A NEW AND INEXPENSIVE SODIUM PRESS* E. H. PARKE Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio
A BLOCK of steel ( A ) , 5 inches long and 1 inch placed directly behind it and forced in with the plunger. square, is drilled its entire length with a =/*-inchdrill. Considerable pressure will be needed before any of the A slot ( D ) is then cut through the middle part of this metal will be extruded, but nearly all can be pressed block, 2 inches long and 6 / 8 inch wide. Next one end out by this procedure. When the press is emptied, of the drilled opening (a)is threaded with an 18 thread. the plate should be removed, the brass block pushed On the lathe a piece of hard brass (B), '/B inch long, out, and the operation repeated. This cylinder will be found to be quite air-tight and is now turned out to fit closely in the lower end of the block (b). In one end of this brass block a L/z-inch the sodium contents kept quite free from oxidation except, perhaps, for the tiny part remaining in the hole hole inch deep is drilled. A piece of steel rod (F) 51/e inches , o - , z . n N , . L a ~ . ~, long is turned to such a diameter that, when threaded, it can be screwed into A the threaded part of the steel block ( A ) ;. - ..,-. ~z already described. This rod, or plunger L -1ZL (F) as i t will be, should be threaded a distance of 3l/4 inches from a point 3/4 I-r4 41 -inch from the end. In this unthreaded 1 2 .me .,"., space there is drilled a hole (a), L/4 yn,. . OR^^^ LRZLII. inch, for the lever handle (E)mentioned later. From the inner end of the threading (c) the rod should be turned l/a Z h n . OR4.L inch smaller, and for just '/a inch a t the extreme end more. This tip -?iDx"' ,~ when in use will work in the opening in c the brass block (B) mentioned above -.. C 3%'' and will push, rather than turn, this 1 g m.~.~ --.-? block against the sodium. A square plate of hard steel (C) is now fitted to the lower end of the -~ .. cylinder block with four 13/Bp-inch stud e-rJ screws, one in each comer. In the center of the plate a hole of convenient size (1.5 to 2 mm.) is drilled for the extruding of the sodium in wire form. The lever in the plate. This little section should be snipped off handle (E) is of 3/16-inchhard steel. upon extrusion. The press is now ready for filling, which is done by The filling should be done quickly, so that the metal putting small pellets of sodium into the cylinder will take on as little air moisture as possible. through the slot ( D ) or through the lower end with the Any small yise will hold the press to the table, but plate (C) off. The former is preferable. After putting Cenco's table vise No. F191 has been found satisin as much sodium as possible, the brass block ( B ) is factory. The screw on the long side should be cut off. This press can be made by anyone familiar with a lathe. 'See Editor's Outlook.
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