IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING IRON ORES OR IRONSTONES FOR THE PURPOSE OF OBTAINING PRODUCTS THEREFROM, AND IN THE MEANS ENPLOYED THEREFOR; ALSO IMPROVEMENTS IN THE OVENS OR DRAW KILNS FOR CARBONIZING IRON ORES OR IRONSTONES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Aitken, of Falkirk, in the County of
Stirling, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TREATING IRON ORES OR IRONSTONES FOR THE PURPOSE OF OBTAINING
PRODUCTS THEREFROM, AND IN THE MEANS ENPLOYED THEREFOR; ALSO
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE OVENS OR DRAW KILNS FOR CARBONIZING IRON
ORES OR IRONSTONES."
Sealed the 21st July 1868, and dated the 1st February 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Aitken at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
Ist February 1868.
I, HENRY AITKEN, of Falkirk, in the County of Stirling, North
Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN TREATING IRON ORES OR IRONSTONES FOR THE PURPOSE OF
OBTAINING PRODUCTS THEREFROM, AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR;
ALSO IMPROVEMENTS IN THE OVENS OR DRAW KILNS FOR CARBONIZING IRON ORES
OR IRONSTONES," to be as follows, that is to say: -
The first part of this Invention relates to the treatment of iron
ores or ironstones for the purpose of obtaining certain products there-
Price 1

page_text: from, and in order to carry it into effect a platform or bed of clay,
brick, stone, iron, or other material may be formed horizontally or at
any angle (I prefer to have it at an angle of 1 in 30), and upon this
bricks or other such substances are placed in one or more layers, with
open spaces between them; or a perforated pipe or pipes may be placed
on the platform or bed; or the iron ore or ironstone may itself be used
in making or forming these open spaces through or below the heaps,
and so dispense with the bricks or pipes. The iron ore or ironstone
to be treated is placed upon the platform or bed, or upon the open
brickwork, or on and around the pipes, and covered over with iron,
bricks, loam, mould, turf, clay, or other material or combination of
these, for the purpose of retaining the carbon in the ironstone after
the heap is fired. The heap may be fired and air admitted and re-
gulated from the top or otherwise. The open spaces in the iron ore,
or ironstone, or in the brickwork underneath, or the pipes constituting
flues will communicate through a condenser with a stalk or chimney,
so that when the iron ore or ironstone is ignited the heat and products
of combustion are drawn downwards and condensed in suitable pipes,
chambers, or flues, and collected into vessels and preserved for use.
Water may be caused to flow through the open spaces or pipes, so
as to facilitate the condensing and collecting of the condensable matters.
Steam and water may also be put amongst the iron ores or ironstones
from time to time while combustion is going on to facilitate the
condensing of the gases; and towards the end of the process steam
and water may again be admitted with the view of facilitating the
separation and condensation of the sulphur. The iron ores or iron-
stones being thus carbonised may then be removed, damped, or watered
out, and reduced into pig iron, malleable iron, or steel; or the car-
bonised iron ore or ironstone may be allowed to remain on the same
platform and there be calcined in the usual manner.
Instead of placing the flues as before mentioned they may be put
in the sides, top, or middle of the iron ores or ironstones, or in any
other position, or the iron ores or ironstones may be placed in a hole
from which the products may be drawn or pumped out. In place of
or to increase the effect of the chimney or stalk the draught may be
effected or increased by connecting the flues or heap to a blowing or
exhausting apparatus, such as a fan, blowing engine, air exhauster,
or other means of exhausting or forcing air.

page_text: The second part of this Invention relates to improvements in ovens
or "draw kilns" for the purpose of carbonising iron ores or ironstones.
In ovens or "draw kilns" where the charge is drawn completely
away after carbonisation of the ironstone is effected a mass of brick-.
work, clay, or other suitable material is to be built in about the
centre of the oven or kiln, so as to constitute a reservoir for heat
which the mass takes up and gives out again when required, thus
preventing the kiln cooling too much when it is drawn.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Henry Aitken in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 31st July 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL
SHALL COME, I, HENRY
AITKEN, of Falkirk, in the County of Stirling, North Britain, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Henry Aitken, Her special license
that I, the said Henry Aitken, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Henry Aitken, my executors, adminis-
trators, or 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 TREATING
IRON ORES OR IRONSTONES FOR THE PURPOSE OF OBTAINING PRODUCTS THEREFROM,
AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR; ALSO IMPROVEMENTS IN OVENS OR
'DRAW KILNS FOR CARBONIZING IRON ORES OR IRONSTONES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Aitken, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, 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

page_text: Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Aitken, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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 accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say :-
The first part of my said Invention relates to the treatment of iron
ores or ironstones for the purpose of obtaining certain products there-
from; and in order to carry it into effect a platform or bed of clay, brick,
stone, iron, or other material may be formed horizontally or at any
suitable angle (I prefer to have it at an angle of I in 30), and upon
this bricks or other such substances are placed in one or more layers
with open spaces between them; or a perforated pipe or pipes may
be placed on the platform or bed; or the iron ore or ironstone may
itself be used in making or forming these open spaces through or
below the heaps, and so dispense with the bricks or pipes; or a
metallic or clay bed may be used. The iron ore or ironstone to be
treated is placed upon the platform or bed, or upon the open brick-
work, or on and around the pipes, and covered over with iron, bricks,
loam, mould, turf, clay, or other material, or combination of these,
for the purpose of retaining the carbon in the ironstone after the
heap is fired. The heap may be fired and air admitted and regulated
from the top or otherwise. The open spaces in the iron ore or iron-
stone, or the brickwork underneath, or the pipes constituting flues
communicate through a condenser with a stalk or chimney, so that
when the iron ore or ironstone is ignited the heat and products of
combustion are drawn downwards and condensed in suitable pipes,
chambers, or flues, and collected into vessels and preserved for use.
Water may be caused to flow through the open spaces or pipes so as
to facilitate the condensing and collecting of the condensible matters.
Steam and water may also be put amongst the iron ores or ironstones
from time to time while combustion is going on to facilitate the con-
densing of the gases; and towards the end of the process steam and
water may again be admitted with the view of facilitating the separation
and condensation of the sulphur. The iron ores or ironstones being

page_text: thus carbonised, may then be removed, damped or watered out, and
reduced into pig iron; malleable iron or steel, or the carbonised iron
ore or ironstone may be allowed to remain on the same platform,
and there be calcined in the usual manner.
Instead of placing the flues as before mentioned they may be put
in the sides, top, or middle of the iron ores or ironstones, or in any
other position, or the iron ores or ironstones may be placed in a hole
from which the products may be drawn or pumped out. In place of
or to increase the effect of the chimney or stalk the draught may be
effected or increased by connecting the flues or heap to a blowing or
exhausting apparatus, such as a fan, blowing engine, air exhauster, or
other means of exhausting or forcing air.
"
Another part of this Invention relates to improvements in ovens or
draw kilns" for the purpose of carbonizing iron ores or ironstones.
In ovens or "draw kilns" where the charge is drawn completely away
after carbonization of the ironstone is effected a mass of brickwork,
clay, or other suitable material is to be built in about the centre of
the oven or kiln, so as to constitute a reservoir for heat, which the
mass takes up and gives out again when required, thus preventing
the kiln cooling too much when it is drawn.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood
I now proceed more particularly to set forth the system or manner in
or under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into
effect, reference being had for the sake of more complete elucidation
to the explanatory Sheet of Drawings which I have hereunto appended,
that is to say :-
and
Figure I is a longitudinal section through the platform
cover, Figure 2 a transverse section, and Figure 3 a plan showing
the condensing pipes. A is the platform upon which the iron ores
or ironstones are placed, and B the perforations through which the
heat and products of combustion are drawn downwards into the
flues C, and through these flues they pass to the condensing pipes D
by means of the action of the steam jet issuing through the nozzle L,
shown dotted on Figure 2; these pipes D being connected to suitable
vessels wherein the condensible matters are collected and preserved
for use. E is an iron arched covering, the inside of which may be
lined with fire-bricks or other suitable materials, as shown in Figures I
and 2. The arched covering E is carried upon wheels or rollers a,

page_text: Figure 1, and shown dotted on Figure 2, so that when the heap
or layers of iron ores or ironstones are built or laid upon the plat-
form A it is covered by the arched covering E, which is run along
the rails b fixed on the side walls F.
By this means any convenient
size of heap may be formed as the arched covering is by preference
made in sections, each of which is run along the rails b and placed
close to each other until the heap is covered. The iron ores or
ironstones may be fired or ignited on the top and the cover E run
over the heap, the heat and gases being drawn down as above and
herein-after set forth. To prevent danger from explosion of a high-
pressure of gas which may occur during the carbonizing of the iron
ores or ironstones part of the end G, which encloses the arched
covering E, is hinged, as shown at c, Figure 2, so that it may be
blown open and the explosive or high-pressure gases may escape
before they have collected to a dangerous extent. Holes d are formed
in the arched covering E to admit air to the heap after it is fired.
To facilitate the condensing, and collecting of the condensible matters
during the carbonizing of the iron ores or ironstones water may be
caused to flow through the flues C and the pipes D. Steam and
water may also be injected amongst the iron ores or ironstones from
time to time while combustion is going on to facilitate the condensation
of the gases, and towards the end of the process steam and water
may again be admitted for the purpose of facilitating the separation
of the sulphur and salt, or salt water may be admitted to render
what sulphur remains harmless. The gases which are not condensed
escape by the pipe H to a chimney or fire-grate, not shown in the
Drawings or the exhausting of the gases is maintained by an
exhausting or forcing apparatus or means. When the coking or car-
bonizing process is finished the arched covering may be run off on
the rails b, and the iron ores or ironstones may be removed or reduced
at once, to malleable iron, steel, or pig iron; or the carbonised iron
ores or ironstones may be allowed to remain on the same platform,
and there be calcined in the usual manner; or the cover may be kept
on, and the iron ores or ironstones may be cooled and watered out
under it and then removed, after which they may be reduced by the
blast furnace into pig iron; or they may be reduced into pig iron,
steel, or malleable iron in kilns, ovens, or air furnaces. In lieu of
using a steam jet or chimney for exhausting the gaseous matter, as
herein-before set forth, a jet of air at high pressure may be employed

page_text: by connecting the nozzle L with a reservoir in which the air is com-
pressed; this air expanding on escaping through the nozzle will reduce
the temperature of the condenser to the requisite degree, at the
same time producing the necessary amount of draught.
In place of treating the iron ores or ironstones in any of the
apparatus or means for carbonizing them as herein-before set forth
the materials to be carbonized may be placed on a frame or platform
carried upon wheels, or on revolving plates or platforms, such plat-
forms or plates being arranged to traverse on rails or tramways that
they may be run under an arched covering or kiln, and therein
coked or carbonized, as herein-before described in reference to the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings; or the process may be made con-
tinuous by feeding the raw iron ore or ironstone in at one end of
the kiln, retort, oven, or arched covering, and as it is coked or
carbonized drawing it out at the opposite end, the gases and oils
being utilized or collected as herein-before described.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and the
manner in or under which the same is or may be used or practically
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is the construction
and arrangement of coking or carbonizing apparatus as shown and
described in reference to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto attached,
as well as the moveable platform and revolving plates herein-before
referred to, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Aitken, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of July, One thou-
sand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
0 Witness,
ST. JOHN VINCENT DAY,
166, Buchanan Street,
Glasgow.
HENRY AITKEN. (L.S.)