CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES
Year: 1839

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
YATES, of the Effingham Works, Rotherham, in the County of York, Iron-
founder and Earthenware Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Nineteenth day of October, in the third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said James
Yates, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said James Yates, my executors, administrators, and assigns, and such others
as I, the said James Yates, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during
the term of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick upon
Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
FURNACES;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging
me, the said James Yates, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be
inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully
and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
James Yates, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being
had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thercon, (that is to say):-
My improvement in furnaces, as applicable to the cupola furnace for melting
metals, consists, first, in constructing that part of the interior where the fuel and
material is placed in such a manner as to arrest as much as possible the escape
or progress of the caloric, unconsumed air, gases, spark, dust, or other matter,
which in the ordinary cupola furnace is allowed to pass freely away, these
furnaces having an open chimney and open feed hole. I accomplish this in
the following way-I place an impinging or arresting arch, dome, or ceiling
over the hearth and boshes, or a partial arch, domic, or ceiling over the hearth
and boshes, at a short distance above where the fuel and material is placed.
I close up the feed hole by a door or otherwise, and leaving only a small
aperture in the ceiling, or in one or more of the sides sufficiently large only to
allow such gases, &c. to escape as cannot be consumed in the furnace. My
improvement consists, secondly, in introducing a series of impinging arches,
ceilings, or shelves, for the more effectually arresting the escape or progress of
the gases, spark, dust, &c.; and, thirdly, in introducing a valve or damper at
the top or other part of the chimney, for the purpose of regulating the escape
of the gases, &c. The advantages I gain over the ordinary cupola furnace,
which has an open chimney and open feed hole, are, first, the retaining and
making use of a large portion of heat, which in the old cupola would pass away,
by the application of which heat, together with the exclusion of cold atmo-
spheric air, the material to be melted is forwarded very much in the process
of melting, requiring much less fuel, and by being melted much quicker; and
the melting taking place considerably higher, or at a greater distance from the
admission of the blast, much time is saved; and there is considerably less
waste of metal by oxidation than in the old cupola, where the melting
takes place near the blast, and being longer exposed to its action; secondly,
there is also considerable saving of fuel during the intervals of melting when
the hearth has to he filled with fuel to keep up the heat, at which times in
the old furnace a large portion is consumed in consequence of its exposure to
the action of the atmosphere, whereas in the improved furnace, all is closed
up, excepting a small portion of the damper hole, and by which means the
heat is kept up and little or no fuel is consumed; thirdly, the spark, dust, &c.
(which from the ordinary cupola issues forth to the great annoyance of all

page_text: around, and detriment to the work going on,) is by these improvements
totally consumed or caught upon the shelves. My improvement as applicable
to blast furnaces for melting or smelting ores consists, first, in placing the
impinging arch, dome, or ceiling, or the partial arch, dome, or ceiling, over the
hearth and boshes, and near to the same, for the purpose of confining the
heat as much as possible, as before described; secondly, in forming one or
more shelves on the top or above the said arch, dome, or ceiling, for the
purpose of placing the ore upon and exposing it with or without a very
small portion of fuel to the action of the heat that would otherwise pass
away uselessly. The ore having been thus exposed to the heat for a sufficient
length of time is brought into a state of preparation for smelting, which
smelting is more actively going on within the boshes, and into which place it
is removed by stokers, or any other more convenient means, the whole or the
greater part of the fuel being introduced directly into the boshes without
being exposed to the action of the heat, or being exposed but a short time;
thirdly, in introducing a damper or dampers at the top or any other situation
for the purpose of regulating the escape of the gases, &c. &c. The advantages I
gain over the ordinary blast furnace which has the high shaft without inter-
ceptions in the interior, and with open top, are, first, the saving a large portion
of fuel when the furnace is first set to work, as needs only to be filled to or
near to the impinging arch. Secondly, the saving of the whole or nearly the
whole of the fuel that is consumed in its passage from the top of the ordinary
furnace to the boshes. Thirdly, in the small expences and short time required in
blowing out the furnace for repairs or other purposes, and starting again.
Fourthly, in the small power required for blowing, the blast being required
soft or of low pressure, not having so heavy a mass to force its way through.
My improvement as applicable to the furnaces and chimneys of locomotive
and steam packet engines, and other furnaces and chimneys, is in introducing
the impinging or arresting partitions or shelves into the interior of such
chimney, furnace, or flue, by which means spark, dust, or other substances are con-
sumed or caught upon the shelves, or in receptacles prepared for that purpose,
and by which means also, when the steam is turned into the chimney, the
water from the condensed steam is prevented escaping from the top of the
chimney, and is conveyed by the channels upon the shelves to the receptacle
prepared for them. And for the better securing drafts, and preventing gusts
of wind from blowing down the chimney, I use my balance hood; when the
steam is allowed to escape through a separate pipe, not through the chimney,
the impinging or arresting shelves may be made as if to prevent the water
escaping from the top, in the same way as within the chimney. The

page_text: advantages of the above improvement are obvious from this description.
My improvement as applicable to the furnaces of stoves for giving out heat,
is in introducing the impinging or arresting partition or shelves, which parti-
tion or shelves for this purpose I make hollow, leaving an opening through cach,
so that a current of air may pass through, by which means I expose a large
heated surface to the surrounding atmosphere, which carries off the heat that
would otherwise pass up the chimney. My improvement in furnaces extends
to the mode of manufacturing bricks to make them withstand the action of the
intense heat to which they are exposed, which I accomplish in the following
manner I take the clay usually used for fire bricks, and temper it in the
usual manner. I then form it into thin sheets or cylinders, or other shapes,
so as to leave sufficient room when piled in the kiln for the heat to get freely
round them. I bake these sheets, or other shaped pieces of thin clay, in a very
high degree, and when this is done, I have them crushed down into pieces, the
size of peas or small beans, which pieces I put into strong moulds made to the
form required, and amongst which I pour a thin "slip" or mixture made of a
small portion of the best fire clay mixed up with rice water. I make the rice
water by soaking or crecing the rice for a considerable time, and then boiling
it up well; when the pieces of baked clay and the "slip" are thus put in the
moulds, I compress them in the mould by a powerful press or stamper, and
then bake them in the kiln to a very high temperature.
Having now described my Invention, I proceed to describe the Drawings or
Figures as follows:-Fig. 1 represents the exterior or front of the cupola for
melting metals on the side where it is fed; f, f, cast iron columns; there are
four of these, as shewn in plan; d, d, the barrel, made of wrought or cast iron;
I prefer wrought iron; c, a plate of cast iron, resting on the top of the columns,
with a raised moulding, forming a rabbet to hold the lower part of the corner
plates g, g, which are further secured by screw bolts, as shown; a, the door, of
cast iron, closing up the feed hole; this door is either hung on hinges to open
sideways, or on arched levers balanced, so that it may be easily raised perpen-
dicularly; the interior of this door is lined with fire brick; b, a second feed
door, to be used whilst the cupola is at work; c, c, c, are smaller doors, so
situated that a "cole" or rake may be introduced through them to clear away
the dust, &c. from the shelves; h, the regulating damper or valve, with balance
lever, made with one, two, or more doors; I prefer four; by those levers pre-
senting inclined planes causes the wind to glide off from every quarter, thereby
preventing it blowing down or pressing upon the interior of the chimney; the
round plates and bolts shewn are to hold the masonry together. Fig. 2 repre-
sents the interior or section of Fig. 1; n, the tapping hole from whence the

page_text: metal is drawn out; i, the hearth; k, the "boshes" or oven, where the metal and
fuel are placed; 1, the first impinging arch, roof, or ceiling; m, m, m, other
impinging arches, arresters, or shelves. Fig. 3 represents another exterior
or side view of the same, letters referring to the same parts as in Figs. 1
and 2; d, the barrel; m, the tapping hole; f, f, the columns; e, the plate on
which the masonry rests; g, g, the corner or bracing plates. Fig. 4 represents
another section in the line c, d, in Fig. 6, the same letters referring to the same
parts as Figs. 1, 2, and 3; i, the hearth; k, the boshes or oven; 1, the first
impinging arch, roof, or ceiling; m, m, m, m, m, m, other impinging arches,
arresters, or shelves; a, the door closing up the first or larger feed hole; b, the
door closing up the second or smaller feed hole; c, c, c, the doors closing up
the openings through which the shelves are cleaned; *,, twyers through
which the air is admitted to the furnace. Fig. 5 represents the interior
differently arranged to Fig. 4, the impinging arch being reversed, and the
smaller feed hole so situated that material may be placed upon the top of it, so
as to receive heat passing away, and thus become better prepared to enter the
oven or boshes. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section across x, x, Fig. 1; f, f, f, f, the
column; d, the barrel; i, the hearth; n, the tapping hole. Fig. 7 is another
horizontal section taken at y, y, Fig. 1; i, the hearth; k, the oven or boshes;
a, the door; e, e, the plate resting on columns and upon which the masonry
stands. Fig. 8 represents another arrangement of the interior; i, the hearth;
k, the oven or boshes, without door; 1, 1, the impinging arch with a small
opening in the centre through which the material is passed after having been
exposed to the heat in the upper oven p. Fig. 9 another arrangement with
upper ovens. Fig. 10 represents only one impinging arch, dome, or ceiling, or
partial arch, dome, or ceiling, having a small opening through the centre, and r,
a narrow shaft or chimney; this may be used without any other impinging
archies, arresters, or shelves, being a cheaper furnace to fix than any of the
others, but it is inferior to any of them. Fig. 11 represents the furnace with
one impinging arch and with horizontal flue s, shewn by the dotted lines, or
with a descending flue t; either of these flues may be carried to any shaft at
a distance. Fig. 12 represents the interior of a furnace of larger dimensions
adapted more particularly for the smelting of ores, the shelf over the impinging
arch or dome & being the place where the principal portion of the fuel is
introduced, and the upper shelf m, or as great a number of them as may be
required, are for the purpose of holding the ore to be exposed to the action of
the heat that is passing away. is an opening through which the stoker passes.
This furnace has the regulating damper. Fig. 13 represents another view
of the interior of a furnace adapted for the smelting of ores, having a large

page_text: upper oven immediately over the first impinging arch 7, 7, to heat and prepare
the ore before it is passed into the first oven or boshes k. v, v, are apertures
in the upper roof or arch through which the material is conveyed from the
shelves; these apertures are provided with covers to prevent the heat escaping,
and may be increased in number as may be most convenient. w is an
aperture over the centre or hearth, through which the fuel or the principal portion
of the fuel is conveyed directly within the first oven or boshes k. u, u, are
openings through which the stokers pass; these stokers sliding through balls,
which balls work in sockets, as shewn at u*. r, r, are chimneys which have re-
gulating dampers attached to them for the purpose of regulating the escape of
gases, &c.; these chimneys may be increased in number. Fig. 17 represents
the lower part of a furnace for melting or smelting metal or ore, or for other
purposes, with a series of vertical apertures at or near the bottom, sloping
downwards towards the interior; through these apertures the air is forced by
the pressure of the external atinosphere, instead of a forced blast by machinery,
the quantity admitted being regulated by the damper; the apertures or twyers
here described, as well as those for the other furnaces, I form in strong moulds in
the manner before described for the bricks. I do not confine myself to the
particular forms here represented for my furnaces, but to the principles here-
after described. Fig. 14 is a section of chimney and balanced circular hood
for locomotive or steam packet engines, or any other chimney in which my
impinging or arresting shelves b, b, b, b, b, b, b, b, are placed for the purpose of
arresting and consuming or catching spark, dust, or other substance, as well
as condensed steam, and thereby preventing its escape from the top of the
chimney. On the top is placed a hood f, resting upon a rounded collar h, and
being balanced by the ball g, a very small pressure of wind will press the side
next the wind close to the chimney; the other side becoming open prevents the
wind blowing down the chimney. Fig. 15 is a section of chimney, showing the
impinging or arresting shelves so arranged that the dust or water may glide
off and be deposited in the receptacle d. Fig. 16 is a section of a furnace or
stove with my impinging shelves made hollow; e, the furnace or fire-place;
b, b, b, b, the impinging shelves; c, the escape pipe. I claim as my Invention
as applied cupola furnaces for melting metals, first, the impinging arch, dome, or
ceiling, or partial arch, done, or ceiling. N.B.-This may be used alone without
any other of my improvements. Secondly, the closing up of the feed hole or
feed holes by a door or otherwise. N.B.-This may be used alone without
any other of my improvements. Thirdly, the feeding over the arch, dome, or
roof. Fourthly, the series of refracting or arresting arches or shelves. Fifthly,
the regulating damper, in any form or situation, and more particularly with two or

page_text: four doors. I claim as my Invention, as applied to cupola or blast furnaces for
smelting ores, first, the impinging arch, dome, or ceiling immediately over or
at a short distance above the boshes; secondly, the shelf or shelves on the top,
or on a level, or above the said impinging arch, as also the series of impinging
arches or shelves. I claim as my Invention, as applicable to the furnace
chimneys of locomotive, steam packet, or other engines, or chimnies of other
furnaces, or fire-places, the impinging or arresting shelves, with or without
ledges, to arrest and convey away the water arising from the condensed steam,
and for the purpose of arresting the progress or escape of spark, dust, or other
substance, and also the balance hood as applied thereto. I claim as my Inven-
tion, as applicable to furnaces or stoves for giving out heat, the impinging shelf
or shelves made hollow. I claim as my Invention the series of vertical slits
or apertures or twyers near the bottom of furnaces opening into the hearth,
with a direction downwards. I claim as my Invention the application and
use of bricks or twyers made or manufactured as above described in the con-
struction of furnaces.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Yates, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
Inrolled the Nineteenth day of April, One thousand eight hundred and
forty.