IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL BY A DIRECT PROCESS FROM THE ORE BY BY GASEOUS FUEL AND IN APPARATUS AND APPLIANCES EMPLOYED THEREFOR
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Clay Bull of Brooklyn New York United States
"
of America but at present of 41 Selborne Street Princes Road Liverpool
in the County of Lancaster for an invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL BY A DIRECT PROCESS FROM THE ORE BY
16
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Clay Bull at tho
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th April 1882.
HENRY CLAY BULL, of Brooklyn, New York, United States of America, but at
present of 41 Selborne Street, Princes Road, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL, BY A DIRECT
PROCESS, FROM THE ORE BY GASEOUS FUEL AND IN APPARATUS AND APPLIANCES
EMPLOYED THEREFOR
My Invention consists of a new direct process for the manufacture of iron and
steel from the ore and to a special arrangement of blast furnace having a novel
construction of refractory lining for the crucible; also to a special arrangement
and construction of calcining oven; to a special arrangement and construction of
heating stoves; to a special arrangement and construction of gas producers by
which special appliances I an enabled to carry out the direct process, namely the
construction of the blast furnace and accessary appliances enables me to use great
heat in the hearth, or crucible of the furnace, with the result that I can withdraw
the contents of the furnace in a fluid state.
First The construction of blast furnace and hearth, or crucible.
According to this part of my Invention I construct the blast furnace of the
usual size and form, the upper part of the furnace being built of ordinary fire
brick within a casing, having a bottom plate, the whole structure being supported
by columns based on the foundation.
By so constructing the upper portion of the blast furnace, I relieve the lower, or
crucible and hearth portion from all the superposed weight of the upper portion of

page_text: the furnace. I construct the hearth and refractory lining forming the crucible of
the furnace thus: between a casing which forms the outer shell and an interior
- metal mould of the shape of the crucible I ram a concrete compound of freshly
burnt lime, or any substance possessing the same properties, with about ten per
cent of silica sand, mixed with tar, oil, or other substance which will evaporate
from the concrete and escape through openings or intercises in the outer casing,
without permitting the saine to shrink, or crack. This lining is subjected to an
intense heat sufficient to melt out the inner iron mould. This operation bakes the
lining into a very solid substance before the furnace is put into blast. The tuycres
and tapping openings are formed in the hearth in manner usual to blast furnaces.
This method of relieving the refractory lining of the weight of the upper portion of
the furnace enables me to use the above described substance for the lining of the
crucible and hearth of the furnace. This substance although capable of standing
the most intense heat will support very little weight, thus I am enabled to use a
temperature in the cruciblo sufficiently high to allow of the withdrawal of the
metal in a fluid state, when the carbon in the metal is exceedingly low, the cinder
follows-the metal through the same openings, also in a fluid state. In converting
ordinary-blast furnaces to assimilate-to-those of my Invention, it is only necessary
to alter the hearth and support the upper portion as just described.-
Second The construction of calcining oven.
According to this part of my Invention, I crect a chamber forming an oven,
lined with fire brick directly over the charging opening of the blast furnace, which
opening may-be-fitted with the usual bell and cup common to most blast furnaces.
The bell and cup may be supplied with water jackets of forin requisite to protect
them from the leat. The lower portion of the calcining oven is provided. with
-openings for the admission of atmospheric air and during the operation of calcining
the bell is slightly opened-so-as-to-admit sufficient waste gas from the furnace to
cause in combination with the atmospheric air a combustion-just above the bell and
cup. The calcining oven is open at the top for feeding the charge and for the
escape of the aqueous vapour given off from the charge while calcining. By this
means the ore and flux is delivered into the furnace in a dry heated state without
additional labour and cost of fuel and therefore the waste gases given off from the
furnace are comparatively free from aqueous vapour and are thus capable of
producing an intense heat by their combustion in the air heating stoves. Tho
effect of calcining and drying the ore previous to its entering into the furnace is to
remove the zone of preparation from the furnace and to raise the zone of reduction
very high in the furnace, thus considerably increasing the quantity of metal
produced from a furnace in a given time. This arrangement of calcining oven it
will be understood can be applied to ordinary blast furnaces.
Third The construction and working of the heating stoves.
According to this part of my Invention, I reverse the usual construction and
working of the stoves, namely instead of forming the combustion chamber at the
bottom of the stove as done in the Whitwell and Cooper stove, I form it at the
top. By this means the brick work of the combustion chamber and the bricks used
to absorb the heat are relieved from the weight of the main brick work of the stove.
The intense heat which I require renders the fire brick of the combustion chamber
very weak, and if maintained at the bottom of a column of fire brick, forty, or
more feet high, the brickwork would crush in, but by any arrangement this difficulty
is overcome, and that portion of the stove which is subjected to an intense heat has
to maintain very little weight. The waste gases from the blast furnace are
admitted into the combustion chamber of the stove. Atmospheric air is admitted
through the safety valve at the top of the stove to support the combustion of the
said waste gases. The flames resulting from this combustion pass downward
through the stove which is filled with brickwork, and finally the residue escapes
through suitable valves into a chimney. When the brickwork within the stove
has been brought to an intense white heat, the gas and air supply to the com-
bustion chamber is shut off, and the valve communicating to the chimney is closed.

page_text: At the same time a valve communicating with a hot air main at the top of the
stove is opened, and a valve communicating with a cold air supply main at the
bottom of the stove is opened. By this means nir is forced up through the white
hot bricks and arrives in the hot air main in an intensely heated state, in which
state it passes into the hearth of the blast furnace and gas producers. By preference
four of these hot air stoves are used, three of which are constantly under the
process of heating, while one is giving up the stored heat to the air passing up
through it.
Fourth The construction and working of the Gas Producers.
According to this part of my Invention, I construct the gas producers thus: cach
gas producer of which there may be a group of eight, consists of two chambers suitably
lined with brick work. The chamber nearest the furnace is filled with coal, coke,
or other carbonaceous material, which is ignited and brought to an intense heat by a
blast of hot air brought from the before described heating stoves. The chamber is
provided with a cup and bell at the top for renewing the charge and with an iron
box at the bottom provided with a tumbling door for withdrawing the cinder,
which collects therein, the hot air bringing it down in a fluid state. The second
chamber of the gas producer is filled with fire brick and is provided with a com-
bustion chamber at its top, the same as the air heating stoves. The two chambers
communicate together at the top through a connecting pipe. The first chamber
communicates at the bottom through valves with the gas and hot air mains, the
second chamber communicates at the bottom through a valve with a wasto main
leading to a chimney and also communicates through valves at the bottom with a
steam main leading from a suitable steam generator. The operation is as follows:
the escaping gases from the first chamber pass into the combustion chamber at the
top of the second chamber and air is introduced to support combustion through a
safety valve, the same as in the air heating stoves. The resulting combustion
causes an intense heat being imparted to the brickwork, with which the second
chamber is filled. After the coal, or other carbonaceous material in the first
chamber and the bricks in the second chamber are brought to an intense heat by
the combustion therein, the hot air valve is shut off and the cold air supply is
closed. The valve in connection with the waste main is also closed and the valve in
connection with the gas main opened and steam from the steam generator is
introduced into the bottom of the second chamber and passes upward through the
brick work therein, and then passes into the top of the first chamber and down
through the incandescent carbon therein resulting in the generation of a gas,
composed chiefly of hydrogen and carbonic oxide, which gas is then driven by the
direct steam pressure into the gas main and used for combustion and heat generation
and reduction of the ore in the furnace described under the first part. Any
suitable number of the gas producers may be used, one, or more of which being
revived by generation of heat, while the gas from the others is being used. The
second chamber being used for superheating the steam, which is then converted
into carbonic acid and hydrogen by coatact with the incandescent carbon, in the
first chamber, passing through which the carbonic acid takes up another equivalent
of carbon and becomes carbonic oxid, which together with the hydrogen arrives in
the gas main in a bighly heated state, owing to the fact that the steam is intensely
superheated in the brick, or second chamber by the white hot bricks therein, also
to the incandescent carbon in the first chamber being at an intense heat, owing to
the fact that it had been blown with hot air. Thus a constant stream of hot gas
is maintained and driven into the furnace of the first part, without the intervention
of forcing appliances.
In working the direct process according to my Invention, the charge in the
furnace is maintained at different heights to produce different amounts of carbon
in the metal.
The carbon in the metal is derived from the carbonic oxide in the gas, which is
ascending from the hearth through the ore reducing the same to a metallic state
and impregnating the metal with carbon. To produce metal with different per

page_text: centages of carbon, in order to make the various grades of metal, such as cast iron,
steel and wrought iron, it is only necessary to vary the height of the charge in the
furnace. The higher the charge is carried, the greater will be the amount of carbon
in the metal produced.
It is well known that in the Catlin forge wrought iron has been produced direct
from the ore which contained very little carbon. In my process as hereinbefore
described sufficient heat is maintained in the hearth of the furnace to keep inetal
in a fluid state when it is comparatively free from. carbon, so that in that state it
can be withdrawn from the furnace and cast into ingots
The operation of my process of manufacturing iron, or steel is as follows: the
furnace is put to work as an ordinary blast furnace with coal, coke, or charcoal,
hot air being blown in through the air tuyere, which in this case is preferably in
rear of the furnace. When all is working correctly, gas in a highly heated state
made as before described is forced into the furnace preferably from two tuyeres on
opposite sides of the furnaces and the coal, coke, or charcoal is gradually removed
until the class of metal produced is of the quality required. When it is required
to produce metals very low in carbon suitable for boiler plates and like purposes
all of the coal,-coke or charcoal, is removed and then the height of the charge is
lowered in the furnace until the metal produced is of the quality-desired..
By removing the coal, coke, or charcoal from the blast furnace it is relieved
from the zone of gasification and thus prevents the great reduction in temperature
which takes place in an ordinary blast furnace. When the carbonic acid produced
by the combustion of the fuel is reconverted into carbonic oxide by contact with
the incandescent coal, coke, or charcoal in-the-furnace. Using the gas and air in the
before described highly heated state reduces the quantity of air required-to_be_
-forced into the furnace in order to maintain the necessary temperature, reducing
the volume of nitrogen to a minimum. _ It is set forth in Schintz on the Blast
Furnace that reducing the nitrogen expedites materially the-reduction of the ore
to a metallic state.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Clay Bull in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th October 1882.
HENRY CLAY BULL, of Brooklyn, New York, United States of America but at
present of 41 Selborne Street, Princes Road, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster
'IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL BY A DIRECT
PROCESS FROM THE ORE BY GASEOUS FUEL AND IN APPARATUS AND APPLIANCES
EMPLOYED THEREFOR
"
My Invention consists of a new direct process for the manufacture of iron and
steel from the ore and to a special arrangement of blast furnace having a novel
construction of refractory lining for the crucible, also to a special arrangement and
construction of calcining oven; to a special arrangement and construction of
heating stoves; to a special arrangement and construction of gas producers, and
their accessory parts and connections by which special appliances I am enabled to
carry out the direct process, namely the construction of the blast furnace and
accessory appliances enables me to use great heat in the hearth, or crucible of the
furnace, with the result that I can withdraw the contents of the furnace in a fluid
state.
First. The construction of blast furnace and hearth, or crucible
According to this part of my Invention I construct the blast furnace of the
usual size and form, the upper part of the furnace being built of ordinary fire
brick within a common brick, or equivalent lining surrounded by a casing, having
a bottom plate, the whole structure being supported by columns or other support
based on the foundation
By so constructing the upper portion of the blast furnace, I relieve the lower, or
crucible and hearth portion from all the superposed weight of the upper portion of
the furnace. I construct the hearth and refractory lining forming the crucible
of the furnace thus: between a casing which forms the outer shell and an interior
inetal mould of the shape of the crucible, I ram a concrete compound of freshly
burnt lime, or any substance possessing the same properties with about ten per
cent of silica sand mixed with tar, oil, or other substance which will evaporate
from the concrete and escape through openings, or interstices in the outer casing,
without permitting the same to shrink, or crack. This lining is subjected to an
intense heat sufficient to melt out the inner metal mould. This operation bakes
the lining into a very solid substance before the furnace is put into blast. The
tuyeres and tapping openings are formed in the hearth in manner usual to blast
furnaces. This method of relieving the refractory lining of the weight of the
upper portion of the furnace enables me to use the above described substance for
the lining of the crucible and hearth of the furnace. This substance, although
capable of standing the most intense heat will support very little weight, thus I
am enabled to use a Lemperature in the crucible and hearth sufficiently high to
allow of the withdrawal of the metal in a fluid state. When the carbon in the
metal is exceedingly low, the cinder follows the metal through the same openings
also in a fluid state. In converting ordinary blast furnaces to assimilate to those
of my Invention it is only necessary to alter the crucible and hearth and support
the upper portion as just described.
Second the construction of calcining oven.
According to this part of my Invention I erect a chamber forming an oven
high

page_text: opening is fitted with a bell and cup. The bell and cup are supplied with water
jackets of form requisite to protect them from the heat. The lower portion of the
calciuing oven is provided with openings for the admission of atmospheric air and
during the operation of calcining. The bell is slightly opened so as to admit
sufficient waste gases from the furnace to cause in combination with the atmospheric
air a combustion just above the bell and cup. The calcining oven is open at the
top for feeding the charge and for the escape of the aqueous vapour given off from
the charge while calcining. By this means the ore and flux is delivered into the
furnace in a dry heated state without additional labour and cost of fuel and
therefore the waste gases given off from the furnace are comparatively free from
aqueous vapour and are thus capable of producing an intense heat by their com-
bustion in the air henting stoves. The effect of calcining and drying the ore
previous to its entering into the furnace is to remove the zone of preparation from
the furnace and to raise the zone of reduction very high in the furnace, thus
considerably increasing the quantity of metal produced from a furnace in a given
time.
Third. The-construction and working of the heating stoves.
According to this part of my-Invention, I reverse the usual construction and
working of the stoves, namely instead of forming tho-combustion chamber at the
bottom of the stove as done in the Whitwell and Cooper stoves, I form-it-at-the
top. By this means the brick work of the combustion chamber and the bricks used
__ to absorb the heat are relieved from the weight of the main brickwork of the
stove. The intense-heat which I require renders the firebrick of the combustion
chamber very weak, and if maintained-at-the bottom of a column of fire brick forty,
or more feet high the brickwork would crush in, but by-my-arrangement this
difficulty is overcome and that portion of the stove which is subject to an intense-
heat has to maintain very-little-weight. The waste gases from the blast furnace
are admitted into the combustion chamber of the stove. Atmospheric air is
admitted through the safety valve at the top of the stone to support-the-com-
bustion of the said wasto gases. The flames resulting from this combustion pass
downward through the stove which is filled with brickwork, and finally the residue
escapes through suitable valves into a chimney. When the brickwork within the
stove has been brought to an intense white heat, the gas and air supply to the
combustion chamber is shut off and the valve communicating to the chimney is
closed.
At the same time a valve communicating with a hot air main at the top of the
stove is opened and a valve communicating with a cold air supply main at the
bottom of the stove is opened. By this means air is forced up through the white
hot bricks and arrives in the hot air main in an intensely heated state in which
state it passes into the hearth of the blast furnace and gas producers.
By preference four of these hot air stoves are used, three of which are constantly
under the process of heating, while one is giving up the stored heat to the air
passing up through it.
Fourth. The construction and working of the gas producers.
According to this part of my Invention I construct the gas producers thus:
each gas producer of which there may be a group of eight, consists of two chainbers
suitably lined with brickwork. The chamber nearer the furnace is filled with coal,
coke, or other carbonaceous material, which is ignited and brought to an intense
heat by a blast of hot air brought from the before described heating stoves. The
chamber is provided with a cup and bell at the top for renewing the charge and
with an iron box at the bottom provided with a tumbling door for withdrawing
the cinder which collects therein, the hot air bringing it down in a fluid state.
The second chamber of the gas producer is filled with fire brick and is provided
with a combustion chamber at its top, the same as the air heating stoves. The two
chambers communicate together at the top through a connecting pipe. The
first chamber communicates at the bottom through valves with the gas and hot air
mains, the second chamber communicates at the bottom through a valve with a

page_text: waste main leading to a chimney and also communicates through valves at the
bottom with a steam main leading from a suitable steam generator. The operation
is as follows: the escaping gases from the first chamber pass into the combustion
chamber at the top of the second chamber and air is introduced to support com-
bustion through a safety valve, the same as in the air heating stoves. The
resulting combustion causes an intense heat, to be imparted to the brickwork, with
which the second chamber is filled. After the coal or other carbonaceous material
in the first chamber and the bricks in the second chamber are brought to an
intense heat by the combustion therein, the hot air valve is shut off and the cold
air supply is closed. The valve in connection with the waste main is also closed
and the valve in connection with the gas main opened and steam from a steam
generator is introduced into the bottom of the second chamber and passes upward
through the brickwork therein and then passes into the top of the first chamber
and down through the incandescent carbon therein resulting in the generation of
a gas composed chiefly of hydrogen and carbonic oxide, which gas is then driven
by the direct steam pressure into the gas main and used for combustion and heat
generation and reduction of the ore in the furnace described under the first part.
Any suitable number of the gas producers may be used, one, or more of which
being revived by generation of heat, while the gas froin the others is being used.
The second chamber being used for superheating the steam, which is then converted
into carbonic acid and hydrogen, by contact with the incandescent carbon in the
first chamber, passing through which the carbonic acid takes up another equivalent
of carbon and becomes carbonic oxide, which together with the hydrogen arrives
in the gas main in a highly heated state, owing to the fact that the steam is
intensely superheated in the second chamber by the white hot bricks therein, also
to the incandescent carbon in the first chamber being at an intense heat owing to
the fact that it had been blown with hot air. Thus a constant stream of hot gas
is maintained and driven into the furnace of the first part without the intervention
of forcing appliances.
In working the direct process according to my Invention the chargo in the
furnace is maintained at different heights to produce different amounts of carbon
in the metal.
The carbon in the metal is derived from the carbonic oxide in the gas, which is
ascending from the hearth through the ore reducing the same to a metallic state
and impregnating the metal with carbon. To produce metal with different per
centages of carbon in order to make the various grades of metal, such as cast iron,
steel, and wrought iron it is only necessary to vary the height of the charge in the
furnace. The higher the charge is carried, the greater will be the amount of
carbon in the metal produced.
It is well known that in the Catlin forge wrought iron has been produced direct
from the ore, which contained very little carbon. In my process as herein before
described sufficient heat is maintained in the hearth of the furnace to keep the
metal in a fluid state when it is comparatively free from carbon so that in that
state it can bo withdrawn from the furnace and cast into ingots.
The beforegoing being the nature object and purposes of this my Invention,
I will now proceed to describe more in detail how the same may be carried out
into practical effect and for that purpose I have hereunto annexed five sheets of
Drawings illustrative of my Invention, which Drawings are marked with letters
and figures of reference corresponding with those in the following explanation,
like letters and figures being used to denote the same, or corresponding parts
throughout the various views and figures.

page_text: Figure 2 is an end elevation of the valves and conduits and heating stoves
shewn at Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a sectional elovation showing the internal construction of the heating
stove.
Figure 4 is an end view of the gas producers and their accessary parts
Figure 5 is a plan taken in section through X X Figure 1
Figure 6 is a plan of Figure 1 viewed from the top
First The construction of blast furnace and hearth and crucible-According to
this part of my Invention I construct the blast furnace A as shown in the Drawings
the upper part of the furnace being built of ordinary fire brick within a common
brick or equivalent lining surrounded by a casing A' having a bottom plate A
held by brackets two of which are shown in dotted lines there being spaces left
between the fire brick and the common brick or equivalent substance and between
the common brick and the casing, the whole structure being supported on
columns B shown at Figure 4 based on the foundation. By 60 constructing the
upper portion_of_the_blast furnace A I relieve the lower or hearth and crucible
portion C-from the superposed weight-of-tho_upper portion A. I construct the
hearth and refractory lining forming the crucible-C.thus: between-the-casing C
which forms the outer shell and an interior metal mould of the shape of the
crucible C I ram a concrete compound of freshly burnt lime or any substance
_ possessing the same properties with about ten per cent of silica sand mixed with
tar oil or other-substance which will evaporate from the concrete and escape
through openings or interstices in the outer casing C without permitting the
lining to shrink or crack. This lining C-is subjected to an intense heat, sufficient
-to-melt-out tho inner metal mould This operation bakes the lining into a very
solid substance before the furnace-A-is-put into blast The air tuyere D and tho
gas tuyeres E E and the tapping opening F are formed in the hearth-in-the_manner
usual to blast furnaces
This method of relieving the refractory lining C from the weight of the upper
portion of the furnace A enables me to use the above described substance for the
jining of the crucible and hearth of the furnace This or similar substanco although
capable of standing the most intense heat will support very little weight. By my
construction through the furnace A being supported independently of the crucible C
I am enabled to use a temperature in the crucible C sufficiently high to allow of
the withdrawal of the metal in a fluid state when the carbon in the inetal is
exceedingly low and the cinder follows the metal through the same opening also
in a fluid state In converting ordinary blast furnaces to assimilate to those of
my Invention it is only necessary to alter the hearth C and support the upper
portion of the furnace A as just described.
Second The construction of calcining oven-According to this part of my
Invention I erect a chamber G forming a calcining oven lined with fire brick or
equivalent substance directly over the charging opening H of the blast furnace A
which opening H is fitted with a bell, h and cup has shown The bell h and
cupare supplied with water jackets to protect them from the heat The lower
portion of the calcining oven G is provided with openings such as g for the
admission of atmospheric air and during the operation of calcining the bell his
slightly opened so as to admit sufficient waste gas from the furnace A to cause in
combination with the atmospheric air admitted through the openings G a combustion
just above the bell and cup-The calcining oven G is open at the top for feeding
the charge and for the escape of the aqueous vapour given off from tho charge
while calcining By this means the ore and flux is delivered into the furnace A in
a dry and highly heated state without additional labour and cost of fuel and
therefore the waste gases given off from the furnace A are comparatively free
from aqueous vapour and are thus capable of producing an intense heat by their
combustion in the air heating stoves
The effect of calcining and drying the ore previous to its entering into the
furnace A is to remove the zone of preparation from the furnace A and to raise the

page_text: zone of reduction very high in the furnace A thus considerably increasing the
quality of metal produced from a Furnace in a given time.
Third The construction and working of the heating stoves-According to this
part of my Invention I reverse the usual construction and working of the air
stoves J, namely instead of forming the combustion chamber at the bottom of the
stove J as done in the Whitwell and Cooper stoves, I form the combustion
chamber K. Figure 3 at the top of the stove J By this means the brickwork or
equivalent substance of the combustion chamber K and the bricks or equivalent
substances used to absorb the heat are relieved from the weight of the main brick-
work of the stove J The intense heats which I require renders the brickwork of
the combustion chamber K very weak and if such heats were used at the bottom of
the column of brickwork the brick work would crush in but by my arrangement
this difficulty is overcome and that portion of the stove J which is subjected to an
intense heat has to support very little weight-The waste gases from the blast
furnace A are thus led to the coinbustion chainber K of the stove namely through
passages into the conduit L which is provided with a relief chimney L' for surplus
gases and a valve L' which gives communication to the dust box L³ and from
thence to the combustion chambers K of the heating stoves J through the conduit M
and valves M-Air is admitted into the combustion chamber K of the stove J
through the safety valve N at the top of the stove J for the purpose of supporting
the combustion of the said waste gases in the combustion chamber K. The flames
resulting from this combustion pass downwards through the stove J which is filled
with brickwork and finally the residue escapes through the valves M at the bottom
of the stove J into the culvert M³ which leads to a chimney shaft. When the
brick work within the stove J has been brought to an intense white heat the gas
and air supply to the combustion chamber K is shut off and the valve M² is also
closed. Then a valve O communicating with a cold air supply pipe O' is opened
giving admission through the casing of the valve M2 for such cold air to enter the
bottom of the stove J. The air passes up through the heated brickwork in the
stove and passes therefrom in a heated stato through the valve 0s Figure 2 into
the main 03. The heated air is led from the main Os to the hearth C of tho
furnace A through the tuyere D The supply can be throttled at the tuyero by a
valve as shown-By preference four of the hot air stoves J are used three of which
are constantly under the process of heating while one is giving up the stored heat
to the air passing up through it
Fourth-The construction and working of the gas producers-According to this
part of my Invention I construct the gas producers thus: each gas producer of
which there may be a group of eight six being shown in the Drawings consists of
two chambers P P' suitably lined with brickwork or equivalent substance-The
chamber P is filled with coal coke or other carbonaceous material which is ignited
and brought to an intense heat by a blast of hot air from the hot air main O³ and
delivered by branches through the valves O' into the hot air conduit 05 and from
thence through the valves 0" into the chambers P-Each chamber P is provided
with a cup and bell Q or equivalent opening for renewing the charge of carbonaceous
material and with a metal box R at the bottom provided with a tumbling door for
withdrawing the cinder which collects in the said box the hot air bringing it down
in a liquid state. The second chamber P' of the gas producer is filled with fire
brick or equivalent substance and is provided with a combustion chamber P° the
same as in the air heating stoves at its top-The two chambers P P¹ communicate
together at the top through the pipe P³-The chamber P communicates at the
bottom through the valve P to the main P7 and thence to the tuyero E. The
chamber P' communicates at the bottom through a valve P³ with the main Po
leading to a chimney or equivalent outlet. S is a steain main which supplies
steam from a steam generator through the valves S¹ to the bottom of the chambers P¹.
Tis a safety valve through which air is admitted into the combustion chamber P³
of the chamber P¹ to assist combustion therein.
The operation of the gas producer is as follows, the carbonaceous material in the

page_text: chamber P being ignited the hot air passes up through such carbonaceous material
in the chamber P imparts to it a white incandescence and the gases given off are
led through the pipe P3 into the combustion chamber P2 of the chamber P¹ and air
is admitted through the safety valve T into the chamber P where combustion
takes place and the heat from such combustion passing down through the brick-
work filling of the chamber P¹ brings such brickwork to an intense heat, the
waste gases eventually passing through the valve P³ and the main Pª from whence
they are led away When the brick work in the chamber P¹ has become sufficiently
heated the hot air supply to the chamber P is shut off by closing the valve O" and
the escape from the chamber P' is also shut off by closing the valve P'. The safety
valve T is also closed (and steam under pressure is then admitted through the
valve S' into the bottom of the chamber Pf and such steam passing up through the
intensely hented brick work becomes highly superheated, and in that condition
enters the chamber P and passing down through the incandescent carbonaceous
material therein results in the generation of a gas composed chiefly of hydrogen
and carbonic acid, and further in passing through the incandescent carbon, the
carbonic acid-takes-up-another equivalent of carbon and becomes carbonic oxide
which gas in then driven by the direct. steam pressure through-the-valve-which
is opened into the gas main P7 and from thence through the tuyere E to the
crucible C of the blast furnace A, where it arrives in a highly heated state, owing
to the fact that the steam has been intensely superheated in the chamber P¹ and
also to the incandescent carbon in the chamber P being at an intense heat through
its having been blown with hot air thus-a-constant stream of intensely hot gas is
maintained through the tuyeres E and mingles with the hot air supply from-the-
tuyere D thus supporting combustion, a constant stream of hot gas being
maintained-and-driven into the crucible without the intervention of forcing
appliances Any suitable number of gas producers as thus described_may_be_used
one or more of which is always being revived by generation of heat while the gas
from the others is being used in the blast furnace A
The following is a description in detail of the construction of the various parts
The hot air stoves valves and conduits
The stoves are built with a fire brick or equivalent lining surrounded by a
common or equivalent brick casing within a metal casing spaces being left between
the lining and the common brick or like equivalent and the common brick and
the metal casing The linings are supported by a perforated metal grid U upon
which the interspaced brick work which fills the stove is built The valves at the
top of the stoves are opened and closed by a screw and worm gear V All the
conduits and valve casings used to convey heated air from the stoves to the blast
furnace A and to the gas producers P are lined with non conducting materials as
shown in the Drawings and the valve seats where requisite arc water lined
The gas producers valves and conduits
The chambers P. P'. are constructed with a lining of fire brick or equivalent
material surrounded by a common brick or equivalent casing and a metal casing
spaces being left between the lining and the common brick and between the
common briek and the metal casing The chamber P' is provided with a metal
grid W at the bottom which is used to support the loose brick work with which
the chamber is filled The conduits and valves which convey the gas from the
producers to the blast furnace are lined with non conducting materials as shown in
the Drawings.
In working the direct process according to my Invention the charge in the
furnace A is maintained at different heights to produce different amounts of carbon
in the metal. The carbon in the metal is derived from the carbonic oxide in the
gas which is ascending from the hearth C through the ore in the furnace A
reducing the ore to a metallic state and impregnating the metal with carbon. To
produce metal with different per centages of carbon in order to make, the various
grades of metal such as cast iron, steel and wrought iron it is only necessary t

page_text: vary the height of the charge in the furnace A The higher the charge is carried
the greater will be the amount of carbon in the metal produced.
It is well known that in the Catlin forge wrought iron has been produced direct
from the ore which contained very little carbon In my process as bereinbefore
described sufficient heat is maintained in the hearth C of the furnaco A to keep the
metal in a fluid state when it is comparatively free from carbon so that in that
state, it can be withdrawn from the furnace A and cast into ingots.
The operation of my process of manufacturing iron or steel is as follows: the
furnace A is put to work as an ordinary blast furnace with coal coke or charcoal
hot air being blown in through the air tuyere D which in this case is preferably in
rear of the furnace When all is working correctly gas in a highly heated state
made as before described is forced into the furnace preferably from two tuyeres
EE on opposite sides of the furnace. A. and the coal coke or charcoal is gradually
removed until the class of metal produced is of the quality required When it is
required to produce motals very low in carbon suitable for boiler plates and like
purposes all of the coal coke or charcoal is removed and then the height of the
charge is lowered in the furnace A until the metal produced is of the quality
desired.
By removing the coal coke or charcoal from the blast furnace A it is relieved
from the zone of gasification and thus prevents tho great reduction in temperature
which takes place in an ordinary blast furnace When the carbonic acid produced
by the combustion of the fuel is reconverted into carbonic oxide by contact with
the incandescent coal coke or charcoal in the furnace Using the gas and air in the
before described highly heated state reduces the quality of air required to be
forced into the furnace A in order to maintain the necessary temperature reducing
the volume of nitrogen to a minimum It is set forth in "Schintz" on the blast
furnace, that reducing the nitrogen expedites materially the reduction of the oro to
a metallic state.
Having now described my Invention and shown how the same may be put into
practical operation, I would state in conclusion that my Invention is not limited to
the preciso dimensions of the various parts shown in the Drawings and that
although I have shown the gas producers elevated so that thoir platform is on a .
level with the platform of the blast furnace and hot air stoves, such gas producers
and their platform and accessories may be brought down and positioned so that
their hot gas mains are about on a level with the tuyeres of the blast furnace, but
what I claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited
Letters Patent is
First. The special arrangement and construction of the blast furnace A supported
on the columns B the crucible and hearth C being constructed independently the
whole substantially as herein described and shown in the Drawings hereto
annexed.
Second. The construction and method of applying the refractory lining to the
crucible C substantially as herein described and shown in the Drawings hereto
annexed.
Third. The arrangement of the calcining oven G, with water jacket in the bell
and cup, over the mouth H of the blast furnace A. substantially as herein described
and shown in the Drawings bereto annexed.
Fourth. Constructing hot air stoves with a combustion chamber positioned at the
top substantially as herein described for the purposes set forth and as shown in the
Drawings hereto annexed.
Fifth. The general arrangement and construction of the hot air stoves J and
their combustion chambers K substantially as herein described and shown in the
Drawings hereto annexed.
Sixth. The construction and arrangement and method of working the apparatus
berein described and defined by the letters P. P¹ for producing gas and the
method of feeding the same with hot air and removing the cinder as herein
described and shown in the Drawings

page_text: Seventh. The arrangement and construction of valves, conduits and pipes in
connection with the hot air stoves J substantially as herein described and shown in
the Drawings hereto aunexed.
Eighth. The arrangement and construction of valves conduits and pipes in con-
nection with the gas producers P P' substantially as herein described and shown
in the Drawings hereto annexed.
Ninth. The cycle of operations herein described namely the working of the blast
furnace A the working of the calcining oven G the working of the hot air stoves J,
and the working of the gas producers P P¹ the combination forming a direct process
for manufacturing iron and steel from the ore as heroin set forth.
Tenth. The process followed in the production of gas and the method employed
in such production and for removing the cinder substantially as herein set forth.
Eleventh. Producing iron of various per centages of carbon by regulating the
height of the charge in the blast furnace, as herein described.
Twelfth. The general cycle of operations herein set forth whereby I am enabled
-to-produce sufficient heat to keep the metal and cinder in a fluid state oven when
-making-iron very low in carbon.
Thirteenth. The general construction and arrangement-of-the several apparatus
herein described collectively.

page_text: K