Improvements in Puddling Furnaces used in the Manufacture of Iron and Steel.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 6th May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 19th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 10th Mar.. 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Puddling Furnaces used in the Manufacture of
Iron and Steel.
I, STEPHEN MEREDITH, of Tividale Road, Tiptou, in the County of Stafford,
Furnace Builder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention has for its object more effectually to cool the bed plates of puddling
furnaces than is effected in the said furnaces as ordinarily constructed, and further
so to construct the said bed plates as to enable them to expand and contract by
changes of temperature without interfering with the continuity of the bed formed
by the said plates.
I form the bed of the furnace preferably of a series of three removable plates
the ends of the plates resting on rebates formed at the edges of the fixed frame
like plate constituting the marginal part of the bed. Underneath the said plates
is a shallow rectangular water cistern supplied with water from a reservoir, the
supply being regulated by a valve or stopcock. The top of the said cistern is open
at three of its angles so that the water by its exposure to the air and its evaporation
at these parts is reduced in temperature. The level of the water is maintained at
such a height that it is just in contact with the under surface of the bottom plates.
The exact level of the water is maintained by means of a weir and overflow pipe,
the water being incapable of rising too high by the action of the said weir.
In puddling furnaces constructed according to my invention the bottom plates
and the fettling of the furnace are kept so cool that the puddling process is
facilitated the yield of iron or steel is increased and the fettling lasts longer than
that of ordinary furnaces.
By constructing the bottom plates in the manner described they expand and
contract by changes of temperature without buckling or warping and without any
break in the continuity of the bottom.
Dated this eah 1
AL 100
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Puddling Furnaces used in the Manufacture of
Iron and Steel.
I STEPHEN MEREDITH, of Tividale Road Tipton, in the County of Stafford
Furnace Builder do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by.
the following statement :-
My invention has for its object more effectually to cool the bed plates of puddling
furnaces than is effected in the said furnaces as ordinarily constructed; and further
so to construct the said bed plates as to enable them to expand and contract by
changes of temperature without interfering with the continuity of the bed formed
by the said plates.
I form the bed of the furnace preferably of a series of three removable plates
the ends of the plates resting on rebates formed at the edges of the fixed frame.
like plate constituting the marginal part of the bed. Underneath the said plates

page_text: is a shallow rectangular water cistern supplied with water from a reservoir, the
supply being regulated by a valve or stopcock. The top of the said cistern is open
at three of its angles and at its sides so that the water by its exposure to the air
and its evaporation at these parts is reduced in temperature. The level of the
water is maintained at such a height that it is just in contact with the under surface
of the bottom plates. The exact level of the water is maintained by means of a
weir and overflow pipe, the water being incapable of rising too high by the action
of the said weir.
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawing represent in plan and front
elevation respectively the bottom of a puddling furnace constructed according to
my invention;
Figures 3 and 4 are vertical sections of the same taken in planes at right angles
to one another, Figure 3 being taken on the line A, A Figure l'and Figure 4 being
taken on the line B B Figure 1; and
Figure 5 represents in vertical section a portion of the bottom of the furnace
taken on the line C, C Figure 1.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of
the drawing.
a, b, c are the removable plates constituting with the frame or marginal part d
the bed of the puddling furnace. The plates a and c are supported along three of
their edges by the rebate d formed on the edge of the marginal part d of the bed,
and the plate is supported along its two shorter edges or ends by means of the
rebate of the marginal part of the bed and along its longer edges by the
rebates a and c formed on the inner edges of the plates a, c. By supporting
the plates a, b, c on the rebates d, a' and the said plates are permitted to expand
and contract by changes of temperature without interfering with the continuity of
the bed as will be understood by an examination of Figures 3 and 4, where it will
be seen that by the use of the said rebates, sufficient space is left between the
engaged and supported edges of the bed plates a, b, c and frame d for the required
expansion and contraction of the said bed plates.
Underneath the bed a, b, c, d is the shallow water cisterne the said cistern being
made in one piece with the marginal part d of the bed as best seen in Figures 3
and 4. The said cistern is supplied with water through the pipe f from a tank or
reservoir, the said supply being regulated by means of a valve or stopcock not
shown in the drawing. The supply pipe f extends nearly to the middle of the
cistern as represented. The overflow water passes from the cisterne by the pipe n
situated at a point nearly opposite that of the supply pipe f (see Figure 1) and
the overflow from the cistern is controlled in the manner hereinafter described.
The marginal part d of the bed of the furnace is supported at its inner edge by
means of short props or stays g, g made in one piece with the cistern e.
The inner
edges of the plates a and c and the longer edges of the plateb are supported by the
bolts h, h. The bottom of the cistern is provided at or near its middle with a
manhole and cover i and the cistern is partly open at its front, the open part being
closed by the removable cover & bolted and cemented in its place. By means of
the said manhole at i and the open front of the cistern the cleaning of the cistern
is facilitated. The cistern e is open to the air at the parts marked 1, and a large
part of the surface of the water is thereby exposed to the air for assisting in
keeping it cool. Any steam formed in the cistern may also escape at the open
parts 1, 1.
•
In order to keep the bed of the furnace bottom as cool as possible the water in
the cistern e is maintained at such a level that it is just in contact with the under-
surface of the bed plates a, b, c and marginal part d by means of the weir m
interposed between the cistern and the overflow pipe n. It will be seen by reference
to Figure 5 that the top of the said weir m is situated on a level with the underside
of the bed plates and the overflow water cannot escape to the outlet pipe n except
by passing over the said weir. Hence the water level is maintained at the height
described and the overflow water controlled.

page_text: In puddling furnaces constructed according to my invention the bottom or bed
plates and the fettling of the furnace are kept so cool that the puddling process is
facilitated, the yield of iron or steel is increased and the fettling lasts longer than
that of ordinary furnaces.
By constructing the bottom or bed plates in the manner described and illustrated
they expand and contract by changes of temperature without buckling or warping
and without any break in the continuity of the bottom.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that I
claim as my invention of "Improvements in Puddling Furnaces used in the
Manufacture of Iron and Steel " ;-
First. Constructing the bed or bottom of a puddling furnace of a series of
removable plates and a supporting frame or marginal part, the said frame or marginal
part being so constructed and the removable plates supported thereon that on the
expansion and contraction of the said plates by the heating and cooling of the
furnace the continuity of the bed or bottom of the said furnace is preserved
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawing.
Secondly. The combination with a puddling furnace bed or bottom of the
construction claimed in the first claim of a water cistern of the kind described and
illustrated for cooling the said bed or bottom and the fettling thereon, the level of
the water in the said cistern being maintained at such a height that it is just in
contact with the under surface of the bed or bottom substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated the Eighteenth day of January 1894.
STEPHEN MEREDITH.