IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN PUDDLING IRON
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Pickles, of Bramley, near Leeds, in the
County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN PUDDLING IRON."
Scaled the 17th October 1872, and dated the 22nd April 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Pickles at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd April 1872.
I, JOSEPH PIOKLES, of Bramley, near Leeds, in the County of York,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN PUDDLING IRON," to be as
follows:-
My improvements have reference to the machinery or apparatus
employed for imparting the required motion to the "rabbles" used in
puddling furnaces, whereby they are moved about in or amongst the iron
in the interior of the furnace without the guidance of the puddler, and
as hereafter described.

page_text: On framework, which by preference I make of cast or wrought iron,
and in suitable bearings, I mount a beam, which I cause to oscillate on
its centre by means of a crank or eccentric, motion, being transmitted
thereto from the crank or eccentric by means of a connecting rod. On
the framework I mount and fix two round pillars, on each of which is a 5
bracket or arm fitted so as to work freely. Each bracket or arm carries
a bell-crank lever. These bell-crank levers are attached by suitable
connecting rods to the outer ends of the oscillating beam, whereby the
required vertical reciprocating motion is imparted to them.
A "rabble" of ordinary construction when required is attached to the 1
other end of each bell-crank lever.
A slow lateral radial reciprocating motion is given to the brackets
mounted on the aforesaid round pillars, which brackets carry with them
the bell-crank levers, and impart to them the lateral radial reciprocating
motion. By the combined vertical reciprocating and lateral radial 1
motion of the bell-crank levers the "rabbles" are traversed in all parts
of the iron in the furnace, thereby thoroughly mixing it.
I provide suitable gearing of ordinary construction for transmitting
the required motion to the various parts, which motion I derive from
some suitable known motive power.
The herein described arrangement of machinery or apparatus is placed
on the top of the puddling furnace, the furnace itself being of ordinary
2
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Pickles in the Great Seal Patent Office 2
on the 22nd October 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Joseph
PICKLES, of Bramley, near Leeds, in the County of York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of April, in the year 3
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Joseph Pickles, Her special licence
that I, the said Joseph Pickles, my executors, administrators, and

page_text: assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph Pickles, 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
THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN PUDDLING IRON," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph Pickles, 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 Joseph Pickles, 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 statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, that is to
say:-
My improvements have reference to the machinery or apparatus
employed for imparting the required motion to the rabbles used in
puddling furnaces, whereby they are moved about in or amongst the iron
in the interior of the furnace without the guidance of the puddler, and
the Invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying
two Sheets of Drawings, of which Sheet 1 shews a side elevation of
machine and section of puddling furnace, Sheet 2 a plan looking at
the top.
On framework a, which I by preference make of cast or wrought iron,
I provide à beam 6 fitted on to a pin or stud c, mounted so as to work
freely in the bearings d. In order to give an oscillating motion to the
beam 6 I employ a crank or disc e, having fixed into it a crank pin ƒ,
this is coupled to the beam b, as shewn by the connecting rod g. On
the framework a I mount and fix the two round pillars h, on the exterior
of which are fitted so as to move freely the radiating brackets or arms J.
Each bracket or arm J carries a bell-crank lever K. These bell-crank
levers K. are attached by suitable connecting rods 2, as shewn, to the
°

page_text: outer ends m of the oscillating beam b, whereby the vertical reciprocating
motion is imparted to the bell-crank levers k.
When required the rabbles n, which are of ordinary construction, are
attached or hooked on to the ends o of each lever k. These ends o are
provided with an adjusting screw p, whereby the rabble may be raised
or lowered at pleasure. A cross section of a puddling furnace is shewn
at q, with rabbles in position.
A slow radial reciprocating motion is given to the radiating arms or
brackets j, which brackets carry with them the bell-crank levers k, and
impart to them their lateral radial reciprocating motion. By the com-
bined vertical reciprocating and lateral radial motion of the bell-crank
levers k the rabbles are traversed in all parts of the iron in the furnace,
thereby thoroughly mixing it. A plan of the interior of the furnace is
shewn in dotted lines at r on Sheet 2.
In order to give the radial reciprocating motion to the radiating arms,
I provide in suitable bearings the crank or disc a provided with a crank
pin t, and coupled to the arms or brackets j by the connecting rods u,
motion being given to the disc or crank through worm v, worm wheel w,
gearing x and x³, from the steam engine y, which is of ordinary con-
struction and mounted on the framework a, or from some other known
motive power. I provide the clutch 1 for the purpose of throwing the
worm out of gear when required, and thereby stopping the radial
motion of the brackets or arms j; and I employ the clutch 2 for
throwing out of gear the crank or disc e, whereby the oscillating move-
ment of the beam b may be stopped, stopping thereby the vertical
reciprocating motion of the bell-crank levers k; the clutches it will be
readily understood may be acted upon together or separately by means
of the hand levers 3 and 4 respectively through the rods 5 and 6.
On the shaft 7 I provide the boss 8, which is keyed on the shaft into
which boss the clutch 2 gears; on the periphery of this boss is provided
a strap or friction hoop 9, which is tightened on to it at points 10, as
shewn; by this means the required amount of friction may be obtained.
On the spur wheel 2¹ I provide the pins 11, which come in contact with
the projections 10 on the strap or friction hoop 9; by this means the
oscillating motion is given to the beam, but should the rabbles stick or 8
any other intervening parts, the friction hoop coases to act upon the boss

page_text: and slips round without giving it motion. This arrangement prevents
breakage of machine under excessive strain.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I would remark in conclusion
that I do not limit myself to the exact limits, details, and configuration
of parts I have described and shewn, as the same may of course be
varied or modified without in any way departing from my Invention;
but what I do claim and desire to be secured to me by Letters Patent is,
the arrangement, construction, and combination of the various parts
› herein described and shewn, together with any mere modification thereof
for producing and transmitting the required traversing motion to the
rabbles used with machinery or apparatus employed in puddling iron,
substantially as herein-before described and illustrated in the accom-
panying Drawings.
In witness whereof. I. the said Joseph Pickles, have hereunto sot.
panying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Pickles, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
Witness,
20
J. W. HARDING,
-
Engineer and Patent Agent,
2, East Parade,
Leeds.
JOSEPH PICKLES. (L.S.)