or without the cast iron racks in front of it. It should have substantial cross braces between its frames, and also be securely braced from the brick wall. For a shop rack the form shown in Fig. 131 will be found very convenient.

The A-shaped supports are of cast iron, securely braced by cross braces bolted on as shown. The base of the supports might be made relatively narrower han shown in the drawing without endangering their stability. Such a rack

may be made of any number of supports and placed at any desired intervals apart that the work may require. Once we have the pattern, we may make as many castings as we choose and arrange them to suit any existing conditions. Usually they should not be over 5 feet high, unless rather small and light stock is to be placed on the upper supports. The lower projecting supports may be about 10 inches long and the top ones about 7 inches.

The wash room is located in one of the rear corners, and in connection with the water-closets, which open out of it. A single wash sink of similar construction to the one illustrated and described in the article on foundry equipment is provided, and the individual lockers for the use of the men, and built of expanded metal, are arranged on both sides of the room in the usual

M

manner.

FIG. 131.-Small Rack for Ordinary Cast Steel and Tool Steel Bars.

In the water-closets six urinals and four closet seats are provided, the latter protected by double-hinged swinging doors, and the former separated by dividing partitions two feet wide. Both should be provided with an ample supply of water for automatically flushing them. The windows lighting the wash room and water-closets are placed high enough in the wall so as not to interfere with the lockers or the urinals.

By the plans herein given all of the requirements of the operatives are placed conveniently within the building, so that whether for stock, fuel, or any reasonable cause, there is no necessity of leaving the building, as it is a well-known fact that men working near artificial heat, as do those at forges, are very sensitive to both heat and cold out of doors, and that to make proper provision for their health, comfort, and convenience, while at their work, is not only proper and commendable in itself, but always conducive to their efficiency as workmen.

CHAPTER XXIII

SHOP TRANSPORTATION EQUIPMENT

Its importance in the modern machine shop. Careful planning necessary. Continuous progress of work through the different departments. What may be classed as transportation facilities. Traveling cranes. Overhead trolleys. Shop tracks. Yard car crane. Shop trucks. Portable crane. Yard tracks and cars. Cast iron track. Requirements of a floor track. An economical system of shop tracks and cars. Overcoming wheel friction on curves. Forms of wheels and track. Dimensions of track. Switches. Track timbers. Yard tracks. Track for shop floors. The turntable. Shop cars. Construction and dimensions. Various forms of shop cars. With removable stakes. With removable boxes. With racks for special work. With trays for special work. Dump car for coal, sand, etc. Double car, two cars and a special platform. Varying dimensions of cars. Number of cars necessary.

THE question of the transportation of stock and material from the point of its receipt from outside sources to the various departments where it is to begin its regular transit from the raw material to the finished product, of transferring this material from one department to another during its progress through the shops, and of its final transit from the department where it is finished to the storehouse, for safe keeping or for shipping to customers, is an important matter. For if closely followed through all its various stages, and the expenses accurately kept, as to the capital involved in the appliances necessary, the proper maintenance of these facilities in good working condition, and the labor necessary for their successful operation, it would appear to be a far larger item of expense in the general account than would usually be supposed from a superficial consideration of the question.

This is a matter upon which careful planning is needed in all its bearings, as any saving in this respect, while still rendering good service, is an actual saving, and, unlike the reduction of the cost in building a machine for the market, is not liable to effect a deterioration of the real quality or value of the product. This does not mean that the service can, or should be, made inefficient in order to avoid expense, but rather that it should be well planned, well administered, prompt and efficient in every way, yet without a useless appliance or an unnecessary man employed in it. For instance, the progress of the work through the different departments should be so arranged that, as far as possible,

it may be really progressive from the raw material to the finished product, with as little retrograde movement as may be. In this way a considerable percentage of the work of transporting materials and stock in progress may be saved, rendering a less extensive equipment of cars, trucks, etc., necessary, as well as a smaller force of employees for handling them.

In arranging the different departments of the plant here shown due consideration was given to this matter and they were carefully planned with this end in view, as will be more fully pointed out in the chapters on Machine Shop Management which will succeed this part of the work.

In the list of appliances that may be classed as transportation facilities, we may mention traveling cranes, overhead trolleys, shop cars on tracks, cars on yard tracks, hand trucks, and small tool conveyors. Of these, the traveling cranes may be those propelled by a shaft running the entire distance of their travel, by those carrying an electric motor for their propulsion, and those of small capacity worked by hand, with a chain reaching down near the floor. Again, as to lifting power, they are operated by the shaft above mentioned, by a motor, or by chain blocks with the usual differential chain wheels or other similar device.

Overhead trolleys running on I-beams may have a small motor mounted upon them furnishing the power for their propulsion as well as for their lifting power. Frequently those of moderate capacity are pulled along by hand, and the loads lifted by chain blocks operated by hand. These trolley tracks are so constructed that they can be put up in straight lines, curves, switches, crossings, etc., which render them very convenient for light work, and they occupy but little room overhead, and none at all on the floor. In some cases, however, existing overhead obstacles such as shafting, belting, countershafts, etc., preclude the use of either the overhead trolley or the traveling crane; in others the weights are not sufficient to demand the expense of a traveling crane; in still other locations several traveling cranes would be required to cover the space to be operated in. Then there are other situations in which lack of height prevents the use of the overhead trolley system.

Shop tracks for the accommodation of cars of the usual size, say 34 inches wide and 5 feet long, will be of the same gage as the yard tracks, or about 20 inches, so that the shop cars or heavier and larger yard cars may be used on the whole system. These cars may be propelled by small electric motors in the form of an electric locomotive, which is simply a car fitted with two motors operated by a storage battery, but more often they are pushed about by hand, particularly when loaded with less than 2 tons weight.

A balance crane may be erected on a car for yard or shop use, and may by this arrangement be capable of picking up and carrying a load up to a ton or two. It is very useful in locations where power for loading is not available.

Four-wheeled shop trucks, with the front axle pivoted and handled by a tongue, should have their wheels so constructed and located as to properly run upon the shop tracks as well as upon the floors.

The Franklin portable crane is simply a small jib crane on wheels, which may be moved about the shop as easily as a hand truck. Its capacity is from one and a half to three tons. It readily lifts and holds the load at any point so that it can be wheeled to any desired location. It is now made also with a gasoline motor, or an electric motor run by a storage battery for both propulsion by traction wheels and the power for lifting - making a very complete and portable power crane for many ordinary shop purposes. It will be found a very convenient and useful addition to the shop equipment.

The traveling cranes provided for in the various departments do not seem to need any detailed description. There are many excellent ones in the market and they should be selected with a view to the special requirements of each case.

In considering a system of tracks for yards, and the system for the construction of cars for use upon these tracks, the Hunt system is probably the best and most complete of anything in the market, particularly when heavy work is to be undertaken. However, for moderate loads a more economical method of construction may be adopted, and one that may be built in the shops without a great outlay for patterns or special tools.

Metallic ties are no doubt the ideal method for laying track on the ground when steel rolled track is used. Yet a cast iron track, properly constructed and properly supported, will be found very practical for every-day service in a plant of such a character as the one under consideration. Again, where track is to be laid on upper floors it would not seem advisable to use the heavy plate track made of cast iron on account of its considerable weight. Much of this is not necessary for the purpose, particularly when moderate loads are to be transported, as is usual with work done on the floors above the first; and all excess of weight is not only detrimental, as unnecessarily loading down the building, but adds needlessly to the expense. In fact the principal requirements of a floor track would seem to be these: First, it should be on a level with the top of the floor, so as not to offer any obstruction to the workmen going from place to place, or to the passage of hand trucks over it. Second, it should be of such moderate weight that it may be laid down on any floor of the building without overweighting it. Third, it should be of such simple construction that an ordinary mechanic may build one, put it in operation and repair it. Fourth, it should be so designed that cars having a fixed wheel base may readily run around its curves without undue friction. Fifth, it should be of such depth that it may be easily laid down by cutting through the usual two-inch plank floor of the ordinary machine shop, or laying the