AN IMPROVED PUDDLING MACHINE
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Thomas, of No. 7, Paul's Terrace, Newport
Road, Middlesborough, in the County of York, for the Invention
of "AN IMPROVED PUDDLING MACHINE."
Sealed the 7th October 1871, and dated the 18th April 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Thomas at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th April 1871.
I, JOHN THOMAS, of No. 7, Paul's Terrace, Newport Road, Middles-
borough, in the County of York, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "AN IMPROVED PUDDLING MACHINE," to be as follows:-
I make four rings of iron of any convenient diameter, say from five
to ten feet, and fasten them at proper distances from each other by
means of iron bars; the rings must be all of the same outside diameter,
but the two outside rings must be smaller in diameter on the inside.
The bars of iron that bind the four rings together are bent or dished, so
as to fit the form of the rings; when the rings are bolted to their form

page_text: required all round the inside of the iron rings they will form what I
have named the dish wheel. I then set this dish wheel on rollers, and
fill the spaces inside between the cross or tic irons with refractory
material so as to stand the heat. I then make another ring or plug,
which I call the centre, and this centro ring or plug 1 make as follows:
-Two centre pieces of iron are made to fill, or nearly so, the holes in
the outer rings of the dish wheel, and I build in between the rings fire
bricks or other refractory material. In or near the bottom of this
inside ring I form proper apertures for letting in gas and air for heating
the dish of the wheel, and also make suitable apertures for inserting
tools for agitating the melted metal or puddled ball. This inner ring is
a fixture, and when the dish wheel is in its proper position, and covered
with the inner or fixed centre ring, I then give motion by steam or
other power to one or more of the rollers that I place the centre or dish
wheel on, and these rollers will give motion to the dish wheel, and it
will revolve around the fixed centre ring. When the dish wheel is
heated enough I pour into the dish the quantity of melted iron required,
which may be melted in any ordinary furnace used for melting iron.
I insert the tools through the fixed centre ring, and properly stir or
agitate the metal until it is sufficiently puddled, when I withdraw the
tools and let the iron "ball" by the revolving of the dish wheel. When
this puddled ball is quite ready, I slide or roll the outer wheel from
the fixed centre ring, and take out the puddled ball and shingle in the
usual way. If when the ball is taken out the dish wheel needs fettling
I then keep the wheel turning round, and with a rabble I move the
liquid cinder from side to side until the whole is properly set hard, and
then I charge the liquid cast iron as before, and so repeat the process.
The hollow portions of the iron rings are kept in form by means of
water continually flowing through.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 3
filed by the said John Thomas in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 14th October 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
THOMAS, of No. 7, Paul's Terrace, Newport Road, Middlesborough, in
the County of York, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eignteenth day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said John Thomas, Her special
licence that I, the said John Thomas, my exccutors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said John Thomas, my exccutors,
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 "AN IMPROVED
PUDDLING MACHINE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
John Thomas, 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 John Thomas, 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
-
I make four rings of iron of any convenient diameter, say, from five
to ten feet, and fasten them at proper distances from each other by
means of iron bars, the rings must be all of the same outside diameter,
but the two outside rings must be smaller in diameter on the inside. The
bars of iron that bind the four rings together are bent or dished so as
to fit the form of the rings.
When the rings are bolted to their form
required all round the inside of the iron rings they will form what I
have named the dish wheel. I then set this dish wheel on rollers, and
fill the spaces inside between the cross or tie irous with refractory
material so as to stand the heat. I then make another ring or plug
which I call the centre, and this centro ring or plug I make as follows:
-Two centre pieces of iron are made to fill or nearly so the holes in
the outer rings of the dish wheel, and I build in between the rings fire-
bricks or other refractory material. In or near the bottom of this inside
ring I form proper apertures for letting in gas and air for heating the

page_text: dish of the wheel, and also make suitable apertures for inserting tools
for agitating the melted metal or puddled ball. This inner ring is a
fixture, and when the dish wheel is in its proper position and covered
with the inner or fixed centre ring, I then give motion by steam or
other power to one or more of the rollers that I place the centre or dish
wheel on, and these rollers will give motion to the dish wheel, and it
will revolve around the fixed centre ring. When the dish wheel is
heated enough I pour into the dish the quantity of melted iron required
which may be melted in any ordinary furnace used for melting iron. I
insert the tools through the fixed centre ring, and properly stir or agitate
the metal until it is sufficientiy puddled, when I withdraw the tools
and let the iron "ball" by the revolving of the dish wheel when this
puddled ball is quite ready. I slide or roll the outer wheel from the
fixed centre ring and take out the puddled ball and shingle in the usual
way. If when the ball is taken out the dish wheel needs fettling I
then keep the wheel turning round, and with a rabble I move the liquid
cinder from side to side until the whole is properly set hard, and then I
charge the liquid cast iron as before, and so repeat the process. The
hollow portions of the iron rings are kept in form by means of water
continually flowing through.
In order that this Invention may be more clearly understood and
readily carried into effect, I will now proceed to describe the same,
reference being had to the annexed Sheets of Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon.
A is the body of the machine, the cross section of which is in the
form of a trough, as shewn on the Drawing; the bottom is formed
with T bars sccured with bolts to four strong cast-iron rings. These
T bars hold the fireproof materials and fettling necessary for puddling.
The rings are kept in position by hollow distance pieces secured by
strong through bolts. The rings have a broad flange on their periphery
resting on rollers marked G, and made to revolve by the shaft I, which
is connected by suitable gearing to a steam engine. B is the core or
centre forming the top of the above trough; it is suspended by the
hollow shaft and bracket C, which is firmly secured to a good stone
foundation. To the above shaft is fixed two hollow rings with hollow
arms marked K for carrying the brickwork, &c. Things rings and arms
are kept cool by a continual stream of cold water supplied through the
large hollow shaft; in the bottom of the core is fixed the air and gas

page_text: tuyeres E, to the front of which is hinged a cover to be lifted up to allow
the body of the machine to be removed with the puddled ball. Both the
tuyeres and cover are provided with water boshes supplied with water
from the hollow shaft. The holes marked J are for inserting suitable
tools during the process of puddling. D is the flue for carrying off the
waste gases leading to a stove for heating the blast. F is the carriage
which carries the body of the machine and the rollers G and H; the
whole is carried on four wheels on a suitable railway.
When the puddled ball is ready for removal the whole is drawn out
by a screw or rack connected with reversable gearing to the steam
engine or other motive power.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
in which the same is or may be carried into effect, I declare that what
I claim and desire to be secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is, the improved puddling machine, substantially
as herein-before described and illustrated on the Drawings, or any mere
modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Thomas, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Eleventh day of October, in the year of
JOHN THOMAS. (L.S.)