IMPROVEMENTS IN REFINING CRUDE PIG IRON, AND IN FURNACES CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Parry, of Ebbw Vale Iron Works, in
the County of Monmouth, Furnace Manager, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REFINING CRUDE PIG IRON, AND IN FURNACES CONNECTED
THEREWITH."
Sealed the 17th December 1863, and dated the 9th October 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Parry at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 9th
October 1863.
I, GEORGE PARRY, of Ebbw Vale Iron Works, in the County of
Monmouth, Furnace Manager, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REFINING CRUDE PIG IRON, AND IN FURNACES
CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
The refining of pig iron as now carried out in this country is a costly
process owing to the power consumed in providing the blast which is thrown
into the molten metal to maintain its fluidity within the cavity or hearth
enclosed by the usual "water blocks ;" moreover the use of steam, notwith-
standing its energetic properties as a refining agent, is practically inadmissible
on account of its cooling effect on the molten iron when enclosed between the.
water blocks. The waste of fuel is also very great.
The object of the present Invention is to remedy these defects, much less
blast being used for a given weight of iron than heretofore, a great saving of
fuel being effected, and the steam being so applied and regulated that as a
refining agent it becomes more efficient than in the old method of applying it.
In carrying out the refining of crude pig iron, I use a reverberatory furnace

page_text: built, by preference, in front of the blast or smelting furnace, into which the
molten metal is run to the weight, say, of 30 cwts. or 2 tons. The reverberatory
furnace I construct somewhat larger, but similar in form to an ordinary
puddling furnace, but with this difference, viz., that both the fire-bridge and
flue-bridge are raised much higher than usual, the object being to direct the
gas flame from the fuel perpendicularly, or nearly so, upon the face of the
molten iron undergoing the process of refining. Instead of using six ordinary
blast water tuyeres of 1 inch diameter, as in the old refineries, I find in my
improved furnace two tuyeres to be sufficient. I also use one or two steam
tuyeres for injecting steam heated to about 500 or 600 degrees Fahrenheit.
These steam jets are inserted in the axis of a water tuyere in such manner as
to form an annular passage for an induced current of air from the atmosphere
to pass down with the superheated steam, and mix with it before it strikes the
surface of the metal. By this admixture of the superheated steam and air
the refining effect of the steam on the iron, is very much increased, as shewn
by the increased heat and brilliancy of the tuyere under this arrangement over
the ordinary way of applying steam. Previous to running in the charge of
metal 2 or 3 cwts. of forge cinders are introduced and thoroughly heated, but
not quite fused (to save the bottom of the furnace from too much wear); the
metal is then ran in, and the blasts of air are turned on. When the molten
iron shews a rapid increase of temperature the steam is to be introduced, and
the supply continued while the iron maintains its fluidity and heat unimpaired,
but otherwise must be checked or stopped altogether. The refiner, with a little
practice, will judge for himself what quantity of steam the iron will take,,and
also will see that different kinds of iron will bear different proportions of steam.
In general the more steam that can be blown into the iron the greater the
degree of refinement. The steam also. exercises a powerful refining action on
the forge cinder used in the refinery furnace, fitting it for further use in the
smelting furnace. Water blocks are used to preserve the brickwork in the
bridges and partly in the roof of the refinery, and the coil of pipe used for
heating the steam may be heated by the spare heat of the chimney.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Parry in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th April 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1, GEORGE 35
PARRY, of Ebbw Vale Iron Works, in the County of Monmouth, Furnace
Manager, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said George Parry, Her special license that I, the said George
Parry, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said George Parry, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVEMENTS
IN REFINING CRUDE PIG IRON, AND IN FURNACES CONNECTED THEREWITH," -upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Parry, by an in-
strument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 George Parry, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say)
The refining of pig iron as now carried out in this country is a costly
process owing to the power consumed in providing the blast which is thrown
into the molten metal to maintain its fluidity within the cavity or hearth
enclosed by the usual "water blocks ;" moreover, the use of steam notwith-
standing its energetic properties as a refining agent is practically inadmissible
on account of its cooling effect on the molten iron when enclosed between the
water blocks. The waste of fuel is also very great.
The object of the present Invention is to remedy these defects, viz., to
ensure the production and maintenance of a given temperature with the use of
much less blast than has heretofore been required for attaining the like result,
and to effect a considerable saving in the cost of fuel. These advantages I
obtain, firstly, by the use of a novel arrangement of reverberatory furnace,
and, secondly, by applying to the molten metal a jet of steam surrounded by or
commingled with an induced current of air, whereby as a refining agent the
steam becomes more efficient than in the old method of applying it.
In carrying out the refining of crude pig iron, according to this Invention,

page_text: I use the arrangement of reverberatory furnaces shewn in the accompanying
Drawing, which arrangement, for the convenience of continuous working, is
duplicated, so that when one furnace is out of repair the other may be con-
tinued in active operation.
Fig. 1 is a partial longitudinal section of the arrangement, in which two rever-
beratory furnaces are connected to one central chimney; Fig. 2 is a partial
plan view of the same; and Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken in the
line 1, 2, of Fig. 1.
A is the central chimney; B, B, are the reverberatory furnaces; C, one of
two fire-places in connection with the reverberatory furnaces, but separated
therefrom by the fire-bridge D, fitted with a water block D'. A similar water
block E is also built in the roof of the furnace B, and in the flue-bridge at. F.
The chimney I make about two feet square and fifty feet high, and I fit it
with a damper as usual. In the chimney wall I place a coil of pipe G, which
is secured in a hollow block of iron that is cast around it. This coil is intended
to receive the steam that is to be injected into the metal for the purpose of
superheating that steam as it passes from the boiler where it is generated to
the tuyere or jet pipe H. The object of thus surrounding the coil with metal
is to protect it from the direct action of the fire. The steam jet it will be
seen is introduced at the hottest part of the furnace, viz., immediately behind
the fire-bridge, in order that its tendency to cool the molten metal may as
far as possible be neutralised. I, I, are the tuyeres for supplying the furnace B
with blasts of air. The reverberatory furnace I build by preference in front
of the blast or smelting furnace, and run into it the molten metal to the
weight, say, of thirty hundredweights or two tons. The reverberatory furnace
I construct somewhat larger than but similar in form, to an ordinary puddling
furnace, with this important difference, however, viz., that both the fire-bridge
and flue-bridge are raised much higher than usual, the effect of which
increased elevation is to intensify the action of the gas flame from the fuel by
causing it to strike perpendicularly or nearly so upon the face of the molten
iron undergoing the process of refining, instead of allowing it to play upon and
pass over the surface of the metal, which it will do when the ordinary low.
tire-bridge is employed. Instead of using six ordinary blast water tuyeres of
one and a quarter inch diameter, as in the old refineries, I find in my improved
furnace two tuyeres to be sufficient of one inch to one and one-eighth of an
inch diameter. The steam tuyere used for injecting steam into the molten
metal will be about three-eighths of an inch diameter when the pressure
is about ten pounds to the inch, but smaller when higher pressures are used.
I prefer to heat the steam to about five hundred. or six hundred degrees

page_text: Fahrenheit, which will be readily effected by passing it through the coil of pipe G.
The steam jet passes through the centre of an ordinary water tuyere, which is
só arranged as to permit of a hollow column of atmospheric air passing down
as an. induced current with the jet of superheated steam, and mixing with it
before it strikes the surface of the metal. The diameter of this tuyere should
be about one and one-eighth of an inch, and the point of the steam jet pipe
should extend about two or three inches short of the inner extremity of the
tuyere. By the admixture of the superheated steam with the induced current
of air the refining effect of the steam on the iron is very much increased, which
is shewn by the increased heat and brilliancy of the tuyere under this arrange-
ment over the ordinary way of applying steam. In the flues that connect the
reverberatory furnaces with the central chimney I provide dampers or sliding
valves. K, K, the closing of which will throw their respective furnaces out of
action. Previous to running in the charge of metal two or three hundred-
weights of forge cinders are introduced and thoroughly heated, but not quite
fused (to save the. bottom of the furnace from too much wear); the metal is
then run in, and the blasts of air are turned on. When the molten iron shews
a rapid increase of temperature the steam is to be introduced, and the supply
continued while the iron maintains its fluidity and heat unimpaired, but other-
wise its supply must be checked or stopped altogether. The refiner, with a
little practice, will judge for himself what quantity of steam the iron will take,
and also will see that different kinds of iron will bear different proportions of
steam. In general the more steam that can be blown into the iron the
greater the degree to which the refinement is carried. The steam also
exercises a powerful refining action on the forge cinder used in the refinery
furnace, fitting it for further use in the smelting furnace. The water blocks
D', E, and F, are used, as will be readily understood, to preserve the brick-
work in the bridges and roof of the refinery from the destructive action of the
beat.
As an illustration of the advantages derivable from the above-described
arrangement over the furnace as now fitted with the low bridges, I would
remark that I am enabled by the employment of my Invention to refine iron
at the rate of consumption of only two to two and a half hundredweight of
coal to the ton of iron, whereas in the ordinary mode of refining from six to
eight hundredweight of coke (a more expensive fuel) is generally used. The
kinds of iron best adapted for refinement in this furnace are those known as
bright grey mottled and very fluid white iron. When the iron bas been
sufficiently refined (which will be known to the workman by introducing an
iron bar into the molten metal through the test hole in the furnace door) the

page_text: furnace is tapped, and the refined metal run through the tap hole L, into
moulds of the ordinary construction.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in
Refining Crude Pig Iron, and in Furnaces connected therewith," and explained
the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that
under the above in part recited Letters Patent, I claim,-
First, arranging reverberatory furnaces with high bridges, as described and
shewn in the Drawing, for the purpose of causing the flame to strike per-
pendicularly, or nearly so, on to the molten metal, and thus by increasing the
intensity of its action effecting a great saving in the amount of fuel required,
and consequently in the cost of.the refining process.
Secondly, injecting superheated steam into the molten metal in com-
bination with an induced current of air, in the manner and for the purpose
above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Parry, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord One'
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
EDMUND HODGES,
Ebbw Vale Works,
Monmouthshire.
GEORGE PARRY. (L.S.)