IMPROVEMENTS IN PUDDLING. AND CONVERTING FURNACES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Prideaux, of Sheffield, in the County of
York, Hotel Keeper, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUDDLING.
AND CONVERTING FURNACES."
Sealed the 4th September 1866, and dated the 8th March 1866..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Prideaux at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 8th
March 1866.
I, THOMAS PRIDEAUX, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Hotel Keeper,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PUDDLING AND CONVERTING FURNACES," to be as follows:-
According to this Invention the puddling or converting furnaco has at the
back thereof a raised surface inclining upwards from the part usually called
the bridge, and extending along the bottom of what is ordinarily the flue
leading from the furnace to the chimney. In the top of this fluo are formed
openings, which openings are each furnished with a valve, and these openings
and valves are for the purpose of allowing the introduction of the metal to be
treated into the furnace, the valves being opened to admit of such introduction,
and the blocks of metal being of any convenient form. When the blocks of
metal are introduced into the furnace their lower ends rest upon the inclined
surface already mentioned, and the blast or current of heated air and gas
proceeding from the furnace to the chimney acts upon such blocks, the metal

page_text: being thus gradually melted, and as liquified running down the inclined sur-
face into the puddling chamber, where it may be treated in the ordinary
The space of which the inclined surface forms the bottom thus
constitutes what may be called a melting chamber. When a sufficient supply
of metal is for the time being deposited in the puddling chamber the passage
between the latter and the melting chamber is closed by plugging with clay
or other suitable means; but in order that the action of the blast upon the
metal in the melting chamber may not be interrupted when the puddling
chamber has received a sufficient quantity for the next operation, two puddling
chambers may be arranged in connection with one melting chamber, the
melted metal being allowed to pass into one while that in the other is being
balled or otherwise treated. And in order to expose the metal in the melting
chamber for a longer or shorter period of time, as may be desirable, to the
notion of the blast, the inclined surface down which it passes into the puddling
chamber may be provided with cross bars or other suitable contrivances for
retarding in a greater or less degree the passage of the melted metal from the
melting chamber.
By these arrangements the blast or current of heated air and gas is brought
more directly into contact with the metal than in the ordinary arrangement,
the effect of the blast being thus increased.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Prideaux in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th September 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAB
PRIDEAUX, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Hotel Keeper, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Ierself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas Prideaux, IIer special licence that I, the said Thomas Prideaux,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Prideaux, my executors, administrators, and 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 and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN

page_text: PUDDLING AND CONVERTING FURNACES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Thomas Prideaux, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said 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 I, the said Thomas Prideaux, do hereby declare tho
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying Drawing (that is to say): :-
According to this Invention the puddling or converting furnace has at the
back thereof a raised surface inclining upwards from the part usually called
the bridge, and extending along the bottom of what is ordinarily the flue
leading from the furnace to the chimney. In the top of this flue are formed
openings, which openings are each furnished with a valve, and these openings
and valves are for the purpose of allowing the introduction of the metal to be
treated into the furnace, the valves being opened to admit of such introduction,
and the blocks of metal being of any convenient form. When the blocks of
metal are introduced into the furnace their lower ends rest upon the inclined
surface already mentioned, and the blast or current of heated air and gas
proceeding from the furnace to the chimney acts upon such blocks, the metal
being thus gradually melted, and as liquified running down the inclined
surface into the puddling chamber, when it may be treated in the ordinary
manner. The space of which the inclined surface forms the bottom thus
constitutes what may be called a melting chamber. When a sufficient supply.
of metal is for the time being deposited in the puddling chamber the passage
between the latter and the melting chamber is closed by plugging with clay
or other suitable means; but in order that the action of the blast upon the
metal in the melting chamber may not be interrupted when the puddling
chamber has received a sufficient quantity for the next operation, two puddling
chambers may be arranged in connection with one melting chamber, the
melted metal being allowed to pass into one while that in the other is being
balled or otherwise treated. And in order to expose the metal in the melting
chamber for a longer or shorter period of time, as may be desirable, to tho
action of the blast, the inclined surface down which it passes into the puddling
chamber may be provided with cross bars or other suitable contrivances for
retarding in a greater or less degree the passage of the melted metal from the
melting chamber.

page_text: By these arrangements the blast or current of heated air and gas is brought
more directly into contact with the metal than in the ordinary arrangement,
the effect of the blast being thus increased.
The front part of the furnace is entirely closed, and the fire is supplied with
the air necessary to maintain combustion through the medium of an air
chamber or flue formed in the upper portion of the furnace; this chamber or
flue receiving air from the external atmosphere through an opening in the
top of the chamber or flue, and such air passing in a heated state down
suitable channels or passages leading from such chamber or flue to the
fire-place.
In the annexed Drawing A represents the fire-place; B, the fire-bridge;
and C, the puddling chamber; D, D, indicates the inclined surface mentioned
above; and E represents one of the openings through which the blocks of
metal are to be introduced into the apparatus, the lower ends of such blocks
resting when so introduced upon the inclined surface near the point D. At
e is a valve which is opened to admit the blocks of metal and then again
closed.
It will now be understood that on the furnace being put into operation,
the current or blast of heated air and gas passing from the fire at A in their
way to the chimney F will impinge against the lower portion of the blocks of
metal and cause them to be gradually melted, the melted metal then running
down the inclined surface into the puddling chamber C, where it may be
treated in the ordinary manner. As already mentioned, the inclined surfaco
down which the melted metal passes may, if desirable, be furnished with cross
bars or other suitable means of retarding in a greater or less degree the
passage of the melted metal to the puddling chamber, and thus exposing it for
a longer or shorter time to the action of the blast. Above the fire-placo and
puddling chamber is the air chamber or flue II; this flue receives a supply of
air from the atmosphere through the opening G, and such air then passes
along in the direction indicated by the arrows, down the passage I, and
through the opening K into the fire-place. If desirable more than one
opening K may be used, and instead of being arranged as shown in the
Drawing, such openings may be arranged in the two opposite sides of the fire-
place. Fuel may be supplied to the fire by an opening having an air-tight
door, which door must be closed at all times except when it is necessary to
introduce such fuel, or a hopper with a moveable bottom may be used for this
purpose.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be understood that

page_text: I claim as of my Invention the construction of a puddling or converting furnace
as herein before set forth, or any mere modification of the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Prideaux, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of September, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-six.
Witness to the signature,
HENRY LEVY.
THOMAS (L.s.) PRIDEAUX.