IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STEEL AND IRON
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Daniel Adamson, of the Firm of Messieurs Bensons,
Adamson, and Garnetts, Yorkshire Steel and Iron Works, Penistone, in
the County of York, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STEEL AND
IRON."
Sealed the 22nd April 1864, and dated the 22nd December 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Daniel Adamson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 22nd
December 1863.
I, DANIEL ADAMSON, of the Firm of Messieurs Bensons, Adamson, and
Garnetts, Yorkshire Steel and Iron Works, Penistone, in the County of
York, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for " IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
STEEL AND IRON," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to the converting vessels employed in the manufacture
of steel and iron by the atmospheric process, and it consists in an improved
arrangement and disposition of the passages for conveying the atmospheric air,
gases, or steam to the interior of the converting vessel, and in adapting the

page_text: vessel to such an arrangement of air passages. I make these passages in
blocks of fire-brick or other suitable material, and they are placed in such a
position that the air, gas, or steam when forced into the converting vessel by
a blast engine of the ordinary construction, or by the pressure of the steam
from a steam boiler, may agitate the molten metal, so as more effectually to
decarbonise and purify it; the air passages are arranged at one or both sides
of the converting vessel, and they are placed horizontally or diagonally towards
the bottom of the vessel, so as to prevent the molten metal descending through
them, thus increasing the durability of the converting vessel and other parts of
the apparatus.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Daniel Adamson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st June 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DANIEL
ADAMSON, of the Firm of Messieurs Bensons, Adamson, and Garnetts, York-
shire Steel and Iron Works, Penistone, in the County of York, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Daniel Adamson, Her special license that I, the said Daniel
Adamson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Daniel Adamson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STEEL AND IRON,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Daniel Adamson, my
executors or administrators, 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 per-
formed, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Daniel Adamson, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment (that is to say) :-
My Invention relates to the converting vessels employed in the manufacture
of steel and iron by the atmospheric process, and it consists in an improved
arrangement and disposition of the passages for conveying the atmospheric air,
gases, or steam to the interior of the converting vessel, and in adapting the
vessel to such an arrangement of air passages. I make these passages in
blocks of fire-brick or other suitable material, as usual, and they are placed in
such a position that the air, gas, or steam when forced into the converting
vessel by a blast engine of the ordinary construction, or by the pressure of the
steam from a steam boiler, may agitate the molten metal so as to decarbonize
and purify it; the air passages are arranged at one or both sides of the
converting vessel, and they are placed horizontally or diagonally towards the
bottom of the vessel, so as to prevent the molten metal descending through
them, thus increasing the durability of the converting vessel and other parts of
the apparatus.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into operation, I will proceed to describe the means pursued by me, reference
being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a converting vessel of the usual con-
struction to which my improvements are applied; Fig. 2 is a side elevation,
and Fig. 3 is a plan in section of the same; Figs. 4 and 5 are two sectional
elevations of one of the trunnions of the converting vessel.
a is the outer casing of the converting vessel made of strong plate iron; and
b, the internal lining made as usual of ganister, fire-clay, or any other
substance capable of resisting intense heat; c, c', are the standards supporting
the trunnions d, d, on which the converting vessel swivels. 1 prefer to
construct the standard and trunnion through which the atmospheric air, gas,
or steam is forced into the converting vessel in the manner shewn in Figs. 4
and 5, but they may be constructed in the usual manner. The air passages
in the trunnion are open when the converting vessel is in the position shewn
in Fig. 1, but when the vessel is swivelled partly round by a worm and wheel
actuated by steam or hydraulic power, or by the direct application of a steam
or bydraulic cylinder, to receive or discharge the metal, the air passages are
closed. From the hollow trunnion d the air, gas, or steam passes through the
elbow pipe e to the chamber f, from whence it is conveyed to the interior of

page_text: the converting vessel through the perforated blocks or tuyeres g, made of fire-
brick or other suitable material, which are placed in two or more tiers, and in
such a position that the air, gas, or steam forced into the converting vessel by
a blast engine of the ordinary construction, or by the pressure of steam from
a steam boiler, may agitate and decarbonize the molten metal in the most
effectual manner. When only a small charge of metal is in the converting
vessel the holes in the upper tier or tiers of perforated blocks 9 can be filled up
with ganister or fire-clay, and the angle of the converting vessel can be varied
so as to bring the air passages in the blocks 9 nearer to the horizontal line,
and thus to convey the air, gas, or steam into the molten metal. The air
passages or tuyeres 9 may be arranged at both sides of the converting vessel if
preferred. This peculiar arrangement and disposition of the air passages
greatly increases the durability of the converting vessel and tuyeres, by
preventing the molten metal passing through or choking them, which in
converting vessels of the ordinary construction is a matter of frequent
occurrence, and causes great loss in time and repairs. And to further describe
the means I adopt to increase the durability of the converting vessel and parts
connected therewith, I propose to reduce the temperature of the molten metal
during the process of decarbonization by adding to it from five to forty per
cent. of scrap wrought iron or bar iron cut up into small pieces, which having
been decarbonized and the noxious elements removed by the well-known
processes of puddling and reworking, is in a favorable condition for producing
homogeneous and ductile metal when combined with the metal undergoing
decarbonization in the converting vessel. The carbon having been removed
from the scrap iron it follows that the aggregate charge of the metal operated
upon in the converting vessel takes place at a lower temperature. When
such scrap or bar iron is introduced cold into the molten cast iron in the
converting vessel, from five to fifteen per cent. may be added, but when the
scrap or bar iron is previously heated to a red or white heat a larger pro-
portion may be added; by this ineans the conversion takes place during a
considerable portion of the process at a lower temperature, and consequently
the lining of the converting vessel, and the tuyeres or air passages, are less
liable to be burnt out or closed, while the ductility and malleability of the
metal produced according to this process, both hot and cold, are increased.
To recarbonize the metal spiegel iron is added to render it more or less hard
in the usual manner.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described the manner
of performing the same, I declare that I claim the peculiar arrangement of
the air passages or tuyeres for forcing air, gas, or steam into the molten metal

page_text: in the converting vessel, and the process described for working the converting
vessel to increase its durability.
In witness whereof, I, the said Daniel Adamson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of June, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-four.
DANIEL ADAMSON. (L.B.)