IMPROVEMENTS IN SMITHS' FORGES AND FURNACES FOR SMELTING AND PUDDLING IRON, STEEL, AND OTHER METALS
Year: 1866

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William John Symons and Na-
thaniel Augustus Tover Symons at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 5th January 1866.
We, WILLIAM JOHN SYMONS, of No. 131, St. James' Road, Holloway,
in the County of Middlesex, and NATHANIEL. AUGUSTUS TOVER SYMONS,
of 16, Coburg Place, Upper Kennington Lane, in the County of Surrey,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SMITHS' FORGES AND FURNACES FOR SMELTING AND PUDDLING IRON, STEEL, AND
OTHER METALS," to be as follows:-
Our improvements in smiths' forges and furnaces for smelting and
puddling iron, steel, and other metals, consist, first, in causing the lower
part of cupola furnaces (that is to say, that which contains the melted
mictal) to be constructed separate from the upper or charging part, by
which means it can be made to contain a much larger quantity of metal
than in the present system of construction. The upper part of the furnace
is supported on columns, brackets, or other suitable bearings, and the
lower part which is moveable and may be placed on wheels is connected
to the upper by means of metal plates hermetically fitting thereto; the
space between the two parts forms an air chamber similar to that described
in the second part of this Specification, the air or blast being admitted
through a hole made in one of the plates. By lining the interior of the
lower part of the furnace (that for containing the melted metal) with

page_text: layers of fire-brick or clay, such layers may be removed or replaced as
desired, so as to admit of a large or small quantity of melted metal being
received. This arrangement of the lower part of the furnace dispenses
with the necessity of lighting a larger one, as is necessary in the system at
present employed, when a great quantity of metal is desired to be contained
therein.
Secondly, in causing a more regular and uniform blast without the aid
of blast holes or pipes, and with an economy in fuel of 25 per cent. over
the old method. This we effect by making a space or chamber in the
interior of the furnace all round the fire. The air is admitted near the
bottom of the furnace and is driven to the chamber through a culvert or
channel, either by means of a fan machine or bellows worked by engine
power or otherwise, and the air thus chambered is forced to act in one
continued circle on every part of the fire alike, causing a more regular
combustion than heretofore, and the uniform method of admitting the air
gives a beneficial effect to the metals or ores acted upon equal to any pro-
duced by reverberatory furnaces. The boxes for admitting the necessary
fluxes and gases may be arranged as desired. Round the exterior of the
air chamber we cause to be arranged a number of light reflectors which
enable the persons in charge to watch the process of smelting going on;
these reflectors are made moveable for the convenience of cleansing the
slag and to keep the air course clear. An open grating and slide thereto
is placed at the bottom of the fires for the purpose of cleansing the same.
The dimensions and form of the forges or furnaces would of necessity
vary according to the process in which they were to be employed. This
principle of constructing forges and furnaces can readily be applied to
existing ones.
The accompanying Drawing is a plan of our improvements, A showing
the air chamber; B, the fan machine; and Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, the
We
light reflectors; C, C, are the flux boxes; and D, the air culvert.
must here remark that it is not always necessary to put the flux boxes or
air culvert to all cupolas.