IMPROVED APPARATUS OR MECHANISM TO BE USED POR FACILITATING THE PUDDLING OF IRON
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Bennett, of Wombridge Ironworks, in the
County of Salop, Iron Master, for the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS
OR MECHANISM TO BE USED POR FACILITATING THE PUDDLING OF IRON."
Sealed the 9th October 1863, and dated the 18th May 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Bennett at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 18th
May 1863.
I, HENRY BENNETT, of Wombridge Ironworks, in the County of Salop;
Iron Master, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED
APPARATUS OR MECHANISM TO BE USED FOR FACILITATING THE PUDDLING OF IRON,"
to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in applying mechanism (worked by steam or other
power) to assist the puddler or workman in the process of puddling.
I intend to accomplish this as follows:-I have a shaft to work horizontally
endways or backwards and forwards, similar to the piston rod of an engine.
This shaft can be extended to several furnaces, and to this shaft I would
connect a connecting rod moving a sliding piece backwards and forwards
in-a slide, connected with which sliding piece I have a vertical shaft, at the

page_text: top of which the puddler's rabble or tool should rest so as to participate in the
motion of the vertical shaft, and this vertical shaft I can move round to
different angles by means of a ratchet motion (or mechanical equivalent) so
that the puddler can guide the motion of the rabble to different parts of the
furnace. By this Invention a puddler will be enabled to work with ease a
larger quantity of iron in each charge, thus effecting a saving of fuel, time,
and labour, to change his tool as readily as before, and still to work in the
ordinary way independent of this apparatus at any moment by disconnection
thereof. A larger furnace also may be used, and several rabbles working
therein at one and the same time if thought desirable.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Bennett in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th
November 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
BENNETT, of Wombridge, in the County of Salop, Iron Master, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Henry Bennett, Her special license that I, the said Henry Bennett, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry
Bennett, 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 "IMPROVED APPARATUS OR MECHANISM
TO BE USED FOR FACILITATING THE PUDDLING OF IRON," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Henry Bennett, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, 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 Henry Bennett, do, hereby declare, the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
My Invention consists in applying mechanism worked by steam or other
5 power to assist the workman or puddler in the process of puddling.
I intend to accomplish this as follows:-I have a shaft to work horizontally
endways or backwards and forwards, similar to the piston rod of an engine.
This shaft can be extended to several furnaces, and to this shaft I would
connect a connecting rod moving a sliding piece backwards and forwards in a
slide, and connected with which sliding piece I have a vertical shaft, at the
top of which the puddler's rabble or tool should rest so as to participate in the
motion of the vertical shaft, and this vertical shaft I can move round to
different angles by means of a ratchet motion (or mechanical equivalent) so
that the puddler can guide the motion of the rabble to different parts of the
furnace. By this Invention a puddler will be able to work with ease a larger
quantity of iron in each charge, thus effecting a saving of fuel and time, to
change his tool as readily as before, and still to work in the ordinary way
independent of this apparatus at any moment by disconnection thereof. A
larger furnace also may be used, and several rabbles working therein and at the
same time if thought desirable.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a plan, and Figure 2 a transverse section representing a puddling
furnace with my improved apparatus attached; Figure 3 is a plan, and Figure 4
a transverse section of a puddling furnace, with similar apparatus attached,
but modified to admit of its being placed beneath the furnace; Figures (5 and 6)
represent a moveable carriage upon which the apparatus may be mounted.
I will now proceed to describe the construction and working of the appa-
ratus as exhibited. in Figures 1 and 2. (A) represents the shaft, which may
be extended, if required, to several furnaces; this shaft works in an oscillating
motion, which may be varied according to the length of stroke required, and
in a direction across the furnace. (B) is the connecting rod, its motions being
shewn by the dotted lines in (Figure 1) actuating the sliding piece (C); this
connecting rod (B) is supported by a vertical bearing (B) attached to the
driving shaft (A). (D) is the vertical shaft, on the top of which the puddler's
rabble or tool (E) is supported. The shaft (A) may be driven by steam or
any other suitable power, the motion of the sliding piece (C) backwards and
forwards in correspondence with that of the driving shaft, and its second motion,
a partly circular one, being obtained in the following manner :-The catch (F)

page_text: upon an arm off the shaft (A) engages in the teeth of the clutch (G), and
driving the spindle (H), upon which the clutch is mounted, works the sliding
frame (L) in a quadrantal direction round the guard (R) by means of the
worm (I), which gears into the rack (K); the sliding frame having worked
round on the centre pin (P) to the position shewn in dotted lines (C¹), the
clutch (G) is thrown out of gear by a stud upon the under side of the sliding
frame (L), and the clutch (G¹) at the same time being brought into gear, the
slide is returned by a similar motion to the point shewn at (C²). (H) shews
the bottom frame, supporting by the uprights (Q) the guard piece (R) for the
sliling frame (L). The centre pin (P) is bridged, as shewn in (Figure 2),
to admit of the shaft oscillating as described. (Z) represents the bed of the
furnace, (Y) the flue, (V) the charging door, and (T) the walls, (S) being the
fire-bars.
Figures 3 and 4 shew a modification of the apparatus already described,
adapted for placing underneath the bed of the furnace to avoid any damage
that might arise from cinder falling upon it, and by simply reversing the
position of the parts this form of apparatus may also be applied upon the
crown of the furnace with the same object if preferred. In this form of
apparatus the connecting rod (B) has its motion in similar manner to that
last described off the driving shaft (A), working through a bridged centre
pin (C) as before, but the slide (D) is attached to a vertical rod (E), carrying
an arm (F) through a universal joint (G); this arm (F) carries the vertical
shaft (H), which supports the puddler's rabble, the circular reciprocating
motion of the sliding frame (K) being governed by ordinary reversing gear (L)
instead of the clutch motion before described, and this reversing gear may
also be used in the apparatus shewn in (Figures 1 and 2) instead of the clutch
motion.
The apparatus shewn in (Figures 1 and 2) is capable of being constructed
in a moveable form by mounting it entire upon a suitable carriage, and placing
the rack (K) and reversing gear outside the guard instead of in the position
shewn in the Drawings, Figures 1 and 2; the connecting rod (B) working
the slide (C) must also work above the floor of the furnace instead of beneath,
as shewn in Figures 5 and 6. By the employment of apparatus as herein
described I obtain the motion of the puddler's arm and also the movements
of his body in reaching all parts of the furnace; the only duties required of
the puddler are the feeding of the furnace, the changing of the rabble as it
heats, and the balling up of the iron; the quality of the iron is considerably
improved, larger charges can be worked, and at less cost.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in

page_text: which the same is to be performed, I do not confine myself to these precise
details, as many of the mechanical parts may be considerably varied without
altering the motions or departing from the principle of my Invention, but
that which I claim is, improved apparatus or mechanism to be used in the
process of puddling iron, and constructed substantially as herein more fully set
forth and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Bennett, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
HENRY BENNETT. (L.s.)