Annual Report of the Director Bureau of Standards to the Secretary of Commerce for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1920
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. ANNUAL REPORT DIRECTOR BUREAU OF STANDARDS SECRETARY OF COMMERCE : " ' .'-..} : . -» . ^^^™ FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 1920 (Miscellaneous Publications—No. 44) WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR BUREAU OF STANDARDS TO THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 1920 (Miscellaneous Publications—No. 44) WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1920 Persons on a regular mailing list of the Department of Commerce should give prompt notice to the " Division of Publications, Department of Commerce, Washington, D. C," of any change of address, stating specificially the form of address in which the publication has previously been received, as well as the new address. The Department should also be advised promptly when a publi- cation is no longer desired. CONTENTS. Page. Chart showing functions of Bureau facing— 17 T. Functions, organization, and location 17 1. Definition of standards 17 Standards of measurement IS Physical constants (standard values) 18 Standards of quality 19 Standards of performance 19 Standards of practice 20 2. Relation of the Bureau's work to the public 20 Comparison of standards of scientific and educational in- stitutions or the public with those of the Bureau 20 Work of the Bureau in an advisory capacity 21 3. Relation of the Bureau's work to the industries 21 Assistance in establishing exact standards of measure- ment needed in industries 21 The collection of fundamental data for the industries 22 Training of experts in various industrial fields 22 4. Relation of the Bureau's work to the Government 2:! Comparison of standards of other Government depart- ments with those of the Bureau 2:'» Performance of tests and investigations and the collec- tion of scientific data of a fundamental nature 23 Advisory consulting capacity and : 24 The Bureau as a testing laboratory and its work in the preparation of specifications on which to base the pur- chase of materials 24 5. Organization 25 6. Location 26 II. Scientific and technical divisions ^ 27 1. Weights and Measures 27 Length 27 Investigation of apparatus and standards 27 Investigations in testing of block gauges 27 Investigation of standards and means of comparison 28 Design and construction of instruments 28 Graduation of line scales 28 Routine testing of length standards 28 Recommendations for year 1920-21 29 Publications 29 Visitors and travel 29 Mass 29 Requests for tests - 29 Prompt handling of tests 29 Standards for States and manufacturers 30 Pyroxylin plastics 30 Improvements in observation and computation forms_ 30 Personnel 30 Time 31 Testing 31 Railroad precision pocket watch specifications 31 Stop watches and chronographs 31 Publications 31 Travel 31 Future work ' 32 3 4 CONTENTS. II. Scientific and technical divisions—Continued. 1. Weights and Measures—Continued. Page. Capacity and density 32 Routine testing 32 Capacity and density determinations 33 Visitors 33 Information 33 Recommendations 33 Investigations 33 Additional space required 34 Gas measurement 34 Orifice meter investigations 34 Portable cubic-foot standard 34 New method of measuring low gas velocities 34 Routine testing 35 Consulting work 35 Thermal expansion 35 Tests 35 Carbon steel 35 Stainless steel, monel metal, and stellite 36 Enameling materials 36 Celluloid, etc 36 Brasses 36 Molybdenum 36 Glass 36 Anthropometric instruments 37 Dental research 37 Dividing engine 37 Commercial scales 37 Railroad track scale investigation 37 Specifications for the manufacture and installation of railroad track scales 38 Specifications for scales for weighing grain 39 Master scales 39 Revision of tolerances for master scales 39 Test of locomotive scales 40 Bureau of Standards master track scale 40 Mine scale investigation 41 Cooperation with States and other interests in weights and measures administration 41 Thirteenth annual conference on weights and measures 42 Specifications and tolerances for liquid-measuring de- vices 42 Investigation, inspection, and test of miscellaneous weighing and measuring apparatus 43 Technical subjects 43 Additional space required 44 Gauge section • 44 Routine testing of gauges 44 Need for gauge testing 45 New type of projection lantern for gauge testing 45 Sine plate fixture 45 Standard method of measuring wires 46 Investigation of indicators 46 Grinding copper electroplates 46 Publications 46 The National Screw Thread Commission 47 Manufacture of precision gauge blocks 47 Optical projection lanterns for Ordnance Depart- ment of the Army 47 Blocks for experimental purposes 47 Experimental apparatus 47 Exhibition of gauge testing equipment 47 Travel 48 Gears . 48 CONTENTS. 5 II. Scientific and technical divisions—Continued. 1. Weights and Measures—Continued. Gauge section—Continued. Page. Heat treatment of gauge block steel 48 Tolerances for plain gauges for general engineering wort 49 Records 49 Weights and measures laws 49 Citations to weights and measures cases 50 Foreign weights and measures 50 Kitchen card 51 2. Electricity 51 Scope of the electrical work 51 Standards of resistance 52 Resistance standards 52 The methods of measuring heavy current resistance standards 53 Resistance of the human body 53 Inductance and capacity 53 Inductance and capacity laboratory 53 Inductance research 54 Ballistic investigations 54 New Mexico report 55 Measurements on the battleship Sao Paulo 55 Submarine mine investigations 56 Study of recent scientific developments in France and England 56 Electrical measuring instruments 56 Testing of electrical instruments 56 Electrical properties of ignition apparatus 56 Cooperation with American Institute of Electrical Engineers 57 New apparatus for electrical instrument testing 57 Magnetic measurements 57 General magnetic measurements 57 Magnetic analysis 58 Magnetic compasses 59 Photometry and illuminating engineering 59 Heterochromatic photometry • 59 Inspection and life tests of incandescent lamps 60 Interlaboratory comparison of life-test rating of incandescent lamps 61 A new reflectometer for the measurement of diffuse reflection factors 61 Radio research and testing 62 Radio research and information 62 University research cooperation 62 Standardization of nomenclature, etc 62 Publications 62 Exhibits and nontechnical descriptions of work 63 Clearing house of radio information 63 Research program 63 Transmission experiments 63 Variations of wave intensity and direction 64 Measurement of received current and signal inten- sity 64 Properties of antennas 64 Electron tubes 64 Electron tube measurements 64 Electron tube generators 65 Two-electrode tubes 65 Power rectifiers , 65 Electron tube detectors 65 Amplifiers 65 Radio telephony 66 Insulating materials 67 Phenolic materials 67 6 CONTENTS. II. Scientific and technical divisions—Continued. 2. Electricity—Continued. Radio research and testing—Continued. ^aise. Miscellaneous materials 07 Apparatus for measurements upon insulating ma- terials 67 Radio measurements 67 Standards 6S Oscillograph 68 Inductance coils 68 Telephone receivers 68 Miscellaneous measurements '. 68 Radio Engineering 69 Radio direction finder 69 Radio fog signaling 69 Unidirectional radio reception and transmission 69 Radio legislation 70 Electrolysis prevention 70 Electrolysis problem among public utilities 70 Economic importance of the electrolysis problem 71 Inconvenience and hazard due to electrolysis 71 Electrolysis mitigation and related problems 72 Development of apparatus for making electrolysis surveys 72 Corrosion of lead . 72 Investigation of lead cable troubles in St. Louis 73 Electrolysis field surveys . 73 Cooperation with the American Committee on Electrolysis 74 Safety engineering and safety standards 74 National electrical safety code 74 Engineering work in connection with the safety code_ 75 National electrical safety code in practical use 75 Industrial safety standards 70 Head and eye code 77 Logging and sawmill code 77 Gas engineering 77 Standards for gas service 77 Gas-service standards 78 Gas-appliance investigations 79 National gas safety code 79 Electrical and other service standards 80 Standards for electric service 80 Standards for street-lighting service 81 Standards for heating service 81 Engineering standardization 82 Telephony 82 Studies of systems of telephony 82 Telephone circular S3 Laboratory work 83 Investigation and testing of electric battex-ies 84 New testing equipment 84 Tests of batteries 85 Dry cells 85 Storage batteries S5 Railway signal batteries 87 Storage battery nomenclature 87 Standard cells 87 Radioactivity and X-ray measurements 88 Gamma-ray measurements of radium 88 Luminous materials S8 X-rays 89 Public-utility standards 90 Public-utility investigations 90 Relation of the Bureau to municipalities and public service commissions 90 General condition of the division 91 CONTENTS. 7 II. Scientific aod technical divisions—Continued. Page. 3. Heat and thermometry 92 Thermometry 92 Clinical thermometers 92 Standard temperature scale 92 Industrial thermometers 93 Melting points of greases ^ 93 Specifications for standard chemical thermometers 94 Testing equipment 94 High temperatures 94 Industrial pyrometry 95 Standard samples for thermometric fixed points 95 Heat treatment of glass 95 Investigations in electronics 96 Heat measurements 96 Vapor pressure of ammonia 96 Vapor pressure of carbon dioxide 97 Specific volume of liquid ammonia 97 Specific heat of sodium-chloride solutions 97 Density and thermal expansion of sodium-chloride solutions , ^_ 97 Specific heat of gases 97 Testing of thermal insulators 98 Preparation