PERIODICALs School of APR111950 ~ E n g iffifP£;x ;r.TA n: COI.t£Gi; LW-AARr ~ichigan State College .. -AARC~, 1950 VOL. 3, NO.3 TWENTY-FIVE CENTS Bow 10 make 51,000 people happy O NE of the biggest single housing de- velopments ever undertaken has roomy living quarters for 31,000 peopie. Many similar projects ... some per- preparing men to handle the many highly-technical jobs that modern steel- taken its place in the panorama of New haps not so large, some even larger ..• making involves. Many of these jobs ~re York City's lower East Side. It is the must take form before America licks its far removed physinlly from the roanng result of cooperation between private housing problem. And they'll all require blast furnaces and glowing open hearths enterprise, the State, and the City. vast quantities of steel, for steel is the -at the same time, they are absolutel~ es- The rise of Peter Cooper Village and backbone of modern construction. sential to today's precision steelmakmg. adjacent Stuyvesant Town has changed Today the steel industry is looking Through its training program, United the face of this 80-acre section of Man- ahead toward tomorrow's big projects. States Steel is laying the foundations for hattan ... has transformed a slum area At United States Steel, a vast training promising futures for young men who of tenements and factories into modern, program is going forward continually, meet its qualifications. AMERICAN BRIDGE COMPANY, AMERICAN STEEL & WIRE COMPANY. CARNEGIE-ILLINOIS STEel CORPORATION, COLUMBIA STEel COMPANY H. C. FRICK COKE AND ASSOCIATED COMPANIES. GENEVA STEel COMPANY • GERRARD STEel STRAPPING COMPANY MICHIGAN LIMESTONE & CHEMICAL COMPANY, NATIONAL TUBE COMPANY, Oil Well SUPPLY COMPANY, OLIVER IRON MINING COMPANY PITTSBURGH LIMESTONE CORPORATION PITTSBURGH STEAMSHIP COMPANY TENNESSEE COAL. IRON & RAilROAD COMPANY UNITED STATES STEel EXPORT COMPANY • UNITEO STATES STEel PRODUCTS COMPANY • UNITED STATES STEel SUPPLY COMPANY UNIVERSAL ATlAS CEMENT COMPANY' VIRGINIA BRIDGE COMPANY ---~~-~~ ..'~~"'~"" , ~ , f , i j I I,' Great Names are built on Solid Foundations Individual reputations, or futures, ... that looks like a railroad. And elevators, radio, electronic devices, like that of a business, are built on it works ... send~ a plane into the x-ray machines, household appli- solid foundations. So let's examine air at 117 miles per hour. ances, plastics, lamps, lighting, the basis of a solid foundation. This same daring spirit developed atomic power development, or a Suppose you had a problem .•• a 65,OOO-hp motor to pump rivers need in any of the hundreds of other required some kind of power to of water for a vast irrigation project, channels in which Westinghouse help hurl a jet plane into action 20 percent larger than any motor carves its name with engineering from a ship. That was a critical previously built ... and a motor so achievements. problem of the Navy in wartime. small that you can hold it in your Important responsibilities can They came to Westinghouse, hand, and that runs at the almost only be placed on strong founda- where they knew they would find a unbelievable speed of 65,000 Fpm tions. At Westinghouse, programs II strong foundation in power equip- ment. And Westinghouse engineers to do another highly important task. This pioneering spirit prevails of training and education strengthen engineering backgrounds so that .I , came up with the answer-a motor throughout Westinghouse, whether technical men can assume vital roles 1,400 feet long that lies perfecdy it's a need for motors, railway loco- in a dynamic organization that Bat ..• never turns ••. has no shaft motives, gas turbines, steam power, stakes its future on the commitment: (;.10071 YOU CAN 8E SURE •• IF ITS \\estinghouse March, 1950 1 Strength factors of Long Life! No pipe that is provably deficient in any of these strength factors should ever be laid in city streets The touqhness of cast iron pipe which enables it to withstand impact and traffic shocks. as 'Wthout shock strenqth-or. for that well as the hazards in handlinq. is demon- matter-without all of the strenqth factors SHOCK strated by the Impact Test. While under hydro- static pressure and the heavy blows from a listed opposite-no pipe laid 100 years ago in city streets would be in service STRENGTH 50 pound hammer. standard 6-inch cast iron pipe does not crack until the hammer is today. But. in spite of the evolution of dropped 6 times On the same spot from pro- traffic from horse-drawn vehicles to heavy qressively increased heiqhts of 6 inches. trueD and buses-and today's vast c:omplexity of subway and underground The ability of cast iron pipe to withstand ex- ternal loads imposed by heavy fill and un- utility services-cast iron gas and water mains. laid Over a century ago. are CRUSHING usual traffic loads is proved by the RiJlq serving in the streets of more than 30 STRENGTH { Compression Test. Standard 6-inch cast iron pipe withstands a crushinq weiqht of more cities in the United States and Canada. than 14.000 lbs. per fool Such service records prove that cast iron pipe combines all the strellgth factors of Wllen cast ,iron pipe _is subiected 10 beam stress caused by soil settlement. or disturbance long life with ample margins of safety. No pipe that is provably deficient in any of BEAM of soil by other utilities. or restinq on an ob- these strenqth factors should ever be laid STRENGTH { struction. tesls prove that standard 6-inch cast iron pipe in 10-foot span sustains a load of in city streets. Cast hon Pipe Research 15.000 lbs. Association. Thos. F. Wolfe. Engineer. 122 So. Michigan Ave .. Chicago 3. In full lenqth burslinq tests slandard 6-iJlch BURSTING cast iron pipe withstands more than 2500 lbs. per square inch inlernal hydrostatic pressure. 1\ t ('lllu,,,, STRENGTH { which proves ample ability 10 resisl- water. hammer or unusual workinq pressures. 2 SPARTAN £NGINf.;Ek ... We have good neWS to report for the journals ,I ! ,, ~, I , If ~ .1 h I ~I SOME JOURNALSare technical publications. our tests furnished information that enabled Some journals are the parts of rotating shafts the Army to procure certain products with greatly increased reliability of performance. that turn in bearings. For both kinds 6f journals, there's good news Some of our tests have become a part of govern- in Standard Oil's performance testing program. ment specifications. Many users of our prod- One result is a new testing device for mill and ucts are benefiting, both 'from better products locomotive driving-journal grease that enables and from more accurate information. us to tell more accurately than ever before what As time goes on, we are doing more and more our greases will do under actual conditions of performance testing. In some cases, we have to use. That, in turn, enables us to proceed more develop not only the tests but also the testing directly with the job of making our greases equipment. But to Standard Oil researchers and engineers, any effort is worth while if it still better. Standard Oil took the lead in performance will help make better, more useful petroleum testing, and is a leader today. During the war products. Standard Oil Company (INDIANA) 3 March, lC)50 - •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• ••• • ••• • • By plane, train, truck ... by boat and barge ... by This close relationship to industry results from Dow's nearly every type of transportation, Dow chemicals move progress throughout the years in production, sales and across the nation. There are weed killers for the prairies, distribution of chemicals "indispensable to industry and insecticides for the almond and fruit growers in California, agriculture" . epsom salt for the tanneries in Massachusetts, caustic soda for the paper mills of Washington and soil fumigants THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY. MIDLAND, MICHIGAN N.w York • Boston • Philadelphia • Washington. AHan" • a.voIancl • DeIroit for the truck gardens of Florida. These are but a few of Chicago • St. louis • Houston • San francisco _ Los A ....... Seattle D_ Chemical of Canada, L1miNcl,Taranto, Canada more than five hundred Dow chemicals serving American industry and agriculture.- A well.organized sales and distribution system is required to move 'so varied an output of chemicals into a multitude of major industries from coast to coast. At Dow, this com. plex distribution problem is solved by strategically locating plants, branch offices, and warehouses near the nation's production centers. In many instances, the much.needed CHEMICALS material can be shipped overnight from Dow to processing INDI .... N.A.L. TO INDU.TRY plants in the vicinity. AND AGRICULTUR. 4 SPARTAN ENGINEER SpartaN ENGINEER EDITOR HERMAN J. BOWERS Table of Contents BUSINESS MANAGER . WILLIAMTHROOP • articles Assistant Editor PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS •••••••••••• 8 Charles E. Paul COLOR TV •.•••••••••••••••••••• 10 ROADS TO TRAVEL. ••••••••••••••• 12 Associate Editor TELEVISlON FOR LANSING ••••.•.••.• 14 Earl Rogers SPECTATOR ENGINEERING ••••••••. 16 Circulation Manager ENGINE MILESTONE •••••••••••••.• 18 Elam T. Clark SILICONES ••••••••••••••..•••••• 22 EASY AS Pl ••••••••.•.•••••••••• 24 Advertising Manager Robert Easter .features Staff ENGIN-EARS ••••••••••••••...••• 6 Jack R. Marsh ALUMNI NOTES •••••••••••••••.•• 13 Arnold V. Nelson William Haigh WE PRESENT •.•••••••••••••••••• 15 Richard J. Travers PICTURE PAGE •.•.••••••••••• 20 & 21 Harry Horn Emil Raulin THE SOCIETIES •••••••••••••••••• 25 Henry T. Nay Jr. CAMPUS NEWS ••••••••.•••••••••• 26 Elton H. Moore Robert Kuhn NEW DEVELOPMENTS .••••••••••••• 36 Robert G. Kitchen SIDETRACKED •••...••••••••• 39 & 40 Patrick Perry William Fiscus Thomas F. Fudge Hannon D. Strieter Me! Sandler Gerald A. Torrey Ted Summers Bruce Miller Robert V. Gay Hubert A. Pattison The Spartan Engineer is published by the students of the Richard H. Small Donald E. Morehead School of Engineering, Michigan State College. Editorial Thomas E. Lopker and business offices, Rwm 50£ ::lectrical Engineering Donald J. Wilson building, P. O. box 4'68, East Lansing, Michigan. Phone, 8-1511; Ext. 7119. Price per issue, 25 cents .. Entered as Photographer second class matter at the Lansing post office, January, John Randall 1949. March, 1950 Although the registration examination cannot tion, so it now lS expected that they will be completed until four years after graduation, organize on a local scale and go national the portion of the test covering theoretical next year. subjects may be taken at any time. The state The third group is the Chern and Met E's board gives the exams twice a year, usually who are planning a local honor group with no in June and December. present plans for national affiliation. Hendrick contends that most men will find Weare strongly in favor of the form ation of it easier to complete as much of the test as these new groups. Most of the large universi- possible while their college work still is ties in the country already have such organiz- fresh in their minds. and we feel they will prove a valuable addition According to Hendrick, the National Society to State. of Professional Engineers was organized to * * * * give to the engineering profession the same E'VE HEARD A FEW COMPLAINTS dignity, standing and protection that the Med- ical Society gives to the physician Bar Association assures the attorney. and the The W that some of the fellows are having troub- le with their Pickett and Eckel slide rules. Most of the trouble seems to be with the faces NSPE boasts 23,000 active members organized of the scales either chipping or wearing away. into 32 state organizations. t-Iembership is According to the Union book store, they will limited to licensed professional engineers. make a replacement or an adjustment on all Regular meetings of the Grand Valley chap- P & E rules where the difficulty is due to poor ter are held in the Union on the second Tues- material or faulty workmanship. Of course, the day of each month. Dinner is served at 6:30 book store will do nothing in cases where the and a business meeting follows. Always inclu- the damage is the fault of the student. ded on the program is a technical talk by an outstandinB engineer • Engineering students and faculty members • • • • HE ENGINEERING COUNCIL HAS are invited to these meetings, Hendrick. Visitors according are not required to attend the dinner, but they may do so if they wish. to T plans well under way for this year's Engineering Exposition scheduled May 12 and 13. It is expected that the event for The technical discussions start about 7:30. It is attempted to have notice of the date will prove even bigger and better than last year. and place of the meetings published in the State News and announcements are posted on According to Bill Fiscus, council presi- dent, arrangements are being made for a the Union bulletin board. number of professional exhibits from indus- * * * * concerns to supplement the student displays. In addition to the exhibits, there will be A FLOOD OF NEW SOCIETIES AND HON- or~ries has hit the School of Engineering speakers and movies, and possibly a dance . thlS year, but we are inclined to regard in the Union. t~lS as a healthy situation in a college the To make this second annual exposition a SlZe of MSC. real success, the council is going to need Among the societies, there are three addi- the cooperation of every student in the t~on~. Last fall, the Society of Automotive School of Engineering. It is hoped that each Eng.1neers and the American Foundrymen's student engineering organization will have a Soc1ety were organized while the American display. Most of .the societies already have ~o~iety of Heating and Ventilating Engineers their projects well under way. 1S lfi the process of gaining recognition at the present time. Besides Phi Lambda Tau, local all-engin- eering honorary which was reactivated last . DON'T MISS IT ... fall, three departmental honoraries are in the process of formation. In the ME department, plans are well under In the ~.lay issue, Mel Sandler way for an MSC chapter of Pi Tau Sigma, explains the latest developments national honorary mechanical engineering in time study without a stop watch • frate rnity. . Another group - the EE's - had hoped to 1nstigate a local chapter of Eta Kappa Nu, national EE honorary. However, the plans were not started .soon enough for national affilia- 7 March, 1950 Photoelectric Cells Electronic Labor Savers By Charles E. Paul Junior, E.E. D URING THE LAST FE~' YEARS, THE photoelectric cell has been rapidly intro- duced to the general public. Not only has and most important, would respond to ordinary visible light. The photoemissive cell is composed of a it been used in a variety of industrial applica- semi-circular metal plate and a straight piece cations, but it has become increasingly pop- of wire enclosed in a glass envelope. The ular in everyday business. phototube looks much like the conventional The recent appearance of the photoelectric vacuum tube. cell would lead one to believe that it is rela- The semi-circular metal plate is the cath- tively new. However, just the opposite is true. ode and the wire is the anode. The wire is The photoelectric effect is comparatively old placed at the axial center of the semi-circular but its possibilities are just starting to be- plate. The inner surface of the plate is coated realized and developed. with a thin layer of a light-sensitive material. This electronic device is taking over many tedious tasks in various occupations. It also is being used where close tolerances of light are employed. Some tasks could not be done at all without the photoelectric cell. There are three main types of photoelectric cells classified as photomissive, photocon- ductive, and photovoltaic. The various char- acteristics will be described in that order. * * * * T HE PHOTOEMISSIVE CELL IS BY FAR the most important and most used in in- dustrial application. In 1887, Heinrich Hertz discovered the photoe missi ve effect while experimenting with inductive currents. The following year, Wilhelm Hallwachs confirmed this discovery while studying charged zinc plates. Two years later, Elster and Geitel investigated the light- sensitive properties of alkali metals. These Thi s recordil.g spectrophotometer can detect and re- metals were found to give stronger currents, cord more than two million different colors.{GE: photo) 8 SPARTAN ENGINEER T The tube is either evacuated or filled with having a glass window. The window serves to an inert gas. The gas filled tubes are more admit light to the cuprous oxide producing an sensitive and have a larger current outp.ut due electromo,tive force (E.M.F.). The photoelec- to ionization of the gas. ' trons liberated by this process COr.1efrom be- [n the photoem.issive cell, light-sensitive tween the oxide layer and the mother copper. rn aterials emit electrons when acted upon by Another type of photovoltaic cell is the light or other radiant energy. The small cur- "dry disc". It is made by covering one side of rent produced by these electrons is increased a copper disc with copper oxide, which in turn by use of a vacuum tube amplifier. The larger is covered by a vety thin layer of aluminum. In current from the amplifier is used to close a darkness, this cell acts as a rectifier, but relay. produces an E.M.F. when subjected to light. To use the photoemissive type of ce 11, a Photovoltaic cells can be used where a separate voltage source must be supplied. source of voltage is not conveniently avail- The voltage, when properly connected, at- able. It can operative a sensitiverelaywiththe tract s the e Ie ctro ns e mitred from the cathode internal voltage which it develops. A practical to the anode. [n addition, the voltage is used example is the exposure meter used in photo- to operate the amplifier. graphy. The main advantage of the photoemissive l cell is its instantaneous response. * * * * I HE PHOTOCONDUCTIVE EFFECT WAS I T first observed a telegraph electrician by Willoughby Smith in 1873. At this time, Smith was working as in the Azores. One i I day, while testing his lines with selenium resistors, he found marked differences in re sistance from bright areas to those that were shaded. Aft.er careful investigation, he found the selenium resistors changed resistance when subjected to different light intensities • . The photoconductive cell is made by close turns of wire on an insulating material. The wire is painted with a conductive substance, annealed and placed in a gas filled tube. Electronic machines in a Michigan plant sort 80,COO The resistance of the photoconductive cell bean s do iIy. (E lectri c Sorting Mach. photo) decreases with an increase in light. This The voltaic cell has an output nearly rro- change of resistance produces a current portional to the light intensity. Dut because of change which is amplified and operates a the time lag, it is not used where an instant- relay in much the same way as the photoemis- aneous response is desired. sive cell. Although the voltaic cell requires no exter- However, this type cell doesn't have an nal voltage source, it is sometimes desirable instantaneous response and the change of re- to increase the voltage output of the cell. The sistance is not proportional to the light inten- amplification is performed by use of a vacuum sity. tube amplifier. When amplification is used, a separate voltage source must be present. * * * * THIRD TYPE OF PHOTOTUBE IS THE * • * * A photovoltaic French scientist, cell. Edmund Becquerel, recorded observation this effect in 1839. While studying this effect, a of A MORE RECENT photoemissive VERSION OF THE c.ell is the. "photomulti- plier tube". ThiS tube emits photoelec- he discovered that green gave the greatest trons in the same way as the photoemissive current output. cell. The difference is in the path of the The photo voltaic cell is made by oxidizing electrons. The electrons in the photoemissive a copper plate in a flame and chemically cell go directly from the cathode to the anode, changing to cuprous oxide by treatment with but in the photomultiplier tube, there are dilute sulfuric acid. This plate is known as several plates from which the electrons bounce the cathode. The anode of the cell is a lead before arriving at the anode. These plates are plate of the same size. The twO electrodes coated with a material havin£ good secondary are immersed in an electrolyte and the entire emission properties .. unit is enclosed in a small bakelite case (Conti nued on Page 30) 9 March, 1950 D Dr • I I A Brief Comparison Of Two Basic Systems By Arnold V. Nelson Soph., E.E. A L THOUGH THE NUMBER OF TELEVI- sion stations in operation today has near- ly reached the one hundred mark, at the present time, no noticeable increase beyond green, and blue - will blend in a. like manner, giving the illusion of a colored pIcture. * * * * HE RCA SYSTEM, CALLED "DOT IN- this is anticipated. SlOn. The important reason for this can be told in two words - Color Televi- T terlac ing", high definition, megacycle band. is entire ly electronic, and operates within a SI~- Being entirely h.as electronIc Color television is stillin the demonstration stage. There are 350 station applications means there are no mechanical devices, such pending at the present time and they are all as rotating discs. High definition is accom- waiting because of color television. The F ed- plished by maintaining 525 lines scanned per eral Communications Commission is planning frame. to study these demonstrations before it will . begin issuing more licenses. The FCC ex- pects to add 42 new channels, of which many will. be set aside for color TV. But before the FCC can give permission to the color televi- sion industry, it must decide upon the system to be used. rhe main feature wanted is a sys- tem that will not make black-and-white sets obsolete. The two main contenders are Radio Corpora- tion of America and Colum bia Broadcasting System. These two use different systems for the reproduction of color. Behind the success of both systems, as with present black and white television,is the basic theory that it is all optical illusion. On the screen of a set at any instant is a rapidly mov- ing bright Spot that scans back and forth, cov- ering the screen with 525 lines of light. The slow-reacting human eye sees this as a pic- ture. These pictures are produced at the rate of 30 frames per second, and are blended by ReA Photo the eye to give the illusion of motion. Ele- ments of pictures in the primary colors _ red, Color television in operation. 11'\ SPARTAN J..'NGINEER ~ In the transmitting camera are three tubes. In front of them are dichroic mirrors. mirrors are plates of glass having one surface These £ ACH COLOR SYSTEM HAS ITS OWN AD- van.tages and disadvantages. panson follows: RCA system is compatibility. A brief com- The main point of the When a station covered with a thin transparent layer. Certain wavelengths of light are reflected while other is telecasting black and white, the color re- wavelengths will pass through. Thus, ea::h ceiver will show black and white, and when tube "sees" only one color. One will provide the station telecasts color, color will be shown green; another, blue; and the other, red. Each without any changes being made. Present sets tube scans the scene continously, but a sam- could receive both types in black and white. pling device samples each color for a very Owners of current sets could convert or make short time - 3.8 million times per second. The no changes and still see both types of televi- composite output of the sampler consists of a sion in black and white. CBS points out that superposition of the green, red, and blue. its system has been tried and proven. To re- The color signal is sent over the air on one ceive the C.BS color television, a convertor wave band. The TV receiver has three picture would be necessary. This convertor would have to be taken away during black and white tubes which are similar to blatk and white tubes except that each has a phosphor which telecasts and put in front of the picture tube "I I produces a different basic color. There is during a color ~ogram. In addition, for a set I practically a reverse process in the receiver 1\ as compared to the transmitter and camera. \ There is a device here which separates the I ! three colors and sends them to separate video ! amplifiers and then to three kinescopes. Each impulse arriving over the radio wave is electronically switched to the properly col- ored tube. They arrive in such rapid succes- sion that each tube face is covered fifteen times a second with a pattern of tiny dots cor- responding to the red, green, and blue in the scene being televised. The final step is to combine the three col- ors into one picture. This is accomplished with two dichroic mirrors arranged so that light from the red and blue tubes is reflected to the eye of the viewer. The green light is not re- TIME chart by Robert Chapin. Courtesy of TIME. Copyright flected, but reaches the eye direct. The viewer Time Inc., 1949. sees the three colors superimposed, forming a owne::r ot today to see color telecasts in black full-color picture. and white, an adapter would have to be pur- * * * * chased. This also would have to be switched T HE CBS SYSTEM IS BASED ON ENTIRE- on and off when a station changed from black lr different fundamentals. The transmit- and white to color. tIng camera consists of a single-image Thus , the main difference between CBS and orthicon "seeing" tube. A spinning disc made RCA is that the former makes use of a me- up of segments of red, blue, and green trans- chanical device which is relatively simple in parent plastic is placed in front of this tube. theory, and the la'tter uses an all-electronic ~hen the disc turns, revolving a green segment system which is rather complicated with its In front of the rube, the camera sees only the three kin esc opes .. gr.een in the scene. But sychronizing the disc A third and somewhat smaller contender in wah the scanning speed of the tube one-color the field is Color Television, Inc. They have •'f'Ie Ids" can be transmitted ' and appear one a "line sequential" system. It makes use of after the other on the face of the picture tube. a single picture tube with three layers of dif- These pictures on the tube are white. How- ferently colored phosphors on its face. The ever,. in front of the picture tube is another colored pictures are com bined by projection rotatIng disc sychronized with the one at the lenses on a common screen. As yet, this com. transmitter so that a green segment is between pany has not shown its color pictures offically. the tube and the eye of the observer at the No matter which system is decided upon, same instant a "grey" field appears on the color television is definitely on its way. Just tube. The other two colors are obtained in the as 1948 was "television's year", so will there same manner and the three are blended into a be a year in the near future which will be la- colored picture by the eye. belled "color television's year." i',larch, 1950 11 Koods (0 (rovel The Birth Of A Highway Is A Complicated Process By Earl Rogers Sen io'r, C.E. T ODAY IT IS RELATIVELY SIMPLE TO hop into a car and travel several hundred miles to visit a friend. A quarter of a one of his deputies , will visit the location and order a formal investigation . if the situat.lOn appears to merit it. This investigation conSIstS century ago this would have been considered of complete aerial photographic cov:ra~e, <:iuite a trip even by the ~easoned traveler. traffic counts, and a survey of the eXIStlng Ira ve you ever wondered what brought about industrial and tourist traffic. this change from poor gravel roads to the Aerial photography, costing one-sixth as modern concrete ribbons of today? much as a land survey, allows the investigation ,The question is answerable in the state to be made without the public becoming aware road design office of J. C. Myers, a former CE of the possible location of a new highway. The professor at MSC. Although Myers draws the photographs cover the area on a scale of 1:4800 first line on the aerial photographs, he is up to 1:20,000 and furnish valuable data to the quick to point out that much investigation is expert. needed before he goes to work on a road. His Traffic counts may be actual counts or may proposed routes are subject to many modifica- involve check stations where drivers are tions and sometimes complete vetoes. questioned. This phase of the investigati~n For example, the need for a road must be attempts to determine when maximum traffl.c proven. This need also must be brought to the exists , thf duration of maximum traffic condl- attention of the proper highway department tions, why persons are travelling, how far thel officials. Sometimes this information warded by a local group, but, generally, is for- the are going and where they entered the ro~ i This information complements the ind~strla need already is common'knowledge in the road analysis in evaluating the economic Impor- design division. An outsider would be impres- tance of the road. h sed with the mental picture the veteran em- From his observation of the photograp s ployees in the road design division have of Myers obtains a surprising amount of informa- the entire state road system. This awareness, tion to use in deciding upon a new road route. plus the continuous traffic surveys, eliminate For instance, he can determine land values b~ the need for formal preliminary investigation of need. observing the type of crops and the type 0 soil. He also can judge the terrain and deter- When need of a road is made known by a mine the elevations by means of a stereoscope local group, Commissioner Charles Ziegler, or In addition, he muse consider the genera i 12 SPARTAN ENGINEER angles at which the new route will cross property lines - for diagonal crossings will increase rates paid landowners tion of buildings and property. due to separa- Alumni Notes Then, after assuring conformance to highway department standards of alignment, the plan- By Bob Kitchen ning section proposes several routes with strong attention to the costS and expected Freshman, C.E. financial return from the road. Economically the road is designed on a RICHARD COOK ('33) twenty-year basis with the cost and return !{ ichard W. Cook recently was named acting expected to balance out at the end of that manager of the Atomic Energy Commission's time. The method of this determination can be office at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. As manager, reduced to an equation: traffic per day, times he will administer all contracts for the AEC mileage saved per car, times 365 days per year, covering operations of the Uranium 235 pro- times operational cost per mile of travel, times duction plants; the Oak Ridge Nadonal Lab- times 20 years of operation, must equal the oratory; the community of Oak Ridge, and cost of construction plus 20 years of main- other related activities carried on within the tenance cost. area. Naturally, the costs vary with the type of Cook has had more than five years exper- road desired. A two-lane highway runs ience with the atomic energy projects. He was $75,000 per mile, while an expressway is assigned to the Manhattan engineering district three time s that amount. However, the heavier at Oak Ridge in July, 1944. He held several traffic load, the increased driving speed, lower re sponsible posts in the ~lanhattan district fuel costs and reduced accident rate must be organization, for which he was awarded the included in the final evaluation of the new Legion of Merit. road's worth. Born in Muskegon, Mich., in 1907, Cook The conclusions of the planning section are graduated from MSC as a Ci vi! Engineer in forwarded to the commissioner and other inter- 1933. He spent two years with marine con- ested officials. Then, if the budget permits tractors and five years with a firm of consult- and legislation does not prohibit it, the project ing engineers in Chicago. He entered the army is released to the various divisions of the in October 1940, and served with the quarter- highway department. master and engineer corps before going to Oak A preliminary survey crew makes a topo- Ridge. graphical survey of the general area along the proposed route, listing pertinent data. Working JOHN KARPOVICH ('42) from this information, the road design division In January 1948 John left for Melbourne, decides upon a centerline, which is followed Australia to do research work at the University by a second survey crew. This crew determines of Melbourne. At present he is studying for his elevations at the centerline and shoulder Ph. D. at the Imperial College of Science and Technology at London university in England. John graduated as an E.E. in 1942. Entering the service immediately, he was released in October 1946. From that time until January 1948, he was engaged in electronic develop- ment with General Electric. BRIEFS George Dow, '37, is a Plant Design Engi- Looking east on U. S. 2 in Mackinac county. neer in charge of plant layout for the Clark margins every 100 feet or less. This study Equipment Co. provides the basis for setting grades and Robert Bowen, '44, is in business for him- determining the cut and backfill. self as a partner of Bowen Engineering and At this point earth moving costs and material Construction Co. He is doing surveying, road COSts are estimated. These are submitted construction and general engineering. along with the specifications to the contractors Robert Bottoms, '39, is Progress Engineer ~or bids. The highway department follows the for the Austin Co., at present working on the Job through its entire construction and its baby, Argonne National Laboratory for the Univers- the highway, is born. ity of Chicago. March, 1950 13 l TELEVISION for LANSING By Bob Kuhn Junior, E.E. T ELEVISION IS COMING TO Lansing! WJIM-TV will have its test pattern on Channel Six during the degree intervals around the steel pole. The bays are mounted approx- imate ly one-half wave-length apart, center to center. The radiators are first part of March. Full-time program- attached to the grounded pole at top ming will begin as soon as the and bottom. This effectively grounds necessary equipment tests are com- the entire structure for lightning pleted. From its new location on protection. East Saginaw Street, its primary The horizontal radiation pattern is service area is expected to extend nearly circular, so that the signal is 30 to 3S miles. radiated equally well in all dire ctions. Both network programs relayed from Detroit and programs originating locally will be broadcast. A relay station near Milford, Michigan will be used to relay the network programs. At Milford the television signals are received with the aid of an 8~foot parabolic reflector and are re-trans- Enter mitted on 2024 megacycles. These signals are then received at Lansing, monitored, and rebroadcast on WJIM- .THE TV. SPARTAN ENGINEER The antenna at the new location is an RCA 3-bay "batwing" assembly PHOTO atop a 30o-foot guyed tower. The CONTEST tower is of the base-insulated type and also will be used for AM :whel1 the installation is completed. This antenna has a power gain of 4.3, re- sulting in an effective radiated power of 18.7 KW on video and of 9.35 KW on sound. Each of the three bays on the an- SEE tenna consists of four "bat-wing" shaped radiators mounted at 90 PAGE 6 FOR DETAILS (At left) New "batwing" antenna to be used by WJIM-TV. 14 SPARTAN ENGINEER PRESENT • • • 1/flTman 1/. 81c/cfl/ ,------ --._~ -------- ..- ........ - .... ---- .... ------ ---- ------.,. TAILOR OF BOILERS By Harry Horn Senior, E. E. ID YOU KNOW THAT VIRTUALLY ALL (2) size and shape of the building intended to D large individual boilers are tailor boiler is designed made? Each within the house the boilers, (3) the type of fuel,(4) the kind of fuel-burning equipment to be used, (5) usually narrow limitations imposed by the the degree to which the flue gases are to be needs and Wants of the individual customer. cooled and cleaned. That is why we call Herman H. Bickel a Mr. Bickel pointed out that the boiler- tailor of boilers. making business is a rapidly Mr. Bickel is Chief Engineer advancing one. Its progress for the Wickes Boiler Comp- .;(. n;~ has moved at an exhausting any in Saginaw) Michigan. He - Ij;q~\ pace since he first entered it was graduated as a Mechanical ,~t, in 1922. The maximum boiler Engineer from MSC with the li output in 1922 was approxi- class of 1922. mately 25,000 pounds of steam He had always had a strong per hour. Today, outputs inclination toward power pro- range up to forty times that duction and, upon graduation, figure. Steam pressures have made a successful bid to enter increased from about 250 lbs./ The Wickes Boiler Company. sq. in. to 1,000 lbs./ sq. in. He began as a draftsman and [n 1922, furnaces were built made steady advancement with refractory walls 18 to 22 unt.il he became the company's inches thick. Today, the walls Chief Engineer in 1932. are only five to eight inches The specifications given to thick mainly due to water a tailor of boilers differ con- HER MAN H. B I C K.E L cooling of walls. siderabI"y from the specifications given to a Mr. Bicekl proudly mentioned that all boil- tailor of clothes. Mr. Bickel cited a few of ers on the Michigan State campus are products the major items to be considered in boiler of the Wickes Boiler Company. design. They are: (1) steam requirements (in Born and raised on the farm, Mr. Bickel pounds per hour, pressure, and tpmperature), (Continued on Page 30) March, 195::1 15 - Spectator Engineering Fascinating Field For Flunking Freshmen I By William Throop Junior, S.E. L_~_ WEEK I DECIDED TO HAVE A LIT- L AST Engineering Department his enthusiastic ap- tle heart to heart chat with myoId buddy proval the Dean got in immediate contact with Dean Miller. I thought that with all of the Uni versity of Ignoran t Idio ts of Utipedis .these new professional engineering organiza- in lower New York State. Their Spectator En- tions and fraternities being installed here at gineering Department, founded in 1803, is re- MSC, perhaps the Dean would see fit to con- puted to be one of the best in the country. [ sider my plan for another new department in guess the Dean was really sold on the idea. the school of engineering. This department He has adopted U.I.l.U.'s set-up for a Depart- would be called Spectator Engineering. Just ment of Spectator Engineering to a tee. We the thing for a man of my abilities. will have a department of our own at MSC next After giving my plan for a new Spectator spring term. The basic courses in the department will consist of 0 bservations on the women's dorms and a course in blasting and demolition. This course is open only to those students who want to: (1) do nothicg but watch blasting and demolition, (2) do nothing but watch blasting, (3) do nothing but watch, and (4) do nothing. Sp E 201, the only sophomore course, will include inspection and six-hour lab observa- tions of the new Union additions. A prerequi- site to this course will be proof by mechanics that the student can support at least half his weight on his right elbow. The courses in the upper school require a high degree of specialization. The student must decide whether he wishes to specialize in observing two story buildings or larger !5tr~c- tures. 0 bservations of buildings to ten stones or more is too specialized for undergradua~e work and is reserved for advanced study In grad school. Lack of compentent instructors limits the only senior Course to Sp E 400~4, the inspec- tion trip. This includes side trips through the Women's dorms, coffee testing in the Union grill, and jaunts to the Smoke Shop. Text books for the course are obtainable in the Smoke This view shows the many advantages of /vISC's Shop. Texts include such high class litera- "h uge" coo I pi°1e as 0 Iocotian for Q Spectator En- ture as "Look", "See", "Glance", and "pe- gineering Society meeting. ek" • 16 SPARTAN ENG1Nf.'ER In view of the establishment of the new de- and should perfect the method of talking out partment at MSC, the Michigan Chapter of the of the corner of his mouth to fellow observers ASSE's (American Society of Spectator Engin- without moving his cigar or his eyes. eers) held a bimonthly meeting on the dwind- The membership decided to enter a float in ling coal heap. This location was selected the coming Water Carnival. The ASSE's float as a great vantage point overlooking the MSC committee decided to accept the idea of a board crane. If the. coal pile continues to diminish fence with several select members leaning on at its present rate,. the society probably will it. Since it is against the society's principle have to forego future meetings. to do any of the actual construction work, it At the meeting, "Clumsy" Clark presided was voted to sublet the building contract for in the capacity of Grand Controller of the Cra- the float, with eight members appointed to wa- ne. The last man who held this high office tch the actual construction work. regretfully fulfilled his life-long ambition of To join the ASSE, a student in the depart- getting into construction by having his foot ment of Spectator Engineering is required to caught in the gears on the machinery that he rip the top off an old abandoned steam shovel was watching and being tossed into some hard- cab and get the names of all active members ening concrete. of the society on it with a 12-inch cold chisel. It was decided at the meeting that a quality They willalso have to develop the proper poise scale would be applied in the future to the and balance for Spectator Engineering by wear- subject of observation. The following scale ing a 25-pound anvil around their necks for the was chosen: Master Operator, Big-time Opera- brief period of 6 terms. With this small bit of tot;. Pick Wielder Extraordinary, Shovel Leaner business completed, the group adjourned the First and Second Class, and Carriers of the meeting to look at some motion pictures of Hod. With this classification, mental and people looking at a construction job. physical effort on the part of the members will If Hydraulics is just so much water over the be reduced to a minimum - a most desirable dam to you, Thermo leaves you cold, and Sand, condition. It is of the utmost importance that Cement, and Concrete weigh you down - do the trained spectator engineer should watch as I plan to do spring term and become a Spec- the job with a complete minimum of activity tator Engineer for a new ~ease on life •. here is a typical observation problem confronted by students in the Spectator Engineering field. March, 1950 17 ENGINE MILESTONE r-~ Reo's New Truck Engine Now In Production By Emil Raulin Ju nior. M. E. L AST JULY, REO MOTORS INTRODUCED its all-new Gold Comet heavy duty gaso- line truck engine. This engine is a "life- time" overhead-valve power plant that Reo describes as the' 'most powerful truck engine of its size ever built." Specially designed, precision production machines were needed to produce this new en- gine. It is the p'oduct of a 3-year, $1,500,000 engineering and research program. Test head- quarters for the engine development were established at San Bernadino, California. Field tests there were conducted under a wide va- riety of conditions. The above sketch shows the direct flow of water around the exhaust The Gold Comet engine is completely new, valve seats. according to R eo engineers. They de scribe it as another milestone in truck engine design. standing development 1S the "wet sleeve" The new 6-cylinder engine, with overhead principle, unique in gasoline truck engines. valves and wet cylinder liners, develops 140 The cylinders are in the form of sleeves and H.P. at 3200 RPM. Other features are the cne come in direct contact with the water in the piece casting of manifold and cylinder head, block. They are kept permanently watertight sodium cooled exhaust valves, seven-bearing by an overlapping block gasket on the tOp and crankshaft, and Houde viscous damper using two neoprene seals at the bottom •. silicone fluid to reduce vibration. The sleeve cylinders are made of a h1gh- Although the engir"e has many new fC::ltllres, carbon alloy which retains ~he perfect round it is free from radical design. It includes all for an indefinite period.' The sleeves are of the design advancements that ha ve been proven uniform thickness throughout, and are com- within the past 15 years. pletely surrounded by water. This insures As an aid to visualizing the details of this longer wear, better heat control, and reduced engine, let us examine it by sub-assem blies. oil consumption •. First, the cylinder assembly. Here the out- With this method of using sleeves, an englOe 18 SPARTAN ENGINA£R overhaul is a simple and economical process. It is only necessary to install an inexpensive sleeve, piston, and ring assembly to obtain a nearly new engine. r The pistons for the Gold Comet are made of an aluminum alloy and are bronze plated to eliminate cylinder wall scuffing during the break-in period. A four piston-ring com bination has been engineered to require a minimum of maintenance and to reduce oil consumption. The pistons are fitted with two compression rings and an oil control ring above the floating piston pin. There also is an additional oil control ring below the pin. Design of the piston Each finished connecting rod is checked and balanced is such that it combines light weight, rapid to close tolerances for smooth operation. heat conduction, and low expansion. Exhaust valves are of the airplane type. Next comes the crankshaft assembly. The They are sodium cooled, with stellite facing crankshaft is supported by seven interchang- • for long life. Exhaust valve seats contain able bearings with a steel back and copper-lead stellite inserts. The intake valves are made of bearing surface. The crankshaft is dynamically silchrome, seating directly in a machined seat and statically balanced to a tolerance of one- in the cylinder head. Intake and exhaust valves quarter ounce-inches. The outstanding feature are actuated from the camshaft by means of of the crankshaft assembly is the use of a pushrods. torsional viscous vibration damper mounted on R eo is justly proud of the cooling system the front of the shaft. This damper, a new de- designed for the engine. The water from the velopment in vibration control, improves oper- pump is carried through a water gallery to the ating smoothness and prolongs engine life by center of the block, rather than to the front, as absorbing impulses that tend to twist the in conventional engines. Generous water crankshaft. passages are provided around the wet sleeve, Let us now look at the intake and exhaust allowing even cooling the entire length of the system. The exhaust gases are quickly expel- block. led into a large manifold passage which gets The water is then forced to the cylinder larger in area, allowing the hot gases to ex- head. Here fourteen nozzle jets direct the pand. On expanding, the gases cool, decreasing flow of water around the exhaust seats. The their velocity, which decreases back pressures object of this arrangement is to force jets of to a minimum. This, plus the volumetric effi- water in the sides of the valve ports, thus ciency of the intake manifold, means added tending to develop rotary flow, and provide horsepower and a cleaner engine. maximum contact with the hot surfaces. The -, water is removed by three equally outlets. spaced \!l Many improvements have been made in the t casting of engine parts. A good example is the casting of the intake manifold as a part of the head casting. The cylinder block also is a complete casting. Of a lloy iron, it is compact and rigid in construction with the crankcase parting line on the main bearing line. This facilitates maintainance, but imposes greater duty on the cylinder block structure. These are rows of horizontal ribs on each side for added rigidity. The powerplant suspension system is of the three point type with two brackets on the fly- wheel housing at the rear and two closely space d feet under the front. Few real advancements have been made in truck engine design in recent years. However, Reo engineers feel that their new Gold Comet The wet sleeve principle is one of the outstanding should prove a tremendous step forward in the features of the Gold Comet engine. trucking industry. 19 M arch, 19~O - The Physics department is proud of its new electromagnet. ~ .. t Farm motors and engines are thoroughly investigated l1t Ag. E ngineers. A few jokes and goofy antics kept things I ively between dances at the Engineer's Ball. Crowds and mus Part of the Physics department's new equipment for measuring the size of an electron. r. " Hard at work on the Orsat test in the ME power lab. Two dollars well spent for admi s sion to the Engineer's Ball. P attem s are given the fi nal touch ing-up before going to the foundry. One of the latest cut-away models in the automotive lab. ILICONES ~ Miracle 01 Modern Chemistry By Dick Travers Senior. Ch.E. S ILICONES pounds ARE SEMI-ORGANlC containing silicon, carbon, and often oxygen. It has long been COM- hydrogen, known that over 87% of the outer crust of the earth is composed of silicon compounds. A vast extent of our present chemical industri~s One of the largest fields for the use of si.li- would be virtually impossible if there were no cones is the petroleum industry. Silicone otIs such element. Now, there is a completely new possess a viscosity index high above that of field for the use of silicon - the "Silicone our now commonly used commercial lubricants. industry." Their applications in the field of heavy diesel engines is of prime importance. The silicon compounds have tremendous possibilities as to compare with our present Now, engine vibration at critical . sp~eds, number of carbon compounds. Silicon lies in crankshaft whip, and other torsional vibrauons, the same periodic group and is the only ele- may be virtually eliminated, giving s~oother ment which behaves almost identically to rides to future motorists. Silicone ol1s are carbon. Many of the reactions which are now non-corrosive and remarkably resistant to considered purely "organic", will occur by moisture and even live steam. These oils may substituting silicon for carbon. Is it any be used to reduce both rolling and sliding wonder that the future for silicones is so friction at far higher temperatures than are bright. now feasible .. The silicones, isolated and now synthesized, Hydraulic systems in aircraft now are u~tI- present such unique properties as resilence, izing these oils to prevent fro~en landIng non-volatility, toughness, lubricity, flexibility gears and wing flaps when the mercury drops and chemical stability over a wide range of as low as -70 degrees Farenheit. When severe temperatures. These compounds have so im- climatic conditions are to be encountered, pressed our organic industries that countless silicone oils are nearly always the answer. new silicones are being developed. Since silicone compounds are resistan~ to Every day, silicones, the chemical "cen- heat and oxidation , silicone resin coatings taurs", midway between conventional organics pigmented with aluminum are being used to and typical inorganics, perform jobs better than protect hot metal surfaces such as motorcycle old materials and make new processes poss- cylinders, exhaust mufflers and boilers •. P.orce- ible. Such companies as General Electric and lain has found a real competitor since slhcone Dow Corning are devoting large portions of coatings are more chip resistant, can be used their facilities to research in this field. wit.h lighter sheet metal, resist most food- stuffs, and do not yellow or chalk. 22 '. SPARTAN ENGINEER In the food industry, Dow Corning's "Pan Glaze" has revolutionized baking by elimina- ting the need for greasing pans before each bakiug. One coating is good for 100 to 200 bakings, but the big economy is in better bread, no spoilage due to rancid grease, and reduced labor costs. A similar product For the retail trade, "Pantastic", offers greaseless frying and ease of cleaning pans. Silicone electrical insulating materials have been responsible for up to 50% reduction in size and weight of all types of electrical equipment. Similar thermal characteristics are exhibited by silicone synthetic rubbers which retain complete flexibility far beyond the temperature limits for organic rubber. Screen coated with si licone compound shows very good water repellent quality. In airplanes, other silicone products with- stand almost unbelievable operating tempera- anti-foam agents, and flake caustic soda. tures. In Jet engines they are not only capable Like a new father's offspring, the accomp- of temperature resistivity, but stand up under lishments of silicones seem to be unending. pressures ten to fifteen times as great as that However, such babies as these are not born of the atmosphere. This same all-around every day, even in the chemical industry, resistance makes them excellent as seals and famed for its pro-creative powers. The capa- gaskets for all sorts of chemical equipm ent. bilities of this new child are virtually limitless in extent, infinite in variety, and many years Anot her wid e Iy s old prod uct utilizing natural will be required to utilize them to their fullest polishing qualities exhibited by silicones is extent. marketed under the trade name of "Sight Sav- ers". This item is a small pad of silicone impregnated tissues for wiping and cleaning eye glasses. There are so many processes using silicones that it is impossible to enumerate them. Sili- Cones are, employed in the production of new and better adhesives, paints, varnishes, lac- quers, soaps, detergents, waxes, plastics, REASONS WHY 5KP' IS PREFERRED BY All INDUSTRY llllC!:1JP builds extra stamina in every bearing labeled llllC!:lJP. Unseen but vital plus-factors have enabled llllC!:1JP Bearings to set new records for efficiency and durability. For llllC!:1JPcon- centrates on not one but eight factors for superiority. llllC!;IJP IND., INC., PHILA. 32, PA. 5KF BALL AND ROLLER BEARINGS DC4 compound, developed during the war for sealing ignition systems of aircraft engines, finds many peace- time uses. March, 1950 23 Easy As 3.14159265358979323846 •••• By Ed Seligman,. Senior, Math Major NE OF THE FIRST NUMBERS THAT A piece of wood, the probability of its touching student of mathematics runs into is"7r': or crossing one of the parallel lines is 1/1t. This number possesses many interesting Don't try this method, though, unless you have properties besides its familiar application to plenty of spare time. It was considered a good the area and circumference of a circle. result when a value of Pi equal to 3.1553 was Pi is an irrational num ber - that is, it can- obtained after 3024 trials. (At this point, no not be expressed as the quotient of two inte- doubt, the tired experimenter chopped his ap- gers. Because of its irrationality, it is an paratus into toothpicks, took two aspirins, and infinite, non-repeating decimal. Prior to the went home). discovery of Pi's irrationality, mathematicians Plenty of patience also is required for grind- tried to reproduce this quantity to many deci- ing out Piby using the fact that if two numbers mal places in the hope that the decimals would are selected at random, the probability that repeat themselves. they will be relatively prime is 6/ If . ~wo The world's record for these computations Two numbers are said to be relatively pume seems to be held by the English mathematician if they have no common divisor, excluding 1 William Shanks, who carried the calculation to - for example, 7 and 11 are relatively prime~ 707 places. This large decimal would be some- while 6 and 9 are not. Using this method, Pt what impractical since the entire volume ofthe equal to 3.12 resulted after 250 trials in one universe could be computed to the nearest test. 1/100,000 of an inch by using a value of Pi Pi has many applications in mathematic~. having only 50 decimal places. The formula for the probability that a certato The value of Pi may be approximated by number of people in a group will be alive after inscribing a regular polygon in a circle having a given period of time involves Pi. Pi als.o' a diameter of one. As the number of sides of appears in Stirling's form ula for the approXI- the polygon becomes greater, the perimeter mation of factorials. approaches the value Pi. The next time you see Pi in a formula or A very unusual method of computing Pi can expression, don't dismiss it with "Here's that be accomplished by ruling a series of parallel circumference-radius ratio again." R ather. say lines one inch apart on a flat piece of wood. "I'd better watch this baby. It can do thtngs If a stick one-half inch long is dropped on the for me." 24 SPARTAN ENGINEER The Societies W The high light of this past te.m £o,the ASCE was a Kodachrome film on "R ail , Steel in the World of Today" narrated bee n made for the construction beam antenna on this band. The RF section in the old transmitter of a rotary is being revamped for by Lowell Thomas. Mr. O. W. Irwin, for use on both 3.9 and 14 megacycles and is President of the Rail Steel Bar Association, expected to be in operation soon. was the principal speaker of the evening. Work on the code practice table has been Two other movies were shown during the completed and code classes are in session term. One, an Abbot and Costello short, the daily. Interested persons should check the other on the MSC - Arizona football game nar- bulletin board on the 6th floor of the EE. b\dg. rated by Al Dorow, popular MSC quarterback for schedules. and star passer. The initiation of new members of Tau -.l1 Beta Pi was held during February with * ~'" 11 At the first meeting of Winter Term, Bob ~ '?' Kuhn was elected president of the the local chapter entertaining the . Amateur Radio Club for the remainder National Executive Council. of the school year. President of this council is Professor Mer- The new transmitter has proven very satis- ton M. Cory. Professor Cory is well known on factory on the ten meter band, and plans have (Conti nued on Page 32) Have ~I1iP _1ii p~~ J - Ch otne-Cla . LtJfKI'N t . 'the spec1al _the-lob, ot . h is a fa vo rite fot on 11 types 0f finlS tJndet a in_the-schoo~ use. he dutable tnatk- r ht conditions ... t 1 It's easy 19 "azot-shatp . d out ~ ings stan. _Be Righd to See R1ght Some grad is spreading the word that National WHY LUFKIN CHAIN TAPES ARE BEnER: Electric is the world's largest single source of supply LUFKIN Chrome.Clad "Super Hi.Way", "Pioneer" for electrical roughing-in materials. (And he couldn't and "Michigan" are better chain tapes. Heavy chrome plating over rust-resistant base and mul- be righter!) tiple coats of e1ecttopladng give a hard, smooth, dull, chrome-white surface tbat's wear Since 1905 NE products have set the pac;e for an.d corrosion resistant! Jet black figures quality. Today the NE complete line of electrical fallly "pop out" in any fight. Write Dept. EM for fascinating hooklet, •'The Amazing roughing-in materials includes: wires, cables, con- Story of Measurement", enclose IOc (no stamps) to Covet mailing and handling. duit, raceways and fittings. THE lUFKIN RULE CO • Saginaw, LUFKIN Mich •• New York City .- TAPES, RULES PRECISION TOOLS • Barrie, Ontario DatioDClI Eledric: PROOUCTS CORPOAATIO .. PITTSBURGH 30, PA. March, 1950 25 N ORMAN F. PEDERSEN, C. E. department. '49, WAS A- warded a graduate assistantship in the Pedersen will wor k on a committee with David O. Van Strien un- An organized plan was set up with the facul- ty acting as consultants. Several were worked out during Christmas vacation. It is hoped that these projects projects may become der the chairmanship of Professor Cade with accepted as the required lab work for some of the purpose of reorganizing the hydraulics the E .E. courses. lab. Results of the plan and work on individual A series of tests have shown that the weir projects will be compiled and reported at a tank can be reduced to one-half its length meeting of the AlEE this month. Anyone in- without noticeably effecting experimental re- terested in this work may contact Dr. Jeffries sults. Also contemplated is a transparent for further inform adon. plastic weir tank and a compressed air tank toinsure constant water pressure. F ACULTY MEMBERS OF THE M. E. DE- partment and their wives held a ball at the L AST FALL TERM, DR. JEFFRIES, the E.E. department, suggested the devel- opment of some type of practical OF engin- Forester's Cabin at the begining of the term. Michael Delich em-ceed the affair, with Professor Gralak as social chairman and Pro- eering experience for the E.E. students. The fessor Sigerfoos in charge of arrangements. proposed plan was for students to get practi- During the party, the widely unknown, but cal experience to supplement classroom theory. (Continued on Page 28) fforvis engineering Works Engineers And Fabricators Of Steel Products 901 River Street Lansing, Michigan 26 SPARTAN ENGINEER partners •• In creating For 81 years, leaders of the engineering professIon have mode K & E products their partners in creating the technical achievements of our age. K & E instru- ments, drafting equipment and materials-such as the LEROyt Lettering equipment in the picture-have thus played a part in virtually every great engineering project in America. l'RITEll world's finest drowina pencil tRog. u.s. Pat. Off. with GellUin. ''''PORTED KEUFFEL & ESSER CO. NEW YORK • HOBOKEN, N. J. CASTEll 1.,,11 now! Chicago • St. Louis • Detroit Son Francisco • Los Angeles • Montreal Why woit until you groduate? Stort using the Drowing Pencil 01 the Mosters todoy-smooth, free. flowing, grit.lree CASTELL, THE SPARTAN ENGINEER occurote/y groded in 18 un- voryingtonesal b/odc,78t09H. YOU CAN AFFORD CASTELL- becouse it outlasts other pen- has room for cils, hence is more economico/. In oddition, you get the per- sonol satisfoction 01 superior croltsmanship thot only YOU CASTELL gives. Unlike ordi- nary pencils, CASTELL sharp- ens to 0 needlepoint without breoking. Whether your interests are in the editorial, business Ask lor CASTELL at your book store. Don't ol/ow yourself to or advertising phase, the Spartan Engineer be tolked into using 0 substi- needs your help. ~!any staff positions tute. CASTELL is 0 life-time are open for next year. Here is hobit lor up-and-coming Engi- a n excellent opportunity for freshmen and sophomores. Inquire at the office. Fifth Floor, E. E. Bldg. Phone Ext. 7119 27 March, 1950 course will be known as ME 485, and will be Campus News taught by Prof. Stanley Gralak. it will be an elective, Spring but next winter term all term (Continued from Page 26) design optioneers will be required to take it. talented group of musicians known as the STU- Power option majors will have a new refri- ters made their debut. The group includes geration and air conditioning laboratory SOon. Donald Renwick on the trumpet; James Apple and Paul Kyburz, trombones and Leonard Price, the la b will be located in the basement of aIds Hall. french horn. With a few strings to supply the missing overtones, we may hear more of the Instructors Robert Morley and Robert \l:'all- B TUters. kes are planning a series of evening courses The air compressor that was mentioned in for the general public on steel and home heat- these pages a while back is now nearly instal- ing. The courses are sponsored by the depart- led. It is adjusted for experimental purposes ment of continuing education and will run for having variable clearance provisions and con- eight weeks with two-hour classes once a nections for taking indicator cards at both ends week. of the cylinder. The air delivery to the ma- chine may be measured a)so. Remember the Date Paul DeKoning plans to experiment with in- dicator card diagrams of the compressor using electric strain gages-and an oscillograph. A new piece of equipment. will enable students MAY 12 & 13' to measure deformations on the various ma- chine parts. A small sensitive receiver is attached to any desired Spot and stresses and Second Annual strains occurring there will be picked up and recorded on an oscillograph. The proposed experimental stress anaylsis Envlneer'. Expo.ltlon course will become a reality spring term. The for coating Q.What process . r conductors J.S coppe. t "tinning"? superJ.or 0 oating on conductors A. Q.k0loY c .nsulated cables in rubber J... g" 2 to 1. tlasts "tJ.nnJ.n . oU an exclusJ.ve Okoloy -- d by Okonite External Gaging shown. Equipment also alloy develoP~ t to cor- available for internal gaging_ resJ.stan --is more . and prevents rosion than tJ.n copper and . between NEWI~ reactJ.on f use prove rubber •. Years 0 the life 0f .t has tWJ.ce MEASURING EQUIPMENT The new Brown & Sharpe Another unique feature is that: " t's one more Electronic Measuring the true linear response of "tinnJ.ng. I .t wireS and Equipment enables accu- gaging units which permits h OkonJ. e rate gaging to .00001" as reason w Y liable, so accurate setting for entire are so re fast as test-pieces can be scale with only one gage cables . a1 to use. handled. It features a sep- trU ly economJ.c block or master. arate amplifier unit which Write for ilIustrated NY PASSAlC, ....E W.JERSEY isolates heat-producing ele- Bulletin. Brown & Sharpe "THE OJ(OH,'-E caMPA , ments and prevents temper- Mfg. Co., Providence I, ature drift in gaging units. R. I., U. S. A. 8032 28 S.PAR T ~N ..F.~ CiNE E R -' TO KEEP YOUR TOASTER POPPING .. Six million electric ranges. ductive, nobody wanted to make aluminum into cable, 37 million radios. 29 million at the beginning. All right, we said-we'd do it. We electric clocks. 27 million launched a long research project to produce purer metal, I1 ;/t: ,.~.~.,.//.Ii ... electric refrigerators. 17mil- and made the basic changes in our reduction processes " .. rrL., ., f lion electric coffee makers. that the research finally indicated. We built a cable- rell-~ h_~' 23 million toasters ... Thirty years ago, they were just a testing laboratory long enough to mount whole spans of cable, and vibrate them as the wind does, to check sparkle in someone's eye. fatigue strength. This was hard, discouraging work, and Facts like that should hearten you, when you wonder it took most of the lifetimes of a good many Alcoa people. about your future in American industry. The oppor- But today aluminum high-lines cross the Great Bear in tunity's there-as it was there for Alcoa in the early Canada, and funnel Grand Coulee's power into millions days of electrical transmission. of homes and factories. We think they stand as a pretty Today, nearly half the high-tension lines that feed those good monument to this country's way of doing things, appliances are made of Alcoa Aluminum. Nearly two through research perseverance, stockholders' courage, million miles of ACSR (aluminum cable steel reinforced). and employees' hard work. ALUMINUMCOMPANYOF Although it was light, and corrosion resistant, and con- AMERI.A, 742C Gulf Building, Pittsburgh 19, Penna. 1 INGOT • SHEET & PLATE • SNAPES. ROllED & EXTRUDED • WIRE • ROD • UR • TUIING • PIPE • SAND. DIE & PIIMANENT MOLD CASTINGS • fDIGIIGS • IMPACT mlUSIOIS ElECTRICAl COHOUCTDRS • SCREW MACHINE PRODUCTS • fAiRICATEO PRODUCTS • fASTENERS • fOil • AlUMINUM PIGMENTS • MAGNESIUM PlODueTS March, 1950 29 We Present (Continued from Page 15) oelgin.! Finance Bo.,d that soli cited $35,000 in 1941 for the construction first unit. Eventually of the parish's Mr. Bickel became l had his early education in country schools. finance board chairman for the Parish. Since His father died when he was only ten years that time they have been able to finance a old, and he was forced to assume the usual new $200,000 parish hall. farm responsibilities while still in grade Ferris Institute lost a fine bookkeeping school. Farm work never appealed to him and and banking prospect when Mr. Bickel decid- he decided to be a banker. He Went to Ferris ed on Mechanical Engineering. Institute where he took a course in bookkeep- ing and banking. He discovered a strong liking for mathe- Photo Cells (Continued from Page 9) matics and this led him into a course in Each electron striking this material liberates Mechanical Engineering. When Uncle Sam other electrons, and in turn these electrons, beckoned him into his S.A. T.C. program at plus the original, are reflected to another MSC in 1918 and subsequently dismissed him, coated plate where the proce ss is repeated. he decided to stay here and take an M.E. There is an amplication due to secondary course. emission before the electrons reach the anode. After talking with Mr. Bickel, we reached The photomultiplier tube is used where the conclusion that his early banking inter- great sensitivity is required. ests were not entirely forgotten. Let us illus- The greatest use of photoelectric cells at trate this by citing a few of his more recent the present time is in mass production indus- financial adventures. tries. The more common applications are sort- Mr. Bickel is Vice-President of the Hospi- ing, counting and inspection. Photocells also tal Board of St. Luke's Hospital in Saginaw are used in scientific work to detect minute and a member of its building committee. The quantities of light. board recently successfully solicited money Electronic devices constantly are being for construction of a new two million dollar developed and adapted to specific purposes. hospital. The photoelectric cell goes hand in hand with Mr. Bickel is a charter member of the Peace this increase and is expected to play an even Lutheran Church of Saginaw. He was on the more important role in the future. DJA',L STEEL PRODUCTS-1~,,:::D... ~ - .. ~=:L2:::: ~ =- ~_-:"::-r_= ';..... ~=- I.N.CORPORATEO 1913 =.-::::.7 ~--";::F~ ~ of METAL STAMP/NilS AND ASSEMBLY WDRk' LANSING 1. MICHIGAN I 1 I 30 SPARTAN ENGINEER mODERn DESIGn AnD EFFIEIEnEY GO HAnD In HAnD WITH WIEHES qUALITY AT SZate EAST lAnSinG, mlEHIGAn This modern steam generation plant pictured below houses the eleventh Wickes Boiler installed at Michigan State College with space provided for the 12th unit. Working to the specifications of Claud R. Erickson, consulting engineer of Lansing, Michigan, Wickes designed a 3-drum boiler that makes rhis installation the most modern, efficient generation plant to be found at any educational institution in the country. Boiler specifications: capacity, 125,000 lb. per hr.; design pressure, 350 psi; total steam temperature, 550°F Wickes has the engineers. the manufacturing facilities, and the skilled workmen to fill your requirements for boilers of any type up to 250,000 lb. steam per hour and 850 psi. Your inquiries will receive prompt attention. BOILER f?y ~ y . COMPANY '>~.'~ IIVISIOI OF THE WICIES COIPOIA TIOI SIIIIAI. MICHIIII RECOGNIZED QUALITY SINCE 185 4 The Societies (Continued from Page 25) the campus. Prior to last June, he was an I instructor in the Electrical Engineering De- partment. The Society of Automotive Engineers •• is the newest of State's engineering ~~.e; societies. Their constitution was ap- proved late fall term. Roy Elicker is chairman of the group; George Dolengowski vice chairman; Don Endres secretary; and Ric- PROBLEM - You are designing an automobile hard Keinath treasurer. service car with a crane on the back end. You At the first meeting in January, a movie, are going to take power from the transmission "Traveling with the Rocket" was shown, de- to drive the crane drum. How would you do it? picting the development of a ldsmobile's rocket engine. An aIds employee supplemented the THE SIMPLE SOLUTION - Use an S.S.White movie with a short talk. power drive flexible shaft. Connect one end to A future meeting of the Detroit chapter will a take-off on the transmission and the other end feature a short skit by students from branches to the clutch which operates the crane drum- throughout southeastern Michigan. John Fie- belkorn will represent MSC in the play which simple, easy to install, good for positive, de- will illustrate humorous incidents in engineer- pendable operation. ing in industry. He,e', how one manufacturer did it an a 3'/ •. ton capacity crane. Shaft run, at engine .peed with gear reduction at crane end. This is just one of hundreds of remote control and power drive problems to which S.S.Whlte flexible shafts provide a simple answer. Engineers will flnd It helpful to be familiar with the range and scope of these useful "Metal Muscle,s". for mGchanical bodies. "Trldlml,k Ittg. U. $: Pit, Off. end tllewh.,. Pictured above are four of the five officers of AlEE-IRE for this year. From left to right, Blaine Cadwell, IRE WRITE FOR BULLETIN 4501 secretary; Dean Morgan, treasurer; Paul Fair, vice- It gives essential facts and engineer- chairman; and John Foulkes, chairman. Not in picture 1"9 data about flexible shafts and Vernon Kidd, secretary. their application. A copy is yours for the aslelng. Write today • The ASME underwent an operation last S.S.WHITE M'G. co. " DUSTRIAL ~~~ DIVISION ~~ • term that divided it into three parts. The split created separate divisions of 2MI ...... WMITI DINlAl __ , ~ .. _ .0••••••••••• _ industrial, design and power. All groupS "' MAftt IIIM& CIWNIe 1II&n aaect tfKIAt M~ _ will continue to function under the same of- J I - - •...... ...or.v_ • ...-..a _ ficers, but each will have it's own vice-chair- ()"'-I"~A""" 'l«/y,NAlf n .... (Conti nued on Page 34) SPARTAN ENGINEER ~ Roebling Wire Rope Arch LInes ond Chob .. are the result of hundreds of teslf-by Roebling engln .... and West Coast logge .. to learn how ropes for logging could be Improved ... In that procticol way, every Roebling wi .. rope Is developed for Its particular lob. Why men who watch costs specify Roebling WIRE ROPE made of "Blue Center" steel has extraordinary ability to withstand abrasion, shock and fatigue-a roundabout way of saying that it lasts longer and costs less! And "Blue Center" steel is an exclusive Roebling development-made only by Roebling. It is a matter of record that Roebling "Blue Center" Steel makes today's unbeatable wire rope for performance and economy. Similarly, Roebling's full range of electrical wires and cables, high carbon specialty wires, aggregate screens and woven wire cloth are the standard of quality. Research, engineering and the most modem, precision manufacturing facilities give the whole wide line of Roebling wires and wire products an unsurpassed plus value throughout industry. THAT'S WHY ... JOHN A. ROEBLING'S SONS COMPANY, TRENTON 2, NEW JERSEY AlLude, 934 Ayon Ave •• Bos'o .. , 51 Sleeper St •• Cla/c••• , 5525 W. Roolenlt Road. C'...elnnad, 5253 '7redonia A.,. *CJ.11elontl, 701 St. CI.ir Ave., N. E •• Denver, 4801 J.~luon SI .• Hou,'on, 62]6 Na .. i,.tion Blvd. *1.0' AIl •• Ie., 216 S. Alom.d" St•• N.,., Yorio,19 R.... r 5••• P"Uod.lph"" • 12 S. T".llth 5••• Pordand, 1032N. W. I4Ih Ayo.• San ,- 'ra".".o, 1740 S••• n•••nth S••• S.aUk. 900 Fin' A••• S. A CENTURY Of CONfiDENCE "UN 33 March, 1950 The Societies + Pi Mu Epsilon, math honorary, is con- tinuing its speaker series. This pro- gram is designed to describe the rela- (Continued from Page 32) tion of mathematics to other scientific fields. man and progra-m director. Prof. Jesse Camp- bell is the honorary chairman and it is proposed Highlight talks during the past term were to have three more faculty advisors, one for given by Dr. Leonard, head of the Philosophy each division. department, and Dr. Rogers of the Chemistry Individual meetings of the new divis~ons department. are planned in addition to ~egular. combIned The first issue of Pi Mu Epsilon's Nation- business meetings of the entIre SOCIety. Any al J oumal was published in Syracuse recent- ASME member is privileged to attend any or ly. Dr. Frame, head of the math department, all of the meetings regardless of his option. is an assistant editor of the bi-annual maga- It is hoped this move will create better at- ZIneo The publication is now available at tendance at meetings, as well as more centra- MSC. lized interest in the program s planned. Sigma Phi Sigma, Physics honorary "'I( society, had Dr. Kikuchi of the Phys- The Industrial Engineers have organized a special division of the A.S.M.E. They have ~: .. ics. department as. guest speaker at ~ ~, thelt regular meetIng last term. Dr. formulated plans for several interesting pro- grams. Kikuchi spoke on "Micro Wave Absorption". The group held a banquet on Februar~ ~, Oldsmobile and two smaller plants are at which time twenty new members were 101- cooperating in the project of making motion tiated. pictures for IE courses. These pictures also will be available to interested groups. The first of these will depict tre Industrial En- the history of gineer's role in industry. P rolessor Lim backer is conducting a class COPPER in "Principles of Motion Study" at Eastern In the May Issue of the high school for the benefit of manufacturers in SPART AN ENGINEER this vicinity. POWER PLANTS PLUMBING AIR CONDITIONlNG R EFRIGERA TION SPRINKLING SYSTEMS HEATING INDUSTRIAL PIPING Established 1922 720 E. Shiawassee St. P. O. Box 298 LANSING MICHIGAN 34 SPARTAN t,NG1NEER SPRINGBOARD TO A CAREER IN ENGINEERING ,; by J. F. ROBERTS Manager, Hydraulic :>epartment General Machinery Division ALLIS-CHALMERS MANUFACTURING COMPANY (Graduate Training Course 1919) OU HAVE to start somewhere-and as Y far as I know, flagpole painting is the only job where you start at the top. Next best thing is to get in where there are many opportunities, and many interesting, worthwhile paths to fol- low-particularly ifyou are not entirely sure just what type of work you want to do. You then have a chance to try more than one field, ~ and eventually find the 1. F. ROBERTS work that will give you the most in satisfaction and success. Growth of Hydraulics The field I'm best qualified to discuss is hydraulic engineering. Crude waterwheels were man's first mechanical source of power. Today, in highly perfected modem Kentucky Dam TV A Field erection view of 250-ton gantry crane lowering hy- form, they're still a major source of abun- draulic turbine assembly. One of five 44,000 hp, 48-ft. head, Kaplan type turbines. dant, low-cost electric power. The field is constantly expanding and holds a world of opportunity. Hydraulic power becomes and the Philippine Islands. We're also the Hydraulic Department-and had the increasingly important to the nation as restoring many veteran turbines to bet- unique experience of building some of the need for low-cost power steadily in- ter-than-original efficiency and capacity the same turbines that I had purchased ~eases. Moreover, a hydraulic plant once after long years of faithful performance. for TVA. mstalled produces energy with a mini- Hydraulics was a field that I hadn't mum of manpower. There's no fuel to seriously considered as an undergraduate Vantage Point for All Industries mine, prepare, ship, unload and burn- at the University of Wisconsin. I gradu- These personal notes serve to illustrate small operating personnel is required. ated as a Mechanical Engineer in 1918, two interesting facts about the AlIis- Right now at Allis-Chalmers we're de- and entered the Allis-Chalmers Graduate Chalmers Graduate Training Course. signing and building turbines for vast new Training Course in January ]9]9. It was First, it's tailor-made for each student. hydro-power projects, not only for the there that I got interested in the big Since ]904, graduate students here have U.S.A. and Canada, but also for Mexico, waterwheels. been helping plan their own courses- South America, Norway, New Zealand My first assignment was in steam tur- making changes as they went along and bine erection. Then I moved over on the new interests developed. They've had an hydraulic turbine test floor. In May ]9]9 opportunity to divide their time between I was sent to North Carolina on the ac- shop and office-follow important ceptance tests of a big hydro-electric projects through from drafting board to power installation. I continued with hy- installation. draulic fieldwork such as tests and trouble Second, the organization is in close shooting until ]925, when I went into the contact with virtually all phases of indus- sales end of the work. Two years later I try: hydraulic or steam electric power left the manufacturing side and became plants and utilities; mining, smelting and Hydraulic Engineer for the Power Cor- rock products; public works; steel and poration of Canada, supervising the de- meta] working; textiles; food processing; sign and installation of some ]5 plants. flour milling. Allis-Chalmers builds basic In ]936 I became Hydraulic Engineer machinery for ALL these industries and for the U. S. Government TVA, involving many more. Its engineers, executives, ]2 projects and 30 large units. I returned salesmen and production experts have a to Allis-Chalmers in ]942 as Manager of ringside seat for industry in action. Graduate students conduct performance ALLIS-CHALMERS ~ oW1HillallS tests of centrifugal pump units. Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee 1, Wisconsin March, 1950 35 Pneumatic Strip Tes~er vibrated enough times in 24 hours to equal two A device known as the "pneumatic strip tes- or three weeks testing on mechanically-oper- ter", is now being used to test the strengths ated devices. of metals. Surgical Radio Receiver This device uses compressed air to vibrate strips of metal at their natural frequency, un- A tiny radio receiver which can be placed til they fail. During the test a light beam is beneath the skin surgically has beendeveloped intercepted by the specimen during each vibra- for use by medical scientists in nerve stimu- tion. The light beam is focused on a photoe- lation experiments. lectric cell so that the vibrations are counted The radio applications are said to make it electronically and the exact frequency can be possible to study the nerve reactions to stim- found. uli without the use of anesthetic. When a test strip begins to crack, it ceases All surgery involved is performed while the to vibrate as fast, and the testing device auto- subject is anesthetized, and the experiments matically stops. The frequency used then is are painless. The incision soon leaving the multiplied by the time needed to cause failure subject normal in every respect except for the to find the number of vibrations the metal can fact that there is a radio recei ver under the stand before it fails. skin. Because of the high frequencies which can The receiver is spherically shaped and be produced on the tester, metal strips can be (Conti nued on Page 38) LINDELL Established 1910 DROP FORGE COMPANY Incorporated 1923 Afanufacturers of HIGH GRADE DROP FORGINGS 2830 South Logan Lansing 3, Michigan Telephone 4-5403 36 SPARTAN ENGINEER ..,-, ,e He uses '¥S of the earth's elements in his cooking Ifyou've always thought of glass simply as a formulas make glass more useful-enlarg- versatile engineering materials. substance made of sand, soda, and lime, ing its applications in untold and sometimes Corning is constantly turning up new kirub we believe this will surprise you: ' surprising ways. of glass, new usesfor existing ones. So when Corning scientists, such as the one you Corning makes glass so strong that it can you're out of college, and concerned with see here cooking up a batch of experimental be used as piping in a steel mill. Coming product or process improvement, it will pay glass, have actually made glass using 84 of makes glass so soft that it can be melted you to call on Corning before your plan- the earth's presently known 96 elements. with a match-and glass so resistant to ning reaches the blueprint stage. Corning Nearly 3000 of these experimental glass thermal shock that it can be neated to a Glass Works, Corning, New York. compositions are turned out every year, as cherry red, then plunged into ice water with- Corning scientists search for new and use- out its breaking. ful ways to combine nature's elements. Already Corning has developed more Today, throughout industry, Corning means research in glass-research which, 'CORNING than 50,000 formulas for glass, Just as al- along with a multitude of other develop- means research, in 91~ss. loys,make metals more useful, these 50,000 ments, has made glass one of today's most March, 1950 37 1 ! lew Developments L Beginning Its (Continued from Page 36) enclosed in a plastic case. The wire running 36th Year A of Successful to the nerve also is enclosed in plastic, and is connected to the nerve by a small silver foil electrode which fits sleeve-fashion a- • 1 round the section of the nerve. Medical obser- N Stamping vers say there appears to be no harm to the nerve tissue. F or the experiment the subject is placed in S Service a large coil, ten feet in diameter, connected to a transmitter. I\'hen a nerve is to be stimulated, a signal is sent from the cage to the receiver. I The subject may wander about the cage at will, and still receive stimuli. N Gas Turbine locomotive Knowledge gained from experience in the G aircraft gas turbine field has been utilized in designing the nation's first gas-turbine tric locomotive. The unit made its first pub- elec- lic appearance before assembled rail execu- tives at Frie, Penn. S The announcment was madt that the 4,500 horsepower locomotive had satisfactorily pass- ed preliminary tests and would be turned over T to the Union Pacific for additional fre igh t runs. In appearance it resembles the diesel-elec- tests on A tric unit but is is actually powered by a gas- turbine, similar in principle to those used in jet aircraft. • M The compressor, combustion tur~ine are of in-line construction. chamber and drawn through a compressor into several com- Air is Serving Manufacturers 01 P bustion chambers. Fuel is injected and the mixture burns, raising the temperature of th e compressed air. Resulting gases expand and AUTOMOBilES AGRICUl TURAl I move at great velocity against the turbine bla- des, turning the shaft. The shaft drives both the power plant compressor and the genera.tor. Power from the generator is supplied to eIght EQUIPMENT INDUSTRIAL N traction motors, each of which drives one of the eight axles. The experimental unit exertS about twice as EQUIPMENT DOMESTIC G much horsepower, electric at the rails, as a diesel- locomotive of compara ble size. burns low grade bunker oil, but a spokesman It EQUIPMENT c. expressed the hope that research may lead to lAWNMOWERS a successfu,l means of burning coal. 1159 Pennsylvania o Rapid Tempering Avenue Lansing, Michigan A tempering process which heats a metal surface from room temperature to 1600° F a~d cools it down to room temperature., all withIn five seconds, has recently been developed. 38 SPARTAN ENG1NAER A fe lIow seated at a bar watched a nice-looking girl come in and drink four Manhattan cocktails parent effect. with no ap- His curiosity getting SIDE TRACKED • • • • the better of him, he leaned over and asked, "Would five make you dizzy?" To which she replied, "The price is right, but the name is Daisy." Looking coldly at the man who had I asked my girl if me she'd wed, just given him a nickle for carrying She lifted up her lovely head, his bags twelve blocks, the little boy And in her sweetest manner said, said: "I know something about you." "Co ask Father." "What?" asked the man. She knew I knew her father was dead. "Y ou're a bachelor." She knew I knew the life he'd led. "That's right. Know anything else She knew I knew what she meant when about me?" she said, "Sure. So was your father." "Co ask Father." * * * * * * * * "What lovely antique furniture ..... First C.E.: "How far are you from I wonder where Mrs. Jones got that the correct answer?" huge chest?" Second C.E.: "Two seats." "She probably inherited it, I under- ((IT'S FOR 'IOU. I) stand her mother had one too." * * * * * * * * "No'" said the centipede crossing "What did YOU make in c~lculus her legs. "A thousand times no." Blonde: "Do you notice anything last term?" different about me this evening?" t'I flunked. Prof thaid I didn't know * * * * E. E.: "You've got on a new pair math from a hole,in the ground." Scene: A classroom just after the of nylons." teacher has tripped over the waste- Blonde: "No - that's not it." basket and fallen on the floor. E. E.: "That a new skirt?" * * * * Teacher: "Well, why do you all Blonde: "No - try again." look so dumbfounded?" E. E.: "Must be the sweater." "Me slept with daddy last night," Billy: "Oh, teacher, I saw your Blonde: "No, you silly, I dyed my said the small child to the kinder gar- knee. " hair black and I'm wearing glasses. den lady who believed in correct dic- Tea~her: "Go stand in the corner, tion, even by the very young. Billy." * * * * With emphasis the teacher said, Tommy: "I saw your garter." "I slept with daddy last night." Teacher: "Go the the washroom and A few short years ago "We 11, then," said the child, "you don't come out till I call you. Johnny! When shady jokes were told, A cooed blushed a fiery red must have come in after I went to Where are you going?" And thought the man most bold. sleep. " Johnny: "I'm expelled, teacher." And now upon the campus There are so few who frown, When she dashes for a pencil To copy the joke down. B * * * * A blessed event recently gladdened the life of an 0.5. U. couple The father, a bit pre-occupied by the prob- lems of how to stretch the allotment check, walked right into the room 't; ,~" .. .... " " I' " - 'I. -. I' marked "Delivery." horrified. "Don't The nurse was you know better than to ,./ • 'f. G come into this room?" she asked. "You're not sterile." "You're telling me?" * * * * "Remember, dear, when you A long skirt is like prohibition - said these new cars are nothing the joints are still there, but they're but junk?" harder to find. 39 March, 1950 We couldn't resist telling about the fellow who offered his new girl friend SIDE TRACKED • • • • a Scotch and sofa. She reclined. * * * * She reached below her dimpled knee, The girl was through with her bath He was an American. She was Fren- Into her rolled-down stocking, and was just stepping ontothescales ch. He was in New York to buy furni- And there she found a roll of bills ... to weigh herself. Her husband hap- ture for his store in San Marino. He Ah me, 'twas sweetly shocking. pened to return home at this time and met her on an elevator. She looked "Why don't you keep them in abank?" entered through the back door. See- good to him. He looked good to her. Inquired a nosey prier. ing what his wife was doing as he He took out a pad and pencil anddrew "The principle is the same," she passed the bath room door, he ex- a picture of a hansom with a ques- said, claimed. "Well, dear, how many tion mark after it. She nodded yes. "But the interes t here is higher." pounds today?" They went for a ride in the park. He, Without turning her head she re- drew a picture of a restaurant. She * • * • plied, "I'll take 50 pounds today, and nodded yes. They ate. He drew a C.E.: "Is the boss in?" don't you dare pinch me with thos e picture of some dancers. She nodded Office girl: "I'm sorry, he isn't." tongs. " yes. They danced. Then she took the C. E.: "Will he be back after a pencil and pad. She drew a picture of little? " * * * * a four-poster bed. Now, what he is Office girl: "No, I think that's whar trying to figure out is how she knew he went after." It I>.. as not a slow lecture, nor a fast he was in the furniture business. lecture, but a half-fast lecture . * * * * •• • * A castaway on a desert island, fol- •••• Funeral Director (to aged mourner): lowing another shipwreck, pulled a- "}jaw old are you?" shore a girl clinging to a barrel. Limey, to girl in saloon: "Are you "I'll be ninety-eight next month." "How long have you been here?" 'avingone, Mary?" '.'H ardly worth ,going home, is it?" asked the girl. , ;: Mary; "No, it's JUSt the cut 0' me "Thirteen years," replied the cas- coat. " * * * * taway. Stage Hand: "I hear you and the "Then you're going to have some- • * * • leading lady are on the outs." thing you haven't had for thirteen The U. of M. Graduate had just Electrician: "Yeah, it was one of • years," said the girl. given h,is wife a beautiful skunk coat those quick change scenes with the "You don't mean to tell me there's for L'hristmas. stage all dark. She asked for her beer in that barrel." "I don't see," she mused, "how tights, and I thought she said lights." • * •• such a nice coat can come from such a foul-smelling beast." * * * * Have you heard about the girl who "Well," replied the lawyer, "I refused to go through with the mar- Hear abOut the sculptor who put his riage to an old man because she didn't don't ask for thanks, dear, but I do model to bed and then chisled on his demand a little respect. want to feel old age creeping up on wife? her?" Success Complete The designer leaned across his board And wonderful things in his head wer; stored. He said, as he rubbed his throbbing bean "How can I make this thing hard to machine? ' It this part heTf~were only straight, I m sure the thmg would work first rate. But it would be easy to turn and bore, It would never make the machinists sore. I'd better put in a right angle there, Then watch those babies tear their hair. Now, I'll put the holes that hold the cap If/ay down in here where they're hard to ;ap. Now this piece won't work, I'll bet a buck For it can't be held with a plate or chuck.' It can't be chilled, or it can't be ground- In fact, the design is exceedingly sound." He looked again and cried, "At last, Success is mine! It can't even be cast" Clork? Here. Paul? Here. Easter? Here. Throop? Here. Bowers? Here. 40 SPARTAN ENGINEER This • IS a pietore of "PIN~ N ucts and improving manufacturing methods. High It's a picture that gives automotive engi- speed "stills" can freeze fast action at just the crucial n~ers clear-cut facts on performance-a ~Icturethat suggests how photography with moment-and the design or operation of a part can Its ability to record, its accuracy and its be adjusted to best advantage. speed, can play important roles in all And high speed movies can expand a second of modern business and industry. action into several minutes so that fast motion can be slowed down for observation-and products be No, this is not the "doodling" of a man on the tele- made more dependable, more durable. phone. Far from it. It's the photographic record of Such uses of photography-and many more-can a~ oscilloscope trace that shows, and times, detona- help you improve your product, your tools, your ~on in a "knocking" engine. It all happens in a few production methods. For every day, functional pho- un~ed-thousandths of a second-yet photography tography is proving a valuable and important ad- gets It clearly and accurately as nothing else can. junct in more and more modern enterprises. Oscillograph recording is but one of countless functional uses of photography in bettering prod- Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester 4, N. Y. I Functional Photography ••• is advancing business and industrial technics On Competition Hatch a good idea and you hatch competitors. In ]926, a practical household refrigerator It works this way-to take General Electric as with a hermetically sealed unit was 'put on the an example: market by General Electric. Today 34 companies In 1934, the automatic blanket was initially are manufacturing household refrigerators with developed by General Electric. Today there are hermetically sealed mechanisms. twelve other companies making electric blankets in competition with G. E. * * * Research and engineering snowplow the way, not In ]935, General Electric first demonstrated only for new public conveniences, but also for fluorescent lamps to a group of Navy officers. In new companies, new jobs. 1938, the first fluorescent lamps were offered for sale. Today they are being manufactured by a There' are 20% more businesses today than number of companies. there .were immediately after the war. The first turbine-electric drive for ships was Industry furnishes over] 0,000,000 more jobs proposed and designed by G-E engineers. Today than ten years ago. four companies in this country build this type of The average family owns more and better ship-propulsion equipment. products of industry than ten years ago. After several years of laboratory development, Any American company that plows back General Electric began production and sale of money into research and engineering develop- the Disposall kitchen-waste unit in 1935. Today ment makes new business not only for itself, but fourteen other companies are in this field. for others. The first practical x-ray tube, developed at The economy that does most to foster compe- General Electric years ago, is now a highly com- tition is the one that makes easiest the establish- petitive business for seven manufacturers. ment and growth of business. You can put your confidencein- GENERAL • ELECTRIC