IMPROVEMENTS IN THE USE OF PETROLEUM OR OTHER HYDRO-CARBONS FOR THE PURPOSE OF GENERATING AND MAINTAINING HEAT IN METALS EITHER WHEN IN A MOLTEN STATE OR DURING THE PROCESS OF MELTING
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Millis Coventry, the Younger, of 60, King Street, Man-
chester, in the County of Lancaster, Esquire, and Matthew Wilks, of 96, King
Street aforesaid, Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE USE
OF PETROLEUM OR OTHER HYDRO-CARBONS FOR THE PURPOSE OF GENERATING
AND MAINTAINING HEAT IN METALS EITHER WHEN IN A MOLTEN STATE OR
DURING THE PROCESS OF MELTING."
Scaled the 7th November 1879, and dated the 6th August 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Millis Coventry and Matthew
Wilks at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th August 1879.
MILLIS COVENTRY, the Younger, of 60, King Street, Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Esquire, and Matthew Wilks, of 96, King Street,, aforesaid, Merchant.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE USE OF PETROLEUM OR OTHER HYDRO-CARBONS FOR THE
PURPOSE OF GENERATING AND MAINTAINING HEAT IN METALS EITHER WHEN IN A
MOLTEN STATE OR DURING THE PROCESS OF MELTING."
Whereas Letters Patent bearing date the 17th of March 1879, No. 1046, were
granted to me the said Matthew Wilks and to Richard Howson for an Invention
of "Improvements in the Manufacture of Iron and Steel, and in which Letters
Patent the said Millis Coventry is jointly interested with the grantees thereof.
And whereas, we, the said Millis Coventry and Matthew Wilks, on the 27th of
June 1879, applied for Letters Patent for an Invention of "Improvements in the
Manufacture of Steel," (No. 2594), and provisional protection has since been
granted to us for the said Invention. And whereas in the Provisional Specifica-
tions of the said two Inventions are contained descriptions of methods of main-
taining and increasing heat in iron and steel, whether in a molten state or in the
process of melting, by the use of hydrocarbons in a finely divided state, which was,
in fact, the principal feature in the said Inventions. And whereas we, the said
Millis Coventry and Matthew Wilks, during the period of provisional protection
which was obtained upon the application for the said Invention of the first men-
tioned Patent, have ascertained that while great advantages result in practice from
the use of hydro-carbons in the state particularly described in the Provisional

page_text: Specifications respectively of the said Letters Patent greater advantages may be
and are obtained by the use of hydrocarbons, their oils, or spirits in still more
divided states, that is to say, in a state of vapour, in such manner that their appli-
cation is more efficient and is easily regulated and controlled. And whereas we
have ascertained that the use of hydro-carbons, as above referred to, is not only
very beneficial when applied to the manufacture and treatment of iron and steel as
proposed in the Provisional Specifications above referred to, but, further, that in
metallurgical operations of an analogous character employed in the manufacture
and treatment of other metals, difficulties are constantly met with from the want
of an effective means of generating, maintaining, and regulating heat in furnaces and
vessels where metallic ores or metals are melted, or in the process of melting or
treating molten metals wherein blasts or currents of air are introduced, so that the
method of treatment specially applicable to iron or steel is in fact found to be
applicable to other metals and metallic ores, such as copper, tin, and other ores.
Now our present Invention which obviates the difficulties above referred to
relates to the further and improved use of the hydrocarbons in a state of vapour,
in the manner we will proceed to describe.
When the metal or metallic ores are melted in a furnace, or other melting
chamber or vessel we introduce the hydrocarbon vapour into the moulten metal by
means of an apparatus constructed as follows or in a like manner :-At the requisite
height above the level of the pipe, which conveys in the usual way a blast or current
of air into the furnace or vessel containing the metal or ores under treatment, we
fix a tank containing petroleum or other suitable hydrocarbon and connect the
tank with the blast pipe by a conducting pipe or pipes.
We encase or surround about ten feet of the conducting pipe or pipes nearest to
the main blast pipe with a steam or hot air jacket, or conduct them through any
convenient heating chamber in any suitable manner; the petroleum or other
hydrocarbon in its passage through the pipe or pipes encased in the jacket is
entirely converted into vapour, which passes into the blast and in this form is then
carried into the melting furnace or vessel.
Where a hot blast is used, the addition of a steam jacket or heating chamber will
not be required, as the petroleum or other hydrocarbon may be introduced into
the hot blast through a rose or perforated disc fixed on the end of the conducting
pipe in the form of spray, and so will become vaporised and in that form be carried
with the main blast into and among the particles of the molten metal operated
upon.
By means of suitable taps, and valves, and guages, the quantity of the petroleum
or hydro-carbon allowed to pass through the conducting pipe or pipes is easily
controlled, and by that means the quantity introduced into the molten metal and
the heat generated thereby can be easily regulated.
Again, by turning the steam on or off, or otherwise regulating the application of
heat in the steam jacket or heating chamber, the temperature and condition of the
hydro-carbon may be altered and regulated as desired.
'
By the use of our Invention all danger of the petroleum or hydro-carbon
collecting and accumulating anywhere so as to cause any risk of explosion may be
safely obviated.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Millis Coventry and Matthew Wilks in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 6th February 1880.
MILLIS COVENTRY, of 60, King Street, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Esquire, and MATTHEW WILKS, of 96, King Street, aforesaid, Merchant.
"IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE USE OF PETROLEUM OR OTHER HYDRO-CARBONS FOR THE
PURPOSE OF GENERATING AND MAINTAINING HEAT IN METALS EITHER WHEN IN A
MOLTEN STATE OR DURING THE PROCESS OF MELTING."
In operations employed in the manufacture and treatment of metals and ores,
difficulties are constantly met with from the want of an efficient means of gene-
rating, maintaining, and regulating heat in furnaces and vessels where metallic ores
or metals are melted, or in the process of melting, or wherein molten metals are
treated, into which blasts of air are introduced.
These difficulties have to some extent been removed by the use of hydro-carbons
introduced into the metal in a finely divided but still liquid state, but, although
great advantages result in the use of hydro-carbons in that state, still greater
advantages may be and are obtained by the use of hydro-carbons, their oils, and
spirits, in a still more finely divided state (that is to say, in a state of vapour) in
such a manner that their application is more efficient. and is easily regulated and
controlled.
Now our present Invention which further and more completely obviates the
difficulties above referred to relates to the further and improved use of hydro-
carbons in a state of vapour in a manner which we will proceed to describe.
When the metals or metallic ores (including not only ferrugineous but cupreous
and other metals and ores which are melted and treated in an analogous manner)
are melted or being melted in a furnace or other melting chamber or vessel we
introduce the hydro-carbon vapours into the melting or molten metal by means of
an apparatus constructed as follows or in a like manner :-
At the requisite height above the level of the pipe which conveys in the usual
way a blast or current of air into the furnace or vessel containing the metal or
ores under treatment we fix a tank containing petroleum or other suitable hydro-
carbon and connect the tank with the blast pipe by a conducting pipe or pipes.
We incase or surrround about ten feet of the conducting pipe or pipes nearest to
the main blast pipe with a steam or hot air jacket, or conduct them through any
convenient heating chamber in any suitable manner. The petroleum or other
hydro carbon in its passing through the pipe or pipes incased in the jacket is entirely
converted into vapour, which passes into the blast and in this form is then carried
into the melting furnace or vessel.
A form of apparatus constructed on the above principle which we find in practice
very advantageous for our purpose is described in detail in the Specification to
Letters Patent granted to us, the said Millis Coventry and Matthew Wilks, dated
the Twenty seventh of June, One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine,
and Nod. 2594, by reference to the Drawing accompanying the said Specification.
Where a hot blast is used the addition of a steam jacket or heating chamber will
not of necessity be required as the petroleum or other hydro carbon may be intro-
duced into the hot blast through a rose or perforated disc fixed on the end of the
conducting pipe in the form of spray, and by the effect of the hot blast the hydro-
carbon will become vapourised and in that form be carried with the blast into and
among the particles of the melting or molten metal being operated upon.
By means of the taps and gauges described in the said Specification of the Letters
Patent, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine,
No. 2594, the quantity of petroleum or other hydro carbon allowed to pass through
the pipe or pipes is easily controlled, and by these means the quantity introduced
into the melting or molten metal and the heat generated thereby can be exactly
regulated.

page_text: By the use of our Invention all danger of the petroleum or other hydro carbon
collecting or accumulating everywhere so as to cause any risk of explosion may be
safely obviated.
It will be found that by treating white iron, mottled or other iron of an analogus
character with vapourized bydro carbons, according to our Invention, such kinds of
iron which have hitherto been considered unsuitable may be made in to good steel,
and such steel, when made from the classes of iron above mentioned, by the aid of
our Invention, is in fact a new and very useful industrial product.
•
We may explain generally, in conclusion, that our Invention may be employed
with great advantage in cases when, on account of the deficiency of calorific
elements present in the metals treated, such metals could not be successfully
operated upon either by cold or hot blast, except by the aid of extraneous heat;
also in cases where it is necessary to prolong the process of treating the metal with
the cold or hot blast after the metalloids have been consumed, as in the case of
treating phosphoretic ores where basic additions are made to the molten metal, as
is now well understood.
It therefore follows that when it is required either to increase the temperature of
the melting or molten metal under treatment or to maintain its temperature and
fluidity we impregnate the blast employed in operating upon it with petroleum
vapour, and by means of this impregnated blast we attain our object.
Having described the nature of our Invention and the manner of performing the
same, we desire to be understood that what we claim is the use, substantially as
described, of our improved method of treating metallic ores and metals by employing
a blast of air impregnated with petroleum vapour or a combination of blast with
petroleum vapour, the petroleum used being vapourized either before it enters the
blast pipe or during its progress from the point of entry into such blast pipe to the
vessel containing the metal under treatment.
In witness whereof, we, the said Millis Coventry and Matthew Wilks, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fourth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
M. COVENTRY, JR. (L.S.)
MATTHEW WILKS. (L.S.)