This section is from the book "The English And American Mechanic", by B. Frank Van Cleve. Also available from Amazon: The English And American Mechanic.
Fail by crushing with length under............ 6 diameters.
Principally by crushing from...................... 5 to 15 "
Partly by crushing, partly by bending, from. 15 to 25 " Altogether by bending above..................... 25 "
Cast iron of average quality is crushed with..... 49 tons per sq. in.
Wrought iron of average quality is crushed with 16 " '•
Wrought iron is permanently injured with....... 12 " "
Oak wrought is crushed with......................... 4 " "
Deal wrought is crushed with........................ 2 " "
The comparative strength of different columns, of different lengths, will be seen very clearly from the following table derived from experiments by Mr. Hodgkinson:
Wrought Iron Bars. | Proportion of Length to Thickness. | Gave way with | |
Square. | Length. | ||
ins. 1 X 1 | ft. ins. | 7½ to l | 21.7 tons per sq. inch. |
It | 1 8 | 15 to 1 | 15.4 " |
II | 2 6 | 30 to 1 | 11.3 " " |
<< | 5 0 | 60 to 1 | 75 " " |
II | 7 6 | 90 to 1 | 4.3 " " |
½ X ½ | 5 0 | 120 to 1 | 2.5 " " |
" | 7 6 | 180 to l | 1. " " |
 
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