Rapid Cement Drying for War Use Demonstrated Washington, Sept. 25.
American and foreign military experts today witnessed construction of concrete pill-box which an inventor claims can withstand artillery and and bombardment for hours after the cement is poured.
The pillbox was erected, almost entirely by machinery, by its inventer, Mr. K. P. Billner on the grounds of the bureau of standards, Col T. C. Kuo, Chinese Military Attache, and Maj. Sin-Ju Pu Hsiao, assistant attache, who witnessed the demonstration, declined to state whether they contemplated utilizing the process to aid the Chinese forces in withstanding Japanese attack.
Key to the speedy pillbox construction is a vacuum drying process designed by Mr. Billner. This speeds the hardening of the concrete by removing moisture.
Concrete was poured into hollow forms from four giant mixers, mounted on trucks. As soon as the forms were filled, an apparatus creating a vacuum in the forms was set in place. The vacuum machinery was operated for one hour. Next step was to remove the outer wooden framework and withdraw an inner frame which was mounted on wheels and rails.
Mr. Billner said the purpose of the demonstration was to show that bombproof shelters and fortresses con be built overnight and be ready for attack by dawn.
He said that the. cumbersome wooden forms would be replaced in standardized construction with thin steel or aluminum sheets, He claimed that by this process the structure is 50 per cent. stronger than if ordinary methods of pouring concrete were utilized.—United Press.
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