IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Radcliffe, of Consett Hall, in the County
of Durham, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL."
Sealed the 26th January 1869, and dated the 29th July 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Radcliffe at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th July 1868.
I, JAMES RADOLIFFE, of Consett Hall, in the County of Durham,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND
STEEL," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to certain improved apparatus and appliances to
be employed when manufacturing iron or steel into bars, plates, rails, or
other finished forms in accordance with an Invention for-which Letters
Patent have been granted to me, dated 80th January 1868, and
numbered 821. According to the Patent referred to a mass of puddled
iron or steel is formed into a "bloom" or slab under a powerful steam
hammer, and without allowing it-to cool is afterwards heated-sufficiently
to allow of its being rolled off or forged into a finished-form_without

page_text: intermediate shearing, cooling, or piling. Now during the process of
working the mass of puddled iron or steel into a suitable form, according
to the Invention above referred to its is necessary to turn it over on to
its various sides and end so that the hammer may express the impurities
and condense the mass of puddled iron or steel, and according to one
of my present improvements I employ apparatus for this purpose
actuated by steam or some other suitable motive agent, which can be
brought into operation by an attendant when required, so as to partially
raise the mass of iron or steel and enable the the workman quickly to
turn and hold it in the desired position under the hammer.
In carrying out this part of my present improvements I prefer to
arrange a cylinder in any convenient situation, and by means of steam
or some other suitable motive agent acting upon a piston working within
the cylinder, a rod, lever, or pusher is caused to act so as to push the
mass of iron or steel to one side of the anvil of the steam hammer.
I also arrange another cylinder in any convenient situation, and by
means of steam or some other suitable motive agent acting upon a
piston working within the cylinder, the piston rod is caused to act
upon a suitably arranged rod lever or pusher. When the mass of iron
or steel has been pushed by means of the piston in the one cylinder a
short distance over the edge of the anvil of the steam hammer, the
piston in the other cylinder is caused to act upon a lever so as to cause
the end of the lever to partially raise the mass of iron or steel into
a position which will enable the workmen to turn and hold it in the
desired position under the hammer. The pipes and valves for admitting
the steam or other motive agent to act upon the pistons working within
the cylinders are so arranged as to be under the control of an attendant
(or attendants), who regulates the motion of the pistons in accordance
with the requirements of the workmen. After the "slab" or "bloom
is worked into a suitable form under the hammer, according to the
Invention before referred to, it is removed from the anvil and placed
upon a truck or "begie" to the carried away for further treatment;
and according to another of my present improvements I lift the slab
"bloom" from the anvil by means of an automaton crane actuated
by steam or other suitable means, and I so arrange this lifting apparatus
that the "slab" or "bloom" is suspended from a steelyard or lever
weighing apparatus, by means of which the weight of the slab or
"bloom" can be ascertained before the slab or "bloom" is deposited
from the crane, upon the truck or "bogie."
or

page_text: In carrying out this part of my present improvements I prefer to
arrange a frame supported and capable of moving on pivots at its upper
and lower ends with a jib frame attached to it. A weighing lever or
steelyard is supported by outer end of the crane jib, and I employ
tongs for taking hold of the sheet or bloom of iron or steel. The tongs
are connected by chains to a counterbalance weight, and the tongs and
weight are suspended to a chain passing over a pulley revolving in
suitable bearings formed in the steelyard or weighing lever; the chain
after passing over this pulley passes under a pulley revolving in bearings
in the jib, and the chain is then conducted over a pulley revolving in
bearings upon the revolving frame. The end of the chain is connected
to a piston rod of a piston capable of moving within a cylinder which
is attached to and moves with the crane frame, and upon steam or some
other suitable motive agent being admitted by an attendant (by means
of a suitable tap or valve) "within the cylinder and upon the upper side
of the piston working within it, the piston will be caused to descend
and raise the tongs with the slab or "bloom" by means of the chain
passing around the pullies, as above described. The weight of the slab
or bloom is ascertained after it is raised by means of weights placed
upon a rod. A stationary spur wheel is arranged, in the centre of which
the pivot of the crane frame revolves, and by means of suitable gearing
the frame and parts attached are caused to rotate into any desired
position for raising or depositing a slab or "bloom." After the slab
or "bloom" is placed upon the truck or "bogie," it is at once carried
(according to the Invention before referred to) without allowing it to
become cool to the heating furnace.
And according to another of my improvements in order to facilitate
the carrying on of the operations in a consecutive and economical
manner I so arrange the heating furnace or furnaces that the slab or
"bloom" is introduced on one side of the heating furnace and taken
out at the other side, each furnace being arranged with suitable openings
and doors and chain barrels with winch handles for assisting the
workmen in introducing and withdrawing the slab or "bloom" and
turning it over while in the furnace, so as to cause it to become evenly
heated throughout.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by 'the said James Radcliffe in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 29th-January 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
RADCLIFFE, of Consett Hall, in the County of Durham, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said. James Radcliffe, Her special licencé
that I, the said James Radcliffe, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said James Radcliffe, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE. OF IRON. AND
STEEL,' upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James
Radcliffe, 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 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 James Radcliffe, 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 thereof, that is to say:-
My Invention relates to certain improved apparatus and appliances to.
be employed when. manufacturing iron or steel into bars, plates, rails, or
other finished forms in accordance with an Invention for which Letters
Patent have been granted to me dated 30th January 1868, and numbered
321. According to the Patent referred to a mass of puddled iron or
steel is formed into a "bloom" or slab under a powerful steam hammer,
and without allowing it to cool is afterwards heated sufficiently to allow

page_text: of its being rolled off or forged into a finished form without intermediate
shearing, cooling, or piling.
Now during the process of working the mass of puddled iron or steel
into a suitable form, according to the Invention above referred to it is
necessary to turn it over on to its various sides and ends so that the
hammer may express the impurities and condense the mass of puddled
iron or steel, and according to one of my present improvements I
employ apparatus for this purpose actuated by steam or some other
suitable motive agent, which can be brought into operation by an
attendant when required, so as to partially raise the mass of iron or steel
and enable the workmen quickly to turn and hold it in the desired
position under the hammer..
In carrying out this part of my present improvements I prefer to
arrange a cylinder in any convenient situation, and by means of steam or
some other suitable motive agent acting upon a piston working within
the cylinder,, a rod, lever or pushen is caused to. act so. as. to. push the
mass of iron or steel to one side of the anvil of the steam hammer: I
also arrange another cylinder in any convenient situation, and by means
of steam or some other suitable motive agent acting upon a piston
working within the cylinder, the piston rod is caused to act upon a
suitably arranged rod, lever, or pusher. When the mass of iron or steel
has been pushed by means of the piston in the one cylinder a short
distance over the edge of the anvil of the steam hammer, the piston in
the other cylinder is caused to act upon a lever so as to cause the end
of the lever to partially raise the mass of iron or steel into a position.
which will enable the workmen to turn and hold it in the desired.
position under the hammer. The pipes and valves for admitting the
steam or other motive agent to act upon the pistons. working within.
the cylinders are so arranged as to be under the control of an attendant
(or attendants) who regulates the motion of the pistons in accordance
with the requirements of the workmen..
And in order that this part of my Invention may be most fully under-
stood and readily carried into practice I will proceed to describe
Figures 1 and 2 (Sheets. 1 and 2) of the Drawings hereunto annexed,
which show so much of the front clevation of a steam hammer
having lifting apparatus applied thereto as will enable me to describe.
one means which may be employed in carrying out this part of my
improvements..

page_text: A is the framing, and B the cylinder of a steam hammer; C is the
piston rod; D, the hammer, and E, the anvil upon which the mass of
puddled iron or steel is placed to be acted upon by the hammer D; F,
is a cylinder arranged as shown or in any other convenient situation,
and by means of steam or some other suitable motive agent acting upon
a piston working within the cylinder F, a rod, lever, or pusher F can be
caused to act (as will be readily understood by an engineer acquainted
with this class of machinery) so as to push the mass of iron to one side
of the anvil of the steam hammer E; G is another cylinder arranged as
shown or in any other convenient situation, and by means of steam
or some other suitable motive agent acting upon a piston working
within the cylinder G the piston rod is caused to act upon the lever H, H',
or other suitably arranged lever, rod, or pusher. When the mass of iron
has been pushed by means of the piston in the cylinder F a short
distance over the edge of the anvil of the steam hammer E, the piston
in the cylinder G is caused to act upon the lever H so as to cause tho
end H¹ of the lever H to partially raise the mass of iron into a position
which will enable the workmen to turn and hold it in the desired position
under the hammer. It will be readily understood that the pipes and
valves for admitting the steam or other motive agent to act upon the
pistons working within the cylinders F and G, are so arranged as to he
under the control of an attendant, (or attendants) who regulates the
motion of the pistons in accordance with the requirements of the
workmen.
of an
After the "slab" or "bloom" is worked into a suitable form under
the hammer according to the Invention before referred to it is removed
from the anvil and placed upon a truck or "bogie" to be carried away
for further treatment, and according to another of my present improve-
ments I lift the slab or "bloom" from the anvil by means
automaton crane actuated by steam or other suitable means, and I so
arrange this lifting apparatus that the slab or "bloom" is suspended
from a steelyard or lever weighing apparatus, by means of which the
weight of the slah or "bloom" can be ascertained before the slab or
bloom" is deposited from the crane upon the truck or " bogie."
64
In carrying out this part of my present improvements I prefer to
arrange a frame supported and capable of moving on pivots at its upper
and lower ends, with a jib frame attached to it. A weighing lever or
steelyard is supported by the outer end of the crane jib, and I employ

page_text: tongs for taking hold of the slab or bloom of iron or steel. The tongs are
connected by chains to a counterbalance weight, and the tongs and
weight are suspended to a chain passing over a pulley revolving in
suitable bearings formed in the steelyard or weighing lever; the chain
after passing over this pulley passes under a pulley revolving in bearings
in the jib, and the chain is then conducted over a pulley revolving in
bearings upon the revolving frame. The end of the ehain is connected
to a piston rod of a piston capable of moving within a cylinder which
is attached to and moves with the crane frame, and upon steam or some
other suitable motive agent being admitted by an attendant (by means of
a suitable tap or valve) within the cylinder and upon the upper side of
the piston working within it, the piston will be caused to descend and
raise the tongs with the slab or "bloom" by means of the chain passing
around the pullies, as above described. The weight of the slab or bloom
is ascertained after it is raised by means of weights placed upon a rod.
A stationary spur wheel is arranged, in the centre of which the pivot
of the crane frame revolves, and by means of suitable gearing the frame
and parts attached are caused to rotate into any desired position for
raising or depositing a slab or "bloom," and Figure 1, Sheet 1 of the
Drawings also shows so much of a side elevation, and Figure 3 (Sheet 2
of the Drawings) so much of a plan of a suitable arrangement of apparatus
for lifting, weighing, and depositing the slab or "bloom" as above
described as will enable me to describe the same.
a, a, is a frame supported and capable of moving on pivots at its upper
and lower ends, the support for the pivot at the upper end of the frame a
not being shown in the Drawing; 6 is a jib frame attached to the frame a
and supported from it by tie rods c; d is a weighing lever or steelyard
the fulcrum of which is supported by the outer end of the crane jib b;
e are the tongs for taking hold of the slab or bloom of iron or steel after
being operated upon by the hammer D, and the tongs e are connected by
chains to the counterbalance weight f. The tongs e and weight farc
suspended to a chain passing over the pulley 9 revolving in suitable
bearings formed in the steelyard or weighing lever d. The chain after
passing over the pulley 9 passes under the pulley h revolving in bearings
in the jib 6, and the chain is then conducted over the pulley i revolving
in bearings upon the revolving frame a. The end of the chain is con-
nected to the piston rod of a piston capable of moving within the
cylinder j, which is attached to and moves with the crane frame a, and
upon steam or some other suitable motive agent being admitted by an

page_text: attendant-(by means of a suitable tap or valve) within the cylinder j, and
upon the.
upper side of the piston working within it the piston will be
caused to descend and raise the tongs e with the slab or "bloom" by
means of the chain passing around the pullies i, h, and g, as above
described. The weight of the slab or "bloom" is ascertained after it is
raised by means of weights placed upon the rod d. k is a stationary
spur wheel in the centre of which the pivot of the crane frame a
revolves, and is a pinion upon the axis taking into the spur wheel k.
The axis. revolves in bearings carried by the frame a, and by turning
the crank handle m motion is given to the axis by means of the bevel
wheels m',, when the pinion taking into the spur wheel.k causes the
frame a and parts attached to rotate into any desired position for raising
or depositing a slab. or "bloom." After the weight of the slab or bloom
has been ascertained and the crane has been caused to carry the slab.or
bloom into a suitable position for being deposited, the attendant by
means of suitably arranged taps and valves and exhaust passages allows
the steam to escape and the slab or bloom to be lowered on to the truck
or "bogie." After the slab or "bloom" is placed upon the truck or
bogie " it is at once carried (according to the Invention before
referred to) without allowing it to become cool to the heating furnace.
66
And according to another of my improvements, in order to facilitate
the carrying on of the operations in a consecutive and economical
manner I so arrange the heating furnace or furnaces that the slab or
"bloom" is introduced on one side of the heating furnace and taken out
at the other side, each furnace being arranged with suitable openings
and doors and chain barrels with winch handles for assisting the
workmen in introducing and withdrawing the slab or "bloom" and
turning it over while in the furnace, so as to cause it to become evenly
heated throughout.
Sheet 3 of the Drawings hereunto annexed shews so much of a ground
plan of an ironworks so arranged as to carry out my improved process
of manufacture in an effective manner, though I would have it under-
stood that I do not confine myself to such an arrangement of the plant
and machinery, as the arrangement thereof may be varied as found
advisable according to the circumstances under which the manufacture
is carried on.
I, I, indicate the positions of the puddling furnaces from which the
iron or steel when puddled is withdrawn, as is well understood, chain

page_text: barrels and winches being placed at I, I', to assist the workmen in
withdrawing the balls of puddled iron or steel. The puddling
furnaces I, I, are so situated that as the balls of puddled iron or steel
are withdrawn from them they can be quickly carried to and accumu-
lated upon the anvils E, E, of the steam hammers, where they are
condensed into one homogeneous slab or "bloom," as previovsly described;
the slab or bloom is then raised, weighed, and lowered on to a truck
or "bogie" "by the crane weighing apparatus at J, J, and carried to the
heating furnaces K, K, where additional heat is imparted to it; and
where it is desirable to pass the slab or "bloom" through "blooming
rolls," as previously described, before placing it in the heating furnaces
K, K, it may be carried to and passed through the "blooming rolls"
of the finishing train of rolls at L, or a pair of "blooming" rolls may be
arranged to work separately from the finishing train of rolls. The
heating furnaces are so arranged according to this part of my Invention
that the slab or "bloom" is introduced on one side o, o, of the heating
furnaces and taken out at the other side p, p, the furnaces being
arranged with suitable openings and doors, and chain barrels with
winch handles are provided at o³, o¹, and p³, p³, for assisting the workmen
in introducing and withdrawing the slab or "bloom" into and from the
heating furnaces K, K, and at p³, p¹, are chain barrels and winch
handles to assist the workmen in turning over the slab or "bloom"
while in the furnace so as to cause it to become evenly heated throughout.
When the slab or "bloom" is sufficiently heated it is removed from the
heating furnaces K, K, and rolled off in the finishing train of rolls at M,
when the process is complete.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Radcliffe, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this 27th day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
JAMES RADCLIFFE. (L.S.)