IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICAL APPLIANCES AND FURNACES AND A PROCESS EMPLOYED THEREWITH FOR SEPARATING AND REDUCING IRON OR IRON ORES AND FOR OTHER METALLURGICAL OPERATIONS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Southampton Buildings, London, Patent Agents, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICAL APPLIANCES AND
FURNACES AND A PROCESS EMPLOYED THEREWITH FOR SEPARATING AND
REDUCING IRON OR IRON ORES AND FOR OTHER METALLURGICAL OPERATIONS."
-A communication from abroad by John Y. Smith, of Pittsburg,
Pennsylvania, United States of America.
Sealed the 31st December 1870, and dated the 5th July 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 5th July 1870.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Southampton Buildings, London, Patent Agents, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICAL APPLIANCES
AND FURNACES, AND A PROCESS EMPLOYED THEREWITH FOR SEPARATING AND
REDUCING IRON OR IRON ORES AND FOR OTHER METALLURGICAL OPERATIONS," a
communication, to be as follows :-
This Invention relates to a machine for separating particles of iron or
pulverized magnetic iron ore from non-magnetic impurities; also to a
furnace especially designed for smelting granular ores, but which may

page_text: be also used for other metallurgical operations in smelting other ores;
and also to an apparatus for feeding finely comminuted fuel into a
combustion chamber where it is burned while floating in the air, the
said apparatus being applicable to such a furnace and also to other
calorific purposes. It also relates to a novel process of separating and
reducing the ores herein-after described.
The machine for separating particles of magnetic iron ore from non-
magnetic impurities has a hopper for feeding the pulverized ore to an
endless apron of cloth or other suitable material, the said apron being
made to revolve around a cylinder having a series of horse-shoe magnets
arranged around its periphery, the points being in close proximity to the
under side of the said endless apron, so that the force of the magnetic
attraction shall hold the particles of magnetic ore, or metallic particles
subject to the action of the magnetic force in contact with the apron,
while a jet of water or blast of air impinging against such particles may be
made to drive off the non-magnetic impurities mingled with such magnetic
particles. The magnetic particles adhering to the apron will be carried
along until they pass with the revolution of the apron beyond the
influence of the magnetic force and then fall into a receptacle.
For the more perfect agitation of the particles it is preferred to cause
the magnetic cylinder also to revolve, but at a speed different from that
of the apron, thus causing the magnetic particles to turn over on the
apron, exposing all their sides to the action of the blast of air or jets of
steam or water. The machines may be duplicated so as to carry the
materials through more than one operation for the more perfect accom-
plishment of the work of separation.
The magnets may be arranged radially so as to present their points to
the apron, or they may be bent at the points so as to overlap one another
and thus present the flat sides near the points to the apron; by the latter
arrangement fewer magnets may be made to answer the purpose of
covering the surface of the cylinder and the magnets thus arranged will
serve as keepers for each other.
Instead of arranging the magnets on a revolving cylinder a number of
them may be connected together in such a manner as to form an endless
chain similar in construction to endless chains now commonly used in
horse-power and similar machines; this endless magnet chain is made
to travel over pulleys within and in close proximity to the endless
apron in the same direction as the latter but at a different speed.

page_text: The furnace is especially designed for smelting comminuted ores, but
it may be employed for treating other ores. The improvements consist
in the peculiar construction and arrangement of the parts by means of
which the entire process of physicing, treating, and smelting the ores is
carried on without the ores or the metallic products being permitted to
come into contact with the fuel or with the gaseous products of com-
bustion during any part of the operation. The base of the furnace is
formed by a wall enclosing a combustion chamber surrounding a crucible
or series of crucibles resting on the bottom of the chamber, and having
their mouths enclosed by a horizontal diaphragm, which forms the top
of the combustion chamber. The heat is applied to the outer surface
of the crucible only, preferably by means of an apparatus to blow in
pulverulent fuel, the flame of which shall fill the combustion chamber,
sweeping around in a vortex formed by arranging the tuyeres on a line
tangential to the curve of the crucibles. The upper part of the furnace
is formed by an external wall and an internal wall enclosing between
them an annular chamber into which the draught passes from the
combustion chamber, being made to pass around the chamber by the
arrangement of the induction and eduction openings upon opposite sides
of a vertical wall carried across the annular chamber. The internal
wall of this annular chamber encloses a hot air chamber immediately
above the crucible. The top of this hot air chamber is closed by a cap,
and through it a new crucible may be introduced when necessary. A
series of retorts is placed across the annular chamber opening externally
into the air, and internally into the central hot air chamber above the
crucible, both ends being closed by doors. Into these retorts the ore is
introduced mingled with such materials as may be necessary for properly
fluxing, purifying, and carbonizing it. It should remain in the retorts
until brought into proper condition, and then pushed from the inner
mouths into the bot air chamber, falling either directly into the
crucibles or on to a cover placed over the crucible so constructed that it
may be turned to empty the ores into the crucible as desired. The
crucible is arranged with a tamping hole for drawing off the molten
metal, and also with the ordinary slag hole for drawing off the slag. As
the ore through the entire process is mingled only with the materials
placed in the retorts, it follows that the amount of carbonization may
be regulated definitely so as to make either pig iron, wrought iron, or
steel directly from the ore.

page_text: The improved apparatus for feeding finely pulverized coal to the com-
bustion chamber applicable to metallurgical and other purposes is
constructed as follows:-The coal is first ground in a mill and placed
in a hopper from which it is fed into a tuyere, into which a jet of steam,
preferably superheated steam, is delivered through a jet pipe. The
steam before entering the tuyere passes through a wheel into which it
is directed by suitably formed apertures so as to cause the wheel to
revolve. The shaft of the wheel is connected with a shoe placed under
the hopper so as to cause the shoe to vibrate in the manner familiar in
grist mills to insure a regular supply of the pulverized fuel. The feed may
be regulated by means of the shoe in the ordinary manner. The powdered
fuel entering the tuyere behind the point of the steam jet pipe will be
drawn by the jet and forced with the steam into the combustion
chamber, being made to pass over a grate filled with incandescent coal
at the mouth of the tuyere, by which it will be ignited, filling the
chamber with its flame. An annular jacket being placed around the tuyere
having a flange extending into the tuyere and projecting forward towards
the furnace, the draught. of the entering jet of steam will carry
atmospheric air into the chamber in quantities sufficient to support the
combustion, the quantities of steam, fuel, and air may be regulated at
pleasure.
In order to maintain a uniform motion of the wheel and vibrating
shoe the steam may be permitted partly to escape through a stop-cock
opening into the air between the wheel and the point of the injector,
when it is desired to decrease the quantity of steam passing into the
furnace.
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 4th January 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Southampton
Buildings, London, Patent Agents, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-

page_text: fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special
licence that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICAL APPLIANCES AND FURNACES, AND A PROCESS
EMPLOYED THEREWITH FOR SEPARATING AND REDUCING IRON OR IRON ORES, AND FOR
OTHER METALLURGICAL OPERATIONS," a communication to me from abroad
by John Y. Smith, of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, United States of
America, 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 naturo 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 William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings forming a part of this Specification:-
The first part of this Invention relates to an improved machine for
separating magnetic iron or magnetic iron ore from foreign impurities
mingled therewith, which latter are not magnetic.
In the said Drawings Figures 1 to 9° represent different modifications
and parts of the magnetic separator.
In all of these Figures A is the frame of the machine, and B is a
cylinder or pulley around which the endless apron is carried; C is a
magnet cylinder, around which the apron also passes. This cylinder
may be constructed in three parts, as shown in Figure 4, namely, the
two pulleys C, C', which revolving with the shaft carry the apron, and
an intermediate part C², the surface of which is formed by a series of
magnets, which may be either permanent or electro-magnets. These
magnets are attached to a central core of wood, and as it is sometimes

page_text: desirable to make the magnets revolve at a speed different from that at
which the belt travels the shaft of the central core should pass through
tubular shafts which carry the pulleys C¹, C¹. The magnets may be
arranged to present their points at the periphery of the magnet cylinder,
or they may be bent, as shown in Figures 5, 9, 10, and 9°, so as to
present the sides of the magnets towards the apron, thereby increasing
the extent of the magnetised surface. The ore is poured from the
hopper I upon the surface of the apron, and in the form of machine
shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 6 the non-magnetic particles will fall by
their own gravity from the apron as soon as they have been carried
beyond the horizontal diameter of the magnet cylinder, whereas particles
of iron or magnetic iron ore will be held by the attractive action of the
magnets against the apron until (when the apron carried away from the
magnet cylinder passes beyond the range of influence of the magnets)
the particles of iron or magnetic iron ore will fall by the action of gravity
from the apron. To facilitate the separation of the non-magnetic from
the magnetic particles a blast of air from a fan F carried through
pipes G, G¹, may be directed against the breast of the magnet cylinder,
as shown in Figure 1. Instead of the air blast jets of steam or water
may be applied in like manner. A whipper H may also be arranged to
strike against the lower part of the apron D for the purpose of throwing
off particles which may adhere to the fibre of the apron.
These machines may be arranged singly or as shown in Figures 1
and 2, or they may be arranged, as in Figure 6, one higher than the
other, so as to discharge the debris from the first on the apron of the
second machine.
The ore treated by this machine must be granular, like that existing in
the form of what are known as sand ores; or if solid, they must be
ground in a machine to reduce them to that condition. Ores which in
their native condition are non-magnetic may by heating them according
to a well-known process be converted into magnetic ores.
In Figures 9, 96, 9°, a modification in the construction of the magnetic
ore separator is presented. In this case several hoppers are arranged to
be applied to one cylinder; a modified construction of the magnet
cylinder is also represented.
In Figure 9 A, A, are two circular wooden discs placed upon the
driving shaft, and between them are other discs B. The magnets C,
bent at right angles as shewn, are placed between these discs, their

page_text: points being bent at a right angle to extend over the periphery of the
discs. Rods D with serew threads cut upon their ends are passed through
all the wooden discs, and the nuts screwed down until the bend of the
magnets is firmly secured between the discs B, the poles of the magnets
being brought into contact with the surface of the next magnet in the
series. By this arrangement the magnets are made keepers for one
another, and being permanent steel magnets they will not lose their
magnetism. When the magnet cylinder has been formed the cloth
belt E is passed around the cylinder. The belt is carried under the
rollers F and around the roller G. Friction rollers H¹ bearing upon the
surface of the belt are intended to regulate the movement of the belt so
that it may be made to revolve either faster or slower than the magnet
cylinder or it may run at the same speed. The ore is fed from the
hoppers I by means of brushes K, which deliver it uniformly upon the
surface of the apron or upon the surface of a shield M, which is
stationary and intended to be used when the belt revolves at the same
speed as the cylinder. Combs L may be placed upon the surface of the
apron for the purpose of stirring the ore. An endless apron N may be
used to feed the ore instead of the hoppers. The cylinder revolves in the
direction indicated by the arrow. The separation will be made to occur
in either of two ways. The ore being taking up from the endless apron N
the non-magnetic impurities will fall into the hopper and spout O, while
the magnetic particles adhering to the surface of the apron will be
carried with its revolution until the apron is drawn away to be carried
around the roller G, when the ore being withdrawn beyond the influence
of the magnets will fall into the hopper P.
A different arrangement is illustrated at the top of Figure 9*. In this
case a shield M, which may be made of brass or other non-conductor of
magnetism, is interposed between the hopper I and the magnet cylinder,
and so arranged that one end shall be lower than the bottom of the
hopper, that is, the end at which the non-magnetic particles are to be
discharged. When the grains of ore fall from the hopper upon this
apron they will become magnetized and arrange themselves in series
like the bristles of a brush. The opposite ends of these filaments will
have a different polarity according to the polarity of the pole of the
magnet immediately under them. The magnets must be arranged
across the cylinder, as shewn in Figure 9°, and so arranged around the
entire periphery that alternately a north and a south pole shall be
presented. As the magnet cylinder revolves in the direction indicated.

page_text: by the arrow, and the pole of the magnet from which the filaments of
the ore have derived their magnetism passes from under the filaments of
ore, and the opposite pole of the magnet approaches, the filaments will
fall forward towards the approaching magnet, and becoming recharged
with magnetism of opposite polarity will continue to turn until they
reassume their vertical position, but with a reversed polarity; thus, as
the poles alternately approach these filaments will continue to revolve
end over end until they reach a point where the shield carries them
beyond the magnetic influence at a point where they will fall by gravity
from the shield. The non-magnetic particles not being acted upon by
the magnets will slide down the declivity of the shield, and be discharged
into a separate heap.
It is obvious that instead of using a magnetic cylinder, as shewn,
I may have the magnets arranged in an endless chain like that in
common use in horse-powers to be carried around two revolving drums.
And if this endless chain is arranged in an inclined position (the ore
being discharged on a shield inclined in like manner) the particles of
ore may be made to travel up the inclined plane, rolling end over end,
and be discharged at the top of the machine, while the non-magnetic
particles slide down and are discharged at the bottom.
Attempts have been made to use magnets in machines for separating
magnetic iron ore or particles of iron from other non-magnetic particles,
and this use of magnets is not therefor claimed broadly; nor is the
combination of an endless apron and a set of magnets claimed as new,
for machines have been used heretofore in which a revolving endless
apron was used in combination with stationary magnets; but I claim in
connection with this first part of my said Invention a magnet cylinder
or endless chain of magnets in combination with an endless apron, when
both are caused to revolve in the same direction, but at different rates of
speed.
Also the magnets and revolving apron when combined and arranged
to discharge, first, the non-magnetic particles and to retain the magnetic
particles against the apron until they have been carried by the apron
beyond the influence of the magnets.
Also the combination of the magnets and apron with jets of air,
steam, or water for the purpose set forth.
Also the arrangement of the bent magnets in relation to one another
in a magnetic separator, as described.

page_text: Also in combination with revolving magnets a shield M, on which the
separation takes place in the manner set forth.
Also the arrangement of the magnets in the cylinder or endless belt
with reversed poles in succession.
The second part of this Invention relates to a furnace for smelting
these ores after they have been separated from their non-magnetic
impurities.
I have shewn in Figures 11, 12, 13, and 14 a furnace especially
designed for treating granular ores in converting them into iron or steel.
The object being to make either wrought iron or steel direct from the
ore it is essential that the furnace should be so constructed that the
different parts of the process may be carried on without the ore or the
metal coming in contact with the combustible or the gaseous products
of combustion, the result of such contact being the formation of a
carbide of iron in the familiar form of pig iron. To this end the furnace
may be constructed in the following manner:-The furnace illustrated
is formed in two parts, A, A'. The upper part A' may be built separately
from the lower part, and suspended upon chains A³ and rods A² hung
from a frame, so that the weight may be taken off of the lower part of
the furnace. The lower section A is circular, enclosing a crucible B,
or a number of crucibles as preferred. These crucibles are surrounded
by the combustion chamber C, their mouths fitted into correspond-
ing openings in the diaphragm C³, so that no gases can arise between
the crucibles and the diaphragm. The tuycres D are extended into the
combustion chamber in lines tangential to the crucible B, so that the
blast shall not strike directly against the walls of the crucible. It is
preferred to use in these furnaces finely pulverized coal introduced with
the blast and burned in the combustion chamber while floating in the
air. An apparatus especially designed for this purpose will be herein-
after explained.
In Figures 11 and 12 another fuel feeder is shewn. The pulverulent
fuel being placed in the hopper E is carried out by the spiral feed
worm E', and drawn into the tuyere D by the draught occasioned by
the passage of the current of air along the tube E². In starting the
furnace it will be necessary to build a fire of solid fuel in front of
the tuyeres to ignite the fuel as it enters. The draught may be allowed
to escape through the stack F, but ordinarily it will be carried into the
upper part of the furnace through the opening I. The upper section of

page_text: the furnace is constructed with two concentric walls enclosing between
them the annular hot air chamber H, as clearly shewn in Figure 13. In
this chamber there is a vertical partition H³, on one side of which is the
entrance opening I, and on the other the discharge opening I', so that
the heat entering through one shall sweep entirely around the chamber
before escaping through the other. In the centre of this portion of the
furnace is a chamber L immediately over the mouth of the crucible,
and covered by a cap M. Retorts K are placed across the annular
chamber H, opening externally into the open air through the outer walls,
and internally through the inner wall into the chamber L. Both ends
of the retorts are closed by doors K¹. A cover N will be fitted to the
top of the crucible, operated by rods N¹ passing through the cap N.
This furnace is used in the following manner:-The ores first being
cleaned as thoroughly as possible from impurities are to be placed in
the retorts K, and there mingled with such fluxes and chemical agents
as are in common use for "physicking" ores, and subjected to a high
heat until deoxydized and desulphurized. They are then to be pushed
out of the inner end of the retorts and will be caught by the plate N,
from which they may be discharged into the crucible; falling into a
bath of molten metal they will be very rapidly melted. The slag floating
on the surface of the molten metal as it rises to near the top of the
crucible may be drawn off through a slag hole, as in ordinary furnaces,
by means of a pipe passing through the external wall across the com-
bustion chamber into the crucible. The molten metal may be drawn off
through a similar opening in the bottom of the crucible in the same
manner as from the ordinary cupola furnace. As neither the ore nor
the molten metal are allowed to come in contact with the gaseous pro-
ducts of combustion it is apparent that that amount of carbon only may
be imparted to them by means of this process which will be required to
produce the required quality of iron or steel.
I am aware that it has been proposed to construct furnaces in which
the same purposes are designed to be accomplished. I do not, therefore,
claim broadly a furnace in which the process of "physicking" and
reduction is carried on without contact with the gaseous conducts of
combustion; but I claim with regard to this furnace the peculiar
arrangement of the crucible pot within the combustion chamber, the
mouth of the pot opening through a diaphragm separating the com-
bustion chamber from the upper section of the furnace, which is also so

page_text: constructed that the ores may be treated therein preparatory to being
melted without being brought into contact with either the combustible
or the gaseous products of combustion in any part of the operation.
Also the peculiar construction and arrangement of the upper part of
the furnace with double walls and transverse retorts in relation to the
draught escaping from the combustion chamber and the crucible or
crucibles to be charged. Also the peculiar construction of the fuel
feeder as set forth, and the arrangement of the tuyeres in relation to
the crucible.
The third part of this Invention relates to improved apparatus for
injecting pulverulent fuel into a combustion chamber. There has already
been shewn in connection with the furnace heretofore described an
injector in which the action of a blast of air is made available for
injecting such fuel.
In Figures 19 and 20 a modification of this injector is shewn. The
fuel in a pulverized state being deposited in a hopper A is carried
forward by the spiral feed, B, which is caused to revolve by the bevel
gearing E. The shaft of this spiral feed is hollow, and in front of the
orifice of discharge for the fuel is placed a disc D, which may be thrown
forward by turning the screw D' on the rod which passes through the
hollow shaft of the spiral feed, and supports the disc D.. By changing
the position of this disc the amount of fuel supplied may be regulated
at will. A blast of hot or cold air entering through the pipe F into the
annular chamber F¹ is discharged through the space between the tube
which conveys the pulverized fuel and the shell of the tuyere pipe G.
This blast taking up the finely pulverized fuel will carry it with the air
into the combustion chamber.
In Figures 15, 16, 17, and 18 there are shewn injectors for injecting
pulverized fuel with currents of steam. A is a hopper from which the
pulverulent fuel is supplied falling into an inclined trough B. C is a
shoe operating to regulate the feed upon the same principle as that in
use in grinding mills. In connection with this a spiral feed D may be
used, as shewn in Figure 16. The fuel enters the tube of the injector
at E. The steam (which preferably should be superheated or dry
steam) enters through the induction pipe F into a chamber F' divided
by a diaphragm G into two parts, through which there are inclined
openings F to direct the currents of steam upon the vanes of a wheel H
in the lower compartment. This wheel, driven by the current of steam,

page_text: will give a rotary motion to the shaft H', which may be horizontal, as
shewn in Figure 16, or vertical, as shewn in Figure 15. On the end of
the shaft is a cam H", shewn in Figures 15 and 18, which revolving
communicates a vibratory motion to the shoe, the cam acting on the
edges of a slot in an extension of the shoe. The revolving shaft may
also be connected by an intermediate shaft, or by a belt with a spiral
feed D, shewn in Figure 16. The steam after passing through the wheel
enters a chamber I within the injector tube. The whole of the steam
may be passed through the injector, or in case it be desired to diminish
the amount of steam passing into the combustion chamber without
effecting the vibration of the shoe a stop-cock in the pipe I' may be
opened, so as to discharge more or less of the steam into the open air.
The steam jet may be made to act upon the pulverulent fuel entering
at E cither around the circumference of the tube, as shewn in Figure 15,
or centrally, as shown in Figure 16. In the former case the tube should
be nearly filled by a core K, so as to leave a passage for the steam
around the core between it and the pipe, and in this case an apron K'
should be arranged to receive the pulverulent fuel; this apron should
be hinged at the edge so as to receive a vibratory motion by the passing
current of steam to dislodge the fuel falling upon its surface. In the
latter case an internal pipe K² should be inserted in the injector tube,
through which the steam should pass, and this tube should also be so
hinged that the current of steam will give it a vibratory motion for the
purpose aforesaid. This pipe may be partly closed by a butterfly valve I"
when the pipe I' is opened. The steam passing into the combustion
chamber will tend to create a vacuum in advance of the core K or
pipe K³ on which the pulverulent fuel is delivered, thereby drawing the
particles into the current and driving them forward into the combustion
chamber. In order that a sufficient quantity of atmospheric air may be
supplied for the support of combustion a tubular collar L is arranged
around the injector with openings in front of a forwardly inclined flange
in the injector tube, so that a current of air may be drawn into the
combustion chamber. The quantity of air may be regulated by a stop-
cock. I have shewn at N a combustion chamber which, if preferred,
may be placed outside of the furnace, the heat passing out into the
combustion chamber through the door N¹.

page_text: shown in Figure 15. The hinged apron K' is also similar, but it has
fastened to its upper surface a roughened rod K³, which projects up into
the hopper E', and as the rod will receive a constant motion from the
action of the passing jet of steam on the hinged apron it will cause
the pulverulent fuel, if perfectly dry, to be fed down into the injector.
The use of pulverulent fuel is not claimed as new, nor the use of a jet
of steam to furnish a blast of air to support combustion. Moreover I
do not limit myself to the use of steam as an injecting force, for currents
of combustible gas or of atmospheric air, hot or cold, may be used for
the purpose without varying the form of the apparatus; but I claim the
peculiar form of apparatus shown, whether steam, air, or combustible
gases are used as the injecting force. The use of a magnetic separator
for separating mechanically particles of magnetic iron ore from foreign
non-magnetic substances with which they are united, and the subsequent
treatment of the cleaned ore thus obtained in a furnace in which the
entire operation is conducted without permitting the particles of ore or
the metal obtained therefrom to come in contact with either the com.
bustible or the gaseous products of combustion at any time in the
treatment and reduction, is a new process in the manufacture of iron
and steel. I therefore claim the said process whether it is conducted with
the machine and furnace herein described or with others accomplishing
the same result in substantially the same manner.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
E. C. JACKSON.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)