IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MAKING BESSEMER STEEL
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Lyman Holley, of Brooklyn, in the
United States of America, Constructing Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MAKING BESSEMER STEEL."
Sealed the 12th August 1870, and dated the 22nd June 1870.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Alexander Lyman Holley
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 22nd June 1870, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent
Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
LYMAN HOLLEY, of Brooklyn, in the United States of America, Con-
structing Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR MAKING BESSEMER STEEL," and have petitioned Her Majesty
to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal
Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn Declaration that I
am the true and first, Inventor thereof.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Lyman Holley, do
hereby declare that the following Complete Specification, under my
hand and seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by
the following statement:-
This Invention relates to improved means of renewing and repairing
the linings of the converters employed in what is known as the Bessemer
process of making iron and steel. The converter "bottom" is generally
known, and for the purposes of this Specification will be considered, as
the tuyeres, together with that part of the refractory lining of the con-
verter called "ganister," in which the tuyeres are set. These bottoms
are generally so much burned or worn away after 5 to 8 heats as to
require renewal. This renewal has heretofore been made in the following
ways: The tuyeres have been knocked out of the mass of ganister in
which they were set, new tuyeres have been placed in the old holes, and
the lining has been filled in around them by pouring into the mouth
of the converter semi-fluid ganister and water, called "slurry," which
docs not make a sound or safe bottom; or the whole bottom has becu
withdrawn from the converter, and a duplicate bottom previously
rammed up and dried has been inserted into the large ragged hole-thus
left in the lower part of the converter, and the large annular space
between the new bottom and the sides of the hole in the lining of the
converter has been filled by pouring slurry into it; but the slurry
in this case also cannot be relied on to set soundly, and often gives way,
allowing the metal to run out; or instead of using slurry in the cases
above named the lining is sometimes made good around the tuyeres or
around the bottom by workmen getting into the converter and ramming
it by hand. But as this requires waiting 12 to 24 hours for the vessel
to cool sufficiently to be entered with safety much time is lost, and the
product of the works is seriously diminished.
There are other modifications of the practice I have described, but
none that make an absolutely solid lining without great waste of
time.
My improvements consist, firstly, in the method and in the means
and arrangement herein described for making a sound joint between a
the removable bottom and the lining of the converter.

page_text: have shown one common and convenient application of it in the Drawings
which form a part of this Specification.
Figs. 1 and 2 are sections of the lower part of a converter, of which A
is the iron shell; B, the refractory lining, and E the ring to which the
tuyere box H is fastened by the cotter bolts w. The tuyere box H
receives the blast from the blowing engine through the pipe K and dis-
tributes it to the tuyeres D in the usual manner.
When a bottom requires replacing the tuyere box is removed and the
bottom C, which is attached to the tuyere box, is thus pulled out of the
converter, leaving a ragged opening in the converter lining, as shown by
the lines S, S, S, S, Fig. 2. A duplicate tuyere box and bottom, shown
in section in Fig. 5, is then attached to the converter, as shown at Fig. 2,
and the annular space between the bottom and the lining is rammed
with the refractory material U, V, by men working from the outside of
the converter by means of the rammers a, c.
To enable this ramming
from the outside to be done I prefer to make the relative diameters of
the tuyere box and the opening in the lower part of the shell of the
converter such that after the tuyere box is attached to the converter
it shall not entirely close this opening, but shall permit a portion of the
opening, which portion constitutes the annular space above referred to
to be exposed, so that it can be filled by ramming as hereafter described,
and I construct the tuyere box in such manner that instead of the
usual provisions for fastening it to the converter by means of flanges
or otherwise, as are well known, I provide it with the brackets R, ter-
minating in the thimbles F, through which thimbles the cotter bolts w,
which are secured in the ring E of the converter may pass and attach
the tuyere box to the converter. It will be seen that the use of these
brackets leaves open spaces between each two of them, and through
these spaces the material to be rammed into the annular space, and
the tools for moulding and ramming, may be inserted and worked. I
prefer to make these openings 3 to 4 inches wide and 8 to 12 inches
long.
The tuyere box is shown in plan at Fig. 4, and is shown reversed
and attached to the shell of the vessel in plan at Fig. 3. After a new
bottom is inserted into the hole left in the converter by the removal of
the old bottom as shown in Fig. 2, the annular space between the
bottom and the converter lining may be readily filled with ganister or
other refractory material through the openings G.

page_text: The manner in which I usually perform this filling is as follows:-I
turn the converter upon its side so that the tuyeres shall lie nearly
horizontal. I form the refractory material (by preference two parts
ground quartz or sandstone, and one part ground fire-clay, the whole
made slightly plastic with water) into cakes about the size of ordinary
fire-bricks, and of suitable shape for insertion into the spaces they are
to fill. I place one of these cakes in the extreme inner part of the
annular space, pat it, and mould it sideways (with the flat side of the
rammer as at V, Fig. 2) against the lining. I then insert another cake,
and mould it against the bottom C. I then insert a third cake of wedge
form between the two others, and press it firmly in to stop the hole.
I then stop up another section of the annular space in the same way.
The ring thus formed in the inside of the annular space soon sets,
especially if the lining is red hot from recent use, so that the converter
can be turned bottom upwards, and the remainder of the space can be
filled by shoveling in ordinary lining material and ramming it. I
prefer however to fill the whole annular space by the combined lateral
moulding and ramming described. The time occupied by this operation
need not exceed 45 minutes for a 5-ton converter. When the annular
space is thus stopped I sometimes turn the converter so that the tuyere
box is down, and pour in a few buckets of slurry to make the top of the
newly rammed part even and smooth, but this is not essential. When
the annular space is rammed full as at Y, Fig. 1, I usually place the
iron covers O over the openings G to prevent the material rammed in
from crumbling and falling out. This material may be made stiff
enough to stand without the covers, but I deem it safer to use them.
These covers may be held in place by simple cotter bolts set in the
ring E, as shown at Fig. 3.
Another means of carrying out this part of my Invention, which may
be adopted if desired, is to provide suitable apertures M, M, Figs. 1 and 2,
through the shell of the converter, whereby the annular space may be
exposed, so that it may be reached and rammed through these apertures,
care being taken that they shall be arranged and located opposite the
annular space and below the line of the upper surface of the new
bottom when the latter is inserted into the converter. The ramming of
the annular space may then be performed in the manner above set forth,
or in any other suitable manner, and the material after it has been
smmod

page_text: covers O, Fig. 3, already described. After the bottom is thus set the
converter should if possible be heated in the usual manner. If the
converter has been in use immediately before setting the bottom an
hour's heating is sufficient, and if necessary the converter may be used
immediately after the annular space is rammed. I prefer a hydraulic
lift under the converter to remove and insert the bottoms, but this may
be done by a crane overhead, or in any usual or convenient manner.
The air pipe between the hollow trunnion and the tuyere box should be
provided with a joint and stuffing box as is usual when tuyere boxes
are removed. The bottoms may be formed of suitable shape as in
Fig. 5, to be inserted into the converter by ramming the ganister in a
suitable mould set around the tuyeres in the way that is usually practised
in such cases.
My Invention consists, secondly, in an improved means of lining and
repairing the lining of the body of the converter. Bessemer converters
are usually lined in the following manner:-The body of the converter
is taken apart at a joint near the trunnions, so that suitable moulds can
be inserted. Into the annular spaces (generally 8 to 12 inches wide)
between these moulds and the interior of the skin of the converter the
lining material or ganister is rammed. The two parts of the converter
are then put together again, and the lining aftor having been glazed by
heat is ready for use. The lining of the nose of the converter is usually
made of fire-bricks. The time occupied in lining a 5-ton converter by
the ordinary method is from 24 to 48 hours, during which time the
converter is out of use, and the product of the works is proportionally
diminished. And as linings do not often stand many heats without
requiring extensive repairs or renewal the loss due to lining is con-
siderable. This part of my improvements consists in ramming the
ganister into several iron shells previously fitted to the interior of the
converter, and then setting these shells into the converter so as to form
a continuous lining. I provide duplicate shells so that while one set is
in use another set is being rammed and dried. The converter is thus
out of use only while the shells are being set into it and glazed.
י
To illustrate this part of my Invention reference is made to the
following Figures, of which Fig. 6 is a vertical section of a converter,
in which 1 and 2 are respectively the lower and upper portions of the
skin, 3 is the trunnion ring, 4 a trunnion, 5 the tuyere box, and 6, 6, are
tuyeres. In lining a converter thus constructed by the ordinary method,

page_text: the section 1 below the joint 7 would be removed, and the section 2
would be turned on the trunnions, nose downward, so that both sections
would be accessible from the top for the insertion of the moulds and of
the lining material.
I take the converter apart in the same or in any suitable manner, but
instead of ramming the lining directly against the skin I set previously
rammed shells into the converter. These shells are shewn at 8, 9, 10, 11,
as set in the converter, and containing their linings 12, 13, 14, 15. In
order that the shells may be firmly held in place they may be accurately
fitted to the interior or to projections upon the interior of the skin, I
prefer however to adjust the shells and to hold them firmly in place
by means of the set screws 16, 16, screwed through the skin of the
converter at various places. The size and position of the set screws will
depend on the thickness of the shell. In a 5-ton converter having shells
* inch thick two horizontal rows of set screws 1½ inch in diameter and
from 2 to 3 feet apart for each shell will be sufficient.
The shells are
rammed with the usual ganister or refractory lining material in the
following manner:-The shell 8, Fig. 8, is set over the mould 17, the
mould 18 is inserted into the shell and the annular space 19 is filled and
rammed just as the skin of the vessel would be filled and rammed by
the usual method of lining. The mould 18 is then removed and the
lining in the shell 8 is removed from mould 17 and dried by means of an
oven or in any suitable manner, and when this is done it is ready to be
The other shells are lined by the aid of suitable
moulds in the same manner. The shell 11, Fig. 6, may be lined with fire-
brick just as the nose of the converter is usually lined. In order to have
a set of lined shells ready to be put into a converter when the set already
in use shall require removal, I provide at least 3 sets of shells for a pair
of converters, so that one set may be always ready lined or in process of
lining, while the other two sets are in use. These shells may be removed
from or set into the converter by any suitable means. I prefer for the
larger shells to use the cross beams 20, Fig. 7, provided with the hooks
21, which may be swung under and caught upon the lugs 22, which are
fastened to the exterior of the shell. This arrangement occupies very
little space between the shell and the skin of the converter, and it lifts
the shell and its lining evenly at four points.
set into the converter.
To remove a worn lining I take the converter apart at the point 7 as
usual and then remove the lower section and turn the upper section with

page_text: cranc.
the nose down, I then slack all the set screws 16 when each section
with its lining may be lifted out by the cross beams 20 by means of a
Care should be taken in this case to break the glazed surface of
the lining with a bar, so that it may be easily fractured at the intersections
of the shells. I prefer however in case the lining is very hard to soften
and crack it when red hot, and then to remove it in any suitable manner
before taking out the shells. The newly lined shells are then set into
their proper places in the converter in order. As each one is set it is
adjusted and fastened by turning up the set screws. A lute of fire-clay
or suitable refractory material should be spread upon the top of the
lining of each shell before the next shell is set upon it. After the
converter is put together again the joints between the linings of the
different shells should be inspected from within, and if they are at all
open they should be closed with plastic ganister in the ordinary manner.
The converter is then glazed as usual when it is ready for use. In order
to prevent the slipping down of the shells when the upper section
of the converter is turned nose up and before the bottom section is
attached I prefer rather than to trust to the set screws alone to add
two or more positive fastenings, such as the wedge 23, Fig. 7, inserted
between a lug 25 on the shell 9 and a lug 24 on the skin 26 of the
converter. When using duplicate removable converter bottoms 28, 28,
Fig. 6, I prefer to mould the lining 12 in the lower shell of such form as
to leave an annular space around the said bottom, this space to be filled
by ramming it with the ring of ganister 27, in the manner herein-before
described or in any usual or suitable manner. But the lower part of the
lining 12 may be moulded to suit any other method of setting bottoms.
In order to more firmly hold the shells in their places, the annular spaces
between the shells and the skin of the converter may in some cases be
filled with sand or with any suitable compact material. I generally
prefer however to leave this annular space unfilled and to make numerous
perforations in the skin of the converter through which the shells may be
observed in order to judge of the condition of the lining. When the
lining is very thin the shell will become red hot. In constructing new
converters, I sometimes prefer to make the converter a skeleton or
framework without a continuous skin. The shells then constitute the
skin of the converter.

page_text: First. The combination with a converter of a tuyere box having such
relation to the opening in the bottom of the shell of the converter that
when the tuyere box is attached to the converter a portion of the
opening in the converter constituting the annular space above described
shall be exposed, so that it can be filled by ramming from the outside
of the converter, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Second. The combination with the tuyere box of two or more brackets
having between them openings suitable to admit of ramming the annular
space above described from the outside of the converter in the manner
and for the purposes set forth.
Third. The herein-described arrangement in the lower portion of a
converter of openings through the shell thereof located opposite the
annular space and below the line of the upper surface of the new bottom
and adapted to enable the annular space to be filled by ramming from
the outside of the converter, substantially in the manner described.
Fourth. The herein-described method of filling the annular space by
so exposing the same that it may be reached and rammed from the
outside of the converter, substantially as and for the purposes made
known.
Fifth. The combination with the shell of the converter of the covers
as described for the purpose of covering and holding in the rammed
material, substantially as set forth.
Sixth. The combination with a converter of a sectional lining in
removable shells, substantially as and for the purposes described.
ALEXANDER LYMAN HOLLEY. (L.S.)