IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF OR APPLICABLE TO METAL- LURGICAL, GLASS, AND OTHER FURNACES
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Henry Johnson at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th March 1880.. A communication
from abroad by Charles Pernot, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF OR APPLICABLE TO METAL-
LURGICAL, GLASS, AND OTHER FURNACES." A communication from abroad by
Charles Pernot, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
This Invention, relating to metallurgical, glass, and other furnaces, consists in
constructing the furnace in such a manner that all the parts of the same are capable
of being removed at pleasure for the purpose of enabling repairs to be effected even
while the furnace is working. The Invention is applicable to furnaces of various
descriptions, irrespective of the mode by which they are heated, whether by a
combustion chamber with a forced draught, gases from blast furnaces, gas gene-
rators, or otherwise, and by its use important advantages are obtained, especially
in the case of furnaces worked at a high temperature and exposed to rapid
deterioration, such, for example, as furnaces employed for melting steel, puddling
furnaces, glass furnaces, dephosphorizing, reheating, and annealing furnaces, furnaces
for treating copper, lead, soda, and the like.
In carrying out this Invention the bricks (or fire clay when such is employed in
the construction) composing the different parts of the furnace are supported or
retained by a skeleton framework of iron or other suitable metal built-up in parts
or sections, according to the shape and purpose of the furnace, in such manner as
to enable each of the said parts or sections to be removable at pleasure by means
of a crane or other suitable apparatus.
The exchange of the different parts of the furnace when repairs are required is
effected with great facility even when the furnace is in full work, it being
sufficient in this case to provide a corresponding duplicate of the part to be
removed.
A special arrangement of framing is necessary for each variety of furnace
employed in manufactures on account of the different forms of apparatus required,
but the principle of constructing the furnace entirely of movable parts remains the
same.
T
In applying the Invention to furnaces constructed on what is known as Pernot's
system, for example, the furnace is composed simply of a hearth with its framed
cover, and four or other number of framed segments of flues.

page_text: The hearth is mounted upon rollers travelling upon an inclined plate or racer on
a carriage, so as to be capable of rotatory motion, and such motion is imparted to
the hearth by a suitable motor. Vertical conduits communicating with the flues
are provided at each end of the furnace for the passage of the air and gas, and
regenerators are arranged underneath the apparatus.
The hearth is surmounted by a cover formed of a framework of iron, or other
suitable metal, retaining the fire bricks, fire clay, or other refractory material
employed in its construction.
Flues (say, for example, four in number) are provided for conducting the air and
gases to the furnace, and discharge them on to the hearth in a direction perpen-
dicular to the sole through suitable openings in the cover. These flues are
constructed in the same manner as the cover, each flue being composed of a skeleton
framework of iron bands containing brickwork or other suitable refractory material.
Both the cover and flues are provided with chains and rings attached to the frame-
work to facilitate their removal by means of cranes or other suitable apparatus,
which may, if preferred, be so arranged as to form an integral part of the furnace.
The cover of the hearth is supported by fixed brackets, and inay be either con-
structed in one piece or constructed in several pieces capable of being removed and
replaced independently. The furnace is charged through a door provided at one
side of the cover.
As already described the skeleton framework is lined with firebricks or fire clay
or other refractory material, and each part is placed in position by means of a
crane or other suitable apparatus.
By means of this Invention the erection of a furnace is greatly simplified, and the
cost is reduced to a minimum, the expense of the materials being greatly reduced
by reason of the diminished quantity of wrought and cast iron employed in its
construction.
The stoppages for repairs are obviated or greatly diminished, and the repairs
themselves are rendered less expensive.
The production within a given time is increased, as stoppages are avoided, and a
considerable saving is effected in the quantity of fuel consumed.