IMPROVEMENTS IN PUDDLING AND OTHER FURNACES EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WROUGHT IRON AND STEEL
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PUDDLING AND OTHER FURNACES EMPLOYED IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF WROUGHT IRON AND STEEL." _A communication from
abroad by Samuel Danks, of Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of
America.
Sealed the 9th April 1869, and dated the 6th February 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 6th February 1869.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office,"
5 No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUDDLING AND OTHER FURNACES EMPLOYED IN

page_text: THE MANUFACTURE OF WROUGHT IRON AND STEEL," a communication, to be as
follows:-
My Invention relates mainly to puddling furnaces in which the mass
or "ball" of iron is formed by the mechanical action of a rotary refining
chamber.
The said Invention consists chiefly,-
First. In a rotary refining chamber adapted to hold and properly
preserve the fettling, and so constructed as to be preserved from over-
heating by means of water.
Second. In making removable that portion of the flue which fronts
the rotary refinery, so as by turns to discharge the functions of a flue
and the functions of a door.
Third. In the combination of a water back with a rotary refining
chamber, in the manner herein-after described.
"
The "grate" or fire-chamber has one blast inlet below the grate and
another blast inlet in the rear of the grate and above the fire. This
latter inlet consists of a pipe, which communicates by a number of small
tuyeres with the interior of the fire chamber at the rear side thereof.
The "grate or fire-chamber may have the customary construction
of fire-bricks enclosed by iron plates; it has one or more customary
side doors, and also has on its front an opening or passage which
communicates with the interior of my rotary refinery. The under side
of the latter passage is formed into a bridge, within which are coiled the
cold water pipes.
My refinery proper or puddling chamber consists essentially of an
open-ended cylinder of either wrought or cast iron, and having
preferably the stepped or conical ends for the reception of rollers so
arranged as to both properly support and hold in place while permitting
the free rotation of the cylinder. The said cylinder is at equal distances
around its periphery slotted longitudinally to receive ribs, preferably
in the form of troughs, which open outwardly and have flanges to
maintain their proper place in the cylinder. These trough-like ribs serve
the double purpose of key pieces to hold the fettling, and of receptacles
for water, steam, or air to preserve the cylinder and fettling and the
ribs themselves from burning. The ribs are also socketed in their
middle or other desirable locality for the reception of blocks of soapstone
or other refractory material; the said blocks may be inserted in sockets

page_text: in the cylinder at points intermediate between the ribs. The cylinder
may also be pierced for the reception of one or more protuberances
made hollow and opening outward for the reception of water, steam, or
air, and corrugated on that portion of their surface which is presented
to the interior of the cylinder in order more effectually to hold and
retain the fettling of slag or vitreous matter, whose comparative infusi-
bility and slow combustion serve to protect the said protuberances.
The weaker affinity of the fettling for the metal enables the latter to
roll off instead of sticking to the ribs and protuberances, as it would
do were the latter not thus protected. Encircling the cylinder may
be a toothed wheel with which meshes a pinion whereby the cylinder
is rotated. That portion or section of the flue immediately in front
of the cylinder may be suspended by hangers and a roller to a track
or way, along which the said section is capable of being moved.
Any other method of adjusting the section may be used to either close
the mouth of the cylinder for puddling and balling, or open the same
for removing the ball and inserting a new charge. The movable section
may have a stopper hole for inspection or manipulation of the metal
or ball, and is provided with an annular pike for conducting water about
the inner end of the said section for the purpose of keeping it cool.
The said section communicates when closed with a stationary portion
of the flue. Water may be conveyed to the ribs and to the protu-
berances and also to the annular pipe by means of other pipes. The
neck of the cylinder may be thus cooled, or by one or more water scoops
shrunk or otherwise secured upon it. A tapping hole is provided to
enable the attendant to discharge the slag or cinder. The cylinder having
been lined with suitable fettling, as above described, its rotation
temporarily arrested, and the blast closed, the flue section is opened,
and the charge being inserted the said section is again closed; the
blast is then turned on and the cylinder set again in motion. Com-
munication between the grate and rotary cylinder being broken or
disturbed the heat is retained within the furnace instead of escaping
into the face of the operator and allowing the ingress of cold air,
which retards the puddling and wastes the heat. The movable flue
section may be supported upon a ground track to allow the stack to be
placed immediately over the furnace, which stack may be made effective
to beat the blast and for other purposes.

page_text: I have described my improvements in their application to a puddling
furnace, but may apply the same in whole or in part to various forms
of heating and refining furnaces used in the manufacture of wrought
iron and steel.
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 5th August 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her
special license that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors,
administrators, 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 of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUDDLING AND OTHER FURNACES EMPLOYED
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WROUGHT IRON AND STEEL," 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 calender 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

page_text: 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 :-
My improvements are chiefly designed for the kind of puddling
furnaces in which the mass or "ball" of iron is formed by the
mechanical action of a rotary refining chamber.
And the first part of my Invention consists in a form of the rotary
refining chamber adapted to hold and properly preserve the fettling, and
so constructed as to be preserved from overheating by means of water.
The second part of my Invention consists in making removable that
portion of the flue which fronts the rotary refinery, so as by turns to
discharge the functions of a flue and the functions of a door.
The third part of my improvement in puddling furnaces consists in
the combination of a water back with a rotary refining chamber in the
manner herein-after described.
In the accompanying Drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a
puddling furnace embodying my Invention, the flue section being shifted
from the mouth of the refinery; Figure 2 is a longitudinal view in the
plane of the refinery's axis; Figure 3 is a transverse section of the
refinery looking rearward or toward the fire; Figure 4 is a front view,
partly in section, of my water bridge; Figure 5 is a transverse section to
an enlarged scale of a portion of the refinery; Figure 6 represents a
modification of my shiftable flue section.
"
A represents the "
grate or fire chamber, having one blast inlet B
below the grate, and another blast inlet in the rear of the grate and
above the fire. This latter inlet consists of a pipe D, which commu-
nicates by a number of small tuyeres d with the interior of the fire
chamber at the rear side thereof. The " grate or fire chamber may
have the customary construction of fire-bricks enclosed by iron plates,
and has one or more customary side doors E, and has on its front an
opening or passage F, which communicates with the interior of my
rotary refinery. The under side of the passage F is formed into a
bridge G, within which are coiled the water pipes H. My refinery
proper or puddling chamber consists essentially of an open-ended
cylinder I of either wrought or cast iron, and having, preferably, the
stepped or conical ends J for the reception of the rollers K so arranged
as to both properly support and hold in place while permitting the free

page_text: rotation of the cylinder. The cylinder I is at equal distances around its
periphery slotted longitudinally to receive ribs L, preferably in the form
of troughs, which open outward, as shown, and have flanges / to maintain
their proper place in the cylinder. These trough-like ribs serve the
double purpose of key pieces to hold the fettling, and of receptacles for
water, steam, or air to preserve the cylinder and fettling and the ribs
themselves from burning out. The ribs are also socketed in their middle
or other desirable locality for the reception of blocks I made of soap-
stone or other refractory material; the blocks L' may be inserted in
sockets in the cylinder I at points intermediate between the ribs. The
cylinder may also be pierced for the reception of one or more protu-
berances M, made hollow and opening outward for the reception of
water, steam, or air, and corrugated on that portion of their surface
which is presented to the interior of the cylinder in order more
effectually to hold and retain the fettling of slag or vitreous matter,
whose comparative infusibility and slow combustion serve to protect the
said protuberances. The said fettling is also useful in that its weaker
affinity for the metal enables the latter to roll off instead of sticking to
the ribs and protuberances as it would do were the latter not thus
protected. Encircling the cylinder I may be the cog wheel N, with
which meshes the pinion O by which the cylinder is rotated. The
portion or section P of the flue immediately in front of the cylinder may
be suspended by hangers Q and roller R to a track or way S, along
which the said section is capable of being slid or shifted. Any other
method of shifting the section P more convenient or better adapted to
the situation of the furnace may be used, so as to either close the mouth
of the cylinder for puddling and balling, or open the same for removing
the ball and inserting a new charge. The section P may have a cus-
tomary stopper hole p for inspection or manipulation of the metal or
ball when so desired, and is also provided with an annular pipe q for the
conduction of water about the inner end of said section for the
purpose
of keeping it cool. The section P communicates when closed with a
stationary portion of the flue. Water may be conveyed to the ribs L
and to the protuberance M and also to the annular pipe q by means of
the pipes U and U'. The neck i of the cylinder may be thus cooled, or
by one or more water scoops shrunk or otherwise secured upon it. Z is
a tapping hole to enable the attendant to discharge the slag or cinder
after a heat, or at any other time when in superabundance. The cylinder

page_text: having been lined with suitable fettling, as above described, its rotation
temporarilly arrested, and the blast closed, the flue section P is slid open,
and the charge being inserted said section is again closed; the blast is
then turned on, and the cylinder set again in motion. Communication
between the grate and rotary cylinder being at a time broken or dis-
turbed the heat is retained within the furnace instead of escaping
into the face of the operator and allowing the ingress of cold air, which
retards the puddling and wastes the heat, as experienced in those forms of
mechanical puddlers whose cylinders are shifted bodily at every charge.
The shiftable flue section may be supported upon a ground track, as in
Figure 6, so as to allow the stack to be placed immediately over the
furnace, which stack may be made effective to heat the blast, &c.
I have described my improvements in their application to a puddling
furnace, but may apply the same in whole or in part to various forms
of heating and refining furnaces used in the manufacture of wrought
iron and steel.
I am aware that rotary refining chambers have before been used in
puddling furnaces, and also that they have been constructed with
internal longitudinal ribs to agitate the iron, and have been made
removable from the furnace to expose their ends; these devices therefore
I do not claim; but what I claim and desire to secure by Letters
Patent is,-
1st. The hollow ribs L and protuberances M. (either or both) in the
metal shell of the rotary refining cylinder I forming on the outside
troughs or pockets for the reception of water, in the manner and for the
purpose set forth.
2nd. The shiftable piece P employed in combination with a rotary
refinery for the double purpose of a door and a flue, as described.
3rd. The arrangement and adaptation, substantially as described, of
the water bridge G, H, in combination with the fire chamber A and
rotary puddling chamber I, for the purpose set forth.
4th. The sockets located in any part of the ribs L, as shown, or in
any part of the chamber I for the reception of blocks L' made of soap-
stone or other refractory material for the double purpose of agitating
the iron during and previous to the boiling, and also to the proper
separation of the iron, and assisting the formation of two or more balls
at one heat.

page_text: 5th. Constructing the shiftable piece P with cellular chambers or their
equivalents for the purpose of keeping cool said shiftable piece by the
introduction of water within the chambers.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of August, in the 5
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE.
(L.S.)
Witness,
THO. N. PALMER,
Clerk to Messrs. Haseltine, Lake, & Co.
8, Southampton Buildings,
London.