Francis B. Foley
Encyclopedia
Francis B. Foley was an American
ferrous metallurgist.
, a free boarding school, at that time limited to fatherless white boys, from which he graduated in 1904, after completing a high school education. He worked for a year in the art department of the Philadelphia North American, a daily morning newspaper.
In 1907, after working at other jobs, he was employed by the Midvale Steel Company
of the Nicetown neighborhood of Philadelphia, from which his father had been laid off 21 years earlier. His first job was open hearth
clerk for a melter
. Foley was recognized as unusually capable by the head of the melting department, Radclyffe Furness
, a Harvard-educated chemist, and educated himself in metallurgy
and crystallography
with Furness’s encouragement. In 1912 he contracted tuberculosis
, and spent two years in New Mexico
and Arizona
, where he was cured. In 1915 he married Anne Marie Flaherty, who bore a son, Gerard M. Foley, the following year.
Samuel Hoyt, of the University of Minnesota
, in 1917 asked Furness to suggest someone to teach metallography at the University. The latter recommended Foley for the job, which led to the family moving to Minneapolis. After the U.S. entered World War I
, Foley volunteered for the Army, but was rejected because of his medical history. He was then employed, first by the National Bureau of Standards and then by the U.S. Bureau of Mines. As a member of the National Research Council
he evaluated the means by which ferro-manganese production could be increased, since a substantial proportion of the ferro-manganese used in steel production had been imported. He headed the iron and steel division of the Bureau of Mines, first at the Experiment Station at Minneapolis, and later in Pittsburgh, before returning to Minneapolis.
In 1921 he was detached to work with Henry Marion Howe at Howe’s private laboratory in Westchester County, New York
. Howe and Foley investigated the hardening of steel and the formation and tempering of martensite
. Howe’s resulting publication on this subject was significant in developing the understanding of this important art and science.
When he returned to Minneapolis he undertook a study of the blast furnace
, collaborating with P.H. Royster in this project. He then supervised the Experiment Station on the campus of the Missouri School of Mines (now Missouri University of Science and Technology
) in Rolla, Missouri
. In 1924 he took the position of metallurgist for the Lucey Manufacturing Company in Chattanooga, Tennessee
and in 1926 returned to the Midvale Company, to organize and direct a new Research Department.
Midvale had a long history of producing high grade steel forgings and castings for guns, armor, locomotive tires, and large forgings, first from acid openhearth steel and later in electric furnaces. Foley kept Midvale successfully producing new corrosion
resistant alloys, and alloys for use at high temperatures. In 1949 Midvale was merged with a Pittsburgh steel company. Foley felt that the new company would no longer be in the forefront of metallurgical development and resigned to take a position with the International Nickel Company. For a time he directed the research laboratory at Bayonne, New Jersey
, and then served as consulting metallurgist in the New York City
offices of Inco until 1957. He then joined Pencoyd Steel and Forge Corp. as executive metallurgical engineer, finally retiring in 1964, aged 77.
His first wife, Anne, died in June, 1936. In 1938 he married Katherine Campbell Fuller. In 1939 they had a daughter, Frances Campbell, later Mrs. William Jueds. He died in Coral Gables, Florida, in February 1973.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ferrous metallurgist.
Biography
Foley was born July 7, 1887 in Philadelphia. His father, Dennis Foley, died in 1889 in Dakota Territory, leaving a wife, daughter, and three sons (one posthumous). Francis was enrolled in Girard CollegeGirard College
Girard College is an independent boarding school on a 43-acre campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States.Girard is for academically capable students, grades one through 12, and awards a full scholarship with a yearly value of approximately $42,000 to every child admitted to the...
, a free boarding school, at that time limited to fatherless white boys, from which he graduated in 1904, after completing a high school education. He worked for a year in the art department of the Philadelphia North American, a daily morning newspaper.
In 1907, after working at other jobs, he was employed by the Midvale Steel Company
Midvale Steel
Midvale Steel was a succession of steel-making corporations whose flagship plant was the Midvale Steel Works at Nicetown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which operated from 1867 until 1976...
of the Nicetown neighborhood of Philadelphia, from which his father had been laid off 21 years earlier. His first job was open hearth
Open hearth furnace
Open hearth furnaces are one of a number of kinds of furnace where excess carbon and other impurities are burnt out of the pig iron to produce steel. Since steel is difficult to manufacture due to its high melting point, normal fuels and furnaces were insufficient and the open hearth furnace was...
clerk for a melter
Melter
The Melter is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Tales of Suspense #47 and was created by Stan Lee and Sam Rosen.-Publication history:...
. Foley was recognized as unusually capable by the head of the melting department, Radclyffe Furness
Radclyffe Furness
Radclyffe Furness was a chemist educated at Princeton University and Harvard University. He specialized in metallurgy.-Sources:*...
, a Harvard-educated chemist, and educated himself in metallurgy
Metallurgy
Metallurgy is a domain of materials science that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their intermetallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are called alloys. It is also the technology of metals: the way in which science is applied to their practical use...
and crystallography
Crystallography
Crystallography is the experimental science of the arrangement of atoms in solids. The word "crystallography" derives from the Greek words crystallon = cold drop / frozen drop, with its meaning extending to all solids with some degree of transparency, and grapho = write.Before the development of...
with Furness’s encouragement. In 1912 he contracted tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
, and spent two years in New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
and Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, where he was cured. In 1915 he married Anne Marie Flaherty, who bore a son, Gerard M. Foley, the following year.
Samuel Hoyt, of the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
, in 1917 asked Furness to suggest someone to teach metallography at the University. The latter recommended Foley for the job, which led to the family moving to Minneapolis. After the U.S. entered World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Foley volunteered for the Army, but was rejected because of his medical history. He was then employed, first by the National Bureau of Standards and then by the U.S. Bureau of Mines. As a member of the National Research Council
United States National Research Council
The National Research Council of the USA is the working arm of the United States National Academies, carrying out most of the studies done in their names.The National Academies include:* National Academy of Sciences...
he evaluated the means by which ferro-manganese production could be increased, since a substantial proportion of the ferro-manganese used in steel production had been imported. He headed the iron and steel division of the Bureau of Mines, first at the Experiment Station at Minneapolis, and later in Pittsburgh, before returning to Minneapolis.
In 1921 he was detached to work with Henry Marion Howe at Howe’s private laboratory in Westchester County, New York
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
. Howe and Foley investigated the hardening of steel and the formation and tempering of martensite
Martensite
Martensite, named after the German metallurgist Adolf Martens , most commonly refers to a very hard form of steel crystalline structure, but it can also refer to any crystal structure that is formed by displacive transformation. It includes a class of hard minerals occurring as lath- or...
. Howe’s resulting publication on this subject was significant in developing the understanding of this important art and science.
When he returned to Minneapolis he undertook a study of the blast furnace
Blast furnace
A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally iron.In a blast furnace, fuel and ore and flux are continuously supplied through the top of the furnace, while air is blown into the bottom of the chamber, so that the chemical reactions...
, collaborating with P.H. Royster in this project. He then supervised the Experiment Station on the campus of the Missouri School of Mines (now Missouri University of Science and Technology
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Missouri University of Science and Technology is an institution of higher learning located in Rolla, Missouri, United States, and part of the University of Missouri System...
) in Rolla, Missouri
Rolla, Missouri
Rolla is a city in Phelps County, Missouri, United States, midway between the larger cities of St. Louis and Springfield along I-44. The population in the 2010 United States Census was 19,559.It is the county seat of Phelps County...
. In 1924 he took the position of metallurgist for the Lucey Manufacturing Company in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
and in 1926 returned to the Midvale Company, to organize and direct a new Research Department.
Midvale had a long history of producing high grade steel forgings and castings for guns, armor, locomotive tires, and large forgings, first from acid openhearth steel and later in electric furnaces. Foley kept Midvale successfully producing new corrosion
Corrosion
Corrosion is the disintegration of an engineered material into its constituent atoms due to chemical reactions with its surroundings. In the most common use of the word, this means electrochemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen...
resistant alloys, and alloys for use at high temperatures. In 1949 Midvale was merged with a Pittsburgh steel company. Foley felt that the new company would no longer be in the forefront of metallurgical development and resigned to take a position with the International Nickel Company. For a time he directed the research laboratory at Bayonne, New Jersey
Bayonne, New Jersey
Bayonne is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Located in the Gateway Region, Bayonne is a peninsula that is situated between Newark Bay to the west, the Kill van Kull to the south, and New York Bay to the east...
, and then served as consulting metallurgist in the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
offices of Inco until 1957. He then joined Pencoyd Steel and Forge Corp. as executive metallurgical engineer, finally retiring in 1964, aged 77.
His first wife, Anne, died in June, 1936. In 1938 he married Katherine Campbell Fuller. In 1939 they had a daughter, Frances Campbell, later Mrs. William Jueds. He died in Coral Gables, Florida, in February 1973.