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Commercial Standards Monthly, S COMMERCIALfAAR 2 7 1933 STANDARDS vV^ , ,v\ V' ^MONTHLY A Review of Progress in Commercial Standardisation and Simplification I’hotoKraphiMl l>y Army Air Corps AIRPLANE VIEW OF BUREAU OF STANDARDS (LOOKING SOUTH) ISSUED BY THE BUREAU OF STANDARDS OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, WASHINGTON, D. C., U. S. A. Vol. 9, No. 9 March, 1933 For sale by the Superinten Jcnt of Documents, W'ashington, D, C. $1.00 annually ($1.60 lorcign i ; single copy, 1 0 cents U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE BUREAU OF STANDARDS ROY D. CHAPIN, Secretary LYMAN J. BRIGGS, Acting Director COMMERCIAL STANDARDS MONTHLY, S. F. Tillman, Editor The Commercial Standardization Group A. S. McAllister, Assistant Director DIVISION OF SIMPLIFIED PRACTICE DIVISION OF SPECIFICATIONS Edwin W. Ely A. S. 'McAllister The division of simplified pradlice cooperates with indus- The duties of the division of specifications are to promote trial and commercial groups to reduce wa^te, usually through and facilitate the use and unification of specifications. In eliminating unnecessary variety of product, method, or doing so it carries on activities involving cooperation with practice. Its fundfion is to bring together all parties inter- technical societies; trade associations; Federal, State, and ested in a projedt of this charadter, and to coordinate their municipal Government specifications making and using work in developing a simplified pradtice recommendation. agencies; producers, distributors, and consumers; and teSting Such work includes surveys of current pradtice, formula- and research laboratories. It ascertains the standardization tion of a simplified pradtice program, and presentation of and specifications promoting activities of the associations that program for adtion by a general conference representing and societies, and brings to their attention the work being all interests. The division then transmits to all concerned done by the commercial Standardization group. It brings the a full report of the general conference, with a request for Federal specifications and commercial Standards to the atten- written acceptance of the adtion taken. When the volume tion of the maximum number of producers and users of com- of acceptances is sufficient to indicate initial success, the modities complying with these Standards and specifications. Department of Commerce indorses the program and publishes It compiles and distributes liSts of sources of supply of ma- the recommendation. The division thereafter cooperates terials guaranteed to comply with the Standards and specifi- with a standing committee appointed by the industry con- cations. It shows both buyers and sellers the benefits from cerned, in condudting periodic surveys to determine the handling nationally specified, certified, and labeled commod- degree of adherence, to maintain and extend support of the ities. The division prepares directories of governmental and recommendation, and to secure data for reaffirmation or nongovernmental teSting laboratories and the Directory of revision. Simplified pradtice may be applied to any com- Specifications, and is working on an encyclopedia of speci- modity or adlivity in which it will reduce fications, the firSt two volumes of which wadle. The division stands ready to render have been issued, namely, “Standards and service in developing and making effedlive Specifications in the Wood-Using Industries” STANDARDIZATION any application of simplified pradtice which and “Standards and Specifications for Non- ..IS.. will reduce wadte, stabilize business, or metallic Minerals and their ProduCts.” It also extend commerce. A CONTINUING PROCESS aids in preparing the Standards Yearbook. ITS AIM IS NOT FIXITY OR STAGNATION BUILDING AND HOUSING DIVISION ..BUT. TO ADD SERVICEABILITY DIVISION OF TRADE STANDARDS S. Taylor J. />5 OFTEN AS THE I. J. Fairchild POTENTIAL GAIN The division of building and housing, MAKES IT WORTH WHILE The division of trade Standards, on requeSt, formed in 1921, cooperates with business, assists industrial and commercial groups in technical, and professional groups in further- the voluntary establishment of Standards ing condtrudtion adtivities. It works to covering grades, quality, dimensional inter- modernize building codes and to encourage improved stand- changeability, or other acceptance criteria as a national commodities. ards for the quality of building conStrudtion, and the prac- basis for marketing manufactured The detail criteria are seleCted or determined voluntarily tical application of the lateSt development in design and use by interested buyers or sellers, without any Government of building materials. dictation or domination, and adjusted at a general confer- It encourages home ownership through the development ence of producers, distributors, and users so as to represent of an enlarged. Steadier, more intelligent, and more discrim- the composite views of all branches. The division functions inating demand for dwellings—the largeSt single class of chiefly as a neutral agency to see that all interested elements buildings which the construction industries provide. are given full opportunity to be heard and satisfied; to solicit and record acceptances; and to publish and promulgate The division also cooperates with other governmental the Standard when a satisfactory majority of acceptances is agencies and with many private business and professional obtained and provided there is no aCtive opposition. groups in efforts to distribute building activity more evenly Industries are encouraged to apply self-certifying labels to throughout the year and to secure less fluctuation from products meeting the commercial Standard requirements, as a year to year. means of protecting the consumer and the scrupulous seller The work on city planning and zoning has the broad from misrepresentation or unfair methods of marketing. Provision is made for regular revision of the Standard objective of making buildings more useful through proper through the appointment of a Standing committee to con- respeCt to Structures, Stabilizing location with other of land sider periodically any necessity for revision of the Standard, values and property uses, well coordinated thoroughfare in order that it may be kept constantly compatible with systems, and well laid out public works. progress in the industry. Address BUREAU OF STANDARDS, Washington, D, C., for further information COMMERCIAL STANDARDS MONTHLY A Review of Progress in Commercial Standardization and Simplification Volume 9 WASHINGTON, D. C., MARCH, 1933 Number 9 SUBJECT ANALYSIS building and housing MISCELLANEOUS.—Continued Page Page Aids to the construction industry 207 Scope of standardization 205 Architects group guided by shingle standards 213 Use of specifications by county agencies 201 Hardware for metal doors 209 Open web steel joists 200 GROUP ACTIVITIES Standard colors and finishes for cast stone 204 The architect’s viewpoint on specifications 198 American Standards Association' 215 Federal specifications 215 Marking campaign for leather ELECTRICAL goods 197 Meeting of the cotton associations of the world to con- sider the approval of universal cotton standards 194 General Electric Co. certificate-of-test plan 197 Method for knock tests of fuels approved 197 News in brief 216 News in brief 216 Quality improvement program for electrical appliances. _ 212 PUBLICATIONS METALS, WOOD, AND PAPER Apple wraps 198 Apple wraps 198 Bureau circular on inks 211 Architects group guided by shingle standards 213 Wooden butter tubs 206 Hardware for metal doors 209 News in brief 216 QUALITY MARKS AND LABELS Open web steel joists 200 Wheelbarrows 200 General Electric Co. certificate-of-test plan 197 Wooden butter tubs 206 Quality improvement program for electrical appliances.. 212 TEXTILES MISCELLANEOUS A new kind of textile specification 195 Bewildered buyers beg for standards 210 Specifications and labels for textiles 199 Bureau of Standards’ information service 203 “When you buy sheets” 214 AN INVITATION TO VISIT THE BUREAU OF STANDARDS A cordial invitation is extended to all interested in scientific progress to visit the laboratories of the Bureau of Standards when in Washington. A personally conducted trip is organized at 2.15 p. m. daily except on holidays. Special trips for groups may be arranged at other times by writing to the bureau in advance. The bureau’s illustrated Visitor’s Manual may be had for the asking. This lists the work in progress and gives an airplane view of the ensemble and a brief statement of typical dis- coveries and inventions which have been notable, basic contributions to radio, aviation, and other modern arts and industries. 161994—33 1 193 Meeting of the Cotton Associations of the World to Consider the Approval of Universal Cotton Standards Copies of the Universal Cotton Standards for use by the United States Department ofAgriculture and the arbitration appeal committees of the prin^ cipal cotton associations of the world will be offered for approval at a biennial meeting of representatives of the world cotton industry scheduled to be held in Washington on March 13. Nine European cotton associations, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the American cotton industry will have representatives at the meeting which is provided for in agreements between the Secretary of Agriculture and the European cotton associations. The Japanese associations will be represented by invitation of the Depart- ment of Agriculture. The Universal Cotton Standards were adopted in 1923, and biennial
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