IMPROVEMENTS IN BLAST FURNACES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BLAST FURNACES."-A commu-
nication from abroad by Frantz Büttgenbach, of Heerat, near Dus-
seldorf, Germany.
Sealed the 29th July 1873, and dated the 15th February 1873.
י
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 15th February 1873.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
5 Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BLAST FURNACES,"
a communication, to be as follows:-

page_text: These objects are effected in the following manner:-The body or
stack of the furnace is made distinct or separate from the boshes, and is
supported by a ring of brickwork supported on brick piers, with arches
between them. The said stack consists of a single ring of fire-bricks or fire-
clay blocks, and may, if desired, be strengthened by wrought-iron hooping.
The said boshes are built up to the stack and are fitted with water blocks
at suitable intervals; the said-blocks are formed of wrought-iron pipes
embedded in fire-clay or of hollow casings, preferably of phosphor-bronze;
the said pipes or casings are cooled by a current of water. The apertures
in which these water blocks are inserted are similar to those provided for
the reception of the ordinary tuyeres, and if necessary the said ordinary
tuyeres may be removed--and put in the place of the lower range of
water boxes.
The purpose of these water blocks or boxes is to assist in preserving
the internal shape of the furnace, and the said boxes may be advantage-
ously applied to old or worn furnaces, the boxes being then inserted in
the work places, and pushed inward as the thickness of the sides of the
furnace increase by the accumulation of slags due to the cooling action
of the boxes.
1.
t
The stack is in some instances provided, with contrivances for carrying
off the gases from the centre of the mouth. These gases are conducted
down through tubes into an annular main, which surrounds the base, of
the stack. This main is not completely closed but has on one side a
hydraulic joint. This main is partially filled with water and the said
joint is thereby sealed, so that under ordinary circumstances no gas can
escape from the main; but the joint will afford immediate relief if an
explosion should occur in the gas tubes, moreover any dust which may
accumulate at the bottom of the main may be removed without per-
mitting any of the gas to excape. The mains leading from the furnace
to the boilers or stoves when the gases are utilized may also be constructed'
in a similar manner.
If desired the platform or staging at the mouth of the furnace may be
supported by gas tubes, the stack being thus left free to expand or con-
tract. And if necessary the stack may be partially or wholly removed
and replaced without disturbing the platform.
The furnace is provided with a closed breast formed by inserting a
cast-iron plate in which is cast a wrought-iron pipe; water is caused to

page_text: .
'
circulate through this pipe. The said plate has a narrow slot whose
edges are protected by a water pipe embedded in the said plate. When
the furnace is in operation the aforesaid slot is filled with clay, and the
slag is drawn off at any desired level by perforating this clay. The space
between the said plate and the dam plate is filled in with loam which is
capable of ready removal if the furnace should require to be worked
with bars.
In a modification of the said Invention the stack is supported by cast-
iron standards instead of brick piers. The top of the stack is fitted
with a bell and hopper, and the gases are taken from the sides. In this
case the short tubes connecting the stack with the down gas tubes are
made with expansion joints, doors being provided for cleaning the
said tubes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 13th August 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence
that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN BLAST FURNACES," a communication to me from abroad
by Frantz Büttgenbach, of Heerat, near Dusseldorf, Germany, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Robert Lake, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or

page_text: 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 William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawing forming a part of this Specification:-
The objects of this Invention are the reduction of the cost of con-
struction of blast furnaces, the construction of furnaces which are more
durable than those built according to the ordinary method and the more
economical working of such furnaces.
The manner in which the said Invention is carried into practise is
illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which Figure 1 is a vertical
central section of my improved furnace; Figure 2 shews the boshes and
parts connected therewith, partly in elevation, and partly in vertical
section drawn to an enlarged scale; Figure 3 is a horizontal section
on the line X, X, of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a vertical section illustrating a modification of the said
furnace; Figure 5 is a horizontal section on the line y, y, Figure 4.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
The body or stack a of the furnace is made distinct from the boshes b.
In the furnace shewn in Figure 1 the stack is supported by a ring of
brickwork c carried by brick piers d which have arches turned between
them. The stack a is formed by a single ring of fire-bricks or fire-clay
blocks which, if desired, may be strengthened by wrought-iron hooping.
The boshes bare built up to join the stack, as shewn in Figure 1, and
they are fitted with water blocks e at suitable intervals; these blocks
are formed by embedding a bent wrought-iron tube in fire-clay, or I may
use hollow casings preferably made of phosphor-bronze. The said pipes
or casings are cooled by a current of water. The holes in which these
water blocks or boxes are inserted are similar to those provided for the
reception of the ordinary tuyeres, and in the event of an accumulation
taking place in the hearth of the furnace, the ordinary tuyeres may be

page_text: removed and inserted in the place of the lower range of water boxes.
The purpose of these water boxes is to assist in preserving the internal
shape of the furnace, and the said boxes may be advantageously applied
to old or worn furnaces, the boxes being then inserted in the work
places and pushed inwards as the sides of the furnace are increased in
thickness by the accumulation of slag due to the cooling action of
the boxes.
In Figure 1 the stack a is shewn provided with apparatus for taking
the gases from the centre of the mouth. The gases whether collected by
this apparatus or otherwise from the stack, arc according to my Invention
conducted down through gas tubes g communicating at their lower ends
with an annular main h which surrounds the base of the stack a as
shewn in Figure 1. This main is so constructed that on one side (pre-
ferably the outer side) it is not closed except by a hydraulic joint as
shewn at h¹. The main being partially filled with water this joint is
perfectly sealed so that under ordinary circumstances no gas can escape
therefrom, but the said joint gives immediate relief if an explosion in
the gas tubes should occur, and it allows the dust which may accumulate
at the bottom of the said main to be readily removed at any time
without an escape of gas. The mains leading from the furnace to the
boilers or stoves when the gases are utilized may also be similarly con-
structed. In the furnace shewn in Figure 1 the platform or staging at
the mouth of the furnace is supported by the gas tubes g, the stack
being thus left perfectly free to expand or contract. And the said stack
may, if necessary, be partially or wholly removed and replaced without
interfering with the platform.
This improved furnace has a closed breast formed by inserting a cast-
iron plate i whereon is cast a wrought-iron pipe through which water is
caused to circulate. The plate i has a narrow slot extending the greater
part of its height, as shewn. The edges of this slot are protected by the
said water pipe which is embedded in the plate parallel to the said edges,
as shewn by the dotted lines. When the furnace is working the aforesaid
slot is filled with clay and the slag is drawn off at any desired level by per-
forating this clay with an iron rod or in any other convenient manner.
The space between the plate i and the dam plate j is filled in with loam
which is capable of ready removal in the event of the furnace requiring
to be worked" with bars. The iron is drawn off at % in the usual
manner.

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In Figure 4 the stack a is supported by cast-iron standards k¹ instead
of by brick piers. The top of the stack a is fitted with a bell and
:hopper, and the gases are taken off from the sides. In this case the
short horizontal tubes g¹ which connect the stack with the main gas
tubes gare made with expansion joints, as shewn, doors being provided
for cleaning these horizontal tubes: when necessary.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated
to me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the
! same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
* First. A blast furnace with the stack or shaft à constructed of
a ring of fire-bricks or blocks of suitable refractory material and sup-
ported upon piers or columns in such a manner that it is separate or
**distinct from the boshes b, for the purposes set forth.
Second. Forming the boshes 6 of a blast furnace in such a manner
. that they meet the stack and are free to expand and contract: indepen-
dently of the same, as herein set forth.
Third. Providing the boshes 6 of the blast furnace with water blocks.
or boxes e, as herein set forth and for the purpose specified.
Fourth. The upper gallery or platform of a blast furnace supported
either entirely or partially by the "down come gas pipes or mains g.
"
Fifth. Providing a blast furnace with a closed breast constructed and
arranged, as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here.
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three. 2
Witness,
JA". EDWARDS,
:
8, Southampton Buildings,
London.
W. ROBT. LAKE. (L.s.)