IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HOMOGENEOUS IRON, OF STEEL, AND OF OTHER CAST METALS, AND APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1884

page_text: I, AUGUSTE PONSARD of Paris, France 65 Rue d'Amsterdam Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF HOMOGENEOUS IRON, OF STEEL, AND OF OTHER CAST METALS, AND APPARATUS
THEREFOR to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain means and apparatus for the manufacture of
homogeneous iron, of steel, and of other cast metals, and apparatus therefor.
It is well known that the refining of Pig Iron by Besseater's process consists in
sending through the bath of liquid Pig Iron a current of compressed air, and the
necessary temperature to maintain the bath of metal liquid is obtained by the
intermolecular combustion of the metalloids contained in the Pig Iron, Carbon,
Silicon, Phosphorus.
When the Pig Iron does not contain a sufficient proportion of these metalloids
there are unfit to be treated by that process, it is necessary therefore that Pig Iron
should contain certain proportions of Silicon, Carbon, Phosphorous, etc; etc.
The improvements hereafter mentioned allow of manufacturing Steel and
homogeneous cast Iron by using every kind of Pig Iron, be they more or less
silicated or carburised, be they more or less phosphorised, be they mixture of Pig
and Scrap Iron, be they Scrap Iron alone, be they Iron ores alone or mixed with a
portion of Pig Iron.
The apparatus consists
1st of a blow pipe Convertor-2nd of a high pressure Gazogene melting the
Scorics and able to produce Gas at any pressure.
The blow pipe Convertor, consists of a shaft of sheet Iron, lined with suitable
refractory materials, surmounted by another shaft of smaller diameter making a
chimney and having a suitable height. The upper opening is at will closed by a
plug, so as to cause combustion under pressure, and thus obtain very high tempera-
ture. The whole of the apparatus has the form of a Cupola of which the hearth
is of a larger diameter than the upper part, this form is not absolutely necessary
and the portion above the Hearth may have the shape of a Bessemer retort. One
or several rows of tuyères for blast are placed around the apparatus at the upper
part of the hearth.

page_text: These tuyères are strongly inclined on to the bath and open out in the shaft of
the convertor at the heighth of the bath to be operated on, able nevertheless to be
immerged more or less in the bath.
The blow pipe tuyères are fed by a strong current of air from a blowing engine
mixed with a suitable amount of Craburized Gas or of liquid Hydrocarbon
sent at the same pressure as the air and arriving mixed with the air in the
tuyères so as to obtain in the shaft of the apparatus as much blast as there are
tuyères.
The air and the gas come out into the pipes which distribute them to the tuyères
boxes and valves mounted on the pipes which conduct the air and the gas to allow
of the nature of gaseous mixture being regulated.
In this manner is obtained a jet of flame, oxidising, neutral or reducing
according to the proportion of gas contained in the mixture if necessary the
air or gas can be completely suppressed. The air and gas tubes can be placed
under the convertor or even placed in a circle around the shaft, and from there
proceed the tubes arriving at the tuyères boxes, of which the number can vary
according to wish.
The gas is produced by a gazogene working under pressure. The gazogene has
the shape of a small blast Furnace, it is mounted in an envelope of Sheet Iron,
lined in the interior with refractory materials, it has a crucible to receive the
melted Scorice and to let it flow. The furnace top is closed by a charging box with
valve above a charging cone. The tuyères of which the number may vary at will
are pierced into the walls of the furnace.
The gazogene is placed in a large bell of Sheet Iron furnished with a sufficient
number of peep holes to light the interior and a pipe leads into the bell of air
compressed by any kind of blowing machine, the pressure of the air sent into the
bell can be varied at will, that is to say, that it can be that of a ventilator.
The action of the gazogene is made by a double door by which the attendants
enter into the apparatus or go out to supply the combustible or to draw out the
scorice and in a word to do what is necessary for the gazogene.
The charging of the gazogene takes place by means of a service bridge by which
the supply of combustible is brought by means of a small hoist.
A tube to take the gas places the gazogene in communication with the apparatus
of combustion, the tuyère convertor passing into one or several purifiers where the
dust accumulates.
So as to allow the gas to escape when the combustion is stopped in the
apparatus, a valve mounted on a pipe conducting the gas, allows it to escape
into the Atmosphere. As it is easy to take account of the compressed air
which fills the large bell, enters into the apparatus by the tuyères pierced in
the bottom of the furnace, and air enters into the furnace on account of the
discharge of gas.
The exit orifice for the gas bears a suitable relation to the total section of the
tuyères, the pressure in the gazogene becomes equal to that of the air contained in
the bell, so that if in the bell the a ir is at one atmosphere pressure, the gas in the
gazogene and the pipes conducting it will be at the same pressure. It is besides
easy to regulate the sections of the tuyères by making them sufficient in number,
and unstopping them out so as to establish the equilibrium between the pressure of
the gas in the gazogene and the pressure of air in the bell.
So as to avoid choking up in the gazogene and to facilitate the descent of the
combustible in it, there are orifices placed at different .heights so as to allow the
introduction of stirring Irons to assist the regular descent of the combustible.
These orifices are closed by a moveable plug that one can raise at need and replace
directly.
The combustible employed can be coke, uninflammable Coals, Lignites, Wood,
charcoal, and with the fuel the suitable flux is charged to cause the ashes of the
fuel to run, even a little sea salt may be added to the charges,

page_text: The melted Scorice may be run intermittently or continuously into an Iron box
full of water, the water can be supplied to this by charging or from a pump by a
pipe and is thrown back outside the bell by the internal pressure, a cock serves as a
regulator for the exit of the water.
A small pipe round the gazogene above the tubes, conducts a small stream of
water which drops above each tuyère and the water drawn in by the air entering.
by the tuyère is decomposed passing across the incadescent fuel so as to enrich, the
gas produced, with Hydrogen
The conducting tubes for the gas are provided with an interior lining of refractory
earth, so as to preserve as much as possible the gases hot until used. The air and
gas are led separately until in the Luyère but if the gas is sufficiently cooled, the
gas and air can be conducted together (mixed) in a collecting tube which conducts
the gaseous mixtures into the tuyère boxes. In this case, gas produced from
distillation can be used, or that coming from any gazogene blown by any
blowing machine, sent under. pressure with air into the collecting tube which
distributes the gaseous nixture to the tuyères causing it to pass or not into a
carbonizing machine.
•

page_text: I AUGUSTE PONSARD of Paris, France, 65 Rue d'Amsterdam, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF HOMOGENEOUS IRON, OF STEEL, AND OF OTHER CAST METALS, AND APPARATUS
THEREFOR," and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
It is well known that the refining of Pig iron by Bessemer's process consists in
sending through the bath of Liquid Pig iron a current of compressed air, and the
necessary temperature to maintain the bath of metal liquid is obtained by the
intermolecular combustion of the metalloids contained in the Pig iron, Carbon,
Silicon, Phosphorus.
When the Pig iron does not contain a sufficient proportion of these metalloids
they are unfit to be treated by that process, it is necessary therefore that Pig iron
should contain certain proportions of Silicon, Carbon, Phosphorus &c. &c.
The improvements hereafter mentioned allow of manufacturing Steel, and Homo-
geneous cast iron by using every kind of Pig iron, be they more or less silicated or
carburized, be they more or less phosphorised, be they mixture of Pig and scrap iron,
be they scrap iron alone, be they iron ores alone or mixed, with a portion of Pig
iron. The apparatus consists 1st of a blow pipe convertor. 2nd of a high pressure
gazogene melting the scories &c so as to produce gas at any pressure.
The blow pipe convertor consists of a shaft of sheet iron lined with suitable
refractory materials, surmounted by another shaft of smaller diameter making a
chimney and having a suitable height. The upper opening is at will closed by a
plug, so as to cause combustion under pressure, and thus obtain very high tem-
perature. The whole of the apparatus has the form of a cupola of which the hearth
is of a larger diameter than the upper part, this form is not absolutely necessary
and the portion above the hearth may have the shape of a Bessemer retort. One
or several rows of tuyères for blast are placed around the apparatus at the upper
part of the hearth as is shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the annexed drawings.
These tuyères A A are strongly inclined on to the bath and open out in the
shaft of the convertor at the height of the bath to be operated on, able nevertheless
to be immerged more or less in the bath.
The blow pipe Tuyerès are fed by a strong current of air from a blowing engine
mixed with a suitable amount of carburized gas or of liquid Hydrocarbon sent at the
same pressure as the air and arriving mixed with the air in the Tuyères so as to
obtain in the shaft of the apparatus as much blast as there are tuyères.
The air and the gas come out into the pipes B which distribute them to the
tuyères, boxes and valves mounted on the pipes which conduct the air and the gas
to allow of the nature of gaseous mixture being regulated.
In this manner is obtained a jet of flame, oxidising, neutral or reducing according
to the proportion of gas contained in the mixture, if necessary the air or gas can be
completely suppressed,

page_text: The air and gas tubes can be placed under the convertor or even placed in a circle
around the shaft (as shown at Figure 4) and from there proceed the tubes arriving
at the tuyères foxes, of which the number can vary according to wish.
The gas is produced by a gazogene D working under pressure. The gazogene has
the shape of a small blast furnace, it is mounted in an envelope of sheet iron, lined
in the interior with refractory materials, it has a crucible to receive the melted
scorie and to let it flow. The furnace top is closed by a charging box with valve
above a charging cone. The tuyères of which the number may vary at will are
pierced into the walls of the furnace as shown at Figure 3.
The gazogene is placed in a large bell of sheet iron furnished with a sufficient
number of peep holes to light the interior and a pipe leads into the bell of air
compressed by any kind of blowing machine, the pressure of the air sent into the
bell can be varied at will.
The action of the gazogene is made by a double door by which the attendants
enter into the apparatus or go out to supply the combustible or to draw out the
scorie and in a word to do what is necessary for the gazogene.
The charging of the gazogene takes place by means of a service bridge by which
the supply of combustible is brought by means of a small hoist.
A tube to take the gas places the gazogene in communication with the apparatus
of combustion, the tuyère convertor passing into one or several purifiers where the
dust accumulates as shown at E in Figure 3.
'
So as to allow the gas to escape when the combustion is stopped in the
apparatus, a valve mounted on a pipe conducting the gas, allows it to escape into
the atmosphere. As it is easy to ascertain the amount of the compressed air
which fills the large bell, it enters into the apparatus by the tuyères pierced in the
bottom of the furnace, and air enters into the furnace on account of the discharge
of gas..
The exit orifice for the gas bears a suitable relation to the total section of the
tuyères, the pressure in the gazogene becomes equal to that of the air contained in
the bell, so that if in the bell the air is at one atmosphere pressure, the gas in the
gazogene and the pipes conducting it will be at the same pressure. It is besides
easy to regulate the sections of the tuyères by making them sufficient in number
and unstopping them out so as to establish the equilibrium between the pressure of
the gas in the gazogene and the pressure of air in the bell..
.
So as to avoid choking up in the gazogene and to facilitate the descent of the
combustible in it; there are orifices placed at different heights so as to allow the
introduction of stirring irons to assist the regular descent of the combustible.
These orifices are closed by a movable plug that one can raise as needed and replace
directly.
The combustible employed can be coke, uninflamable coals, signites, wood, charcoal
and with the fuel the suitable flux is charged to cause the ashes of the fuel to run,
even a little sea salt may be added to the charges.
The melted scoria may be run intermittently or continuously into an iron box
full of water, the water can be supplied to this by charging or from a pump by á
pipe and is thrown. back outside the bell by the internal pressure, a cock serves as
a regulator for the exit of the water.
A small pipe round the gazogene above the tubes, conducts a small stream of
water which drops above each tuyère and the water drawn in by the air entering
by the tuyère is decomposed passing across the incandescent fuel so as to enrich,
the gas produced, with Hydrogen.
The conducting tubes for the gas are provided with an interior lining of
refractory earth, so as to preserve as much as possible the gases hot until used.
The air and gas are led separately until in the tuyères, but if the gas is sufficiently
cooled, the gas and air can be conducted together (mixed) in a collecting tube
which conducts the gaseous mixtures into the tuyère boxes. (as shown in Figure 2).
In this case gas produced from distillation can be used, or that coming from any.
gazogene blown by any blowing machine, sent under pressure with air into the

page_text: i
collecting tube which distributes the gaseous mixture to the tuyères causing it to
pass or not into a carbonizing machine, as shown in Figure 1.
METHOD OF OPERATION:
In the case where suitable Pig iron has to be treated to make Bessemer by taking
the molten Pig when leaving the cupola or blast furnace, it is introduced into the
apparatus by the orifice A, that of B' is used for exit of scorice. It is convenient
that the amount of pig iron to be introduced into the apparatus should not reach
to the tuyère openings these should immerge from the Pig iron bath and only
immerged in the scorice.
As soon as the liquid pig is in the apparatus air alone is blown in forcibly, and
the operation of refining takes place as in a Bessemer apparatus.
If needed the scorice can be run out at the opening B¹, the pressure of blast
varied very extensively, the blast may even be stopped almost entirely without fear
of the metal entering the tuyère. Samples can also be taken from the-opening B
by means of little ladles and when the operation is finished the run off is made by
the ordinary methods, after having added the necessary Ferro-manganese, either in
the running out ladle of the runners or into the apparatus itself. If instead of
operating by taking the liquid Pig iron from the cupola or the furnace, it is wished
to melt the pig iron in the apparatus itself it is charged into the apparatus cold
and a suitable gaseous mixture, is thrown in by the tuyères, to form a bigh
temperature under the action of the tuyères forming so many blow pipes, the cold
Pig iron is rapidly melted and the fusion made, the refining is proceeded with as
before explained.
In case a mixture of Pig and scrap iron has to be treated as the composition of
the bath may not contain the elements of combustion necessary to fuse a sufficient
temperature one proceeds as has just been said by strongly treating the bath using
the blow pipes and finishing the operation of refining with air alone.
One may also only have to charge with scrap iron, rail ends, old rails, and to
smelt them in the apparatus by submitting them to the action of the blast tuyères
TREATMENT OF PHOSPHOROUS PIG IRON.
For the treatment of Pig iron containing phosphorous, the operation takes place
as for the treatment of Hematite Bessemer Pig iron, but the apparatus must
be lined with a Basic lining, lime dolomite or magnesia or even a neutral or
carbonacious lining, graphite, plumbago &c., one must besides charge into the
apparatus the necessary materials to form suitable scorice to absorb the phosphorus;
and will during the operation draw off the scorice which will always remain liquid
by the blast, which can be renewed. them if necessary, and in case that during the
operation one would not have to draw off the scorice by the orifice B, they can
always be got out by the hole or running off the metal ones that it is drawn off, since
they can be maintained liquid or liquify them on the hearth of the apparatus by
the action of the blow pipe tuyères.
MANUFACTURE OF STEEL WITH ORES ALONE.
To employ direct, ores for the manufacture of steel and homogeneous iron I
proceed by aid of the following methods.
The first consists in casting in a cupola lined with bricks of pure magnesia or of
lime, or of dolomite, or of bricks of carbon, or carbon rammed in the ore mixed
with the quantity of lime suitable to neutralise the silica contained in the ore.
This will be taken, cast. and introduced into the blow pipe convertor under the
action of which it is raised to a high temperature; at this instant the air is
suppressed and oxide of carbon or Hydrogen gas is passed through the liquid mass
Bo as to cause reduction:

page_text: When the blast cools, the temperature is raised again by sending anew air mixed
with a suitable amount of gas.
Once the mass is sufficiently reheated reducing gas is sent again into the liquid
bath and the operations are repeated until the bath is completely reduced and if
need be carburized. Once this point is reached the operation ceases as customary
by operating the running out and adding Ferro-manganese as may be judged
necessary.
The second method of operating consists in melting in the apparatus itself the
ore mixed with the necessary amount of carbon to reduce it, as well as the necessary
fluxes to obtain a basic slag. The apparatus should be furnished with a basic
lining, pure magnesia lime or dolomite or even a neutral lining bricks of chrome
iron oxide, or bricks or carbon rammed in and if needed a stream of water can be
allowed to flow around the hearth to cool the lining. One then proceeds as soon
as the bath has been suitably melted as has previously been said by sending
alternately in the bath reducing and oxidizing gas, and once the bath is suitably
reduced and carbonised the operation ceases as is usual.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. The gazogene working under pressure for melting the alag as described and
represented by the annexed drawings.
2. The application of the blow pipe tuyères under pressure in all the fixed
convertors, movable or oscillating and in the furnaces with fixed or turning base
plates as set forth.
3. The application of the blow pipe tuyères to the manufacture of steel either
with Pig iron or with scrap iron, whereby any kind of ore or of forge scorice may
be used direct as set forth.
4. The mode of extraction and of saturation of the gases by blowing them into
the gazogene to send them under pressure into the inetallurgical apparatus and by
making them previously pass into a carbonising apparatus as set forth.
5. The blow pipe conveying the mixed air and heated gas under pressure as set
forth.
6. The arrangement of apparatus as described and shown in the annexed
drawings for the manufacture of homogeneous iron, steel, and other cast metals.
Tho
0th day of Bobruo 1986
Tho
Lilith day of Rebruary
9881
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Auguste Ponsard.