IMPROVEMENTS IN VESSELS FOR CONVERTING STEEL, AND IN THE FORMATION OF JOINTS FOR THE SAME AND OTHER SIMILAR VESSELS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VESSELS FOR CONVERTING STEEL,
AND IN THE FORMATION OF JOINTS FOR THE SAME AND OTHER SIMILAR
VESSELS." A communication from abroad by Henry Chisholm, of
Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America.
Sealed the 21st November 1871, and dated the 27th July 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 27th July 1871.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VESSELS FOR
CONVERTING STEEL, AND IN THE FORMATION OF JOINTS FOR THE SAME AND OTHER
SIMILAR VESSELS," a communication, to be as follows:-
-
These improvements in converting vessels have for their object the
connection of the upper section (containing the converting chamber)
with the lower section (containing the tuyeres) in such co-relation with

page_text: each other that the joint of attachment of the said sections shall be in
line with the top of the tuyeres in the bottom of the converter, and so
arranged that the bottom or lower section may be easily attached or
detached.
The connecting vessel has a chamber below into which the air is
conveyed in the usual way and forced through the tuyeres to act upon
the molten mass in the vessel. The said vessel is hung upon trunnions
and provided with a nozzle at the upper end in the ordinary manner.
Screw bolts or pins are used for securing the sections together.
In converting vessels as usually constructed and arranged the joint
for connecting and disconnecting the sections is either above the tuyeres
and below the trunnions or below the said tuyeres. It is difficult to
handle and manage the former arrangement, and in the latter case the
lining of the vessel becomes united with the ganister filling around the
tuyeres in the lower section as it extends above the said joint into
the base.
My improvements consist, first, in so attaching the lower section that
its surface or face across the top of the tuyeres forms a plane or nearly
so in line with the base and lining, that is to say, the surface around the
tuyeres is made without any part raised above the flange of the bottom
casing, hence the base of the lining and the flange of the upper casing
are in a common line with the surface and plane of the bottom casing.
By this manner of attaching the upper and lower sections there can be
introduced between the joint graphite to prevent the lining from being
cemented with the filling of the bottom by fusion when subject to the
intense heat of the molten metal. Hence the old bottom can in this
way be quickly and easily removed and a new one readily attached
without injury to the lining of the chamber or delay in the process of
manufacture. The importance of connecting and detaching the bottom
with ease and facility without breaking down or injuring the lining is
well understood in the manufacture to which this Invention belongs.
A further improvement in the above-described vessel consists in
forming or making the joint or joints of the sections composing the said
vessel used in the manufacture of "Bessemer "steel, so that the lining of
the vessel shall be prevented from adhering to the bed or bottom of the
said vessel (in which the tuyeres are placed) when the sections require
to be separated, and at the same time make a close tight joint when the
sections are together. The tuyeres communicate with the air chambers

page_text: below and the chamber of the vessel above. The filling and tuyeres may
be of the usual material constructed and arranged in relation to each
other in the ordinary way, and also the casings or shells.
It is well known that in the ordinary way of making the joint or
connection of the upper and lower sections of a converting vessel it is
difficult to remove the bottom or lower section (containing the tuyercs)
from the upper section without breaking away the lining at or near the
base of the lining. This is owing to the lining and filling being com-
posed of fire-clay or its equivalents combined more or less with other
material to form a coating or lining to resist the action of the molten
material in the vessel. The heat so acts upon the material of the
lining and filling as to cement them together at the point of contact,
and in separating the two sections after being used the filling and lining
are broken away or torn off, leaving a rough and uneven surface, and
owing to the heated state of the vessel it is difficult to attach another
bottom, hence there is more or less hindrance, cost, and delay.
The object of this part of my improvements is to avoid these objections
and difficulties in making the joint by the use of ganister or fire-clay,
plumbago or graphite, or their equivalents for this purpose. When the
bottom with the tuyeres and filling are ready for connection with the
upper section fire-clay mixed with water to about the consistency of
putty is laid on the bottom so as to be under the lining. After the said
clay is spread over the upper surface is covered or dusted over with
graphite; the surface of graphite will be in direct contact with the
bottom of the lining, when the sections are secured together in the
ordinary way.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 26th January 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-

page_text: fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special
licence that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake,
my 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN VESSELS FOR CONVERTING STEEL, AND IN THE FORMATION OF JOINTS
FOR THE SAME AND OTHER SIMILAR VESSELS," a communication to me from
abroad by Henry Chisholm, of Cleveland, Ohio, United States of
America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Robert Lake, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing, forming a part of this Specification:-
These improvements in converting vessels have for their object the
connection of the upper section (containing the converting chamber)
with the lower section (containing the tuycre) in such co-relation with
each other that the joint of attachment of the said sections shall be in
line with the top of the tuyere in the bottom of the converter, and so
arranged that the bottom or lower section may be easily attached
or detached as more fully herein-after set forth.
In the Drawing Figure 1 is a side view of my improved converting
vessel; Figure 2 is a vertical section of part of the same below the
trunnions; Figure 3 is a similar section of a modification of the said
vessel.
In Figures 1 and 2, A is the casing or body of the upper section of
the converting vessel, and B the lower section or bottom with the
outside casing; C is the tuyere, and D, the chamber below, into which

page_text: the air is conveyed in the usual way and forced through the tuyeres to
act upon the molten mass in the chamber A'. The vessel is hung upon
trunnions and provided with a nozzle at the upper end in the ordinary
manner. c, c, are screws, bolts, or pins for securing the sections together.
In converting vessels as usually constructed and arranged the joint
for connecting and disconnecting the sections is either above the
tuyere and below the trunnions, or below the said tujeres. It is
difficult to handle and manage the former arrangement, and in the
latter case the lining of the chamber A' becomes united with the
ganister filling around the tuyeres in the lower section as it extends
above said joint into the base of the chamber. There are serious
objections to both of these plans, and the attendant evils are well
understood by those skilled in the art to which this Invention appertains.
Ease and facility of attaching and detaching the lower and upper
section with the least possible injury to the lining of the chamber are
desiderata in this process when expedition is required.
My improvements consist in so attaching the lower section that the
surface or face F across the top of the tuyere forms a plane in line or
nearly so with the base of the chamber A' and lining, as indicated by
the line a, Figure 2, that is to say, the surface F around the tuyeres
is made without any part raised above the flange of the bottom casing;
hence the base of the lining E and the flange of the upper casing are
in a common line with the surface or face F and plane of the bottom
casing. By this manner of attaching the upper and lower sections there
can be introduced between the joint graphite or other suitable material
to prevent the lining E from being cemented with the filling D' of the
bottom by fusion when subject to the intense heat of the molten metal
in the chamber A¹. Hence the old bottom or section can in this way
be quickly and easily removed and a new one readily attached without
injury to the lining of the chamber or delay in the process of manu-
facture. The importance of connecting and detaching the bottom with
ease and facility without breaking down or injuring the lining is well
understood by those familiar with the art to which this Invention
relates.
A further improvement in the above-described vessel consists in
forming or making the joint or joints of the sections composing the said
vessel used in the manufacture of "Bessemer" steel so that the lining
of the vessel shall be prevented from adhering to the bed or bottom

page_text: of the said vessel (in which the tuyeres are placed) when the sections
require to be separated, and at the same time make a close tight joint
when the sections are together, as more fully set forth in the following
description and as illustrated in Figure 3, in which G represents a
portion of the upper section, and H the lower section; the two sections
are a little apart shewing a space between them. The tuyeres I com-
municate with the air chambers below and the chamber J of the vessel
above; K is the lining of fire-clay or ganister in the chamber J. Lis
the casing or shell of the said chamber; M is the casing or shell of the
bottom or lower section H in which are the tuyeres I and the bed or
filling N. This filling and tuyere and also the casings or shell L and M
may be of the usual material and constructed and arranged in relation
to each other in the ordinary manner.
It is well known that in the ordinary way of making the joint or
connection of the upper and lower sections of a converting vessel it is
difficult to remove the bottom or lower section (containing the tuyere)
from the upper section without breaking away the lining at or near the
base of the lining. This is owing to the lining K and filling N being
composed of fire-clay or its equivalents combined, more or less, with
other material to form a coating or lining to resist the action of the
molten material in the vessel. The heat so acts upon the material of
the lining and filling as to cement them together at the point of contact
when the sections are connected together by the usual means; and in
separating the two sections after being used the filling and lining are
broken away or torn off, leaving a rough and uneven surface, which has
to be separated and put in order before another bottom can be attached,
and owing to the heated state of the vessel it is difficult to attach
another bottom; hence there is more or less hindrance, cost, and delay
in detaching a burned out bottom, repairing the breakage, and attaching
a new bottom, and often when expedition is required to prevent great
loss to the manufacturer.
The object of this part of my improvoments is to avoid these objections
and difficulties in making the joint by the use of ganister or fire-clay,
plumbago or graphite, or their equivalents for this purpose. When the
bottom with the tuyeres and filling are ready for connection with the
upper section fire-clay mixed with water to about the consistency of
putty is laid on the bottom so as to be under the lining. After the
said clay is spread over its upper surface is covered or dusted over with
graphite or its equivalent; this surface of graphite will be in direct

page_text: contact with the bottom K of the lining when the sections are secured
together in the ordinary way.
The action of the plumbago or graphite prevents cementation of
the lining and filling at the point of contact, that is to say, where the
sections are connected together and subject to the influence of the
molten mass in process of conversion, at the same time a safe and
perfectly formed joint is obtained, which may be easily separated without
injury to the lining or bottom filling.
I do not confine myself to the use of fire-clay and graphite in the
order or manner herein described, but may use them in any co-relation,
essentially the same which will produce substantially like results.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. The two sections so arranged in relation to each other that
the base line of section A and the plane or surface F of section B shall
be in line or nearly so at the joint where the said sections are connected
together, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Second. Forming or making the joint or joints of steel convertors of
graphite and fire-clay or ganister, either together or combined with
other material or materials, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of January,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.
Witness,
E. C. JACKSON.
Wч. ROB™. LAKE. (L.S.)