IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SLAG, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED SUCU TREATMENT
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Shepherd Williamson, of Mortlake House, Con-
gleton, in the County of Chester, Iron Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SLAG, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED
SUCU TREATMENT.”
IN
Scaled the 7th November 1876, and dated the 15th May 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Shepherd Williamson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th May 1870.
WILLIAM SHEPHERD WILLIAMSON, of Mortlake House, Congleton, in the County
of Chester, Iron Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SLAC,
AND IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN SUCH TREATMENT."
My invention relates to the slag which issues out of or is withdrawn from the
blast furnaces and puddling furnaces employed in the smelting and manufacture of
iron, and has for its object to reduce such slag to a form or condition which will
render it applicable to be employed for purposes of utility. To this end I run the
molten slag into water contained in tanks, cisterns, or reservoirs into or through
which streams of cold water are caused to flow in order to prevent the water from
becoming heated to too great an extent. The effect of this treatment is to break
up or comminute the slag into a condition resembling gravel.
In the simplest arrangements I use two cisterns or tanks, the slag being conveyed
into one tank whilst the other tank is being emptied, or I use one tank only, the
converted slag being withdrawn continuously or at intervals.
According to another arrangement I employ an clevator or chain of buckets
similar to the arrangements employed in dredging machines, to raise the converted
slag out of the tank or out of each tank, as for example, I may use a tank having a
portion of the bottom rounded to suit the path of the elevator-buckets and a chain
of buckets extending from the bottom of the tank, or thereabouts, to the point of
delivery of the slag, which if preferred may be discharged directly into wagons.
The said tank may be made deepest at the rounded part, and formed with a decline
from the point of entry of the molten slag to the said rounded part, the intention
being that the slag whilst traversing the said incline shall become sufficiently
inuted

page_text: The slag so converted may be employed in lieu of gravel or cinders in the
formation of roads or footpaths, and as ballast for use in the formation and
maintainence of railroads, and may also be used in the preparation of concrete
and beton and for other purposes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Shepherd Williamson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th November 1876.
WILLIAM SHEPHERD WILLIAMSON, of Mortlake House, Congleton, in the County
of Chester, Iron Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SLAG, AND
IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN SUCH TREATMENT."
My Invention relates to the slag which issues out of or is withdrawn from the
blast furnaces and puddling furnaces employed in the smelting and manufacture of
iron, and has for its object to reduce such slag to a form or condition which will
render it applicable to be employed for purposes of utility. To this end I run the
molten slag into water contained in tanks, cisterns, or reservoirs, into or through
which streams of cold water are caused to flow in order to prevent the water from
becoming heated to too great an extent. The effect of this treatment is to break
up or comminute the slag into a condition resembling gravel.
In the simplest arrangements I use two cisterns or tanks, the slag being conveyed
into one tank whilst the other tank is being emptied, or I use one tank only, the
converted slag being withdrawn continuously or at intervals.
According to another arrangement I employ an elevator or chain of buckets
similar to the arrangements employed in dredging machines to raise the converted
slag out of the tank or out of each tank.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I have appended
hereunto a Sheet of Drawings, illustrative of the arrangements which I now consider
to be suitable to be employed in the carrying into effect of my Invention, the said
Drawings being marked with letters of reference. Referring in this place to the
said Drawings, Fig. 1 represents an elevation partly in section, and Fig. 2 a plan of
the apparatus. The said Figures are drawn to a scale of about half an inch to the
foot, but the dimensions are only indicated by way of example as the sizes and
proportions may be varied as considered to be most suitable in each case. In the
said Figures A, B, is a tank and C is an elevator. In the example the said tank is
supposed to be made of cast-iron plates bolted or connected together, but the tank
may be made of wrought-iron plates or be constructed of other materials, such as
masonry, brick-work, or concrete. The bottom of the tank slopes to one side or
end, and at the deepest part the bottom and side of the tank are curved in order
that the elevator buckets may be able to empty the tank more completely. This
curvature is not essential and may be dispensed with. In the example the tank is
made with two projecting wings B, B, the bottoms of which by preference slope
towards the deepest part into which the elevator descends. The said elevator is
formed with metal buckets a, a connected together by means of metal chains or
links, the construction being similar to that of the "bucket ladder" of ordinary
dredging machines. The said buckets are perforated to permit the discharge of
water. The chains are supported upon carrier wheels which are fitted to revolve in
a suitable manner, and are sustained by the beams b, b. The chain of buckets is
broken in the Drawing for want of space, but it will be understood that it is
extended to a length suitable to each case, the angle of motion being also varied as
required. Arrangements may be made to enable the buckets to discharge themselves
directly into wagons running upon rails or into carts or into canal boats as may be
most suitable in each case. The slag or melted scoria is permitted to run into the
parts marked B or into one of them. The tank represented in the Drawing is
suitable for employment in connection with two furnaces. The ends of spouts for

page_text: conveying the slag into the tank are indicated at d, d. The slag should fall from
the spouts into a body of water, and I have found that the results are not good if
there is not a sufficient depth at the point of entry of the slag. A depth of three
or four feet and upwards gives good results. Water is admitted into the tank
through pipes indicated at e, e, in Fig. 2. A fine grating is fitted in an opening
at the deep end of the tank. The flow of water through the said grating may be
regulated by means of a sluce valve g. By regulating the discharge of water
through the said grating to suit the inlet of water a constant flow of water into
and out of the tank may be maintained. It may be desirable to extend this grating
to the bottom of the tank or to fix a grating in the bottom so as to be able to drain
the tank completely. When the apparatus is at work the slag runs into the water
and becomes comminuted or converted into detached particles of a comparatively
small size, which are removed from the tank by the action of the elevator. It may
be necessary or advisable to assist the movement of the said particles towards the
elevator by means of rakes or tools to prevent an excessive accumulation at the
point of entry. Accumulations of slag upon the surface should be prevented by
pushing below the surface any masses which may form. The form of the tank may
be greatly varied, as for example, it may be made of an oblong rectangular form
with a bottom sloping from each end towards the centre or to a point out of the
centre. In such a case the slag might be run in at one end and flow towards the
deepest part in which the elevator buckets would work. I prefer that the discharge
grating or gratings shall be near the bottom elevator wheel in order that the flow
of water may assist in the conveyance of the particles to the clevator. Although I
prefer to use an elevator, I do not confine myself to such use, as the comminuted
slag may be withdrawn by other means, as for example, after a quantity of slag has
been run in the entry of slag and water may be stopped and the water be "run-off,"
so that the solid contents of the tank may be shovelled out. The slag converted or
comminuted by the means herein indicated may be employed in lieu of gravel or
cinders in the formation of ronds or footpaths, and as ballast for use in the forma-
tion and maintainence of railroads, and may also be used in the preparation of
mortar, concrete, and béton, and for other purposes for which it may be found to
be adapted.
Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of my Invention and means
whereby the same may be carried into effect, I would remark in conclusion that
I claim
First. The method of treating slag substantially as and for the purpose herein-
before set forth and indicated.
And, Secondly. The apparatus and arrangements to be employed in the treatment
of molten slag substantially as set forth and indicated herein-before, and in and by
the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Shepherd Williamson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
WILLIAM SHEPHERD WILLIAMSON. (L.S.)
Signed and sealed by the said William
Shepherd Williamson in the pre-
sence of
EDWARD K. DUTTON,
Agent to the Patentee,
3, Princess Street,
Manchester.