IMPROVEMENTS IN BLAST FURNACES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Silas Covell Salisbury, Civil Engineer, of the City
and State of New York, United States of America, for the Invention
of
"
IMPROVEMENTS IN BLAST FURNACES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Silas Covell Salisbury at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd October 1865.
I, SILAS COVELL SALISBURY, Civil Engineer, of the City and State of New
York, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BLAST FURNACES." to be as follows: -
My.Invention consists in introducing into blast furnaces in addition to the
ordinary hot blast a current or blast of the gases derived from petroleum or
other similar, hydrocarbon, water, and air, by the combustion of which, gases
derived from these different substances with the gases derived from the coal
and heated air of the blast, a much more intense heat is obtained for melting
[Price 8d.]

page_text: ore, whereby much larger quantities of metal can be melted and with
diminished expense; and also in the introduction into the same furnace in the
place and instead of the limestone which is now mixed with and heated and
melted with the ore of a current or blast of highly heated vaporized concen-
trated lime water, by which a more complete effect is produced than by the
use of ordinary limestone. The relative or proportionate quantity of oil,
water, and air used should be such as to ensure a combination of the different
gases produced therefrom, which shall not be explosive as it comes in contact
with the gases produced in the furnace. A proportion of one cubic inch of
petroleum to two and a half cubic feet of water and five cubic feet of air has
been found satisfactory though this may be considerably varied. The retort
for the generation and preparation of such gas may also have placed in it a
coil or stack of iron rods or small tubes to absorb the oxygen, thus rendering
the hydrogen more available for the uses designed. The lime vapour blast is
highly heated in any convenient manner, and may be supplied to different
parts or points of the furnace or stack, but it is believed that it will produce
the most satisfactory result when admitted to the furnace a little above the
ordinary melting point. By bringing such lime blast in contact with the ore
in the form of a highly heated vapour, its effect as a flux is more complete,
uniform, and rapid, and expenditure of heat in the furnace to reduce the
limestone is saved.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Silas Covell Salisbury in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd April 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SILAS
COVELL SALISBURY, Civil Engineer, of the City and State of New York,
United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Silas Covell Salisbury, Her special licence that I, the said Silas Covell Salisbury,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Silas
Covell Salisbury, 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,

page_text: IN
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
BLAST FURNACES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Silas
Covell Salisbury, 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 Silas Covell Salisbury, 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 following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
My improvement or Invention consists in introducing into blast furnaces,
in addition to the ordinary hot air blast. one or more currents or blasts of the
gases derived from petroleum or other similar hydrocarbon, water, and air,
by the combustion of which gases derived from these different substances, with
the gases derived from the fuel and heated air of the furnace, a much more
intense heat is obtained or secured for the melting of the ore, whereby much
greater quantities of ore can be reduced, and with diminished expense; and
also in the introduction into such furnaces in the place of or in connection
with the limestone ordinarily mixed with the ore of a current or currents or
blasts of highly-heated vaporized concentrated lime water, by means of which
a much more complete and perfect effect is produced than can be obtained
from the use of the limestone.
Figure is a general view of a blast furnace, showing a separate furnace
for preparing the hot air blast and the gas and limestone vapor blast; Figure 2
is a vertical sectional view of such furnace; Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the
same.
The furnace A is constructed substantially as in the usual manner, except
as herein-after set forth, and is provided with the customary hot air blast B. In
connection with such furnace there are also used two retorts or vessels C and D,
in the former of which is prepared and heated the gases derived from the oil,
water, and air, and in the other of which is vaporized and heated the con-
centrated lime water. The oil and water are supplied through pipes E
and F to vaporizing pans or tubes perforated with holes placed in the retort C,
and in and by which they, the oil and water, are converted into gases, and
mixed with each other, and also with air supplied through a pipe G. The
relative or proportionate quantities of oil, water, and air, supplied to the

page_text: retort,,should be such as to ensure a combination of the different gases pro-
duced therefrom, which will not be explosive as it comes in contact with the
gases produced or generated in the furnace. A proportion of one cubic inch
of petroleum to two and a half cubic feet of water, and five cubic feet of air
has been found highly satisfactory, but such proportions may be varied
considerably with safety, and still a good result be produced. The supply of
the proper quantities of oil, water, and air is regulated and controlled by
suitable gauge or stop cocks. Such combined gases of the oil, water, and
air so prepared in the retort C are conveyed therefrom by a pipe H, from
which extend branch pipes 1 and J which supply the gas blast to the interior
of the furnace, and in immediate contact with the ore. Such gas blast may
be supplied at two or more points in the furnace, and at different heights,
but I consider it preferable that it should be directed or applied at or near
the place or point at which the, fusion or melting takes place, thereby obtaining
the increased heat at the point most desirable. Such gas blast when so
supplied or admitted to the furnace combines with the gases there generated
in a greatly increased volume, and, burned in combination therewith, produces
a heat many times more intense than can be obtained or produced from any
ordinary combustion in such furnace. Such combination of gases is also so
light that it pervades the whole mass in the furnace, and reduces the ore
much faster than can be effected by any fire and heat ordinarily attainable.
The retort for the production and combination of such gases of oil, water,
and air may also have placed in it a coil or stack of small iron rods or tubes
which will absorb or take up a portion of the oxygen, thus rendering the
hydrogen more effectual for the purposes desired. To the retort D is supplied
highly concentrated lime water which is therein vaporized and highly heated.
Such heated vapor is then by the pipe K, which may have one or more
branches, conveyed into the interior of the furnace, and into immediate
contact with the ore. It may be supplied to different parts or points of the
furnace, but it is believed that the most satisfactory results will be obtained
when it is admitted to the furnace a little above the ordinary fusing point.
Such lime vapor blast may take the place of the limestone usually burned
with the ore, and by bringing such blast in contact with the ore in the form
of a highly heated vapor its effect as a flux is much more complete, uniform,
and rapid than can be obtained from limestone, and all expenditure of heat
to reduce the limestone is saved.
Another and very great advantage or benefit secured by the use and
application of such combined gas and lime vapor blasts is, that the sulphurous
parts of the ore and coal having a greater affinity for hydrogen are taken up

page_text: by the hydrogen contained in such blasts, and the carbon passes to the iron,
making it of a superior quality.
The foregoing description has reference to and the Drawings illustrate the
preparation of such gases, and the lime vapor blast in retorts, distinct from
the blast furnace in which they are to be used. Such retorts may, however,
be placed directly in, or in immediate connection with the furnace and be
heated by it. Such blasts may be forced into the furnace in the same manner
as the hot air blast.
In order also to secure a still greater effect from the combustion of the
gases of the oil, water, and air, in combination with the ordinary gases of
the furnace, and to secure their combustion wholly within the furnace, the
furnace may be so constructed or arranged that it can be wholly closed at
the top by means of falls or doors N, which doors can be opened or closed
from below, and return passages or flues O be made to extend from the upper
part of the furnace down to and opening again into the furnace near the
bottom, as shown in Figure 2; into the bottom of such return passages O the
gas blast is caused to enter, and from thence pass into the furnace.. The
result and effect of such an arrangement is to create a vacuum in such
passages, and as a consequence the various gases that rise and pass through
the furnace will rush into the upper end of such passages, pass down through
them and be again passed to the bottom of and upward through the furnace,
and so on continually until they are wholly consumed, and all their heat made
cffectual for the purposes of the furnace. The gases as they are thus carried
to and supplied to the bottom of the furnace will also be continually
mixed and combined with the gases of the oil, water, and air coming through
In furnaces
the gas blast and their combustion rendered more complete.
as heretofore constructed, a large or considerable portion of the heat and
products of combustion pass off without having performed any good effect,
but by this arrangement of return flues all the heat and products of com-
bustion are utilized. Provision can also be made at the lower ends of such
return flues to draw off the carbonic acid as it accumulates.
What is claimed as new and is desired to be protected by Letters Patent
is,-
1. The use and application in blast furnaces of a blast or current of the
several gases of oil, water, and air combined and made use of substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
2. The application and use in blast furnaces of a blast or current of
heated lime-water vapor, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
3. The arrangement of the return passages for conveying the gases of the

page_text: furnace back to the lower part thereof, and causing them to pass again
and again through the furnace, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Silas Covell Salisbury, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of March, A.D. One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-six.
SILAS C. SALISBURY. (L.S.)