IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR THAT PURPOSE." PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Whitham, Iron Manufacturer, and Thomas
Wright, Manager, of the Calder. Vale Iron Works, Wakefield, in the
County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF IRON AND STEEL, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR THAT PURPOSE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Whitham and
Thomas Wright, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 21st October 1862.
We, SAMUEL WHITHAM, Iron Manufacturer, and THOMAS WRIGHT,
Manager, of the Calder Vale Iron Works, Wakefield, in the County of York,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR THAT
PURPOSE," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to puddling ball and mill furnaces employed in the
▸ manufacture of iron and steel, and consists in an improved method of heating
atmospheric air, and in the application of a blast for the purpose of reducing
or re-heating iron so reduced for either small or large piles for slabs, shafts,
or slabs for armour plates required to be heated, thereby giving an equal
distribution of heat to every part of the iron heated, consequently not destroying
the fibre by continued exposure of some parts more than others to the direct
action of the flame on its passage to the stack, thus securing with far less risk

page_text: and a considerable less waste of iron a good sound bloom, plate, or bar, as the
case may be.
We propose to construct or apply to present puddling furnaces hollow
lining plates or boxes, and cause a current of atmospheric air to pass therein
and also underneath the bottom plates of the same, for the purpose of preser-
ving the said plates from the action of the flame and liquid metal, and
for heating the air which is to be applied to the furnaces, the blast thus
heated being applied to the furnace either beneath or above the grate. The
said furnaces are constructed either single or double with stoves or chambers
in the necks to receive the metal prior to its ultimate introduction
to the hearth or crucible of the furnace, and by the adaptation of pipes and
valves to regulate the blast the furnace man has entire control over the
furnace to increase or diminish the temperature as required, thus greatly
facilitating the whole of the operations and manipulations of the process.
We also furthermore propose to introduce a current of water through the
furnace doors and frames, thus rendering the front or working part of the
furnace more durable and cooler, enabling the workmen to prosecute the work
with less exhaustion and fatigue than heretofore.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Samuel Whitham and Thomas Wright in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 21st April 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, SAMUEL
WHITHAM, Iron Manufacturer, and THOMAS WRIGHT, Manager, of the Calder
Vale Iron Works, Wakefield, in the County of York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Samuel Whitham and Thomas Wright, Her special licence that we,
the said Samuel Whitham and Thomas Wright, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said Samuel Whitham and Thomas
Wright, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and át 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
THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR

page_text: THAT PURPOSE," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Samuel
Whitham and Thomas Wright, our executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under our, or their, or one of our or 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 we, the said Samuel Whitham and Thomas Wright,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained.
in and by the following statement, that is to say:
This Invention relates to puddling ball and mill furnaces employed in the
manufacture of iron and steel, and consists in an improved method of heating
atmospheric air and in the application of a blast for the purpose of reducing
or reheating iron so reduced,, for either small or large piles for slabs, shafts,
or slabs for armour plates required to be heated, thereby giving an equal
distribution of heat to every part of the iron heated, consequently not destroying
the fibre by continued exposure of some parts more than others to the direct
action of the flame on its passage to the stack, thus securing with far less risk
and a considerable less waste of iron a good sound bloom, plate, or bar, as the
case may be.
We propose to construct or apply to present puddling furnaces hollow
lining plates or boxes, and cause a current of atmospheric air to pass therein
and also underneath the bottom plates of the same for the purpose of pre-
serving the said plates from the action of the flame and liquid metal, and for
beating the air which is to be applied to the furnaces, the blast thus heated
being applied to the furnace either beneath or above the grate. The said
furnaces are constructed either single or double, with or without stoves or
chambers in the necks to receive the metal prior to its ultimate introduction to
the hearth or crucible of the furnace, and by the adaptation of pipes and
valves to regulate the blast, the furnace man has entire control over the furnace
to increase or diminish the temperature as required, thus greatly facilitating
the whole operations and manipulations of the process.
We also furthermore propose to introduce a current or currents of water
through the furnace doors and frames, by providing them with suitable inlet
and outlet pipes, thus rendering the front or working part of the furnace more
durable and cooler, enabling the workman to prosecute the work with less
exhaustion and fatigue than heretofore.
In carrying this Invention into practice whether in the erection of single or

page_text: double puddling or other furnaces, or in altering or modifying the present ones,
we apply hollow plates, boxes or "boshes" to form air chambers extending
around and underneath the hearth of the furnace, which thus forms the lining
and bridge plates of the hearth. Atmospheric air is forced by a fan or fans
or blast engine into the same, which not only materially preserves the lining
plates of the furnace from the distructive action of the flame and liquid metal,
whereby a saving is effected in the wear and tear of the furnace, but also the
said air having being heated in its passage through the air chambers or
"boshes" is conducted into the furnace to increase the combustion of the fuel
either by applying the same above the fire-grate in the fire chamber or beneath
the fire-grate in the ash-pit. When applying this heated air in the fire chamber
we cause it to pass through perforated plates or gratings so as to divide and
distribute it amongst the flame and gases, and enable it to comingle as much
as possible therewith before coming in contact with the metal in the the hearth
or crucible of the furnace, and thereby acting with equal effect upon all parts
of the said metal.. When applying the heated air under the fire-grate we
enclose the ash-pit with doors so as to confine and compel its passage through
the gratings and fire, whereby it becomes thoroughly mixed or mingled with
the flame and gases before they act on the metal in the hearth. Taps or valves
are applied to the pipes or passages in such manner that the attendant can
regulate the admission of air as required.
By means of these arrangements and the application of hot blast we partially
dispense with the usual draught of the stack or chimney, and consequently
avoid or prevent ingress or admission of cold air at the stopper holes or other
appertures to the furnace as heretofore, which not only destroys a considerable
per-centage of iron but impairs the quality of the remainder. Also that whilst
the air is being heated by passing through the air chambers of the hearth it is
preserving the hearth from being destroyed by the action thereupon of the
flame and liquid metal, and thereby dispensing with the use of cold water,
which has heretofore in some cases been employed in a continuous stream
about the hearth to keep it cool, and which is not only attended with a'con-
siderable waste of heat and consequently of fuel, but is dangerous in use, as the
cold water is constantly absorbing the heat from the furnace, and then being
run off in hot water, generally to waste, and sometimes explosions occur by the
use of cold water for this purpose of keeping the hearth cool. In all cases we
also apply a blast of cold air under the grates in the ash-pit in addition to
the hot blast previously explained when such is applied above the grates.
And in order to economize fuel and facilitate the operations we construct
such furnaces with chambers in their necks or betwixt the hearth and stack

page_text: or up-take thereto, into which we place the pig metal to prepare it for the
hearth, which is thereby made hot with the waste heat from the furnace.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is or may be performed or carried into practise, we would
have it understood that we do not confine ourselves to any particular form,
construction, or arrangement of the several parts set forth, or to the manner
of applying hollow lining plates to furnaces, or the method of supplying atmo-
spheric air thereto, or of applying the same when heated to the said furnaces,
but what we claim as of our Invention, is-
Firstly, the application of hollow lining plates to puddling ball and mill
furnaces in such manner as to form chambers around and underneath the
hearth, and supplying the same with atmospheric air for the purpose of pre-
serving the hearth from the action of the flame and liquid metal.
Secondly, the means or method of heating atmospheric air, and applying it
to such furnaces substantially as herein described.
Thirdly, the application of a current or currents of water to the doors and
frames of such furnaces for keeping them cool.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Wright, for and on behalf of
myself and the said Samuel Whitham, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventeenth day of April, One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-three.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Thomas Wright, in
the presence of
W*. TASKER,
Patent Agent,
Halifax.
THOMAS WRIGHT. (L.S.)