IMPROVEMENTS IN PUDDLING FURNACES USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STREL
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Deakin, of Willenhall, in the County
of Stafford, Iron Master, for the Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS IN
PUDDLING FURNACES USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STREL.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Deakin at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd February 1878.
I, FRANCIS DEAKIN, of Willenhall, in the County of Stafford, Iron
Master, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "In-
PROVEMENTS IN PUDDLING FURNACES USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND
STEEL," to be as follows :—
In puddling furnaces of the ordinary construction, the cast-iron plates
of which the bottoms of the said furnaces are made require frequent
renewal. In consequence of the heat to which they are exposed they
are rapidly injured by being oxidized or burned. They further give
trouble to the puddler in consequence of the attaching thereto of the

page_text: iron or steel under operation. This attachment obstructs the stirring of
the mass, and largely increases the labour of the puddler.
The object of my Invention is to remedy these defects in puddling
furnaces, and my said Invention consists of the improvements in the said
furnaces herein-after described, whereby the iron plates forming the 5
bottoms of the said furnaces are kept cool, and the loss and inconvenience
arising from their overheating are obviated.
In constructing a puddling furnace according to my Invention I
dispense with the frame surrounding the bed of the furnace on which
the plates are ordinarily supported, and in its place I substitute three or 1
other number of transverse iron bearers. Upon these bearers three or
other number of cast-iron or other troughs rest. The said troughs are
open at top and are provided with small lateral depressions or gutters in
their edges, these gutters being about a quarter of an inch deep. Tho
said bearers and troughs are set carefully so as to be as truly horizontal as 1
may be. Upon the said troughs the plates forming the bottom of the
puddling furnace are placed, and are supported on the top edges of tho
said troughs. A pipe connected with a cistern or other source of water
passes over the ends of the troughs, and from small perforations in
the under side of the said pipe water trickles or passes in a small stream 2
to the said troughs. Heat from the bottom plates of the puddling
furnace passes both by conduction and radiation to the said troughs
and the water contained in them, and by the evaporation of the said
water the undue heating of the plates is prevented. The level of the
water is maintained at a distance of about a quarter of an inch from the
under sides of the plates, the level being preserved by the depressions
or gutters described, by which any excess of water runs over into the
ash-pit.

page_text: In constructing a puddling furnace according to my Invention I
dispense with the frame surrounding the bed of the furnace on which
the plates are ordinarily supported, and in its place I substituto three or
other number of transverse iron bearers. Upon these bearers three or
other number of cast-iron or other troughs rest. The said troughs aro
open at top, and are provided with lateral depressions or gutters in their
edges, these depressions being about half an inch deep. The said bearers
and troughs are set carefully so as to be as truly horizontal as may be.
Upon the said troughs the plates forming the bottom of the puddling
furnace are placed, and are supported on the top edges of the said
troughs. A pipe connected with a cistern or other source of water
passes over the ends of the troughs, and from small perforations or pipes
in the under side of the said supply pipo water trickles or passes in a
small stream to the said troughs. Icat from the bottom plates of the
puddling furnace passes both by conduction and radiation to the said 1
troughs and the water contained in them, and by the evaporation of the
said water the undue heating of the plates is provented. The level of
the water is maintained at a distance of about half an inch from the
under sides of the plates, the level being preserved by the depressions
or gutters described, by which any excess of water runs over into the 2
•

page_text: sions or notches marked i, i, are made or cut, as represented in Figuro 2.
The troughs ff, are supplied with water by the pipo &, P, connected
with a cistern or other source of water. The horizontal part 3 of the
supply pipe passes through the hollow bridge 6 of the furnace, and over
the ends of tho troughs ff. The said horizontal part of the supply
pipo is furnished with vertical branch pipes ³ of small diameter, which
respectively dip into the several troughs. By means of the said small
pipes water trickles or passes in a small stream to the troughs.,
By an examination of Figure 2 it will be seen that the under sides of
> the bottom plates e, e, of the furnace are not in contact with the water
in the troughs,f, the level of the water in the said troughs being
maintained at about half an inch from the said plates. The lovel of tho
water in the troughs f,f, is preserved by means of the depressions or
notches is, by means of which any excess of water runs over the said
5 troughs into the ash-pit & below them. The water, passing through the
supply pipo,, is controlled by the stop-cock M. When the puddling
furnace is in operation the heat from the bottom plates c, c, passes both
by conduction and radiation to the troughs f,f, and the water contained
in them is thereby evaporated, and the steam thus formed coming in
contact with the said plates e, e, prevents their undue heating. The
plates are thus provented from being oxidized or burned, and the low
temperaturo at which the said plates are maintained prevents the attach-
inc of the iron on estool thomala

page_text: bottom plates, substantially as and for the purpose described and
illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis Deakin, havo hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Fifteenth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
Witness,
DAVID HADLEY,
Bank Clerk,
Walsall,
FRANCIS DEAKIN. (L.B.)