Year: 1898

page_text: We, WALTER BURGAN, of 116, Farraday Road, Engineer, and BARTLETT
WRANGHAM WINDER, of Continental Steel Works, Bessemer Road, Managing
Director, both in the City of Sheffield, do hereby declare the nature of our inven-
tion to be as follows:-
The objects attained by our invention are, 1st the more rapid and regular
heating of bars of steel or the like, and 2nd the prevention of warping of the
heated bars during the process of annealing.
To attain the abovementioned objects, we build a furnace of suitable length
and width, and through the heating chamber of such furnace we support one or
more tubular cylinders into which the bars of steel, or the like are placed.
The cylinders or retorts are preferably supported in a horizontal position upon
rollers fixed on, or to, the outside of the furnace; the front ends being open,
and the back ends closed.
The projecting ends at the back of the furnace are provided with gearing by
which they can be rotated at any desired speed, and the front ends are provided
with stoppers or other means by which they may be closed.
If preferred other cylinders may be used to contain the steel bars or like
articles to be annealed which can be pushed into the permanent or fixed cylinders
or retorts, and be withdrawn with the contents when desired.
The retorts when charged are kept revolving during the process of annealing,
thus no permanent bend or "set" of the bars of steel can take place; and during
the revolution of the retorts the bars in the centre are constantly changing
places with the outside bars, so that all are heated equally.
In combination or in conjunction with the inside retorts we may have one
or more outside revolving cylinders, (or they may be enclosed in the brickwork
of the furnace if desired) into which the annealed bars may be placed to cool.
These cooling cylinders may be utilized as
"
rumblers by the introduction of
sand, emery or other abrading substances to clear off the scale (if any) from the
bars.
The retorts or cylinders may be ribbed, grooved or corrugated to aid in causing
the bars to turn over and alter their position in the retort or cylinder.
Dated the 29th day of November 1898.
ROBT. F. DRURY, C.P.A.,
Agent for Applicants,
Bank Buildings, George Street, Sheffield.

page_text: We, WALTER BURGAN, of 116, Farraday Road, Engineer, and BARTLETT
WRANGHAM WINDER, of Continental Steel Works, Bessemer Road, Managing
Director, both in the City of Sheffield, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention relates to improvements in or connected with annealing furnaces
and more particularly to such as are required to take in long bars of steel and
the like, the object of the invention being to attain a more regular heating of the
bars or other articles, and to prevent them from becoming warped while hot, the
process tending to straighten any of the bars which were originally out of
truth.
We illustrate in the accompanying drawings how the invention may be carried
out, in actual practice, but it will be understood that we do not bind ourselves to
the exact details as such may be varied.
Fig. 1, is an elevation of one side of a furnace constructed upon our principle.
Fig. 2, plan of same, with centre part removed.
Fig. 3, elevation of cylinder-rotating mechanism.
Fig. 4, front view of cylinder ends, with the centre cylinder open.
In carrying out our invention in order to attain the before mentioned advantages,
we build a furnace of any suitable dimensions, such as A, and through the heating
chamber we support any desired number, (say for example three) of horizontal
metal cylinders C, into which the bars B, of steel, or the like, are placed to
be annealed.
These cylinders are supported upon rollers R, at each end outside the furnace,
and they may also be supported by any suitable means within the furnace, the
front ends of the cylinders can be opened and closed, the back ends are closed.
In the drawings, we have shown the front ends enlarged in diameter so as
to form a shoulder D, against which a cover plate E is held by means of a
crossbar F, provided with a pinching screw G.
It is necessary that the cylinders C, should be constantly revolving during the
process, and for this purpose, we use the mechanism shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3,
but we do not confine ourselves to this precise arrangement, as other equivalent
mechanism may be used when it is more desirable.
The end plates H, of the cylinders C, have short axles I, upon which are secured
worm wheels J, engaging with worms W located underneath upon a shaft K,
supported upon brackets L, and driven at a slow speed by any means such as
an engine M, or other motor or mechanism.
As the cylinders revolve, the bars inside are caused to roll over one another,
constantly changing places, and thus every bar becomes equally heated, while the
rolling action renders them straight from end to end.
In some cases we find it of advantage to use a second cylinder of smaller
diameter which we place within the permanent or fixed cylinder, and instead of
allowing the furnace to cool down before removing the annealed articles, we
withdraw the second cylinder and its contents, and place it in an outside cooling
cylinder which is also caused to revolve.
It will be understood that when the cylinders are charged, the front end is
closed and made airtight, and any gases which may be generated inside are per-
mitted to escape automatically through- an escape valve N, of any suitable type.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. An annealing furnace having one or more horizontally supported cylinders
to contain the bars of steel or other articles, and passing through the heating
chamber, the said cylinders being caused to revolve during the process, by any
suitable means, as hereinbefore described and set forth.
2. The improvements in annealing furnaces as herein before described and shown.
Dated the 31st day of January 1899.
ROBT. F. DRURY, C.P.A.,.
Agent for Applicants,