Improvements in or connected with the Manufacture of Slag Wool.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with the Manufacture of Slag Wool.
I, WILLIAM PORRITT INGHAM, of Post Office Buildings, Middlesbrough, in the
County of York, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in or connected with the manufacture
of slag wool.
In the manufacture of slag wool according to one of the processes at present
in use the slag is blown into wool as it runs from the furnace, and the sheds for
receiving the wool are necessarily near the furnace.
This arrangement possesses many disadvantages, amongst which may be named
that the sheds and other plant are in the way and more or less interfere with the
working of the furnace, whilst it often happens that the slag produced in a furnace
is not suitable for making into wool, and, inasmuch as the plant is a fixed one,
the wool making plant under such circumstances remains idle until suitable slag
is produced.
According to another method of manufacture the slag is cast into balls in the
ordinary way and suitable slag is selected and broken up into small pieces and re-
melted in an ordinary cupola placed in any convenient position. adjacent to the
sheds and other plant, and blown into wool directly from the remelting furnace.
This method obviates the disadvantages. above pointed out, but the cost of break-
ing up and re-melting is considerable, and largely increases the price of the
product.
Now, the object of the present invention is by a simple apparatus and method
of working to obviate the disadvantages above pointed out.
In carrying the present invention into effect, a pot or ladle of suitable form
is employed which is mounted upon a truck running upon lines or ways which
lead from the blast furnace to the wool making and storing plant which may
be located in any convenient position.
The ladle or pot is run into position adjacent to that one of the furnaces which
is producing a slag suitable for converting into wool and a quantity of slag is
run into the ladle or pot, which is then placed into an oven br annealing stove,
whereby the slag is rendered denser and more suitable for being blown into wool.
The truck is then run away to the plant and the blowing apparatus is set to
work and the slag is tapped from the ladle or pot and runs out from a spout in
such a position that the blowers acting upon the stream blow it in the form of
wool through an opening directly into the receiving shed.
By the means hereinbefore described, one wool making plant may serve a
number of furnaces and the plant is therefore kept constantly employed, and no
delay occurs by reason of waiting for the production of a suitable quality slag

page_text: by a given furnace, whilst the cost of breaking up and re-melting the slag is
avoided, and the slag is improved for wool making purposes inasmuch as whilst
in transit in the pot or ladle it parts with some of its gas and sulphur.
Dated this 14th day of October 1897.
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
I, WILLIAM PORRITT INGHAM, of Post Office Buildings, Middlesbrough, in the
County of York, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My said invention relates to improvements in or connected with the manufacture
of slag wool.
In the manufacture of slag wool, according to one of the processes at present
in use, the slag is blown into wool as it runs from the furnace, and the sheds for
receiving the wool are necessarily near the furnace.
This arrangement possesses many disadvantages, amongst which may be named
that the sheds and other plant are in the way and more or less interfere with the
working of the furnace, whilst it often happens that the slag produced in a furnaco
is not suitable for making into wool, and, inasmuch as the plant is a fixed one,
the wool making plant under such circumstances remains idle until suitable slag
is produced.
According to another method of manufacture the slag is cast into balls in the
ordinary way and suitable slag is selected and broken up into small pieces and re-
melted in an ordinary cupola placed in any convenient position adjacent to the
sheds and other plant, and blown into wool directly from the re-melting furnace.
This method obviates the disadvantages above pointed out, but the cost of break-
ing up and remelting is considerable, and largely increases the price, of the
product.
Now, the object of the present invention is by a simple apparatus and method
of working to obviate the disadvantages above pointed out.
In carrying the present invention into effect, a pot or ladle of suitable form
is employed, which is mounted upon a truck running upon lines or ways which
lead from the blast furnace to the wool making plant, which may be located in
any convenient position.
The ladle or pot is run into position adjacent to that one of the furnaces which
is producing a slag suitable for converting into wool, and a quantity of slag is
run into the ladle or pot; the truck is then run away to the plant and placed
into an oven or annealing stove which may be fired by gas or other means whereby
the slag is kept hot and rendered denser and more suitable for being blown into
wool and the blowing apparatus is set to work and the slag is tapped from the
ladle or pot and runs out from a spout in such a position that the blowers acting
upon the stream blow it in the form of wool through an opening directly into
the receiving shed.
And, in order that the said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying drawings, more
fully to describe the same.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view representing a plant constructed and
arranged according to the present invention, and,
Figure 2 is a sectional side view of the truck and ladle and part of the wool
making house separately.
In both figures like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference and
Figure 2 is drawn to an increased scale with respect to Figure 1.
a represents a pot or ladle, which may be of any suitable form and is mounted
upon a truck b supported upon wheels b running on lines or ways c.and the ladle
or pot a is provided with a tap hole a¹ closed by a stopper a¹* and with a spout a³..
d represents several blast furnaces from each of which lines or ways c lead to
the wool making house e which may be located in any convenient position.
Adjacent to the wool making house e and over the point to which the several
lines or ways c converge is arranged an annealing oven or chamber f closed by a
door f and into which a truck b may be run as hereinafter described.
A truck with a ladle or pot a thereon is run into a position on one of the
lines or ways c, adjacent to that one of the furnaces which is producing a
slag suitable for converting into wool, and a quantity of slag is run into the ladle
or pot a.
The truck is then run away into the annealing oven or chamber f and the
door f is closed, and by this process of annealing the slag is kept hot and rendered
denser and more suitable for blowing into wool.
Underneath the spout a² of the ladle a and in front of the wool making house e
is arranged a pipe which communicates with any suitable source of steam and is
furnished with a nozzle or jet g¹.
After the ladle a has been placed in the annealing oven the blowing
apparatus is set to work, the stopper a¹* is removed and the slag is tapped from tho
ladle or pot a into the spout a2 from which it flows in a stream and the parts are so
arranged that the blowing nozzle or jet g¹ acts directly upon the stream of slag.
and blows it in the form of wool through the opening el into the receiving shed.
After the contents of the ladle are exhausted the truck is run out of the
annealing chamber f to one of the furnaces d and the above operations are
repeated.
It will be obvious that a larger number of furnaces than three may be employed
may also
with a single wool making plant and that several ladles a and trucks b
be employed, if desired.
By the means hereinbefore described, one wool making plant may serve a
number of furnaces and the plant is therefore kept constantly employed and no
delay occurs by reason of waiting for the production of a suitable quality of slag
by a given furnace, whilst the cost of breaking up and remelting the slag is avoided
and the slag is improved for wool making purposes inasmuch as whilst in transit in
the pot or ladle it parts with some of its gas and sulphur.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A plant for the manufacture of slag wool, comprising several blast furnaces,
a wool making plant, lines or ways leading from the furnaces and converging
to a point in front of the wool making plant, a ladle mounted on a truck running
on said ways, and an annealing chamber into which the truck is run previously
to tapping the slag and blowing it into wool, substantially as herein.shown and
described and for the purpose stated.
2. A plant for the manufacture of slag wool, comprising several blast furnaces,
a wool storing shed, lines or ways leading to the furnaces and converging to a
point in front of the wool shed, a ladle mounted on a truck running on said ways,
said ladle being provided with a long spout, an annealing chamber into which the

page_text: truck is run previously to tapping the slag and blowing it into wool, an opening
in the wool storing shed to receive the wool, and a steam jet or nozzle arranged
to play upon the stream of molten slag as it flows from the spout, all arranged
and operating in manner substantially as herein shown and described and for the
purpose stated.
- 141
c T 1
1000
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.