IMPROVEMENTS IN BLAST FURNACES, AND IN THE METHOD OF WORKING THE SAME
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BLAST FURNACES, AND IN THE METHOD OF WORKING THE
SAME." A communication from abroad by Albert Philippe Adrien
Accarain. Manager of the Blast Furnaces at Outreaux, France.
Sealed the 18th June 1867, and dated the 22nd January 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 22nd
January 1867.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BLAST FURNACES, AND IN THE METHOD OF
WORKING THE SAME," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the means of regulating the action of blast
furnaces, and for more perfectly utilizing the inflammable gas produced
in the same. This is effected in the following manner :-Blast furnaces are
usually provided with apparatus for the instantaneous charging and closing
of the mouth of the furnace such as that known by the name of "
cup
and

page_text: "
cone apparatus or others, also with a means of carrying off the gases suited
to the nature of the charging apparatus employed.
Above these apparatus one of which (the cup and cone apparatus) is
represented in the accompanying Drawing, Figure 1 showing a central
vertical section of the upper part of a blast furnace taken through the
line X, Y, Figure 2 which is a plan of the same, I provide a cylindro-conical
chamber A, A, made of cast or sheet iron or of refractory material. A
circular pipe B, B, surrounds this chamber receiving air from a pipe C
provided with a valve, such air being injected by a blower, or fan. From
the circular pipe B extends short lengths of pipe or nozzles D, D, in a
downward direction terminating just above the closing apparatus, these
nozzles D have each two lateral holes E, E, at their lower ends through
which the compressed air passes, the mouth of the furnace is indicated by
the setting P, P.
The following is the action of the apparatus:-Supposing the blast furnace
to have just been completely charged and the cover closed, immediately
after I introduce into the chamber A, A', first a proportion of flux and then
a charge of ore which are both equalized as much as possible. I then open
the closing plug an inch or two only, but sufficiently to permit of the gases
entering the chamber A, A', although not enough to allow the flux and ore
contained therein to fall into the furnace while at same time I open the
valve in pipe C. The gases entering the chamber A, A¹, becoming ignited
on coming in contact with the air issuing from orifices E and the flame
rising through the flux and ore placed in A, A¹, ensures the beating of said
matters. The matters are allowed to rest in this position until by the
subsidence of those in the furnace a fresh charge, has to be introduced;
I then close the valve in C and open the closing cone which allows the matters
contained in A, A', to fall into the furnace, the cone is then again closed and
a charge of fuel introduced into the chamber A, A', which by opening the
cone falls into the furnace when the cone is again closed. This action is
repeated' for each of the following charges of flux, ore, and fuel. This method
differs from all others now in use in the application at the top of the furnace
of a calcining apparatus capable of being placed in communication with or
cut off from the furnace at will and heated by the combustion in the furnace
(with the aid of a forced current of air) of a portion of the gases escaping
from the furnace.
The following are advantages resulting from the adoption of these
improvements: 1st, the heating of the flux and ore is effected without any

page_text: expense of fuel or manipulation, the operation being effected either in an
oxidizing or reducing atmosphere. 2ndly, the matter being introduced into
the furnace in a state of calcination and at a high temperature, the reduction
of the ore will immediately commence, while at present it seldom begins to
melt within some feet of the mouth. Hence the possibility of increasing
the daily production while at same time realizing economy in fuel. 3rdly,
as the combustion of one-sixth of the volume of the gas produced
in the blast furnace is always almost sufficient for effecting the calcina-
tion, the other. five-sixths remain to be passed off through channel G
in a dry state and containing a considerable amount of heat. These gases
will thus burn much better and supply a greater amount of heat to boilers
or hot air apparatus according to the purpose to which they are to be applied.
4thly, as these dry heated gases develop a high temperature on combustion
they may be applied for any purpose requiring such degree of temperature
and for which the cool and humid gases now obtained by the ordinary
processes are unsuitable.
In order to obtain the greatest advantages from this system it is necessary:
1st, to equalize the flux and ore in the chamber A, A', as much as possible,
so that the flame may circulate equally throughout, the largest pieces of the
ore being placed at the bottom and the smaller particles above. 2ndly, to
regulate the opening of the cone stopper and of the valve C, so as to obtain
a perfect combustion of the gases entering the chamber A, A', and prevent
the products of combustion returning in a downward direction towards F, F.
3rdly, with this latter object it is of advantage to place a valve in the
channel G for carrying off the gases which by being closed more or less
imparts to the gases in space F, F, a higher pressure than that of the
atmosphere. The dimensions of the chamber A, A', and the number and
size of the nozzles are those I deem most suitable for application to a large
coke furnace supposing it is desired to calcine at one time a full charge of
flux and ore.
This apparatus may be applied on a smaller scale to wood burning furnaces,
or I may lessen the size of the cylindrical chamber A, A¹, for large furnaces
if it is desired to calcine small quantities of material at a time. This
improved process may also be applied for the calcination of raw fuel and
the desiccation of damp fuel before its introduction into the blast furnace.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th July 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said William Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BLAST FURNACE, AND IN THE METHOD OF WORKING THE SAME," a
communication to me from abroad by Albert Philippe Adrien Accarain,
Manager of the Blast Furnaces at Outreaux, France, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Clark, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of 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 I, the said William Clark, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to the means of regulating the action of blast
furnaces and for more perfectly utilizing the inflammable gases produced in
the same.
This is effected in the following manner:-Blast furnaces are
usually provided with apparatus for the instantaneous charging and closing of
the mouth of the furnace, such as that known by the name of "cup and cone"
»

page_text: apparatus or others, also with a means of carrying off the gases suited to the
nature of the charging apparatus employed.
Above these apparatus, one of which, the cup and cone apparatus, is
represented in the accompanying Drawing, Figure 1 showing a central vertical
section of the upper part of a blast furnace taken through the line X, Y,
Figure 2 which is a plan of the same, I provide a cylindro-conical chamber A, A,
made of cast or sheet iron, or of refractory material. A circular pipe B, B,
surrounds this chamber, receiving air from a pipe C provided with a valve,
such air being injected by a blower or fan. From the circular pipe B extend
short lengths of pipe or nozzles D, D, in a downward direction terminating just
above the closing apparatus; these nozzles D have each two lateral holes E, E,
at their lower ends, through which the compressed air passes. The mouth
of the furnace is indicated by the setting P, P.
The following is the action of the apparatus :-Supposing the blast furnace
to have just been completely charged and the cover closed, immediately after
I introduce into the chamber A, A¹, first a proportion of flux, and then a
charge of ore which are both equalized as much as possible, I then open the
closing plug an inch or two only, but sufficiently to permit of the gases
entering the chamber A, A¹, although not enough to allow the flux and ore
contained therein to fall into the furnace, while at same time I open the valve
in pipe C. The gases entering the chamber A, A', become ignited on coming
in contact with the air issuing from orifices E, and the flame rising through
the flux and ore, placed in A, A', ensures the beating of said matters. The
matters are allowed to rest in this position until by the subsidence of those in
the furnace a fresh charge has to be introduced. I then close the valve in C
and open the closing cone which allows the matters contained in A, A¹; to fall
into the furnace, the cone is then again closed and a charge of fuel introduced
into the chamber A, A', which by opening the cone falls into the furnace
when the cone is again closed; this action is repeated for each of the following
charges of flux, ore, and fuel. This method differs from all others now in use
in the application at the top of the furnace of a calcining apparatus capable of
being placed in communication with or cut off from the furnace at will, and
heated by the combustion with the aid of a forced current of air of a portion
of the gases escaping from the furnace.
The following are advantages resulting from the adoption of these improve-
ments 1st, the heating of the flux and ore is effected without any expense
of fuel or manipulation, the operation being effected either in an oxidizing or
reducing atmosphere; 2ndly, the matters being introduced into the furnace

page_text: in a state of calcination and at a high temperature the reduction of the ore
will immediately commence, while at present it seldom begins to melt within
some feet of the mouth. Hence, the possibility of increasing the daily produc-
tion while at same time realizing an economy in fuel; 3rdly, as the combustion
of one-sixth of the volume of the gases produced in the blast furnace is almost
always sufficient for effecting the calcination, the other five-sixths remain to
be passed off through channel G in a dry state and containing a considerable
amount of heat. These gases will thus burn much better and supply a greater
amount of heat to boilers or hot-air apparatus according to the purpose to which
they are to be applied; 4thly, as these dry heated gases develop a high
temperature on combustion they may be applied for any purpose requiring
such degree of temperature, and for which the cool and humid gases now
obtained by the ordinary processes are unsuitable.
In order to obtain the greatest advantage from this system, it is necessary,
1st, to equalize the flux and ore in the chamber A, A', as much as possible, so
that the flame may circulate equally throughout, the largest pieces of the ore
being placed at bottom, and the smaller particles above; 2ndly, to regulate
the opening of the cone stopper and of the valve C so as to obtain a perfect
combustion of the gases entering the chamber A, A', and prevent the products
of combustion returning in a downward direction towards F, F; 3rdly, with
this latter object it is of advantage to place a valve in the channel G for
carrying off the gases, which by being closed more or less imparts to the
gases in space F, F, a higher pressure than that of the atmosphere. The
dimensions of the chamber A, A', and the number and size of the nozzles are
those I deem most suitable for application to a large coke furnace, supposing
it is desired to calcine at one time a full charge of flux and ore.
This apparatus may be applied on a smaller scale to wood burning furnaces,
or I may lessen the size of the cylindrical chamber A, A', for large furnaces
if it is desired to calcine smaller quantities of material at a time. This
improved process may also be applied for the calcination of raw fuel, and the
desiccation of damp fuel before its introduction into the blast furnace. A metal
ring a is disposed on the tuyeres in the interior of the large cone, as shown in
blue lines, which covers the orifices of the tuyeres leaving a circular space
underneath, into which the ore cannot penetrate and which facilitates the
mixing of the air supplied by the tuyeres with the inflammable gases escaping
from the furnace, the combustion of which, as above mentioned, calcines and
heats the matters disposed in the capacity A, A, A¹, A'. This more perfect
mixture of the air and inflammable gases facilitates the combustion of the

page_text: latter and produces a more uniform distribution of the heat to be utilized for
the purposes described.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the improvements in blast
furnaces, and in the mode of working the same in order to utilize a portion of
the inflammable gases escaping from the furnace mouth for the preliminary
treatment of the ore, flux, and fuel before their introduction into the blast
furnace. In this manner the apparatus will be rendered more regular in its
action while the product is increased both in quality and quantity.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
A. M. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
W. CLARK. (L.S.)