Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Nov., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 29th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 5th Oct., 1888
therefor.
1, GEORGE JAMES SNELUS, of West Cumberland Iron and Steel Works, Workington,
in the County of Cumberland, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the manufacture of steel, and comprises a novel method of
and apparatus for purifying iron and keeping it fluid for the production of steel, by
one operation in a rotatory furnace.
In carrying my said invention into practice, I construct a rotatory furnace or
rotator of cylindrical or other suitable form with an iron plate casing, which may be
double and water-cooled as in the "Crampton" furnace. The length of the said
rotator is abont twice its diameter, or it can be made of other suitable dimensions.
It is provided with rings running upon anti-friction rollers, and with suitable spur-
gearing by means of which it is connected to a steam-engine or other motor by which
it can be revolved at the proper speed.
One end of the said rotator is contracted to the form of a narrow bottle-neck and
into this the pipe conveying the oil and air jet, or the gas blow-pipe is inserted a short
distance, so that the rotator is free to revolve around the blow-pipe and the flame
passes freely into the chamber of the said rotator without burning the neck thereof.
The other end of the rotator, is contracted to form a neck sufficiently large to allow
the products of combustion to pass freely away and to leave room for a workman to
pass a tool into the chamber to repair the lining, or to withdraw a sample of metal.
For the purpose of heating the rotator and its contents, I use a forced jet of
superheated air and crude oils such as those recovered from blast-furnace gases,
refining petroleum, tar or the like, or I use a gas blow-pipe. (The so called water
gas" is peculiarly suitable for this purpose). The vapours of the above-mentioned
oils may also be used mixed with air. The products of combustion are conducted
through the working end of the rotator alternately into two regenerators for heating
the air for the blast before it is mixed with the oil or gas; the said air being forced
alternately through the regenerators after they have been heated. The regenerators
are reversed in any well known manner at convenient intervals.

page_text: The casing is lined inside with refractory material, such as highly burnt lime
(magnesian or calcic) as described in the specification of former letters patent granted
to me and dated March 25th, 1872, No. 908, but mixed with tar as it is now used for
the basic process; chrome iron ore, either alone or mixed with tar; magnesia mixed
with far; iron ore or "bull dog" alone or mixed with tar; ground coke mixed with
tar or silica stone or quartz alone or mixed with tar. The lining material is rammed
in between the cylinder and an inner removable core so as to form a long elliptical
chamber. Or the rotator may be lined with bricks or pressed blocks composed of any
of the herein before mentioned materials. It is then dried and fired at a higher heat
so as to consolidate the lining material and raise the lining to a high temperature.
Molten iron ore is then run in, and the rotator rapidly revolved while the heat is
kept up. By this means the inside lining is coated with oxide of iron and the rotator
is then ready for use.
The operation of my improved rotatory furnace or rotator is as follows; viz.-A
charge of molten pig iron is run into the chamber in the rotator by means of a suitable
spout inserted into the larger end of the same, and a quantity of melted oxide of iron
(which should be as free as possible from silica) is run in by the same spout. The
quantity of oxide of iron employed is proportioned to the quantity and analysis of the
iron used, with some excess to allow for waste. The theoretical quantity required can
easily be calculated upon the assumption that the oxygen in the ore is to oxidise the
carbon, silicon, sulphur, and phosphorous in the iron.
When pig iron containing sulphur and phosphorous is used it is desirable that the
lining should be basic. As soon as the oxide has been introduced, or during its
introduction, thereof the rotator is caused to revolve rapidly and the heat is urged to
the utmost (an excess of air may be admitted to burn up the carbonic oxide formed).
By this means a rapid oxidation of the metalloids in the pig iron takes place and at
the same time a considerable quantity of metallic iron is reduced from the ore by the
reaction of the fluid metalloids and oxide of iron. The heat of the fluidity in the
metal is kept up and increased so that it is retained in a thoroughly fluid state, and
fit for running at all times into a casting ladle, instead of as in the various puddling
furnaces, being allowed to cool down and granulate.
After a very short time the metal will be found to be practically free from metalloids,
and, by testing a small sample, the right point for casting can be ascertained. If hard
steel such as rail steel is required, the metal is run off into the casting ladle together
with the proper proportion of melted spiegel; or, if soft steel is required, powdered
ferromanganese is mixed with the stream of metal in the usual manner.
The vessel is constructed with a tap-bole in its centre, and by turning it round this
can be very conveniently brought over the ladle and the metal emptied without
pouring out any slag, which latter can be emptied into a separate receptacle, or if it
is not too much saturated with silica it may be used over again with a further addition
of oxide.
Dated this 29th day of November 1887.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Steel and in Apparatus
therefor.
I, GEORGE JAMES SNELUS of West Cumberland Iron and Steel Works, Workington
in the County of Cumberland Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to the manufacture of steel, and comprises a novel method of,
and apparatus for purifying iron and keeping it fluid for the production of steel by
one operation in a rotatory furnace.
In carrying my said invention into practice I construct a rotatory furnace or rotator
of a cylindrical or other suitable form with an iron plate casing which may be double
and water-cooled as in the "Crampton" furnace. The length of the said rotator is
about twice its diameter or it can be made of other suitable dimensions. It is provided
moreover with rings formed of channel iron, or other suitable form in transverse section,
running upon antifriction rollers, and with suitable spur-gearing by means of which
it is connected to a steam-engine, or other source of motive power, by which it can be
revolved at any required speed.
In the accompanying drawings I have shown how my said invention can be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal central section partly in front elevation showing
one form of my improved apparatus.
Figure 2 is a plan partly in horizontal central section.
Figure 3 is an end elevation of the rotatory furnace or rotator hereinafter
described.
Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
A is the rotatory furnace or rotator, B B are the regenerators, C is an engine for
imparting rotary motion to the said furnace, or rotator.
The rotatory furnace or rotator A is constructed with an iron plate casing a. In
some instances I form the said casing double, the space between being adapted to
contain circulating water for cooling purposes as in the furnace known as the
Crampton" furnace. The interior of the casing a is provided with a lining b of
refractory material. The casing a is preferably made about two diameters in length
and drawn down at one extremity so as to form a bottle-necked portion a'.
16
The other extremity of the casing a is drawn to a neck a² sufficiently large to allow
the products of combustion to pass freely away and to allow room for a workman to
pass a tool into the chamber to repair the lining or to withdraw a sample of minetal.
The rotatory furnace or rotator A is moreover provided with friction rings c c adapted
to run upon friction rollers d, d. e is a toothed wheel fixed upon the casing of the
rotatory furnace A and with which gears a pinion fixed upon the crank shaft g of
the engine C by which the rotatory furnace or rotator A can be revolved at a
suitable speed.
Into the bottle-necked portion, a a tube his inserted a suitable distance. This

page_text: is
tube is of smaller diameter than the bottle necked portion a¹ and does not touch the
lining of the latter which revolves about it. The said tube is provided with a
suitable lining ¹ of refractory material. Into the said tube is inserted a pipe i
terminating in a ring or coil perforated with small holes ; the said pipe is
connected at the other extremity to a tank j intended to contain oil. The tank
placed at a higher level than the rotatory furnace or rotator A. The heated blast
from one or other of the regenerators D is conveyed through the tube h. This heated
air mingles with the jets of oil from the pipe i and blows it into spray, thus producing
a perfect mixture which burns at a very high temperature on entering the chamber of
the rotatory furnace or rotator A.
For the purpose of heating the said rotatory furnace or rotator A and its contents
I employ a forced jet of superheated air and crude oils such as those recovered from
blast furnace gases the refining of petroleum or the like. Or tar, or the vapours of
the oils above mentioned, may be employed, or even gas.
The air required for combustion is heated by means of the regenerators BB
through one or other of which the waste gases from the rotatory furnace or rotator
are passed through a pipe or fine hereinafter described, while the air is heated in
the other. The regenerators are reversed in any well known manner at convenient
intervals.
The refractory material forming the lining of the casing of the rotatory
furnace or rotator A may be composed of highly burnt lime-magnesium or calcic
as described in the specification of former Letters Patent dated the 25th March 1872,
and numbered 908, but mixed with tar as it is now used for the basic process;
Chrome iron ore, either alone or mixed with tar; magnesia alone or mixed with
tar iron ore or bull dog, or silica stone or quartz alone or mixed with tar, or
with ground coke mixed with tar. The said material forming the lining bis
rammed in between the casing of the rotary furnace or rotator and an inner
removable core so as to form an elliptical chamber, or the said furnace may be lined
with prepared blocks of the above materials.
When lined the furnace is dried and fired at a high temperature to consolidate the
lining material. Molten oxide of iron is then run in and the furnace rapidly revolved
while the heat is kept up. By this means the inside lining is coated with oxide of
iron and it is then ready for use.
The rotatory furnace or rotator A is provided with a tap hole through which the
metal can be emptied into a ladle when desired.
A pipe or flue having a lining of refractory material is provided between the
rotatory furnace or rotator and the regenerators B to carry off the waste gases. A
short portion of the pipe or flue is constructed so as to be removable and is
fixed on a car m running on rails m¹ so that it can be easily removed in order
to enable the metal and ore to be charged or for the workman to get at the
inside of the rotatory furnace or rotator. A door n sliding in grooves n¹ formed
by Z-irons is also provided in the combustion tube h at the other extremity of
the said rotatory furnace A in order to allow the progress of the operation to be
watched.
My improved method of producing steel is carried into effect by means of the above
described apparatus as follows, that is to say, a charge of molten iron is run into the
rotatory furnace or rotator A and then a further quantity of molten oxide of iron
which should be as free as possible from silica. The quantity of oxide of iron must be
proportioned to the quantity and analysis of the iron used, with some excess to allow
for waste.
The theoretical quantity required may easily be calculated upon the assumption
that the oxygen in the ore is to oxidise the carbon, silicon, sulphur and phosphorus in
the iron. When pig iron containing sulphur and phosphorus is used, it is necessary
that the lining should be basic.
As soon as the melted oxide has been introduced, or during its introduction, the
rotatory furnace or rotator is rotated rapidly and the heat is urged to the utmost. An
excess of air may be admitted to burn up the carbonic oxide formed.

page_text: By this means a rapid oxidation of the metalloids in the pig-iron takes place and,
at the same time, a considerable quantity of metallic iron is reduced from the melted
ore by the reaction of the fluid metalloids. The heat of the metal is kept up and
increased so that it is retained in a thoroughly fluid state and fit for running at all
times into a casting ladle, instead of, as in the old puddling processes, being allowed
to cool down and granulate.
After a very short time the metal will be found to be practically free from metal-
loids and, by testing a small sample, the right point for casting can be ascertained.
If hard steel, such as rail-steel, is required, the metal is run off into a casting ladle
together with the proper proportion of melted spiegel, or, if soft steel is desired,
powdered ferro-manganese is mixed with the stream of metal in the usual way.
The metal is run off through the tap-hole k which can be very conveniently brought
over a ladle by turning round the rotatory furnace or rotator, and the metal emptied
without pouring out any slag. The said slag can be emptied into a separate
receptacle, or, if it is not too much saturateil with silica, it may be used over
again.
Moreover although I have herein before described a convenient and advantageous
method of carrying my invention into practice, it is obvious that I can somewhat
modify my improved process or apparatus without departing from the nature of my
said invention. For instance I may employ producer gas in place of the crude oils,
and cold pig iron and oxide of iron instead of molten materials.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed declare that what I
claim is :-
First. The employment of a rotatory furnace or rotator lined with basic or other
materials, for the purpose above specified.
Secon 1. The production of steel in a rotatory furnace or rotator by bringing
together molten iron ore, or oxide of iron, and molten pig iron, which are thoroughly
mixed by a rapid rotation of the said rotatory furnace or rotator so that they may
react upon each other by double decomposition substantially as described.
Third. The provision of suitable means for heating the rotatory furnace or rotator
and its contents by a forced blast of heated air and jets of crude oil, or producer gas,
substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
Fourth. The combination, with a rotatory furnace or rotator, of two or more
regenerators for heating the required air by means of the waste products of combustion
substantially as described.
Fifth. The improved apparatus for the manufacture of steel substantially as
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Le Le Zain 799 A
GEORGE JAMES SNELUS.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.