  to  change  them. 
If  it  were  not  for  the  trim  tabs,  the  pilot  would  have  to 
hold  the  airplane  in  the  desired  condition  of  flight  by  con- 
tinuously exerting  appreciable  forces  on  the  control  column 
and   rubber  pedals,  and  this  would  soon  become  very  tiring. 

Designed  for  use  on  ailerons,  elevators,  and  rudders, 
these  plastic  tabs  are  to  be  used  in  place  of  metal  or  fabric 
parts  and  combine  valuable  features  of  lightness  and 
strength.  The  laminated  phenolic  fabric  base  structure 
weighs  appreciably  less  than  aluminum  and  on  strength 
tests  has  far  exceeded  specifications  established  for  metallic 
tabs.  The  resiliency  of  the  laminated  structure  causes  the 
tab  to  keep  its  shape  under  stress  where  metal  parts  are 
often  permanently  distorted.  The  smooth  uninterrupted 
surface  of  the  plastic  tab  offers  man\'  advantages  over  a 
metal  tab  having  projecting  rivet  heads  or  overlapping 
seams.  Moisture  does  not  affect  the  material  and  it  is  not 
subject  to  corrosion. 

The  flat  longitudinal  strengthening  bulkhead  inside  the 
tab  increases  very  greatly  the  rigidity  of  the  exterior  sur- 
faces. This  bulkhead  also  provides  an  ideal  attachment 
and  supporting  surface  for  the  hinges,  control  horns  and 
other  similar  parts.  The  interior  bulkhead  is  made  integral 
with  the  exterior  part  of  the  tab  so  that  a  homogeneous 
structure  of  great  strength  is  produced. 
((Jontini/ed  on  Page  30) 

DECEMBER,  1942 


BROWN  &  SHARPE 
CUTTERS 


^p^tL  TOOLS^ 


-^Jf'^^^izr 


TO  OUR  VAST  WAR  EFFORT 

•  Efficient  small  tools,  such  as  "Greenfield"  has 
been  manufacturing  for  more  than  70  years,  are 
essential  to  America's  armament  program. 
"G.T.  D.  Greenfield"  Taps,  Dies,  Twist  Drills, 
Reamers  and  Gages  are  helping  to  build  planes 
and  tanks,  ships  and  guns  on  a  thousand 
"production  fronts." 

America's  great  metal  working  industry  has 
learned  by  long,  practical  experience  that  the 
"G.T.  D.  Greenfield"  trade  mark  means  utmost 
reliability  and  accuracy  in   these  vital  tools. 

GREENFIELD  TAP  AND  DIE  CORPORATION 

GREENFIELD,  MASS.,  U.  S.  A. 


'fl^GREENFJELD 


JAPS-  OlIS  •   OAC£S  •    IWISTDWLtJ  •  UAMUS   •   SOtEWftAJES 


27 


Synthetic  Rubber  —  New  Major  Industry 


((Jontinin  (1  from  l^ayc  13) 


could  be  and  will  be  detennineii  by  extensive  experience. 
However,  the  situation  at  present  is  controlled  by  the 
necessity  for  an  adequate  solution  quickly,  not  in  achieving 
the  ideal.  Even  so  it  is  likely  that  inner  tubes,  tire  carcass, 
sidewalls,  and  tread  will  be  made  of  different  synthetic 
rubbers,  either  alone  or  in  combination  with  natural  rubber. 
Furthermore,  this  practice  probably  will  continue  even  when 
plantation  ri[bber  becomes  available  again  because  a  superior 
tire  will  result  from  making  best  use  of  the  advantages  of 
both   natural    rubber   and   each   of   the  synthetics. 

As  to  elasticity  and  rebound,  natural  rubber  is  still  king. 
The  stretchability  of  some  synthetics  closely  approaches, 
at  certain  temperatures,  that  of  natural  rubber,  but  none 
are  quite  as  good  under  all  conditions.  Natural  rubber  is 
also  superior  in  a  few  other  important  respects.  It  is  softer 
than  synthetic  rubber,  and  hence  is  easier  to  process  or 
work  in  rubber  mills.  Rubber  is  more  resilient  than  nearly 
all  of  the  synthetics.  This  means  it  has  low  energy  ab- 
sorption, or  hysteresis,  and  consequently  does  not  build 
up  temperature  on  repeated  compression  and  extension.  Low 
energy  absorption  is  not  always  an  advantage,  however. 
For  vibration  absorption,  as  for  engine  mountings,  this 
quality  of  natural  rubber  may  be  a  distinct  disadvantage. 
Lastly,  rubber  is  more  resistant  to  stiffening  at  low  tempera- 
tures than  most  synthetic  rubbers,  but  improvement  of 
synthetic   rubbers   in   this   respect  can   be  expected. 

Natural  rubber,  properly  compounded  with  carbon 
black,  has  good  tensile  strength,  generally  given  as  from 
2400  to  4500  pounds  per  square  inch.  Some  synthetic 
rubbers  equal  it,  but  none  are  markedly  better  at  normal 
temperatures.  However,  synthetic  rubber,  almost  without 
exception,  retain  their  initial  strengths  under  conditions  of 
sunlight,  ozone,  chemicals,  heat,  etc.,  far  better  than  does 
rubber. 

Abrasion  resistance  is  of  particular  importance  in  tires. 
Li  this  respect  several  synthetics  are  as  good,  and  Bvma  S 
and   Perbunan  are  appreciably  better  than   natural   rubber. 

It  is  in  resistance  to  sunlight,  ozone,  chemicals,  oils,  etc., 
that  the  real  superiorities  of  synthetic  rubber  appear.  Thi- 
okol,  neoprene,  Perbunan,  Koroseal,  and  others  are  highly 
oil  resistant  and  have  already  largely  replaced  natural  rubber 
in  hose  for  oils  and  gasolines.  They  are  also  used  in  printing 
rolls  and  engraving  plates.  Koroseal  makes  superior  seals, 
gaskets,  and  diaphragms  for  oil  pumps.  Oil-resisting  gloves 
are  made  of  neoprene.  Thiokol,  neoprene  ,and  Koroseal 
are  outstandingly  resistant  to  sunlight  and  ozone,  both  of 
which  shorten  the  life  of  natural  rubber.  They  are  ac- 
cordingly used  in  many  airplane  parts  such  as  de-icers, 
which  are  subject  to  direct  sunlight.  (las-cell  fabrics  of 
balloons  and  airships  are  coated  with  neoprene  and  Thiokol, 
which,  in  addition  to  their  resistance  to  sunlight,  are  far 
less  permeable  to  gases  than  is  natural  rubber.  Some 
synthetics  are  as  much  as  25  times  more  impervious  to 
gases  than  rubber,  so  that  inner  tubes  made  of  them  would 
hold  air  indefiniteh.  Synthetics,  neoprene  and  Koroseal 
in  particular,  are  being  adapted  extensively  for  insulated 
wire.  This  is  not  because  of  electrical  superiority,  as  some 
are  slightly  inferior,  but  because  of  their  better  resistance 
to  burning  and  to  deterioration  by  ozone.  The  dielectric 
constant  of  the  Buna  rubbers,  except  Perbiman,  is  about 
the  same  of  slightly  lower  than  natural  rubber,  but  the 
others  are  higher.  The  power  factor  of  Vistanex  is  lower 
than  for  rubber;  Rvma  S  about  the  same;  and  Thiokol 
and   neoprene,   higher.    The  conductivities  of  all   synthetics, 


except  V^istanex  and  Koroseal,  have  higher  dielectric 
strengths  than  natural  rubber,  while  the  strengths  of 
Thiokol    and    neoprene   are   slightly   less. 

The  point  is,  rubber  is  an  engineering  material  ha\  ing 
many  properties;  not  elasticity  alone.  In  synthetics  we  have 
a  group  of  materials  of  specialized,  superior  properties, 
that  can  compete  with  tree-grown  rubber  for  many  u.ses. 
They  were  beginning  to  do  so  before  the  war,  even  with 
a  three-  or  four-to-one  price  handicap.  To  what  extent 
they  will  continue  to  supplant  natural  rubber  when  free 
trade  is  resumed  depends  on  (a)  the  cost  of  plantation 
rubber,  (b)  the  costs  of  synthetics  when  produced  on  a 
high-production  basis  with  a  background  of  technical  ex- 
perience and  (c)  the  improvements  that  will  undoubtedh 
be  made  in  synthetic   rubber. 

Tremendous  amounts  of  steam  are  required  in  the 
\arious  processes  involved  in  the  manufacture  of  raw  ma- 
terials— butaduene  and  styrene — for  Buna  S  rubber.  In 
fact,  the  steam  for  a  single  50.000-ton  annual  capacit\' 
butadiene  plant,  if  supplied  at  about  800  pounds  to  non- 
condensing  power  turbines  exhausting  at  150  pounds,  will 
produce  about  40,000  kw  in  electrical  energy,  only  about 
one-half  of  which  is  required  by  the  electrical  equipment 
in   the   plant. 

The  synthetic  rubber  plants  are  installing  turbo-gener- 
ators to  reco\er  this  by-product  power.  These  turbo-gener- 
ators are  tied  in  with  existing  utility  s\stenis,  providing 
a  back-up  service  to  give  to  the  operation  of  the  synthetic 
rubber   plant   a   maximum   of   reliability. 

The  main  turbines  in  these  butadiene  and  styrene  plants 
will  receive  steam  from  750-  to  800-pound  boilers.  They 
will  exhaust  at  from  150  to  190  pounds  for  process  re- 
quirements and  to  mechanical-drive  turbines,  which  in  turn 
provide  15-pound  process  steam.  Steam  will  also  be  bled 
from  these  electric-power  turbines  at  450  pounds,  which 
may  be  supplemented  by  steam  from  450-pound  boilers,  to 
supply  mechanical-drive  turbines  and  high-pressure  boilers, 
high-pressure  power-generation  bleeder  turbines,  and  me- 
chanical-drive tiu'bines  gi\e  a  flexible  system  by  which 
efficient  heat  balances  can  be  maintained  for  all  the  process 
work. 

The  rubber  mills  in  which  the  raw  s\nthetic  rubber 
will  be  proce.ssed  into  hnished  articles  will  not  require 
fundamental  changes  in  electrical  equipment.  Because 
synthetic  rubber  is  stiffer  than  natural  rubber,  the  rubber- 
working  machinery  will  require  more  horsepower  per  ton 
produced. 

The  rubber  industry  is  old  and  well  established,  (iieat 
improvements  have  been  made  in  processing  natural  rubber, 
as  those  who  drove  a  car  25  years  ago  can  testify.  Synthetic 
rubber  is  new.  Much  remains  to  be  learned  about  the  best 
methods  of  handling  and  compounding  the  types  alread\ 
known,  and  new  types  will  undoubtedly  be  discovered. 
The  possibilities  are  almost  limitless;  already  over  ftODO 
co-polymers  with  butadiene  have  been  tried.  New  synthetic 
rubber,  improved  synthetic  rubbers  are  sin'e  to  appear. 

Come  the  peace  and  whatever  will  then  constitute 
normal  times,  the  engineer  will  have  at  his  command  a 
large  family  of  rubber-like  materials,  each  with  its  special 
merits,  which  can  be  used  along  with  natural  rubber  to 
produce  better  tires,  tubes,  belts,  gloves,  hose,  vibration 
absorbers,  electric  insulation,  anil  literally  thousands  of 
other  necessities.  The  synthetic-rubber  industry  is  here, 
and    it   is   here   to   sta\'. 


28 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


FOR  VICTORY 


DEATH  CAR... 


Only  a  child's  toy  on  an  unlighted  stairway.  Yet  as  lethal 
as  a  speeding  truck  for  killing  or  crippling.  For  causing 
heartbreak  and  tragedy  in  someone's  home. 

Accidents  ...  in  the  home  ...  on  the  highways  ...  in 
factories  and  offices  .  .  .  cost  this  nation  102,500  lives  last 
year.  This  tragic  toll,  preventable  to  a  great  extent,  was 
augmented  by  the  permanent  disabling  of  350,000  other 
people  .  .  .  by  9,000,000  lesser  casualties. 

Production-wise,  America's  war  effort  lost  heavily.  In 
all,  480  million  man  days  were  lost  forever.  Enough  to 
have  built  a  total  of  20  battleships,  100  destroyers,  9.000 
bombers,  and  40,000  tanks!  Money-wise,  the  loss  was 
almost  4  billion  dollars! 

^  here  did  these  accidents  happen?  Two-thirds  of 
them  happened  outside  of  industry.  In  the  home,  where 
workers  take  chances  they  would  not  dream  of  taking  on 
the  job.  They  happened  in  darkened  hallways  ...  in  batli 
tubs  ...  in  garages  and  basements.  They  happened  in 
industry  where  someone  gambled  with  safety. 


No  matter  what  you  do,  your  life  is  precious  to  this  na- 
tion. Don't  take  chances  with  it.  Guard  it  for  America  .  .  . 
at  dav  . . .  and  at  night.  Figlit  carelessness,  the  Master  Sabo- 
teur !  Join  the  anti-accident  crusade !  Help  save  a  life ! 

The  perfection  of  the  famous  " pA-eready"  fresh  dated 
flashlight  battery  called  for  coordination  between 
various  Units  of  Union  Carbide  and  Carbon  Corpora- 
tion. The  exact  grade  of  graphite  necessary  for  the 
"mix"  nas  developed  by  the  Acheson  Graphite  Cor- 
poration. Special  alloy  for  protecting  molds  and  ma- 
chinery leas  produced  by  the  Ilaynes  Stellite  Com- 
pany,and  Carbide  and  Carbon  Chemicals  Corporation 
provided  a  specially  prepared  paint  made  of  "f  iny- 
lite"  resins  for  the  spun  metal  cap. 

"EIEREADY"  FLASHLIGHTS  AND  BATTERIES 

NATIONAL  CARBON   COMPANY,   INC. 

30  East  42nd  Street  •  New  York,  N.  Y. 

Unit  of  Union  Carbide  and  Carbon  Corporation 

mi 

The  words ''Eveready"  and  "Vinylite"  are  registered  trade-marks. 


Plastics  Vital  to  War  and  Industry 


Not  only  are  plastic  parts  ust-tl  in  the  uianutacture  of 
vital  war  products  but  they  are  also  better  than  metal  for 
some  heavy-duty  applications  in  steel  mills,  Dr.  Ci.  Frank 
D'Alelio,  head  of  the  (jcneral  Electric  plastics  laboratory 
at  Pittsfield,  Massachusetts,  declared  in  a  (General  Electric 
S:ience  Forum  address  here. 

For  military  use  there  are  plastic  helmet  liners,  plastic 
parts  in  every  gas  mask,  and  plastic  bayonet  hanillcs,  accord- 
ing to  Dr.  D'Alelio.  whose  company  is  the  largest  molder  of 
plastics  in  the  industry.  He  said  that  the  average  battleship 
has  more  than  a  thousand  different  plastic  parts  on  it,  and 
each  tank  and  each  airplane  contains  hundreds  of  plastic 
parts.  Mortar  shells  have  plastic  fuse  caps,  and  bombers 
have  plastic  noses.  Training  planes,  landing  barges,  torpedo 
boats  and  invasion  gliders  are  made  of  plastic-bonded 
plywood. 

Plastics  are  foLuul  in  superchaiger  manufacture,  ni  gun 
control  mechanisms,  in  radio  antenna  housings.  Firing  pins 
of  anti-aircraft  shells  are  made  of  plastics.  There  are  plastic 
detonators  on  torpedoes. 

Dr.  D'Alelio  also  mentioned  that  man\-  of  our  new  ves- 
sels will  have  plastic  bearings  on  their  drive  shafts,  because 
plastic  bearings  wear  longer  and  can  take  tougher  piniish- 
ment  than   can   any  other  bearing. 

"The  development  of  the  plastics  industry  in  the  last 
few  years,  frankly,  has  been  astonishing,"  Dr.  D'Alelio 
pointed  out.  "Plastics  had  long  been  considered  a  'future' 
even  by  those  most  intimately  associated  with  it.  Yet, 
before  our  very  eyes,  and  under  the  dynamic  compulsion  of 
war,  plastics  suddenh'  walked  the  stage  of  the  present  in  a 
major  role. 

"The  military  applications  of  plastics  merely  prove  that 
plastics  can  no  longer  be  thought  of  as  an  industry  devoted 
merely  to  making  gadgets,"  the  plastics  chemist  continued. 
"Our  chemists  have  produced  plastics  that  are  crackproof 
and  shatterproof,  that  are  strong  and  tough ;  that  can  do 
jobs  other  materials  cannot  do  as  well.  In  a  word,  plastics 
are   no  longer  substitutes  for  metal. 

"Plastics  today  can  stand  on  their  own  feet,  because  the\' 
can   do  certain   tasks  better  than   any  other  material. 

"For  instance,  there  are  heavy-duty  bearing  applications 


in  iron  and  steel  mills  \\here  plastics  outlast  and  outperform 
metal. 

"Rayon  manufacturers  use  plastic  rayon-spinning 
buckets.  Why?  Because  these  buckets  spin  at  10, ()()()  revolu- 
tions per  minute,  are  in  constant  contact  with  acid  and  salt 
solutions,  and  must  operate  every  hour  of  the  year.  Xo 
other  material  can  equal  the  performance  of  plastics  for 
these  spinning  buckets,  which  ha\e  an  average  life  of 
41^  years. 

"For  high-frequency  radio  de\ices,  certain  parts  must 
be  made  of  plastics — no  other  material  can  give  the  required 
performance,"  Dr.  D'Alelio  added.  "The  same  is  true  of 
hundreds  of  electrical   applications.  " 

Plastics  are  not  one  material,  according  to  Dr.  D'Alelio. 
'Many  persons  believe  that  cosmetics  cases,  bomber 
noses,  and  bearings  for  warships  are  all  made  of  one  and 
the  same  plastic,  "  he  asserted.  "To  appreciate  fully  the  im- 
portance of  plastics  and  the  significance  they  have  in  the 
war  of  today,  we  must  firmly  grasp  that  the  term  'plastics' 
refers  to  a  whole  family  of  materials.  There  are  actually 
thousands  of  them  known.  Probably  a  little  more  than  a 
tenth  of  this  number  ha\e  wide  industrial  use. 

"Some  of  these  plastics  are  opaque,  others  are  trans- 
parent, some  are  suitable  for  use  in  the  freezing  tempera- 
tures of  the  Arctic.  One  type  will  resist  acids,  another  will 
stand  the  abuse  that  strong  alkalies,  like  postash,  can  give  it. 
Certain  classes  will  not  burn ;  others  will  withstand  the 
deteriorating  effects  of  high  octane  aviation  gasoline.  Some 
can  be  spun  into  fibers,  and  others  drawn  into  either  flex- 
ible or  rigid  tubing  to  replace  copper  and  other  valuable 
metals. 

"The  new  synthetic  rubbers  we  hear  so  much  about 
belong  to  the  family  of  plastics.  Besides  the  man\'  plastic 
materials  we  have  toda>',  we  are  constantly  discovering  new 
ones  in   the  laboratory." 

The  wonderful  wartime  developments  in  the  plastics 
industr\'  indicate  that  after  the  war  we  will  find  plastics  of 
much  greater  importance  in  our  ever\day  life,  said  Dr. 
D'Alelio.  He  predicts  that  houses  will  ha\e  a  great  deal 
of  construction  embodying  plastics,  and  that  our  very  cloth- 
ing will  be  made  of  plastic  materials. 


NAMES  IN  THE  NEWS 

((Ujiiliiiiu  il  frrjiii  Pa//r  15) 

Council    and    is    a    mechanical    engineer    with    a    respectable 
3.84   scholastic    average. 

Tom  is  quite  interested  in  aeronautical  engineering.  He 
thinks  the  one  thing  lacking  at  this  University  is  a  good 
course  in  aerodynamics  and  aeronautical  engineering.  His 
ambition  is  to  be  an  aircraft  designer.  He  has  a  couple 
of  new  ideas  that  he  would  like  to  try,  one  of  them  being 
an    inline    air-cooled    airplane    engine. 

Naturally,  Tom  has  enjoyed  his  military  work  the 
most  during  his  four  years  at  Illinois.  At  the  present,  he 
is  busy  trying  to  get  the  new  Honor  System  installed  for 
members  of  the  advanced  ROTC.  It  will  be  a  system 
similar  to  the  one  at  West  Point,  and  Tom  thinks  the 
cadets  will  like  it  very  much.  It  will  make  the  cadets  more 
conscious  of   the   trust  and   authority'   that   they  carry. 

Hailing  from  Park  Ridge,  Illinois,  Tom  is  engaged  to 
a  certain  little  co-ed  on  campus.  He  thinks  his  four  years 
at  Illinois  have  been  a  grand  experience.  He  says,  "If  you 
don't  think  before  you  get  here,  you  will   afterwards." 

30 


TRIM  T.AB  FOR  AIRPLANES  WINS 

(C.'tntiiiucd  from  Page  27 ) 

The  use  of  plastics  eliminates  many  operations  formerly 
necessary  when  metal  was  employed.  For  instance,  the 
outer  skin  and  longitudinal  interior  support  are  fabricated 
in  one  piece  by  a  single  application  of  heat  and  externally 
applied  pressure.  Formerly,  it  was  necessary  to  cut  the 
metal,   bend   it  to  form  and  hold   it  together  by  rivets. 

Tests  prove  that  the  laminated  tab  possesses  a  greater 
resistance  to  buckling  than  metal  and  25  per  cent  to  35 
per  cent  more  resistance  to  bending.  These  tabs  have  with- 
stood twice  the  required  hours  on  the  vibration  tests  as 
compared  to  a  metal  piece  of  similar  outside  dimensions. 

Laminated  plastic  tabs  are  valuable  in  time  of  war, 
not  only  for  their  lightness  and  strength,  but  also  for  the 
fact  that  they  may  be  readily  manufactured  in  mass  produc- 
tion by  concerns  who  are  not  normally  burdened  with  war 
orders. 

Formal  announcement  of  all  awarils  for  entries  in  the 
Competition  was  made  in  the  October  issue  of  Modern 
Plastics  magazine,  followed  b\-  a  Presentation  Dinner  at 
the  Waldorf-.Astcuia  Hotel,  Xew  York  City,  on  Oc- 
tober   l^tli. 

THE  TECHNOGR.APH 


Get  Ready  Today 


FOR  THE  ENGINEERING  TASKS 
OF  TOMORROW  .  .  .  LEARN  TO 
KNOW  YOUR  BEARINGS  .  .  . 

The  thousands  of  experienced  engineers  who  are  doing  so 
much  to  help  win  victory  were  students  once,  and  no  doubt 
often  wondered  what  they  would  do  after  graduation — just  as 
you  probably  do   now. 

But  they  didn't  permit  thoughts  of  the  future  to  interfere  with 
the  present.  They  prepared  for  whatever  might  be  ahead.  Among 
other  things  they  learned  to  know  their  hearings — knowledge 
that  has  proved  to  be  one  of  their  most  useful  engineering  assets. 
You'll  find  it  one  of  yours,  too. 

After  world-wide  destruction  must  come  world-wide  reconstruc- 
tion; Timken  Tapered  Roller  Bearings  will  play  as  important 
a  part  in  the  new  machines  of  peace  as  they  are  doing  in  the 
machines  of  war. 

If  you  have  not  done  so  already,  begin  now  to  acquire  a  thorough 
understanding  of  the  design  and  application  of  the  Timken 
Bearing.  Our  engineers — bearing  specialists  of  many  years'  stand- 
ing— will  be  glad  to  help  you. 


THE     TIMKEN 
COMPANY, 


ROLLER     BEARING 
CANTON,       OHIO 


TIMKEN 


TR*DE-M*B 


REG     U. S. PAT     OFF 


TAPiRED  ROLLER  BEARIHGS 

Manufacturers  of  Timken  Tapered  Roller  Bearings  for  automobiles,  motor 
trucks,  railroad  cars  and  locomotives  and  all  kinds  of  industrial   machin- 
ery; Timken  Alloy  Steels  and  Carbon   and  Alloy  Seamless  Tubing;  and 
Timken  Rock  Bits. 


DECEMBER,  1942 


31 


^'BCamJIfUs  /Vews 


THE  HOME  GUARD 

A  DEVICE  which  can  be  installed  in  the  home 
-^  ^  to  give  both  audible  and  visible  warning  of 
air  raids  has  been  developed  by  J.  L.  Woodworth 
(U.  of  Idaho,  '24)  in  the  G-E  Carrier  Current 
Laboratory. 

Designed  to  operate  on  carrier  current  systems, 
the  new  gadget  makes  it  possible  to  contact  air 
raid  wardens  and  civilian  defense  workers  with- 
out increasing  the  load  on  telephone  lines. 

When  the  air  raid  signal  is  sent  from  the 
transmitter  at  the  power  station,  the  home 
warning  device  (which  resembles  an  ordinary 
house  meter)  begins  to  buzz. 

After  it  has  thus  called  attention  to  itself,  rhe 
device  lights  up,  and  on  its  dial  will  appear  a 
colored  signal — yellow  for  preliminary  caution, 
blue  for  advance  caution,  red  for  air  raid,  or 
white  for  all  clear — that  corresponds  to  the 
signal  sent  from  headquarters. 


»* 


T 


VEE"  ICWELS 

HE  General  Electric  Company  has  developed 
a  method  of  fusing  a  special   type  of  glass 


and  forming  a  miniature  jewel.  How  it's  done  is  a 
military  secret,  but  the  jewels  are  made  on  a  mass- 
production  basis. 

The  jewels,  called  "Vee"  jewels  (not  V  for 
Victory,  but  "Vee"  for  the  ^'-shaped  depression 
in  which  a  cone-shaped  steel  pivot  rotates),  are 
in  great  demand  for  use  in  the  indicating  instru- 
ments that  measure  the  flow  of  electricity  in  war- 
time fighting  and  industrial  control  equipment. 
The  moving  parts  of  these  instruments  are  ot 
watch  size  and  delicacy,  each  requiring  two  Vee- 
shaped  jewels  about  the  size  of  the  head  of  a  pin. 

The  G-E  "gem"  has  been  developed  as  a  sub- 
stitute for  the  "Vee"  jewels  made  from  sapphires 
formerly  supplied  by  Swiss  craftsmen. 


YOUR  SMOKE  iS  SHOWING 

A  TRAIL  of  smoke  often  leads  enemy  sub- 
^  -^  marines  to  their  intended  victims,  but  an 
electronic  tube  might  help  to  give  the  subs  the 
slip  by  instantly  warning  the  ship's  fireman  when 
smoke  is  coming  from  the  vessel's  stack. 

General  Electric  has  already  put  the  phototube, 
most  versatile  of  the  electronic  tubes,  to  work  in 
industrial  plants  to  warn  of  smoking  stacks  and  to 
save  fuel.  W.  C.  White  (Columbia,  '12),  director  of 
the  G-E  electronics  laboratory,  thinks  a  similar 
arrangement  might  be  used  in  ship  stacks. 

A  beam  of  light,  thrown  across  the  smoke 
column  in  the  chimney,  shines  on  the  tube.  When 
the  smoke  gets  too  thick,  the  light  is  blocked  and 
the  phototube  works  a  relay  which  sounds  a 
warning  for  the  fireman. 


GENERAL  m  ELECTRIC 


32 


THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


i 


» 


-jii-j: 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 
I  FEB  1  9  1945 

JiQRl^yary 


1943 


NEW  FURNACE 

CASE  FOR  WELDING 

TAU  BETA  PI  THEME 

GUN  MOUNTS  for  NAVY 

NAMES  IN  THE  NEWS 

OUR  SOCIETIES 

TECHNOCRACKED 


lished    1885 


Member  E.C.M.A, 


99MI  pure 

isn't  pure  enough! 


APPROXIMATELY  30  bilHon  kilowatt- 
hours  of  electricity  will  be  consumed 
to  produce  all  of  the  aluminum  and  mag- 
nesium we  shall  need  for  warplanes  and 
other  uses  during  1943. 

And  every  kilowatt  of  this  vast  amount 
of  power  must  be  converted  from  A.C.  to 
DC.  before  it  can  be  used  in  the  pro- 
duction of  these  metals. 

Most  of  this  conversion  will  be  done 
l)y  the  Ignitron  .  .  .  a  new  and  more  effi- 
cient mercury  rectifier  that  is  a  direct 
result  of  Westinghouse  "know  how"  in 
electronics  research. 

The  vital  factor  in  the  efficiency  of  ttie 
Westinghouse  Ignitron  is  the  extreme 
purity  of  its  electrodes.  The  graphite 
anode  must  be  99.99%  free  of  certain 
impurities  .  .  .  the  mercury  cathode, 
99.999%  free  of  other  impurities! 

If  certain  impurities  in  the  mercury 
increase  1/lOOOth  of  one  per  cent  .  .  . 
or  in  the  graphite,  1/lOOth  of  one  per 
cent . .  .  the  proper  operation  of  Ignitron 
will  be  affected. 

Few  chemists  have  the  skill,  knowl- 
edge, and  special  equipment  to  solve 
such  a  problem  of  almost  absolute  chem- 
ical purity.  For  this  reason.  Dr.  E. 
Bruce  Ashcraft  .  .  .  micro-chemistry 
expert   of   the   Westinghouse   Research 


Laboratories  .  .  .  was  assigned  to  the  job. 
Dr.  Ashcraft  lives  in  a  Lilliputian 
w(jrld  of  chemical  analysis.  Tiny  test 
tubes,  doll's-size  beakers  and  retorts, 
polarizing  mieroscoix's,  spectrographs, 
a  balance  that  measures  the  weight  of  a 
viillionth  of  a  gram  .  .  .  these  are  the 
keys  he  employs  to  unlock  the  invisible 
world  of  matter. 

J]'ith  the  help  of  micro-chemintrji.  Dr. 
Asia-raft  has  made  possible  the  control  of 
the  extraordinary  purity  of  all  graphite 
and  mercury  used  as  electrodes  in  Ignitrons. 

And  now,  electronics  at  work  are  bring- 
ing victory  closer  every  day  .  .  .  for 
Ignitrons  with  a  rated  capacity  of  more 
than  3,000,000  kw  are  turning  out  the 
thousands  of  tons  of  aluminum  and 
magnesium  upon  which  our  Arsenal  of 
Democracy  depends ! 

We  salute  Dk.  xVshcraft  and  the 
other  thousands  of  scientists  who  are 
working  for  victory  in  research  labora- 
tories all  over  America. 

We  also  salute  the  scientists  of  to- 
morrow .  .  .  the  engineering  stutlents 
now  in  college  who  will  be  called  upon 
to  rebuild  a  war-torn  world. 

Westinghouse  Electric  &  IManufactur- 
ing  Company,  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania. 


TOM  THUMB  CHEMISTRY  .  .  .  Dr.  E.  Bruce 
Ashcraft  examines  a  specimen  weighing 
less  than  a  microgram  . .  .  approximately 
1,  jOth  the  size  of  a  grain  of  ordinary 
table  salt.  Dr.  Ashcraft  received  liis  B.S. 
at  Texas  A&JM,  and  his  Ph.D.  at  Cornell 
University  in  1937. 


Westinghouse 

PLANTS    IN    25    CITI  ES  —  O  FFICES    EVERYWHERE 

THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


JANUARY  •  1943 


This  Issue  .  .  . 

Should  All  Engineers  Be  in  Uniform? 7 

H.v   Sol    David   I.aiks 

Greater  Comfort  for  the  Forgotton  Man 8 

By  .1.  K.  I'Vllows,  Assistant  ProfVsscir  in  Mechaniriil  KnuinccriiiK 

The  Case   for  Welding 10 

15}    William  (i.  Murphy 

Names  in  the  News 12 

|{y  William   K.  Schmitz  and  Lee  Sullivan 

Plywood  has  Many  War  Uses 14 

Gun  Mounts  lor  the  Navy 16 

Our  Societies 18 

Hy  Kyriin  liohiiiscin 

Technocracked 22 

Hy  Paul  Salerno 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


Staff  .  .  . 

L.  Byron  Welsh Editor 

William   G.    Murphy Associate    Editor 

Paul  Salfrno Assistant  Editor 

Lee  Sullivan Photographer 

SENIOR    EDITORIAL    STAFF 

Walter    J.    Gailus.    Steven    Yurenka.    John    L.    Colp 

EDITORIAL    ASSISTANTS 

William  R.   SLlimitz,   Byron   M.   Robinson.   Don   Hallberg. 

Jim  Murray.   Euaene   Bixby,   William  Rychel,  Charles  E. 

Yale.    Jack    Steele.    Herb    Newmark 

Dean  E.  Madden Business  Manager 

William   Belch Circulation   Manager 

Alex  Green Subscription  Manager 

BUSINESS    STAFF 

David    Causey.      Byron     Krulevitch,      Don     Deno,      John 

Henton.      Bob     Rouse.      William     Lurvey.      James     Lyle, 

James   A.   Chapman 

MEMBER   OF   ENGINEERING    COLLEGE    MAGAZINES 
ASSOCIATED 

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nical Journal,  Illinois  Technograph,  Iowa  Engineer,  Iowa  Transit,  Kansas 
Engineer,  Kansas  Stale  Engineer,  Marquette  Engineer.  Michigan  Technic, 
Minnesota  Techno-Log,  Missouri  Shamroclc.  Nebraska  Blue  Print,  New 
York  University  Quadrangle,  North  Dakota  Engineer.  North  Dakota 
State  Engineer,  Ohio  State  Engineer.  Oklahoma  State  Engineer,  Oregon 
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Published  Eight  Times  Yearly  by  the  Students  of 
the  College  of  Engineering,  University  of  Illinois 


Published  eight  times  during  the  year  (October,  Noveinber.  Decem- 
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ing Company,  Entered  as  second  class  matter,  October  30,  1921,  at 
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Reprint   rights  reserved  by   The  Illinois   Technograph. 


Frontispiece  .  . . 

The  spinning  of  this  30-ton  wheel  soon 
will  rotate  the  propellor  and  dri\e  one  of 
the  United  States  Maritime  Coniniission's 
new  21,000-ton  oil  tankers.  Standing  Li 
feet  high,  the  wheel  is  the  rotor  or  rotating 
part  of  a  6,600-horsepower  motor  being 
btiilt  by  the  Westinghoiise  Electric  and 
Manufacturing  Compaiu'.  The  workman 
in  the  foreground  is  polishing  the  jomiial 
of  the  rotor's  shaft,  while  the  other  man 
inspects  the  insidation  of  the  stationary 
part  of  the  motor.  Westinghoiise  already 
has  built  12  of  these  motors  for  the  Sun 
Shipbuilding  and  Dry  Dock  Company  and 
is  now  constructing  28  more.  ((Jut  ('uiir- 
tesy  If  estiiu/hiiiise). 


Cover . . . 

Men  getting  instructions  on  halyard 
flags  at  the  U.  S.  Navy  Signal  School  here 
at  the  university.  The  man  in  the  left  fore- 
ground is  sending  blinker.  (Official  U.S. 
Navy  Photo). 


^ 


SHOULD  ALL  ENGINEERS 
BE  IN  UNIFORM? 

By  SOL  DAVID  LARKS  '43 

This  theme  was  chosen  as  the  best  written  by  the  pledges  of 
Tau  Beta  Pi,  Alpha  of  Illinois,  as  part  of  their  fall  initiation. 
This  theme  will  compete  with  others  from  all  over  the  country 
for  national  honors. 


With  the  shortage  of  technically  trained  manpower 
already  acute,  a  contribution  toward  more  effective  use 
of  the  existing  engineering  cadre  can  be  made  by  putting 
every  engineer  in  uniform.  At  the  present  moment,  the 
most  efficient  use  of  the  nation's  engineering  manpower 
is  not  being  made.  There  do  not  exist,  as  yet,  the  organiza- 
tional guarantees  that  the  right  man  will  be  in  the  right 
place,  in  spite  of  the  demands  of  present-day  war. 

Under  the  conditions  of  modern  warfare,  there  is  very 
little  demarcation  between  the  home  front  of  production 
and  the  war  front.  A  few  hundreti  years  ago,  it  was  per- 
haps possible  for  the  small  mercenary  army  of  those  days 
to  go  off  to  war  with  relatively  little  effect  on  or  relation 
with  the  economy  of  the  home  population.  By  contrast,  the 
mechanized  army  of  today  demands  the  closest  integration 
with  industrial  production.  A  breakdown  of  industrial  pro- 
duction would  mean  catastrophe  just  as  surely  as  would 
a  break-through  at  the  front.  Appraising  the  needs  of  both 
battle  and  home  fronts,  it  is  clear  that  both  need  trained 
manpower — both  need  engineers. 

Now  let  the  question  be  put  in  this  way:  from  the  point 
of  view  of  contribution  to  the  war  effort,  how  much  dif- 
ference is  there  between  the  engineer  in  a  factory  who  helps 
to  increase  the  production  of  machine  guns  and  the  engineer 
in  uniform  who  aids  in  rapidly  transporting  these  machine 
guns  at  the  front?  Clearly  there  is  very  little  difference,  if 
any.  Then  there  should  be  no  difference  between  them  in 
the  eyes  of  a  nation  mobilized  for  war.  Further,  it  should 
be  equally  clear  that,  for  maximum  effectiveness,  every 
engineer  should  be  at  the  post  where  he  can  contribute  the 
most.  If  the  best  communication  engineers  are  needed  at 
the  front,  that  is  where  they  should  be  assigned.  If  the  best 
mechanical  engineers  are  needed  in  the  factories,  then  that 
is  where  they  should  be  assigned.  But  is  this  the  way  this 
problem  is  being  solved?  Let  us  look  into  it  a  bit. 

How  is  the  problem  being  solved  now?  The  answer 
is  complex.  Some  engineers,  noting  the  appeal  of  the  armed 
forces  for  technicians  with  their  specific  training,  have 
voluntarily  entered,  by  commission  or  enlistment.  (Others, 
even  with  the  knowledge  that  they  would  not  work  in 
the  field  for  which  they  had  been  trained,  have  nevertheless, 
from  high  patriotic  motives,  joined  the  Army,  (^n  the  other 
hand,  thousands  of  young  engineers  of  unquestioned  patrio- 
tism, are  entering  industry  because  of  a  strong  and   under- 


standable desire  to  acquire  industrial  experience  at  once. 
Yet,  going  into  factories  at  this  time,  as  young  men  of 
military  age,  they  necessarily  mu.st  request  draft  deferment. 
They  know  that  they  must  face  growing  questioning  looks 
and  glances  as  the  war  proceeds,  and  growing  social  criticism, 
both  during  and   after  the  war. 

Older  engineers,  in  the  majority,  being  already  rooted 
in  industry  for  years,  feel  for  the  most  part  that  they  are 
making  their  maximum  contribution  right  where  the>'  are. 
Some  engineers  have  been  drafted,  and  are  now  doing  work 
which  less  trained  people  could  do.  Again,  some  engineers 
are  teaching,  on  a  level  such  that  many  people  with  much 
less  technical  training,  including  women,  could  easily  re- 
place them.  Thus  far,  not  enough  has  been  done  to  examine 
this  problem,  to  determine  definitely  whether  each  engineer 
is  now  serving  at  the  post  where  he  is  most  needed.  In  pass- 
ing, it  might  also  be  noted  that  the  competition  which  has 
existed  between  sections  of  the  armed  forces  for  engineers, 
as  well  as  the  competition  between  the  armed  services  and 
industrw  is  inefficient. 

How  should  the  problem  be  solved  ?  In  order  to 
strengthen  the  nation's  war  effort,  it  is  proposed  here  that 
every  graduate  engineer  be  commissioned  in  the  .Armed 
Forces.  Steps  in  this  direction  should  be  initiated  for  student 
engineers  in  their  senior  year.  Allocation  of  engineers  be- 
tween the  various  subdivisions  of  the  Armed  Forces,  and 
between  the  Armed  Forces  and  industry,  should  be  made 
by  a  joint  board  which  should  include  representatives  of 
the  armed  services,  the  War  Manpower  Commission,  and 
the  professional  engineering  societies. 

Since  every  engineer,  under  such  a  program,  will  be  in 
um'form  and  imder  assignment,  there  should  exist  a  greater 
tendency  and  possibility  to  put  the  right  men  in  the  right 
place.  Because  it  will  be  immediately  clear  to  all  that  every 
engineer  will  be  assigned  to  the  place  where  he  is  most 
needed,  there  will  be  no  criticism  of  the  engineer  in  industry. 
In  addition,  the  inefficient  competition  which  exists  between 
the  armed  services  themselves  for  engineers,  as  well  as 
between  the  armed  services  and  industry,  will  be  greatly 
reduced.  Flaws  there  will  be,  undoubtedly,  but  such  a 
broad  decision  will  be  a  step  in  the  right  direction — a  step 
which  will  mean  more  efficient  use  of  that  critical  com- 
modity, the  technically  trained  manpower  of  the  nation. 


JANUARY,  1943 


GREATER  COMFORT  FOR  THE 
FORGOTTEN  MAN 

By  J.  R.  FELLOWS 

Assistant  Prajcssor  in  Mechanical  Engineerinsi 


MoiiiTii,  rheiiiiostatically-coiitrollcd  heating  systems  in 
wliicli  fuels  of  different  types  are  fired  by  intricate  me- 
chanical devices,  when  properly  designed,  are  capable  of 
maintaining  the  temperature  in  all  parts  of  the  rooms 
they  heat  wn'thin  one  degree  of  the  desired  temperature. 
Until  the  production  of  all  non-essential  equipment  was 
stopped  b\'  our  country's  entr>'  into  the  present  world  con- 
flict, these  miraculous  products  of  engineering  skill  and 
ingenuity  were  available  in  a  number  of  competing  types 
to  any  one  who  could  spare  the  cash  to  cover  the  cost  of 
an  installation  which  graded  upward  from  around  $500. 

Unfortunately  the  great  majority  of  ovn-  citizens  are 
caught  in  the  lower  and  middle  income  brackets  and  can- 
not afford  the  luxury  of  automatic  heat.  This  large  group 
which  has  been  referred  to  as  the  "forgotten  man"  has 
indeed  been  forgotten  by  the  heating  engineer.  With  few 
exceptions,  the  hand  fired  stoves  of  today  are  fundamentally 
identical  with  the  stoves  used  during  the  childhood  of 
those  of  us  who  were  born  "thirty  years  too  soon." 

Most  householders  who  use  hand  fired  furnaces  of  one 
type  or  another,  use  them  instead  of  automatic  heating 
systems  because  their  income  will  not  cover  all  the  things 
desired  by  themselves  and  their  families.  They  prefer  to  hold 
the  cost  of  heating  to  a  minimum  so  that  they  will  have  more 
to  spend  on  food,  clothing  and  entertainment.  Since  bitumi- 
nous coal  is  the  lowest  priced  fuel  throughout  the  greater 
part  of  the  country,  it  is  the  logical  choice  for  the  majority 
of  householders  who  heat  their  homes  with  hand  fired 
furnaces. 

Though  many  of  the  younger  generation  have  been 
privileged  to  live  in  comfortably  heated  homes  since  birth, 
there  are  few  of  mature  age  who  have  not  at  some  time 
experienced  the  alternate  "searing  overheat"  and  the  "un- 
comfortable chili"  of  the  average  home  that  is  heated  by 
a  hand  fired  furnace  burning  "soft"  coal.  The  above 
mentioned  performance  characteristics  of  the  hand  fired 
coal  furnace,  together  with  the  frequent  necessity  for  re- 
kindling the  fire  and  occasional  explosions  makes  winter 
the  dreaded  season  in  the  average  home  of  the  worker 
whose  income  is  in  one  of  the  lower  brackets. 

A  technical  analysis  of  the  process  of  burning  bituminous 
coal  in  the  conventional  hand  fired  furnace  soon  discloses 
that  furnaces  of  this  type  are  not  properly  designed  for  this 
fuel.  When  a  charge  of  coal  is  placed  in  a  conventional 
furnace  in  the  conventional  manner  as  shown  in  Figure  1, 
either  overheating  or  wasteful  operation  is  inevitable.  The 
coals  from  the  previous  charge  soon  heat  the  fresh  coal, 
and  the  volatile  matter  which  may  contain  nearly  one-half 
of  the  entire  heating  value  of  the  charge  is  converted  to 
a  gaseous  state.  If  the  overfire  air  ports  in  the  firing  door 
are  adjusted  to  supply  sufficient  air  for  the  combustion  of 
the  gases  as  they  are  released  and  the  bed  of  coals  is  hot 
enough  to  produce  Hamcs,  the  greater  part  of  the  volatile 
matter  is  burned  within  thirty  minutes  after  firing  and  the 
house  becomes  badly  overheated.  If  the  overfire  air  ports 
do  not  supply  enough  secondary  air  to  bm'n  the  gases  com- 
pletely, the  hydrocarbon  molecules  break  up  into  hydrogen 
and  carbon  and  the  carbon  issues  from  the  chimney  as  a 
black  smoke  and  settles  as  a  mantle  over  roofs,  walls,  walks 

8 


and  porches.  It  is  impractical  to  pro\ide  sufficient  secondary 
air  to  completely  burn  all  the  gases  liberated  during  the 
first  half  hour  after  firing  because  the  damper  adjustment 
required  for  this  period  would  provide  far  too  much  air 
throughout  the  remainder  of  the  cycle  and  this  excess  air 
would  carry  more  heat  out  of  the  chimney  than  would 
be  saved  by  burning  the  gases  completely.  If  the  coals  on 
which  the  fresh  fuel  is  placed  are  not  hot  enough  to  ignite 
some  of  the  gases  and  cause  a  flame,  the  heat  that  would 
be  liberated  by  the  combustion  of  the  gases  is  not  released 
and  the  gases  pass  out  of  the  chimney  unburned  to  pollute 
the   atmosphere   of   the   neighborhood. 

A  study  of  the  hand  fired  furnace  \\hich  was  made  in 
the  .Mechanical  Engineering  Laboratory  b\'  Professor  A. 
P.  Kratz,  Mr.  J.  C.  Miles  and  the  author  with  some  sug- 
gestions by  Professor  P.  E.  Mohn  has  evolved  a  new  de- 
sign adapted  to  the  burning  of  high  volatile  bituminous 
coal.  A  longitudinal  vertical  section  of  the  furnace  is  shown 
in  schematic  form  in  Figure  2.  The  front  portion  of 
the  furnace  is  used  for  the  first  stage  of  the  combustion 
process,  namely  the  coking  of  the  coal  in  whicli  the  volatile 


Ki^iMi-     I.    Srrtionjl    view    sliowiii;;     tile    fuel    lied    of    a    cdh- 
tional    warm    air   fmiiact'   after   placiiiK    a   eliarse   of   fresh   eoal. 

matter  is  gradually  coiuerted  to  the  gaseous  state  by  heating 
the  charge  from  the  edge.  The  rear  portion  of  the  furnace 
is  provided  with  a  conventional  grate  in  the  conventional 
position  and  is  used  for  the  second  stage  of  the  combustion 
process,  namely  the  burning  of  the  fixed  carbon  contained 
in    the   coke.     The    Hoor   of   the   coking  chamber   is   sloped 

THE  TECHNOGR.APH 


at  an  angle  of  approximately  45  degrees  to  make  it  eas\ 
for  the  householder  to  push  the  hot  coals  or  coke  from 
the  previous  charge  into  the  coke  burning  chamber  at  the 
back  of  the  furnace  before  placing  a  charge  of  fresh  coal 
at  the  front.  The  door  is  also  placed  at  an  angle  to  make 
it  easy  to  fill   the  coking  chamber  from  a  coal  scuttle. 

Figure  2  shows  the  furnace  in  a  freshly  charged  con- 
dition with  the  coke  burning  chamber  filled  with  coke  and 
a  charge  of  fresh  coal  in  the  coking  chamber.  Since  only 
the    edge    of    the    charge    is    heated    by    the    hot    coals,    the 


I'isure    '1.    Seetional    view    showing    tlie    fuel    bed    of    the    new 
eniolieless  furnaee  after  phtring  a  iharge  of  fresli  coal. 

volatile  matter  is  not  converted  to  the  gaseous  state  as 
rapidly  as  in  the  conventional  furnace.  It  has  been  found 
by  experience  that  a  period  of  from  three  to  six  hours  is 
required  for  the  complete  coking  of  a  charge  of  fresh  coal 
instead  of  one-half  hour  as  in  the  conventional  furnace.  He- 
cause  there  is  no  period  in  the  cycle  when  the  volatile 
matter  is  converted  to  gas  at  an  excessive  rate,  it  is  possible 
to  adjust  the  secondary  air  ports  to  supply  sufficient  sec- 
ondary air  for  the  complete  combustion  of  the  gases  com- 
ing out  of  the  fresh  coal  during  the  coking  period  without 
supplying  an  excessive  amount  during  the  rest  of  the 
cycle.  The  baffle  wall  at  the  rear  edge  of  the  coking 
chamber  ser\es  the  double  purpose  of  mixing  the  secondary 
air  with  the  gases  as  they  come  out  of  the  coal,  and  direct- 
ing the  mixture  over  the  incandescent  surface  of  the  burning 
coke  where  the  ignition  of  the  mixture  is  accomplished. 
The  hydrocarbon  gases  from  the  coal  are  completely  burned 
to  carbon  dioxide  and  water  vapor  in  the  small  combustion 
chamber  directly  above  the  coke  burning  chamber  and  the 
products  of  combustion  are  conducted  through  a  two  pass 
heat   exchanger   before   being   released   to   the   chimney. 

A    crude    experimental    model    was    designed    and    tested 
with    Franklin    County,    Illinois    coal    during    the    summer 


of  1939.  The  experimental  fuinace  was  later  tested  with 
eight  different  types  of  high  volatile  bituminous  coal  be- 
sides anthracite  coal,  coke,  and  wood  during  the  winter 
of  1939  and  '40.  The  tests  clearly  indicated  the  superiority 
of  the  design  over  the  conventional  updraft  furnace  for 
the  burning  of  bituminous  coal  and  an  application  for  a 
patent  was  made  on  March  6,  1940.  I'nited  States  Patent 
Number  2,295,781  was  granted  to  j.  R.  Fellows  and 
J.  C.  Miles  on  September  15,  1942  and  immediately  as- 
signed to  the  Universit\'  of  Illinois  Foiuidation.  The 
design  principle  covered  by  the  Patent  is  applicable  to  all 
types  of  hand  fired  coal  burning  appliances  such  as  stoves, 
furnaces,   boilers  and   water  heaters. 

The  Majestic  Company  of  Huntington,  Indiana,  has 
agreed  to  pioneer  a  small  furnace  embodying  the  design 
principle  covered  by  the  patent  and  have  been  granted  sole 
manufacturing  rights  for  this  one  application  of  the  principle 
in  the  States  of  Illinois,  Indiana,  Ohio  and  Michigan. 

The  engineers  of  the  Majestic  Company  ha\e  col- 
laborated with  the  aforementioned  members  of  the  Lni\er- 
sity  of  Illinois  Engineering  Department  in  the  design  of 
a  small  unit  suitable  with  slight  modification  of  the  casing 
for  use  as  a  forced  circulation  warm  air  furnace,  a  gravity 
circulated  warm  air  furnace  or  a  circulating  heating  stove. 
The  University  has  purchased  the  first  unit  manufactured 
by  the  Majestic  Company  and  it  is  now  installed  in  the 
Mechanical  Engineering  Laboratory  where  it  will  be  used 
for  further  tests  and  studies.  Figure  3  shows  the  unit, 
((Jontini/ctl  on   Piitjc  20) 


I'igini'   :{.    I»h<>to;;ra|ili   of   tile    fir>(    coiiiiuercial    unit    which    is 
installed  in  the  nieehanical  engineering  laiioratory. 


JANUARY,  1943 


The   Case   for   Welding 

By  WILLIAM   G.  MURPHY,  C.  E.  '43 


The  War  Production  l?oai(l  has  oiilcred  that  every 
possible  saving  be  made  in  steel  construction  tor  the  dura- 
tion. Thinking  engineers  realize  that  this  saving  must  not 
be  made  at  the  cost  of  strength  in  the  structure,  nor  is  it 
practical  to  use  temporary  materials  ni  buildings  that  are 
to  be  used   permanently. 

Representatives  of  each  type  of  construction  have  pre- 
sented their  case  to  construction  engineers.  Welded  con- 
struction gives  a  saving  in  steel  and  doesn't  sacrifice  an\' 
strength  since  it  eliminates  the  ordinary  connection  pieces. 
In  a  riveted  construction  it  is  necessary  to  use  a  third 
member  as  a  connector,  while  welding  permits  direct  con- 
nection of  the  two  members  through  a  weld.  In  spite  of 
the  saving  the  welding  of  joints  is  not  a  war  measure;  it 
was  developed  to  make  a  saving  in  fabrication  and  to  over- 
come  both   shop   and    field   difficidties  of   riveting  joints. 

A  conservative  designer  immediately  asks  questions 
about  the  strength  of  this  type  of  construction.  He  wants 
to  know  if  the  method   is  practical  and   safe. 

Welding  is  definitely  safe  since  there  has  been  no 
major  failure  of  this  type  of  construction.  It  is  practical 
now  more  than  ever  in  construction  work  where  previously 
rolled  shapes  have  been  discontinued  and  it  is  necessary 
to  build  the  desired  structural  shape  from  those  available. 
The  various  types  of  welds  that  can  be  used  to  make 
desired  shapes  are  shown  in  Fig.  1.  They  are  divided  nito 
two  general  classifications  according  to  the  joint  produced : 
butt  welds  where  two  plates  are  placed  edge  to  edge  or 
fillet  welds  where  the  plates  overlap. 

In  order  to  maintain  the  safety  of  the  construction 
skilled  welders  must  be  obtained.  The  ability  of  a  welder 
can  be  determined  by  tests.  Require  them  to  weld  plates 
together  with  a  fillet  weld  and  after  the  metal  has  cooled, 
break  them  apart  ....  "the  weld  metal  shovdd  be  bright, 
dense,  even-textured,  and  crystalline  or  fibrous;  and  there 
should  be  good  fusion  of  the  weld  and  base  metals,  and 
good  penetration  into  the  right  angle  corner  of  the  fillet."' 


VB£TiCf)L 


-  //oe/zoAfri^L 


£P6E  iVELP 


-/^L^r 


Msiire  1.  Types  of  Welds 

Cut    from    I'roccduvc    Handbook    of    Arc    Welding    Dcsitjn    and    Practice, 
Courtesy    Lincoln    Electric    Company 

Next  require  them  to  make  two  butt  welds  as  shown 
in  Fig.  2.  These  plates  are  cut  into  five  two-inch  strips  and 
the  reinforcement  is  ground  off.  These  strips  are  tested  in 
tension  and  must  average  about  45,000  lb.  per  sq.  in.  with 
no  strips  to  test  at  40,000  lb.  per  sq.  in. 

10 


Finally  the  welders  .should  he  required  to  weld  a  speci- 
men as  shown  in  Fig.  2,  using  fillet  welds.  These  are  tested 
in  shear  and  the  average  of  the  specimens  tested  should 
be  44,000  lb.  per  sq.  in. 

Inspectors  on  the  job  should  be  watchful  enough  to  see 
that  the  welders  are  making  good  welds  and  working  with 
the  proper  speed.  Welded  construction  results  in  a  saving 
of  manpower  also  since  one  man  can  do  the  work  in  a 
moderate  size  building.  "At  the  Edison  14-story  building 
in  Boston,  four  welders  were  used  to  field  weld  the  1,314 
tons   of    steel    in    the    building,    of    which    1,050    tons    were 


-r-6- 


i 

\ 


9"x'/2'xl2" 


-Cut  Five 
2"  Strips 


cz^ 


Grind  off  Reinforcement 


y2  Fillet--^  --^P_ 

?5 


BUTT  WELD 

.^S'x'^'xeVi'Plate 


LAP  WELD 


4"x  rx  12'  Plate 


4"x  rxl2"  Plate 


j>3"x%"x6'/2'Plate 


'  L<2i 


FILLET  WELD 


-  %  Fillet 


^1 


Insure  '-.  Test  welds  to  (luulify  welders 


Cut    from    McKihlieu.    Frank    P.,    .Arc    WeliliiiK    on    Steel    BuildiuKi." 
Civil    En^iinccrinii,    (.)ct.,    19.^0 

actually  connected  by  welding,  the  remainder  being  largely 
foundation  steel. '- 

.Most  building  codes  now  ha\e  welding  clauses  or  clauses 
which  allow  the  city  otiicials  authority  to  accept  plans  for 
welded  construction.  Specifications  allow  a  unit  shearing 
strength  of  11,300  lb.  per  sq.  in. 

Weld  calculations  use  the  theoretical  throat  dimen- 
sion (see  Fig.  3  )to  obtain  the  size  of  the  weld.  It  is  ob- 
vious that  there  is  a  certain  margin  of  safety  due  to  the 
difference  between  the  theoretical  and  actual  throats.  For 
a  3  '8  in.  fillet  weld  the  throat  distance  is  0.266  in.  One 
inch  of  a  3  8-in.  fillet  can  transmitt  11,300  j:  0.266  = 
3,000  lbs.  If  the  stress  to  be  transmitted  is  30,000  lbs.. 
3(),()()()^_3,()0()  is  10  in.  If  one  of  the  members  is  an  angle, 
the  10  inches  may  be  divided  according  to  the  moments 
about  the  opposite  fillet. 

I'sing  A  and   B  as  the  lengths  at  the  back  and   toe   re- 
ply,   the    lengths   may    be   computed    by   J  =  Pa-,  sil 


s|iectivel 


McKiliben.    Frank    P..    "Arc    Welding    on    .Steel     Buildings." 

Cii'iV    l-iuiinccrinii.    Oct.,    I'J.ill 
Iliid- 

((Jontiiiiinl  on   l'ii//f  20) 

THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


'« amiaaiM 


WHICH  would  i]ou  vote  ''most  likelq  to  succeed?" 


"The  Aircraft  Warning;  System  gives  a  single 
plane  on  ground  alert  the  equivalent  striking 
power  of  16  planes  on  air  patrol."  This  start- 
ling statement  comes  from  England. 

Our  country's  Aircraft  Warning  Service  — 
quite  similar  to  England's — keeps  a  constant 
check  on  the  flight  of  all  aircraft.  Should  the 
need  arise,  it  is  prepared  to  send  fighter  planes 
aloft,  to  mobilize  and  direct  ground  defense 
forces,  to  warn  endangered  areas.  Every  step 


in  its  operation  requires  the  fast,  accurate 
communication  of  the  telephone. 

This  is  just  one  of  the  many  wartime  jobs 
that  are  keeping  telephone  lines  busier  than 
ever  before.  To  help  us  keep  lines  clear  for 
vital  military  and  industrial  calls,  please 
avoid  using  Long  Distance  to  war  activity 
centers  unless  the  call  is  urgent.  And  please 
keep  all  your  telephone  calls  as  brief  as  you 
can.  Thank  you. 


mRCAUSCo>i^'-^' 


JANUARY,  1943 


11 


NAMES  in  the  NEWS 

By  WILLIAM  R.  SCHMII  Z,  Ch.  E.  '45 

aytd 

LEE  A.  SULLIVAN,  M.  E.  '43 


GEORGE  MAYS 

George  Mays  has  accomplished  something  that  few  of 
the  engineers  here  at  Ilhnois  ever  do.  He  has  already  gradu- 
ated once.  He  graduated  from  the  University  of  Tulsa 
with  honors  in  commerce.  He  worked  for  two  years  with 
the  Carter  (^il  Company,  before  deciding  that  he  would 
like  to  know  something  about  the  engineering  side  of  the 
oil  industry.  Since  Illinois  had  a  \ery  good  name  around 
his  home  town  of  Tulsa,  Oklahoma,  he  came  to  Illinois  to 
get  his  engineering  degree. 

A  mechanical  engineer,  taking  the  petroleum  option, 
George  has  done  okay  for  himself.  He  has  a  neat  4.5 
scholastic  average.  Better  known  as  Elmore  to  some  of 
his  friends,  George  is  a  member  of  Tau  Beta  Pi,  treasurer 
of  A.S.M.E.  and  is  president  of  Pi  Tau  Sigma.  He  is  also 
proctor  of  his  fraternity,  Lambda  Chi  Alpha. 

(jeorge  says  that  he  gets  a  lot  of  pleasure  out  of  his  work 


GEORCiE 

with  fraternities.  He  really  enjo>'s  the  contact  with  the 
boys.  On  the  sidelines,  he  likes  to  play  a  clarinet  and  to 
box.  In  the  summer,  he  also  does  quite  a  bit  of  saleswork. 

According  to  George,  the  biggest  advantage  of  Illinois 
is  that  it  has  men  of  its  faculty  who  have  really  accomplished 
something  in  their  respecti\e  fields.  George  says  that  the 
chief  goal  of  his  life  is  to  be  happy,  and  to  be  successful  in 
some  phase  of  the  oil   industry. 

HOMER  PRATTE 

Homer  Pratte  is  one  of  the  best  chemical  engineers  here 
at  Illinois.  He  is  president  of  A.I.Ch.E.,  member  of  Sigma 
Tau,  Coast  Artillery  Club,  and  is  a  1st  Lieutenant  in  the 
Coast  Artillery  of  advanced  ROTC.  Homer  has  worked 
a  lot  with  Boy  Scouts  antl  enjoys  outdoor  acti\ities, 
especially  camping. 

Here  on  the  campus.  Homer  hasn't  done  much  dating. 
He  prefers  to  make  up  for  lost  time  when  he  goes  home  to 
East  St.  Louis,  Illinois.  He  says  that  he  had  his  best  time 
last  Homecoming  when  he  had  his  girl  up  for  the  week  end. 

Homer  has  had  to  work  quite  a  bit  in  order  to  get 
through  school.  At  the  present  time  he  is  working  for  Prof. 
Babbitt   in    the   water   sanitation   department.    The   subjects 

12 


HOMEK 

that  have  particularly  pleased  him  are  German,  organic 
chemistry,  and  chemical  engineering  research.  In  that,  he 
is  working  on  the  evaluation  of  a  laboratory  fractionating 
column.  Homer  has  done  very  well  for  himself  since  coming 
to  Illinois  as  shown  by  his  good  4.27  scholastic  average. 

Besides  being  quite  a  music  enthusiast,  Homer  has  a 
good  tenor  voice.  He  likes  to  listen  to  the  radio,  especially 
to  semi-classical  music  and  to  musical  operettas.  When  he 
graduates.  Homer  will  join  the  army  as  a  Lieutenant.  He 
says  that  if  he  has  to  remain  in  the  army  for  several  years, 
he  might  make  the  service  a  career.  Otherwise  he  wants 
to   be   a   chemical   engineer. 

PAYSON   SHONKWILER 

Payson  Shonkwiler,  better  kno«n  to  all  his  friends  as 
Shonky,  came  to  Illinois  after  spending  two  years  at  McGill 
University,  which  is  located  in  his  home  town  of  Montreal, 
Quebec,  Canada.  When  asked  why  he  happened  to  come 
to  Illinois,  he  said.  "Well,  my  dad  went  to  Illinois  and  I 
wanted   to   take   ceramic  engineering,   and   since   Illinois  has 


rAVSON 

THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


a  good  ceianiic  cngineciing  school,  1  just  iiaturalh  caiiii'  to 
Illinois." 

It  seems  tliat  I'aysoii  spends  a  good  portion  of  his  extra 
time  across  the  street  at  I'resb\  Hall,  where  he  is  quite 
well  acquainted  with  a  certain  young  lady.  He  likes  dancing 
and  the  parties  given  b\  the  Y.M.C.A.  and  McKinley 
Foundation. 

Payson  is  president  of  S.B.A.C.S.,  member  of  Keramos, 
Theater  Guild,  Pierrots,  Sigma  Chi,  and  a  cabinet  member 
of  the  \'.M.C.A.  He  pla\s  the  saxaphone  and  gets  a  kick 
out  of  working  with  the  boys  at  the  Y.  Shonky  has  been 
making  pottery  as  a  hobby.  He  has  several  nice  looking 
lamps,  ash  tra\s  and  other  articles  in  his  room. 

When  he  graduates,  Pa\son  plans  to  enter  the  Harbison 
Walker  Refractory  Company  and  work  in  the  research 
laboratory.  When  querried  what  his  life  goal  was,  he 
leplied,  "I  hope  to  be  a  happily  married  man  making  a 
comfortable    living." 

OTTO  JOHNSON 

Otto  Johnson  is  an  agricultural  engineer.  He  is  a 
member  of  Tau  Beta  Pi,  Phi  Eta  Sigma,  Agricultural 
Engineering  Club,  and  is  president  of  Sigma  Tau.  He  is 
also  one  of  those  distinguished  students  who  wears  the 
scholarship   key. 

Hailing  from  Seneca,  Illinois,  Otto  came  to  Illinois 
because    he    felt    that    Illinois    had    one    of    the    best    well- 


•  t 


(ITTO 

represented  schools  in  the  country,  and  is  de(initel\'  superior 
in  many  engineering  fields.  Otto  has  especially  liked  his 
T.A.M.  subjects,  which  have  helped  contribute  to  his 
good  4.45  scholastic  average. 

Otto  is  one  of  those  lucky  fellows  who  will  graduate 
in  February.  He  is  in  the  Air  Corps  reserve  and  expects 
to  be  called  to  duty  in  March.  Otto's  favorite  sports  are 
bowling  and  tennis.  He  also  has  a  coin  collection  in 
which   he   has   a   gold   three   cent   piece. 

According  to  Otto,  the  greatest  thrill  that  he  has  ex- 
perienced was  when  he  pledged  Tau  Beta  Pi.  If  there  is 
anything  that  irks  him,  it  is  when  some  fellow  edges  in 
front  of  him  when  he  is  about  ready  to  check  his  hat  and 
coat  and  proceeds  to  check  about  a  half  dozen. 

GUS  SIMPSON 

One  of  the  best  militar\'  men  to  come  along  at  Illinois 
in  recent  years  is  (jus  Simpson.  (lus  has  made  military  his 
hobby  and  business  ever  since  he  was  fifteen  years  old.  At 
that  time  he  enlisted  in  the  National  (luard  in  his  home 
town  Margate  City,  New  Jersey.  He  served  three  years 
with    the    Field    Artillery    of    the    National    Guard    before 


GUS 


coming  to  Illinois.  He  sa\s  that  one  of  the  main  reasons 
for  coming  to  Illinois  was  because  of  its  fine  ROTC  unit. 

Cius  is  a  Cadet  Lieutenant  in  the  Field  Artillery  and 
has  a  neat  5.0  average  in  military.  He  has  won  several 
medals  and  cups  during  his  military  career.  Gus  is  not 
just  a  military  man,  but  is  also  a  metallurgical  engineer. 
He  is  president  of  M.I.S.,  president  of  the  Caisson  Club, 
member  of  Military  Coiuicil,  and   Blue  Pencil. 

The  most  important  thing  that  has  happened  to  him 
so  far,  Gus  says,  is  the  many  swell  people  he  has  met  out 
here.  The  people  here  are  a  lot  nicer  than  those  in  the 
East,  (his  also  adds  that  this  is  the  most  democratic  place 
he  has  ever  been  in. 

Like  a  lot  of  other  engineers,  CiUS  likes  to  date  and  to  go 
tiancing.  Gus  believes  that  he  would  like  to  eventually  get 
into  some  kind  of  work  where  he  could  tie  up  his  metal- 
lurgical engineering  with  the  army,  probably  in  .some 
ordnance    plant. 

VERNON  RYDBECK 

Vernon  Rydbeck  is  chairman  of  the  A.I.E.E.  and 
reconling  secretary  of  Eta  Kappa  Nu.  He  is  also  in 
charge  of  the  meals  at  his  house.  Pi  Lambda  Phi.  Vernon 
is  one  of  these  fellows  who  have  a  big  smile  for  whomever 
they  happen   to  meet. 

Among  the  favorite  sports  of  Vernon  are  tennis,  ping 
pong,  b,asket-ball,  and  ice  skating.  He  used  to  be  quite  a 
stamp  collector,  but  has  sort  of  let  his  collection  slip 
( (yOiiiiniir/l  on   Pai/c   15) 


m-;knon 


JANUARY,  1943 


13 


Plywood  Has  Many  War  Uses 


Weight  for  weight,  plywood  is  stronger  than  steel  and 
is  now  used  in  airplanes,  barracks,  boats,  houses  and  hangars. 
Dr.  Nelson  C  Brown  of  the  New  York  State  College  of 
Forestry,  Syracuse,  declared  in  a  (jcncral  Electric  Science 
Forum   addre.ss. 

Today  most  plywood  i.s  made  ot  three  or  five  cross- 
bands  of  veneers — thin  sheets  of  wood  placed  in  crosswise 
directions,  layer  by  layer,   Dr.   Brown  said. 

"Plywood  is  plentifully  available,"  he  continued.  "Be- 
cause it  has  so  many  uses  and  lends  itself  to  such  a  variet)' 
of  architectural  and  construction  designs,  more  than  a  billion 
feet  of  plywood  are  manufactured  and   used  each  year. 

"The  development  of  water-resistant  and  heat-resistant 
glues  have  revolutionized  its  use.  With  the  addition  of 
those  new  glues,  plywood  can  even  be  immersed  for  hours 
in  water,  or  subjected  to  exceeding  high  temperatures  with- 
out changing  its  size,  strength,  or  shape." 

Speaking  of  its  tractability,  plywood  can  be  curved,  bent, 
and  shaped  in  many  plasticized  forms;  for  instance,  in  air- 
planes, according  to  Dr.  Brown. 

"It  has  been  widely  used  in  both  training  and  bomber 
types,"  he  explained.  "In  fact,  one  of  the  most  successfid 
British  bombers  has  regularly  been  made  of  birch  plywood. 

"Its  lightness  in  weight  and  its  great  strength  make 
plywood  ideal  for  plane  construction. 

"And  many  forms  of  boats  are  now  being  made  of 
ph  wood  since  the  development  of  those  water-resistant  glues. 
It  suggests  a  tremendous  utilization,  because  so  many  small 
boats  can  be  quickly  assembled  from  plywood." 


Dr.  Brown  mentioned  that  the  ancient  Greeks  and 
Romans  used  veneer.  And  until  about  ISSO,  veneers  were 
made  principally  from  beautifulh'  grained  and  handsomely 
figured  woods.  They  were  in  great  demand  for  table  tops 
and  fine  furniture  because  they  added  a  superior  color, 
grain  and  beauty  to  what  otherwise  would  have  been  rather 
ordinary-looking  furniture. 

Today  no  .special  kind  of  wood  is  necessar\'  for  making 
thin  sheets  of  veneer,   the  speaker  said. 

"Almost  any  kind  of  wood  can  be  used,"  he  pointed  out. 
"Originally,  walnut,  mahogany,  rosewood,  and  other  cabinet 
species  were  very  much  in  demand.  Now,  because  of  the 
large  size  of  logs  available  and  the  straightness  of  the  stems, 
great  quantities  of  Douglas  fir  are  used." 

In  producing  large,  unbroken  sheets  of  veneer,  the  log 
is  placed  in  a  huge  lathe  and  turned  against  a  sharp  knife. 
In  this  way,  continuous  sheets  of  veneers  are  peeled  off  the 
log,  until  the  log,  originally  from  30  to  perhaps  50  inches 
in  diameter,  is  reduced  ultimately  to  about  8  to  10  inches 
in   diameter. 

Among  the  hardwoods,  birch,  maple,  beech,  red  gum, 
walnut,  and  yellow  poplar  are  used  besides  Douglas  fir  to 
make  plywood.  And  among  the  softwoods,  southern  pine, 
Sitka  spruce,  ponderosa  pine,  northern  white  pine,  and 
western  hemlock  are  commonly  used. 

Laminated  wood  should  not  be  confused  with  plywood. 
Dr.   Brown  declared. 

"Laminated  wood  is  another  form  of  compressed  ve- 
neer,"   he    said.      "The    various    piles    are    laid    lengthwise 


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14 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


I 


NAMES  IN  THE  NEWS 

( (yOntiiuud  from  P/ii/c  13) 

since  coiiiitifi;  to  Illinois.  His  main  liobby  is  sketching 
ami    (irawing   cartoons. 

At  the  present  time,  Vernon's  plans  call  for  him  to 
begin  work  with  General  Electric  after  his  graduation 
in  June.  He  expects  to  test  turbine  generators  at  Sche- 
nectady, New  York.  He  eventualh  hopes  to  go  into  sales 
engineering  work. 

Vernon  lives  in  Chicago  and  spent  his  freshman  year 
at  Armour.  Then  he  transferred  to  Illinois.  He  said  that 
one  of  the  biggest  reasons  that  he  came  to  Illinois  was 
because  of  the  college  atmosphere  here.  He  says  that  his 
dating  and  social  life  is  aDout  par  for  the  engineers,  but 
he  doesn't  think  too  much  of  the  average  co-ed. 


GREATEST   BATTLESHIP 

Greatest  man-of-war  ever  to  be  launched  is  the  U.S.S. 
Iowa,  4?,()()0-ton  battleship  which  went  down  the  ways  at 
one  of  the  Navy  yards  recently.  She  will  be  driven  by 
General  Electric  geared-turbine  propidsion  equipment. 

This  \essel,  first  of  six  of  the  same  class,  was  completed 
seven  months  ahead  of  schedule  through  the  united  efforts 
of  thousands  of  engineers  and  workmen.  Her  five  sister 
ships,  the  New  Jersey,  Missouri,  Wisconsin,  Illinois,  and 
Kentuck)',  are  being  built  at  variovis  \'ards  throughout  the 
country. 

Some  statistics:  The  plan-design  work  required  429,001) 
man-days,  and  the  construction  work,  4,100,000  man-days. 
Blueprint  paper  used  for  the  issuing  of  plans  totaled  175 
tons.  Area  of  all  decks  and  platforms:  418,000  square  feet. 
Some  800  miles  of  welding  was  used  in  construction.  The 
ship  has  1,074  feet  of  shafting  to  drive  her,  80  miles  of 
piping,  16  miles  of  ventilating  ducts,  13  miles  of  manila  and 
wire  rope,  250  miles  of  electric  cable,  900  motors,  5,300 
lighting  fixtures,  275  service  and  816  battle  telephones. 
It  took  200  tons  of  paint  to  paint  her. 


instead  of  crosswise.   It  is  used   in  the  manufacture  of  gun 
stocks  and  airplane  propellers. 

"Gun  stocks  look  as  though  they  are  made  from  solid 
wood,  and  for  a  long  time  it  was  thought  that  only  certain 
woods  could  be  used  for  gun  stocks.  However,  several  years 
ago  in  Europe  it  was  discovered  that  cheap  beech  could  be 
used.  With  the  aid  of  some  phenol  resin  glues,  it  was  found 
a  gun  stock  of  beech  could  be  made  that  was  far  superior 
to  one  of  solid  wood. 

"In  laminated-wood  propellers,  large-sized  laminated 
forms  are  made  by  gluing  thin  sheets  of  wood  together  and 
then   the   final   product  is  turned  out  on  a  lathe." 

The  huge  consumption  of  logs  for  veneers  has  increased 
five  times  in  less  than  40  years,  for  in  1905  only  181  million 
board  feet  were  used  annually,  according  to  Dr.  Brown. 

He  said  this  wood  becomes  an  enormous  amount  of 
veneer  when  you  consider  that  the  thickness  to  which  the 
wood  is  cut  into  veneers  may  vary  from  as  thin  as  1-100  up 
to  1-2  inch.  Actually,  for  commercial  purposes,  the  wood  is 
generally  cut  between   1-40  up  to  5-16  of  an  inch. 

"The  stimuUis  of  war  has  brought  about  modifications 
and  revolutionary  methods  of  both  manufacture  and  appli- 
cation," Dr.  Brown  concluded.  "Plywood  has  been  caught 
up  and  swept  along  to  new  and  greater  usefulness. 

"The  hand  of  the  forester,  the  hand  of  the  wood- 
worker, the  hand  of  the  scientist — are  all  apparent  in  the 
phwood  of  today.  Its  future  is  too  promising  to  be  neglected 
by  the  builders  of  tomorrow." 

JANUARY,  1943 


Scrakhboard  drawing  in  Hig- 
gins  /n(c  by  W.  Porlce  Johnson 
Courtesy  of  American  Tele^ 
phone  &  Telegraph  Co. 


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Higgins  completes  the  power  circuit  between  your  brain, 
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lends  itself  to  your  every  mood.  For  clean  drawings  devoid 
of  bubbles,  chips  or  jagged  edges,  use  Higgins. 

This  and  other  illustrations  appear  in  Higgins  new 
"Techniques."  One  copy  free  to  art  instructors  writing 
on  school  stationery.  All  others  50  cents. 

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15 


I 


GUN  MOUNTS  for  NAVY 


N 


— (Official    L'.    S-    .Vcir.v   Photo i    (Courtesy    H'rstinglwiiscJ 

ACK-ACK  IN  ACTION— This  official  I".  S.  Navy  photo  shows 
the  1.1  iiK'li  multiple  anti-aircraft  sun,  now  in  service  on  every 
type  of  \nieri<'an  finlitins  shin  in  action.  This  rapid-fire  unit, 
firiny  hundreds  of  shelis  a  minute  at  Japanese  planes,  played  a 
si^iiiricaiil  role  in  the  battles  of  Pearl  llarhor,  the  Coral  Sea 
and  the  Solomim  Islands.  The  Hritish  affectionately  call  this 
uun  "The  Chicago  Piano,"  according;  to  Navy  reports. 

Rccord-bieakiiig;  production  of  the  new  American  1.1 
multiple  gun  mounts  carrying  four  rapid-fire  anti-aircraft 
guns — the  weapons  which  hurled  hundreds  of  shells  a 
minute  at  Japanese  planes  in  the  battles  of  Pearl  Harbor, 
Midway,  and  the  Solomon  islands — has  been  made  possibly 
by  large-scale  manufacture  at  the  Westinghouse  Electric 
Elevator  company,  Jersey  City,  \.  J.  The  new  gun  units 
are  now  on  active  duty  on  every  type  of  American  warship. 

Before  Westinghouse  tackled  the  job  in  the  summer  of 
1940,  each  gun  mount  required  8,500  man-hours  of  labor 
and  cost  about  $27,000,  but  assembly-line  production  meth- 
ods enabled  the  company  to  turn  out  each  imit  with  about 
2,100  man-hours  of  work  at  a  cost  of  about  $12,000.  These 
1.1  guns  have  been  produced  by  Westinghouse  at  a  saving 
to  the  Navy  of  more  than  10  million  dollars  in  cost  and 
4,4011,000  man-hours  of  work.  Differences  between  esti- 
mated cost  and  actual  cost  were  returned  to  the  govern- 
ment. By  May,  1942,  the  company  was  tinning  out  nearly 
40  per  cent  more  moiuits  each  month  than  its  contract 
called  for. 

Weighing  14,000  pounds,  each  mount  consists  of  an 
adjustable  four-foot  long  horizontal  gun  support,  installed 
in  an  H-shaped  stand  which  is  moored  to  a  revolving  steel 
base.  Each  gun  support  has  four  large  grooves,  nine  by 
13  inches,  into  which  water-cooled  gun  barrels  are  inserted. 
The  four  guns,  although  not  s\nchronized,  are  fired  in 
nearly  simultaneous  bursts  b\'  a  single  trigger  mechaiusm 
on  the  left  side  of  the  unit. 

Guided  by  sights  on  both  sides  of  the  unit,  Xav\'  gumiers 
train  the  guns  on  flying  targets  b\'  moving  them  quickly 
up  or  down  and  left  to  right.  When   necessary  the  entire 

16 


mount  can  be  swung  in  a  complete  circle.  The  guns  are 
aimed  manually  by  a  series  of  easy-turning  cranks  near  the 
sights,  and  also  by  h\draulic  power  controls  which  are  in- 
stalled when  the  gun  units  reach  a  ship.  Maneuverability 
of  the  mounts  depends  upon  precision  manufacturing  at 
extremely  close  tolerances.  This  is  insured  by  4,800  inspec- 
tions during  the  manufacturing  process,  or  about  six  inspec- 
tions for  each  of  the  unit's  SOO  principal  parts. 

Principal  surfaces  must  be  levelled  to  a  "dead  flat" 
point  with  an  allowable  discrepancy  of  two-tenths  of  a 
thousandth  of  an  inch.  Other  parts  must  be  accurate  within 
four-tenths  of  a  thousandth  to  a  thousandth  of  an  inch. 
Accuracies  required  for  the  units'  flat  surfaces  are  too 
delicate  to  be  achieved  by  machines,  so  the  required  pre- 
cision  is  obtained   by  hand   scraping. 

Jvist  before  the  gun  mounts  are  ready  for  shipment, 
sights  that  are  used  in  actual  combat  are  installed  tenipo- 
raiily  and  tested  for  accurate  alignment  with  gun  barrels. 
Maximum  allowable  tolerance  in  this  test  is  one  minute, 
or  one  sixtieth  of  one  degree — which  would  result  in  a 
deviation  by  the  gun  projectiles  of  not  more  than  ten  and 
one-half  inches  per  thousand   yards. 

To  obtain  the  necessary  manpower  to  handle  this  job, 
men  were  drilled  in  fundamentals  of  machine  operation  for 
six  to  eight  weeks.  They  were  taught  to  operate  lathes, 
screw  inachines,  boring  mills,  grinding  and  milling  machines, 
and  also  received  instruction  in  blueprint  reading,  measm'ing 
instruments,  shop  mathematics,  machine  technology,  and  shop 
safety.  Upon  completion  of  the  course,  additional  instruction 
was  given  at  night,  to  supplement  work  in  the  factory. 
Experienced  eniplo\es  were  promoted  to  more  difficult  jobs 
and  apprentices  trained  to  fill  their  posts. 

Tools  for  production  of  the  gun  uiuts  were  built  by 
Westinghouse  because  regular  tool  manufacturers  were 
overloaded  with  orders.  Some  2,000  special  tools,  jigs,  and 
fixtures   were   turned   out    at   a   cost   of   $500,000. 


(  Cutiitcsy    H'c^tunilioiisv ) 

(il  N  MKCNT  IKKS  .MAKK— Mount  for  Navy  1.1  inch  anti- 
aircraft guns  is  t«'sled  foi-  nii<-i'os<-opic  accurac'ies.  Iiispe<*tors  are 
testing  gun  sights  for  alignment  with  grooves  where  gun  bar- 
rels will  be  inserted.  Westinghouse  cut  cost  of  each  unit  from 
S'H.OOO  to  SIJ.IHMI  and  work  on  each  from  «."i(lll  man  hours  to.'KMI. 

THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


p 


PLASTIC  LICENSE  PLATES 

Faccil  with  the  problem  of  obtaining  a  priority  for 
steel  for  the  1943  motor  truck  license  tabs  which  must  be 
addeii  to  all  plates  by  the  first  of  the  year,  Wallace  G. 
Kittredge,  director  of  the  Commercial  Vehicle  division  of 
the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts,  appealed  to  General 
IClectric  for  a  substitute  material  with  the  result  that  this 
>ear's  plates  will  be  made  of  a  lightweight  laminated 
plastic.  This  change  not  only  will  save  16,000  pounds  of 
steel,  so  vital  for  war  production,  but  will  reduce  the 
pcjstage   bill    three   quarters    for   mailing   tlie   tabs. 

The  tab  is  manufactured  by  General  Electric  of  a 
lanu'nated  phenolic  compound  utilizing  the  printed  and 
molded  process.  This  consists  of  placing  printed  sheets 
beariiig  the  required  design  on  resin-impregnated  sheets 
of  paper,  and  the  whole  bonded  together  under  approximate- 
ly 250  degrees  Fahrenheit  temperature  and  1500  pounds 
pressure.  The  pressing  operation,  which  finishes  the  product 
ill  one  operation  and  requires  only  minutes,  converts  the 
resin-impregnated  sheets  and  the  printed  matter  into  a 
homogeneous  and  strong  product  having  excellent  weather 
resistance.  No  additional  smface  treatment  is  required 
and  after  sawing  and  drilling,  tjie  tabs  are  ready  for  the 
fastening  to  the  1942  plates. 


ENGINEERING  NEWS  BRIEFS 

To  determine  the  particle  size  of  pulverized  metals,  a 
reqm'site  in  the  growing  field  of  powder  metallurgy,  an 
instrument  which  shortens  from  eight  hours  to  fifteen 
minutes  the  time  consumed  in  this  measurement  has  been 
devised    by   the   Westinghouse   Research   Laboratories. 

The  former  method  of  using  the  settling  time  of  the 
finely-ground  metal  in  a  siu'table  liquid  is  the  basis  of  the 
new  procediue.  Instead  of  allowing  sufficient  time  for  the 
metal  to  sink  completely,  or  to  a  degree  affording  accurate 
visual  evaluation,  the  progress  of  clarification  in  the  super- 
natant vehicle,  usually  acetone,  is  closely  recorded  at  inter- 
vals by  a  photo-electric  cell  receiving  a  beam  of  light  being 
transmitted  through  the  column  imder  investigation.  From 
the  rate  of  change  in  the  degree  of  capacity  is  calculated 
the  dispersion  of  the  metal  bits. 

Not  only  does  this  arrangement  give  a  picture  of  the 
total  effect  set  up  by  the  interference  of  the  metal  to  light 
transmission,  but  it  also  gives  a  selective  indication  re- 
garding the  proportion  of  different  sized  particles. 


Taming  the  arc  blow  that  plagues  many  a  neophyte 
electric  welder  is  now  accomplished  by  use  of  an  oversized 
version  of  the   familiar  horseshoe  magnet. 

The  arc  between  the  electrode  and  the  metal  being 
welded  is  subject  to  interference  from  incidental  or  stray 
magnetic  forces  coming  from  the  current  itself  that  sets 
up  the  arc,  or  from  "permanent"  magnetism  in  the  metal 
objects  under  fabrication.  This  handicap  is  demonstrated 
through  wavering  or  even  more  lasting  deflection  of  the 
arc,  and  sometimes  through  the  arc's  being  most  annoyingh' 
extinguished    altogether. 

Use  of  the  elongated  double  bar  magnet  to  straddle 
the  seam  smothers  or  diverts  the  wandering  magnetic 
forces  and  promotes  faster  and  smoother  fusing.  In  case 
of  working  at  or  near  the  end  of  a  section,  a  single  steel 
bar  is  quite  efficient,  say  Westinghouse  welding  authorities. 


'j/FfffN  "ANCHOR"CHROME  CLAD 


STEEL  TAPE  Here's  a  sturdy,  easy-to- 
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face won't  crack,  chip,  r«ist  or  peel.  Genuine 
leather  cover  on  steel  case.  Smooth  wind- 
ing mechanism.  See  it  at  your  dealer  and 
write  for  catalog. 


SELL  YOUR 


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JANUARY,  1943 


17 


Our  Societies  .  .  . 


By  BYRON  M.  ROBINSON,  M.  E.  '44 


CHI  EPSILON 

On  Dec.  1.5,  1942,  a  regular  meeting  of  Chi  Kpsilon 
was  held  at  Triangle  Fraternity.  An  interesting  discussion, 
illustrated  with  slides,  was  given  by  Professor  Jamison 
Vawter  on  "Bombs  and  Bomb  Protection."  The  meeting 
was  then   adjourned    for   refreshments. 

The  first  business  meeting  of  the  year  in  which  the 
new  members  were  active  was  held  Dec.  18,  in  the  I'nion 
Building.  At  that  time,  the  keys  were  passed  out,  and 
Erasmo  Mendez  and  Carl  Mueller  were  appointed  as  a 
committee   to   arrange   for  meetings. 

Officers  of  Chi  Epsilon  for  the  second  semester  1942-43 
are  as  follows: 

Ray  Ackerman   President 

Homer   Wong   J 'ice-P resident 

Carl   Mueller   Secretary 

Bob   Mosher    Treasurer 

Harold  Schwellensattl  Editor  of  Transit 

A.  S.  C.  E. 

The  A.S.C.E.  held  a  meeting  on  December  3,  1942. 
Professor  G.  W.  Pickels  told  of  the  opportiuiities  in  the 
Society,  and  urged  all  seniors  to  join  the  parent  chapter 
after  graduation. 

A  sound  movie  entitled  "Along  the  Blue  Ridge  Park- 
way" was  shown.  The  picture  was  in  technicolor,  and 
niajiy  beautiful  views  along  the  scenic  highway  were 
shown.  They  were  of  particular  interest  to  the  engineer 
as  he  realized  the  difficulties  which  must  have  been  en- 
countered in  constructing  such  a  highway  "along  the  sky- 
line." 

Mr.  W.  H.  Wisely,  superintendent  of  the  Champaign- 
L'rbana  Sewerage  District,  spoke  to  the  C.  E.'s  on  January 
7.  He  told  of  some  of  his  amusing  and  educational  ex- 
periences in   his  fifteen  years  as  a   Sanitar\    Engineer. 

A.  S.  A.  E. 

On  December  8,  1942,  the  Ag.  Engr's  heard  Professor 
(i.  W.  Pickels  speak  on  "Patents  and  Patent  Law."  At 
their  last  meeting  on  January  12,  two  color  films  on  the 
Furgeson  system  of  farming  were  shown.  The  officers  for 
next  semester  were   also  elected.    The   are   as   follows: 

Bob  Whitaker   President 

Arthur   Radke   Vice-President 

(iilbert    North    Secretary-Treasurer 

Donald    Hamer    Scrihe 


A.  S.  M.  E. 

The  A.S.M.E.  held  its  last  meeting  of  the  semester 
on  Wednesday,  January  20.  The  names  of  the  candidates 
for  offices  in  A.S.M.E.  for  the  next  semester  were  an- 
nounced.   An  instructive  film  on  Diesel  engines  was  shown. 


TAU  NU  TAU 

At  the  last  meeting  of  the  semester  on  Friday,  January 
1^.  tile  following  T.N.T.  officers  were  elected  for  the 
second   semester    1 942-4.1 : 

Dale    V.    Addis    President 

Ralph   L.    Lippincott   lice-President 

Jerry   S.   Dobrovolny  Secretary 

Stanley  Staniszewski  Treasurer 

TAU  BETA  PI 

\  au  Beta  Pi  held  its  last  meeting  of  the  semester 
Tuesday  evening,  January  12  in  the  Illini  Union  building. 
The  purpose  of  the  meeting  was  to  elect  officers  for  the 
coming  semester.  The  officers  of  recording  secretary  and 
treasurer  hold  over  from  the  first  semester.  The  officers 
tor   the   second   semester   are: 

Byron   Welsh    President 

Dan    Bechly   T  ice-P  resident 

Homer    Wong    (^nrrcsfiondiny   Secretary 

Robert    Kallal    Recnrding    Secretary 

Cjeorge   Asselin    Treasurer 

Leonard  Erickson  Master  of  Initiation 

S.  B.  A.  C.  S. 

The  Student  Branch  is  writing  a  two-page  news- 
letter to  the  ceramists  and  ceramic  engineers  who  ha\e 
graduated  within  the  past  three  years.  Other  ceramic 
graduates  will  also  receive  this  news-letter  if  they  have 
niaint:iined  even  a  little  contact  with  the  Ceramic  Depart- 
ment. This  news-letter  contains  news  of  the  Ceramic 
Department  for  the  past  semester,  and  should  be  very 
interesting    to    all    ceramists    from    Illinois. 

KERAMOS 

Keramos  held  a  banquet  for  its  seiuors  and  its  new 
initiates  on  January  20  in  the  Colonial  Room  of  the 
Illini  Union.  After  the  banquet,  the  ceramists  moved  to 
the  faculty  lounge  for  their  meeting.  Keramos  plaques 
were  presented  to  the  graduating  seniors. 

PI  TAU  SIGMA 

Pi  Tau  Sigma  held  it's  last  meeting  of  the  semester  in 
Kamerer's  Annex  on  January  21.  The  meeting  was  purely 
social,  with  the  members  furmshing  the  entertainment.  1  he 
turnout  was  \ery  good  since  it  ^\•as  the  last  meeting  for 
some  of  the  graduating  members.  President  (George  Mays 
|iredicts  next  semester  to  be  as  full  as  the  last  one. 


18 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


r 


Now  they  fly  ten  times  as  long 
without  overhauling ! 


/ 


The  flimsy  crates  of  World  War  1  needed  over- 
hauling after  as  little  as  24  flying  hours. 
But  today's  planes  fly  hundreds  of  hours  at 
much  higher  speeds  before  a  major  overhaul. 
The  reason?  New  materials,  new  designs  and  new 
methods  of  finishing  metal  surfaces.  Finishes 
so  nearly  perfect  that  bearings,  cylinders, 
pistons  and  cams  are  made  practically  wear- 
proof !  It's  a  process  in  which  Carborundum 
has  played  an  important  part... by  supplying 
the  finishing  wheels  and  stones  required. 


Formerly  ultra-finishing  was  a  long 
tedious  task.  But  thanks  to  the  new 
process,  finishes  accurate  to  a  few 
millionths  of  an  inch  can  now  be  pro- 
duced on  ground  surfaces  on  a  produc- 
tion basis.  Application  of  these 
finishes  to  wartime  engine  production 
has  improved  the  fighting  efficiency 
not  only  of  planes,  but  of  tanks  and 
other  motorized  equipment.  Fewer  men 
are  needed  for  maintenance  and  repair. 


Ultra-finishing-is  only  one  of 
many  ways  in  which  Carborundum 
may  be  able  to  help  save  precious 
time.  When  you  get  out  in  the 
field  and  encounter  a  production 
problem  that  abrasives  might 
solve,  write  The  Carborundum 
Company,  Niagara  Falls,  New  York. 


carborundum  is  a  registered  trade-marit  of  and  in^ii 
cales    manufacture  by  The  L:Brborunduin   ('umparn 


^ 


JANUARY,  1943 


19 


Greater  Comforf  for  the   Forgotten  Man 


( (^niitiiiiK  d  frri/H   I'tii/c  '/ ) 


set  lip  for  test  as  a  circulating  heating  stove.  The  duct 
shown  at  the  riglu  which  is  connected  to  a  fan  not  shown, 
will  be  used  later  in  testing  the  unit  as  a  forced  circulation 
warm  air  furnace. 

While  hand-fired  furnaces,  boilers,  and  stoves  em- 
bodying the  principle  of  the  new  furnace  will  not  provide 
the  forgotten  man  with  automatically  controlled,  constant 
room  temperature,  it  will  enable  him  to  control  the  fire, 
avoid  overheating  and  maintain  much  more  uniform  house 
temperatures  than  is  now  possible  with  conventional 
furnaces.  Though  he  will  not  be  able  to  forget  the  heating 
plant  till  the  "end  of  the  month,"  it  will  be  possible  for 
him  to  "get  by"  with  tending  the  furnace  but  once  a  day 
in  spring  and  fall  when  the  demand  for  heat  is  very  light. 
If  he  buys  a  furnace,  boiler,  or  stove  of  the  new  type  that 
is  properly  proportioned  to  the  size  of  his  home,  it  will  not 
be  necessary  for  him  to  fire  it  more  than  two  times  each 
day  except  in  extremely  cold  weather.  When  he  opens  the 
furnace  firing  door  to  prepare  the  fuel  bed  to  receive  a 
charge  of  fresh  coal,  the  coals  from  the  previous  charge 
will  rapidly  become  hotter  nistead  of  rapidly  cooling  as 
they  do  in  the  conventional  furnace.  Because  the  coals 
become  very  hot  while  they  are  being  pushed  back  into 
the  coke  burning  chamber,  they  are  in  condition  to  ignite 
the  gases  from  the  fresh  coal  when  it  is  added.  Because 
the  hot  coals  are  not  covered  with  the  green  coal,  the 
radiant  heat  from  them  is  not  cut  of?  from  the  heating 
surface  of  the  furnace  and  this  heat  from  the  coals  plus 
the   heat   liberated    by   the   combustion   of   the   gases   causes 


tlie  furnace  to  deliver  heat  to  the  house  at  a  very  much 
accelerated  rate  immediately  after  the  coals  are  pushed 
back  and  fresh  fuel  is  added  ;  whereas  the  heat  output  from 
a  conventional  furnace  decreases  when  fresh  fuel  is  added 
until  the  fresh  charge  has  been  heated  through  by  the  hot 
coals  buried  underneath.  The  furnace  is  designed  to  meet 
all  of  the  requirements  for  smokeless  combustion  of  soft 
coal  by  supplying  sufficient  secondary  air,  mixing  the  air 
with  the  coal  gases  and  passing  the  mixture  over  the  surface 
of  the  incandescent  coke  bed  at  the  rear.  Some  smoke  is  pro- 
duced if  the  fire  is  allowed  to  burn  too  low  before  fresh  fuel 
is  added  but  the  inclined  grate  is  arranged  ahead  of  the  hori- 
zontal shaking  grate  in  such  a  way  that  ash  may  be  ac- 
cumulated at  the  back  of  the  coke  burning  chamber  in 
mild  weather  to  reduce  the  effective  grate  area  and  make  a 
possible  to  maintain  the  same  depth  of  coke  bed  and  the 
same  rate  of  burning  near  the  front  edge  of  the  baffle 
wall  with  a  smaller  quantity  of  hot  coals.  While  some 
smoke  will  be  produced  in  neighborhoods  where  most  of 
the  heating  plants  are  hand  fireii  with  soft  coal ;  even 
after  all  of  the  present  equipment  has  been  replaced  by 
improved  types;  the  amount  of  smoke  and  soot  will  be 
reduced  at  least  90  per  cent  and  the  forgotten  man  and 
his  family  will  have  cleaner  air  to  breath  and  his  wife  will 
have  much  less  dirt  to  fight.  With  le.ss  smoke  and  dirt  in 
the  atmosphere  the  forgotten  man  will  receive  more  sun- 
light, and  he  will  be  encouraged  to  take  a  greater  interest 
in  the  appearance  of  his  property  and  a  more  optimistic 
view  of  life  in   general. 


THE  CASE  FOR  WELDING 

((Joiitiniit'/i  frnin  Page  10) 

and  B  =  Px.sd  where  P  equals  30,000  lbs.,  .v  equals  3,000 
lbs.,  d  is  the  depth  of  the  angle  or  other  unsymmetrical  sec- 
tion, and  A-,  and  x.^  are  the  distances  from  the  back  and  toe 
to  the  neutral  axis   respectively. 

It  will  be  obvious  on  further  study  that  welding  will 
result  in  a  saving  of  steel,  quieter  construction,  fewer  men 
to  do  the  work,  and  the  ability  to  cope  with  the  present 
problem  of  unobtainable  shapes.  Let  us  hope  that  as  far 
as  the  structural  engineer  is  concerned  arc  welding  will  win 
the  war. 


TheofftKol  Thfoat 


Ac  ha  I  TTiroa'f 


^ 

/* 

M. 


Vh^wvv 


Throat    o|    Kilh't    \\\U\ 


Cut    fidTn    Procedure    Handbook    of    Arc    Welding   Desi<jn    cud    I'ractic 
Courtesy    Lincoln    Electric    Company 


BLACKOUT  AID 


Us  of  phosphorescent  paint  as  finish  for  the  walls  of 
"blackout"  rooms,  such  as  designated  siielter  sections  in 
plants,  gathering  places,  and  especially  institutions  where 
movement  is  necessary  during  black-out  periods,  is  receiving 
much    attention    following    research    b\    tiie    Westinghouse 


Company  showing  that  such  finishes,  activated  by  previous 
exposure  to  light,  sheds  sufficient  illumination  to  permit 
persons  of  normal  vision  to  move  about  safely  and  con- 
fidently. As  a  logical  consequence,  dyes  are  now  offered 
which  impart  the  same  illuminescence  to  clothing,  extending 
a  pronounced  safety  factor  for  air  raid  wardens  and  other 
persons   having   duties    during   emergency   periods. 


PHOTOTUBE  GUARDS  AGAINST 
ACCIDENTS  IN  COAL  PREP- 
ARATION PLANT 

Loaded  coal  cars  are  emptied  at  the  New  Piney  Fork 
preparation  plant  of  the  Hanna  Coal  Company,  Ohio,  by 
being  rolled  onto  a  rotary  dump,  fastened  to  the  rails  by 
a  mechanical  device,  and  then  rolled  upside  down  over  a 
chute.  After  the  car  has  been  righted  again,  it  moves  off 
the  dump  by  gravity. 

It  is  essential  that  the  tiump  does  not  revolve  the  next 
full  car  until  the  preceding  empty  one  has  moved  off. 
Otherwise,  the  empty  car  will  be  turned  over  onto  the 
floor. 

At  intervals,  howe\er,  the  plant  experienced  difficulty 
with  this  arrangement.  The  dump  would  revolve  before 
the  empty  car  had  cleared.  This  usualh  happened  because 
a  particular  car  took  too   long  to  move  off. 

This  difficulty  was  remedied  when  a  General  Electric 
photo-electric  relay  and  light  source  were  installed  on  op- 
posite sides  of  the  track  at  the  "empty"  end  of  the  dump. 
Now  the  dump  cannot  revolve  as  long  as  the  light  beam 
between  the  light  source  and  the  phototube  in  the  photo- 
electric relay  is  blacked  out  by  the  body  of  the  empty  car. 


20 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


SLICING  STEEL  SLABS  —  and  production  schedules 


^TEEL  billets  were  needed.  Only 
^^  slabs  were  available.  That  was  the 
problem  presented  by  expanded  war- 
time demands  which  had  to  be  licked, 
quickly.  It  was  —  by  the  process  illus- 
trated above.  Ten  oxyacetylene  cutting 
torches,  mounted  on  a  frame  propelled 
by  two  Airco  Radiograph  machines, 
streak  down  the  140"  steel  slabs  and 
slice  them  into  billets. 

It's  one  of  the  many  examples  of 
how  American  resourcefulness,  teamed 
with  specialized  knowledge.  Is  making 
minutes  more  productive.  Oxyacetylene 
cutting  and  welding  and  the  electric  arc 
are   blazing   new  trails  to  faster  and 


better  production  in  almost  every  war 
industry.  The  minutes,  hours,  even  days 
of  production  being  gained  by  these 
modern  tools  are  now  helping  us  to 
overcome  our  enemies'  headstart. 

If  you  work  with  metals  you  should 
know  the  complete  story  of  the  oxy- 
acetylene flame  and  the  electric  arc— 
their  speed,  efficiency  and  broad  range 
of  usefulness  in  metal  working.  This 
knowledge  is  vital  today— invaluable  in 
the  peace  to  come. 

"Airco  in  the  News"  shows  many  in- 
teresting uses  of  the  oxyacetylene 
flame  and  electric  arc.  Write  for  copy. 


REDUtnON 

%>,<i'„/  P/pcei: 
60  EAST  42nd  STREET,  NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 

/n  Texas: 

Magnolia-Airco  Gas  Product?  Co. 
Ocnerol   Offices.    HOUSTON,   TEXAS 
OFFICES    IN    ALL    PRINCIPAL    CITIES 


A!VVTHI>U       .\:VD       EVERVTHI.^U       FOR      U.%S       WELDI.\'G       OR      Cl'TTING       .4.>'D       ARC       IVELDINQ 

JANUARY,  1943  21 


TECHNOCRACKED... 


By  PAUL  SALERNO,  M.  E.  '43 


A  recent  issue  of  the  Alumni  News  canieil  a  plioto- 
jiraph  of  the  new  Abbott  Power  Phuit.  The  caption  said, 
"The  new  power  plant  is  as  efficient  as  electrical  enjj;ineer- 
iiifr  skill  can  make  it."  The  editor  is  lucky  that  few  me- 
chanical engineers  read  his  paper.  Or  does  he  think  we 
can't   read? 


PRAISE  THK   LORD 
AND   PASS  THK  AM.Ml  MTIOX 

Enlisted    reservist's    version : 

Praise  the  Lord  antl  pass  me  my  commission. 
Restaurant  diner's  version: 

Praise  the  Lord  and  pass  the  malnutrition. 
Senior    mechanical    engineer's    version: 

Praise    the    Lord    and    pass   me   ni>-    petition. 


A  draftee,  commenting  upon  the  speed  with  which  he 
was  inducted  into  the  Army,  said,  "They  take  your 
temperature.  If  you're  warm,  you're  in.  If  you're  cold, 
thev  burv  vou." 


A  colored  Yankee  soldier  in  England  was  engaged  in 
a  poker  game  with  some  British  Tommies.  He  picked  up 
his  hand  and  saw  that  he  held  four  aces.  Anxiously 
awaiting  his  turn  to  bet,  he  heard  someone  say,  "I'll  bet 
one  pound."  When  the  colored  box's  turn  came,  he  said, 
"Ah  don't  know  how  yo'  all  cniuit  yo'  money,  but  Ah'Il 
raise  one  ton.  " 


Officers  of  the  British  intelligence  comlucted  a  quiz 
program  with  some  newly  arrived  American  soldiers.  "Ask 
as  many  questions  as  you  wish  about  England  and  we'll  try 
to    answer   them,"    they   said. 

They  were  stumped  on  the  first  question  which  was, 
"What  is  the  age  of  consent  here?" 


First  Little  Pig:  "My,  my,  I  ne\er  sausage  heat." 
Second   Little  Pig:   "Me  neither.  I'm  nearly  bacon." 

*     *     -»     -» 


Prof.:  "Name  two  pronouns.' 
Stude:  "Who,  me?" 


NOMENCLATTER 

Silence — The  college  yell  of  the  school  of  experience. 
Hysteresis — .Mental    disease   suffered    by   engineers. 
Entropy — Side  door  in   a   speakeasy. 
Stress — IVLisician  who  wrote  the  "Blue  Danube." 


The  Ford  is  my  auto,  I  shall  not  want  (another)  ; 

It  maketh  me  to  lie  down  beneath  it ; 

It  soreth  my  soul. 

It  leadeth  me  into  the  paths  of  ridicule 

For  its  name's  sake. 

Yea,  though  I   ride  through  the  valle\s, 

I  am  towed  up  the  hills. 

I  fear  much  evil  ;  my  rods  and  my  pistons  discomfort  me. 

I   annoiiit  my  tires  with  patches; 

My   radiator   runneth  over; 

I  repair  my  blowouts  in  the  presence  of  mine  enemies. 

Surely,  if  this  thing  follows  me  all  the  days  of  my  life, 

I  shall  dwell  in  the  bug-house  forever. 


Little   |im:  "Are  \ou  a  tr/ii/ud  nurse?" 

Nurse:"  "Yes." 

L.  J.:  "Well,  let's  see  some  of  \()ur  tricks." 

*      «      *      * 

Engineers  are  often  battled  by  the  fact  tliat  some  of  the 
girls  with  streamlined  figures  offer  the  most  resistance. 


"So  I  told  the  freshman  to  indorse  the  check  his  famdy 
had  sent  him." 

"Did   he  do   it?" 

"Yes,  he  wrote  on  the  back:  'I  heartily  nulorse  this 
check.'  " 


/#' 


To  Love  is  to  Remember" 

Sweetheart  —  Family  —  Friends 

On    SI.    \  alrnlillr'-.    I>:iy    with 

VALENTINES 

FROM    STRAUCH'S, 

Tilt'    Home   iif    l''iiii'   (arils 
lliiiiiiir — l>('.nit.\ — ()riuiM:ilit\    if  j  cm   liii,>    them   :il 

Strauch's  at  Campus 

709  So.  Wright 


22 


THE  TECHNOGR.APH 


FLAMES   THAT   CUT  TIME! 


Today,  ships  are  needed  as  never  before.  And  today, 
ships  are  being  built  as  never  before  .  .  .  and  built  faster, 
stronger,  and  with  less  steel  .  .  .  thanks  to  welding! 

But  before  welding  can  take  place,  steel  plates  have  to  have 
their  edges  beveled  and  squarcil-up  so  that,  when  butted  to- 
gether, thev  look  like  this:  X~         or  like  this:  X^        ~ 

In  the  past,  preparing  plates  in  this  manner  was  done  by 
heavy  machine  tools.  Cutting  was  slow  and  costly.  Each  plate 
had  to  be  handled  manv  times.  I'latc  cutting  on  this  basis 
could  hardly  keep  pace  with  welding  todav. 

^o^\•,  oxy-acetylene  flames  .  .  .  cutting  in  different  planes 
siniiillaneoiislv  .  .  .  prepare  the  edges  of  steel  plates  of  any  com- 
mi-icial  thickness  at  one  pass  ...  in  a  fraction  of  the  time  re- 
quired by  mechanical  methods! 

This  Linde  flame-planing  method  is  as  simple  as  ABC.  It  is 
economical  .  .  .  and  easv  to  use.  It  cuts  plates  so  smoothlv  and 
accurately  that  no  macliininfi  is  necessary!  And  it  uses  materials 
which  can  be  produced  in  abundance. 

( )n-thc-job  power  requirements  for  flame-shaping  are  neg- 
ligible .  .  .  for  the  reaction  of  the  cutting  oxvgen  jet  with  the 
hot  steel  does  all  the  work  .  .  .  and  only  fractional  horsepower 
is  required  to   move  the  cutting  nozzles  aloug  the  line  of  cut. 

In  conjunction  with  "Lnionmelt"  Welding  ...  an  amazing 


electrical  welding  process  that  unites  plates  of  any  commercial 
thickness  faster  than  anv  similarlv  applicable  method  .  .  .  like 
this  '^■'' ^         .  .  .  the  Linde  method  of  pbite-edge  preparation 

is  working  miracles  in  speeding  up  shipbuilding. 

These  two  methods  are  also  helping  to  break  production 
records  in  other  fields.  Great  pressure  vessels  .  .  .  locomotive 
boilers  .  .  .  huge  pipes  . . .  heavv  chemical  tanks  .  . .  combat  tanks 
.  .  .  artillery  mounts  .  .  .  and  other  vital  equipment  are  being 
turned  out  faster  because  of  them. 

Linde  research,  intensified  todav.  is  constantlv  solving  new 
problems  in  flame-cutting,  flame-fabricating,  and  flame-con- 
ditioning of  metals  for  war  production. 

The  important  developments  in  flame-cutting — and  other  processes 
and  methods  used  in  the  production,  fabrication  and  tn'<tting  of 
rnetitls — irlticlt  hare  been  made  Itv  The  lAnde  Air  Troducts  Com- 
pany tcere  facilitated  hv  adlahorution  nitli  Union  Carldde  and 
t'.arhon  Research  Laiioralories,  Inc.,  and  hy  the  mitallurgiial  ex- 
perience of  IJectro  Metallurgical  Company  and  Ilaynes  Stidlite 
Company — all    Units   of   Lnion    Carbide  and   Carbon    Corporation. 

THE  LINDE  AIR  PRODUCTS  COMPANY 

Unit  of  Union  Carbide  and  Carbon  Corporation 

ma 

General  OJficcs:  New  York,  N.  V.  Offices  in  I'riucipal  Cities 


&'B  Camtus /\/em 


COAST  IS  CLEAR 

FOR  three  years  an  automatic  traffic  control  (es- 
sentially an  electronic  device)  has  been  directing 
motorists  through  a  one-way  tunnel  that  serves  as  a 
direct  route  through  a  mountain  on  a  Salt  Lake  County 
highway  in  Utah. 

The  traffic  control  counts  vehicles  as  thev  enter  and 
leave  the  tunnel.  If  the  outgoing  count  is  less  than  the 
ingoing,  a  bell  warns  a  patrolman  to  go  in  after  the 
missing  car.  Thus  traffic  is  kept  moving  through  the 
tunnel  —  in  one  direction  at  a  time. 

When  the  carbon-monoxide  content  of  the  air  in  the 
tunnel  reaches  a  critical  point,  another  electronic  watch- 
man stops  traffic  and  turns  on  a  ventilating  fan. 

Approximatelv  600  cars  go  through  the  tunnel  every 
24  hours,  but  the  electronic  cop  isn't  tired  yet. 


TAKE  yOUR  CHOICE 

THE  U.S.  Army  Air  Force  can  test  airplane  engines 
at  altitudes  of  40,000  feet,  where  it's  67  below,  or 
at  low  altitudes  over  deserts  where  the  temperature 
soars  to  120  F    without  taking  the  ships  from  the  ground. 


Testing  is  done  in  a  laborarorv  where  refrigeration 
equipment,  electric  heaters,  and  air  evacuating  equip- 
ment rake  over  for  the  elements. 

One  such  lab,  for  which  G.E.  is  building  electrical 
equipment,  will  house  several  test  chambers,  in  each  of 
which  engines  will  be  tested  under  different  conditions. 

To  accomplish  this,  air  will  be  partly  conditioned 
and  then  delivered  to  the  various  test  chambers.  At  each 
test  chamber  the  air  will  be  further  conditioned  to 
obtain  the  exact  humidity,  temperature,  and  pressure 
for  the  particular  condition  desired.  Then  the  air  will  he 
delivered  to  the  engine  carburetors. 


P/PE  DREAM 

THE  War  Emergency  Pipeline,  largest  oil  trunk  of 
its  kind  in  the  world,  will  go  into  operation  in 
January.  Extending  531  miles  from  Longview,  Texas 
to  Norris  City,  Illinois,  the  "Big-Inch"  pipeline  (so 
called  because  it  is  24  inches  in  diameter)  will  help 
alleviate  the  oil  shortage  in  the  East. 

G.E.  recentlv  shipped,  five  weeks  ahead  of  schedule, 
the  first  two  of  fifteen  1500-hp  motors  it  is  building  for 
the  line. 

Built  of  cast  iron  to  conserve  steel  plate,  the  motors 
will  be  used  to  drive  centrifugal  pumps  in  booster  sta- 
tions along  the  line.  These  pumps  will  keep  1,330,000 
barrels  of  oil  flowing  at  a  rate  of  4  miles  per  hour — a 
delivery  rate  of  300,000  barrels  a  day  at  Norris  City. 

Bv  June  it  is  expected  that  the  remaining  section  of 
the  line,  857  miles  long,  will  connect  Norris  City  and 
the  Atlantic  seaboard. 


GENERAL  m  ELECTRIC 


24 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


i 


I 


t  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

MAR  1  5  1943 

UNIVERSITY  Of  JLU.v 


February 
1943 


HEAVY  MINERAL 
SEPARATION 

TIMBER  CONSTRUCTION 

NAMES  IN  THE  NEWS 

OUR  SOCIETIES 

TECHNOCRACKED 


)lished    1885 


Member  E.C.M.A, 


This  is  tlie  way  to  win  a  battle 
in  tlie  desert 


Libya  and  North  Africa  made  it  clearer 
than  ever:  This  is  a  war  of  supply. 

In  1918,  an  American  soldier  could  be 
equipped  and  maintained  on  5  tons  of 
supplies  each  year. 

But  today,  for  every  soldier  sent 
abroad,  iO'  2  tons  of  shipping  space  must 
be  provided  for  equipment  alone.  And  it 
takes  an  additional  IS  tons  of  shipping  to 
supply  a  single  soldier  for  a  yearl 

Supply  is  a  matter  of  ships. 

And  ships  need  electricity. 


Vast  quantities  of  electric  power,  for  a 
thousand  vital  tasl^s  that  must  be  dune 
to  take  a  convoj-  safely  across  the  seas. . . 

Electricity  to  steer  the  vessels  and 
operate  the  radios  and  signal  lights. 

Electricity  to  detect  the  approach  of 
enemy  subs  and  planes,  to  sound  the 
alarm,  to  organize  tiie  defense. 

Electricity  to  power  great  cargo 
winclies,  and  delicate  navigating  instru- 
ments. 

Electiicity  to  make  magnetic  mines 


harmless,  to  provide  invisible  "black 
light"  for  reading  charts  at  night.  Elec- 
tricity to  keep  food  fresh,  to  cook  it,  to 
ventilate  the  ships,  to  provide  comfort 
for  the  crews. 

Electriciti/  in  every  freighter,  every  tank- 
er, every  Sary  escort  vessel — to  help  uin 
the  war  of  supply! 

AVe  of  Westinghouse  take  tremendous 
pride  in  building  so  much  of  the  elec- 
trical equipment,  so  many  of  the  great 
turbines  and  gears  and  electric  drives, 
for  the  ships  of  America's  Navy  and 
^Merchant  ^larine. 

Into  every  piece  of  that  equipment 
go  all  our  "know-how,"  all  our  skill,  all 
our  (k'tcrniination  to  do  our  share  in  this 
war — and  if  possible,  a  little  more. 

Westinghouse  Electric  &  Manufactur- 
ing Company,  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania. 


Tune  in  the  Westinghouse  Program  starring 
John  Charles  Thomas  —  NBC  Network, 
Sunday.  2:30  P.  M.,  Eastern  War  Time. 


A^stinghouse 


PLANTS    IN    25    CITIES  —  OFFICES    EVERYWHERE 

THE  TEGHNOGR.\PH 


FEBRUARY  •  1943 

This  Issue  .  .  . 

Teclmiqiics  in  Heavy  Mineral  Separation 7 

it)    Koheit  I..  Miller 

Timber   Construction 8 

ISv    William    (i.    Murphy 

Names  in  tlie  News 10 

IJ.v   \Villi:iiii    Scliinltz   anil   I.cc   Sullivan 

Our  Societies 20 

By  Byron  Kobinsun 

Technocracked 22 

By    I'aul    Sak-rno 


THE  TECHNOCRAPH 


Staff  .  .  . 

L.  Byron  Welsh Editor 

William   G.    Murphy Associate    Editor 

Paul  Salerno Assistant  Editor 

Lee  Sullivan Photographer 

SENIOR   EDITORIAL    STAFF 

Walter   Gailus,    Steven   Yurenka.    Vernon    U>dli'rk 

EDITORIAL    ASSISTANTS 

William  R.   Schmitz.   Byron   M.   Robinson.   Don   Hallberg, 

Jim   Murray.   Eusene  Bixby,   William   Rychel.   Charles  E. 

Yale.    Jack    Steele.    Herb    Newmark 

Dean  E.   Madden Business  Manai/cr 

William   Beich Circulation   Manager 

Alex  Green Subscription  Manager 

BUSINESS    STAFF 

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Frontispiece  . 


Marine  reduction  gears  are  cut  witii 
tile  greatest  precision  in  an  air  conditioned 
room  at  the  Steam  Division  of  the  West- 
inghoiise  Electric  and  Manufactming  Coni- 
pan>'.  Once  the  tooth-cutting  operation 
is  started,  it  nnist  continue  without  stop- 
ping tor  ahout  seven  days  at  constant 
temperature  to  insure  the  utmost  ac- 
curacy. The  slightest  discrepancy  would 
cause  a  deafening  screeching  and  squealing 
when  these  gears  turn  at  high  speeds.  ((Jut 
(Jijurtisy  Ifestinyhouse). 


Cover  .  .  . 

The  co\er  tliis  month  is  a  view  of  the 
engineering  campus  with  Engineering  Hall 
and  the  Physics  Building  in  the  foreground. 
The  smoke-stacks  of  tlie  old  power  plant 
can    he   seen    in    the    background. 


Published  eight  times  during  the  year  (October,  November,  Decem- 
ber, January,  February,  March,  April,  and  May)  by  The  Illini  Publish- 
ing Company,  Entered  as  second  class  matter,  October  30,  1921,  at 
the  post  office  of  Urbana,  Illinois.  Office  213  Engineering  Hall, 
Urbana,  Illinois.  Subscriptions,  $1.00  per  year.  Single  copy  20  cents. 
Reprint   rights  reserved  by   The  Illinois   Technograph. 


Techniques  in 


Heavy  Mineral  Separation 

By  ROBERT  L.  MILLER 

Heufy  mineral  studies,  although  not  new,  hai'e  been  used  exteusiiwly  in 
the  work  on  groundwater  at  the  State  Geological  Suri'ey  Laboratories;  and 
have  proved  to  he  of  I'alue  as  a  technique  to  the  geolofiist. 


Coriehitioii  of  the  various  strata  or  Ia>crs  of  rock 
wliicli  make  up  the  outer  crust  of  the  earth  is  of  great 
importance  to  the  (jeologist.  He  must  be  able  to  accurately 
ik-terniine  which  strata  is  which,  at  any  given  place.  If 
he  lias  determined  the  characteristics  of,  and  named  a  certain 
strata  in  one  part  of  an  area,  he  should  be  able  to  determine 
where  this  strata  would  be  encountered  in  another  part 
ot   the   area. 

If  a  certain  stratum  is  a  good  aquifer,  that  is,  if  its 
permeability  is  such  that  it  is  able  to  transport  water,  then 
the  (jeologist  must  be  able  to  locate  the  subsurface  position 
of   this  strata. 

An  example  is  the  "St.  Peter"  sandstone.  The  source 
of  the  water  which  is  pumped  out  of  this  formation  is  in 
part  from  Southern  Wisconsin  and  Northern  Illinois.  Here 
the  St.  Peter  sandstone  is  exposed  and  receives  rainfall. 

The  St.  Peter  dips  to  the  South  until  in  Will  County 
it  is  found  at  a  depth  of  hundreds  of  feet  below  the  s\irafce. 
The  Cjeologist  is  able  to  determine  this  by  certain  pre- 
determined characteristics  of  the  St.  Peter  sandstone. 

He  does  this  by  the  following  procedure: 

A.  Five  or  ten  foot  samples  of  the  rock  encountered  in 
a  well  from  top  to  bottom,  are  labelled  and  sent  to  the 
(Geological    Survey. 

15.   The  positions  of  the  wells  are  plottetl   on   maps. 

C.  The  samples  are  studied  and  the  depth  of  the  St. 
Peter    is    recorded    for   each   well. 

At  the  State  Geological  Surve\  of  Illinois,  located  at 
the  Natural  Resources  Bldg.  on  the  Illinois  Campus,  these 
methods  of  studying  the  samples  in  order  to  determine  the 
strata  have  been  developed  to  such  a  degree  that  it  has 
approached  an  exact  science  in  this  respect.  A  group  of 
highly  trained  (Geologists  have  been  employed  in  correlating 
the  strata  in  Northern  Illinois  for  the  special  use  of  the 
War  and    Munition   industries   located   in   that  area. 

Many  of  the  methods  used  are  entirely  new  and  arc 
being  introduced  by  this  group.  Others  have  been  used  for 
some    time    and    are    recognized    as    accurate.     Among   these 


is   the   method   of   lieavy  mineral   separations,   witii   which   I 
will   now  deal. 

The  so-called  "Heavy  Minerals"  are  those  whose 
specific  gravity  is  heavier  than  that  of  the  liquid  in  which 
they  are  |ilaced.  Thus  a  separation  is  achieved  by  gravity 
since  tile  hea\y  minerals  will  sink  while  the  light  ones  will 
float. 

Heavy  mineral  suites  of  certain  strata  may  be  separated 
from  the  rock  and  determined.  The  heavy  mineral  per- 
centage is  greater  in  one  strata  than  in  another,  and  there- 
fore  one   possible   means   of   correlation   is  set   up. 

Some  minerals  are   rare  in  some  strata  and   common   m 


Fiuiire    1.     Separation    raeks   and    funnels. 

FEBRUARY,  1943 


Fiuure    i.     (Utii    used    in    ihjiiit;    with    liiit-plate    liu-    iiiakinf; 
slides    in    forefji'oiind. 

others.  For  instance,  Kyanite  and  Staurolite  are  rare  in 
anv  strata  deposits  before  the  Cretaceous  ((Geological 
Period  ) . 

Another  point  to  note  is  that  although  the  heavy 
minerals  Ilminite,  Rutile,  Magnetite,  Zircon,  and  Tourma- 
line are  found  almost  universally,  their  relative  proportions, 
size,  and  shape,  vary  in  the  strata  in  which  they  occur,  and 
may  be  correlated  on  the  basis  of  this.  At  this  point  it 
must  be  understood,  however,  that  no  one  method  of  cor- 
relating rock  strata  is  considered  sufficient  basis  for  naming 
a  strata  conclusively.  The  heavy  mineral  counts  are  at 
present  a  less  important  means  of  correlation  which  is 
used  principally  to  differentiate  lithologically  similar  sand- 
stones. Thus  when  other  means  of  correlation  fail,  a  heavy 
mineral  separation  will  be  often  of  quite  great  value  to 
tile    (Geologist. 

The  method  employed  in  separating  tile  Heavy  Minrelas 
Irom    the    rest   of   the    rock   is   as    follows: 

A  sample  of  sand  taken  from  a  well  or  an  outcrop 
(surface  exposme)  is  run  through  a  set  of  sieves  in  order 
to  remove  those  which  are  too  fine  or  too  coarse  for  micro- 
( (-(//iti/u/i  d   on    I'lic/i     14) 


TIMBER  CONSTRUCTION 


By  WILLIAM   G.  MURPHY,  G.E.  '43 


In  the  days  before  tlic  government  scrambled  the  alplia- 
bet,  engineers  could  use  whatever  materials  that  his  judg- 
ment and  training  taught  him  were  proper  for  the  particular 
structure  with  which  he  was  concerned.  Now  he's  lucky 
if  he  can  get  anything. 

Even  before  tiic  war,  however,  nian\  engineers  were 
using  wood  for  more  than  it  had  been  used  in  recent  struc- 
tural history.  Since  the  war  wood  is  the  watchword  of 
construction    and    most   timber   is   on   a   priority   basis. 

Recently  the  Illinois  specifications  for  highway  bridges 
went  from  all  steel  construction  through  reinforced  concrete 
to  an  all  wood  structure  with  steel  connectors.  Now  they 
can't  get  the  wootl. 

In  many  ways  timber  construction  is  much  more  suitable 
for  structures  than  any  other  material,  but  since  the  engineer 
knew  less  about  the  material  than  steel  and  concrete,  he 
has  avoided  its  use  as  much  as  possible.  Due  to  the  efforts 
of  several  large  concerns  design  information  is  available 
to  all  for  the  price  of  a  stamp,  and  soon  there  will  be  no 
reason  at  all  for  ignorance  of  the  possibilities  in  the  field 
of    timber    construction. 

In  considering  the  advantages  of  timber  construction, 
the  fire  resisting  qualitx  seems  to  be  the  most  outstanding 
of  them  all.  Intense  heat  will  not  cause  wood  to  buckle 
and  twist  and  become  almost  worthless  even  for  salvage 
as  will  steel.  The  wood  will  char  and  burn  if  exposed 
to  a  flame  long  enough,  but  there  has  to  be  almost  complete 
destruction  of  the  fibers  before  the  structural  member  will 
fail. 

In  one  experiment  reported  by  the  Timber  Engineering 
Company,  several  army  planes  saturated  with  gasoline  and 
oil  were  burned  in  a  hangar  with  timber  trusses  supporting 
the  roof.  After  the  planes  had  twisted  and  bent  until  use- 
less for  further  use  from  the  high  heat  of  the  fire,  the 
trusses  were  found  to  be  only  slightly  charred.  Several 
cases  are  reported  where  only  minor  repairs  and  surfaces 
were  necessary  to  put  timber  structures  back  into  use  follow- 
ing fires  that  wOLild  have  residted  in  the  complete  failure 
of   steel. 

In  designing  a  timber  stiucture  it  is  necessary  to  con- 
sider the  strength  of  the  lumber  to  a  much  greater  extent 
than  when  using  the  other  structural  materials.  Moisture 
content,  amount  of  summer  and  spring  wood,  direction 
of  the  grain  of  the  wood  to  the  direction  of  the  load,  and 
the  jiresence  of  defects  in  the  lumber  are  the  major  quali- 
ties  to   be   taken    into   accoimt. 

The  detailing  of  a  wooden  structure  requires  much 
more  judgment  on  the  part  of  the  detailer  than  the  other 
types  of  constructions.  In  the  first  few  panels  of  a  timber 
truss,  for  instance,  the  number  of  connectors  required  to 
transmit  the  stress  will  not  fit  in  the  joint  using  the  mini- 
nuim  section  to  carry  the  stress.  All  the  reqiiirements  for 
edge,  end,  and  c.  to  c.  spacing  must  be  met  in  order  to 
prevent  the  shearing  out  of  a  large  piece  of  wood  at  the 
joint  leaving  the  connectors  partly  inacti\e  towards  carr\- 
ing  the  load. 

Prom  an  economical  standpoint  where  timber  can  be 
used,  a  large  saving  will  result.  The  lumber  will  take 
up   less  shipping  space   and   weigh   less.     Even   though   the 


economical    span   length    in    trusses   is   nuich    less    for   wood, 
the   steel   structure   would   cost   the   most. 

The  life  of  timber  is  comparable  to  any  steel  structure 
in  existence  today.  Many  of  the  wooden  homes  and  planta- 
tion buildings  built  in  the  early  days  of  our  country  are 
still  standing  today  in  good  condition.  When  a  steel  struc- 
ture fails  there  is  usually  a  complete  failure  of  the  material 
necessitating  an  entirely  new  replacement.  Wood  will  \ield 
to  a  great  extent  before  failing  and  after  failure  occurs 
there  is  still  enough  life  in  the  fibers  to  carry  a  load. 

Many  of  the  old  bridges  in  some  of  the  eastern  states 
are  made  from  the  old  hewn  timbers,  and  they  were  erected 
by  our  forefathers  in  most  cases.  With  proper  upkeep  and 
not  much  traffic  these  structures  should  last  for  some  time. 
In  connection  with  the  yielding  of  wood,  one  good  trick 
than  can  be  used  in  the  home  is  on  bookcases  with  re- 
movable wooden  shelves.  After  a  number  of  years  the 
shelves  will  sag  very  noticeably.  All  you  have  to  do  is  turn 
them   o\er  and    let   the   process   repeat   itself. 

An  engineer  designing  a  wooden  structure  should  use 
the  same  judgment  and  professional  sense  that  he  would 
use  in  any  other  design.  Timber  structure  utilizes  the  same 
principles  of  mechanics  that  are  the  background  for  all 
engineering  design.  Timber  engineering  companies  have 
developed  procedures  and  have  modified  the  existing  column 
formulas  to  give  the  most  economical  design  with  timber, 
but  an>'  good  engineer  with  a  little  thought  could  apply 
his   mechanics   to   design    and    be   on    the   safe   side. 

The  use  of  timber  connectors  seems  to  be  the  most 
economical  solution  to  the  problem  of  making  joints  in  a 
timber  structure.  The  use  of  bolts  and  spikes  results  in 
a  large  waste  of  wood  to  develop  the  proper  resistance. 
Timber  connectors  greatly  reduce  the  size  of  the  joints 
and  allowances  can  be  made  for  efficiency  of  the  connections 
by  applying  the  results  obtained  by  research  engineers  and 
plotted  on  charts  available  from  any  of  the  timber  con- 
cerns. Typical  types  of  joints  using  these  connectors  arc 
shown    in    Plate   I. 

The  <lc\elopment  of  timber  connectors  has  greatlv  re- 
duced the  amount  of  calculations  necessary  for  a  timber 
structiu'e.  In  the  past  it  has  been  necessary  to  calculate 
the  various  resistances  of  the  drift  bolts,  screws,  or  nails. 
The  Timber  Engineering  Company  has  published  all  the 
research  information  on  the  use  of  these  connectors  and 
it  has  boiled  the  whole  problem  down  to  dividing  the 
stress    in    the   member   by    an    allowable   stress. 

The  use  of  wood  is  far-reaching  in  the  field  of  engi-  j 
neering  since  it  can  be  used  in  its  various  forms  from  the 
substructure  to  the  sheathing  on  the  roofs  of  buildings. 
Contrary  to  public  opinion  the  wood  does  not  decay  from 
age.  The  action  of  wood  attackers,  the  chief  of  these  being 
termites,  cause  most  of  the  trouble.  When  protected  from 
attack,  wood  will  stand  up  with  any  other  structural  ma- 
terial. 

This  paper  is  not  intended  to  advocate  the  use  of  wood 
in  e\ery  situation.  It  is  the  opinion  of  the  writer  that  it 
has  its  place  in  the  structural  field  and  should  be  kept 
in   its  place. 


THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


TYPICAL  CONNECTOR  JOINTS 


5p//f  /P/ng  Jo/nf 
Wood'  fo  -  yVood 


t 


^^.     r 


'I'M';       I        (  I    '  M   >■ 


S^I 


^r-^p-^ 


S-*Er.-7^ 


3 &:^ 


3— &;* 


t-;8— t^ 


t-3-e 


€H  3    L -^ 


^^ 


-3-t^:^ 


f^r^-f^r^ 


a-T^-f^^ 


f=-.  3     C 


-r9 1 1^:^— (^ 


^ 


/-fee/  Uomf 


^MZ^ 


^- 


//^Z'  P/ofe  3p//ce 


^ 


^ 


—       or 
Toof/jsd  /7//7ps 


rm 


L     Ir-x 


:F=[r 


^'  '-F 


Brace  Jowf 


■O?. 


f/angecf  S/jear  /^/cffe  Jo/nf s 
iVood-  fo-I^ood  lMx)d-  fo-Mefo/ 


■^ 


i 


C/otv  P/afe  Jo/nf 
PVood-fo'Afsfa/ 


o'- 


^c 


f/ongeJ 
C/awpwg  P/afe 
T/e  ^pocer 


C/a^Pfafe  Jo/nf 
IVood-fo  -IVooJ 


C/ai^  P/afes 
* —   or 
f/cfngec/Sf?eai 
^     P/ofes 


Co/i/mn  Arpc/jor 


3//?p/eO//'yt 
Or/d 


Toiver  3rt7ce 


P/fe  Deryf 


—  Lilt    i-.iiM(.'.(V    1./    Ill,-      I  imh,-r     liiiiiuiCi'rliui     C,'illl<iiny. 

Typical  Typ^Js  of  Timber  Joints  Using  the  Timber  Construction 


FEBRUARY,  1943 


NAMES  in  the  NEWS        i 


By  WILLIAM    SCHMITZ,  Ch.E.  "45 

and 

LEE  SULLIVAN,  M.E.  '46 


I 


PAUL  SIMMONS 

Old  Mniiioe,  Missouri  claims  I'aul  Simmons,  the  bril- 
liant engineer  with  a  4.73  a\erage  as  one  if  its  future 
great  men.  Paul  is  the  member  of  no  lesser  organizations 
than  Phi  Eta  Sigma,  Tau  Beta  Pi,  Pi  Tau  Sigma,  ASME, 
Tau  \u  Tau  and  a  cadet  Captain  in  the  Engineers  as 
u-ell. 


PAUL 

Paul  is  an  engineer  who  believes  in  rounding  out  his 
life.  He  mixes  such  sports  as  basketball,  baseball,  and 
football  for  his  athletic  life.  He  confines  his  attentions 
to  one  girl  on  campus  and  fills  his  social  life  with  dances, 
shows,  and  informal  dates. 

Paul  chose  Illinois  because  it  compared  favorably  \\'ith 
the  other  schools  which  he  has  visited.  He  believes  that 
the  Engineering  school  is  a  good  school  which  keeps  up 
with  the  times  and  also  has  excellent  teaching  peisonnel. 
Paul's  favorite  subjects  are  Motors,  internal  combustion 
engines.  Theoretical  and  Applied  Mechanics,  and  Me- 
chanical  Engineering  courses. 

Upon  graduation  Paul  expects  to  be  sent  to  Fort 
Belvoir  which  is  a  replacement  center  for  engineers.    Paul 


HOMliU 


10 


leaves  the  tollo\\ing  sound  ad\  ice  for  freshmen:  "Learn 
how  to  stud)-  and  don't  try  to  get  everything,  but  single 
out  the   important    things." 

HOMER   WONG 

Homer  Wong  is  a  scholar  and  a  statesman.  He  is  a 
member  of  A.S.C.E.,  Phi  Eta  Sigma,  Chi  Epsilon,  Tau 
Beta  Pi,  Sigma  Tau,  and  is  on  the  social  fraternit\  com- 
mittee for  the  Cosmopolitan  Club.  He  is  one  of  the  best 
civil   engineers  around   the  territory  north  of  Green  street. 

Since  coming  to  Illinois  from  (jalesburg.  111.,  Homer 
has  done  very  well  for  himself.  He  has  a  very  excellent 
scholastic  average  of  4.7.  Structural  design  seems  to  interest 
Homer  the  most,  so  he  has  specialized  in  that  field.  Upon 
graduation,  he  expects  to  work  in  some  aircraft  factory  as 
a    designer. 

Homer  hasn't  done  ver\'  much  dating  here  at  school, 
not  that  he  woiddn't  stand  outside  Engineering  Hall  fifteen 
minutes  in  order  to  see  a  certain  little  lady  pass.  Homer 
also  spends  a  great  deal  of  time  reading  and  listening  to 
the    radio.     Swimming    is    his    favorite   sport. 

According  to  Homer,  the  thing  he  has  liked  best  during 
his  four  years  here  at  Illinois  has  been  the  contacts  he 
has  made  with  the  instructors  and  professors,  not  to  mention 
the  many  friends  he  has  made.  The  school  atmosphere  and 
the  good  times  he  has  had  here  at  Illinois  will  be  one  of 
the  most  cherished  memories  of   Homer's  collegiate  career. 

DALE  ADDIS 

From  Toulon,  Illinois  comes  this  good  mechanical  engi- 
neer. He  is  a  member  of  Scabbard  and  Blade,  Tau  Nu 
Tau,  Pi  Tau  Sigma,  Pershing  Rifles,  and  is  a  cadet  captain 
in  the  Corps  of  Engineers  advanced  ROTC.  He  is  one 
of  the  most  likable  fellows  around   the  engineering  campus. 


DALE 

Like  a  lot  of  the  rest  of  us,  much  of  Dale's  attention 
is  now  centered  aroimd  military.  He  is  quite  anxious 
lor  June  to  roll  around  so  that  he  can  enter  the  officer's 
candidate   school    and   obtain    his   commission. 

Dale  is  a  member  of  Sigma  Pi  and  likes  to  do  a  variety 
of  things.  Occasionally  he  likes  to  go  out  on  a  date,  or 
((lontiiiiicil   (III    Page    16) 

THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


Every  branch  of  the  Armed  Services  uses  the  telephone.  No.  I  of  a  series,  Anti-Aircraft. 


io  his  mother  and  dad  it  seems  only  yesterday  that  he  was  using  the  family  telephone  to  call  his 
high  school  sweetheart.  But  today  the  orders  he  sends  and  receives  over  his  wartime  telephone 
help  speed  the  day  when  love  and  laughter,  peace  and  progress  shall  again  rule  the  world. 


Western  Electric 

IN    PEACE. ..SOURCE    OF    SUPPLY    FOR   THE    BELL  SYSTEM 
IN    WAR  .  ..ARSENAL    OF    COMMUNICATIONS     EQUIPMENT 


FEBRUARY,  1943 


11 


A-C  Welders  now  work  oxclusively 
on  machinery  for  the  war  effort. 


Allis-Chalmers  farm  and  milling  eqiiip- 
L  nient  helps  produce  corn  for  U.S.  pork- 
ers and  steers  .  .  .  wheat  for  8  of  every  10 
bread  loaves  produced  in  the  U.  S.  A. 

Allis-Chalmers  industrial  equipment 
(more  than  1,600  diflferent  capital  goods 
products)  works  in  every  war  industry  .  .  . 
helps  produce  planes,  tanks,  shijis,  guns  at 
a  rate  which  must  make  Hitler  shiver! 

And  Allis-Chalmers  engineers — cooperat- 
ing with  plant  engineers  in  every  part  of  the 


country — are   helping   manufacturers 
duce  more — not  just  with  new  machines,| 
with  machines  now  on  hand! 

Every  Allis-Chalmers  man  and  wo  I 
is  working  all  out  for  Victory.  Our  one  I 
right  now  is  winning  this  war.  But  from  J 
war  work  we  are  gaining  rich  producl 
experience  which  will  be  invaluable  toj 
Nation  when  the  war  is  over.  AVe'l| 
ready  to  help  build  a  better  peace! 
Allis-ChaLuMErs  Mfg.  Co.,  Milwaukee, 


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VICTORY  NEWS 


Inland  Shipyards:  Hundreds  of  AC 

iniinps,  motors  and  V-belt  drives  arc  at 
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greatest  shipbuilding  activity  this  region 
has  ever  known. 

Ore  carriers,  tankers,  cargo  vessels — 
even  submarines — are  being  built  here. 

Tremendous  expansion  of  facilities  was 
required  to  meet  the  goals  set — and  ecjuip- 
ment  for  the  yards,  as  well  as  for  the  ships, 
has  left  A-C  plants  in  great  quantities. 


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New  A-C  War  Plants:  Two  big  new 

Allis-Chalmers  war  plants  are  now  in  op- 
eration "somewhere  in  the  L'SA"...the  sec- 
ond in  a  record  90  days  after  the  ground 
was  broken. 

To  save  time  and  critical  materials, 
wood  construction  was  adopted  for  the 
newest  plant.  Practically  the  only  metal 
used  was  in  caps  for  the  ends  of  trusses 
and  columns.  These  were  cast  in  A-C  foun- 
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Techniques  in   Heavy  Mineral   Separation 


( (lunluiiii  d  fruiii   Piuje   7) 
scope    stLidy.     Sizes    between    3S    and    200    niesli    are    used. 
Those    below   200   mesh    are    in    the   silt   class   and    are   too 
tine  to  be  studied,  even   under  the  petrographic  microscope. 

The  sample  is  then  acidized  in  HCL,  to  remove  the 
Carbonates.  As  soon  as  the  reaction  is  completed  the  sample 
is  washed  by  filling  the  beaker  with  water  and  stirring 
the  residue.  After  the  residue  has  settled,  the  water  is 
poured  off,  lea\ing  the  sand  in  the  bottom.  Five  or  six 
such  washings  will  give  a  clean  sand.  The  sand  is  then 
dried  on  a  hot  plate,  or  in  an  oven.  To  speed  up  the  dry- 
ing alcohol  is  added.  The  sand  is  now  ready  for  the  actual 
separation. 

The  liquid  used  to  separate  the  Heavy  Minerals  varies 
according  to  the  user.  Bromoform  is  the  most  generally 
used  of  the  separating  liquids.  Bromoform,  ( tribrom- 
niethane)  CHBr,.,  is  a  halogen  substitution  product  of  me- 
thane. It  is  a  highly  mobile  liquid  at  ordinar\  temperature 
and  has  a  specific  gravity  of  2.89.  An  objection  to  the 
commercial  bromoform  however  is  that  due  to  dissolved 
alcohol,  it  is  often  low  in  gravity  (below  2.89),  sometimes 
below  that  of  quartz.  This  is  undesirable  because  the 
presence  of  quartz  would  make  the  separation  useless. 
Quartz  is  of  such  abundance  in  all  types  and  ages  of  rocks 
that  it  is  useless  as  a  means  of  correlation. 

Tetrabromoethane  ( acetyleiie-tetrabromide  )is  also  \ery 
good.  It  has  a  specific  gravity  of  2.96.  It,  as  well  as 
Bromoform  however,  is  mildly  toxic  if  one  is  exposed  to 
it  for  a  period  of  time.  After  working  with  it  for  several 
months  at  about  six  hours  a  day  I  noticed  that  the  insides 
of  my  nostrills  were  dryed  and  cracked  and  bled  inter- 
mittanth'.  If  one  has  a  ventilating  system  set  up  or  works 
with  a  ventilating  hood,  little  effect  will  be  noticed,  how- 
ever. 

Other   separatory   liquids   are: 
Methylene    Iodide,    CH^I..,    specific   gravity,    3.32 
Thallous  Formate,  TICO^.H,  specific  gravity,  2.89 
The   separatory   liquid    is   poured    into   a    funnel    which    has 
a  stop-cock  outlet.    The  sand  is  then  poured  into  the  liquid 
and   is  stirred  constanth'  to  separate  any  grains  which  may 
adhere    to    one    another. 

The  minerals  which  collect  at  the  bottom  of  the  funnel 
must  therefore  be  of  a  greater  specific  gravity  than  the 
liquid  medium  through  which  they  have  passed.  How- 
ever, trouble  is  often  encountered  at  this  point  by  con- 
vection currents,  thought  to  be  caused  by  temperature  and 
light  which  have  a  marked  effect  on  tetrabromoethane 
in  particular.  Therefore,  when  the  stop-cock  is  opened  and 
the  heavy  minerals  are  let  down  into  the  beaker  below,  it 
is  necessary  to  wait  until  the  tube  has  cleared  completeh 
between  the  heavy  minerals  on  the  bottom  and  the  light 
minerals    floating    on    the    surface. 

Quartz  whose  specific  gravity  is  very  close  to  that  of 
tetrabromoethane,  but  is  not  a  desirable  mineral  for  cor- 
relation purposes  and  as  previously  mentioned,  is  also  often 
found  in  the  finished  separation.  The  reason  for  this  is  in 
part,  adherence  of  the  quartz  to  a  larger  grain  of  higher 
specific  gravity.  It  may  usually  be  removed  by  a  second 
separation. 

The  heavy  ininerals  are  then  washed  with  acetone  t(} 
remove    the    tetrabromoethane    and    dried. 

The  tetrabromoethane  is  recovered  by  the  following 
process:  since  it  is  miscible  with  acetone,  the  funnel,  both 
light  mineral  and  heav\'  minerals,  and  the  beaker,  is  washed 
with  acetone  and  the  mixture  put  in  a  bottle.  The  bottle 
is  then  filled  with  water  and  shaken.  Since  the  acetone 
is    more    miscible    with    the    water    than    with    tetrabromo- 


ethane it  and  acetone  can  be  poured  oft  lca\ing  the  pure 
liquid  once  again.  This  washing  process  must  be  done 
repeatedly  until  the  "tetrabrom"  is  a  clear  straw  color.  The 
liquid  is  then  poured  into  a  separatory  funnel  and  allowed 
to  settle  so  that  the  water  left  after  the  acetone  and  water 
has  poured  off  may  rise  to  the  top  of  the  separatory  fun- 
nel. Then  the  liquid  is  let  down  into  a  filter  paper  to  the 
point  just  below  the  water  line  and  allowed  to  filter 
through  the  paper  into  a  beaker.  It  is  then  again  ready 
for   use. 

The  heav\  minerals  are  now  separateti  anil  reaiiy  for 
counting.  The  first  step  is  mounting  them  on  a  slide. 
Ihe  nuneral  grains  are  carefulh  transferred  from  the 
beaker  to  a  flat  piece  of  metal  with  raised  sides  and  tapering 
toward  one  end   which  is  left  open. 

Canada  balsam  is  then  placed  on  a  glass  slide  which  is 
resting  on  a  hot  plate  and  the  gum  is  melted  until  stage  of 
optimum  hardness  is  reached.  The  point  is  determined  by 
touching  a  dissecting  needle  to  the  liquid.  If  the  drop  of  bal- 
sam adhering  to  the  needle  hardens  immediately  and  becomes 
brittle  the  gum  is  ready  for  use.  Now  the  metal  container 
is  held  over  the  balsam  and  by  tapping  the  end  the  grains 
will  slide  out  of  the  opening  and  drop  into  the  balsam. 
An   even   distribution   is   highly   desirable. 

A  cover  glass  is  then  placed  over  the  minerals  and 
pressed  down  firmly.  Care  must  be  taken  to  avoid  trapping 
air  iMider  the  cover  glass  since  this  will  cause  bubbles. 
The  balsam  will  dry  very  quickly  and  the  slide  may  be 
then    placed    under   the   microscope. 

Microscopic  study  of  the  grams  will  give  one  the  count, 
size  and  shape  which  is  needed.  As  many  as  500  grains 
are  counted  on  a  single  slide.  The  type  of  microscope 
used  is  a  petrographic  microscope  which  has  in  addition 
to  the  ordinary  enlargement  powers  two  lenses  or  nicols 
which    separate   out   the    rays   of    light. 

On  a  typical  St.  Peter  SS.  slide,  the  following  minerals 
might   be   observed : 

Count:  Zircon 

Tommaline 

Garnet 

Leucoxene 

Augite 

Ilmem'te 


The 

follows : 

A. 

B. 


criteria    used    \\\    determuuji" 


46 
62 

1 
II 
14 

5 

these 


;rams   are    as 


Index   of    refraction   of   the   grain. 
Extinction   angle,   that   is,   the   angle   at  which   the 
grain    cannot    be    seen    at    all    when    the    stage    of 
microscope   is    rotated. 

C.  The  color  of  the  grain.  A  mineral  absorbs  certain 
wave  lengths  —  transmits  or  reflects  others  —  the 
thickness   affects   the  color. 

D.  Pleochroism  is  selective  absorbtion,  that  is,  when 
the  stage  is  revolved,  sometimes  the  color  of  the 
grain  will  change. 

E.  Relief. 

If  a  certain  grain  is  under  the  eye  of  the  observer  he  would 
look   for   the   abo\e   mentioned   things. 

An    illustration    of    this   is    zircon.     Zircon    has    the    fol- 
lowing foniuda: 

Sign.  Tetragonal-prisms  with  pvramids,  110  cleaxage  11 1 
index:  Epsilon  =  1.985;  Omega  =  1.936;  specific  gravity 

4.6 1.7;  Chemical  formula  ZrO,  :SiO., ;  Color,  colorless — 

sometimes  mauve,  yellow  to  brown.    If  strongly  colored,  will 
be   pleochroic. 

Note — high   index   of    refraction   causes   a   heavy   dark   band 
((y'riiiliniitil   on   Page  22) 


14 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


"METALLIC  VITAMINS"  FOR  INDUSTRY 


So  effective  are  relatively  minute  quantities  of  ce- 
mented carbides  in  stepping  up — pepping  up — pro- 
duction tiiat  they  are  often  called  the  "metallic 
vitamins"  of  industry. 

Because  only  small  quantities  are  required  per  tool, 
Carboloy  cemented  carbides  are  measured  in  grams. 
A  gram  is  l/453rd  part  of  a  pound.  A  Carboloy  tool  tip 
weighing  only  25  grams  or  slightly  less  than  one  ounce 
is  a  good  size  tip — enough  to  last  for  days,  weeks — often 
months  of  cutting  at  speeds  often  higher  than  4  to  5 
times  that  possible  with  ordinary  steel  tools. 

In  terms  of  production,  an  ounce  of  cemented  carbide 
can  turn  the  turrets  of  dozens  of  tanks,  or  drill  hun- 
dreds of  guns,  or  turn  as  many  as  several  hundred 
shell,  or  bore  the  cylinders  of  hundreds  of  "Jeep"  cars. 
One  ounce  of  carbide  can  do  these  and  countless  other 
crucial  machining  jobs  faster  and  better  than  any 
other  tool  material. 

These  "metallic  vitamins"  also  serve  the  cause  of 
victory  in  many  other  ways.  In  masonry  drills,  they 
drill  holes  in  concrete  75'/c  faster  for  installing  war 
production  machinery.  ...  In  dies  they  speed  up 
production  of  wire,  cartridge  cases,  bullets,  etc.  .  .  . 
As  wear-resistant  inserts  on  vital  machine  parts,  they 


keep  machines  running.  As  a  matrix  material,  they 
conserve  diamonds,  shorten  operating  time  on  mine 
drilling,  dressing  of  grinding  wheels,  etc. 

The  myriad  of  present  uses  for  Carboloy — the 
"metallic  vitamin"  of  industry— now  helping  to  speed 
the  day  of  victory,  forecast  the  steadily  increasing 
diversity  of  benefits  for  the  years  of  peace  to  come. 
•  *  Carboloy  Company,  Inc.,  Detroit,  Mich.  District 
Offices:  Birmingham,  Ala.  •  Chicago  •  Cleveland  •  Los 
Angeles  •  Newark  •  Philadelphia  •  Pittsburgh  •  Seattle. 


CARBOLOY  TRAINING  FILMS 

A  series  of  six  Carboloy  Training  Films  now  available 
covering  detailed,  step-by-step  procedure  on  the 
design,  brazing,  grinding,  use  and  manufacture  of 
cemented  carbide  tools,  35  mm  silent  slide  films.  (Not 
motion  pictures.)  Available  for  permanent  use  at 
approximate  print  cost  of  S20  per  set.  Educational 
institutions  may  also  secure  sets  on  loan  for  single 
showings  through  selected  college  film  loan  libraries. 
Catalog  and  loan  library  listing  on  request.  Write 
Carboloy  Company  Inc.,  Detroit,  for  Booklet  "A". 


<iih\km\Lm^ 


CEMENTED  CARBIDE 

TOOLS    •    DIES    •    DRESSERS 
MASONRY  DRILLS  •  WEAR  PARTS 


FEBRUARY,  1943 


15 


Today  Demands  Production  ahd  Accuracy 

—  Use  N9  12  Plains  for  your  quality  milling 


IBS 


Brown  i.  Sharpe  MIg.  Co. 
Providence,  R.  I.,  U.  S.  A. 


T   Automatic  Milling  Cycles 

T    Climb  or  Conventional  Milling 

T  Ease  of  Set-up  end  Operation 
T  Electrical  Control 

—  and  many  other  advantages  to  mill 
efficiently  on  a  wide  variety  of  materials 


Brown  &  Sharpe 


NAMES  IN  THE  NEWS 

((lontintiid   from    Piuji'    10) 

sometimes  he  likes  to  go  out  with  the  fellows  in  liis  liouse 
and  have  a  good  time.  He  also  likes  to  participate  in  such 
sports   as   baseball,   soccer   and    basketball. 

Some  day,  Dale  hopes  to  settle  down  on  a  nice  modern 
improved  farm  and  practice  agricultural  engineering.  Dale 
has  done  all  right  for  himself  as  shown  b\'  his  good  scho- 
lastic average  of  4.1.  When  asked  why  he  chose  Illinois 
as  his  school,  Dale  replied,  "Illinois  was  the  best  all-around 
engineering  school  I  knew,  and  a  person  from  Illinois  Jiad 
the   reputation   of   being  well   qualified. 

BOB  WHITAKER 

From  the  record  of  his  results,  we  can  see  that  l?ob 
Whitaker  has  achieved  the  goals  he  once  established.  He 
is  president  of  the  A.S.Ag.E.,  as  well  as  being  a  repre- 
sentative on  the  Agriculture  council  and  the  Engineering 
coiuicil.  In  addition,  he  is  a  member  of  Sigma  Tau  and 
Alpha  Zeta. 

Whenever  Hob  can  find  the  opportunity,  he  participates 
in  track  and  basket-ball.  Hut  this  does  not  eliminate  his 
hobby   of   dating   and    attending  the   various  church   parties. 

Although  his  major  is  Agricultural  engineering.  Bob 
has  especially  liked  T.A.M.  and  C.  E.  courses.  He  re- 
ceived quite  a  kick  out  of  these  courses  and  he  has  also 
done  very  well  in  them  as  shown  by  his  good  scholastic 
average  of  4.6.  After  leaving  his  home  town  of  Forest 
City,  Illinois,  where  he  had  proved  himself,  he  came  on 
to  Illinois  and  has  since  done  a  good  job  of  making  himself 
respected   and   liked. 

Hob  is  preparing  himself   for  an   active   militarv   career. 


BOB 


He  is  a  member  of  the  Corps  of  Engineers  advanced 
ROTC.  He  has  already  spent  one  simimer  at  a  training 
camp,  so  Hob  expects  to  be  commissioned  a  2nd.  Lieutenant 
in    June. 

ALLAN  PARK 

One  of  the  most  active  of  the  fraternity  engineers  is 
Allan  Park.  He  is  a  member  of  Zeta  Psi  and  is  greath' 
interested  in  all  fraternity  work.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  Illio  business  staff  for  two  years,  and  also  is  senior 
manager  of  swimming.  He  is  a  member  of  Dolphins, 
swimming  honorary. 

Allan  has  also  been  quite  interested  in  intramural  sports. 
He  and  Dale  Hankins  won  the  doubles  championship  in 
badminton.  He  is  also  skilled  in  squash,  tennis,  ping  pong, 
and    baseball. 

Moline,  Illinois  claims  this  mechanical  engineer  as  its 
son  and  is  justly  proud  of  him.    When  he  graduates,  Allan 


.\I.L.4N 

is   all    set    to    take   a   position    with    Curtis    Wright.     There 
he   expects   to   test  airplane   engines. 

As  might  be  expected,  Allan  is  quite  interested  in  dy- 
namics, and  internal  combustion  engines.  One  of  his 
favorite  courses  that  has  helped  contribute  to  his  good  -i.'^4 
scholastic  average  is  ps\chology.  He  says  that  he  really 
received  a  kick  out  of  that  course.  Hecause  Illinois  held 
a  reputation  of  being  superior  in  mechanical  engineering, 
Allan    n.ituralK    came    to    Illinois. 


16 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


The  terrific  strain  of  modern  war  is  testing 
American  mechanical  equipment  of  all 
kinds  as  it  never  has  been  tested  before, 
but  it  is  coming  through  with  flying  colors. 

For,  among  other  vitally  important  things, 
the  designers  of  this  equipment  knoiv 
their  hearings;  that  is  why  so  many 
Timken  Tapered  Roller  Bearings  are  used  in 
tanks,  trucks,  armored  cars,  guns,  airplanes, 
warships  and  the  machines  that  make 
them.  Timken  Bearings  meet  every  bear- 
ing requirement  because,  in  addition  to 
eliminating  friction  they  carry  radial,  thrust 
and  combined  loads  and  hold  moving 
parts  in  correct  and  constant  alignment. 

Timken  Roller  Bearings  have  been  solving 


bearing  problems  in  industrial  and  trans- 
portation equipmentfor  many  years — long 
before  the  first  world  war.  They  will  be 
called  upon  more  and  more  during  the 
reconstruction  period  that  will  follow 
Victory  for  the  United  Nations  in  the 
present  conflict. 

That  is  why  you  should  begin  now  to 
acquire  a  thorough  knowledge  of  Timken 
Tapered  Roller  Bearings  —  their  de- 
sign and  application.  When  you  have 
this  knowledge  you  will  be  able  success- 
fully to  meet  any  bearing  condition 
you  ever  may  encounter.  Our  engineers 
will  help  you  to  get  it.  The  Timken 
Roller  Bearing  Company,  Canton,  Ohio. 


'All   There  Is  In  Bearings 


»» 


TIMKEN 

TRADE-MARK  flCC  V.  S-  PAT    OFF. 

TAPfm  ROLLER  RiARIHGS 


Manufacturers    of    Tlmlcen    Tapered     Roller    Bearings    for    aufomoblles, 
mofor    trucks,    railroad    cars    and    locomotives    and    all    kinds    of    indus- 
trial  machinery;   Timken   Alloy   Steels   and    Carbon   and   Alloy   Seamless 
Tubing;  and  Timken  Rock  Bits. 


FEBRUARY,  1943 


17 


HARRISBURG  MAKES      ah.       . 


THIS  102-PAGE  CATALOG  IS  FREE.  SEND 
FOR  IT  .  .  .  Contains  official  S.  A.  E.  Standard 
Specifications;  informationon  Cylinders,  Flanges, 
Couplings,  Pump  Liners:  up-to-date  data  on  the 
Liquefier.  Well  illustrated.  An  important  refer- 
ence book  to  have  in  your  possession. 


HARRISBURG  STEEL  CORPORATION 

HARRISBURG,     PENNSYLVANIA 


Coordinating  Power  Systems 

The  WL'stiiighouse  a-c  calculating 
board  is  constantly  engaged  these  days. 
The  need  for  co-ordinating  power  sys- 
tems throughout  the  country,  together 
with  the  need  to  squeeze  every  available 
kw  from  existing  facilities  to  speed  the 
war  job,  brings  engineers  from  all  parts 
of  the  country  to  East  Pittsburgh  to 
work    out    their    problems. 


Tank  Fires  Gun  While  in  Position 

The  .M-4  tank  was  the  first  to  carry 
a  de\ice,  developed  b\'  Westinghouse 
engineers,  which  is  said  to  improve  the 
accuracy  of  gunfire  by  more  than  5l)(l 
per  cent.  According  to  (leneral  Camp- 
bell, the  78  mm  gun  can  be  fired  when 
the  tank  is  in  motion.  Enemy  tanks, 
regardless  of  size,  cannot  do  this. 


Cotton  Belt  Splice  Now 
Satisfactory 

Splices  in  cotton  belts  have  never 
been  satisfactory  for  high-speed  power 
transmission  applications.  The  leather 
shortage  has  resulted  in  the  development 
of  a  new  waterproof  cement  which, 
according  to  Westinghouse  experts, 
makes   a   smooth,   permanent   splice. 


Fluorescent  Buoy  Guides 
Sea  Planes 
The  Navy  uses  a  new  doughnut- 
shaped  rubber  buoy  with  a  fluorescent 
lamp  mounted  on  top  to  guide  .seaplanes 
to  their  birth,  Westinghouse  engineers 
point  out.  The  lamp  operates  at  45 
volts,  thereby  eliminating  the  insulation 
difKculties  formerly  experienced  in  the 
salt  water  atmosphere  when  a  potential 
of  .3000  volts  was  used. 


Bombers  Carry  Extra  Gas  Tanks 
on  Long  Flights 

Thin-walled  aluminum  tanks,  riveted 
and  welded  at  the  seams  to  make  them 
leak-proof,  are  carried  as  extra  fuel 
tanks  by  our  bombers  on  long  flights. 
According  to  Westinghouse  experts  the 
tanks  occup\'  space  where  bombs  are 
usual  1\  carried.  The  extra  tanks  are 
drained  first  and  then  are  dropped  from 
the  |iiane  to  lighten  the  load. 


Pack  Radio  Serves  Army  and  Navy 

A  two  way  radio  weighing  only  ,i2 
pounds  has  been  developed  for  the 
armed  forces,  Westinghouse  engineers 
point  out.  Carried  on  a  mans  back  and 
having  a  range  of  10  miles  in  daytime, 
it  has  proved  useful  not  only  on  land 
but  also  at  sea.  Ships  in  a  convoy  can 
hear  the  signals  but  they  fade  out 
before    reaching   enenu'    ears. 


18 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


I N  only  a  few  seconds  the  oxyacetylene 
'  flame  adds  greatly  to  the  service  life 
of  this  internal  gear.  Teeth  and  other 
surfaces  subject  to  wear  are  rapidly 
hardened  by  the  modern  oxyacetylene 
flame  treating  process.  The  depth  of 
hardening  is  easily  and  accurately  con- 
trolled, without  affecting  the  inherent 
toughness  of  the  core  metal. 

Airco  Flame  Hardening  gives  all  the 
advantages  of  other  surface  hardening 
methods  plus  speed  and  ease  of  appli- 
cation. Simple  arrangements  using  one 
or  more  torches  permit  flame  harden- 
ing of  a  large  variety  of  metal  parts 
on  a  production  basis. 


Many  other  applications  of  the  oxy- 
acetylene flame  are  finding  ever  widen- 
ing opplication  in  speeding  and  im- 
proving production  of  ships,  tanks, 
guns,  rolling  stock  and  planes.  This 
versatile  tool  slices  through  steel  with 
remarkable  speed  — welds  metal  into 
strong,  light  units  — sweeps  surface  rust 
from  metal  structures  to  extend  the  life 
of  paint  jobs  —  gouges  steel  and  iron 
quickly  and  accurately. 

To  better  acquaint  you  with  the 
many  things  that  this  modern  produc- 
tion tool  does  better  we  have  published 
"Airco  in  the  News",  a  pictorial  re- 
view in  book  form.  Write  for  a  copy. 


REDUCTION 


7im>'<i/  Q/. 


'MS: 


60  EAST  42nd  STREET,  NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 

/n  Texos: 

Magnolia-Airco  Gas  Products  Co. 
Genera/  OfTces^  HOUSTON,  TEXAS 
OFFICES   IN  ALL  PRINCIPAL  CITIES 


ANYTHIIVG     AND     EVKRYTHING      FOR     VAS     WELDIIV'G      OR     C'lTTTING     AND     ARC     WELDING 

FEBRUARY,  1943  19 


Our  Societies 


By  BYRON    ROBINSON,  M.E.  '44 


A.I.Ch.E. 

On  Fcbiuaiy  17,  a  meeting  of  the  A.I.Cli.E.  was  held 
to  iliscuss  plans  for  the  new  semester.  The  date  for  the 
Chciii.  Engineers'  banquet  has  been  set,  tentatively,  for 
March  17.  Dr.  D.  R.  Keyes  will  be  the  chief  speaker 
for  the  evening.  Also,  the  L.  of  I.  winner  of  the  Senior 
Chem.  Engineer  design  problem  will  be  honored.  This  is 
an  A.I.Ch.E.  design  problem,  and  the  Senior  Chem.  Engi- 
neers of  many  colleges  over  the  United  States  are  competing. 
The  problem  this  year  is  a  design  and  technical  problem 
on  the  production  of  Magnesium.  So  far,  the  L.  of  I.  has 
won  more  of  these  competitions  than  any  other  school. 

SIGMA  TAU 

At  a  meeting  on  February  15,  1943,  Sigma  Tau  elected 
the  following  officers  to  serve  for  the  second  semester 
1942-43: 

(jordoii    McClure President 

Nathan    Schwartz [Ice-President 

Eugene   Heirman Treasurer 

Harold  Schick Corresponding  Secretary 

Pete  Penoglio Rccordiiiy  Secretary 

A.I.E.E. 

At  the  first  meeting  of  the  A.I.E.E.  of  the  new  semester, 
Dr.  C.  F.  Hottes,  Professor  of  Plant  Physiology,  Emeritus, 
presented  pictures  of  his  travels,  and  gave  an  interesting 
travelogue  in  his  comments  on  his  pictures.  On  March  23, 
24,  or  25,  E.  L.  Condon,  Assistant  Director  of  Research 
of  Westinghouse  Electrical  Manufacturing  company,  will 
give  a  talk  on  micro-wave  electronics.  Mr.  Gordon  has 
been  very  highly  rated  as  a  speaker,  and  since  his  talk  is 
to  be  on  a  very  new  and  interesting  subject,  the  A.I.E.E. 
invites  all  those  who  might  be  interested  to  come.  The 
meeting  will  be  in  215  E.E.  Lab.,  and  the  exact  date  will 
be   announced   later. 


PI  TAU  SIGMA 

Pi  Tau  Sigma  selected  the  following  men  to  lead  their 
organization  for  the  second  semester  1942-43  at  a  meeting 
held    February    16,    1943: 

Hill    .Marcneck President 

Steve  Yurenka Vice-President 

Paul   Salerno Treasurer 

Hector  Aiken Corresponding  Secretary 

Bill    <  )wen  Recording-Secretary 

TAU  NU  TAU 

T.N.T.  held  a  short  business  and  organization  meeting 
on  February  16,  at  which  plans  for  the  year  were  discussed. 
A  rushing  smoker  has  been  planned  for  February  23,  and 
a  series  of  pledge  meetings  on  March  2,  9,  and  16,  ha\e 
also  been  planned.  These  rushing  meetings  will  be  followed 
by  initiation  of  those  "sappers  "  who  successfidly  undergo 
their  pledge  period.  After  the  initiation,  a  dance  has  been 
planned  in  honor  of  the  new  initiated,  but  no  date  has 
been  set  for  this  event. 


This  year,  all  new  members  of  T.N.T.  will  auto- 
matically become  members  of  The  Society  of  American 
.Military  Engineers,  of  which  T.N.T.  is  a  student  branch. 
Also,  the  new  members  will  receive  the  society's  publica- 
tion. "The  Military  Engineer.  "  This  magazine  is  very 
interesting  and  informative,  and  will  be  of  great  \  alue 
to  all  those  interested  in  modern  military  engineering. 
Copies  of  this  magazine  can  be  found  in  the  Engineering 
library. 

A.S.A.E. 

During  Farm  and  Home  Week,  February  3,  4,  and  5, 
the  Agricultural  Engineers  laid  aside  their  slip-sticks  and 
moment  tables  and  donned  aprons  to  operate  their  annual 
"beanery",  the  profits  fiom  which  are  used  to  send  members 
to  various  A.S.A.E.  meetings  throughout  the  nation.  The 
patrons  were  well  satisfied  with  the  culinary  skill  of  the 
boys  from  North  campus,  and  as  yet.  no  reports  of  ptomaine 
poisoning  or  other  digestive  complications  ha\e  been  re- 
ceived. 

"Zeke  '  Reeser  and  Hob  McMaster,  with  their  en- 
thusiastic attacks  on  the  hamburger  supply  apparenth'  con- 
vinced the  visitors  that  the  food  was  really  good,  because 
the  crowd  of  customers  was  almost  more  than  ten  husky 
Ag.  Engineers  could  handle. 

On  February  16,  Professor  Crandell  of  the  Ci\il  Engi- 
neering spoke  on  "Mud  Houses  for  the  .Multitudes" — a 
discussion  of  the  manufacture  and  utilization  of  stabilized 
soils. 

NOTE:  An  unintentional  mistake  in  the  January  "Techno- 
graph"  was  the  naming  of  Donald  Hamer  as  Scribe  of 
the  A.S.A.E.    The  newly  elected  Scribe  is  John  Cress. 

S.B.A.C.S. 

At  a  special  meeting  held  P'ebruar\'  17,  1943,  S.B.A.C.S. 
members  heard  two  short  addresses  on  problems  of  two 
branches  of  the  ceramic  industry.  Mr.  S.  A.  Peterson, 
Head  of  Enamel  Research  at  the  I  .  of  I.,  spoke  on 
problems  of  the  enamel  engineer,  and  Mr.  C.  R.  Fillipe, 
instructor  in  Ceramics  spoke  on  structural  clay  products. 
Any  member  may  present  a  paper  on  a  technical  subject. 
Other  plans  for  this  semester  include  a  picnic  to  be  held 
in  the  spring. 


KERAMOS 

On  January  20,  Keramos  elected  officers  for  the  secontl 
semester,   1942-43.    They  are  as  follows: 

Vaughn   Seitzinger  President 

Payson    Shonkwiler   Vice-President 

Jack    Peterson   Secretary-Treasurer 

Bill    Prentice    Herald 

Earl    Smith    Senior    Class   Secretary 


CHI    EPSILON 

On  January  17,  1943,  the  new  officers  of  Chi  Epsilon 
were  installed  at  the  home  of  Professor  W.  A.  Oliver, 
chapter  adxisor. 


20 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


i 


lour  future 
is  not  forgotten 


•     A       MESSAGE       TO       MEN       IN       COLLEGE 


There  will  be  a  future. 

The  very  service  you  are  being  called  upon 
to  render  to  your  country  is  assurance  of 
that.  We  know  the  stuff  you're  made  of, 
because  we  have  watched  two  generations  of 
college  men  join  our  ranks  and  grow  with  us. 

And  the  materiel  which  we  older  men  in 
industry  are  pouring  out  makes  assurance 
doubly  sure. 

What  kind  of  future  will  you  have? 

By  chapter  and  verse,  no  one  can  recite 
exactly.  But  a  lot  of  folks  like  us  mean  to  see 
that  Opportunity  is  going  to  be  greater  than 
any  generation  of  young  men  has  ever  known. 

Every  hour  of  tiiinking  time  we  can  catch 
on  the  fly  is  devoted  to  that  one  aim.  Here  at 


Alcoa  we  call  it  Imagineering.  We  are  letting 
our  imagination  soar,  and  ballasting  it  with 
engineering  experience.  Our  purpose  is  to 
make  aluminum  make  jobs  where  none  ever 
existed  before. 

The  exciting  new  uses  we  glimpse  for 
Alcoa  Aluminum  are  our  part  of  the  ground- 
work of  the  structure  of  peace  you  will  come 
back  to  help  to  build. 

Your  chance  is  going  to  be  the  creative 
chance.  The  materials,  the  tools,  the  tech- 
niques, will  be  ready  and  waiting.  Your 
imagination,  your  ingenuity,  your  courage 
to  do,  cannot,  must  not,  fail  to  have  their  turn. 

As  man  to  man  we  say  it,  soberly:  Your 
future  is  not  forgotten. 


A  PARENTHETICAL  ASIDE:    FROM    THE   AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 

ALCOA    ALUMINUM 

•  Tliis  message  is  printed  by  Aliiminuin  Company  of  America  to  help  people  to 
understand  ivhat  we  do  and  tvhat  sort  of  men  make  aluminum  grow  in  usefulness. 


FEBRUARY,  1943 


21 


TECHNOCRACKED... 


By  PAUL  SALERNO,  M.  E.  '43 


A  soldier  ictuincd  to  c;mi|i  wirli  -.i  japaiK-st-  lu-Iniet 
slung  o\xT  his  shoulder.  "I  had  to  kill  a  hundred  Japs 
to   get   this,"    he    told    his    pals. 


"H 


o\v   come .' 


the\ 


sked. 


"Had   to  get   the   right  si/.e,"   he 


A  buck  private — ne\vl\  inducted — walked  past  a  looey 
without  saluting.  The  officer  called  the  rookie  back  and, 
pointing  to  his  shoulder,  he  asked,  "Do  you  see  that?" 

"You  shouldn't  complain,"  the  pri\ate  answered,  "Look 
at   the  suit   thev  gave  nie." 


It  seems  that  the  shoe  ration  coupons  are  interchangable 
amojig  members  of  a  family.  The  head  of  the  house  will 
soon    be   singing   "Dad's   old    fashioned    footgear." 


A  man's  death  notice  was  inserted  in  a  news|)aper  by 
mistake  and  naturalh'  he  was  very  much  concerned  about 
it.  In  a  fine  state  of  rage,  he  phoned  the  death  notice 
editor. 

"Say,  bud,"  he  said,  "did  you  put  my  death  notice  in 
\()ur    paper.  " 

"Why,  \es,"  answered  the  editor,  warih'.  "Hy  the 
wa\    .  .  .  er  .  .  .  where  are  you  calling  from?" 


HlGGinS 

AMERIt'ArSl  IIVKC 
D11AWII\G  ll^W^ 

magnify  ideas 
to  actualities 

A  complex  instrument  for 
magnification  up  to  100,000 
diameters  (20  to  50  times 
greater  than  is  possible  with 
the  finest  optical  instrument) 
demands  the  greatest  preci- 
sion in  working  drawings  and 
blueprints.  The  controlled 
surface  tension  of  Higgins 
American  India  Inks  insures 
this  accuracy.  The  choice  of 
engineers,  draftsmen  and 
artists  for  more  than  60  years. 

AVAILABLE  IN  A  COMPLHE  COLOR  RANGE 


HIGGinS   /JVKCO.JJVC. 

271  JVWTH  .ST..  BRnUKiy,N.  ,N.  V.,  U.  S..A. 


From  the  deep  south  comes  this  talc  about  two  colored 

men    named    Mose    and    Sambo    (as   usual). 

They  were  strolling  along  a  highway  when  Mose  found 

a   beautiful   wrist  watch.     He   put   it  on   his  wrist   with   a 

visible  show  of  pride  although  neither  one  could  tell  time. 
After  a  while  Sambo  asked,  "What  time  is  it,  Mose?" 
Mose  put  out   his  arm   and  said,   "Dear  she  am." 
Sambo    looked    down    carefully    and    saiil,    "Damned    if 

she   ain't." 


A  young  man  went  into  a  drug  store  and  asked,  "How's 
the  ice  cream?" 

The  clerk  answered,  "As  pure  as  the  girl  of  \our 
dreams." 

"Gimme  a  pack  of  cigarettes,  wilha,"  the  youth 
answered. 


Another  of   those   two   lunatics   gags. 

"What    have    I    got    here,""    said    one,    with    his    hanils 
cupped. 

"A    squadron    of    l?-17's?""    answered    the    second. 

The   first  peeked   carefully   into  his  hands.    "Nope." 

"The    Empire    State    Huilding?" 
rs  ope. 

"The    Philadelphia    Symphon\    Orchestra?" 

The  other  looked   into   his   hands   again   and   said   shyly, 
"Who"s  conducting?"" 


22 


HEAVY  MINERAL  SEPARATION 

( C'lntiniicd   frnin    Ftuji     14) 

to  be  seen  under  plane  polaned  light.  T  his  is  due  to  the 
fact  that  Zircon,  ha\ing  an  index  of  refraction  of  about 
1.930  is  considerabh'  greater  than  the  balsam  medium  in 
which  the  grain  is  mounted.  ( Halsam,  1.336).  The  light 
rays  are  highly  refracted  allowing  few  of  them  to  go  up 
the  tube  of  the  microscope.  Therefore,  those  which  do  not 
go  directly  up  the  tube  cause  a  dark  band  to  appear  around 
the  grain.  Note — Zircon  has  complete  and  parallel  ex- 
tinction in  white  light.  The  extinction  is  parallel  to  the 
C    axis. 

Heavy  mineral  separations  as  a  means  of  correlation  are 
often  used  as  the  onh  criteria  for  tentatively  differentiating 
sandstones.  This  should  be  of  special  interest  to  any  engi- 
neers interested  in  water  supph'  since  it  is  the  sandstones 
that  carry  the  subsurface  waters. 

THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


•  • .  and  we  made 
a  Sapphire! 


You're  lookinc  at  a  sapphire  bein^  made  in  the 
incandescent  heat  of  a  specially  designed  furnace... 
a  synthetic  sapphire  .  .  .  better  than  the  natural  gem. 
It  takes  hours  to  grow  one  of  these  sapphire  boules. 

What's  so  wonderful  about  it?  Sappliire  is  neces- 
sary for  the  security  of  this  country.  Out  of  this  jewel 
stone  are  made  hard,  long-wearing  bearings  for  pre- 
cision instruments.  The  various  precision  devices  of 
a  modem  battleship  require  more  than  4.000  jewels: 
about  100  more  are  needed  in  fire-control  mecha- 
nisms. Modem  pursuit  planes  and  bombers  require 
up  to  100  sapphire  bearings  in  their  instruments. 

In  1940,  this  countrv  was  completely  dependent 
upon  Europe  for  sapphire  jewels.  The  call  went  out 
for  American-made  sapphire  to  meet  this  nation's 
needs. 

Because  we  at  Linde  are  experienced  in  the  pro- 
duction of  gases  and  in  the  accurate  control  of  high 
temperature  gas  flames,  we  volunteered  to  try  to 
make  sappliire.  After  two  years  of  experimental  re- 
search, we  learned  how  to  produce  the  high-purity 
raw  materials  needed  and  also  how  to  make  sapphire 
from  those  materials.Today.  we  make  more  synthetic 
sapphire  than  this  country  ever  imported  from  Eu- 
rope .  .  .  enough  to  meet  all  industrial  and  military 
needs.  Thus  America  need  never  again  be  dependent 
upon  an  outside  source. 

Right  now,  we  make  colorless  sapphire  because 
colorless  jewels  make  harder  bearings.  No  sapphire 
is  available  for  anything  but  war  production.  In  the 
future  we  stand  ready  to  make  ruby  and  other  gem 
stone  materials  for  the  jewelry  trade  .  .  .  and  for  you. 

This  research  development  by  The  Linde  Air  Products  Corn- 
puny  is  paralleled  by  other  recent  achieiements  of  Electro 
Metallurgical  Company,  Carbide  and  Carbon  Chemicals  Cor- 
poration, and  iS'ational  Carbon  Company,  Inc.  all  of  tvhich  are 
I  Hits  of  Union  Carbide  and  Carbon  Corporation. 

THE    LINDE    AIR    PRODUCTS    COMPANY 

Lnit  of  Liiion  Carbide  and  Carbon  Corporation 

General  Offices:  New  York,  N.  Y. 

Offices  in  Principal  Cities 


HIS  BEARINGS  ARE  RIGHT-Chro-       FLYING  JEWELS    Pilots'  lives  anj 

tlif  success  of  their  missions  de- 
pend upon  aeeurale  inslnunents. 
Sappliire  liearings  assure  contin- 
ued aeeuraey. 


noinelers,  eonlpa^ses,  and  other 
navigational  aids  nnist  be  rugged 
as  well  as  precise.  Sapphir 


;  bear- 


ings can  "take  it.' 


LABORATORY  WARRIORS -Deli- 
cate balances,  time  inslrmnents, 
and  other  important  [irecision 
etpiipnient  ol"  the  research  worker 
need  sapphire  jcwi-ls.  loo. 


YOURS  IN  THE  FUTURE-FIawIess 

gems... such  as  rubies,  sapphires. 


luel  .  .  .  nuule  1)>  this  same 
process  .  .  .  will  he  a\ail- 


und  s 
I.ind. 
abl)'  lor  jc\\(dr\   in  the  luture. 


BUY    UNITED    STATES     WAR     BONDS    AND     STAMPS 


If  "K  ^i^^in^/^ 


Developed  by  Drs.  C.  H.  Bachman  ^lowa  State,  '32) 
and  Simon  Ramo  (U.  of  Utah,  '33),  the  new  instrument 
can  magnify  a  specimen  as  much  as  10,000  times  and 
reveal  the  actual  composition  and  structure  of  such 
minute  things  as  dust  and  smoke  particles. 

Here's  how  it  works:  a  beam  of  electrons  inside  a 
vacuum  chamber  passes  through  the  specimen,  passes 
through  an  "electron  lens,"  and  produces  a  magnified 
picture  on  a  fluorescent  view  screen.  This  image  can  then 
be  photographed  outside  the  tube  and  enlarged  up  to 
100,000  times  the  size  of  the  original  specimen. 

The  microscope,  designed  for  use  in  small  laboratories 
and  war  plants,  is  portable  and  operates  on  ordinary 
house  current. 


MERRy-GO-WHEEL 

A  DEVICE  that  rotates  in  the  manner  of  a  combination 
merry-go-round  and  Ferris  wheel  has  been  devel- 
oped to  speed  the  drilling  of  marine  gear  casings  at  one 
of  General  Electric's  major  plants. 

Known  as  a  universal  indexing  trunnion  fixture,  the 
device  permits  quick  moving  of  the  casings  for  drilling 
at  any  angle  in  a  full  circle  and  on  any  plane.  Movement 
is  controlled  bv  a  push-button. 

About  110  holes  must  be  drilled  and  tapped  in  each 
of  the  casings.  Formerlv  it  took  a  crane  to  move  the 
casings  (which  vary  in  weight  from  1000  to  2000  lb) 
after  each  surface  was  drilled,  and  every  piece  of  work 
had  to  be  set  up  at  least  six  times. 

Now  work  is  set  up  just  once-  on  a  table  that  can  be 
turned  completely  around  in  either  direction  with  no 
more  effort  than  it  takes  to  push  a  revolving  door — and 
24  to  32  hours  a  week  are  saved. 


THE  BETTER  TO  SEE  WITH 

PARTICLES  as  small  as  one  millionth  of  an  inch — 
one  thousandth  of  the  diameter  of  a  human  hair — 
can  be  clearly  seen  with  the  new  G-E  electron  microscope. 


THE  LIGHT  FANTASTIC 

ACTL^ALLY  it's  just  an  ordinary  light  bulb,  but 
,/TL.  used  in  an  indicating  method  developed  by  a  G-E 
foreman,  it  helps  minimize  errors  in  precision  lathe 
work  requiring  an  accuracy  of  five  one  hundred  thou- 
sandths of  an  inch. 

This  new  method  eliminates  the  human  element 
inherent  in  the  old  practice  of  using  a  magnifying  glass  to 
see  when  the  tool  makes  contact  with  the  surface  to  be  cut. 

In  this  indicating  method,  electrical  contact  between 
tool  and  work  is  used  to  close  a  light  circuit.  The  tool 
is  brought  up  to  the  surface  to  be  cut  in  the  regular 
manner  until  it  is  just  about  to  make  contact.  From  this 
point  on  it  is  brought  up  very  slowly  until  the  pilot 
light  flickers. 

When  the  light  is  steadv,  the  indicator  is  set  at  zero; 
and  if  it  is  set  and  read  correctly,  there  can  be  no  error. 

If  you'd  like  to  try  this  on  your  own  machine-shop 
equipment,  write  for  a  free  diagram  and  description  to 
Campus  News,  General  Electric  Co.,  Schenectady,  N.  Y. 


GENERAL  m  ELECTRIC 


24 


THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


i 


I 


"W'A  R  C  H 
1943 


OUR  ELECTRON 
MICROSCOPE 

FROST  HEAVING 

AFTER  THE  PEACE 

NAMES  IN  THE  NEWS 

OUR  SOCIETIES 

NEWS  PICTURES 


Dlished    1885 


Member  E.C.M.A, 


The  private  war  of  "^ 


Dn.  rHAO-CHEN  Waxg  carries  a  slide 
rule  instead  of  a  rifle.  Logarithms  are 
Lis  bullets.  Differential  equations,  his 
high  explosives. 

Yet  he's  waging  just  as  deadly  a  war, 
against  the  hated  Japs,  as  any  of  his 
brave  compatriots  in  far  off  China. 

For  his  is  a  war  of  electronics  at  vork! 

Since  joining  'Westinghouse  last  sum- 
mer, this  young  Chinese  scientist  has 
made  several  important  contributions  in 
the  field  of  electronics  design. 

One  of  them— a  neic  method  for  measur- 
ing the  output  of  ultra  h  igh  freqitcnci/  radio 
tubes — may  prove  as  valuable  to  the 
United  Nations  as  a  million  machine- 
gun  bullets  fired  at  the  enemy ! 

Dr.  Wang  is  an  expert  in  the  mathe- 
matics of  ultra  high  frequency  communi- 
cations. He  does  his  "Jap  fighting"  in 
one  of  the  Westinghouse  Electronics 
Laboratories. 

Here  he  employs  his  special  genius  in 
calculating  —  in  advance  —  the  per- 


formance   and    characteristics    of    elec- 
tronic tubes  before  they  actually  take  form. 


Dr.  Wang,  and  other  young  engineers 
who  enter  our  employ  every  year,  are 
constantly  contributing  to  the  "know 
how"  of  the  WestingluMise  organization. 

Westinghouse  believes  in  helping  young 
engineers  grow  and  advance  as  rapidly 
as  possible— for  upon  these  scientists  of 
tomorrow  our  whole  future  depends. 

Westinghouse  Electric  &  !Manufactur- 
ing  Company,  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania. 

TUNE  IN  the  Westinghouse  Program 
starring  John  Charles  Thomas  — NBC 
Network,  Sunday,  '3:30  P.  ]\L,  Eastern 
War  Time, 


DR.  CHAO-CHEN  WANG  stiulied  electrical 
engineering  at  Chiaotung  University  in 
Shanghai.  He  was  sent  to  Harvard  Uni- 
versity by  the  Chinese  Goxemnient  where 
lie  specialized  in  ultra  liigh  Ircqiiency  com- 
munications. Before  joining  Westingliouse, 
he  received  his  M.  S.,  in  1938,  and  his 
I'h.D..  in  1940. 


Westinghouse 


PLANTS    IN    25    CITI ES  -  OFFICES    EVERYWHERE 

THE  TEGHNOGRAPHI 


MARCH    •    1943 


This  Issue  .  .  . 

Our   Electron  Microscope 7 

By    Paul    SiiU'i-no 

Frost-Heaving   of   Soils 8 

By   J.   (».   Osterberg 

After  the  Peace     What? 10 

B>    W.   N.   KiiKlley 

Names  In  the  News 12 

By    DotKihl    llallber!;    and    l,ec    Sullivaii 

Our    Societies 14 

By  Byrcin  Holtinsoii 

Engineering  News  Pictures 18 


THE  TECHNOCRAPH 


Staff  .  .  . 

L.  Byron  Welsh Editor 

William   G.    Murphy Associate   Editor 

Paul  Salerno Assistant  Editor 

Lee  Sullivan Photographer 

SENIOR    EDITORIAL    STAFF 

Walter   Gailus.    Steven   Yurenka.    Vernon    Rydlnik 

EDITORIAL    ASSISTANTS 

William  R.   Schmitz.   Byron   M.   Robinson.   Don   Hallberg, 

Jim   Murray.   Eugene   Bixby.   William   Rychel.  Charles  E. 

Vale.    Jack    Steele.    Herb    Newmark 

Dean  E.  Madden Business  Manager 

William   Beich Circulation   Manager 

Alex  Green Subscription  Manager 

BUSINESS    STAFF 

David     Causey,      Byron     Krulevitch.      Don     Deno,      John 

Henton.      Bob    Rouse.      William     Lurvey,     James     Lyle, 

James   A.   Chapman 

MEMBER    OF    ENGINEERING    COLLEGE    MAGAZINES 
ASSOCIATED 

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nical Journal,  Illinois  Technograph,  Iowa  Engineer,  Iowa  Transit,  Kansas 
Engineer,  Kansas  State  Engineer,  ^larquette  Engineer,  Michigan  Technic. 
Minnesota  Techno-Log.  Missouri  Shamrock.  Nebraska  Blue  Print.  New 
York  L'niversity  Quadrangle.  North  Dakota  Engineer.  North  Dakota 
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Technic,  Tech  Engineering  News,  Villanova  Engineer,  Wayne  Engineer, 
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Published  Eight  Times  Yearly  by  the  Students  of 
the  College  of  Engineering,  University  of  Illinois 

Published  eight  times  during  the  year  (October,  November,  Decem- 
ber, January.  February.  March,  April,  and  May)  by  The  Illini  Publish- 
ing Company.  Entered  as  second  class  matter,  October  30,  1921.  at 
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Reprint   rights  reserved  by   The  lllinms   Technograph. 


Frontispiece  . . . 

Their    clean     lines    and  Howing    surfaces 

suggest     the     controlled  power     oj     these 
Hydro-generators. 

—  (Courtesy  U'estiiii/lioiisc. 


Cover  .  .  . 

Another  example  of  the  changes  brought 
about  in  war  time  was  the  arrival  of  a 
group  of  girls  on  the  engineering  campus. 
They  are  talcing  a  survey  engineering 
course    connected    with     the    civil    .service. 


^r 


0 


'"~^ 


'T--  . 


Our  Electron  Microscope 


By  PAUL  SALERNO,  M.E.  '43 


Tlie  development  ot  the  electron  microscope  has  been 
the  greatest  single  advance  in  the  field  of  microscopy  since 
Leeuwenhoek  disco\ered  the  compound  microscope  in  the 
latter   part  of   the   seventeenth   century. 

The  best  optical  microscope  of  today  will  not  show 
detail  of  an  object  smaller  than  2000  Angstrom  units 
(  1  8x10"  inches).  This  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  theoretical 
limit  of  resolution  of  a  microscope  is  one-half  of  the  wave 
length  of  light.  In  other  words,  light  will  pass  around  an 
object  which  is  smaller  than  one-half  wave  length.  Ultra- 
violet light,  which  is  of  shorter  wa\e-length  than  ordinary, 
has  been  used  and  has  extended  the  limit  of  resolution  to 
about   1000  Angstroms. 

In  1924,  a  French  physicist,  Louis  de  Broglie,  proposed 
that  a  stream  of  electrons  possessed  wave-like  characteristics. 
After  this  annoimcement,  which  was  based  on  theoretical 
considerations,  Davisson  and  Germer  (in  1927),  of  the  Hell 
Telephone  Company,  proved  experimentally  that  a  moving 
electron  has  a  wave  motion  associated  with  it.  The  wave- 
length was  determined   and   foimd  to  be 

"/.=  12.24'Vixl/10^,v/, 

in  which  V  is  the  voltage  which  accelerates  the  electron.  Since 
very  early  experimenters,  including  Sir  William  Crookes, 
had  discovered  that  a  stream  of  electrons  could  be  deflected 
or  bent  by  means  of  an  electro-magnetic  field,  scientists 
wondered  if  electrons,  with  their  extremely  short  wave- 
length, might  not  be  used  to  examine  much  smaller  objects 
than    were    visible    under    an    ordinary    microscope. 

The  modern  electron  microscope  has  made  this  possible. 
In  this  instrument  the  path  of  electrons  is  exactly  similar 
to  the  path  of  light  in   the  optical   instnuiients.    Instead  of 


Mgure    1.    The    ele<tr<iii    luioroscope    localt'd    in    llie 
Noyes   I.aboratoiy. 


Kisure  '.'.  A  photograph  of  finely-divided  lime  partleles.  The  mas- 
nifii'Ution   of  the   oriiiinal   photoi:niph   was   to   IIMI.IMKI   diaineters. 

lenses,  however,  the  electron  microscope  uses  coils  of  wire 
which  create  a  magnetic  field.  The  electrons  originate  from 
a  hot  tungsten  filament  which  is  located  near  the  top  of 
the  instrument.  Accelerated  by  a  potential  of  60,000  volts, 
they  are  focused  on  the  specimen  by  a  magnetic  condenser 
"lens".  After  passing  through  the  specimen,  they  are 
picked  up  by  another  lens",  which  corresponds  to  the  ob- 
jective in  the  optical  counterpart  of  this  instrumeiit.  The 
final  image  is  formed  by  a  third  magnetic  coil  or  eyepiece. 
Since  electrons  are  invisible,  the>'  are  allowed  to  fall  on  a 
flourescent  screen  which  converts  the  electron  image  into 
a  light  image.  The  image  is  focused  by  varying  the  in- 
tensity of  the  magnetic  fields.  The  magnification  on  the 
fluorescent  screen  or  the  photographic  plate  located  directly 
below  it,  is  about  23,000  diameters.  The  usual  practice  is 
to  enlarge  the  photograph  and  obtain  magnifications  of 
91), ()()()  to  100,000  diameters.  Distortion  of  the  final  image 
is  prevented  by  keeping  the  accelerating  \oltage  and  mag- 
netizing currents  at  a  constant  value.  In  the  RCA  instru- 
ments, these  are  held  to  within  .01  per  cent.  It  is  easy 
to  see  the  effects  of  a  change  in  voltage.  This  would  cause 
a  change  in  the  electron  velocity  and  would  cause  a  blurred 
image,  just  as  a  chromatic  aberration  blurrs  the  image 
in  an  ordinary  microscope.  V^ariations  of  current  in  the 
magnetic  coils  would  produce  distortion  similar  to  that 
caused   by  spherical    aberration   in   a   glass   lens. 

In  order  that  the  motion  of  the  electrons  will  not  be 
hindered  by  collision  with  relatively  heavy  gas  mole- 
cules, the  microscope  chamber  is  almost  completely  evacu- 
ated. The  pressure  is  about  1  lO'  millimeters  of  mercury. 
The  instrument  is  provided  with  two  ingenious  airlocks 
which  permit  the  entrance  of  the  specimen  and  photo- 
graphic plate  without  necessitating  the  evacuation  of  the 
entire   chamber. 

The  specimen  is  mounted  in  the  instrument  between 
I  100,000  inch  thick  sheets  of  collodion.  These  sheets 
(Continiied  on  Page  20 J 


MARCH,  1943 


Frost- Heaving  of  Soils 


By  J.  O.  OSTERBERG 

A ssociatc  in  T.A.M. 


For  many  centuries  the  effects  of  winter  frost  on  the 
ground  and  on  structures  have  been  observed,  but  not  until 
recently  has  any  explanation  or  experimental  study  been 
undertaken.  Frost  heaving,  instead  of  being  caused  by  the 
expansion  of  the  pre-existing  soil  water  in  situ,  as  has  been 
generalh'  assumed  in  the  past,  is  caused  by  the  growth  of 
ice,   which   separates   from   the   soil    in   layers. 

An  examination  of  a  sample  of  heaving  ground  will 
show  that  the  ice  appears  in  regular  strata  or  lenses  of 
varying  thickness,  and  the  total  thickness  of  all  these  layers 
corresponds  very  nearly  to  the  total  frost  heave.  The  water 
content  is  much  larger  than  for  unfrozen  soil  and  is 
frequently  even  greater  than  that  of  soil  in  a  saturated 
unfrozen  condition.  Obviously  water  must  be  supplied  to 
the  freezing  ice  layers  by  upward  flow  from  the  ground 
water. 

Various  soils  freeze  differently,  depending  mainly  upon 
grain  size.  Sands  freeze  homogeneously,  causing  negligible 
heave  or  none.  The  finer  soils  form  ice  lenses  on  freezing 
which  appear  in  a  rhythmic  pattern  of  banding  usually 
parallel  to  the  ground  surface.  The  finer  the  soil,  the 
thicker   and    more   widely  spaced    the   lenses. 

The  phenomenon  of  ice  segregation  is  explained  plnsical- 
1\  on  the  basis  of  "adsorbed"  water.  Soil  particles  exert  a 
molecular  attraction  on  water  molecules,  the  force  being 
large  close  to  the  particles  and  diminishing  rapidly  at  small 
distances  (much  less  than  a  micron)  from  them.  This 
strongly  bound  or  "solidified"  water,  being  under  great 
pressure,  has  a  low  freezing  point.  Freezing  thus  starts  in 
the  center  of  the  pores,  where  the  water  is  under  least 
pressure,  and  as  it  progresses  towards  the  particle  surfaces 
(where  adsorption  forces  are  greater)  the  resistance  to 
freezing  increases  and  hence  the  freezing  point  is  lowered. 
Consequently  the  finer  the  soil  is,  the  more  difficult  it  is  to 
freeze  the  whole  mass.  Tests  on  clays  have  shown  that  at 
temperatures  as  low  as  — 78  C  there  still  remain  soft  and 
unfrozen    layers. 

When  ice  crystals  begin  to  form  in  the  center  of  the 
void  space,  they  press  against  the  thin  adsorbed  water 
films  surrounding  the  particles,  but  cannot  "squeeze  out" 
the  water.  Instead  there  is  a  transfer  of  molecules  from 
the  films  to  the  growing  crystals.  To  maintain  pressure 
equilibrium,  water  flows  to  the  films  from  the  unfrozen 
soil  below.  Thus  the  water  is  under  very  large  tensile 
stress.  Crystallization  proceeds,  pushing  upward  and  form- 
ing an  ice  layer  separating  the  soil.  The  ice  layer  grows 
indefiniteh  if  just  enough  heat  is  conducted  upward  from 
below  to  maintain  the  prevailing  temperature  and  to  re- 
move the  latent  heat  of  freezing.  Ice  layers  may  thus  grow 
very  thick.  But  as  soon  as  this  condition  of  equilibrium 
is  disturbed,  either  by  a  change  in  surface  temperature  or 
by  water  not  being  supplied  rapidly  enough  to  maintain 
the  thermal  conditions,  crystals  begin  to  form  lower  down, 
at  a  point  where  the  freezing  point  is  higher.  Then  an 
ice  layer  forms  at  this  new  level,  and  the  supply  of  water 
to  the   layer   above   ceases. 

Because  of  the  many  factors  affecting  frost  heave,  it  is 
difficult  to  set  definite  boundary  between  soils  that  have 
absolutely  no  frost  heave  and  soils  that  may  heave.  How- 
ever, the  effect  of  grain  size  is  so  marked  that  this  factor 
alone  can   be  used   as  a  practical   criterion. 

Various  investigators  seem  to  be  in  close  agreement  on 

8 


the  limiting  grain  size.  Below,  on  the  basis  of  tests  on 
pure  fractions  (sorted  grain  sizes),  gives  an  average  par- 
ticle diameter  of  0.1  mm  as  the  maximum  size  that  will 
permit  ice  segregation  under  any  conditions.  Casagrande 
gives  the  critical  size  as  0.02  mm  for  actual  soils  (  not 
fractions).  Taber,  working  with  ground  quartz  and  other 
materials,  found  that  at  a  size  of  about  0.07  mm,  only  the 
faintest  evidence  of  segregation  appeared  under  the  most 
favorable  conditions,  and  that  for  sizes  smaller  than  0.01 
mm,  ice  segregation  occurred  readily.    Of  course,  in  natural 


I'i^urf    I.   lAiiiuplf  of  ilit'ferential  frost   heave. 

soils  containing  many  sizes,  grain-size  distribution  is  an 
important  factor.  Casagrande  found  that  uniformity  is 
very  important,  and  states  that  for  a  well-graded  soil  only 
,■>  per  cent  of  grains  finer  than  0.02  mm  is  required  to  pro- 
duce frost  heaving,  while  for  very  uniform  soils  at  least 
10  per  cent  is  required.  The  limiting  grain-size  curves  in 
Figure  2  were  established  by  Beskow  from  munerous  tests 
on  natural  soils. 

With  decreasing  grain  size  the  thickness  of  the  adsorbed 
water  films  increases,  causing  more  ice  segregation.  But 
when  the  voids  become  so  small  as  to  reduce  materially 
permeability,  water  cannot  be  supplied  at  a  sufficient  rate 
for  ice  segregation,  and  the  heave  is  reduced.  There  is 
then  a  certain  optimum  grain  size  for  which  frost  heaving 
is  a  maximum.  Very  fine  silts  heave  most ;  sands  do  not 
heave  at  all ;  while  stiff  colloidal  clays  have  practicalh 
no  heave. 

If  the  depth  to  free  ground  water  is  greater  than  the 
capillarity  (i.e.  maximum  capillary  rise)  of  the  soil,  there 
can  be  no  flow  to  the  freezing  layers  and  no  heaving  will 
occur.  For  coarse  soils  of  low  capillarity,  heaving  can  be 
eliminated  by  lowering  the  groundwater  sufficiently.  Even 
for  the  finer  soils,  the  ground  water  need  be  lowered  only 
a   few  feet  to  decrease  the  heave  very  materially. 

Dissolved  substances  have  a  marked  influence  on  the  rate 
of  heaving.  It  has  been  shown  that  solutions  change  the 
ion  concentration,  which  in  turn  affects  the  thickness  of  tlie 
adsorbed  water  films.  Calcium  chloride  and  waste  sulfite 
leach  decrease  heaving  rather  rapidly  as  their  concentra- 
tion increases.  Since  roads  are  perhaps  the  structures  most 
affected  by  frost  damage,  the  following  discussion  will  be 
linu'ted  to  road  problems,  but  it  should  be  borne  in  mind 
that  the  same  general  methods  can  be  used  for  any  other 
structure.    Frost  damage  to  railroads  is  very  important  and 

THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


in  many  cases  prevention  ot  damage  is  more  ilitHciilt  than 
tor  roads,  since  very  little  diftercntial  lH'a\"inj;  ot  the  raiK 
can    be    tolerated. 

The  damage  caused  b\  heaving  can  occvu'  in  two 
jirincipal  \va\s:  (1)  by  the  actual  heave  produced,  and 
(2)  b\  the  secondary  effect  of  the  softening  of  the  road 
bed  due  to  the  thawing  ice  layers.  Heaving  itself  woidil 
cause  no  damage  if  it  were  the  same  in  magnitude  all  over, 
but  differential  heaving  almost  always  occurs,  owing  to 
\ar\ing  soil  composition,  var\ing  ground-water  conditions, 
\arying  depths  to  bedrock,  varying  heights  of  fills  and  depths 
of  cuts,  and  other  causes.  A  common  type  of  damage  fiom 
differential  hea\e  is  the  lifting  of  the  crown  of  the  road. 
When  the  snow  had  not  been  completely  remo\ed  but  just 
thrown  aside,  covering  the  ditches  and  the  sides  of  a  road, 
it  acts  as  an  insulator  and  retards  the  penetration  of  frost. 
Where  the  road  is  cleared,  the  pa\ement  is  a  good  con- 
ductor and  the  frost  penetrates  much  deeper,  causing  more 
heave  in  the  center.  It  is  quite  common  to  see  the  slabs 
on  concrete  highways  tilted,  with  corner  breaks,  and  the 
longitudinal  joints  opened  up.  Most  of  the  damage  can 
he  prevented  by  careful  snow  removal.  The  snow  shovdd 
be  cleared  from  the  road  completely,  and  even  from  the 
shoulders  if  possible.  Another  procedure  in  snow  removal 
which  helps  in  preventing  frost  damage  is  to  remove  com- 
pletely the  first  snowfall  during  the  late  fall  cold  spell. 
The  frost  can  then  penetrate  the  upper  portion  of  the 
road  bed  rapidly,  allowing  the  thick  ice  layers  to  grow 
lower  down.  In  this  location  they  are  much  less  harmful 
than  near  the  road  surface  when  the  spring  thaw  comes. 

The  secondary  effect  of  softening  of  the  road  bed  dur- 
ing thawing  causes  the  most  damage  to  roads.  As  water 
is  released  from  the  frozen  ice  layers,  and  is  prevented 
temporarily  from  draining  away  by  the  still  frozen  layers 
beneath,  the  bearing  capacity  of  the  road  bed  is  reduced 
and  a  heavy  wheel  may  exceed  this  capacity  and  cave  in. 
Where  the  ice  layers  are  excessively  thick,  melting  ma\ 
cause  "frost  boils" — spots  where  the  water  content  of  the 
soil  is  above  the  liquid  limit,  and  the  soil  is  in  a  liquid, 
"soupy"  state.  Flexible  pavements  will  yield  and  form 
holes  and  bumps  in  such  ground.  Rigid  pavements  may 
bridge  over  the  boils  and  soft  spots,  or  may  crack  from 
the  excessive  bending  moments.  The  cures  for  such  condi- 
tions are  se\eral :  stabilization  of  the  road  base  by  proper 
selection  and  grading  of  materials,  prexention  of  boils  h\ 
replacement  with  other  materials,  eftecti\e  drainage,  and 
placement  of  an  insulating  bed. 

Let  us  now  consider  places  where  we  may  expect  heave 
in  a  road  bed.  The  importance  of  depth  to  ground  water 
has  already  been  discussed,  and  it  is  obvious  that  we  may 
expect  heave  where  the  depth  is  least.  Thus  in  general, 
heaving  occurs  most  in  cuts  and  least  in  fills.  On  sloping 
ground,  where  there  is  part  cut  and  part  fill,  the  heave 
may  be  very  large  on  the  inner  side  of  the  road  and  small 
on  the  outer,  causing  tilting  of  the  road  bed  that  ma\ 
be  even  perilous  to  traffic.  Excessive  heaving  and  frost 
boils  may  occur  in  spots  where  the  road  is  quite  level  ami 
does  not  pass  through  cuts  or  fills.  At  such  places  one 
usually  finds  that  the  bedrock  or  impermeable  la\er  is 
higher  than  elsewhere  and  the  ground-water  surface  is  thus 
brought  closer  to  the  surface.  In  places  of  high  ground 
[  water,  where  fills  are  made  of  heterogeneous  material 
dumped  at  random,  and  care  is  not  taken  to  eliminate  dang- 
erous frost-heaving  material  from  the  fill,  large  differential 
heaving  will  occur. 

Practical  methods  of  preventing  damage  from  frost  heav- 
ing are  numerous  and  no  specific  rules  can  be  given  because 
the  amount  of  heave,  the  damage  experienced,  and  the 
control  required  vary  so  considerably.  However,  the  follow- 
ing  general   methods   may   be   considered : 

1.     Lowering    the    ground-water    table. 


2.  l'ie\eiitii)n  ot  upward  llow  of  water  by  a  thin  layer 
placed   below  the  road  bed. 

.1.  Decreasing  the  depth  of  frost  penetration  by  a  heat- 
insulating  material. 

4.  Excavating  the  soil  completeK  to  the  total  frost 
depth    and    replacing   it   by   a   non-frost-heaving  soil. 

5.  Chemical   treatment  of   the  soil. 

Of  these  methods,  the  most  general  and  most  important 
is  the  first.  Drains  installed  to  prevent  or  decrease  heave 
must  be  placed  at  a  sufficient  depth  below  the  road  bed  to 
keep    the     ground-v\ater     level     at     the     desired     elevation. 


^   pf  ","..,'[ 


Figure    2.    Exanipli-    iif    differential    heave. 

Cienerally  these  subsurface  drains  can  only  be  expected  to 
decrease  heave  to  a  nominally  permissible  magnitude,  since 
they  cannot  remove  capillar)  water  and  since  the  capillarity 
of  frost-heaving  soils  lies  between  4  and  30  ft.  Cases  in 
which  such  drains  can  prevent  heave  entirely  are  those 
in  which  the  soil  is  comparatively  coarse  (capillarity  less 
than  the  depth  of  drainage)  and  those  in  which  the  heav- 
ing soil  lies  on  top  of  a  coarser  material,  so  that  the  sub- 
drain  will  cut  down  sufficiently  into  the  coarser  soil  to 
break  the  capillaritv.  Deep  drainage  can  be  very  effective 
on  side  slopes.  Here  the  drain  should  be  laid  on  the  up- 
slope  side  of  the  road  under  the  surface  drainage  ditch, 
where  it  can  intercept  the  high  ground  water  and  lower  it 
under  the  road  bed  to  the  level  of  the  bottom  of  the  drain. 
Such  a  drain  generally  consists  of  a  deep  trench  (6  ft.  or 
so)  filled  with  gravel  or  coarse  sand,  with  a  tile  drain  at 
the  bottom.  Where  it  is  necessary  to  prevent  heave  entirelv 
and  the  ground  water  cannot  be  lowered  sufficientlv'  by 
drainage  to  accomplish  this,  either  excavation  and  replace- 
ment bv  non-frost-heaving  soil  or  insulation  must  be  re- 
.sorted  to.  Excavation  to  the  entire  frost  depth  and  placing 
of  new  materials  is  an  expensive  process  and  may  not  be 
economical.  In  many  cases  it  is  cheaper  to  place  a  layer 
of  very  stiff  clay  underneath  to  prevent  upward  flow.  Where 
this  is  done,  the  tight  layer  must  absolutely  never  come 
below  the  ground-water  table,  for  then  it  would  be  useless. 

Heat  insulating  materials  have  been  used  quite  success- 
fully in  some  places.  Peat  moss  placed  near  the  surface 
has  been  found  to  work  well  in  preventing  frost  penetration. 
On  slopes  of  cuts  where  mud  flows  caused  by  excessive 
water  content  may  induce  slides  or  slumping,  thus  blocking 
the  road  and  side  ditches,  the  formation  of  thick  ice 
lavers  may  be  prevented  by  insulating  the  slope  with  a 
few  feet  of  cinders  or  sodding  with  turf.  Chemical  treat- 
ment to  decrease  heaving  has  been  tried  with  good  results 
in  some  instances,  but  a  further  study  and  a  satisfactory 
demonstration  of  the  practicability  of  this  method  is  still 
needed. 

For  problems  in  frost  heaving  on  existing  roads,  any 
of  the  methods  previously  described  may  prove  useful.  Care- 
ful studies  should  be  made  of  places  causing  trouble  before 
(Contiiiiitii  on  Page  22) 


MARCH,  1943 


AFTER  THE  PEACE-What? 


By  W.  N.  FINDLEY 
Associate  in  T.A.M. 


We  Americans  aie  iletcniiiiicd  that  cost  what  it  may 
\\c  will  will  this  war  hut  we  are  equally  determined  that 
the  price  that  we  shall  be  called  upon  to  pay  shall  not  be 
paid  in  vain.  In  the  words  of  President  Roosevelt,  so 
enthusiastically  received  on  December  10,  1941,  "We  are 
Sioin):  to  \\in  the  war  and  we  are  going  to  win  the  peace 
that  follows." 

Our  first  thought  and  our  greatest  effort  in  this  emerg- 
ency must  be  directed  to  winning  the  war,  but  we  must 
remember  that  unless  ivc  take  the  time  and  make  the  effort 
noiv  to  prepare  a  hliirprint  for  peace  and  start  hnildin/j  in 
aerordanee  ivith  that  plan  the  peare  that  follous  the  war 
zril/  he  hut  a  fleetiny  dreani. 

What  do  we  mean  when  we  sa\  that  we  will  win  the 
peace?  Do  we  mean  that  we  shall  so  plan  that  at  the  con- 
clusion of  the  war  we  in  America  shall  maintain  our  na- 
tional income,  our  high  standard  of  living,  that  there  will 
be  no  unemployment  and  no  depression  ?  Yes,  we  mean 
all  of  that  but  only  as  secondary  objectives  to  be  planned 
along  with  the  primary  objective — winning  the  peace.  By 
winning  the  peace  we  mean  primarih  that  we  shall  formu- 
late a  peace  settlement  which  will  leave  no  cause  for  nation 
to  war  upon  nation  and  that  we  shall  maintain  such  re- 
lations between  the  people  of  the  world  that  war  will  never 
again  return  to  the  earth.  This  is  the  high  purpose  to 
which  all  America  is  dedicated — a  purpose  which  will  re- 
quire straight  thinking  and  an  all-out  effort  on  the  part  of 
everyone. 

The  cause  of  democracy  and  of  all  free  men  every- 
where needs  the  helpful  guidance  of  the  engineer  and  sci- 
entist, with  his  training  in  analytical  work — and  engineers 
and  scientists  are  giving  full  measure  of  help  in  the  con- 
struction of  factories,  homes,  barracks,  tanks,  planes,  guns, 
and  all  sorts  of  other  material  for  the  armed  forces  and 
civilian  workers  in  war  industries.  Rut  democracy  for  the 
armed  forces  and  civilian  workers  in  war  industries.  Rut 
democracy  needs  the  cooperation  and  guidance  of  the  tech- 
nically trained  mind  not  only  for  production  of  armament 
for  defense  but  also  to  make  the  plans  and  supervise  the 
construction   of  a  just  and   enduring  peace. 

World  War  II  more  than  any  previous  war  is  a  war 
in  which  engineers,  and  scientists,  play  an  all-important 
role.  We  engineers  and  scientiststs  must  bmld  the  weapons 
of  offense  and  defense,  and  "detail"  the  strategy  which 
will    spell    victoiy   or   defeat. 

The  treasury  expenditure  for  war  activities  during  the 
calendar  year  1042  was  ^0  billion  dollars  and  it  is  estimated 
that  in  1943,  33  billion  dollars  will  be  expended  for  the 
construction  of  war  material.  The  engineer  is  responsible 
entirely  for  rapidly  and  efficientlv  producing  this  material. 
During  1942  we  produced  49,(i0()  planes,  32,000  tanks, 
17,000  anti-aircraft  guns  and  S, 200, 000  tons  of  ships.  For 
1943  President  Roosevelt  has  set  as  our  goal  125,000  planes, 
75,000  tanks,  35,000  anti-aircraft  guns  and  10,00(1, ()()() 
tons  of  shipping.  The  colossal  task  of  designing  and  building 
this  equipment  in  the  specified  time  is  set  squarely  upon  the 
broad   .shoulders   of   the    nation's   engineers. 

But,  shall  we,  who  have  such  a  large  responsibility  in 
providing  the  materials  of  war,  be  content  with  merely 
winning  the  war,  and,  as  in  the  past,  leave  to  others  the 
problem  of  winning  the  peace — others  who  in  the  last  post 
war    arrangements    demonstrated     their    utter    inability    to 

10 


cope  with  the  problem?  No,  it  is  important  that  e\cr\one — 
engineers,  scientistst,  and  people  in  all  walks  of  life — shoidd 
work  together  on  this  problem  and  make  sure  that  the 
United  States  does  not  once  more,  by  refusing  to  cooperate, 
prevent  the  formation  or  operation  of  an  effective  world 
government.  We  must  start  now  to  biu'ld  the  foundations 
for  the  kind  of  world  in  which  we  would  like  to  live — 
the  kind  of  world   in  which   free  men  may  remain  free. 

What  must  we  do  in  order  to  win  the  peace?  Several 
answers  have  been  proposed  to  this  question — repression  of 
militant  nations,  the  balance  of  power,  the  League  of 
Nations,  isolation.  Many  of  them  ha\e  been  tried  at  various 
times  in  the  past  and  have  failed.  There  is,  however,  one 
answer  which  has  not  been  tried  on  a  world  scale.  Yet 
on  a  smaller  scale  it  has  hat!  156  years  of  luiparalleled  suc- 
cess and  growth.  This  answer  is  the  same  answer  that 
Americans  gave  in  1787 — a  method  of  luiiting  states  into  a 
single  union  under  a  government  whose  sole  power  is  to 
regulate  and  control  interstate  and  foreign  relations.  The 
growth  and  success  of  this  union  method  has  been  tremend- 
ous, yet  its  growth  has  been  far  outstripped  by  the  increase 
in  the  rapidity  of  communication  and  the  extension  of  com- 
mercial   relations   to   all    parts   of   the   globe. 

The  engineer  is  responsible  for  conquering  time  and 
space  through  the  invention  and  development  of  such  things 
as  the  airplane,  automobiles,  radio,  telephone,  etc.  But  in 
developing  this  mechanized  world  without  at  the  same 
time  providing  the  world  economic  and  political  machinery 
to  go  with  it,  the  engineer  has  developed  a  machine  without 
a  pilot,  a  Frankenstein  without  a  brain.  And  this  fact 
that  the  world  is  without  iniified  economic  and  political 
direction  is  largely  the  cause  of  our  present  difficulty.  To 
form  the  basis  for  a  unified  economic  and  political  system, 
some  form  of  world  government  must  replace  the  principle 
of  national  sovereignty.  The  type  of  world  government 
which  seems  to  have  the  greatest  probability  of  success  is 
the  American   invention  of  a  federation  or  luiion. 

When  should  we  start  a  program  to  win  the  peace? 
We  should  start  now  to  think  and  discuss  the  post-war 
problems  and  to  prepare  detailed  plans  for  the  post-war 
world  so  that  when  the  time  comes  for  action  the  United 
States  will  not  be  found  unprepared,  and  will  be  ready  to 
take   her   part   in    a   program    for   peace   and    order. 

Rut  in  this  planning  we  must  not  lose  sight  of  the  fact 
that  the  topic  of  post-war  arrangements  is  highly  contro- 
versial aiul  that  no  formula  has  yet  been  devised  which 
seems  able  to  encompass  all  the  variables  of  this  highly 
complex  problem.  It  is  quite  evident  that  even  under  the 
most  favorable  circumstances  many  years  must  elapse  before 
great  sections  of  the  world's  popidation  will  be  capable  of 
taking  part  in  self-government.  So  that  the  final  answer  to 
the  problem  may  be  some  form  of  improved  and  empowered 
"league  of  nations"  to  maintain  order  luitil  such  a  time 
as   a   permanent   world    union   can   be  established. 

However,  it  may  be  argued  that  it  is  better  to  make 
the  most  of  an  opportunity  to  take  the  first  steps  toward  I 
our  goal  than  to  risk  gaining  nothing  by  waiting  for  an 
oppornme  moment  to  accomplish  our  ultimate  objective  in 
a  single  stride.  With  this  in  mind  the  following  proposal 
may  be  worth\'  of  study  as  an  immediate  step  toward  even- 
tual world  govenunent.  ^ 
(Continued  an  P/iye   16)  1 

THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


Battle  without  headlines! 


The  men  and  women  of  Bell  Telephone  Labo- 
ratories are  directing  their  energy  these  days 
to  developing  new  and  better  communication 
equipment  so  vital  in  today's  swift-moving 
global  war. 

Peacetime    developments,    pioneered    by 


Bell  Laboratories,  are  seeing  action  on  every 
front.  Many  of  their  war-time  achievements 
should  prove  stepping  stones  to  progress  in 
the  coming  days  of  victory  and  peace. 

Service  to  the  Nation  —  in  war  or  peace, 
that's  the  one  ideal  of  Bell  System  people. 


>y,R  CAU?  coMiSm' 


MARCH,  1943 


11 


NAMES  in  the  NEWS 


By  WILLIAM    SGHMITZ,  Gh.E.  "45 

and 

LEE   SULLIVAN,  M.E.  '46 


JIM  ROACH 

That  genial  engineer  who  always  wears  a  smile  and 
always  greets  you  with  a  cheery  note  is  Jim  Roach,  a  senior 
mechanical  engineer.  This  season  Bloomington's  gift  to 
Eli  Manle\  has  ahead)  earned  his  third  "I"  for  swimming. 
Through  his  brilliant  career  as  a  freshman  splasher,  Jim 
was  selected   as   the  swimming   team's   representati\e   to   the 


JI.M 


Beta  Kappa  dinner,  given  for  the  outstanding  freshmen  of 
each  sport.  At  this  dinner  he  was  given  the  Beta  Kappa 
award  for  the  most  outstanding  freshman  athlete  with 
the  highest  scholastic  average.  Through  his  swimming,  Jim 
was  initiated   into   Dolphins,   honorary  swimming  society. 

In  his  freshman  year  also  Jim  was  initiated  into  Phi 
Eta  Sigma  and  since  then  has  kept  a  neat  4.1  average. 
Besides  swimming,  Jim's  activities  included  a  position  in 
Junior  Cabinet  of  the  Men's  League. 

During  the  summers  Jim  has  worked  at  different  jobs, 
but  the  one  he  enjoyed  the  most  was  being  lifeguard  at 
Bloomington  Country  Club  swimming  pool  last  summer. 
Jim  figured  his  association  with  all  the  pretty  girls  was  good 
enough,    and   considered   his   salary   as   a   bonus. 

Jim  likes  almost  any  sport,  and  enjoys  participating  in 
intra-mural  sports  for  his  fraternity,  Sigma  Chi.  B.  R. 
(before  rationing)  Jim  used  to  design,  make,  and  fi\'  gas 
model  airplanes,  but  now  that  he  can't  get  the  gas  and 
swimming  and  studying  take  too  much  of  his  time,  Jim 
has  had  to  give  that  up.  There's  one  thing  that  Jim  still 
like  to  do,  though,  and  that's  love.  As  Jim  says,  "There's 
nothing  like  a  solid  session,  now  and  then,  mostly  now." 

After  graduation,  he  hopes,  Jim  will  don  Navy  blue 
and  learn  to  fly  for  his  Uncle  Sam.  Jim's  enlisted  in  the 
Navy  V-5  and  hopes  that  he'll  he  allowed  to  finish  this 
semester  so  he  can  get  his  degree. 

RAY  ACKERMAN 

(^ne  of  those  extra-bus\'  little  men  who  roams  the 
north  campus  is  Ray  Ackerman,  senior  civil  engineer.  Be- 
sides carrying  twenty  hours,  Ray  has  taken  on  the  positions 
of  President  of  Chi  Epsilon  and  co-vice  president  of  the 
A.  S.  C.  E.    He   is  also  a  member  of   Sigma  Tau. 

12 


Ray,  a  native  of  Morton,  Illinois,  has  done  very  well 
for  himself  here  at  the  L.  of  I.,  making  a  4.2  average  for 
three  and  a  half  years.  Although  his  activities  and  studies 
take  up  most  of  his  time,  Ray  takes  time  out  now  and  then 
to  enjo\'  a  few  lines  of  bowling,  at  which  he  is  prettv'  good, 
we  luiderstand.  His  other  main  outside  interest  is  a  good 
rough  game  of  ice  hockey,  in  season. 

When  Spring  and  warm  weather  come  around,  however, 
Ray  sneaks  away  from  the  books  oil  into  the  fields  to  do 
a  little  hunting.  The  day  after  pheasant  season  opens,  Ray 
is  usually  seen  sporting  a  pheasant  feather  in  his  cap. 
Craving  the  out-of-doors,  Ra\  also  likes  to  fish,  claiming 
a  ten  pound  muskie  as  one  of  his  better  catches. 

Claming  a  2-A  draft  classification,  Ray  will  receive  his 


RAY 


degree  this  June  and  depart  for  the  sunnv  state  of  Cali- 
fornia, where  lie  will  become  a  man  behind  the  man  behind 
the  gun  (airplane).  He  has  a  position  with  Douglas  Air- 
ciaft   Corporation   awaiting   liim    there. 

WILLIAM  G.  MURPHY 

Introducing  Lieutenant  William  G.  Murphy.  Lt. 
Murph)',  better  know  as  Bill,  was  originally  of  Pittsburgh, 
but  his  present  home  is  Decatur.  Bill,  a  senior  civil  engi- 
neer, is  a  member  of  the  A.S.C.E.,  Alpha  Tau  Sigma,  and 
Scabbard  and  Blade.  Before  coming  to  Illinois,  Bill  had 
a  fine  collection  of  stamps,  but  has  had  to  give  that  up  for 
the  more  important  work  of  school. 

Bill  is  interested  in  all  kinds  of  sports  and  is  all  for 
the  stiff  physical  education  coinses.  He  believes  that  every- 
one should  be  in  good  physical  condition  so  he  can  help 
to  do  the  job  at  hand  today.  Bill  is  most  interested  in  the 
structural  coinses  he  is  taking.  He  believes  that  there 
is   a   great   deal    to   be  done   in   that   field. 

Bill's  main  interest  is,  however,  the  army.  He  spent 
three  years  at  Kemper  Military  Academy,  where  he  re- 
ceived his  Associate  in  Arts  degree.  From  there  he  went 
to  military  summer  camp  at  Camp  Riley,  Kansas.  This 
was  the  first  step  toward  getting  his  commission.  Then 
Bill  came  to  the   U.  of  I.  to  continue  his  military  and  civil 

THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


engineering  work.  He  became  a  cadet  in  tiie  advanced 
course  and  was  a  cadet  major  in  the  Intaiitry  last  semester. 
As  he  has  completed  his  training  for  a  commission,  liill  is 
now    Lieutenant    Murphy. 

If  he  can  keep  his  average  up  until  April  2nd,  Bill  will 
receive  his  H.S.  degree  and  leave  for  Camp  Croft,  South 
Carolina,  where  he  will  get  more  training.  Then,  on 
May  1st,  Bill  will  be  traiisfered  to  Fort  Benning,  Georgia, 
where  he  will  enter  the  Heavy  Weapons  and  Rifle  Compain 
Commanders  School.  After  that,  Bill  hopes  to  transfer  to 
the  air-borne  infantry,  and  from  there  into  active  duty. 
Here's  hoping  everything  goes  well,  and,  good  luck,  Bill. 


BILL 

OLIVER  SCHMIDT 

Here's  one  fellow  we  had  a  hard  time  getting  hold  of. 
Yes,  this  is  one  engineer  who  doesn't  bury  himself  in  his 
books  all  the  time.  Oliver,  a  native  of  Cissna  Park,  is  a 
mechanical  engineer  who  sings  second  tenor  in  the  Men's 
Glee  Club,  is  a  member  of  Phi  Eta  Sigma,  Tau  Beta  Pi, 
was  treasurer  of  Pi  Tau  Sigma  last  semester,  and  is  a  first 
lieutenant  in  the  advanced  course  Engineer  unit.  He  is 
also   president   of   his   independent   house.   Club   Topper. 

Oliver  is  interested  in  woodcraft,  having  done  quite  a 
bit  of  whittling  before  the  engineering  courses  made  him 
turn  to  the  books.  He  also  likes  to  listen  to  any  piece  of 
classical  music.  When  he  can  find  time,  Oliver  likes  to 
play  basketball  and  golf,  and  enjoys  a  good  swim  now  and 
then. 

Internal  combustion  is  a  subject  which  interests  Oliver 
the  most.  He  would  like  to  seek  further  knowledge  in 
that  field,  as  well  as  in  machine  design.  He  says  that  these 
are  the  two  most  interesting  courses  he  is  taking.  A  re- 
\ision  in  the  mechanical  engineering  curriculum  would  suit 
(Oliver  just  fine,  for  he  believes  that  hydraulics  should  be 
a    required    course    for    a    mechanical    engineer. 

Oliver  doesn't  date  on  campus,  not  because  he  doesn't 
like  the  girls  here,  but  because  he's  true  to  the  girl  back 
home.  With  all  the  uncertainties  of  the  world  today,  how- 
ever, he  has  made  no  definite  plans  for  the  future. 

Being  in  the  advanced  course,  Oliver  expects  to  leave 
in  June  for  Fort  Belvoir,  Virginia,  where  the  Officer's 
Candidate   School    for  engineers   is   located. 

STEVEN  YURENKA 

Steven  Yurenka,  or  Steve  to  his  friends,  comes  from 
Cicero,  Illinois.  He  started  his  college  education  at  Morton 
junior  College,  which  is  located  in  his  home  town.  When 
he  had  completed  two  years  in  engineering  at  Morton,  Steve 

MARCH,  1943 


(ILLII-; 


came  to  Champaign-L  rbana  to  finish  school  as  a  mechanical 
engineer.  Now  in  his  last  semester,  Steve  boasts  a  4.4') 
all-University  average,  one  which  anyone  would  be  proud  of. 
Because  of  his  good  work,  Steve  has  been  initiated  into 
Tau  Beta  Pi  and  Pi  Tau  Sigma,  of  which  he  is  now  vice 
president.  He  is  also  chairman  of  the  American  Soicety 
of    Mechanical    Engineers. 

While  in  high  school  and  Morton  Junior  College, 
Steve  spent  much  of  his  time  reading  for  pleasure.  Since 
he  came  to  the  U.  of  I.,  however,  Steve  has  had  to  change 
the  books  he  reads,  for  most  of  his  time  is  spent  studying. 
When  he  first  came  here,  Steve  became  interested  in  weight- 
lifting  and  ever  since  has  tried  to  put  an  hour  or  so  each 
day  aside  for  this  purpose.  Steve  passes  his  afternoons  in 
Talbot  Laboratory,  where  he  has  a  job  working  with  Mr. 
Findley  on  fatigue  tests  of  celhdose  acetate  and  aluminum. 
There  is  more  about  this  in  another  article  in  this  issue. 

Claiming  a  2-A  draft  classification,  Ste\e  will  finish 
school  and  then  go  to  work  for  Allis-Chalmers  .Manufac- 
turing Company.  He  has  picked  Allis-Chalmers  because  they 
give  a  two  years  training  course  with  the  actual  work, 
which  appeals  to  him  because  it  serves  as  a  good  transition 
from  school  to  work.  Another  reason  for  picking  that  com- 
pany' is  that  he  is  mainly  interested  in  machine  design  and 
figures  that  he  can  learn  much  fiom  the  large  machines  in 
the   Allis-Chalmers    plants. 


sri;\ 


13 


Our  Societies 


By  BYRON    ROBINSON,  M.E.  '44 


A.S.M.E. 

The  new  officers  of  A.S.M.E.  for  the  second  semester 
l')42-4,?   are  as   follows: 

Ste\c  Yureiika  (^huinnan 

Alan   Park  I'ice-Chtiiriiiuii 

Bernard  Lattyak  Secretary 

(jcorge  Mays  Treasurer 

On  the  evening  of  March  17,  the  A.S.M.E.  presented 
four  \er\'  interesting  and  entertaining  motion  pictures  at 
107  .M.E.  Lab.  The  titles  of  the  films  were  as  follows: 
"Romance  of  Radium,"  "Television,"  "Bowling  Aces," 
and    "The    Japanese    Relocation." 

CHI  EPSILON 

Chi  Epsilon  held  meetings  on  February  23,  and  March 
4,  at  which  time  prospective  members  were  considered  and 
selected.  Faculty  and  student  members  participated  in  an 
open  discussion  at  the  March  14  meeting  which  was  a 
bid  smoker  held  at  Triangle  fraternity.  An  Honor  Roll 
of  former  Chi  Epsilon  actives  who  are  now  in  the  armed 
forces  is  being  prepared  for  "Transit",  the  national  publi- 
cation  of   Chi    Epsilon. 

PI  TAU  SIGMA 

Pi  Tau  Sigma  held  a  rushing  smoker  at  Triangle  fra- 
ternity. Wed.  March  10.  Prof.  O.  A.  Leutwiler  presenteil 
the  history  of  Pi  Tau  Sigma  especially  for  the  benefit  of 
the  rushees.  Elmore  Mays,  last  semester's  president,  was 
presented  with  a  gold  gavel  in  appreciation  of  his  services 
to  the  organization.  Each  rushee  was  presented  with  a 
non-technical  question,  the  answers  to  which  were  very 
entertaining.  The  plentiful  supply  of  refreshments  was 
quickly  depleted. 

S.B.A.C.S. 

The  officers  of  S.B.A.C.S.  for  the  second  semester 
1942-43  are  as  follows: 

Payson  Shonkwiler  President 

Eugene   Lynch   liee-Presideiit 

Gordon  Q.  Johnson  Secretary 

Bill   Prentice   Treasurer 

The  comparison  of  chinaware  of  different  countries  was 
the  subject  on  which  J.  J.  Svec,  ALmaging  Editor  of 
"Ceramic  Industry,"  spoke  to  the  S.B.A.C.S.  on  AL'irch  4. 

A.S.A.E. 

On  Tuesday,  March  9,  Mr.  K.  J.  Trigger  of  the  ^LE. 
department  spoke  to  the  A.S.A.E.  about  steel  for  farm 
implements.  In  his  talk,  Mr.  Trigger  stressed  the  fact  that 
very  large  amounts  of  steel  are  necessary  in  the  farm  ma- 
chinery industry,  and  also  in  other  major  industries,  and 
because  of  this  large  demand,  it  is  possible  that  post-war 
materials  will  be  competing  with  steel,  although  steel  will 
probably  hold   its  supremacy. 


TAU  BETA  PI 

Tau  Beta  Pi  held  its  annual  spiing  rushing  smoker  at  the 
Lambda  Chi  .Alpha  fraterru't\  on  .March  11.  A  discussion 
of  current  events  was  held  for  the  purpose  of  getting 
acquainted.  Refreshments  were  served  to  conclude  the  meet- 
ing. The  examination  for  the  candidates  was  held  on 
March  2i  in  Mechanical  Engineering  Laboratory.  The 
initiation  is  schedided   for  an  earl\    date. 


A.I.E.E. 

On  Thursday,  March  4,  1943,  A.I.E.E.  elected  the 
following  men  to  lead  their  organization  for  the  second 
semester    1942-43: 

Pete  Fenoglio  President 

Raymond  Shick  f 'ice-President 

Earl   Boesenberg  Secretary 

Richard    [ohnson  Treasurer 


TAU  NU  TAU 

On  February  23,  at  the  Sigma  Pi  fraternit\.  Major 
Albert,  F.  A.,  spoke  to  T.N.T.  about  the  coordination  of 
the  Field  Atillery  with  the  Infantry  in  battle.  At  a  rush- 
ing smoker,  held  March  2  at  -Alpha  Delta  Phi  fraternity. 
Colonel  Wilkes,  C.E.,  gave  the  history  of  T.N.T.  Instruc- 
tions to  twelve  pledges  were  given  at  the  formal  pledging 
meeting  held  March  9.  On  March  16,  a  meeting  for  pledges 
only   was   held. 

The  Sophomore  Award  presented  annualh  b\  'F..\.T. 
was  received  by  Lucien  Wilkes,  who  received  a  silver  medal 
for  first  place,  and  L\le  r^anning,  who  received  a  bronze 
medal  for  second  place.  This  award  is  presented  to  out- 
standing sophomores  in  the  Engineers  Basic  Course 
R.O.T.C. 


A.S.C.E. 

Prof.  W.  C.  Himtington  ga\e  an  interesting  lecture, 
illustrated  by  slides,  at  the  first  A.S.C.E.  meeting  of  the 
semester  on  Wednesday,  March  3.  His  subject  was  "Ail- 
ments of  Dams."  It  is  not  generally  known,  but  most  large 
dams,  although  structurally  sound,  are  disintegrating  and 
cracking  so  severely  that  maintenance  costs  are  exorbitant. 

A  small  group  attended  the  first  social  afifair,  which 
was  a  radio  dance  held  at  Triangle  fraterm'ty  Saturday, 
.March  6.  The  social  chairman,  Dick  Webster,  did  a  good 
job  of  arranging,  and  those  present  enjoyed  the  evening. 
Prof,    and    Mrs.    W.    A.    Oliver    were    chaperons. 

Officers  of  .A.S.C.E.  for  this  semester  are  as  follows: 

Bud   Christianson  Preside  nt 

Homer  Wong,  Ray  Ackernian lice-Presidents 

Louis  Brown  Treasurer 

Eugene  Estes  Secretary 


14 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


r 


What's  the  hottest  spot 
in  a  Dog  Fight  ? 


A  pilot  may  keep  cool  in  a  "dog 
fight" — but  not  his  engine!  And  to 
function  smoothly  at  high  engine 
temperatures  all  moving  parts  must 
be  ground  and  finished  with  split 
hair  precision.  And  that's  where 
Carborundum  comes  in.  For  instance, 
the  valve  stems  are  ground  to  the 
required  accuracy  by  a  centerless 
grinding  process  which  Carborundum 
helped  develop. 


The  centerless  grinder  grinds 
the  valve  stems  to  an  accuracy 
of  five  ten-thousandths  of  an 
inch.  Does  it,  too,  in  half  the 
time  other  finishing  methods 
would  require.  Carborundum  has 
led  in  the  development  of  cen- 
terless grinding  wheels  to  speed 
the  output  of  valves,  pistons, 
shafts  and  other  such  parts 
that  go  into  a  plane. 


Industry  at  war  is  finding  new 
uses  for  grinding  wheels  and  other 
abrasive  products. . .Weapons  for 
Production. . .every  day.  When  you 
get  in  the  field  and  encounter  a 
production  problem  which  abrasives 
might  solve,  write  The  Carborundum 
Company,  Niagara  Falls,  N.  Y. 


^ 


1.-  a  reBi^tered  trade  mark  ot  una  iriUi 
■ftur*  by  The  Cwborandani  Company. 


M.\RCH,  1943 


15 


Putting  STEAM 
into  the  WAR  EFFORT 


JiO^ 


Every  ship,  plane,  tank  and  tra«or,  like  every  gun,  bomb 
and  shell,  is  a  product  of  power.  Power,  ever  more  power, 
is  needed  to  win  in  global  warfare  .  .  .  and  steam  power 
carries  the  bulk  of  the  load. 

Because  this  is  so,  and  because  Babcock  &  Wilcox  is 
America's  largest  producer  of  steam  generating  equipment, 
B&W  employment  has  increased  at  a  rate  far  in  excess  of 
that  shown  by  industry's  average.  All  this  effort  today  is 

devoted  to  helping  utilities, 
industrial  power  plants  and 
ships  produce  the  power  to 
win  this  war.  When  victory 
and  peace  have  been  won, 
B&W  facilities  will  be 
ready  to  help  you,  the  en- 
gineers of  tomorrow,  meet 
your  post-war  power 
responsibilities. 

G-242 


FREE  14-PAGE  BOOKLET 

"The  Design  Of  \X'aler-T:ihe 
Boiler  Units,"  Not  a  ntuniial 
ol  design,  this  interesting 
hook  explains  what  types  of 
hollers  are  used  for  the  most 
common  types  of  service  and 
u  hy.  Your  copy  will  be  sent 
on  request. 


THE    BABCOCK   •  WILCOX   COMPANY 


BABCDCK  &  WILCOX 


AFTER  THE  PE.ACE    WHAT? 

((Juntiniitil  from  Pat/t    10) 

It  is  suggested  that  a  union  of  free  peoples  be  foinieil 
iiiiniediately  in  order  to  aid  in  winning  tlie  war.  Lrfectiw^' 
unit\-  of  command  in  militai\-  actixity  and  in  defense  pro- 
duction can  only  be  obtained  by  means  of  a  union  not  by 
an  alliance.  The  position  of  the  anti-a.\is  nations  has  been 
greatly  improved  by  the  unification  of  command  between 
the  American  and  British  forces.  But  this  unification  of 
command  is  based  on  the  alliance  method — a  method  whose 
glaring  defect  was  all  too  forcefully  brought  home  to  the 
British  and  French  when  France  made  a  separate  peace 
with  CJcrmany — contrary  to  the  provisions  of  their  alliance. 
.'\nd  the  British  could  do  nothing  about  it  any  more  than 
we  could  do  anything  about  if  the  British  were  to  decide 
now  to  make  a  separate  peace  with  the  Japs  and  concentrate 
their  efiforts  on  the  European  phase  of  the  war. 

A  union  of  free  peoples  should  be  formed  now  rather 
than  after  the  war  because  now  we  have  a  tremendovis 
binding  unity  of  purpose  to  win  the  war  and  the  peace, 
whereas  after  we  have  won  the  war  we  may  lose  sight 
of  our  ultimate  goal — to  win  the  peace.  Those  of  us  who 
have  suffered,  whose  homes  have  been  destroyed  and  sons 
killed  may  become  blinded  by  desire  for  revenge,  and  those 
of  us  who  have  been  fortunate  enough  to  escape  all  but 
the  labor  and  hardship  of  a  war-time  econom\  will  be 
distracted  by  the  desire  to  return  home,  to  isolate  ourselves 
and  enjoy  a  much  needed  rest  forgetting  that  the  job  is 
but  half  done. 

How  might  we  begin  a  world  union  ot  nations?  A 
beginning  has  already  been  made.  The  inter-American 
conference  at  Rio  de  Janeiro  resulted  in  an  alliance  of  26 
anti-a.xis    nations — the    number    has    now    increased    to    31. 


I'erhaps  even  more  significant,  the  Rio  Conference  has 
resulted  in  the  formation  of  an  inter-American  commission 
of  militarv  and  naval  officers;  the  recommendation  that 
all  commercial  and  financial  intercourse  with  the  axis  cease; 
and  the  recommendation  that  all  trade  barriers  barring  a 
maximum    productive    effort    be    removed. 

But  this  is  not  enough.  We  must  remember,  that  even 
though  this  alliance  is  called  the  "Lnited  Nations,"  it  is 
not  a  luiion  since  it  is  based  on  the  government-to-govern- 
luent.  unaru'mous  consent  type  of  negotiation.  In  forming 
this  alliance  in  such  a  short  time  we  have  accomplished 
nuich  but  we  must  accomplish  a  great  deal  more.  In  order 
to  win  the  war  and  the  peace,  the  solidarity  of  the  "Lnited 
Nations"  must  be  extended  by  forming  a  union  of  at  least 
the  more  influential  of  the  31   nations. 

It  is  realized  that  there  are  several  forms  which  a  union 
of  nations  might  take  successfully.  The  following  form  is. 
however,  suggested  for  consideration  as  that  which  at  the 
present   time   seems   to   ha\e   the   most   to   offer. 

The  relationship  between  the  nations  in  the  proposed 
union  might  be  similar  in  many  respects  to  the  relation  be- 
tween states  in  the  L  nited  States.  That  is,  the  nations 
of  the  union  would  discard  the  principle  of  national  sover- 
eignty and  \est  in  the  government  of  the  union  the  power 
to  goNcrn  the  foreign  relations  of  the  luu'on.  including  the 
power  to  make  war  and  peace;  to  maintain  a  common  de- 
fense force,  a  common  currency,  and  a  common  communica- 
tions system  ;  to  regulate  commerce  and  maintain  free  trade 
between  nations  of  the  union;  and  to  operate  directly  on 
the   individual   citizen. 

It  seems  essential,  in  order  for  a  union  to  function  more 
efifectively  than  an  alliance  of  nations  ( the  .systems  we  now 
have),  that  the  governing  body  should  be  made  up  of  rep- 
resentatives of  the  />ffj/>/r  of  each  nation  with  provision  for 
safeguarding  the  interests  of  the  smaller  nations,  similar 
to  the  pro\isions  in  the  Congress  of  the  L  nited  States  for 
safeguarding  the  interests  of  small  states.  The  citizens 
of  all  nations  of  the  union  would  be  citizens  of  the  union 
while  still  retaining  citizenship  in  their  home  nation,  just 
as  citizens  of  the  United  States  have  also  citizenship  in 
some  home  state.  The  union,  on  the  other  hand,  would 
guarantee  to  all  its  citizens  equality  before  the  law  and 
the  fundamental  freedoms  and  rights  of  the  indi\idual, 
such  as — freedom  of  religion,  speech,  press,  and  peaceful 
association. 

Such  a  union  of  nations  should  extend  to  all  nations 
the  privilege  of  joining  the  union  and  sharing  in  its  benefits 
and  responsibilities  on  an  equal  basis  with  the  founder 
nations  at  any  time  that  they  demonstrate  their  ability  in 
self-government  based  on  the  principles  of  freedom  and  the 
rights  of  man. 

The  forming  of  such  a  vuiion  will  of  course  require 
many  readjustments  because  of  the  removal  of  protective 
tariffs  and  the  like.  It  may  even  work  a  hardship  temporarily 
on  .some  groups  of  people,  but  these  hardships  and  readjust- 
ments will  be  infinitesimal  compared  to  those  which  we 
are    luidergoing   today. 

If  as  suggested,  we  form  a  union  of  democracies  now 
for  the  dual  purpose  of  winning  both  the  war  and  the 
peace,  it  is  to  be  hoped  and  expected  that  the  peace  terms 
which  the  union  asks  of  its  opponents  will  exemplify  the 
ideals  for  which  we  arc  fighting — freedom  of  the  individual 
and  justice  and  fair-dealing  in  international  relations.  In 
accordance  with  these  ideals  the  luiion  should  offer  to  make 
peace  with  the  world  on  the  basis  of:  no  reparations,  an- 
nexations or  reprisal  measures;  no  punishment  by  the 
uiu'on  of  axis  nationals,  and  arbitration  of  any  disputes 
that  cannot  be  settled  by  negotiation.  At  the  same  time 
the  vmion  should  offer  to  take  into  its  membership  any 
nation  which  desires  to  enjoy  the  advantages  of  a  federation 
(Continued  on  Page  20) 


16 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


FASTER  than  ever  before  — and  with 
fewer  delays  —  man  shapes  steel 
with  the  Airco  oxyacetylene  flame. 
There's  no  time  out  for  sharpening  or 
regrinding  when  this  modern  cutting 
tool  is  on  the  job.  Here  the  Radiograph 
—  an  Airco  achievement  — is  depicted 
utilizing  the  oxyacetylene  flame  to  per- 
form a  highly  specialized  cutting  op- 
eration. So  versatile  is  the  standard 
machine  that  it  does  the  job  speedily, 
accurately  without  the  aid  of  special 
attachments. 

New,  faster,  better  ways  of  making 


machines,  engines,  ships,  tanks  and 
guns  result  directly  from  using  this 
"never  dull"  production  tool.  So  varied 
is  its  application  that,  in  addition  to 
cutting  steel  swiftly  and  accurately,  the 
oxyacetylene  flame  hardens  steel  to  an 
easily  controllable  depth,  cleans  metal 
surfaces  for  longer  lasting  paint  jobs, 
welds  metal  into  a  strong,  lasting  struc- 
ture. To  better  acquaint  you  with  the 
many  things  that  this  modern  produc- 
tion tool  does  better  we  have  published 
"Airco  in  the  News",  a  pictorial  re- 
view in  book  form.  Write  for  a  copy. 


REDUCTION 


i%^tej<ae  (^//'< 


tees: 

60  EAST  42nd  STREET,  NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 

/n  Texas: 

Magnolia-Atrco  Gas  Producti  Co. 
General  Offices     HOUSTON,   TEXAS 
OFFICES    IN    AIL    PRINCIPAL   CITIES 


AIVVTHING      \^0 

MARCH,  1943 


EVEHYTHI.'MU       FOH      U.4.«i      WKI.DIXC       OK       t  ITTIIVU       ANU       ARC      WELUING 


17 


Engineering  News  Pictures  . 


—  (Cul    (.'.furtrsy     Ucstiiujlioiisc) 

BOUNCELESS  BALL 

Westinghouse  engiiu-crs  have  found  that  a  steel  ball 
half-filled  with  metallic  powder  will  not  bounce,  as  this 
time-exposure  photograph  illustrates.  This  discovery  has 
been  used  to  prevent  poor  connections  by  eliminating  bounc- 
ing and  chattering  in  electrical  relays.  The  relay  contacts 
are  made  hollow  and  partly  filled  with  powder,  or  special 
hollow  powder  containers  are  attached  to  the  contacts. 
Two  balls  of  the  same  weight — one  empty  and  one  con- 
taining powder — were  dropped  simultaneously  from  the 
top  of  the  posts,  left.  The  empty  ball  left  a  looping  trail 
of  light  as  it  bounced  four  times.  The  ball  containing  the 
powder  rolled  without  bouncing,  as  shown  by  the  straight 
streak  of  light.  Rough  surfaces  of  the  metal  powder  particles 
created  frictional  heat,  as  the\  slid  over  each  other,  dis- 
sipating the  energy  the  ball   wo\ild   ha\e   useil   in   bouncing. 


'W'-^- 


—  (Cut    Cinirtesy    Ccjicrul   Electric) 

PORTABLE  FLOODLIGHT  FOR 
COMBUSTIBLE  AREAS 

A  portable  battery-operated  floodlight  has  been  an- 
nounced by  the  Illuminating  Laboratory  of  the  General 
Electric  Company  especially  for  combustible  areas  which 
cannot  have  installed  lighting.  This  unit  is  intended  for 
use  in  such  places  as  powder  igloo  interiors,  powder  maga- 
zines, freight  car  and  warehouse  interiors  containing  com- 
bustibles,   and   during   blackouts   and   other   emergencies. 

The  floodlight  consists  of  a  small  steel  box  (19  in.  by 
9%;  in.  by  20%  in.)  "ith  a  special  dust-  and  vapor-proof 
lamp  housing  mounted  on  a  bracket  to  allow  pointing  in 
any  desired  direction.  A  high-efficiency  glass  reflector, 
combined  with  pre-focus  positioning  of  the  unit's  50-candle- 
power  concentrated-filament  t\pe  bulb  and  a  diffusive  lens, 
gives    a    powerful    medium-angle    floodlighting    distribution. 

A  5-cell  storage  battery  with  nonspill  valves  is  housed 
in  the  box.  Quick  exchange  of  discharged  for  charged 
batteries  is  made  possible  through  a  polarized  connector 
permanenth  wired  to  the  battery  terminals.  Normal  burning 
time   for   the   unit   is   approvimately    10  hours. 


PL.ASTIC  HATS  GO  TO  WAR 

These  freshly-painted  plastic  helmet 
liners  pass  under  the  drying  rays  of  infra- 
red lamps  on  their  way  from  a  Westing- 
house  production  line  to  the  battlefront. 
Made  of  tough  Micarta  plastic,  these 
"hats"  are  the  inside  half  of  I  ncle  Sam's 
new  two-part,  double  purpose  helmet. 
Strong  as  steel  of  the  same  weight,  the 
12  ounce  headpieces  give  soldiers  adequate 
protection  during  non-combat  duty.  In 
battle,  they  provide  comfort  and  heat  in- 
sulation when  worn  inside  two-poinid  steel 
helmets. 


18 


—  (Cut    Courtesy    ilcstiiiyhoiiiCj 


THE  TECHNOGR.\PH 


r 


/ff} 


ngineers  who  know  their 
bearings  are  helping  to  win  the  war 


Timken  Tapered  Roller  Bearings  in  untold  millions  have  gone 
and  constantly  are  going  into  American  fighting  equipment  and 
the  industrial  machines  that  produce  it — placed  there  by  engineers 
who  know  from  years  of  experience  what  Timken  Bearings  can  do. 

Many  of  these  veteran  engineers  began  to  acquire  their  knowl- 
edge of  Timken  Bearings  while  in  college,  and  if  you  asked 
them  they  would  tell  you  that  this  has  been  an  important  factor 
in  their  success. 

For  there  is  no  bearing  problem,  however  complex,  that  cannot 
be  solved  by  the  multiple  abilities  of  Timken  Bearings  —  the 
total  elimination  of  friction;  the  safe  carrying  of  radial,  thrust 
and  combined  loads;  and  the  holding  of  moving  parts  in  correct 
and  constant  alignment. 

Begin  now  to  obtain  your  knowledge  of  Timken  Bearings. 
THE    TIMKEN    ROLLER    BEARING    COMPANY,    CANTON,    OHIO 


TIMKEN 


TRAOC-MAKK  HKO.  U.  •.  PAT.  OrP. 


TAPmO  ROUiR  BEARIHG5 

"ALL  THERE  IS  IN  BEARINGS" 


MARCH.  1943 


19 


OUR  ELECTRON  MICROSCOPE 

((^outinuetl  from  Piigt  7 ) 
are  formed  by  placing  a  drop  of  collodiaii  on  a  still  water 
surface.  This  in  turn  is  supported  on  a  very  fine  wire 
mesh  and  observations  are  made  through  one  hole  of  the 
mesh.  It  can  be  seen  that  the  nature  of  this  instrument 
imposes  certain  conditions  on  the  type  of  specimen,  for 
example,  the  specimen  must  be  transparent  to  electrons. 
In  the  study  of  metal  surface  finish,  an  extremeh  thin 
coating  of  plastic  is  placed  on  the  surface  and  then  stripped 
ofi'.  This  film  takes  on  the  same  pattern  as  the  surface 
and  can  be  observed  in  the  microscope. 

The  University  of  Illinois  was  the  first  school  to  own 
an  electron  microscope.  The  instrument,  which  is  located 
in  Xoyes  Laboratory,  was  bm'lt  by  RCA  and  cost  ap- 
proximately 1  (),()()()  dollars.  The  work  done  here  is  under 
the  direction  of  Dr.  Cj.  L.  Clark.  Some  of  the  more 
recent  studies  have  been  concerned  with  carbon  black  (for 
u.se  in  synthetic  rubber),  lime  particles,  soils  and  clays,  soil 
bacteria,  Illinois  coals,  sperms  and  the  finish  of  metal 
surfaces. 


ROTOR  BARS  REMOVED  TO  AVOID 
LONG  SHUTDOWN 

Recently  a  J3()  hp  motor,  driving  a  centrifugal  re- 
frigeration machine,  broke  down  and  threatened  to  tie  up 
half  the  capacity  of  an  alcohol  refinery.  Fractures  of  the 
rotor-bar-brazing  had  de\eloped  and  re-brazing  woidd 
probably  have  caused  breaks  at  other  points.  Westinghouse 
engineers  recommend  winding  with  copper  and  this  was 
promptly  done.  Sharp  corners,  where  the  bars  were  notched 
for  the  end  ring,  were  removed  and  the  motor  was  back 
in  service   in   a  week. 


HIGGinS 


AMERICAN  DRAWING  INKS 
Precision    Inks    for   Precise    Performance 

From  t!-.e  steamy  dampness  of  the  lro[ii(-i  to  the  icy  dryness  of  the 
arctic,  experienced  draftsmen  insist  on  Hi^gins  American  Drawing 
Inks.  For  they  know  they  can  depend  on  tlie  precise  performance  of 

Higgins  Inks  under  all  working 
conditions. 

For  more  than  63  years  Higgins 
American   Drawing  Inks  have 
been   winning  world-wide  re- 
spect for  \\rc\T  superior  quali- 
ties —  for  fr?e  flow  and  sharp 
surety  of  line.  Draftsmen  know 
that   with   reasonable   care 
Hij»gins  American  Drawing  Inks 
retain  their  qualities  of  pre- 
cision perfnrmcnce  unless  ac- 
tually   ex[iosed   to    freezing. 

Availabis  in  a  com- 
plete color  range- 


.\FTER  THE  PE.\CE  -WH.\T? 

((Joiiliniiiii  from  Piige  16) 
of    nations   and    is   willing   to    assume    the    responsibilties   of 
membership. 

The  formation  of  a  union,  as  proposed,  would  eticourage 
axis  liominated  detnocracies  to  rejoin  the  fight  for  freedom, 
overthrow  their  totalitarian  tyrants  and  unite  with  the 
union;  and  the  adoption  of  a  peace  proposal,  such  as  out- 
lined above,  by  a  luiion  having  the  prestige,  integrity  and 
power  of  the  one  proposed  would  tend  to  remove  fear  of 
defeat  from  the  minds  of  the  peoples  of  totalitarian  coun- 
tries. Hence  such  a  program  should  materially  aid  in  win- 
ning the  war  and  in  setting  up  the  coiulitions  for  a  just 
and    enduring   peace. 

Finally  regardless  of  what  decisions  may  be  made  about 
an  immediate  union  of  nations  we  must  all  as  individuals 
strive  to  prepare  America  to  take  an  active  part  in  iiost- 
war   economic   and    political    arrangements. 


BIRD  GUN  TESTS  PLANE  WINDSHIELDS 

With  plane  speeds  increasing,  the  risk  of  a  large  bird 
crashing  through  the  windshield  and  endangering  the  life 
of  the  pilot  and  all  others  aboard  demands  attention.  I  nder 
the  guidance  of  the  Civil  Aerotiautics  Administration,  a 
cooperative  scientific  study  of  just  what  happens  to  the 
windshield  of  a  plane  when  struck  at  high  speed  by  a 
heavy  bird,  is  being  made  by  airplane  operators,  builders 
and  suppliers.  The  purpose  is  to  learn  how  to  construct 
windshields  that  have  greater  strength  against  such  impact. 
The  stud\'  is  being  made,  strangely  enough,  in  a  Westing- 
house  laboratory  used  primarily  for  testing  circuit  breakers. 

The  test  equipment  consists  of  a  high-velocity  com- 
pressed-air gun,  designed  and  fabricated  by  engineers  of 
the  Westinghouse  Engineering  Laboratory.  The  gun  which 
has  two  interchangeable  barrels,  one  five  inches,  and  the 
other  ten  inches  in  diameter  —  both  20  feet  long,  is  con- 
nected to  a  reservoir  of  air  under  high  pressure.  Loaded 
with  an  electrocuted  chicken  or  turkey  the  gun  is  fired  at 
the  test  windshield.  Velocities  far  above  plane  speeds  now 
contemplated,   can    be   achieved. 

Approximately  a  hundred  tests  have  been  made,  using 
diliferent  speeds,  angles  of  impact,  sizes  of  birds,  and  t\pes 
of  windshields.  Already  Civil  Aeronautics  Association  engi- 
neers have  learned  how  to  increase  the  impact  resistance 
tremendously.  A  standard  transport  plane  windshield  broke 
when  struck  by  a  four-pound  bird  at  a  speed  of  75  mph. 
The  latest  windshields  tested  withstood  the  impact  of  a 
four-pound  bird  at  300  mph.,  and  of  a  13-pound  bird  at 
over  200   mph. 

The  Westinghouse  laboratory  is  retiiarkably  well-suited 
to  such  unusual  tests.  Large  outdoor  test  cells,  where  circuit 
breakers  are  deliberately  tested  to  destruction,  provide  an 
ideal  shooting  range.  Oscillographs,  cameras,  and  recording 
devices  are  at  hand,  and  compressed  air  is  available  in 
quantity.  The  most  important  part  of  the  gun  is  the  trigger. 
Fortunately  a  high-speed  air  valve,  recently  developed  for 
use  with  compressed-air  circuit  breakers,  served  the  purpose 
without  modification.  This  is  another  remarkable  illustra- 
tion of  haw  the  tools  of  peace  are  helping  to  hasten  the 
da\   of  victor\ . 


SQUEEZING  OUT   KWH  \ 

Saving  enough  on  losses  for  the  utility  company  to 
pay  the  interest  on  the  investment,  Westinghouse  experts 
recently  rewound  the  stator  of  a  23,750  kva  turbine- 
generator  without  use  of  additional  critical  material.  The 
reduction  of  335  kw  in  no-load  losses  and  400  kw  iti  full- 
load  losses  makes  a  few  more  kwh  available  for  war  pro- 
duction. 


20 


THE  TECHNOGR.\PH 


^^1 


The  winning  of  the  war  is  the  first  objective — 
everyone  agrees  to  that.  That  is  why  the  Zinc  industry 
is  concentrating  its  efforts  on  production;  for  Zinc  is 
so  very  important,  in  so  many  ways,  that  it  has  been 
placed  in  the  Hst  of  essential,  strategic  materials.  In 
other  words,  the  use  of  Zinc  is  a  "must" — for  many 
purposes  nothing  else  can  take  its  place. 

This  new  book,  ''Zinc  in  Wartime",  is  a  pictorial 
story  of  the  ways  in  which  Zinc  is  helping  to  win  the 
war.  Hundreds  of  photographs  show  the  great  variety 
of  uses  to  which  Zinc  is  put,  in  planes,  tanks,  battle- 
ships, in  all  kinds  of  fighting  equipment.  The  book  is 
more  than  interesting;  it  is  fascinating,  inspiring.  It  is 
worth  reading.  You  can  get  a  copy  by  writing  to  the 


AMERICAN 
ZINC  INSTITUTE 

I  ncorporated. 
60   East  42nd  Street 

NEW  YORK.N.Y. 


MARCH,  1943 


21 


FROST-HEAVING  OF  SOILS 

(Continued  from  Page  9) 

any  lemecl)'  is  tried.  In  nian\-  cases  a  trial  lirain,  or  insulat- 
ing bed,  or  bed  of  coarse  material  demonstrates  the  effective- 
ness of  each  method.  For  new  roads,  a  complete  soil 
survey  shoultl  be  made.  With  proper  control  and  placement 
of  fills  and  proper  drainage  installation,  most  frost  heaving 
pioblcnis  can   be  solved. 


PRECIPITRONS  GO  TO  WAR 

Dust  oil  and  smoke  can  seriously  effect  the  nation's 
war  effort,  according  to  Westinghouse  engineers.  The 
Precipitron  is  useful  for  removing  from  air  breathed  b\ 
desert  engines,  thus  lengthening  their  life.  So  as  not  to 
betray  a  ship's  presence  below  horizon,  the  smoke  from 
its  stack  can  be  eliminated  by  a  similar  electrostatic  sepa- 
rator. 


DESIGN  24.VOLT  AND  SEARCHLIGHT 

Military  authorities  recently  required  a  powerful 
searchlight  for  operation  on  24  volts  d-c.  According  to 
Westinghouse  experts,  engineers  accomplished  the  impossible, 
since  arcs  normally  become  unstable  at  less  than  55  volts. 
.'\  new  type  of  carbon  electrode  plus  a  new  control  scheme 
produced  a  light  stable  e\en  at  IS  volts  with  a  light  beam 
of  50  million  cp.  Not  only  that,  the  light  is  more  efficient 
than    previous   models. 


WANTED! 

ENGINEERS  and  TECHNICIANS 


INTERESTING  WORK  on  post-war  research 
and  war  projects  in  one  of  the  world's  largest 
air  conditioning  and  refrigeration  research 
laboratories  with  excellent  opportunity  for 
obtaining  industrial  experience  and  post-war 
employment,  if  desired,  for 

(1)  L.\BOR.\TC)RY  SUPERVISOR  to  or- 
ganize testing  i)rocednre  and  direct  the  work 
of  laboratory  technicians. 

(2)  ENGINEERS  in  design  and  research 
work  on  refrigeration  and  air  conditioning 
equipment  and  in  development  on  essential 
war  contracts. 

(:',)  U\BORAT()RY  TECHNIC1.\NS  to  di- 
rect the  complete  erection  of  test  set-ups 
and  direct  and  supervise  the  actual  test  runs. 

(4)  INSTRUMENT  TECHNICI.\NS  to  do 
instriunent  calibration  and  to  be  in  charge 
of  instrument  storage,  repairs,  etc. 

I'li'iisr    writi': 

MR.  T.  M.  COX,  Personnel  Department 

Carrier  ('<ir|iorati(m 

svKAH  si:,  m;\v  vouk 


STATIC    ELECTRICITY   INTERFERES 
WITH  WAR  EFFORT 

.Static  electricity  experiments  ha\e  demonstrated  that 
rubber  tires  impregnated  with  conductive  materials  drain 
static  charges  from  trucks  used  in  explosives  plants,  reduc- 
ing the  danger  from  sparks  that  might  cause  an  explosion 
according  to  Dr.  Victor  Wouk,  2.^-year-old  Westinghouse 
icsearcii  engineer,  at  the  A.I.E.E.  winter  convention. 

Big  bombers  can  build  up  static  charges  powerful 
enough  to  give  discomforting  jolts  to  ground  crew  nun  w  lio 
touch  the  plane  .soon  after  it  lands.  This  useless  electricity 
may  be  the  cause  of  a  gasoline  fire.  On  an  extremely  dry 
day,  your  automobile  may  build  up  an  electrical  pressure 
of  30, ()()()  \olts.  These  \()ltages  rareh  cause  any  damage 
in  ,in  auto  because  the  amount  of  electricit\  your  car  can 
hold    is   extremely   limited. 

To  measure  this  tiny  current  Dr.  Wouk  fastened  a 
wire  to  the  body  of  a  car  and  connected  the  wire  to  a 
microammeter,  an  extremely  sensitive  electrical  instrument. 
Another  wire  attached  to  the  microammeter  was  put  througli 
the  rear  window  of  the  moving  auto  and  connected  to  a 
steel  chain  dragging  in  a  grounded  steel  channel  imbedded 
in  an  asphalt  road.  With  this  apparatus,  he  was  able  to 
make  all  the  electricity  in  the  car  body  flow  back  to  the 
ground    through    the    current    measuring    device. 

When  a  car  is  driven  along  a  highwa\,  the  current 
stops  flowing  when  the  auto  becomes  fully  charged.  When 
that  point  is  reached,  all  the  electricity  from  the  tires  goes 
directly  back  into  the  roadway  without  passing  through 
the  body.  The  charge  in  a  car  drains  away  in  a  few 
seconds  after  the  auto  stops ;  it  rarely  lasts  longer  than 
10   or    15    seconds. 


G.  E  DEVELOPS  MEMORY  MACHINE 

A  memory  device,  which  will  retain  the  image  of  an 
electric  flash  for  1/25  of  a  second,  long  enough  to  open 
automatically  the  lens  of  a  camera  and  make  a  picture  of 
it,  has  been  developed  in  General  Electric's  laboratory. 

This  electronic  robot  consists  of  a  cathode  ray  tube  on 
which  a  small  beam  of  electrons  continuously  paint  on  the 
thin  coating  of  a  floure.scent  mineral  a  picture  of  what  is 
happening.  When  there  is  a  flash,  this  de\ice  picks  up  the 
pictme,  retains  the  image  long  enough  for  thyratron  tube 
automatically  to  trip  the  camera  for  a  1  '50  second  exposure. 

"Just  as  the  human  eye  retains  the  image  of  what  it 
sees  for  a  fraction  of  a  second,  until  the  nerve  s\steni 
relays  it  to  the  brain,  ,so  this  memory  oscillograph  holds  the 
image  long  enough  to  be  photographed,"  Dr.  A.  W.  Hull, 
assistant  director  of  (K'neral  Electric's  research  laborator\ 
who  developed   the   device,   explained. 

The  device  will  be  used  in  the  study  of  unpredictable 
flashes  or  surges  on  electrical  equipment. 


22 


"TAIL-LIGHTS"   FOR   PARACHUTES 

They're  now  imtting  bic\cle  tail-lights  on  parachutes. 
This  unique  example  of  a  peace-time  lamp  at  war  is  told 
by  engineers  at  the  Westinghouse  Lamp  Division,  Bloom- 
field,  N.J.  The  tail-light  formerly  made  for  bicycles  has 
proved  to  be  adaptable  for  use  on  parachutes.  A  lamp  and 
small  dry  cell  fastened  to  each  cargo  parachute  makes  it 
easier  for  paratroops  to  locate  supplies  dropped  to  them  at 
night.  The  same  lamp  and  battery  combination  fastened 
to  a  life  preserver  aids  a  struggling  swimmer  to  see  it  in 
the  dark.  The  bicycle  tail-light  is  but  one  of  more  than 
200  peacetime  lamps  that  have  been  pressed  into  military 
service. 

THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


IN  THE  AIR  SOONER!  Viuil 
aircraft  parts  flo\v  from  pro- 
diirtion  lines  quicker  hecaiise 
the  Use  of  calcium  metal  re- 
sults ill  better  metal. 


BETTER  HEALTH  !  Pure  calcium 

melal  is  u^etl  as  a  drying  and 
purifying  agent  in  the  manu- 
facture of  certain  new  disease- 
fighting  drugs. 


^m 


CHEMICAL  HELPER!  Calcium 
is  necessary  in  making  a  num- 
ber of  rare  metals  — many  of 
wliiih  heretofore  were  un- 
available commercially  —  and 
all  of  which  are  vital. 


METAL-SAVER!  In  the  melting 
of  copper  si-rap  for  u>e  in 
certain  types  of  electrical 
equipment,  calciinu  is  used  as 
a  purifier  anil  a  restorer  of 
electrical  4-onducti\  ity. 


BUY    UNITED    STATES    WAR     BONDS    AND    STAMPS 


This  "Carrot" 


means  healthy  metals 

You  CAN  SEE  why  metalworkers  call  this  lump  of 
oalciuin  metal  a  "carrot."  This  is  tlie  way  it  looks 
when  it  comes  from  an  electrolytic  cell  in  which  it 
is  made. 

Calcium  is  a  soft,  silvery-looking  metal.  Altlioufih 
it  is  al)un(lantly  present  in  such  common  materials 
as  clialk  and  limestone,  its  recovery  as  a  pure  metal 
is  extremely  diflicult.  \et  it  is  vitally  essential  to 
this  country. 

In  the  making  of  stainless  or  high-allov  steels,  cal- 
cium drives  out  impurities,  •iiving  cleaner,  hetter 
steel  for  casting  or  rolling.  In  magnesium  casting, 
small  amounts  of  calcium  improve  llie  finisli  of  I  he 
surface  an<l  minimize  scaling.  Calcium  is  an  essential 
in  tlic  making  of  many  metals. 

This  hitherto  rare  metal  has  heen  made  in  this 
country  only  during  the  past  few  years.  Before  Eu- 
rope exploded,  the  United  States  was  dependent 
u])oii  France  as  a  source  of  supply. 

But  hack  as  far  as  193f>.  tliinking  that  this  country 
should  ha\e  a  domestic  source,  El-ECTRO  Metai.- 
Ll  RGICAL  Company',  a  unit  of  I  CC,  started  a  major 
research  program.  After  four  years  of  work  .  .  .  as 
French  supplies  dwindled  ...  a  plant  was  ]>ut  into 
operation  for  the  manufacture  of  liie  gray  metal. 
Today.  Electro  Metallurgical  Company  produces 
many  times  as  much  calcium  metal  as  this  country 
ever  imported  . . .  and  production  is  increasing. 

UNION     CARBIDE     AND     CARBON 
CORPORATION 

[E33 

30  East  42n<l  Street  New  York,  N.  Y. 

Principal  Products 

AI.I.OVS     AND     METAI.S 

Ef.ECTRODFS.     CARBONS     A>n     BATTERIES 

INDl STRIAL    GASES     AND     CARBIDE 

CHEMICALS  PLASTICS 


c-a 


'^^ /Y-eu^^^^^, 


LtT  HER  KOLLI 

AT  A  PLANT  of  the  Hanna  Coal  Company  in  Ohio, 
^  loaded  coal  cars  are  emptied  by  being  rolled  onto  a 
rotary  dump,  fastened  to  the  rails  by  a  mechanical  device, 
and  then  rolled  upside  down  over  a  chute. 

Now  the  dump  is  not  supposed  to  revolve  again  until 
the  empty  car  has  been  righted  and  sent  on  its  way.  But 
once  in  a  while,  when  a  car  took  a  particularly  long  time 
to  move  off,  the  dump  would  revolve  the  next  full  car 
and  derail  the  emptv  one. 

The  dirticulty  was  remedied  when  a  G-E  photo- 
electric relay  and  light  source  were  installed  on  opposite 
sides  of  the  track  at  the  "emptv"  end  of  the  dump.  Now 
the  dump  can't  revolve  so  long  as  the  light  beam  between 
the  light  source  and  the  phototube  in  the  relay  is 
blacked  out  by  the  body  of  the  empt\'  car. 


.yr^^^^J- 


NOTHING  TO  IT 

HERE'S    how    the    G-E    supercharger   works — a  la 
Hollywood. 
In    Warner   Brothers'    "Desperate  Journey,"    a   Nazi 
officer  asks   a   captive   American   flyer,    "How   do  you 
manage  to  supercharge  the  engines  at  the  extreme  cold  of 
these  high  ahitudes?" 

Johnny,  the  prisoner  Tplaved  by  Ronald   Reagan)  is 
crafty.  He  stalls  a  bit  and  then,  assured  that  no  one  can 


overhear,  he  whispers,  "It's  done  with  a  thermo- 
trockle." 

"A  what?"  The  awed  Nazi  leans  closer. 

"A  thermotrockle  amfilated  through  a  daligoniter," 
explains  Johnny,  beginning  to  sketch  with  his  left 
hand. 

"You  see,  the  dornadyne  has  a  frenicoupling  and  the 
amacmeter  prenulates  the  kinutaspel  hepulace — here — 
and  the — ." 

All  of  which  thickens  the  plot,  confuses  the  Nazi,  and 
gives  Johnny  an  opportunity  to  slug  his  guard  and  escape 
—  without  revealing  a  single  military  secret. 


TESTING 

BACK  when  Herbert  Hoover  was  in  the  White  House, 
four  specimen  rods  of  an  alloy  steel  used  in  steam 
turbines  were  imprisoned  in  a  thermostatically  controlled 
electric  furnace  at  one  of  the  G-E  laboratories. 

The  purpose  was  to  studv  the  effect  on  the  metal  of 
prolonged  high  temperature  and  stress,  in  order  to  improve 
the  design  of  the  turbines. 

Usually  these  "creep"  tests  are  run  for  only  UXX)  to 
3000  hours,  but  the  engineers  never  took  these  four 
specimens  out  of  the  furnace  until  the  other  dav — thus 
obtaining  what  thev  believe  to  be  the  first  data  based  on 
a  100,000-hour  test. 

Throughout  the  100,000  hours  an  ingenious  alarm 
system  guarded  the  specimens.  In  the  event  of  trouble,  a 
red  light  would  flash  and  a  bell  would  ring,  summoning  a 
watchman  who  could  get  one  of  the  engineers  out  of  bed 
to  remedy  the  situation. 


GENERAL  O  ELECTRIC 


24 


THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


iJU^i**."   ^^^-5^ 


» 


i 


I 


v,t 


•:3^^ 


APRIL 
1943 

* 

PLASTICS 

ENGINEERING 
LIBRARY 

WIND  TUNNELS 

OUR  SOCIETIES 


Dlished    1885 


Member  E.C.M.A. 


<u 


/>x  '' '' 


Speaking  of  superior  races . . 


Every  wheel  that  rolls  on  the  buttle- 
fielci  turns  in  a  polished  hearing  race, 
ruggedly  huilt  to  take  the  terrific  shock 
of  combat  service. 

To  withstand  such  punishment,  bear- 
ing races  must  be  liardened  by  heat- 
treatment.  Hard  and  soft  spots  occa- 
sionally occur.  Such  races  may  fail — at 
times  when  failure  means  disaster. 

Recognizing  the  vital  need.  Westing- 
house  Research  Engineers  P.  H.  Brace 
and  (".  S.  Williams  set  to  work  to  develop 
a  quick,  sure  method  of  detecting  these 
flaws. 

Their  ingenious  electromagnetic  flaw- 
detector  is  based  upon  the  fundamental 
law  that  the  permeabilitii  of  a  heat-treated 
steel  part  varies  with  the  degree  of 
hardness. 

In  actual  practice,  BraceandWilliams 
first  ciimphtcli/  demagnetize  the  bearing 
race  under  test.  Next  it  is  rapidly  rotated 
and  strongly  magnetized.  While  the  race 
is  still  turning  at  high  speed  its  magnetic 
fiekl  is  explored  with  a  specially  designed 
electromagnetic  "pick-up." 

Variations  in  the  magnetic  field  of  the 
bearing  race,  due  to  hard  or  soft  sijots, 
induce  feeble  currents  in  the  pick-up 
system.  These  currents  are  amplified  and 
shown  on  a  cathode-ray  oscilloscope. 


A  uniformly  heat-treated  bearing  race 
traces  a  luminous  straight  line  on  the 
oscilloscope  screen.  Faulty  heat-treating 
shows  up  as  a  pattern  of  hills  and  valleys. 

The  Brace-Williams  electromagnetic 
flaw-detector  is  now  being  used  commer- 
cially—  a  typical  example  of  Westing- 
house  f/cc/ro/i  icsat  irorlc.  It  assures  quality 
in  millions  of  bearing  races  for  our  armed 
forces,  to  keep  'em  rolling  on  to  victory! 
•         •         * 

What    Brace  and  Williams  did  — by 

employing  Westinghouse  "know  how" 
to  develop  the  magnetic  flaw  detector — 
many  young  Westinghouse  scientists  are 
now  doing  in  other  fields  of  fundamental 
research. 

Today,  they  are  helping  to  solve  the 
technical  problems  of  modern  warfare. 
Tomorrow,  they  will  tackle  the  job  of 
building  a  better  world  for  all  of  us. 

Westinghouse  Electric  &  Manufactur- 
ing Company,  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania. 


ELECTRONIC  FINGERPRINTS— Westinghouse 
Kisearch  Eiiyiiiecr  C  S.  Williams  deraon- 
.strates  the  priiiiiple  of  tlie  electromagnetic 
flaw-deteitur.  Hani  spots  in  the  steel  test 
piece  show  up  as  an  irregular  line  on  the 
oscilloscope  screen.  Williams  joined  Westing- 
house after  receiving  his  B.  S.  in  Electrical 
Engineering  at  Northwestern  University. 


Westinghouse 

5    CITIES    .    .     .      fJ  OFFICES 

Electronics  at  work 


PLANTS    IN    25    CITIES 


OFFICES    EVERYWHERE 


THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


APRIL    *    1943 


This  Issue  .  .  . 

Problems  in  Testing  Plastics 7 

B.V  W.   N.   KiiKlUw 

Wind  Tunnels  Vital  in  Airplane  Testing 10 

Our  Societies 14 

By    Byrun    Ilobinsoii 

Our  Engineering  Library 16 

By    Paul    Salerno 

Engineering  News  Briefs 22 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


Staff  .  .  . 

L.  Byron  Welsh Editor 

Paul   G.   Salerno Assistant   Editor 

Walter   Gailus Assistant    Editor 

SENIOR   EDITORIAL,    STAFF 
Steven    Yurenka.    Vernon    Rydbeek 

EDITORIAL.    ASSISTANTS 
Byron     M.     Robinson.     Donald     Hallbers.     Jim     Murray, 
Eugene    Bixby,    William    Ryehel.    Charles    Yale,    Jack 
Steele,    Herb    Newmark 

Dean  E.  Madden Business  Manager 

William   Beich Circulation   Manager 

Alex  Green Subscription  Manager 

BUSINESS    STAFF 

IJyron  Kndevitch.  Don  Deno.  John  Henton.  Bol)  Uouse, 

James    A.    Chaiiman 


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Frontispiece  .  . . 


Funnels,  not  for  ships  hut  tor  sohents, 
the.se  ve.s.sels  recover  vohitile  tiiiids  used  in 
proce.ssing  Micarta,  from  whicli  aie  made 
helmets,  airplane  piille\s.  and  otlier  plastic 
forms. 

—  (Courtesy    If  i stint/house. 


Cover  .  .  . 

The  00-ton  dipper  of  a  .Maiion-hiiilt 
electric  shovel,  as  big  as  any  in  the  world 
and  operated  by  the  Midland  Electric  Coal 
Co.,  is  shown  with  its  crew  (atop  cab)  near 
Middlegroove,  111.,  where  its  strips  nearly 
one  million  tons  of  earth  a  month  from 
coal  fields.  (leneral  Electric  motors,  gen- 
erators and  amplid\ne  control  equipment 
enable  the  shovel  to  scoop  vip  a  freight- 
car  load  of  dirt  in  50  seconds'  time.  ((Jut 
Courtesy   Ceneral  Elcilric). 


Problems  in  Testing  Plastics 

By  W.  N.  FINDLEY 
Associate  in  llwoiflictil  and  Applied  Mechanics 


The  introduction  of  plastics  as  an  engineering  material 
has  brought  to  the  testing  engineer  a  multituiie  ot  new 
headaches,  because  there  are  a  number  of  variables  which 
aie  of  extreme  importance  in  the  testing  of  jilastics  but 
are  relatively  unimportant  in  the  testnig  of  metals.  Some 
of  the  most  important  of  these  variables  are  temperature, 
relative    humidity,    and    speed    of    testing. 

A  machinist  who  was  given  the  job  of  turning  a  speci- 
men from  a  sheet  of  plastic  made  from  laminated  paper 
had  a  lot  of  trouble.  His  lathe  tool  gouged  and  chipped 
the  plastic  so  that  the  specimen  was  anything  but  round. 
The  job  gave  him  a  bad  day,  so  that  he  remarked:  "Some 
people  are  going  too  far  in  trying  to  make  everything  out 
of  plastics — especially  test  specimens!  Why  the  stuff  never 
was  designed   to  be  tested   in  the  first  place." 

This  raises  a  question  as  to  why  tests  are  made.  Are 
tests  made  only  because  purchasing  agents  request  them? 

There  are  two  main  reasons  for  conducting  mechanical 
tests  of  materials.  The  first  of  these  is  to  provide  reliable 
design  data  for  use  in  designing  machines,  structures,  or 
household  articles  to  resist  breakage  or  excessive  deforma- 
tion. A  second  reason  for  conducting  mechanical  tests  of 
materials  is  to  provide  a  means  of  inspecting  the  quality 
of  a  material  or  product  and  thus  to  control  its  uniformity 

The  problem  of  testing  materials  to  fulfill  either  of  the 
above  conditions  requires  that  all  variable  factors  must  be 
controlled  which  might  alter  the  results  of  tests.  Thus 
it  becomes  necessary  to  study  the  effect  of  all  variables 
which  influence  the  results  of  tests.  The  effect  of  variables, 
such  as  temperature,  humidity,  speed  of  testing,  etc.  should 
be  thoroughly  studied  for  all  materials  in  order  that  methods 
of  testing  may  be  made  to  give  reproducable  results.  In- 
formation on  the  effect  of  such  variables  is  needed  in  order 
to  take  such  variations  into  account  in  the  design  of  parts 
that  are  being  subjected  to  wide  variations  in  conditions 
of  service. 

Types  of  mechanical  tests  may  be  divided  into  two 
broad  classifications.  The  first  is  a  utility  or  non-standard 
type  of  test  designed  to  indicate  that  a  given  fabricated 
part  is  acceptable  or  is  not  acceptable.  A  second  type  of 
mechanical  test  consists  of  controlled  laboratory  tests  de- 
signed to  pro\ide  basic  information  on  the  behavior  of  the 
material   under   loads.     A   third   type   of   test   is   intended   to 


7  000 


-80       -40 


0  40  80         120        160 

Temperafure,  deg.  Cent. 


200 


~24fi 


piovide  data  for  design  purposes  and  ma\'  ha\e  little  bearing 
on  basic  properties  of  the  material.  Kxamples  of  informa- 
tion of  the  latter  type  are  the  bearing  strength  and  shearing 
strength  of  materials  as  used  in  riveted  joints.  To  provide 
such  data  a  test  may  be  made  of  a  structure  simulating 
a  riveted  joint  and  the  rivet  shear  and  rivet  bearing  strength 
may   be   determined    from   this   test. 

"Hasic"  iiifoiniation  on  the  behavior  of  plastics  inuier 
loads  together  with  design  data  of  "non-basic"  type  is 
needed  because  of  the  application  of  plastics  in  parts  re- 
quiring strength.  Some  applications  in  which  plastics  are 
used  in  aircraft  for  resisting  loads  instead  of  purely  decora- 
ti\e  purposes  are  as  follows:  aircraft  wing  tips,  propellers, 
landing  flaps,  control  tabs,  windows,  giuuier's  turrets, 
engine  cowlings,  antenna  masts,  and  numerous  small  parts. 
Other  applications  requiring  strength  are  in  screens  for 
windows  and  strainers,  pumps  and  piping  for  chemicals, 
parts    of    electrical    relays,    punches    and    il>es    for    forming 


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Time, Houri, Log  seals 


iO.OOO 


Fisiire   I.    The   Klfert   of   Teiiiiwratuie   on   the  Tensile   Stien!;th 
PhenoUc   Molding    Compositions. 


Figure  'i.    The   Kffeet   of   Time  and   Conditioiiing:  on   the   Yield 

Point    in    Compression   and    the    Speeific    Weisht    of 

Cellulose    Aeetate    Plotted    .Vgainst    Time. 

sheet  metal  parts  of  aircraft,  army  canteens  and  bugles, 
and    tires  to   replace   rubber  on   small   hand   trucks. 

Types  of  tests  which  are  used  to  provide  "basic"  in- 
formation on  the  mechanical  properties  of  materials  are 
short  time  tension  tests,  compression  tests,  and  torsion  or 
twisting  tests  luider  steady  loads.  The.se  are  referred  to 
as  static  tests  and  indicate  the  nominal  load  carrying  ability 
of  the  material  under  these  t\pes  of  loading.  There  are, 
however,  other  characteristics  which  nuist  be  investigated 
because  it  has  been  found  that  both  plastics  and  metals 
under  certain  temperatures  contiiuie  to  deform  or  change 
their  shape  under  a  constant  load  which  may  be  only  a 
small  portion  of  the  load  required  to  cause  fracture  in  a 
short  time  test.  This  phenomenon  is  called  creep  and  may 
be  disastrous  in  cases  in  which  the  deformation  becomes 
so  large  as  to  cause  fracture  of  the  material  or  in  case  so 
much  distortion  takes  place  as  to  render  the  part  useless. 
Tests  to  determine  the  susceptability  of  the  material  to 
creep  at  different  temperatures  have  been  devised.  They 
consist  in  measuring  the  stretch  of  a  cylndrical  rod  of  the 
material  to  which  is  attached  a  weight  of  a  given  magni- 
tude. 

Materials  which   are  subjected   to  \ibration  or  repeated 


APRIL,  1943 


bending  may  develop  cracks  which  grow  gradually  until 
fracture  takes  place.  These  cracks  may  occur  at  repeated 
stresses  which  are  much  less  than  would  be  required  to 
cause  fracture  under  a  single  loading.  A  progressive  frac- 
ture  resulting  from   repeated   loading   is  called   fatigue. 

The   Effect   (if    Temperature   (iiul   Humidity 

Plastics  are  comnioiil\'  classified  into  two  groups  ac- 
cording to  their  reaction  to  heat.  The  first  group,  calletl 
thermoplastic,  can  be  rcpcatcilly  softened  on  heating  and 
hardened  on  cooling.  The  second  group,  thermo-setting 
materials,  undergo  a  chemical  change  under  heat  and  pres- 
sure which  causes  the  material  to  become  permanentl>' 
hard  and  infusable.  As  might  be  expected  thermoplastic 
materials  are  much  more  sensitive  to  small  changes  in 
temperature  than  thermo-setting  materials.  The  effect  of 
temperature  changes  on  the  iiroperty  of  a  thermo-setting 
material,  meth\l  methacrylate    (Lucite),  under  both  tension 


5000 


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Figure  ;i.    Tensile  Stress  vs.  Tensile  Strain  iif  Cellulose  .\eetate 
for   Three   Different    Hates   of   Strain. 

and  compression  loads  has  been  shown  by  W.  F.  Hartoe'. 
A  change  from  6S  to  86  F  was  shown  to  result  in  about 
15  per  cent  decrease  in  yield  point  in  tension  and  about  17 
per  cent  decrease  in  yield  point  in  compression.  The  effect 
of  changes  in  temperature  on  the  mechanical  properties  of 
thermo-setting  materials,  while  less  pronounced  than  for 
thermo-plastics  is  still  important.  A  study  of  the  effect  of 
temperature  on  the  strength  properties  of  different  phenolic 
molding  compositions  is  contained  in  papers  by  Carswell, 
Telfair,  and  Haslangcr-.  With  these  materials  a  change 
from  68  to  86  F  resulted  in  a  decrease  in  ultimate  tensile 
strength  of  about  4  per  cent.    (Sec  Fiyurc  J). 

The  effect  of  changes  in  moisture  content  has  been 
studied  at  the  University  of  Illinois.  Figure  2  shows  the 
results  of  one  series  of  tests  in  which  two  groups  of  com- 
pression specimens  of  cellulose  acetate  (a  thermo-plastic) 
were  subjected  to  two  different  humidity  conditions'.    One 

8 


TOGO 

6  000 

5  000 

^4  000 

I  3  000 


1000 


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Fracture  Sfress 

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Reduction  of  Area 

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Heod   Speed  ,  m   per  min. 

FiKUro     I.     The    Kffeet    of    Speed    of    Testing    on     the     Tensile 
Properties    of    Cellulose    .Vetatc. 

group  was  placed  in  a  calcium  chloride  desiccator  for  48 
hours  and  another  group  was  immersed  in  water  for  a 
like  period.  Following  this  treatment  specimens  were  tested 
in  compression  at  intervals  of  time  for  about  13  months  in 
a  room  maintained  at  a  constant  temperature  of  77  F 
and    constant    relative   humidit)    of    50    per   cent. 

Figure  2  shows  the  yield  point  from  these  tests  plotted 
against  the  duration  of  time  after  the  humidity  treatment''. 
It  was  noticed  that  the  dried  specimens  were  about  5U  per 
cent  stronger  that  the  wet  specimens  immediately  after  the 
drying  or  wetting  treatment,  and  that  about  500  hr.  (3 
weeks)  was  required  for  the  two  groups  of  samples  to 
approach  equilibrium  in  an  atmosphere  maintained  at  con- 
stant temperature  of  77  F  and  constant  relati\e  humidity 
of  50  per  cent. 

The  lower  part  of  Figure  2  shows  the  change  in  specific 
weight  of  the  same  group  of  specimens  with  time''.  The 
change  results   from  a  gain  or  loss  in  moisture  content  as 


2  000 


5000       4  000       5  000       6000       7  000 
Time  ,     hr. 


FiRure   .">.     CreepTiiiie    Diagrams    for   Cellulose    Acetate   at    7T  F 
and    5(1    per    cent    Kelative    lluniidit.v. 

THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


the  sample  approaches  equilibrium  with  the  relative  hii- 
iiiiiiity  ot  the  testing  room.  The  decrease  in  weight  of  the 
dried  specimens  be\ond  1,000  hr.  is  due  to  some  unex- 
plained change  in  the  material.  It  is  apparent  that  for 
materials  of  this  type  representative  test  residts  can  be  ob- 
tained only  if  a  period  of  time  about  two  or  three  weeks 
is  allowed  for  conditioning  of  the  material  in  an  atmo- 
sphere of  constant  temperature  and  constant  relative  hu- 
midity. 

Some  thermo-plastic  materials  are,  however,  quite  in- 
sensitive to  changes  in  humidit\'.  Polystrene  and  methyl- 
metliacr\Iate  (Lucite)  are  examples  of  materials  having 
relatively  low  response  to  changes  in  humidity.  Thermo- 
setting   materials    show    effects    similar    to    that    shown    for 

u  10  000 
o 

>"    5  000  — 


=^ 

1     1    1  1  Mil 

1     1    1  1  ITTT 

\    1 J 

— 

=  = 

::: 

— 

•  Tests  Started  5260  hr.  After  First  Tests 

1 

M    1  1  i-iLui 

^ 

t^ 

- 

" 

f 

J^ 

-n- 

i: 

•-^m 

' 

^    I  000 

^  0.1  I  10  100  1000 

C^  Rate   of  Creep,   r,  percent-  per  1000  hr,  log  scale 

Kisiire  ti.    The  Klleet  of  Stress  on  llie  Kate  of  I'reep  of  Cellulose 
.Acetate,    I.os    Scale. 

cellulose  acetate  in  Figure  2.  The  magnitude  of  the  efifect 
of  variations  in  humidity  on  thermo-setting  materials,  how- 
ever, depends  upon  the  fillers  used  in  the  plastic  and  the 
surface  conditions. 

The  Fiffect  of  "Speed"  of  Testing 
on  "Static"  Tests 

A  pronounced  speed  effect  has  been  foimd  in  the 
"static"  tensoin,  compression  and  torsion  tests  of  plastics. 
This  effect  is  illustrated  by  the  stress-strain  diagrams  of 
tension  tests  of  a  cellulose  acetate  shown  in  Figure  3''. 
These  tension  tests  were  performed  at  three  different  speeds 
ranging  from  0.021  to  0.32  in.  per  min.,  travel  of  the 
cross-head  of  the  machine.  The  corresponding  rate  at 
which   strain   took   place   in   the  specimen   is  shown   in   the 


Figure    7.     Hepeiited    |{en>liii!4    H'atij;iie    Machine. 

figure.  These  tests  show  that  the  measured  strength  of 
the  material  is  greater  at  higher  speeds  that  at  lower 
speeds  and  that  the  stress-strain  curve  deviates  from  the 
straight  line  relation  at  lower  \alues  of  stress  when  the 
speed  is  low  than  when  the  speed  is  higher.  This  deviation 
from  the  straight  line  relation  is  attributed  to  the  effect  of 
creep  which  increases  the  strain  readings  at  low  speeds  of 
testing. 


The  effect  of  speed  ol  testijig  on  the  tensile  properties 
is  shown  in  Figure  4  for  a  wide  range  of  speeds  of  testing". 
In  this  figure  the  upper  yield  point,  lower  \ield  point,  and 
fracture  stress  are  plotted  against  the  head  speed  of  the 
machine.  These  values  are  represented  by  points  A,  H,  C 
respectively  in  Figure  3.  The  data  shown  in  Figure  4 
indicates  that  the  strength  of  the  cellulose  acetate  increases 
with  increasing  speed  up  to  a  certain  point  and  then  re- 
mains nearly  constant.  The  ductility  as  shown  by  per  cent 
reduction  of  area  and  per  cent  elongation  at  fracture  de- 
creased  with    increasing  speed   of   testing. 

Effects  similar  to  that  shown  in  Figure  4  have  also 
been  observeii  in  other  plastics  and  to  a  lesser  degree  in 
metals. 

Creep 

Many  materials,  metals  as  well  as  plastics,  undergo  ap- 
preciable deformation  over  a  period  of  time  as  a  result 
of  sustained  loads  of  relatively  small  magnitude.  This 
deformation  or  creep  may  continue  until  fracture  takes 
place  if  the  loads  are  maintained  a  sufficient  length  of  time. 

While  some  plastics  creep  no  more  than  aluminum, 
cellulose  acetate  behaves  more  like  soft  lead.  Figure  5 
illustrates  the  creep  of  cellulose  acetate  for  different  stresses 
at  room  temperature  77  degrees  F.  In  this  figure  creep 
( the  elongation  of  a  tension  specimen  expressed  as  a  per- 
centage of  the  original  length)  is  plotted  against  time^. 
Creep  includes  both  elastic  stretch  and  the  continuing 
deformation. 

From    Figure    S    it   is   evident   that   intermediate   stresses 

(200S   and    16*^11   psi.)    resulted    in   an   initial    rapid    rate  of 

creep    at    a    nearly   constant    rate    followed    by    a    transition 

region  and  then  another  nearly  constant  rate  of  creep.    The 

((jfintliiiinl  (in  Page  IS) 

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•'igure  H.  Stress  vs.  (  ycles   (j-N)    for  Kutlsiie  Tests  of  Cellulose 
•Vcelale    with    Different    Shape    Specimens. 


APRIL,  1943 


WIND  TUNNELS  VITAL 

.  .  .  in  Airplane  Testing 


Wind  tunnels  at  American  aerodynamic  laboratories 
often  test  Army  and  Navy  planes  more  quickly,  better  and 
more  easily  than  human  test  pilots,  Dr.  Everett  W. 
Thatcher,  co-ordinator  of  civilian  pilot  training  at  Union 
College,  Schenectady,  declared  in  a  General  Electric  Science 
Forum  address  in  collaboration  with  the  L  .  S.  Army  Air 
Forces. 

Dr.  Thatcher  paid  tribute  to  the  fine  work  being  done 
by  the  National  Advisory  Committee  for  Aeronautics,  which 
last  year  received  appropriations  of  more  than  eleven  million 
dollars  from  Congress.  The  NACA  maintains  a  big  re- 
search laboratory  at  Langley  Field,  Va.,  another  one  at 
Moffett  Field,  Calif.,  and  one  at  Cleveland,  Ohio.  Other 
wind  tunnel  laboratories  are  maintained  by  the  Army  Air 
Force  near  Dayton,  Ohio;  by  the  Navy,  and  by  some  of 
the  large  aircraft  manufacturers.  A  few  universities  and 
technical  schools  also  have  them,  according  to  Dr.  Thatcher. 

"A  wind  tunnel  is  a  tunnel,  big  enough  to  hold  an  air- 
plane, in  which  a  powerful  wind  is  generated  by  propellers," 
Dr.  Thatcher  pointed  out.  "It  is  used  for  testing  the  fly- 
ing characteristics  of  airplanes  and  models  of  planes.  One 
of  the  new  NACA  installations  has  a  wind  tuiuiel  that 
goes  up  to  more  than  500  miles  an  hour." 

"The  flow  of  air  in  a  wind  tunnel  can  be  charted  with 
smoke  and  photography,"  the  speaker  explained.  "Of  course, 
there  are  many  types  of  wind  tunnels  of  different  sizes. 

"A  wind  tunnel  is  entirely  enclosed.  You  might  say 
that  the  passage  of  air  in  a  wind  tunnel  is  a  closed  circuit. 
After  air  has  passed  by  the  plane  being  tested,  it  is  guided 
back  and  blown  through  again.  That  is  the  best  way  to 
build   up  a  tremendous  wind   blast  and  control   it. 

"Turbulent  air  currents  are  different  from  normal  air 
currents,  and  often  have  a  different  effect  on  an  airplane. 
But  great  progress  has  been  made  in  recent  years  in  smooth- 
ing out  the  air  flow  in  wind  tunnels.  Then,  too,  there  is 
the  factor  of  air  density. 

"For  example,  if  a  half-size  airplane  is  being  testetl, 
it  would  not  be  subject  to  the  same  type  of  air  flow  as  a 
fidl-sized  airplane  in  the  same  air.  Engineers  solve  the 
problem  of  compressing  the  air  to  twice  normal  density 
if  they  are  testing  a  half-size  model.  In  this  way,  they 
can  duplicate  fidl-scale  effects  by  changing  the  density  of 
the  air  according  to  the  size  of   the  model. 

"To  test  the  behavior  of  a  full-size  ship  flying  in  a 
high  altitude,  the  air  in  the  tunnel  can  be  'thinned-out'  by 
creating  a  partial  vacuum.  Workers  in  these  etra-dense 
or  extra-thin  atmospheres  have  to  go  through  decompression 
chambers  just   like   satidhogs   in    tunnel   construction." 

Dr.  Thatcher  said  that  the  airplane  is  held  firmly  by 
one  or  more  supporteis  that  extend  down  to  a  workroom 
directly  below  the  wind  tunnel.  The  force  of  the  various 
effects  of  the  air  stream  on  the  model  are  measured  ac- 
curately by   recording  scales. 

Engineers  can  predict  an  airplane's  ordinary  fl\ing  be- 
havior from  these  measurements.  Dr.  Thatcher  continued. 
There  also  is  a  gadget  to  measure  how  the  flow  of  air  has 
been  disturbed  by  the  airplane.  This  is  called  the  wake 
survey  apparatus,  and  hangs  right  behind  the  ship,  he  ex- 
plained. 

The  place  where  the  airship  is  tested  is  an  open  space. 
Right  in  front  of  the  plane,  the  tunnel  narrows  down  like 
a  huge  funnel.  Right  behind  the  plane,  the  tunnel  picks 
up  the  air  again  with  a  flared  opeiu'ng. 

10 


The  machine  being  tested  is  right  in  the  full  blast  of 
the  wind,  according  to  Dr.  Thatcher. 

"1  here  are  smaller  wind  tunnels  for  special  purposes, 
such  as  high-velocity  tuiuiels  for  studying  propellers,"  he 
pointed  out.  "The  new  super-sonic  tunnels  ha\e  a  speed 
of  more  than  lUOO  miles  an  hour.  And  then,  there  are 
vertical  tuiuiels  for  testing  the  spinning  characteristics  of 
small  models." 

"This  wind  tunnel  work  is  not  only  important,"  Dr. 
Thatcher  asserted,  "it  is  vital  in  securing  the  most  efficient 
aircraft  for  the  Air  Forces  and  well  worth  the  cost  and 
trouble.  Now  that  we  are  at  war  —  and  long  before,  for 
that  matter  —  the  main  emphasis  has  been  on  fighting 
aircraft   for  the  Army   and    Navy." 

One  of  the  purposes  of  the  wind  tunnel  is  to  give  a 
positive  check  on  the  design  of  American  airplanes,  the 
speaker  explained. 

"You  see,"  Dr.  Thatcher  explained,  "an  airplane  can 
be  planned  by  the  best  scientific  brain  in  the  \\-orld  and 
appear  perfect  on  paper,  but  the  only  way  to  check  up  on 
it,  as  with  an  automobile,  a  ship,  or  any  other  mechanical 
device,    is    by    use. 

"Testing  is  done  b>-  test  pilots,  but  often  it  is  quicker, 
better  and  easier  to  make  these  tests  at  an  aerodynamic 
laboratory." 

He  said  that  before  a  new  t\pe  of  airplane  goes  into 
production,  before  a  full-sized  one  has  even  come  out  of 
the  factroy,  the  designers  take  a  model  of  the  projected 
ship  and  test  it  in  the  wind  tunnels.  In  this  way.  Dr. 
Thatcher  said,  engineers  know  that  an  airplane  is  pretty 
close  to  being  aerodynamically  right  before  it  has  even  been 
built. 

"The  main  purpose  of  the  wind  tunnel  is  the  elimina- 
tion of  drag,"  Dr.  Thatcher  continued.  "We  might  call 
it  the  entire  burden  that  must  be  overcome  by  the  thrust 
of  the  propeller  as   the  ship  moves  through   the   air." 

He   commented    on   one   of   the   parasite   drags. 

"In  a  high-speed  ship,  even  the  smallest  irregularity  of 
the  surface  can  cause  a  lot  of  skin  friction,"  he  said.  "At 
Langley  Field  it  was  foimd  that  a  coat  of  spray  paint  on 
the  wing  surface  of  a  transport  ship  at  225  miles  an  hour 
decreased  the  ship's  performance  a  great  deal.  In  effect, 
it  robbed  the  transport  of  91  horsepowers  as  compared 
with  a  smoothly  polished  wing  surface. 

"The  same  thing  applies  to  rivets,  joints,  knobs,  and 
so  forth,  although  you  do  not  see  any  unnecessary  pro- 
jections like  those  on  high-speed  planes  any  more.  Even 
fine  grain  sand,  only  five  ten-thousandths  of  an  inch,  was 
founil  to  exert  a  noticeable  drag  when  put  on  a  wing 
surface." 

Nowadays,  engines  are  always  enclosed  in  a  metal 
cowling  devised  by  the  NACA,  Dr.  Thatcher  declared. 
By  reducing  the  air  resistance  caused  b\  the  engine,  and 
presenting  a  smoother  surface  to  the  air,  the  speed  has  been 
increased   many  miles  an   hour. 

And  the  NACA  also  worked  out  a  wing-shape  formula 
that  is  just  about  universal  the  world  over,"  the  speaker 
added. 

Dr.  Thatcher  said  in  conclusion  that  "as  far  as  we 
know,  no  nation  on  earth  can  match  the  eqiu'pment  and 
aeronautical  research  that  go  into  the  job  of  making  Ameri- 
can fighter  planes  and  bombers  the  fastest  and  best  ships 
in  the  air.  " 

THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


Ervery  hrathh  of  the  Armed  Services  uses  the  telephone.    Nn.  2  of  a  series,  Submarine. 


JTive  thousand  miles  from  home  Bill — Torpedoman  —  is  keeping  a  date.  Weeks  of  waiting,  days  of 
watching,  hours  of  hiding  under  the  sea,  all  for  the  moment  when  he  reports  over  his  wartime  telephone, 
"All  tubes  ready,  sir!"  There'll  be  other  dates.  Bill  —  better  ones  —  in  the  kind  of  world  you're  fighting  for. 


Western  Electric 

IN    PEACE. ..SOURCE   OF   SUPPLY   FDR  THE   BELL  SYSTE 
IN    WAR. ..ARSENAL   OF   COMMUNICATIONS    EQUIPMENT. 


APRIL,  1943 


11 


I  I  I  I    T    II 


I 


A-C  Tractors  and  Bulldozers  help 
build  roads  and  air  fields. 


WA^ 


Allis-Chalmers  equipment  helps 
make  cloth  for  Army  and  Navy. 


Metal  for  Bullets,  Machine  Guns,  Planes . .  .Water  Suppj 
for  Cities —flow  from  Allis-Chalmers  Equipment! 


BULLET  LEAD  for  Night  Fighters  is  mined  and 
refined  with  the  help  of  Allis-Chalmers 
equipment. 

So  is  steel  for  guns — aluminum  for  wings ! 

And  great  pumps  which  deliver  tons  of  pre- 
cious water  to  America's  cities  are  also  among 
the  1,600  Allis-Chalmers  products. 

The  thousands  of  Allis-Chalmers  employees 
in  8  great  plants  are  proud  that  their  effort  aids 
production  in  every  major  U.S.  industry. 

And  in  65  cities  Allis-Chalmers  engineers  are 
on  call  to  help  you  produce  more — not  just  with 
new  machines,  but  with  machines  now  on  hand! 
Allis-Chalmers  Mfg.  Co.,  Milwaukee,  Wis. 


New  Allis-Chalmers  turbines  add  I 
U.S.  Industry's  growing  power. 


ALLI 


OFFERS  EVERY  MANUFACTURER  EQUIPMENT  AND  ENGINEERINGS 


aECTRICAL 
EQUIPMENT 


STEAM  AND 
HYDRAULIC  TURBINES 


IR  WATER 


VICTORY  NEWS 


A  New  Fleet  of  Tugs  is  being  built  for 

tlie  U.  S.  Navy.  Tlieir  principle  duty  is  long 
towing  of  disabled  vessels  in  rough  seas. 

The  most  powerful  of  their  kind  in  the 
world,  most  of  the  tugs  will  be  driven  by 
Allis-Chalmers  electrical  propulsion  equip- 
ment. Their  electrical  equipment  includes 
Allis-Chalmers  motors,  generators  and 
control. 


f^  Guide  V 

to 
iVJorVime 

Core  of 
t\ectric 
Nlotors 


New  Handbook  on  Care  of  Motors.  With 
motors  operating  108  hours  a  week  instead 
of  40  hours  as  formerly,  most  books  oa 
motor  care  are  seriously  out-of-date. 

A  new  handbook  entitled  "A  Guide  to 
Wartime  Care  of  Electric  Motors"  has  just 
been  published  by  Allis-Chalmers.  It  takes 
a  new  slant  at  motor  care  and  is  of  great 
value  to  war  plant  engineers  and  mainte- 
nance men,  and  particularly  for  training 
new  men.  Tlte  hook  contains  no  advertising, 
and  is  available  upon  request. 


□ter  for  Millions!  Allis-Chalmers  pumps  help  keep  many  of  America's  cities  alive. 


Rush  A-C  Tractors  to  World  Battle- 
fields. Thousands  of  gun-pulling  Allis- 
Chalmers  track-tjTJe  tractors  will  soon  see 
action  in  Russian  and  U.S.  Forces  overseas. 
These  tractors  differ  from  Allis-Chalmers 
regular  commercial  models  only  in  addi- 
tional equipment  carried.  The  army  ver- 
sion of  this  tractor  is  also  speeded  up 
somewhat  over  the  commercial  model. 


FOR  VICTORY 
Buy  United  States  War  Bonds 


u 


WE  WORK  FOR 

.VICTORY 


\TION  TO  HELP  INCREASE  PRODUCTION  IN  THESE  FIELDS... 


PEACE 


CHEMICAL  PROCESS 
EQUIPMENT 


CRUSHING.  CEMENT  & 
MINING  MACHINERY 


BOILER  FEED 
WATER  SERVICE 


POWER  FARMING 
MACHINERY 


■  industrial  TRACTORS  I 
&  ROAD  MACHINERY 


Our  Societies 


By  BYRON  M.  ROBINSON,  M.  E.  "44 


A.S.M.E. 

On  Monday  April  5,  Paul  Salerno  and  Walter  Gailus 
presented  technical  research  papers  on  Ejector  Pumps,  and 
Plastics,  respccti\ely,  to  the  A.S.M.E.  in  a  competition, 
the  winner  of  which  was  Walter  (jailus  who  was  sent 
to  Northwestern  University  on  April  lU  where  he  repre- 
sented the  L'niversity  of  Illinois  b>-  again  presenting  his 
paper  in  competition  against  other  mid-western  college 
winners. 

PI   TAU   SIGMA 

Fourteen  students  were  initiated  into  Pi  Tau  Sigma 
on  Sunday  April  11,  at  5:30  p.  m.  At  six  o'clock,  an 
initiation  banquet  was  held  at  the  Inman  hotel,  with 
Mr.  M.  J.  Cjoglia  as  toastinaster.  Welcome  to  the  new 
initiates  and  to  guests  was  given  by  Steve  Yurenka  who 
was  answered  by  Carl  Brown  who  spoke  for  the  initiates. 
Speaker  for  the  evening  was  Mr.  W.  L.  Abbott,  who, 
although  now  retired,  was  for  fifty  years  the  Chief  Operat- 
ing Engineer  of  Commonwealth  Edison,  and  also  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  University  of  Illinois. 
Mr.  Abbott  spoke  on  the  subject  "Coal  and  the  Hereafter." 

TAU  NU  TAU 

P"ormal  intiation  of  five  "sappers"  was  held  Sunday 
morning,  March  28,  at  seven  o'clock  at  the  University 
stables.  No  informal  initiation  was  held  this  year  as  has 
been  the  custom  in  the  past.  A  regular  meeting  was  held 
March  30  at  Triangle  fraternity.  Prof.  Jamison  Vawter 
was  the  guest  speaker.  He  spoke  on  the  construction  of 
bomb-proof  shelters  which  is  of  special  importance  to  the 
military  engineer.  Due  to  difficulties  brought  on  by  the 
war,  plans  for  a  maneuver  have  been  dropped  for  this 
semester. 

A.S.C.E. 

(^n  April  1,  in  319  Engineering  Hall,  Prof.  H.  E. 
Babbitt  spoke  to  the  A.S.C.E.  His  topic  was  appropriateh' 
"The  April  Fool.  "  The  meeting  was  well  attended,  and 
very  entertaining.  The  following  committee  chairmen  were 
announced:  Erwin  Mueller,  Program;  Bill  Ogden,  At- 
tentlance;  Sheldon  Leavitt,  Publicit\  ;  and  Dick  Webster, 
Social. 

SIGMA  TAU 

The  current  belief  among  L.A.S.  and  Commerce  stu- 
dents that  engineers  are  not  at  home  without  a  slide  rule 
was  disproved  at  a  Sigma  Tau  smoker  on  Sunday  evening, 
March  28,  at  the  AKL  fraternity  house  when  actives  and 
rushecs  let  down  their  hair  and  demonstrated  skills  ranging 
from  P.E.  stunts  to  threading  needles  in  a  good  old 
fashioned  game  of  "Truth  or  Consequences."  Facultymen 
were  stumped  along  with  the  rest  on  the  stiff  questions, 
and  everyone  bravely  suffered  the  consequences.  During 
the  first  week  in  May,  the  annual  spring  initiation  will 
take  place. 

CHI  EPSILON 

The  annual  spring  initiation  of  Chi  Epsilon  was  held 
on  Tuesday  evening,  April  13,  1943  in  the  Union  Building. 
The  following  students  became  active  members:  Joseph  V. 
Dust,  Neal  Houbolt,  Robert  D.  Mahan,  Elmer  L.  Major, 
Jr.,   and    Robert   A.    Sproat. 

14 


Dean  Harvey  Herbert  Jordan  was  also  initiated  as  an 
lionorar\  member  of  the  ciiapter.  Dean  Jordan  first  served 
as  an  instructor  in  general  engineering  drawing  at  the 
university  from  1911-15  and  as  an  associate  from  1915  to 
1917.  He  was  appointed  Assistant  Dean  of  the  College  of 
Engineering  in  1917,  holding  this  position  until  1934.  at 
which    time    he    became    Associate    Dean. 

The  spring  picnic  of  Chi  Epsilon  will  be  held  on  Tues- 
day afternoon,  April  27,  1943,  at  Hessel  Park.  A  Softball 
game   promises   to   be   the   main    feature. 

TAU  BETA  PI 

Due  to  limitations  caii.sed  by  the  war,  the  spring  initia- 
tion banquet  progressed  from  dinner  in  the  Federal  and 
Gothic  Rooms  of  the  Union  Building  to  the  facidty  lounge 
for   the    after-dinner   speeches. 

The  group  initiated  was:  John  A.  Bell,  Richard  J. 
Divilbiss,  Lowell  C.  (jibson,  Warren  (joodell,  Ralph  (jreen- 
berg,  Sheldon  Leavitt,  (jordon  McClure,  Charles  Mc\'ey, 
Norman  Millet,  Erwin  Mueller,  Benjamin  Muirheid, 
Harold  Schick,  Emanuel  Schnitzer,  Harold  Schwellensattl, 
Robert  Shapland,  Carl  Stabcn,  Robert  Tinner,  Veikko 
Viitanen,  Burnham  Walraven,  Robert  Whitaker,  and  Ro- 
bert Wunder.  Professor  N.  M.  Newmark  was  initiated 
for  the  Beta  Chapter  of  New  Jersey  at  Rutgers. 

KERAMOS 

Keramos  held  a  smoker  on  Thursday,  April  8,  in  the 
L  nion  Building.  Eight  prospective  members  were  invited 
to  the  meeting.  After  Prof.  R.  K.  Hursh  reviewed  the 
history  and  benefits  of  the  society,  he  showed  slides  of 
ceramic  plants  that  he  has  visited.  Following  this  meeting, 
the    regular  members   discussed    plans   for   pledging. 

A.I.E.E. 

On  March  25,  1943,  D.  E.  U.  Condon,  associate 
director  of  the  Westinghouse  Research  laboratories.  East 
Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania  gave  an  interesting  lecture  on 
"Micro-Wave  Electronics."  Dr.  Condon  discussed  the 
use  of  radio  waves  at  wave  lengths  between  one  meter  and 
one  centimeter,  the  use  of  wave  guides,  and  the  laboratory 
technique  used  for  the  study  of  these  radio  wa\es.  The 
lecture  was  sponsored  jointly  by  the  Urbana  section,  and 
the  student  branch  of  the  A.I.E.E.  Members  of  the 
A.S.C.E.,  A.S.M.E.,  and  faculty  and  students  of  the 
physics    department    attended    the    lecture. 

S.B.A.G.S. 

The  new  officers  of  S.B.A.C.S.  for  the  year  1943-44 
are  as   follows: 

Gordon  Johnson  Pnsulfrit 

Morris  Klimboff  lice  President 

Haraldur   Asgeirsson    Secretury 

Jim  Griffith  Treasurer 

A  very  interesting  "Speaking  Contest"  was  held  on  the 
evening  of  March  30.  The  contestants,  members  of  the 
Student  Branch,  were  judged  on  manner  of  presentation 
as  well  as  on  material  presented.  Payson  Shonkwiler's  talk 
on  "Calcium-Aluminate  Cements"  was  judged  as  the  best 
of  the  evening. 

The  annual  convention  of  the  American  Ceramic  So- 
ciety was  held  in  Pittsburgh  on  April  18  to  21st.  The 
m;un    topic    discussed    was    "The    War    and    the    Industry." 

THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


PATRIOTISM 
a4id  GOOD  SENSE 

O/  course  every  one  is  willing  to  do  without  the  essential  materials  that 
help  win  the  war;  everybody  knows  zinc  and  steel  are  among  those 
materials.  And  of  course  it  is  just  good  common  sense  to  take  care  of  the 
things  we  have,  including  galvanized  roofing,  to  make  them  last  as  long 
as  possible  and  give  the  best  service. 


HOW  TO  CONSERVE 
GALVANIZED  ROOFING 

You'll  find  galvanized  roofing  of  various  types  used 
on  all  kinds  of  structures,  on  farms,  in  industrial 
plants,  in  housing.  It  is  a  valuable  material,  and 
vrith  proper  care  it  can  be  made  to  last  a  long,  long 
time;  anyhow,  until  the  war  is  over  and  necessary 
replacement  material  is  available. 


3>a  ^kU  . 


See  that  all  the  roof  supports  are  in  good  shape.  If 
necessary  renail  and  strengthen  them,  and  replace 
broken  or  rotted  members. 


/Jnd  "IkU. 


Then  bring  all  the  separate  sheets  into  as  close 
alignment  as  possible.  If  moisture  has  a  tendency 
to  creep  through  at  the  laps,  lay  a  strand  of  asbestos 
wicking  between  the  sheets  at  the  laps,  and  renail 
the  roofing  with  an  approved  type  of  zinc-coated 
lead-seal  special  roofing  nail  with  a  drive-screw 
shank.  Stubborn  lap  openings  can  be  effectively 
closed  with  hardware  screws. 


AhA  ^kU  .  .  . 


If  any  of  the  roofing  is  showing  signs  of  rusting, 
paint  it  with  two  coats  of  metallic  zinc  paint,  (see 
Federal  Specifications  TT-P-641)  which  will  effec- 
tively stop  the  rust  and  prevent  further  injury  to 
the  roofing.  In  fact,  the  use  of  this  remarkably  good 
paint,  which  can  be  readily  made  by  any  paint 
manufacturer,  will  extend  the  life  of  galvanized 
roofing  almost  indefinitely. 

In  "How  To  Make  Galvanized  Roofing  Last  Longer",  a 
booklet  published  by  the  Institute,  complete  and  explicit 
directions  are  given  for  all  of  the  above  operations. 
Copies  will  be  sent  free  upon  request. 

AMERICAN  ZINC  INSTITUTE 

I  ncorporated. 
60  East  42iid  Street,  New  York,  N.  Y. 

APRIL,  1943 


Cahanized  sheets  constitute  one 
of  the  most  popular  forms  of  roof- 
ing for  farm  buildings  of  all  kinds. 
Everything  cortsidered,  they  are 
also  the  most  economical. 


*^*'M»T!g«." 


In  industrial  establishments , 
where  efficiency  and  economy  of 
materials  are  of  prime  inipor- 
tance.  galvanized  sheets  are  widely 
used  for  various  types  of  struc- 
tures, from  modest  homes  for  em- 
ployees to  the  largest  of  mana- 
iacturin^  plants. 


15 


Our  Engineering  Library 


By  PAUL  SALERNO,  M.E.  '43 


Tile  cngiiu-eriiig  studeins  at  the  University  ot  Illinois 
are  fortunate  to  have  access  to  a  really  fine  library.  The 
Kngineering  Library,  located  on  the  first  floor  of  Engi- 
neering Hall,  contains  more  than  47,000  volumes.  This 
is  increased  at  the  rate  of  over  2,000  volumes  each  year. 

The   material   available   in  our  library   may   be   divided 
into  the  following  groups: 
1  )   Textbooks. 

2)  Engineering  Handbooks.  The  library  contains  prac- 
tically   every   engineering    handbook    published. 

3)  Reserve    books    for    various    courses. 

4)  Reference  works,  including  such  works  as  year 
books,  technical  dictionaries  in  foreign  languages 
with  definitions  in  English,  biographical  dictionaries, 
and  law  books. 

5)  Magazines. 

())  Publications  of  all  the  major  engineering  societies 
and  practical!)  ail  of  the  minor  societies.  This 
group  constitutes  an  important  part  of  the  library. 

7)  Experiment  station  bulletins  from  most  of  the 
colleges   in   the   country. 

iS)    Browsing   collection   of   popular   books. 

9)    Documents. 
10)    Foreign   Publications. 

Since  every  new  development  in  the  (ield  of  engineering 
is  first  described  in  a  technical  journal,  it  is  advisable  for 
the  student  to  become  acquainted  with  this  type  of  pub- 
lication. The  library  receives  over  450  technical  periodicals, 
and  bound  volumes  for  any  year  may  be  obtained  at  the 
desk.  Current  issues  are  found  in  a  rack  at  the  south  end 
of  the  room.  Here  also  will  be  found  the  "Industrial  Arts 
Index,"  and  the  "Engineering  Index."  These  indexes  are 
issued  yearly  and  list  all  magazine  articles  on  any  particular 
subject  which  was  published  during  the  year.  Suppose, 
for  example,  that  one  were  interested  in  recent  develop- 
ments in  the  field  of  vacuum  tubes.  Looking  in  the  1942 
issue  of  the  "Industrial  Arts  Index,"  he  will  find  references 
to  almost  a  hundred  articles  on  this  subject.  About  seventy 
more  recent  articles,  which  were  published  during  the 
first  three  months  of  1943  are  listed  in  the  current  issue 
of  the  index.  The  references  are  listed  under  various  head- 
ings, such  as  Control  uses,  Measurement  uses,  Industrial 
applications,     ScientiHc    applications,    Testing,    etc. 


The  library  contains  an  excellent  collection  of  aero- 
nautical literature.  All  books  which  are  recommended  for 
Army  and  \avy  air  corps  cadets  are  available.  Any  stu- 
dent interested  in  aviation  will  find  that  he  can  obtain 
practically  any  information  he  wishes,  short  of  military 
secrets,  of  course.  "Aerosphere,"  an  annual  publication, 
contains  the  latest  information  concerning  planes,  arma- 
ment, and  engines  of  all  countries.  In  fact,  this  particular 
book  contains  such  important  material  that  Uncle  Sam 
keeps  a  record  of  the  names  of  all  persons  who  purchase 
it.  Another  authoritative  reference  book  is  Jane's  "All  the 
World's  Aircraft."  The  latest  information  pertaining  to 
all  phases  of  aviation  i.  e.  Civilian  Pilot  Training,  military 
pilot  training,  aircraft  manufacturers,  engines,  planes,  etc., 
can  be  found  in  the  "Aircraft  Yearbook."  Jordanoff's 
"Illustrated  Aviation  Dictionary"  and  many  other  books 
are  available.  The  aeronautical  publications  listed  agove 
are  conveniently  located  at  a  desk  in  the  northwest  corner 
of  the  library.  Jane's  "Fighting  Ships,"  which  contains 
information  on  warships  of  the  world  in  astonishing  detail, 
and  the  "Locomotive  Cyclopedia"   are  also  found   here. 

The  library  maintains  a  "New  Book  Table"  upon 
which  are  kept  the  very  latest  books  received.  Some  of 
the  titles  seen  here  at  the  present  time  are:  "Plastics 
Catalog,"  "Aircraft  Instruments,"  "Aero  Engineers 
Manual,"    "Astro-Navigation,"    etc. 

The  library  is  an  excellent  place  to  study  since  it  is 
very  quiet  and  possesses  a  very  restful  atmosphere.  Reading 
tables  are  located  on  the  second  floor  as  well  as  on  the 
main  floor.  Located  here  are  boimd  volumes  of  many 
periodicals.  A  conference  room  is  available  where  a  group 
of  students  may  go  to  discuss  problems. 

Several  exhibits  and  photographs  of  interest  to  engi- 
neers are  on  display  and  an  examination  of  these  will  be 
profitable.  One  of  the  largest  exhibits  illustrates  the  pro- 
duction  and    uses   of   alumimmi. 

With  all  the  advantages  that  our  library  offers,  stu- 
dents ought  to  make  full  use  of  it.  The  library  will  help 
you  make  the  most  of  your  academic  career  and  offers 
opportimities  which  will  probably  not  be  available  after 
leaving  school.  Do  not  hesitate  to  ask  for  assistance  be- 
cause Miss  Alseth  and  her  staff  are  capable  and  willing  to 
help  you. 


INSTRUMENT  MAKES  BLIND  PLANE 
L.'XNDING  POSSIBLE 

By  means  of  two  sets  of  radio  signals,  a  pilot  can  now 
land  when  the  ceiling  is  zero.  The  instrument  contains 
two  pointers,  one  vertical  and  one  horizontal,  which  cross 
over  a  small  dot  on  the  dial  when  the  course  is  correct. 
Westinghouse  engineers  state  that  the  radio  signals  sent 
out  from  the  field  control  the  pointers.  One  signal  keeps 
the  plane  on  the  course  leading  to  the  field ;  the  other 
signal  keeps  the  plane  on  the  correct  gliding  angle.  The 
instrument  is  shock-resistant,  ultra-sensitive  and  immune  to 
temperatures  50  below  to    130  degrees  above  zero. 


reported  saving  time  and  material  by  applying  hard-chrome 
plating  to  the  cutting  edges  of  tools  and  punches.  One 
particular  tool  in  use  on  all  three  shifts  had  to  be  ground 
once  or  twice  each  shift  or  an  average  of  four  to  tive  grinds 
per  day.  In  addition  to  time  lost,  valuable  steel  was  ground 
sway  each  time.  This  same  tool,  after  a  .0002-inch  chrome 
film  had  been  properly  applied,  performed  perfectly  for 
seven  three-shift  da\s  before  regrinding  and  replating  were 
necessarv. 


CHROME  PLATED  CUTTING  EDGES 

Production  on  war  work  has  been  speeded,  tools  pro- 
duced through  regular  labor-management  meetings  at  the 
Westinghouse  East  Springfield  works.     One  sub-committee 

16 


TWO  WAYS  TIN  IS  S.A.VED  j 

We  all  have  wondered  how  much  tin  is  saved  through  ^ 
turning  in  our  old  toothpaste  tubes.  Authorities  reveal 
that  during  October  these  old  tubes  yielded  SO  tons  of 
tin.  Westinghouse  engineers  also  save  tin  through  a  new 
plating  process  which  is  used,  instead  of  the  old  dipping 
method,   in  making  tin   plate. 

THE  TECHNOGR.\PH 


No  matter  how  well  a  machine  is  designed  in  other  respects  it 
cannot  operate  with  maximum  efficiency  if  its  bearings  are  un- 
equal to  the  tasks  assigned  to  them. 

For  example,  friction  elimination  is  only  one  function  of  bearings 
in  modern  mechanical  equipment.  Equally  imperative  and  impor- 
tant are  ability  to  carry  and  control  radial  loads,  thrust  loads  and 
any  combination  of  them ;  to  hold  moving  parts  in  correct  and  con- 
stant alignment;  and  to  adapt  themselves  to  any  condition  of  appli- 
cation without  the  slightest  reduction  of  efficiency  in  any  respect. 

Timken  Tapered  Roller  Bearings  have  a  success  record  covering 
more  than  44  years  and  embracing  every  kind  of  equipment  used 
in  industry  and  transportation  as  well  as  modern  weapons  of  war, 
including  tanks,  trucks,  armored  cars,  guns,  airplanes  and  warships. 

With  a  thorough  knowledge  of  Timken 
Bearings  at  your  command  you  never  will 
be  confronted  with  a  bearing  problem 
you  cannot  solve.  Begin  to  acquire  this 
knowledge  now.  Timken  Bearing  special- 
ists will  be  glad  to  assist  you.  The  Timken 
Roller   Bearing   Company,   Canton,   Ohio. 


TIMKEN 

TAPIRID  HOLLER  BEARIHGS^ 


^^All  there  is  in  Bearings^^ 


APRIL,  1943 


17 


ACCELERATE  TODAY'S  WAR  EFFORT 

WITH  Brown  &  Sharpe 
1^        Precision  Tools  J| 


Micrometers 

Rules 

Combination  Squares 

Bevel  Protractors 

Straight  Edges 

Squares 

Vernier  Tools 

Gages 

Dial  Test  Indicators 

Speed  Indicators 

V  Blocks 

Calipers  and  Dividers 


BROWN  &  SHARPE 
TOOLS 


PROBLEMS  IN  TESTING  PLASTICS 

( (Utnliniiid  from   F<ujc  '■) ) 
creep  in   rlu-  latter  region   li:ui   a  lower  rate  of  creep  than 
at   first. 

The  effect  of  different  stresses  on  the  creep  of  cellulose 
acetate  is  better  shown  by  a  logarithmic  plot,  Figure  6,  of 
the  stress  against  the  rate  of  creep  in  the  first  region''. 
This  diagram  is  seen  to  represent  a  straight  line  so  that 
it  is  possible  to  express  the  relation  between  rate  of  creep,  r, 
and  stress,  a,  by  a  simple  equation 

r=  1/1440  a'^'-*. 


2000 

V"V" 

1600 

6600 /wq\ 

«' 

F 

\. 

HOOO hr 
88 'f 

1200 

SIC 

61 

OhrO 
V 

j« 

OOMrO 

800 

0«.-° 

1         1 

flOO 

specimen    rig    i-n 
o   Acf\JAl  Test  ZJa^a  At 

Age    indicated 
a    J)&tA   Adjusted  To 

Age  of   ilOOO  hr 
1         1 

400 

ngure  !l. 


1000  £000  JOOO 

Testing  Frequency,  Cycles  per  Minute 

The  l>;tft'ct   of  "Siii'i'il"  of  Tfsllnn  on  the  Kntliiranee 
Limit    of    Cellulose    Acetate    in    Katigiie. 


Fatiflue 

The  phenomenon  of  fatigue  or  progressive  fracture 
resulting  from  repeated  loading  has  been  studied  by  means 
of  machines  designed  to  produce  repeated  loadings  of 
various  types.  A  series  of  fatigue  tests  of  cellulose  acetate 
has  been  conducted  on  machines  such  as  shown  in  Figure 
7'''''.  This  machine  is  a  constant  amplitude  type  of  bending 
fatigue  machine.  In  such  a  machine  the  specimen  A  is 
repeatedly  bent  back  and  forth  as  a  cantilever  beam  by 
the  variable  eccentric  B.  The  bending  moment  in  the  speci- 
men is  determined  from  the  calibrated  dynamometer  C 
Figure  7.  The  stress  can  then  be  computed  from  the  bend- 
ing moment.  A  counter  D  records  the  number  of  cycles 
of  loading  to  which  the  specimen  is  subjected  before  frac- 
ture. Thus  for  each  specimen  placed  in  the  machine  the 
stress  corresponding  to  the  deflection  of  the  specimen  dur- 
ing the  test  is  calculated  from  the  bending  moment,  and 
the  number  of  cycles  for  fracture  is  obtained.  These  data 
are  then  plotted  with  stress  as  ordinate  and  number  of 
cycles    as    abscissa    using     semi-logarithmic     plotting.     The 


1200 


■^  lOOO 


600 


400 


200 


K 

^^^ 

\. 

o 

^> 

>^ 

^,, 

" 

"< 

1 

^- 

' 

»Lnilurance  limit  based  on  stress  at  start 

of 

test,    adjusted  to  ege  at  moo  fir. 

^Lndui-ance  limit  based  on  stress  at  one- 

mi/lion  cycles,  adjusted  to  age  at  iiooo  hr 



/730  cycles  per  mmufe 

Spec/men   shown  in  Fig.  ih 

1000 


2000  3000  4000 

Mean  Stress,  psi- 


5000 


I 


6000 


Figure  1(1.    The  Kffeet  of  Mean  Stress  on  the  Knthiranee  IJmit 
of    Cellulose    .Aeetate    in    Fatigue. 

resulting  curve  is  known  as  the  j-X  diagram. 

For  cellulose  acetate  a  well  defined  endurance  limit 
was  found  as  shown  by  the  fact  that  the  a-N  diagrams  for 
cellulose  acetate  in  Figure  S  ha\e  a  knee  at  about  one 
million  cycles'.  A  stress  below  the  value  at  the  knee  of  the 
curve  does  not  produce  fracture  for  an  indefinitely  large 
number  of  cycle  of  stress. 

Figure  8  indicates  that  the  indurance  limit  of  cellulose 
acetate  is  markedly  altered  by  change  in  the  shape  of  the 
test  specimen''''.  A  sharp  V-notch  caused  a  reduction  of 
about  SO  per  cent  over  the  endurance  limit  of  a  specimen 
having  a  rectangular  cross-section.  Specimens  having  a 
circular  cross-section  gave  an  endurance  limit  about  30  per 
cent  higher  than  the  rectangular  cross-section.  The  differ- 
ence between  the  notched  and  rectangular  specimen  is  at- 
tributed to  the  high  stress  concentration  at  the  root  of 
the  notch.  No  satisfactory  explanation  is  known  for  the 
difference   between   circular   and    rectangular  specimens. 

Effect  of  Speed  of  Testing  on  the 
Endurance  Limit 

Different  speeds  of  fatigue  testing  have  been   found  to 
yield  different  \alues  of  endurance  limit  in  plastics — a  fact 
(('.(Jiitiniii  d  on  Piiyf  20) 


18 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


I 


/^  <^ucc&  tnMt  ^(n  a  metal  ^^tcutt 


MAMMOTH  ingoU  of  steel  for  war 
weapons  must  be  "cropped"  or 
trimmed  at  the  ends  before  forging. 
Formerly  this  job  was  done  slowly  and 
laboriously  on  a  heavy  press,  but  today 
the  huge  ingots  are  sliced  neatly  and 
quickly  by  the  oxyacetylene  flame. 

Using  a  new  heavy  cutting  technique 
developed  by  Airco  Research  Engineers 
and  cutting  through  metal  as  thick  as 
36",  the  oxyacetylene  flame  trims  off 
both  ends  of  this  ingot  at  once  in  ap- 
proximately 1  1  minutes,  compared  to 
several  hours  required  by  other  methods. 
The  new  ingot  cutting  machine  designed 
and  built  by  Airco  engineers  especially 
for  this  job  guides  the  movement  of  the 
oxyacetylene  cutting  torches  in  an  arc 


corresponding  to  the  ingot  contour. 

This  new  flame  cutting  application 
typifies  the  ever-expanding  usefulness 
of  the  oxyacetylene  flame  in  American 
industry.  Spurred  by  the  need  for 
swifter  war  production,  industries  are 
finding  more  and  more  ways  to  acceler- 
ate manufacturing  with  oxyacetylene 
flame  and  electric  arc  processes. 

If  you  want  to  keep  posted  on  some 
of  the  most  recent  developments  and 
applications  of  oxyacetylene  flame  and 
electric  arc  processes,  write  for  a  free 
copy  of  the  illustrated  booklet,  "Airco 
in  the  News."  Please  address  your  re- 
quests to  Air  Reduction,  Room  1656, 
60  East  42nd  Street,  New  York. 


REDUCnON 

c/ene>'<il  (J/ZiceS: 
60  EAST  42nd  STREET,  NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 

/n  Texas: 

Mognolia-AJrco  Gas  Products  Co. 
Genefol  Offices    HOUSTON,  TEXAS 
OFFICES   IN  All   PRINCIPAL  CITIES 


ANYTHING     AND     EVERYTHING     FOR     GAS     WELDING     OR     CUTTING     AND     ARC    WELDING 

APRIL,  1943  19 


Hiuiiins 

AMERICAN   DRAWING   INKS   FOR 


S<^-/\/{, 


[o^u^ctipt, 


You  may  have  one  or  many  bolllcs 
of  Higgins   Inks  on  hand,  but  «c 
know   you  haven't  this  new  Book 
on   Lettering   with    Higgins    Inks. 
32  Script  Alphabets  chosen  for 
range  and  character  are  part  of  this 
book  that  you  vill  truly  welcome. 
Many  passages  on  manuscript  let- 
teringandengrossing.  Il- 
lustrations on  every  page. 


PRICE 


jOc  PEH  COI'Y 


Art  Teachers  writing  on 
School  stationery  and 
mentioning  this  publication 
are  enlilled  to  one  copy 
Free  of  Charge. 

This  offer  good  only  for 
month  in  which  this  ad  is 
published. 


HIGGIIIS /j\K  CO., /J\C 


27/  JV/jVTH  .ST..  BfiOOKJVJN'  .V  V, 


The  Lufkin  Metallic  is  the  best  of  woven  tapes.  Coated 
line  with  metallic  warp  resists  wear,  moisture,  stretching 
and  fraying.  Large,  clear  markings  make  it  easy  to  read. 
When  equipped  with  folding  hook  ring,  measurements 
can  be  easily  taken  unassisted. 

See  it  at  your  dealer  and  write  for  free  catalog. 


UFKIN 


PROBLEMS  IN  TESTING  PLASTICS 

( (Ifjiiliiiiicd  fi'iin  Piii/c   18) 

of  impoitaiice  when  one  coiisideis  that  the  same  t\pe  of 
material  may  be  used  in  a  propeller  with  high  frequencies 
of  vibration,  and  an  airciaft  wing  with  low  frequencies 
of    \ibration. 

Tile  effect  of  speed  of  fatigue  testing  on  the  enduiance 
limit  of  cellulose  acetate  is  shown  in  Figure  9'.  This  diagram 
shows  that  the  endurance  limit  decreases  as  the  speed  of 
testing  increases  up  to  about  750  cycles  per  min.  Abo\e 
this  speed  the  endurance  limit  remains  nearly  constant. 

Effect  of  Range  of  Stress 

In  the  fatigue  tests  mentioned  above,  the  stress  cycle 
was  completely  reversed  i.e.,  the  specimen  was  bent  the 
same  amount  in  both  directions  so  that  the  ma.ximum  com- 
pression stress  in  a  cycle  was  equal  to  the  ina.ximum  tension 
stress.  This  is  frequently  not  the  case,  however,  in  service. 
A  propeller,  for  example,  is  subjected  to  tension  stresses 
resulting  from  centrifugal  forces.  In  addition  stresses  are 
set  up  due  to  vibration  of  the  propeller  blade.  This  vibra- 
tion causes  a  repeated  stress  which  changes  in  magnitude 
but    is    not    completely    reversed.     It    is    alwa\s    tension. 

A  cycle  of  stress  may  be  resolved  itito  two  components 
a  constant  or  nudii  \alue  of  stress  and  an  (dtcnuiliiuj 
stress.  For  example  the  mean  stress  in  a  propeller  is  caused 
by  the  cetitrifugal  forces  (plus  aerodynamic  forces)  and 
the  alternating  stress  is  caused  by  vibration.  For  the  fatigue 
tests  mentioned  above  the  mean  stress  was  zero,  and  the 
endurance  limit  was  the  magnitude  of  the  maximimi  alter- 
nating stress  which  would  not  cause  fracture  after  an 
indefinitely  large  number  of  cycles.  When  the  mean  stress 
is  not  zero  the  corresponding  value  of  maximum  alternating 
stress  which  will  not  catisc  fracture  may  be  defined  as  the 
endurance  limit  of  the  material  for  that  value  of  the  mean 
stress. 

The  endurance  limit  of  cellulose  acetate  is  plotted 
against  the  mean  stress  of  the  cycle  in  Figme  10  for  several 
values  of  mean  stress'.  These  data  show  that  the  endurance 
limit  decreases  with  an  increase  in  the  mean  stress  of  the 
CNcle,   when    the   mean   stress   is   a   tension   stress. 


« 


SAGINAW,     MICHIGAN     •     NEW     YORK     CITV 

TAPES  .-RULES   .    PRECISION  TOOLS 


Relation    of    Tests   to    Design 

Unfortunately  the  results  of  laborator\'  tests  can  be  , 
applied  directly  to  a  design  problem  onh  in  the  case  of  | 
very  simple  structures.  I^esigners  are  not  yet  able  to 
solve  design  problems  completely  when  all  the  variables 
are  included.  Nor  have  testing  engineers  yet  been  able 
to  evaluate  the  effect  of  all  factors  which  influence  the 
properties  of  materials.  L  iitil  such  a  time  as  it  becomes 
possible  to  evaluate  the  effect  of  all  variables  in  terms  of 
a  rational  design,  it  is  necessary  to  correlate  results  of 
laboratory  tests  with  service  tests  before  the  full  meanings 
of  laboratory  tests  of  a  material  are  established. 

REFERENCES 

1.  \V.  F.  Bartoe,  "Service  Temperature  Flow  Characteristicsl 
of  Thermoplastics,"  Mcdianiial  EiK/hicrriiK/,  \'n\.  fit,  No.  12,1 
December,    1939, 

2.  T.  S.  Carswell,  V).  Telfair.  R.  \'.  HaslaMt;cr,  "Temperature  j 
vs.  Strength  for  Phenolics,"  MnJnii  I'laslUs,  \'ol.  19,  No.  11,  Julv,  i 
1942,   p.  65. 

5.  W.  N.  Fiiidlcy,  "Mechanical  Tests  of  Cellulose  Acetate," 
Proiecdimis,  .American  Societv  for  Testing  Materials,  Vol.  41, 
p.    1231,   i941;   Modern  Plasliis   Vol.    19,   Sept.,   1941,    p.    57. 

4.  W.  N.  Findlcy,  "Mechanical  Tests  of  Cellulose  -Acetate — 
Part  II  on  Creep,"  Pro<ri;linr/s  .American  Societv  for  Testing  Ma- 
terials,  \'ol.  42,    1942;   Modi-ni  Plastus,  Vol.   19.' Aug.,   1942,   p.   71. 

5.  W.  N.  Findley,  "Mechanical  Tests  of  Cellulose  Acetate — 
Part  III,"  Presented  at  the  .Annual  meeting  of  the  .American 
Societv  of  Mechanical  Engineers,  1942;  Mndiin  Pltistiis,  \'ol  20, 
March,    1943,    p.   99. 


20 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


Something  for  you 
to  do^  afterward  ? 


A     MESSAGE     TO     MEN      ON     COLLEGE     CAMPUSES 


At  no  time  in  all  the  years  we  have  been 
the  confidant  of  young  men  approaching  a 
career  have  we  been  so  sure  of  the  oppor- 
tunity implicit  in  your  future. 

Today,  your  campus  may  not  be  of  your 
own  choosing.  Your  courses,  your  schedules 
almost  all  are  pointed  toward  immediate 
necessity.  Your  career  is  set. 

Have  you  a  true  conception  of  how  much 
your  special  training  means  to  your  coun- 
try? To  Victory? 

We  think  you  do.  But,  honestly,  don't  you 
catch  yourself  wondering  whether  there  is 
really  going  to  be  something  for  you  to  do, 
afterward?  Are  you  sometimes  in  doubt  of 
what's  to  come  after  NOW? 

We  say  to  you:  There  is  a  world  to  be 
made  anew. 

That  world  is  going  to  offer  you  creative 
opportunity  surpassing  anything  we  old- 
timers  have  ever  seen.  You  are  going  to 
have  tools  and  materials  and  knowledge  to 
work  with  such  as  no  generation  ever  had. 

We  think  you  are  going  to  find  not  only 


a  country,  but  a  whole  world,  waiting  for 
your  talents. 

And  we  know  that  in  this  country  you  are 
going  to  find  a  point-of-view  throughout 
industry  which  is  a  new  thing  under  the  sun. 
Already  countless  leaders  in  industry  are 
laying  plans  which  are  based  on  flat  accept- 
ance of  tlie  principle  tliat  their  first  respon- 
sibility, after  all-out  production  for  war,  is 
to  make  postwar  jobs. 

We  at  Alcoa  are  one  group  of  such  men. 
We  are  Imagineering  now,  for  you.  We 
intend  to  do  everything  we  know  how  to 
make  aluminum  make  jobs,  whether  they 
may  be  witli  us,  or  in  a  thousand  other 
industries  which  will  be  using  Alcoa  Alumi- 
num when  it  is  again  available. 

Wherever  you  are  in  service,  you  will 
surely  be  in,  or  around,  or  supported  by, 
American  airplanes.  Will  you  remember 
two  things:  They  are  made  largely  of 
Alcoa  Aluminum.  And,  the  folks  who  make 
that  metal  are  even  now  Imagineering  for 
your  future. 


A  PARENTHETICAL  ASIDE:  FROM  THE  AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF 


ALCOA 


1  ALCOA    ALUMINUM 


•  This  message  is  printed  by  Aluminum  Company  of  America  to  help  people  to 
understand  ivhal  ive  do  and  what  sort  of  men  make  aluminum  grow  in  usefulness. 


APRIL,  1943 


21 


•  Complete  description  of  famous  Harrisburg  Steels. 

•  Official  S.  A.  E.  Standard  Steel  Specifications. 

•  The   story   of   Plate-made   Manganese   and   Lightweight 
High  Pressure  Cylinders. 

•  Description,   complete  tables  and   blueprints   of  quality 
oilfields  products. 

•  Table  of  weights  of  Drop  and  Hollow  Forgings. 

•  The   latest   information   on   Harrisburg   Liquifiers  or 
converters. 

•  Handsomely  bound,  well  illustrated,  contains  102  pages. 
Size  of  page  8'/2  x-  1 1  inches. 

HARRISBURG  STEEL  CORPORATION 

HARRISBURG,     PENNSYLVANIA 


who  have  been  awarded  the  Army-Navy  "E" 
for  high  achievement  in  production 


What  is  an  Electronic  Device? 

An  clfctronic  de\ice  is  one  in  which 
the  electron  is  set  free  from  the  atom 
nucleus  around  which  it  ordinarily  re- 
volves, according  to  I)r  Joseph  Slepian, 
associate  director  of  the  Westinghouse 
Research  Laboratories.  A  copper  wire 
is  not  an  electronic  device  because  its 
electrons  are  only  partially  separated 
from  their  atoms.  Electrons  wander 
from  the  neighborhood  of  one  neucleus 
to  the  neighborhood  of  another,  but 
they  are  ne\er  farther  than  a  billionth- 
of-an-inch  or  so  awa\'  from  the  center 
of  any  atom.  In  the  radio  tube,  which 
has  been  pumped  free  of  air  and  other 
gases,  the  separation  between  electron 
and  atom  is  approximately  10,000  times 
greater  than  in  the  wire.  Therefore, 
the  radio  tube  is  truly  an  electronic 
device. 


Fluorescence  and  Phosphorescence 

The  two  terms  "fluorescence"  and 
"phosphorescence"  are  sometimes  con- 
fused. They  both  represent  the  ability 
of  certain  substances  to  transform  some 
form  of  energy  into  visible  light.  The 
results  are  indistinguishable  to  the  eye, 
but  between  them  there  is  one  important 
difference.  Fluorescence  lasts  only  while 
the  exciting  energy  source  or  viltra\iolet 
"black  light"  is  present;  phosphorescence 
continues  after  the  light  has  been  re- 
moved. 


Lightning  Goes  Down,  Then  Up 

Lightning  bounces  upward  from  the 
ground  along  a  heated  path  200  times 
as  fast  as  it  flashes  downward  from 
the  clouds,  Charles  F.  Wagner  of 
Westinghouse  recenth'  pointed  out  to 
the  Academy  of  Science  and  Art  in 
Pittsburgh.  The  most  brilliant  part 
of  a  lightning  stroke  mo\es  upward 
from  the  earth  to  the  cloud  at  a  speeil 
of  20,000  miles  per  second  —  fast 
enough  to  make  a  round-the-world  trip 
before  you  can  draw  a  deep  breath. 
The  downward  drive  of  the  stroke  is 
at  the  rate  of  only  100  miles  a  second, 
and  its  light  is  so  feeble  that  it  often 
fails  to  make  any  impression  on  photo- 
graphic film.  The  luminous  upward 
stroke  moves  along  a  highway  of  ionized 
air  established  by  the  earlier  stroke  from 
cloud  to  ground.  Since  onl\'  a  few  ten- 
thousandths  of  a  second  separate  the 
two  strokes,  the  human  eye  sees  them  as 
one. 


22 


Weighs  Oxygen  Atoms 

A  single  layer  of  oxygen  atoms  on 
a  sli\er  of  steel  the  size  of  a  safety 
razor  blade  can  be  weighed  by  a  sensi- 
tive balance  in  the  Westinghouse  Re- 
search Laboratories.  Such  a  layer 
weighs  two  hundred-millionths  of  an 
ounce,  or  about  a  hundredth  as  much 
as  a  speck  of  pepper. 

THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


I 


The  winged  ingot  is  a  symbol  of 
freedom.  It  is  a  graphic  expression 
of  Dow's  recovery  of  magnesium, 
lightest  of  the  light  metals,  from 
sea  water  to  release  our  airplanes 
from  hampering  weight. 

Also,  it  is  a  symbol  of  things  to 
come.    When    peace    returns    the 


freedom  of  American  enterprise 
will  permit  the  full  use  of  Dow's 
vast  magnesium  production  to  speed 
transportation  of  passengers  and 
freight  by  air  and  lighten  tasks  in 
industry,  business  and  the  home. 

Millions  of  pounds  of  Dow  mag- 
nesium,  extracted   from   the  inex- 


haustible sources  of  the  sea  and 
from  Michigan  brine — as  well  as 
Dow  facilities  already  established 
for  the  fabrication  of  Dowmetal 
castings  and  wrought  products — 
will  then  be  available  to  give  this 
symbol  of  freedom — the  flying  ingot 
— its  fullest  significance. 


THE  DOW  CHEMICAL  COMPANY,  MIDLAND,  MICHIGAN 

New  York— St.  Louis— Chicago— Houston — San  Francisco— Loa  Angeles— Seattle 

MAGNESIUM 


CHEMICALS    INDISPENSABLE 
TO   INDUSTRY  AND  VICTORY 


PRODUCER      SINCE       1916 


APRIL,  1943 


This  Merry-go-round  has 
gone  to  war! 


r 


1 .  It  takes  a  lot  of  parts  to 
make  a  Jeep.  And  this  "merry-go- 
round"  has  the  job  of  grinding 
some  of  those  parts  (those  with 
flat  surfaces) ...  in  a  hurry! 
By  rotating  a  large  number  of 
pieces  beneath  a  Carborundum 
made  disc  wheel,  it  surface 
grinds  them  in  a  fraction  of 
the  time  required  by  older 
methods.  This  process  is  one 
which  Carborundum  helped  develop 


■^ 


2.  Surface  ground  parts  for  jeeps,  tanks 
and  other  weapons  just  couldn't  be  fin- 
ished one  at  a  time;  production  would  be 
hopelessly  low.  The  introduction  of  disc 
wheels  and  the  "merry-go-round"  surface 
grinder  put  surface  grinding  on  a  real 
mass  production  basis.  The  method  can  be 
used  to  generate  flat  surfaces  to  preci- 
sion tolerances,  on  smallest  pieces  or  on 
massive  forgings  and  castings.  It  speeds 
production  of  many  vital  war  items  from 
valve  springs  to  connecting  rods,  from 
piston  rings  to  clutch  plates! 


3.  You'll  come  to  know  Carborundum- 
made  products  well  when  you  take  your 
place  in  industry.  Whenever  you  en- 
counter a  problem  abrasives  might 
solve,  please  feel  free  to  call  on 
us.  The  Carborundum  Company,  Niagara 
Falls,  New  York. 


I  arborundum  is  b  rcKistvrvd  trBde-tnarh  of  nnd  indr- 
rmles   manufacture  by  The  Carbarundum  Company. 


1 


THE  TECHNOGRAPH 


i 


The  Goblin  that 
works  for  America 

The  inquisitive  alchemists  of  the  Middle  Ages 
were  looking  for  silver.  Repeatedly,  they  smelted 
certain  ores  and  got  a  silvery-looking  metal.  But  it 
was  only  silvery-looking.  It  never  turned  out  to  he 
silver.  So  the  alchemists  thought  that  a  malicious 
spirit  was  thwarting  them,  and  they  called  the 
strange  metal  Kobold,  meaning  goblin. 

Today  that  same  goblin,  known  in  America  as 
cobalt,  has  become  one  of  this  country's  great  fight- 
ing elements.  Cobalt  is  alloyed  with  chromium  and 
tungsten  to  make  "Haynes  Stellite"  alloys  which  have 
the  property  of  "red  hardness."  Metal-cutting  tools 
made  of  these  alloys  keep  on  cutting  even  when  red 
hot!  Cobalt  improves  red  hardness  and  toughness 
in  other  kinds  of  metal-cutting  tools.  Thus,  cobalt 
has  contributed  greatly  to  the  tremendous  output 
of  planes,  tanks,  guns,  and  other  war  materials. 

Cobalt  is  also  used  to  produce  improved  magnet 
steels.  Permanent  magnets  of  cobalt-tungsten  steel 
are  more  powerful,  and  last  longer.  Permanent  mag- 
nets are  necessary  in  much  electrical  equipment. 

This  country's  cobalt  formerly  came  from  Bel- 
gium, where  it  was  refined  from  African  ores  found 
in  the  Belgian  Congo. 

As  war  clouds  loomed,  and  as  accelerated  Ameri- 
can industry  made  rapid  inroads  on  the  stockpiles 
shipped  out  of  Belgium  during  1938  and  1939,  Elec- 
tro Metallurgical  Company,  a  unit  of  UCC, 
designed  and  built  facilities  in  this  country  for  the 
Belgians.  Electromet  now  operates  these  facilities 
60  that  Haynes  Stellite  Company,  another  Unit 
of  UCC,  and  other  American  companies  can  have 
the  cobalt  they  need  for  essential  war  work.  Opera- 
tions began  in  1941.  Today,  these  facilities  annually 
produce  more  cobalt  than  was  ever  imported  in  any 
year  previously. 

BUY  UNITED  STATES  WAR  BONDS  AND  STAMPS 


RED  HOT. . .  STILL  CUTTING  I 

Faster  production  of  metal 
equipment  of  all  kinds  is 
made  possible  by  high- 
speed metal-rutting  tools 
containing  cobalt. 


SIGHTED  SUB!  Better  radio 
transmitting  tubes  and  im- 
proved electrical  equip- 
ment are  assured  by  cobalt. 


CALLING  HEADQUARTERS  I 

Telephones  and  other  elec- 
trical equipment  require 
permanent  magnets.  The 
better  magnet  alloys  con- 
tain cobalt. 


WEAR-FIGHTER  I  Planes  fly 
farther  with  fewer  repairs, 
thanks  to  exhaust  valves 
protected  with  "Haynes 
Stellite"  cobalt-chromium- 
tungsten  alloys. 


UNION    CARBIDE    AND    CARBON    CORPORATION 

30  East  42nd  Street      EH3       New  York,  N.  Y. 
principal  Products  and  Units  in  the  United  States 


ALLOYS  AND  MRALS 

Electro  Metallurgical  Conrpanj 

Haynes  Stellite  Company 

United  Stales  Vanadiiun  Corporation 


CHEMICALS 

Carbide  and  Carbon  CfaemicaU  Corporallon 
ELECTRODES,  CARBONS  AND  BAHERIES 

National  Carbon  Company.  Inc. 


INDUSTRIAL  GASES  AND  CARBIDE 

The  Linde  Air  Products  Company 
The  Oxweld  Railroad  Service  Company 
The  Presl-O-Lite  Company,  Inc. 


PLASTICS 

Bakelite  Corporation 
Plastics  Division  of  Carbide  and  Carbon 
Chemicals  Corporation 


IJ"  k  ^^^;SiaC^^ 


PLASTIC  SURGERY 

MISTER  FIVE  BY  FIVE  had  nothing  on  radio  an- 
tenna enclosures  until  the  "doctors"  of  the  G-E 
Plastics  Laboratory  (PhD's,  not  MD's)  went  to  work  on 
the  problem  of  streamlining.  The  result  was  a  plastic 
housing  that  a  plane  hardlv   knows  it's  carrying. 

That's  just  one  wartime  activity  of  the  Laboratory 
chemists.  They're  also  concocting  plastics  for  fuse  caps 
on  mortar  shells  and  for  a  vast  variety  of  parts  for  battle- 
ships, tanks,  and  what-have-you's. 

The  name  "plastics"  covers  a  lot  of  different  ma- 
terials. These  G-E  chemists  are  applying  the  most  pre- 
cise and  ingenious  chemical  techniques  to  increase  that 
variety.  So,  if  a  special  job  requires  a  material  with 
combined  properties  that  no  existing  material  has,  they 
go  to  work  to  cook  up  an  entirely  new  plastic  to 
fill  the  bill. 

The  whole  story  can't  begin  to  be  told  vet.  But  when  it 
can,  you'll  be  amazed  at  how  far  plastics  have  gone  in 
wartime,  and  how  many  new  peacetime  jobs  they'll  be 
ready  to  tackle  afterward. 


PUT  A  NfCKEL  IN  IT 

NICKEL'S  gone  to  war.  But  that  doesn't  mean  that 
the   juke   box   and   pay   telephone  will  soon  be 
operating  on  a  diet  of  "wooden  nickels"  and  slugs.  For 


every  self-respecting  coin-operated  machine  has  a  magnet 
attachment  that  refuses  to  accept  all  coins  that  do  not 
have  the  magnetic  properties  of  genuine  ones. 

So,  when  a  new  formula  for  the  five-cent  piece  was 
needed  in  order  to  save  nickel  and  copper  for  war  serv- 
ice, it  had  to  have  magnetic  properties  close  to  those 
of  the  old-fashioned  nickel.  A  number  of  metallurgical 
experts  were  asked  for  their  advice. 

Your  guess  is  as  good  as  the  next  as  to  whose  advice 
was  finally  followed,  but  the  formula  submitted  by  the 
metallurgical  section  of  the  G-E  Research  Laboratory 
was  pretty  close  to  the  one  picked.  The  new  "nickel" 
doesn't  have  any  nickel  in  it,  and  has  lost  19  per  cent  of 
its  copper — and  the  metals  saved  are  on  their  way  to 
hit  thejap-pot. 


/AP  NAP 

ONE  night  Hirohito  had  a  nightmare.  He  dreamt 
that  Shangri  Las  were  springing  up  all  over  and 
planes  were  swarming  over  him  like  tlies. 

Perhaps  that  nightmare  is  nearer  reality  than  his 
Imperial  Nibs  knows.  For  now,  in  practically  no  time 
at  all,  any  open  field,  even  though  the  ground  is  soft, 
can  be  transformed  into  a  hard  runway  for  American 
bombers  starting  off  to  make  hay  of  enemy  objectives. 

To  turn  the  trick,  flexible  steel  mats  are  laid  along 
the  field.  By  means  of  resistance-welding  machines 
guided  by  G-E  electronic  tubes,  steel  bars  are  automati- 
cally joined  together  to  form  these  mats.  The  speed  far 
exceeds  that  of  a  crew  of  hand  welders. 

On  some  dark  night,  in  some  deserted  spot,  our  army 
engineers  will  swiftly  unload  these  steel  mats,  joining 
them  into  a  smooth,  solid  runway.  And  presto!  Hiro- 
hito's  nightmare  will  become  a  grim  reality.  General 
Electric  Co.,  Schenectady,  N.  Y. 


Listen  to  the  "Hour  0/  Charm"  10  p.m.  EXTT  Suntiays  on  NBC 
ami  the  G-E  tiens  with  Frazier  Hunt  6  p.m.  EWT  Tuesdays, 
Thursdays,  a>id Saturdays  on  CBS  and  .imerican  (F-M)  networks. 


GENERAL  m  ELECTRIC 


24 


THE  TEGHNOGRAPH 


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