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CLEANER designed to prevent the accumulation of mud and other impurities in a boiler is described in detail in a bulletin just issued by the Detroit River Iron Works, Detroit. The cleaner, as shown in the accompanying illustration, con- Sists essentially of a multiport valve chamber, which is constructed of cast SO f 1197970997020 00°20 B 000909000 99000 9 lomo) OD COLLECTING NOZZLE CONDUCTOR PIPE VALVE CHAMBER DISCHARGE PIPE DIAGRAM OF BOILER CLEANER iron. To this valve chamber is con- nected a number of conducting pipes terminating at their opposite ends in dirt-collecting nozzles which rest on lugs and leave an opening adjacent to the boiler shell. The valve chamber is connected to a discharge pipe, which in turn con- nects with the main blow-off pipe on the boiler. Fitted in the valve cham- ber are a pair of selective valves, which are operated by a valve shaft that extends through a stuffing box in the boiler head. The function of the selective valves is to open and close the different ports separately, so that all of the pressure in the boiler may be employed to force the sediment into the collecting nozzle in communi- cation with the valve chamber. The operator is able to ascertain which nozzle is in communication with the valve chamber as the gland of the stuffing box is graduated and the valve shaft is provided with a pointer. The method of operating the clean- er may be described briefly as fol- lows: The main blow-off valve is opened and the valve shaft turned until the pointer is even with the graduation on the stuffing box gland. This opens communication between one of the collecting nozzles, through the valve and valve chamber, and then overboard through the blow-off. The pressure on the boiler and the shape of the collecting nozzle are said to produce a violent sweeping effect Boiler Cleaner—Plate Punch Table—Blow-Off Valves—Electric Hoists around the nozzle. When all sedi- ment in one particular location has been collected, the valve shaft is moved until the pointer is in line with the next graduation on the stufing box gland. In this way a complete revolution of the valve is made and it is claimed that the entire bottom of the boiler is swept and cleaned. It is said that the time required to clean a Scotch boiler rarely exceeds 114 minute. New Plate Punch Table A plate punch table designed for punching steel plates easily and quickly is being manufactured by the Norbom Engineering Co., Philadelphia. Two sizes are manufactured, one’ to handle plates up to 25 feet in length and the other up to 30 feet in length. The machine, it is claimed, is adaptable for use with any type of punch, the. only necessary requirement being that the punch is fitted with a floating type of punch proper. This machine, which is shown in the accompanying illustration, is operated by one man. After a plate is laid on the table, the operator places the plate in po- sition by use of two levers, of which one PLATE PUNCH TABLE 461 to his right controls the movement of the table backward and forward and one to his left, the movement sidewise. The punch is then tripped. This may be done also by use of a foot pedal. ‘It is said that this machine can handle plates from % inch to 1 inch in thickness and up to 8 feet in width and at least 25 feet in length. Roller bearings facilitate the operation of the punch table. Among the shipbuilding companies now using from two to 14 of these ma- chines are the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp. the Pennsylvania Shipbuilding Co., the New Jersey Shipbuilding Co., the Pusey & Jones Co., the Sun Ship- building Co., the Federal -Shipbuilding Co., the Groton Iron Works, and the Baltimore Drydocks & Shipbuilding Co. Carlton Wilby, a naval architect with a large experience in designing and building fine yachts, passenger steamers and bulk freighters on the Great Lakes, has been called to the service of the government. He will be attached to the Cleveland office of the United States Shipping Board Emergency Fleet cor-. poration where he will work under the direction of Henry Penton, district of- ficer, It is understood Mr. Wilby’s duties will be those of inspector of