IMPROVEMENTS IN PUDDLING IRON, STEEL IRON, AND STEEL, AND IN APPARATUS OR MACHINERY FOR FACILITATING THE OPERATION OF PUDDLING
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Bennett, of Wombridge, in the County of
Salop, Ironmaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUDDLING
IRON, STEEL IRON, AND STEEL, AND IN APPARATUS OR MACHINERY FOR
FACILITATING THE OPERATION OF PUDDLING."
Sealed the 20th October 1864, and dated the 23rd April 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Bennett at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 23rd April 1864.
I, HENRY BENNETT, of Wombridge, in the County of Salop, Ironmaster, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PUDDLING IRON, STEEL IRON, AND STEEL, AND IN APPARATUS OR MACHINERY FOR
FACILITATING THE OPERATION OF PUDDLING," to be as follows, that is to say:-
My Invention consists, firstly, of improvements in puddling iron, steel iron,
and steel by submitting the pigs to a strong heat prior to their introduction
into the body of the furnace to be puddled; this I effect by placing hollow
bars with water running through them over the fire-grate, or over the body
of the furnace at a distance of some six inches from the crown. Upon these
water bars are laid the pigs introduced through doors in the end of the furnace
above the fire door, and as one heat of metal is being bloomed or balled, these
pigs are being reduced almost to a molten state, the heat being drawn, the
pigs are removed into the position in the puddling chamber, where they are in

page_text: turn to be puddled, but this operation of previously heating them I find will
save from twenty to thirty minutes in the operation of puddling each heat,
and of course a corresponding saving of fuel is also effected.
Secondly, my Invention consists of certain improvements upon a former
Invention of mine for the same purpose, and for which Her Majesty's Royal
Letters Patent bearing date the Eighteenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three (No. 1242), have been
granted to me. Upon the top of a puddling furnace I place a quadrant guide
supported in suitable carriers. Around this quadrant guide moves a radial
bar from a pivot at the centre of the circle, of which the quadrant forms a
portion; from the same bed plate, supporting the quadrant on the top of
the furnace, is supported a long rod hung on friction rollers, from which runs
a connecting rod which gives motion to the radius rod travelling round the
quadrant, and also supports the puddler's rabble. The necessary change
motion of the radius rod may be obtained as in my former Patent, or by a
crank fixed to a slow motion shaft, and a connecting rod attached to the radial
bar moving round the quadrant guide. One furnace being fitted with the
change motion or reversing gear any number of furnaces may be worked by
it by merely placing them in gear by means of connecting rods and bell-crank
action.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Bennett in the Great Seal Patent Office
the 22nd October 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, HENRY
BENNETT, of Wombridge Ironworks, in the County of Salop, Ironmaster, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said IIenry Bennett, Her special licence that I, the said Henry Bennett,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Henry Bennett, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and

page_text: Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PUDDLING IRON, STEEL IRON, AND STEEL, AND IN APPARATUS OR MACHI-
NERY FOR FACILITATING THE OPERATION OF PUDDLING," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Henry Bennett, by an instrument in writing under
3 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 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 Henry Bennett, 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 follow-
ing statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
:-
My Invention consists, firstly, of improvements in puddling iron, steel iron,
and steel by submitting the pigs to a strong heat prior to their introduction
into the body of the furnace to be puddled; this effect by placing hollow
bars with water running through them over the fire-grate, or over the body
of the furnace at a distance of some six inches from the crown, upon these
water bars are laid the pigs, introduced through doors in the end of the fur-
nace above the fire door, and as one heat of metal is being bloomed or balled
these pigs are being reduced almost to a molten state, the heat being drawn
the pigs are removed into the position in the puddling chamber where they
are in turn to be puddled, but this operation of previously beating them, I
find will save from twenty to thirty minutes in the operation of puddling each
heat, and of course a corresponding saving of fuel is also effected.
Secondly, my Invention consists of certain improvements upon a former
Invention of mine for the same purpose, and for which Her Majesty's Royal
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, have been granted to me.
Upon the top of a puddling furnace I place a quadrant guide supported in
suitable carriers, around this quadrant guide moves a radial bar from a pivot
at the centre of the circle, of which the quadrant forms a portion; from the
same bed plate supporting the quadrant on the top of the furnace is supported
a long rod hung on friction rollers, from which runs a connecting rod which
gives motion to the radius rod travelling round the quadrant, and also supports
the puddler's rabble. The necessary change motion of the radius rod may be
obtained as in my former Patent, or by a crank fixed to a slow motion sbaft,
and a connecting rod attached to the radial bar moving round the quadrant

page_text: any number of furnaces may be worked by it by merely placing them in gear
by means of connecting rods and bell-crank action.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Sheet A, Figure 1 is a vertical section; and Figure 2 a plan from above
of a furnace fitted with my improved puddling apparatus. Sheet B, Figure 3,
is a vertical section; and Figure 4 a plan from above of a similar furnace
fitted with another form or modification of my improved puddling apparatus.
In Sheet A (1) is the furnace bed; (2) a quadrant guide, supported on
carriers (3), around this quadrant guide works the radial bar (4) from a
pivot at (5) the centre point of the quadrant; (6) is a rod or bar running on
friction rollers (7), which bar is carried by the standards (8); this bar travels
over two or more furnaces, having the same apparatus connected to thom, and
thus several furnaces are worked by the same engine power simultaneously,
the rod (6) being connected to the engine by a crank, or in any other suitable
manner; (9) is a rod suspended from the rod (6), and attached to the radial
bar (4), so that as the bar (6) works with a reciprocating motion backwards
and forwards in a line with the body of the furnace, the radial bar (4) par-
takes of the same motion, whilst by its motion round the quadrant a circular
motion is also ensured, thus, through the connecting rod (10), hung from the
radial bar, the puddler's rabble (11) is constantly worked in a rectilinear and
also a circular motion imitating as nearly as possible the movements of the
human arm. The rod (12) is attached at one end to the quadrant slide, and
at the other to a crank (13), upon which crank is the rod (14) and vertical
rod (15), upon which is fixed the pinion (16), working into and driven by a
worm (17) upon a revolving shaft (18), by which revolving shaft motion is
given off from the engine; this forms the change or reversing gear bringing
back the quadrant slide, and with it the radial bar (4), when they have
reached either end of the quadrant; the rod (14) is in connection with similar
change gear upon the next furnace, and by means of a bell crank fixed at any
suitable point upon this rod, the connection being upon the opposite arms of the
crank, a reciprocating motion is maintained. Any number of furnac es may
thus be connected together, and worked by the same power simultaneously.
(In Sheet B) are shewn Drawings representing a modified form of my
apparatus dispensing with the quadrant and several other portions of the
mechanism shewn in (Sheet A). In this form of apparatus the rod or bar (1)
by which the power is derived from the engine, has a bent lever rod (2) sus-
pended from it at the point (3), the rod (2) works in a slotted bar (4), and

page_text: supports the rabble (5). The slotted bar (4) is hung upon a pivot at (6),
and by the attachment of the rod (7), (worked by the reversing gear) to the
end (8) of the bar (4), circular reciprocating motion is imparted to the bar,
and it moves in an imaginary arc of a circle, of which the point (6) is the
centre, thus the circular reciprocating motion is obtained, whilst by the con-
nection of the bent lever (2) (carrying the rabble) to the bar (1) at the
point (3) rectilinear.reciprocating motion is imparted to the rabble. Several
furnaces may be worked simultaneously by this system by putting them in
communication in the same manner as explained for the apparatus shewn in
Sheet (A), and as all the other parts shewn upon this Sheet are the same in
all respects as those seen upon (Sheet A), further description is unnecessary.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I do not limit myself to these precise details,
but I claim,
Firstly, the improvement in puddling iron, steel iron, and steel by sub-
mitting the pig iron to a strong heat before puddling as herein described.
And, secondly, I claim the improvements in apparatus or machinery for
facilitating such operation of puddling, substantially as herein more fully set
forth and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Bennett, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
HENRY BENNETT. (L.S.)