AbstractsEngineering

"The expensive process of grinding the insulating brick and the slow production methods of hand forming led to the possibilities of dry pressing the brick. The use of the dry press would increase production, give greater uniformity to the brick and materially reduce grinding if not eliminating it entirely. Since present day combustives were either impractical or else impossible to use, some new material must be found. Three materials presented themselves, napthalene, sulfur, and petroleum coke. The former for its low melting temperature and the latter two for their complete volatility at high temperatures and low if not negligible resiliency. Due to the high fire hazard of the napthalene in the dryer it was dropped as a possibility after preliminary investigations" – Purpose, leaf 6.