Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for use in Melting and Casting Metal.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 13th April, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 13th April, 1897-Accepted, 31st July, 1897
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for use in Melting and
Casting Metal.
LOUIS ROUSSEAU, Engineer, of 56 Rue St. Sabin, Paris, in the Republic of France,
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:
The present invention has for its object improvements relating to furnaces for
melting and casting metal.
These improvements have chiefly for their object to allow a perfect combustion of
gases from the fuel and a better utilization of the heat produced than is the case in
the furnaces used at present.
In order to make my invention better understood I add to the present description
a drawing in which
1..f
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of my improved apparatus and its arrangement.
Figure 2 is a front vertical section of the apparatus according to Figure 1 when
viewed from the left.
Figure 3 is a vertical section in front of the apparatus according to the preceding
view when viewed from the right.
Figure 4 is a plan of the upper part of the furnace.
Figure 5 is a horizontal section on line A-B of Figure 1.
Figure 6 is a horizontal section on line C-D of Figure 1.
Figure 7 is a plan seen from below of the means of closing the lower part of the
furnace.
Figure 8 is a longitudinal vertical section of an arrangement of a stand serving to
support the crucible.
a is the crucible, b c d e are linings of refractory earth or plumbago constituting a
portion of the combustion chamber of the furnace f being its outer sheet-metal shell
or casing.
g is a ring-like crown closing the furnace at its upper end; and perforated with
orifices h serving for the introduction of fuel and capable of being closed by plugs i.
k is an angle-iron support fixed to the casing f and on which rests the lining of the
furnace.
'
The crowns b and c of this refractory lining are in several parts and the number of
of
the latter will vary according to the size of the apparatus.

page_text: Each of these parts has a strengthening part which enables a small air-passage m
to be made in them without weakening them but the part of this passage made in
the parts of the crown c does not extend throughout the whole length of the latter.
Holes n n are made obliquely from top to bottom in the parts of the crown c
establish communication between the passage m and the interior of the furnace.
The horizontal branch of the angle iron k is also perforated in places (of the passages
of the crown b resting on it).
The crown e of the lining of the furnace also consists of several parts one of which
is provided with a projection q of suitable shape in order to enable the crucible to be
placed and rest against it and the passage terminating at the tapping hole 8 of the
crown g to be recessed in it.
t is a traverse or cross piece held in position at one end by its heel u (Fig. 7)
supported on a part v secured to the casing f of the furnace and the angle iron and
at its other end by the pin x passing through the casing and angle iron k of the
furnace and engaging with a hole or recess made for it in the boss y on the traverse;
the latter is hollowed out in its centre and supports by means of a pin z a rod a¹ on
the top of which is placed an inverted cup 6¹ of refractory earth or plumbagine
supporting the bottom of the crucible a.
c¹ is a socket the outer diameter of which is smaller than the inner diameter of the
cup and the length of which is such that a free annular space is left between the
edges of the cup and its upper end. This socket c¹ may be provided in its interior
with wings or projections in order to centre it with the rod a¹.
In order to retain the fuel the furnace is closed at the bottom by a plate d¹ in two
parts connected by two ties e² e²; two pins f¹ f¹ passing through these ties and the
traverse t fix the plate d¹ to the latter.
The furnace is placed in a pit g¹ from which it partially projects.
is a plate having in its centre a circular hole of a diameter slightly less than that
of the casing of the furnace and on which the latter rests, i¹ is a second pit concentric
with the first and arranged under the furnace; into this latter pit the tube k¹ extends
through which is admitted the air from the blowers.
are the two parts of two small frames forming guides and placed on each side
of the apparatus these frames are secured at their bases to the plate h¹ by means of
bolts.
frames.
m² m² are two slide blocks respectively placed on the trunnions n' n² of the furnaces
and are capable of sliding freely between the two vertical members of the
The trunnion n' has sufficient length to enable a socket p¹ having two
branches qq into one or the other of which a bar 71 may be introduced to be
secured at its end by any means. 8 8¹ are two collars respectively placed on the
trunnions n¹ n² and connected to the bent support by two rods u¹ u¹.
is a hook arranged at the end of the chain of a lifting device on which can be
suspended the rod t¹.
Operation of the apparatus. The furnace having been lit and the metal to be
melted placed in the crucible air from the blowers enters through the tube k¹ and
spreads in the pit penetrating thence into the furnace passing first through the
small clearance left between the parts of the bottom closing device then through
the space comprised between the rod a¹ and the sleeve c¹ and lastly through the
passages n n through which the passages m m communicate with the interior of the
furnace.
The air admission is thus distributed in several points of the path of the combustion
gases besides this admission takes place as much as possible in the direction opposite
to that in which the gases travel so as to cause them to thoroughly mix with air
necessary for their combustion and to render the latter as perfect as possible.
The combustion gases arriving at the upper end of the furnace meet the lower wall
of the closing crown g turn almost at a right angle towards the centre of the apparatus
going along said wall before escaping through the central hole of the closing
part g.

page_text: The diameter of the central orifice of this part being smaller than that of the
interior of the crucible, the result will be that the gases heat by radiation the surface
of the metal to be melted.
The special arrangement of the furnace will therefore allow of a perfect combustion
of gases which are raised to a very high temperature and of an excellent utilization of
the heat produced.
When the fusion is finished and the metal ready to be tapped the furnace is raised
to a sufficient height by means of a lifting device the end of the chain of which has a
hook so as to enable the apparatus to be suitable inclined by means of the bar v¹
which engages with one of the branches q¹ q² according to the inclination to be
given. The furnace is then swung on its trunnions being held by the slide
blocks mi m¹ in which they turn.
To remove the ashes it is sufficient to remove the pins f¹f and the plate d¹.
To facilitate raising the furnace I balance its weight on the lifting device by
placing on the spindle of the latter a pulley round the rim of which is wound a chain
or a cord attached at one end to the rim of the wheel the other end supporting a
balance weight.
It is evident that the crucible instead of resting with its bottom on the device previously
described may be supported by a cap of plumbago or refractory earth (Fig. 8) the
upper part of the vertical wall of which would be provided with holes.
I reserve to myself the right to vary the form and dimensions of the parts
constituting my new improved devices according to circumstances and applications
and to use in their construction any suitable material.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In apparatus for melting metals the closing device for the lower part of the
furnace in combination with the parts for distributing the air necessary for combustion
substantially as described.
2. In apparatus for melting metals the arrangements of the upper part of the
lining of the furnace to enable the flames to the deflected to the central part of the
apparatus and to heat by radiation the metal contained in the crucible substantially
as described.
3. In apparatus for raising the crucible furnaces for casting the metal the balancing
device balancing the weight of the furnace substantially as described.
4. In apparatus for melting metals the device enabling the furnace to be swung
for inspection or for casting the metal substantially as described.
5. The application together or separately of these devices to furnaces for
melting metals.
6. The combination and arrangements of parts constituting the complete apparatus
for use in melting metals substantially as described and illustrated in the accompany-
ing drawings.
Dated this 12th 2
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