IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF SLAG OR OTHER VITREOUS MATERIAL FOR THE PRODUCTION OR MANUFACTURE OF A MATERIAL KNOWN AS 'SLAG WOOL' OR 'SILICATE COTTON.”
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Wood, of Middlesborough-on-Tees, in the County
of York, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF SLAG OR OTHER VITREOUS MATERIAL FOR
THE PRODUCTION OR MANUFACTURE OF A MATERIAL KNOWN AS 'SLAG WOOL'
OR 'SILICATE COTTON.””
Sealed the 8th May 1877, and dated the 11th November 1876.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Wood at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th November 1870.
CHARLES WOOD, of Middlesborough-on-Tees, in the County of York, Engineer.
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF SLAG OR
OTHER VITREOUS MATERIAL FOR THE PRODUCTION OR MANUFACTURE OF A MATERIAL
KNOWN AS 'SLAG WOOL' OR 'SILICATE COTTON.'"
This Invention refers to the manufacture of slag wool or silicate cotton from slag
or other vitreous material.
Heretofore in the manufacture of this material the hot slag as it leaves the
furnace has been subjected to the action of a jet of steam or air for the purpose of
dividing it into exceedingly fine filaments or fibres, but the direct action of the
steam on the hot slag has been not altogether successful in the production of a
material free from impurities known generally in such manufacture as shot; but by
my Invention I believe I have devised means whereby a large proportion can be
made entirely free from shot, thus leaving the fibres or filaments almost pure.
From the experiments which I have inade a convenient way of carrying my
Invention into effect is as follows:-I conduct the slag from furnace by the usual
slag runner and at the discharge end, and on one side underneath the usual slag
runner I place an air or steain jet, preferably the latter; on the other side of runner
and opposite the steam or air jet I provide a large tube of wrought or cast iron
leading to a chamber or receiver, to be hereafter described; the mouth of the tube,
namely, that portion of it near the runner, is open on the lowest side, so that the
shot coming from the slag as the wool is divided from the same, or in other words
as it is manufactured, is free to fall to the ground or into any suitable receptacle
while the slag proper goes into an ordinary slag box or is otherwise disposed of as
desired. Into the tube and beyond that part thereof which is not open I lead a
Povice 1

page_text: second jet for the passage of air or steam, and the object of this second pipe is that
the air or steam which is forced through saine towards the chamber draws the wool
- or silicate cotton which has been produced by the first steam or air jet into the
tube and sends it on into the chamber. This chamber is constructed or formed of a
series of frames made of wire netting for the purpose of catching the wool blown
into same, and allowing at the same time the steam or air to escape.
I prefer to arrange the wire netting in a V, or corrugated, or other convenient
shaped form, and to connect to the apexes of say the V's what I may term draught
boards or plates which tend to check the current of air or steam, and to allow the
fine qualities of the wool to settle behind them in the angles formed by the V shaped
netting aforesaid. Near the entrance of the chamber and opposite the tube I place
a board or plate for the purpose of arresting any "shot" that may possibly be carried
into the chamber through the tube, and thus stop the shot from contaminating the
wool. A galvanized iron or other roof may be provided for the cage or chamber,
but this may also be of wire netting or any other material; the Invention then
essentially consists in the employment in the manufacture aforesaid of two air or
steam jets, one to make the wool, and the other to draw it into and send it through
a tube into a chamber or cage made of wire netting, or perforated plates, or equivalent
material, in such manner that the wool is caught by the sides while the air or steam
is able freely to escape without forming currents, and also a great side area of
netting or perforations upon a comparatively small space of ground.
The simple but very effective means provided for arresting the shot and dividing
it from the wool is also a very important feature in my Invention.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Wood in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th May
1877.
CHARLES WOOD, of Middlesborough-on-Tees, in the County of York, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF SLAG OR
OTHER VITREOUS MATERIAL FOR THE PRODUCTION OR MANUFACTURE OF A MATERIAL
KNOWN AS 'SLAG WOOL' OR 'SILICATE COTTON.'"
This Invention refers to the manufacture of slag wool or silicate cotton from
slag or other vitreous material.
Heretofore in the manufacture of this material the hot slag as it leaves the furnace
has been subjected to the action of a jet of steam or air for the purpose of dividing
it into exceedingly fine filaments or fibres, but the direct action of the steam or
other blast on the hot slag has been not altogether successful in the production of a
material free from impurities known generally in such manufacture as shot; but by
my Invention I believe I bave devised means whereby a large proportion can be
made entirely free from shot, thus leaving the fibres or filaments almost pure.
And in order that this my Invention may be clearly understood, I will now
proceed to describe what I from the experiments which I have made have found to
be a convenient way of carrying my Invention into effect.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a side elevation partly in section of an
apparatus suitable for illustrating my manufacture; and Figure 2 is plan thereof
partly in section.
I conduct the slag from the furnace by the usual slag runner A, and at the
discharge end, and on one side underneath the usual slag runner A, I place an air
or steam jet B, preferably the latter; on the other side of the runner A and opposite
the steam or air jet B, I provide a large tube C of wrought or cast iron leading to a
chamber or receiver D, to be hereafter described; the mouth of the tube C, namely,
that portion of it near the runner A, is open on the lowest side or cut away, as
shown, so that the "shot" coming from the slag as contained in or mixed with the

page_text: wool is divided from the same, or in other words as it is manufactured is free to
fall to the ground or into any suitable receptacle while the slag proper goes into
an ordinary slag box, such as E here shown, or is otherwise disposed of as desired.
Into the tube Cand beyond that part thereof which is not open I lead a second jet F,
or it may be more than one jet for the passage of air or steam, and the object of
this second jet or jets is that the air or steam which is forced through same towards
the chamber D draws the wool or silicate cotton which has been produced by the
first steam or air jet B into the tube C and sends it on into the chamber D. This
chamber D is constructed of or formed with a series of frames f made of wire
netting for the purpose of catching the wool blown into the said chamber D, and
allowing at the same time the steam or air to escape.
I prefer to arrange the wire netting in a V or corrugated form, as here shown at
Figure 2, forming a series of bags, but other conveniently shaped form such as
undulating may be applied, and I prefer to connect to the apexes of say the V's
or bags here shown what I may terin draught boards or plates G, or other deflecting
appliances which tend to check the current of air or steam, and to allow the fine
qualities of the wool to settle behind them in the angles formed by the V shaped
netting aforesaid. Near the entrance of the chamber and opposite the tube I place
a board or plate H for the purpose of arresting any shot that may possibly be carried
into the chamber through the tube, and thus stop the shot from contaminating the
wool; other equivalent deflecting, dispersing, or checking appliances may however
be arranged at this place than the board H here shown. A galvanized iron or other
roof may be provided for the cage or chamber D, but this may also be of wire netting
or any other material; the Invention then essentially consists in the employment
in the manufacture aforesaid of two air or steam jets or sets of steam jets, one to
make the wool, and the other to draw it into and send it through a tube into a
chamber or cage made of wire netting, or perforated plates, or equivalent material,
in such manner that the wool is caught by the sides while the air or steam is able
freely to escape without forming currents, and also a great side area of netting or
perforations upon a comparatively small space of ground.
The simple but very effective means provided for arresting the shot and dividing
it from the wool is also a very important feature in my Invention.
The jets at the slag runner and at the receiving tube (if more than one jet is used
at one or both places) may be arranged side by side or in advance of one another,
and their action may be regulated by cocks or valves according to circumstances.
And having thus fully described and ascertained the nature of this my Invention,
I declare that I claim,-
Firstly. The employment of blast jets or sets of blast jets at the slag runner, and
at or inside a receiving tube, as and for the purposes set forth.
Secondly. The construction of the receiving tube, as set forth.
Thirdly. The construction and arrangement of the receiving chamber, as set
forth.
And, Fourthly. The arrangement of parts, substantially as here illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Wood, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
CHARLES WOOD. (L.S.)