IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN PRODUCTS OBTAINED IN THE SMELTING OF IRON
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Horton, of Priors Lee Hall, in the County
of Salop, Ironmaster, and David Simpson Price, of 26, Great George
Street, in the City of Westminster, Consulting Chemist, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN PRODUCTS OBTAINED
IN THE SMELTING OF IRON."
aled the 29th August 1865, and dated the 2nd March 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Horton and David
Simpson Price at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 2nd March 1865.
We, THOMAS HORTON, of Priors Lee Hall, in the County of Salop, Iron-
master, and DAVID SIMPSON PRICE, of 26, Great George Street, in the City
of Westminster, Consulting Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN PRODUCTS OBTAINED
IN THE SMELTING OF IRON," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in arrangements by which we are enabled to turn
to commercial account various products, obtained in or arising from the heating
of coals in blast furnaces employed for the smelting of iron.

page_text: In some cases the gases and products capable of condensation emitted from
blast furnaces are so far utilized as to be applied to the heating of the blast,
the raising of steam, and other purposes. We propose in place of allowing the
waste or destruction of the products of distillation which the gases contain, to
separate such products.
The gases from the blast furnaces in which coal is employed for the
smelting of iron consist of permanent gases and volatile products capable
of being easily condensed. In carrying out our Invention these mixed
gaseous products are made to pass through suitable condensers, whereby
the condensable products are obtained and the permanent gases pass off, and
may then be utilized.
The form of condensers will vary, but one system of condensers which we
find to answer are on the same plan as those employed in gas works for
the purpose of separating the condensable products from the illuminating gases.
Such or similar condensers are placed in connection with the outlet pipe from
the blast furnace and intermediate between the blast furnace and the furnaces
or boilers under and in which the permanent gases are employed; the products
being afterwards treated so as to obtain therefrom in a state fit for commercial
purposes the various condensable hydrocarbons and other products resulting
from the distillation of coals.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Horton and David Simpson Price in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 2nd September 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, THOMAS
HORTON, of Priors Lee Hall, in the County of Salop, Ironmaster, and DAVID
SIMPSON PRICE, of 26, Great George Street, in the City of Westminster,
Consulting Chemist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Thomas Horton and David Simpson Price, Her special license that we,
the said Thomas Horton and David Simpson Price, our executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Thomas Horton and

page_text: David Simpson Price, our executors, administrators, or 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
5 and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN PRODUCTS OBTAINED IN THE SMELTING
OF IRON," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Thomas
Horton and David Simpson Price, by an instrument in writing under our.
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said.
O 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 we, the said Thomas Horton and David Simpson
Price, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner:
5 the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and.
by the following statement, that is to say :-
Our said Invention consists in arrangements by which we are enabled to
turn to commercial account various products obtained in or arising from
the use of coals in blast furnaces employed for the smelting of iron.
Various arrangements are employed for conveying the gases commonly known
as the waste gases from a blast furnace, one mode is by a wrought-iron tube
communicating with the upper part of the blast furnace. This tube is con-
nected with a main tube or conduit, which leads to the proximity of those places.
where the gases are required. These gases are then conveyed away from the
main tube or conduit by branch pipes of smaller diameter to the air stoves,
boilers, or other apparatus where their combustion is effected, and whence the
products of combustion pass away by a lofty chimney or stack that aids the.
draught of the blast furnace, and assists the passage of the gases.
Now according to our Invention we propose in place of allowing the waste
or destruction of the condensible products of distillation which these gases
contain, to separate, collect, and utilize them.
With a view to this we inject water in a fine spray into the wrought-iron
tube we have above described, by preference near to its junction with
the mouth of the furnace, we also propose to place so much of the main.
tube or conduit as is practicable in a trough through which a stream of cold.
water is caused to flow, the water entering at the end of the trough farthest
removed from the furnace, and travelling towards the opposite end, the water
thus partially or wholly surrounding the pipe or conduit. This water may

page_text: be subsequently used for quenching coke, feeding boilers, or for other
purposes.
The main tube or conduit may however be cooled in any other convenient
manner, as, for example, by allowing a thin stream of water to fall upon it,
or by means of a shower falling from a perforated pipe. This main tube or
conduit is in communication with vertical condensing pipes or mains herein-
after referred to, and should dip or incline slightly so as to admit of the con-
densed products being collected. The mode of effecting this collection must
depend upon the position in which the vertical condensing pipes or mains are
placed. Should these be in connection with the branch pipes an outlet must
be made at the end of the main tube or conduit where the products can be
run off and collected. The best position for the vertical condensers or mains
for condensing the products is in connection with the branch pipes which lead
from the main tube or conduit to the heating stoves, boilers, or elsewhere, on
account of the greater facility afforded for condensation from the diameter
of these branch pipes being considerably less than that of the main tube or
conduit:
These vertical condensers or mains are connected with an air-tight
box or cistern similar in arrangement to those employed in the condensing
apparatus of gas works, and in which the condensed products of distillation are.
collected.
It is obvious, however, that this arrangement for condensing and
collecting the condensed products may be made at any suitable part of the
main tube or conduit, as well as in connection with the branch pipes.
Where the draught is sufficiently powerful, or where auxiliary means can
be employed for overcoming pressure, scrubbers or coke columns through
which water or acidified water passes, or other similar contrivances, may be
added to the above described arrangement with a view to the more complete
absorption of the ammoniacal products contained in the gases above mentioned.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, we would observe in conclusion that what we consider to be novel
and criginal, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First, the collecting of the condensible hydrocarbons and other condensible
products contained in the gases emitted from blast furnaces where coal is
wholly or partially used, substantially as herein-before described.
Second, the collecting of the ammoniacal products contained in the gases

page_text: 5
emitted from blast furnaces where coal is wholly or partially used, substantially
as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Simpson Price, on behalf of
myself and the said Thomas Horton, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the First day of September, One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-five.
DAVID S. PRICE. (L.S.)