IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACIURE OF IRON AND OTHER METALS, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES WHERE HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE EMPLOYED
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Brown Wilson, of 5, Parliament Street, in
the City of Westminster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACIURE OF IRON AND OTHER METALS, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREIN, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES WHERE HIGH
TEMPERATURES ARE EMPLOYED."
Sealed the 10th November 1863, and dated the 16th May 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Brown Wilson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th May 1863.
I, EDWARD BROWN WILSON, of 5, Parliament Street, in the City of West-
minster, Engineer, do hereby declare the mature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND OTHER METALS, AND IN THE
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES
WHERE HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE EMPLOYED," to be as follows:-
My improvements consist in a novel form of vessel and mode of treatment
by means of which I am enabled to reduce, deoxidate, and purify metalliferous
sands, ores, and metals, especially iron, and further to purify them, and
remove the various impurities, and to produce the metal pure, or to carbonify
or convert iron into steel when iron is under operation. 1 effect this by
dividing the vessel into two chambers by means of a diaphragm properly
[Price 8d.]

page_text: arranged for the purpose: the upper and larger chamber is used for reducing
purposes, and this portion I call the reducing chamber: in this the ore,
metallic sands, pig iron, or other metal with the necessary reducing agents
and materials are placed, and a blast of heated gases and atmospheric air is
blown upon the materials from above until the metal is reduced to a liquid.
1 assist this down blast by means of a jet or jets of steam, for reasons here-
after to be described: in some cases the metals may be placed in the bottom
of the chamber, and reduced by the gases without charging the metal with the
fuel. The metal when reduced descends into the lower portion of the reducing
chamber and passes through the diaphragm, which is supplied for this purpose
with convenient perforations or passages, to allow both metal and heated gases
free conduct to the lower or refining chamber. The refining chamber is of a
convenient shape, and the metals being there collected are therein exposed to
the action of the flames and heated gases passing from above upon them: or
if desirable. a further supply of gases or air may be blown through the side
of the refining chamber upon or through the metal therein. The gases after
completing their work are allowed to escape by any convenient exit. which
may be provided with a regulator or damper, so as to regulate the current or
draught. This refining chamber may also be provided with suitable inlets. so
that materials or gases capable of carbonizing the metal may be injected.
Hydrogen and carbonic oxide gases are supplied to the metals under
operation for the purpose of deoxidizing, and are especially useful in the last
stage of refining. Steam it is well known will furnish hydrogen when in
contact with carbon or deoxidating materials as well as carbonic oxide, and
these gases are the best deoxidating agent that can be employed. I have
found that these deoxidate without carbonization. hence their great value, and
the fine character of malleable iron I am enabled to produce by their
employment, as described.
It is evident that in effecting the decarbonization of the reduced metal.
I can also by recarbonization to any required point produce any quantity
of steel desired. Or I can by stopping short of complete decarbonization.
that is, by staying the supply of hydrogen and carbonic oxide furnished by the
steam and blast. as described. also produce steel: but I prefer completely
refining and recarbonization as a more certain mode of proceeding in order to
produce an even quality of steel. The reducing chamber may be provided.
with a manipulating door to examine or test the iron or metal under
operation, and with suitable arrangements for charging and discharging the
materials. By the above means I accomplish with one vessel. as described

page_text: above, and with a comparatively small quantity of fuel the whole process of
reduction and conversion, which at present is only effected by an expensive
plant and a large quantity of fuel. The other purposes to which this Inven-
tion is applicable are such as the manufacture of glass
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Brown Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 16th November 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1, EDWARD
BROWN WILSOx, late of 5. Parliament Street, but now of 10, Strand, both in
the City of Westminster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three. in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself. Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me
the said Edward Brown Wilson, Her special license that 1. the said Edward
Brown Wilson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Edward Brown Wilson, my executors, administrators, or 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 THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND OTHER METALS, AND IN THE
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE FOR CTHER
PURPOSES WHERE HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE EMPLOYED," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Edward Brown Wilson, my executors or
administrators. by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal or
under the hand and scal of one of 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 calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
"
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward. Brown Wilson, do hereby-
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the

page_text: following statement. reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
My improvements consist in a novel form of vessel and mode of treatment
by means of which I am enabled to reduce, deoxidate, and purify metalliferous
sands. ores, and metals, especially iron. and further to purify them and
remove the various impurities, and to produce the metal pure, or to carbonify
or convert iron into steel when iron is under operation. effect this by
dividing the vessel into two chambers by means of a diaphragm properly
arranged for the purpose; the upper and larger chamber is used for reducing
purposes, and this portion I call the reducing chamber; in this the ore,
metallic sands, pig iron, or other metal, with the necessary reducing agents
and materials are placed, and a blast of heated gases and atmospheric air is
blown upon the materials from above until the metal is reduced to a liquid.
I assist this down blast by means of a jet or jets of steam, for reasons hereaftor
to be described. In some cases the metals may be placed in the bottom of
the chamber, and reduced by the gases without charging the metal with the
fuel. The metal when reduced descends into the lower portion of the
reducing chamber, and passes through the diaphragm, which is supplied for
this purpose with convenient perforations or passages to allow both metal and
heated gases free conduct to the lower or refining chamber. The refining
chamber is of a convenient shape, and the metals being there collected are
therein exposed to the action of the flumes and heated gases passing from
above upon them: or if desirable. a further supply of gases or air may be
blown through the side of the refining chamber upon or through the metal
therein. The gases after completing their work are allowed to escape by any
convenient exit, which may be provided with a regulator or damper, so as to
regulate the current or draught. This refining chamber may also be provided
with suitable inlets, so that materials or gases capable of carbonizing the
metal may be injected. The reducing chamber may be provided with a
manipulating door to examine or test the iron or metal under operation, and
with suitable arrangements for charging and discharging the materials. The
other purposes to which this Invention is applicable are such as the manu-
facture of glass.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, 1 shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the
corresponding Figures.

page_text: Figure 1 of the Drawings represents a vertical section of my novel form of
vessel herein-before referred to for reducing and refining ores and metals;
Figure 2 is a plan of the top thereof: Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the
same, taken along the line 1. 2. in Figure 1: and Figure 4 is a smaller or
partial section of the central portion taken at the line 3, 4. in Figure 1.
A is the upper and larger chamber, and B the lower chamber. separated
from the former by the diaphragm or partition C. The upper or reducing
chamber A is closed at the top, as shown, and provided with one or more
feeding hoppers, or other convenient charging device D. D. in which the metal
and fuel are placed. These hoppers are provided with gas-tight lids or covers
E. E. and with dampers, or reversible bottoms F. F. which, when placed in a
horizontal position support the charge in the hopper. This charge is allowed
to fall into the reducing chamber A by turning the dampers F. but before
doing so the lids or covers E must be first adjusted. G is the hearth or bottom
of the reducing chamber, and from this branch off a series of syphon-shaped
perforations or passages H. H. being gas exits communicating with the lower
or refining chamber B. When the metal has attained a liquid state in the
reducing chamber A, it flows off through the further perforations or passages I. I.
into the gas exits A, and enters the refining chamber B in company with the
gases from the reducing chamber above. K is the blast pipe fitted into the closed
iop of the reducing chamber, and so placed as to direct the blast downwards
on to and through the meial and fuel contained therein. Inside this blast
pipe is fitted a steam pipe L. whereby a jet of steam (which I prefer to be
superheated) may be injected simultaneously with the blast of air or gases, or
both. The bottom M of the refining chamber B may be made movable.
being supported by girders N and cottar bolts O. O. and raised into its place
by a screw jack or other suitable contrivance. A series of blast pipes P, P.
are fitted round this chamber B. being disposed so as to direct their blast
through the side of the chamber downwards into and amongst the molten
metal. P P are inlets or holes in this chamber for introducing the
carbonizing materials, or for charging, and a is a slag-hole. Q is a spy-hole
filled with mica, or other good heat-resisting transparent material, whereby
the progress of the operation may be viewed from without. R is a man-hole
or manipulating door. and S is the exit or flue leading to a chimney, and
which may have fitted to it a damper or regulator, though not so represented
in the Drawing. R, a tap-hole for running off the meial. The entire
furnace is supported upon the brickwork foundation T, being held securely
down by long bolis U. U. A platform or gallery V is made round the feeding

page_text: hoppers at the top, and is surrounded by a railing W, as shown. X is the
onter metal casing which encloses the fire-bricks Y of which the furnace is
constructed, and Z is the lining of gannister or other suitable material which
forms the sides and bottom of the two chambers. The parts of the apparatus
applicable for other purposes where high temperatures are employed, such as
the manufacture of glass, embrace all the principal parts above described.
In witness whereof. I. the said Edward Brown Wilson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal. this Thirteenth day of November. One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-three.
E. B. WILSON. (...)