provements in the Means employed for Reheating Slabs of Steel or Iron.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 7th July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 5th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 7th July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Improvements in the Means employed for Reheating Slabs of Steel
or Iron.
We,
CHARLES JOHN BAGLEY, and LLEWELYN ROBERTS, General Manager
and Works Manager respectively, of The Moor Steel and Iron Company Limited
and THE MOOR STEEL AND IRON COMPANY LIMITED all of Stockton-on-Tees, in
the County of Durham, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
or flat and
This invention relates to the means employed for reheating "slabs"
elongated pieces of steel or iron. It has hitherto been the practice to reheat such
slabs in an ordinary heating furnace into which they are introduced above the
ground level. Furnaces so constructed although otherwise suitable are subject to
loss of heat by radiation in consequence of the external walls being exposed to the
open air.
We are aware that in order to avoid the loss of heat in this way heating chambers
commonly called "soaking pits" have been constructed below the ground level.
These soaking pits are especially adapted for the heating of steel ingots, which are
readily lowered into the chambers and allowed to stand on end. Such pits however
are found to be unsuitable for re-heating slabs, the shape of which is such that they
are unable to stand on end without leaning against some support. The result is,
that much of the flame passing over the slabs is wasted or the slabs themselves are
unequally heated. Besides this the arrangement leads to another inconvenience.
When the slabs are removed from the pit, there is a difficulty in gripping them with
the tongs or lifting appliances in consequence of their peculiar position.
According to our invention the reheating furnace is sunk below the level of the
ground and the slabs of steel or iron are lowered through the roof and are deposited
horizontally at the bottom of the furnace on supports previously arranged, so as to
allow the current of gas or flame to pass freely both under and over.
In addition to this, provision is made in each furnace for the reception of more
than one slab at a time. A series of them may be stacked, one on another
horizontally, parting bricks being inserted between each two, so to allow the flame
to pass between the open spaces and cause the slabs to be equally heated on both
sides.
It will be seen that by the arrangement thus described there is no difficulty in
gripping the slabs and removing them successively from the furnace while at the
same time the heating is effected with the greatest economy of fuel.
T..1002
G. J. CLARKSON,
Chartered Patent Agent,
Stockton-on-Tees, Agent for the Applicant.
G. J. CLARKSON,
Chartered Patent Agent,
Stockton-on-Tees, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Means employed for Reheating Slabs of Steel
or Iron.
We CHARLES JOHN BAGLEY, and LLEWELYN ROBERTS, General Manager
and Works Manager respectively of The Moor Steel and Iron Company, Limited,
and THE MOOR STEEL AND IRON COMPANY LIMITED, all of Stockton-on-Tees, in
the County of Durham, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to the means employed for heating or reheating the flat
and elongated pieces of steel or iron commonly known as "slabs." It has hitherto
been the practice to heat or reheat such "slabs" in an ordinary heating furnace
into which they are introduced above the ground level. Furnaces so constructed
although otherwise suitable inasmuch as the slabs which are laid on their sides with
only one side properly exposed to the heat of the furnace can nevertheless be turned
over from time to time to heat both sides uniformly are wasteful of fuel owing
partly to the position of the slabs within the furnace and partly to loss of heat by
radiation in consequence of the external walls being exposed to the open air. We
are aware that in order to avoid the loss of heat by radiation heating chambers
commonly called "soaking pits" have been constructed below the ground level.
These soaking pits are especially adapted for the heating of steel ingots which are
readily lowered into the chambers and allowed to stand on end. Such pits however
are found to be unsuitable for heating or reheating slabs the shape of which is such
that they are unable to stand on end without leaning against some support with the
result that much of the flame passing over the slabs is wasted and the slabs
themselves are unequally heated. Besides this the arrangement leads to another
inconvenience. When the slabs are to be removed from the pit there is a difficulty
in gripping them with the tongs or lifting appliances in consequence of their
peculiar or leaning position. Furthermore the difficulty in using a furnace below
the ground level is not to be obviated by simply laying the slabs on their sides as
in the ordinary furnace above ground because the slabs cannot be handled
and turned over from time to time in the manner required to heat both sides
uniformly.
According to our invention to enable heating or reheating furnaces to be sunk
below the level of the ground the slabs of steel or iron are lowered through the
roof and are deposited horizontally at the bottom of the furnace on supports
previously arranged in position so as to allow the currents of gas or flame to pass
freely both under and over the surfaces of the slabs.
In addition to this, provision is made in each furnace for the reception of more
than one slab at a time. A series of them may be stacked one on another
horizontally parting bricks being inserted between them to form flame passages
above and below each slab and so to cause the slabs to be equally and uniformly
heated on both sides without being turned over or otherwise handled whilst lying
in the furnace.
Having so far described the nature and utility of our invention we will now
proceed to further explain a convenient way of carrying it into effect by reference
to the drawings hereto annexed which are to be taken as illustrating by way of
example a heating or reheating furnace constructed according to our invention it
being understood that we are not limited to the precise arrangement of internal
chambers and passages shown so long as the slabs can be deposited in suitable
horizontal positions as therein shown and in consequence of which they are equally
and uniformly exposed to the heat of the furnace and from which they can be
readily raised by tongs or the like lifting appliances.
Referring to the drawings
Figure 1 is a general plan of our furnace whether used as a heating or reheating
furnace and
Figure 2 a longitudinal section taken on line x x of Figure 1.
Figures 3 and 4 are transverse sectional views taken on lines y y and z z
respectively of Figure 1.
In the figures A is the fuel chamber and B the combustion chamber with the
bridge C extending between them across the furnace so that only flame or highly
heated gases come in contact with the slabs in chamber B. Ď D are suitable
outlets for the products of combustion the heat of which is utilized or goes to

page_text: waste as the case may be. EE are slag chambers into which the slag from the
heating or reheating furnace is run and collected in suitable receptacles. M are
covers to place over the openings G to prevent the escape of the gas and flames
from the furnace when the said openings are not in use. In these respects the
furnace is of the ordinary construction and the precise form or design indicated by
the drawing is given for the purpose of illustration only.
But in combination with these usual features of construction it will be observed
that the slabs FF which are lowered through openings G in the roof are deposited
in the horizontal position at the bottom of the furnace with the bottom slab
supported at its ends on suitable elevations H whilst the next slab above is
supported on parting bricks K by which arrangement it will be seen that the slabs
are not only uniformly exposed to the heat of the furnace and so require no
turning over from side to side but the slabs by this means are so uniformly heated
that any pitted marks on the plates are prevented and the slabs can also be readily
gripped by suitable lifting appliances such as the tongs L and raised, lowered or
held in suspension without difficulty, which lifting appliances are preferably placed
and operated at the level of the furnace roof.
By this arrangement the furnace is adapted to be placed below the ground level
in which position it can be made to hold a heavier charge of slabs than any
ordinary furnace above ground and the amount of fuel consumed and labour
required is reduced very considerably in consequence added to which the loss of
heat due to radiation is also obviated and a corresponding saving in fuel effected
thereby.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
Firstly. The improved construction of furnaces for heating or reheating slabs
of iron or steel in which provision is made for lowering the slabs into the furnace
through openings in the roof in combination with means for depositing them in the
horizontal position with both sides uniformly exposed to the heat of the furnace,
substantially as and for the purpose as hereinbefore described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
Secondly. The improved means for heating or reheating slabs of iron or steel
by which the slabs can be uniformly heated or reheated in furnaces situated below
the ground level provision being made for raising, lowering, depositing and taking
up again such slabs substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
11004
G. J. CLARKSON,
Chartered Patent Agent,
Stockton-on-Tees, Agent for the Applicants.