IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS FURNACES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Godfrey, Engineer, and Richard Howson,
Engineer, both of Middlesbrough-on-Tees, in the North Riding of
the County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS
FURNACES."
Sealed the 31st March 1876, and dated the 20th December 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Godfrey and
Richard Howson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 20th December 1875.
We, SAMUEL GODFREY, Engineer, and RICHARD HOWSON, Engineer,
both of Middlesbrough-on-Tees, in the North Riding of the County of
York, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN GAS FURNACES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to that class of furnaces in which the gas is
inflamed by means of forced jets of air, such furnaces being applicable
mainly to refining and puddling iron and melting steel.
The leading general features of our Invention are common to both
rotating and stationary furnaces, but our improvements comprise such-
modifications as are demanded by each variety of construction.

page_text: this way also a horizontal furnace with a burner or burners at both ends,
as herein-before described, may have its casing parallel.
In both of the above cases, that is to say, in the horizontal and in the
inclined furnace to enable the contents of the furnace to be removed or
the furnace to be charged or repaired internally as required, the burners
may be constructed to draw back from the openings, or the barrel may
be made to draw away from the burners. In the horizontal construction
however we prefer to arrange the burners to draw back. In the angular
construction we (by preference) mount the barrel on a horizontal axis
and provide it with a counterpoise, and with the axis we combine
apparatus, by operating which the barrel can be tilted over so as to
discharge its contents.
In applying our Invention to stationary furnaces the vertical arrange-
ment of burner and receptacle becomes the most convenient, but we
still apply the same system, whereby the ordinary chimney is dispensed
with and the burners are focussed for perfect combustion.
In order to obtain ready access to the interior the burner may be
drawn back or the receptacle may be made moveable. The latter
arrangement is what we prefer, and in carrying it out we construct the
shell of the furnace somewhat after the fashion of a foundry ladle
capable of being withdrawn from the burners and also of being tilted so
as to discharge the contents..
We have stated that in none of the modifications described do we
employ the usual chimney, all that is required is a method whereby the
workman may be protected from the noxious gases which issue from the.
orifices, and this can be done by means of simple screens or hoods.
We have also stated that the waste gases are allowed to escape
between the burners and the circumferences of the furnace mouths. The
limitation of area of exit is thus fixed by the size of the opening
compared to the size of the burner (or burners), and we adjust this in'
accordance with the requirements of the case. Moreover it is in our
power to screen any part of the exit space by means of moveable
shutters if desired. The burners themselves may be made of ganister or
other refractory material, or they may be protected by an internal cir-
culation of water, as practised in blast. furnace tuyeres. The furnace
itself may also be protected by like means.

page_text: With regard to the gas which we employ this may either be manu-
factured by what is known as the Siemens' gas producer, or it may be
the ordinary retort gas stored in gas holders. We however prefer the
latter because it is of a purer quality, and the system enables us to
command a pressure graduated at will, and in this case we obtain a
residual coke which we can use for heating the air and gas as well as
for other purposes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Samuel Godfrey and Richard Howson in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th June 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, SAMUEL
GODFREY, Engineer, and RICHARD Howson, Engineer, both of
Middlesbrough-on-Tees, in the North Riding of the County of York,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in
the thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto us, the said Samuel Godfrey and
Richard Howson, Her special license, that we, the said Samuel Godfrey
and Richard Howson, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said Samuel Godfrey and Richard Howson,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
* IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS FURNACES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that we, the said Samuel Godfrey and Richard Howson, our executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their
hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or them,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
"

page_text: calendar montis next and immediately WUti ULIC Cate
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE; that I, the said Richard Howson, on behalf of
the said Samuel Godfrey and for myself, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, and the Sheet of Drawings herein referred
to (that is to say):-
The Invention relates to that class of furnaces in which the gas is
inflamed by means of forced jets of air constituting blow pipes, some-
what similar to those described in the Patent granted to R. Howson,
November 15, 1867, such furnaces being applicable mainly to refining
and puddling iron and melting steel.
The leading general features of our Invention are common to both
rotating and stationary furnaces, but our improvements comprise such.
modifications as are demanded by each variety of construction.
With regard to rotating furnaces these may either revolve on a
horizontal axis or at an angle between the horizontal and vertical.
In the former case we employ a barrel which is open or partially open
at each end, and we apply one or more tuyeres or gas burners at each
end so as to cause the compound jets of air and gas to meet in the
middle of the barrel or thereabouts, and to impinge against one another.
This arrangement has the effect of causing a perfect intermingling of
the air and gas, and therefore a very intense and perfect combustion,
while at the same time it concentrates the greatest heat at that part of
the machine where it is most required. The products of combustion are
allowed to escape between the burners and the end or ends of the barrel.
By this arrangement we relieve the ends of the barrel from friction,
thereby enabling the barrel to be rotated with a far smaller expenditure
of power than in rotating furnaces as heretofore constructed; and
moreover we are enabled to dispense with the ordinary flues and with
the use of a chimney properly so called.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section, and Fig. 2 an end elevation
of a horizontal furnace constructed according to the foregoing descrip-
tion. A is the rotating chamber, and B, B, are the burners; these
burners are supplied with gas and air from the mains C and D, thus

page_text: constituting two blow pipes, the jets of which meet in the middle of the
rotating chamber; the latter is mounted on rollers which are actuated
by the gearing E to produce a revolving motion. In order to get access
to the interior of the chamber for fettling, charging, or removing the
contents there is a cap a, a, at each end, either of which can be tem-
porarily removed. In order to protect the workmen from the issuing
gases of combustion the furnace is shewn screened by two walls which
are furnished with doors F capable of being moved laterally out of the
way when required, and the burners are mounted on swivelling sockets G
in such a manner that they also can be moved sideways clear of the
openings to the chamber.
Fig. 3 is a front elevation, and Fig. 4 a horizontal section of a
modified form of this furnace, where A is the rotating chamber, and
B, B, are the burners, the arrangement being in its essential features
the same as before, the only difference being that in this case the air
and the gas are admitted to the burners through the vertical columns
C, C, travelling in opposite directions, as shewn by the arrows, and then
through the swivelling sockets D, D, to which the connections to the
burners are attached. The burners can thus be withdrawn from the
openings in the furnace by simply pulling them back, the columns
acting as centres of revolution. In this illustration the screen is
omitted as it is not essential to our Invention that it should be of any
particular form. What is essential however will be observed to be
common to both arrangements, namely, that the burners are entirely
free from contact with the revolving chamber which has no rubbing
surfaces at either end.
In rotating furnaces where the barrel revolves at an angle one end of
it is stopped, and the other open, and the burners which may be one or
more in number we place at the open end. When there are more jets
than one we sometimes place them angularly to one another so that the a
jets may impinge together at a focus for the same purpose as before of
localizing the heat and causing perfect combustion.
A glance at Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 will be sufficient to shew the con-
struction of the burners applicable to our Invention, Fig. 5 being a
single jet; Fig. 6, a compound one; Figs. 7 and 8, also compound ones
with the jets tending to a focus; and Fig. 9 one of the same character,
with the exception that the air jets are not surrounded with gas,

page_text: but are caused to blow across a chamber, through which the gas is
passing.
Our principal object in arranging the axes of the furnace at an angle
is to prevent the boiling over of the cinder and iron in the process of
puddling. It is possible thus to have a pan-shaped vessel with parallel
sides, that is to say, one in which the neck or orifice is not narrowed;
we do not however adhere to any particular shape of barrel. The
diagrams, Figs. 10, 11, and 12 shew some of the forms which may be
employed.
In the horizontal construction of furnace which we have already
described we have explained that the burners are drawn back from the
openings of the rotating chamber. In the modification thereof about
to be described the same object is attained by withdrawing the chamber
away from the burners. This is effected by mounting the furnace on a
horizontal axis or trunnion and providing it with a counterweight,
attaching to the trunnion a system of gearing, by operating which the
barrel can be tilted over at any angle.
The general construction of the furnace will be readily understood on
reference to Figs. 13 and 14, Fig. 13 being a longitudinal section with
the pan at an angle, and Fig. 14 an end elevation with the pan in a
vertical position.
A is the pan or rotating puddling chamber actuated by the bevil and
spur gear B, B', B3, B³. The pan is furnished with a cover C, to which
is or are attached centrally a burner or burners D of a similar character
to those already described. This cover is capable of being slightly lifted
by means of the lever E to enable the pan to be removed out of the way:
The pan A with its spindle or axis A¹ attached is mounted on a trunnion
frame F; and its weight is balanced by the counterpoise F. On the
trunnion is keyed a worm wheel G, to which motion is imparted through
the worm and shaft by means of the hand wheel H. The pan is thus
rendered capable of being traversed through a large arc of a circle,
while at the same time it can be rotated on its proper axis in any
position from the horizontal to the vertical. It will be seen that this
arrangement affords great facility of manipulation in all the processes
connected with puddling. Instead of the burner being attached to the
cover it may be separate from it, but it is as in the former case an
essential feature of our Invention that the revolving pan should not be
j

page_text: in contact with either the burner or the cover in such a way as to cause
friction. The products of combustion are allowed to escape between
the mouth of the pan and the cover, and are carried away through any
channel which is sufficient to protect the men from the heat and the
noxious gases.
In working the furnace during the operation of puddling the pan is
caused to revolve at an angle to prevent the contents from boiling over,
but by using an excess of air at the early stage of the process, or by
employing pig iron already refined it is possible to reduce the boiling
action to a minimum, so that a very great inclination to the horizontal is
not then required, and a furnace barrel having one end closed may even
be worked horizontally, provided the opening is made somewhat narrower
than the interior, or provided a moveable bridge is placed against the
lower part of the circular opening to prevent the contents from flowing
out.
In applying our Invention to stationary furnaces the vertical arrange-
ment of burner and receptacle becomes the most convenient, but we
still apply the same system, whereby the ordinary chimney is dispensed
with, and the burners can be focussed for perfect combustion.
In order to obtain ready access to the interior the burners may be
drawn back, or the receptacle may be made removeable. The latter
arrangement is what we prefer, and in carrying it out we construct the
shell of the furnace somewhat after the fashion of a foundry ladle,
capable of being withdrawn from the burners, and also of being tilted so
as to discharge the contents.
The construction will be better understood by reference to Figs. 15
and 16, which are respectively a side and an end view of the apparatus.
A is the melting pot or ladle, which is mounted on trunnions B, whereby
it is enabled to be tilted for discharging the contents. The whole is
suspended on an iron frame mounted on wheels C, and provided with a
cross handle D. When placed in its position for melting or refining, the
ladle is brought beneath the cover E, which is provided with a burner
or burners F, similar to those already described. When the operation of
melting or refining is finished the ladle is removed from underneath the
burner and wheeled away, and the metal is poured out, the same as is
done with an ordinary foundry ladle.

page_text: We have stated that in none of the modifications described do we
employ the usual chimney. All that is required is a method whereby
the workmen may be protected from the noxious gases, and this can be
done by means of simple screens or hoods. We do not say however that
a chimney, or something having the semblance of a chimney may not
be employed. All we wish to express is that there is no attachment of
an exit flue to a chimney in the ordinary sense, the distinctive features
of our Invention requiring that both ends of the puddling chamber,
when such chamber has a revolving motion, should be free from contact
with any surface causing friction.
We have already pointed out the construction of the burners which
we prefer to employ. With regard to their material we use cast or
wrought iron, or more refractory material, such as fire-clay, where
exposed to great heat; or they may be protected by an internal circu-
lation of water, as practised in blast furnace tuyeres. The furnace itself
also may be protected by like means.
With regard to the gas which we employ, this may either be manu-
factured by what is known as the Siemens' gas producer, or other gas
producer of a similar kind, or it may be the ordinary retort gas stored
in gas holders. We do not confine ourselves to the employment of any
particular kind of gas, but we prefer it to be of pure quality, and to be
stored in gas holders, so as to enable us to command a pressure graduated
at will. That is effected by the use of retort gas, while at the same
time a residual coke is obtained, which can be used for heating the air
and gas, as well as for other purposes.
Having described the nature of our said Invention, and the mode of
carrying the same into practical effect, we desire to have it understood
that we do not claim generally as of our present Invention the use of
blow pipes as applied to rotating furnaces, such a combination having
been described in the Provisional Specification of Howson and Thomas,
No. 839, dated March 20th 1872; nor do we intend to claim any of the
mechanical parts of the apparatus herein-before shewn and described
when taken separately and apart from the combination or application
thereof, in manner and for the purposes herein described, and as
expressed in the following claiming clauses.
We wish it to be understood that what we claim is as follows:-

page_text: furnace we claim the use of two burners, one at each end, whereby the
jets of gas and air are caused to impinge on each other at or about the
centre of the furnace.
2nd. As regards the second described arrangement we claim the
application of a gas blow pipe to a rotating vessel with one stopped end,
rotatory in any position from the horizontal to the vertical. We also
claim the mounting of such rotating vessel on trunnions for the purpose
of obtaining an independent tilting motion.
3rd. We claim as a distinctive feature of our Invention, applicable to
both the modifications described, the mode of avoiding friction by 1
arranging the rotating vessel to revolve with its ends free from contact
with any rubbing surface.
"
4th. In reference to the stationary furnace, we claim the arrangement
whereby the vessel or ladle can be placed underneath the burner and
removed therefrom at will, and the contents discharged by tilting.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Howson, have hereunto
set my h
hand and seal, this Tenth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
1
RICHARD HOWSON. (L.S.)