Improvements in Apparatus for De-oxydizing, De-phosphorizing, De-sulphurizing, and Treating Iron and other Ores, and for Collecting and Burning the Fumes and Gases therefrom.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 24th May, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 24th Feb., 1890-Accepted, 24th May, 1890
PROVISIONAL. SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for De-oxydizing, De-phosphorizing,
De-sulphurizing, and Treating Iron and other Ores, and for
Collecting and Burning the Fumes and Gases therefrom.
We MICHAEL ROBERT CONLEY of Brooklyn in Kings County and JAMES HARDING
LANCASTER, of 171 Broadway New York City, both in the State of New York
Engineers do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to Improvements in Apparatus for De-oxydizing, De-phos-
phorizing, De-sulphurizing and Treating Iron and other Ores, and for Collecting and
Burning the Fumes and Gases therefrom.
.
In carrying out our Invention into practice we provide a number of retorts in
which the granular iron or other ore is to be de-oxydized, de-phosphorized and
de-sulphurized. These retorts may be made of metal and are cylindrical. They do
not rotate but are secured at both ends outside the end walls of a combustion chamber.
There are five of these retorts, but they may be fewer or a greater number thereof as
may be found desirable or expedient. The granular ore may be the natural sea-sand or
It is to be
it may be ore pulverized or granulated in any convenient manner.
introduced into the retorts by means of pipes, or chutes, which pipes in the present
example of our improvement communicate with the retorts near the rear ends of the
latter upon their upper sides. We prefer that the retorts shall be placed in such a
We are
position that the pipes or chutes may be arranged in a line with each other.
thus enabled to successively charge each of the retorts from a suitable hopper, which
is arranged to travel on rails, extending above the upper ends of the said chutes. The
aforesaid hopper being provided upon its sides, and near its upper end with wheels
by which it may be moved along upon the rails so as to bring it over any desired one
of the chutes.
In the lower end of the hopper is a slide which may be operated to open the lower
end of the hopper so as to discharge the contents thereof into one of the chutes.
Each of the retorts is also provided with a discharge chute. These discharge chutes
extend through the rear wall of the combustion chamber, and their lower ends are
approximately upon a level. Suitable slides, at the upper ends of these discharge
chutes may be operated to allow the material from the retorts to pass outwardly as
desired.
The contents of the retorts may be either discharged directly into an open bearth
furnace and thus produce the steel ingots without exposing the prepared de-oxydized,
dephosphorized and de-sulphurized ore to the atmospheric air-but when no such
furnace is available we discharge the prepared ore into an air tight car or box-truck,
and as soon as the prepared ore is sufficiently cooled, we mix with said treated ore
about 7 or 8 per cent. of pitch and agitate same until it solidifies, and thus become
uninjured by exposure to atmospheric air.
In this condition it is available for transport to distant smelters, reverberatory or
open hearth furnaces.
To de-sulphurize or de-phosporize the ore, we admit by suitable means, a given
quantity of atmospheric air, or we may admit hydrogen or other suitable gas, and
thus effect the same result. The fumes may be conveyed to a gasometer and thence
to a furnace for heating said retorts utilized, however, for any other heating purpose
and thus effect great economy. A suitable pipe is also provided for admitting
hydrogen or other gas or air from a gasometer or any other desirable source of supply.
Each of the retorts is provided with a rotary stirrer, extending longitudinally and
centrally through the same.
The shaft of these stirrers, have bearings at their rear ends in sockets, formed
upon the inside of the castings forming the rear ends of the retorts and have other

page_text: bearings, preferable cooled by running water around the same, in any suitably
formed apertures in the place, forming the front ends of the retorts. Outside the
front ends of the retorts, the stirrers have secured upon them sprocket wheels receiving
power from any desired source. Upon this sproket wheel moves a sproket chain
extending about the sprocket wheels, and also about a suitable pulley. The sproket
wheels are so arranged that the sprocket chain as it passes to and fro about the said
sprocket wheels, and above mentioned pulley will engage with the teeth on said
wheels, and cause them all and consequently all the rotary stirrers to rotate in
unison.
There are means for discharging the sprocket chain from any one or more of the
sprocket wheels as may be desired, consisting in levers fulcrummed upon the front of
the combustion chamber and having upon one of their arms downwardly, extending
portions, which are journalled anti-friction rollers.
The sproket chain passes between the pair of above friction rollers upon each of
the levers by rocking any one of the other arms of the said levers, the sprocket chain
being lifted out of engagement with that sproket wheels, which is adjacent to the end
of one of the levers, bearing the rollers which is being rocked. It will therefore he..
seen that by disengaging the sprocket chain from any one or more of the sprocket
wheels, only such of the stirrers as it may be desired to operate at a given time will
be operated by the sprocket chain.
This is important for the reason that it is intended in practice to charge and
discharge the retorts successively so that the operation may be continuous.
The retort at the beginning of the series being charged, for instance, while that one
at the end of the series is being discharged and so on.
The shafts of the above mentioned stirrers, have secured to them stirring teeth.
which are longitudinally curved and are wider at their free ends than at the ends
adjacent to the shaft. They are also provided with longitudinal strengthening ribs.
At the ends of the teeth, there are formed on them horizontally extending flanges
through which extend transverse apertures.
Plates provided with flanges corresponding to the above flanges on the inner ends
of the teeth, and curved to extent about the shaft, are secured to the teeth by means
of bolts, extending through the apertures in the first mentioned flanges and similar
apertures in the last named flanges. This shaft may be made either solid or hollow.
If made hollow, it will be provided with suitable couplings upon each of its ends
whereby water may be caused to circulate through it, to cool it, if desirable, though
we prefer to use water bearings or journals to insure their proper running.
The above mentioned teeth extend radially from the shaft in but three directions,
viz. Certain of the teeth are in line with each other, and certain of the other teeth
are arranged intermediate of the teeth so in line and extend at approximate right angles
thereto. It will be therefore, observed that when the rotation of the shaft is stopped
in such a position as that, said intermediate line of the teeth shall be vertical and
above the shaft that the lower portion of the retort will be free and unobstructed by
any of the teeth upon the stirrer.
Each retort is provided with a scraper at its rear end. This scraper is arranged
upon the inner side of the retort, and is provided with a shank, extending to the
exterior of the retort. The portion of the shank outside of the retort is screw threaded,
and when not in use engages a suitable brace. This brace has its ends bearing
against the rear end of the retort by rotating the brace, the scraper may be-drawn
very tightly against the inner surface of the retort. When it is desired to use the
scraper, we attach thereto a scraper handle, which handle is provided on one end
with an internally screw threaded socket, which may be secured into the outer end of
the scraper shank. By then rotating the brace, the scraper may be disengaged from
the brace and may then be passed freely into the retort for the purpose of removing
the material therefrom. By the use of the scraper, the admission of atmospheric air
to the retort is obviated. Each of the retorts also provided with an escape pipe for.
gases, which should lead to a gasometer and thence to the furnace for fuel purposes or
by a suitable chimney.

page_text: Near the front end of the combustion chamber there is a furnace, which may be of
any desired construction and which is arranged below the bench, batch or battery of
retorts.
Heat from the furnaces passes upwards and about the retorts and the products of
combustion are conveyed either to the furnace, or carried away by a suitable flue to
a chimney stack or otherwise.
The retorts may be discharged into a substantially air tight car, or by preference
we run it directly into the open hearth furnace, for the purpose of preventing the
reoxvdizing of the ore by its contact with atmospheric air.
"
This car is preferably made of iron and provided with an opening upon its upper
side and nearer the centre thereof, which has a door, which may be caused to close
tightly over the same to prevent the entrance of air. It is also provided near its lower
end with an opening which may be closed, by a conical valve. From this valve
extends upwardly a rod, which is connected near its upper end with one arm of a
short lever, fulcrummed upon a suitable frame connected to the car. Near one end
of the car there is a catch, beneath which the other arm of the said short lever may
be passed after the said conical valve, has been brought snugly to its seat so as to
retain the same in such position. The last mentioned frame, is provided near the
upper end with a hook, forming part of a hanger, adapted to travel along on rails of
suitable construction arranged conveniently at the rear of the combustion chamber,
the car may thus be moved along beneath any desired one of the discharged chutes
of the retort, and its door, having been opend, the contents of the retort may be
discharged into the car, whereupon the car may be moved away beneath another
discharge chute or to any convenient place where it is desired to empty the contents
of the car.
1
P
1000
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for De-oxydizing, De-phosphorizing,
De-sulphurizing, and Treating Iron and other Ores, and for
Collecting and Burning the Fumes and Gases therefrom.
We MICHAEL ROBERT CONLEY of Brooklyn Kings County and JAMES HARDING
LANCASTER of 169 & 171 Broadway in New York City both in the State of New York
Engineers do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
We will describe an apparatus embodying our various improvements in detail and
then point out the novel features in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of an apparatus embodying our improve-
ments.
Fig. 2 is a horizontal vertical section thereof.
Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same.
Fig. 4, is a rear elevation of the same.
Fig. 5 is a plan or top view.
Fig. 6 is a detail view of a certain car employed therein.
Fig. 7 is a detail view on an enlarged scale of part of a shaft and one of a number
of stirring teeth connected thereto employed in our improvement.
Fig. 8 is a view of a scraper handle employed therein.
Fig. 9, shows our method of collecting the fumes and gases from the agitators
and conveying the same to and from a gasometer and thence to the furnace for
burning the same. Fig. 9 shows also, an inlet pipe J for admitting hydrogen or
other gas
from a gasometer or other source or the same inlet pipe J may be used for
admitting atmospheric air.

page_text: Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the various
figures.
A, designates a number of retorts in which the granular iron or other ore is to be
de-oxydized, de-phosphorized and de-sulphurized. These retorts may be made of
metal and as shewn are cylindrical. They do not rotate but are secured at both
ends outside of the end walls of a combustion chamber B. As shown there are five
of these retorts, but there may be fewer or a greater number thereof as may be
found desirable or expedient. The granular ore may be the natural sea sand or it
may be ore pulverized or granulated in any convenient manner. It is to be
introduced to the retorts as shewn by means of pipes or chutes A¹, which pipes A',
in the present example of our improvement communicate with the retorts near the
rear ends of the latter upon their upper sides. We prefer that the retorts shall be
arranged in the position illustrated more particularly in Fig. 2 and 9 whereby the
pipes A may be arranged in a line with each other or in other words in a line
parallel with the rear wall of the combustion chamber.
By this means we are enabled to successively charge each of the retorts from a
hopper C, which is arranged to travel on rails C³, extending above the upper ends of
the said chutes A', the aforesaid hopper C being provided upon its sides and near its
upper end with wheels by which it may be moved along upon the rails so as to bring
it over any desired one of the chutes A¹.
In the lower end of the hopper is a slide a, which may be operated to open the
, lower end of the hopper so as to discharge the contents thereof into one of the chutes.
Each of the retorts is also provided with a discharge chute (. These discharge
chutes extend through the rear wall of the combustion chamber and their lower ends
are as shewn approximately upon a level.
Slides a at the upper end of these discharge chutes may be operated to allow the
material from the retorts to pass outwardly as desired.
The contents of the retorts may be either discharged directly into an open hearth
furnace and thus produce the steel ingots without exposing the prepared de-oxydized,
de-phosphorized an 1 de-sulphurized ore to the atmospheric air, but when no such
furnace is available we discharge the prepared ore into an air tight car or box truck
and as soon as the prepared ore is sufficiently cooled we mix with the said treated
ore about 7 or 8% of pitch and agitate same until it solidifies, and thus becomes
uninjured by exposure to atmospheric air. In this condition it is available for
transport to different smelters, reverberatory or open hearth furnaces. To de-sulphurize
or de-phosphorize the ore, we admit by suitable ineans a given quantity of atmospheric
air, or we may admit hydrogen or other suitable gas and thus effect the same result.
In Fig. 9. we show an agitator with a pipe h conveying the fumes from the interior
of the retort to a gasometer H and from thence to the furnace by a pipe i thus heating
the said retorts by the burner K whence it is burnt. The fumes may be utilized
however for any other heating purpose and thus effect great economy. An additional
inlet pipe is also provided for admitting hydrogen or other gas or air from a
gasometer or any other desirable source of supply.
Each of the retorts is provided with rotary stirrer D extending longitudinally
and centrally through the same. The shaft of these stirrers D, have bearings at their
rear ends in sockets formed upon the inside of the castings forming the rear ends of
the retorts and have other bearings preferably cooled by running water round the
same, in any suitably formed apertures in the place forming the front ends of the
retorts. Outside the front ends of the retorts, the stirrers have secured upon them
sprocket wheels D¹.
D2 designates a sprocket wheel receiving power from any desired source, but is
not shown in the drawings. D³ designates a sprocket chain extending about the
sprocket wheels D2 and also about a pulley D. The sprocket wheels are so
arranged that the sprocket chain D3 as it passes to and fro about the sprocket wheels I)³
and pulley D will engage with teeth on said sprocket wheels D' and cause all said
sprocket wheels D' and consequently all the rotary stirrers D to rotate in unison.
We have shown means for disengaging the sprocket chain from any one or more

page_text: of the sprocket wheels D¹ as may be desired, consisting in levers D³ fulcrumed upon
the front of the combustion chamber and having upon one of their arms, downwardly
extending portions d, upon which are journalle l'anti-friction rollers d¹.
The sprocket chain D³ passes between the pair of friction rollers d' upon each of
the levers D³ by rocking any one of the other arms of the levers D³ as shown in a
downward direction.
The sprocket chain D3 will be lifted out of engagement with the sprocket wheel D¹
which is adjacent to the end of the lever D bearing the rollers di which is being
rocked. It will therefor be seen that by disingaging the sprocket chain from any
one or more of the sprocket D' only such of the stirrers as it may be desired to
operate at a given time will be operated by the sprocket chain D³.
This is important for the reason that it is intended in practice to charge and
discharge the retorts successively so that the operation may be continuous. The
retort at the beginning of the series being charged for instance, while that one at
the end of the series is being discharged and so on.
The shafts of the stirrers D, have secured to them stirring teeth b, of which we
have shown one upon an enlarged scale in Fig. 7.
These teeth it will be observed are longitudinally curved, and are wider at their
free ends than at the ends adjacent to the shaft.
They are also provided with longitudinal strengthening ribs b¹.
At the ends of the teeth there are formed horizontally extending flanges i through
which extend transverse apertures.
Plates 6 provided with flanges corresponding with the flanges i¹ on the inner ends
of the teeth b, and curved to extend about the shaft are secured to the teeth by
means of the bolts 63 extending through the apertures in the flanges and similar
apertures in the flanges ¹. This shaft may be made either solid or hollow; if made
hollow it will be provided with suitable couplings upon each of its ends whereby
water may be caused to circulate through it to cool it if desirable, though we prefer
to use water bearings or journals to insure their proper running.
It will be observed that by an examination of Fig. 2, the teeth b, extend radially from
the shaft in but three directions viz.: certain of the teeth are in line with each
other, and certain of the other teeth are arranged intermediate of the teeth so in line
and extend at approximate right angles thereto. It will be therefore, observed that
when the rotation of the shaft is stopped in such a position as that, said intermediate
line of the teeth shall be vertical and above the shaft that the lower portion of the
retort will be free and unobstructed by any of the teeth upon the stirrer.
We have shown two of the stirrers in such position in the upper two of the retorts
shown in Fig. 2. This is advantageous for the reason that it admits of a scraper
being introduced into the lower part of the retort for the purpose of withdrawing the
material therefrom into the discharged chutes.
We have shown each of the retorts as provided with a scraper a² at its rear end.
This scraper is arranged upon the inner side of the retort and is provided with a
shank e' extending to the exterior of the retort. The portion of the shank outside
of the retort is screw threaded and when not in use engages a brace e². This brace
has its ends bearing against the rear end of the retort by rotating the the brace. The
scraper may be drawn very tightly against the inner surface of the retort. When it
is desired to use the scraper, we attach thereto a scraper handle illustrated in Fig. 8,
which handle is provided on one end with an internally screw threaded socket, which
may be screwed into the outer end of the shank e¹ of the scraper. By then rotating
the brace the scraper may be disengaged from the brace and may then be passed
freely into the retort, for the purpose of removing the material therefrom. By the
use of the scraper the admission of atmospheric air to the retort is obviated.
Each of the retorts is also provided with an escape pipe for gases, which should
lead to a gasometer and thence to the furnace for fuel purposes as shown in Fig. 9 or
by a suitable chimney b.
The combustion chamber here shown has an arched shaped top and parallel sides

page_text: and ends. Nearer the forward end thereof is a furnace E which may be of any desired
construction and which is arranged below the bench, batch or battery of retorts.
Heat from the furnace passes upwards and about the retorts and the products of
combustion are conveyed either to the furnace or carried away by a suitable flue to a
chimney stack or otherwise.
The retorts having been properly charged the stirrers Dare caused to rotate therein
and the ore is subjected to a sufficient degree of heat to remove the desired quantity
of oxygen from ore. For de-oxydizing, de-phosphorizing, de-sulphurizing the ore,
atmospheric air, hydrogen or other suitable gases, is admitted to the ore in the retorts
as shown by the inlet pipe in Fig. 9. After it has been sufficiently treated the rotation
of any desired one of the stirrers is stopped with the arms thereof in the position
previously described and the retort is discharged of its contents.
The retorts may be discharged into a substantially air-tight car or by preference
we run it directly into the open hearth furnace for the purpose of preventing the
re-oxydizing of the ore by its contact with atmospheric air.
We have illustrated in Fig. 6 a car G convenient for use for this purpose, and also
a convenient mode for transporting the same along in front of the discharge chutes,
and away from the same. This car is preferably made of iron and provided with an
opening upon its upper side and nearer the centre thereof, which is provided with a
door y which may be caused to close tightly over the same to prevent the entrance of
air. It is also provided near its lower end with an opening which may be closed as here
shewn by a conical valve 9. From this valve extends upwardly a rod 92 which rod
is connected near its upper end with one arm of a lever g³ fulcrumed upon a frame g
connected to the car. Near one end of the car G is a catch g beneath which the other
arm of the lever g³ may be passed after the conical valve g¹ has been brought snugly
to its seat so as to retain the same in such position.
The frame is provided near the upper end with a hook 96 which book may be
engaged with the hook g' forming part of a hanger 9 which hanger is adapted to
travel along on rails of suitable construction arranged conveniently at the rear of the
.combustion chamber. The car may thus be moved along beneath any desired one of
the discharge chutes of the retort, and the door g having been-opened, the contents of
the retort may be discharged into the car whereupon the car may be moved away
beneath another discharge chute or to any convenient place where it is desired to
empty the contents of the car. When the car is to be emptied, the lever g³ is detached
from the catch 9' and the conical valve y' moved downwardly whereupon the contents
of the car will be discharged from the lower end thereof.
It will be seen that the lower end of the car has inclined sides and end portions, in
order to facilitate the operation of discharging and which may be into a tank for
mixing with pitch to hermetically seal each particle of ore from the action of the
atmosphere or into air tight casks for storage and transport purposes or the open
hearth furnace, smelter, crucible or other receptacle. The reason for mixing the
de-oxydized ore with liquidified pitch is to coat each particle of ore with an air tight
film of pitch and thus prevent the ore again becoming oxydized and converted into
its original condition in consequence of the action of atmospheric air upon the
granulated ore while in a heated state.
We can dispense with the use of mechanical stirrers in the retorts and effect the
same object by stirring by hand without departing from the object of our
invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is.
1. The combination with a combustion chamber of disconnected retorts arranged
therein; chutes communicating with said retorts through which the ore or other material
may be supplied, stirres arranged in said retorts, gearing for causing the rotation of
stirrers, discharge chutes for the retorts and a furnace, said retorts being fully closed

page_text: to the products of combustion from the furnace, and to atmospheric air, substantially
as described and for the purpose set forth.
2. The combination with a combustion chamber of a series of non-rotary retorts
arranged in chutes therein; chutes communicating with said retorts, through which
material may be supplied; rotary stirrers arranged in said retorts which when the
retorts are all in use will rotate unison, and mechanism substantially such as described
for causing the non-rotation of any of the stirrers without affecting the others; dis-
charge chutes for said retorts and a furnace substantially as specified and for purpose
set forth.
3. The combination of a non-rotary retort of a rotary stirrer provided with fingers
extending radially in therefrom; two sets of said fingers being in approximate line
with each other and another set being arranged intermediate of the other two sets and
extending at approximate right angles and for the purpose set forth.
4. The combination of a non-rotary retort of a scraper therefore arranged within a
retort and provided with a shank, extanding to the exterior of the retort, a brace for
engaging and operating the said scraper to remove material from the retort after the
shank of the scraper has been disingaged from the brace substanitially as specified and
for the purpose set forth.
5. The combination with a combustion chamber, of a fixed retort arranged therein,
a discharge-chute for said retort and a car adapted to be moved beneath the outer end
of said discharge-chute and suspended from a hangar and a rail along which said
hangar may be moved to convey the car away, substantially as specified.
6. The combination with a non-rotary retort of a rotary stirrer arranged therein, a
hollow shaft comprised in said stirrer and inlet and outlet pipes coupled to the ends
of said shaft, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
7. The process of treating granular iron, or other ore to relieve it of impurities
consisting in subjecting it to heat in a closed retort and when sufficiently heated
subjecting it to agitation and passing through it a suitable gas for the purpose of
de-phosphorizing, de-oxydizing and de-sulphurizing said granular ore substantially as
specified.
8. As a new article of manufacture, de-oxydized granular iron or other ore sub-
stantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 24th day of February 1890
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, Agents.