IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO MECIIANISM FOR PUDDLING, DECARBURETTING, OR PURIFYING IRON
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Thompson, of Wigan, in the county of Lancaster,
for an Invention of "
IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO MECIIANISM FOR
PUDDLING, DECARBURETTING, OR PURIFYING IRON."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Thompson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th February 1882.
ROBERT THOMPSON of Wigan in the County of Lancaster
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
AND RELATING TO MECHANISM FOR PUDDLING DECARBURETTING OR PURIFYING
IRON."
In Mr. Edward Halo's Specification No. 1852 of 1879 a mode of puddling iron
mechanically is shown in which a stirrer is caused to rotate in the iron. This
stirrer requires to be frequently changed and this changing even when the stirrer
has been driven as has usually been done from above has been found a tedious and
difficult operation.
Now my invention is designed to effect this operation with little trouble or
delay. It consists in working the stirrer (which is preferably a single radial blade
driven from above) by means of a vertical shaft carried by radial arm and driven
by gearing. This radial arm and its pedestal resemble the hydraulic cranes used
in Bessemer works or a radial drilling machine and can be raised and lowered by
hydraulic power or otherwise and swung to one side when raised up. When
lowered till the stirrer is in normal position for work the arm is rigidly held in
jaws or their mechanical equivalent. The bevil or friction wheel driving the shaft
on the radial arm can by means of a clutch be drawn out of gear when the arm is
raised or at other times a steam engine is preferably employed to actuate the
mechanism.
Sometimes I make the head of the arm rotate and in such case have two or even
three projecting rotating sockets for stirrers so that one stirrer gets too hot it can
be raised, the steadying clutch which prevents the head from turning removed, and
the head turned until another (cold) stirrer is in position for being lowered into the
iron or furnace when the steadying clutch or catch is let fall locking the head with
Paving G71

page_text: the stirrer bar hanging exactly vertically. When more than one radial stirrer
blades are used they may be arranged to stand in opposite directions so as to
counterbalance each other the stirrer to be used is turned till exactly over the hole
in the furnace crown left for lowering the stirrer into, the lid of the hole is thrown
back the stirrer lowered through and the lid closed again.
This Invention is also applicable where the bed is made to turn and the stirrer
is stationary. In this case no gearing is required for driving the stirrer the head
if supplied with more than one stirrer can be made to rotate so as to change the
stirrer when required by merely raising the radial arm which will still be capable
of swinging and of being raised and lowered so as to raise the stirrer out of the
furnace and swing it to one side to be changed. The stirrers can be fitted into
their sockets like mining drills or with tongue and cottar or in any other convenient
manner.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and
of an Order of the Lord Chancellor filed by the said Robert Thompson in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st August 1882.
ROBERT THOMPSON of Wigan in the county of Lancaster
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
AND RELATING TO MECHANISM FOR PUDDLING DECARBURETTING OR PURIFYING
IRON."
In Mr. Edward Hales Specification No. 1852 of 1879 a mode of puddling iron
mechanically is shown in which a stirrer is caused to rotate in tho iron. This
stirrer requires to be frequently changed and this changing even when the stirrer
has been driven as has usually been done from above has been found a tedious and
difficult operation.
My invention is best described by the aid of the accompanying drawings in
which Fig: 1 is a side elevation and Fig: 2 plan of the apparatus.
The invention is designed to effect this operation with little trouble or delay.
It consists in working the stirrer (which is preferably a single radial blade) A
driven from above by means of a vertical shaft B carried by radial arm C and
driven by gearing D D' E E' from ongine F.
This radial arm and its pedestal H resemble the hydraulic cranes used in
Bessomer works or a radial drilling machine and can be raised and lowered by
hydraulic power or otherwise and swung to one side when raised up. When
lowered till the stirrer is in normal position for work as shown in fig. 1, the arın
is rigidly held in jaws or their mechanical equivalent.
The bevel (or friction) wheel D driving the shaft on the radial arm can by means
of a clutch I be drawn out of gear when the arın is raised or at other times. A
steam engine is preferably employed to actuate the mechanism.
Sometimes I make the head K of the arm C to rotate and in such case havo two
or even three projecting rotating sockets for stirrers so that as one stirrer gets too
hot it can be raised. The steadying clutch which prevents the head from turning
removed and the head turned until another (cold) stirrer is in position for being
lowered into the iron or furnace when the steadying clutch or catch is let full
locking the head with the stirrer bar hanging exactly vertically. When more than
one radial stirrer blades are used they may be arranged to stand in opposite
directions say 3 at angles of 120° with each other so as to counterbalance each other
the stirrer to be used is turned till exactly over the hole in the furnace crown left
for lowering the stirrer into the lid L of the hole (fig. 2) is thrown back the stirrer
lowered through and the lid closed again.
This invention is also applicable where the bed is made to turn and the stirrer
is stationary. In this case no gearing is required for driving the stirrer, the head
if supplied with more than one stirrer can be made to rotate so as to change the
stirrer when required by merely raising the radial arm which will still be capable
of swinging and of being raised and lowered so as to raise the stirrer out of the
furnace and swing it to one side to be changed. The stirrers can be fitted into
their sockets like mining drills or with tongue and cottar or in any other
convenient manner.
Having now described my invention and the best modes known to me of carrying
it into effect I claim as matter protected under the Letters Patent:-
1st Placing the rotating bar of a puddling furnace substantially on Hales
principle on a driving mechanism capable of a vertical and a horizontal move-
ment sufficient to raise the arm clear of the furnace and swing it to one side for
changing.

page_text: 2nd Arranging two or more stirrers on one mechanism so that one can be raised
out of the furnace to cool and without changing sockets a second bar be immediately
lowered to take its place.
3rd The machinery for actuating the puddling bar substantially as described.
In witness whereof I the said Robert Thompson have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Tenth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.
Witness
J. OWDEN O'BRIEN,
Clerk to
Messrs W. P. Thompson & Co.
Patent Agents
Liverpool & London.
ROB. THOMPSON. (L.S.)