Improvements in Metallurgical Furnaces.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left 5th May. 1890-Accepted 12th July 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Metallurgical Furnaces.
I, CHARLES ALBERT PIAT, of 15, Rue des Halles, Paris, France, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to a metallurgical furnace, capable of being easily
operated, and in which it is possible to melt small quantities of cast iron or steel, and
also to make special mixtures in exact proportions and with great economy.
A furnace according to this invention comprises a lower crucible furnace capable
both of swinging and oscillating in combination with a small upper cupola, also capable
of oscillation, and operating as a cupola proper, or itself constituting a movable crucible
of special form.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section on the axis of a furnace according to the invention.
Fig. 2 is a plan, and
Fig. 3 a side elevation.
Fig. 4 illustrates the cupola in the position into which it is moved in order that it
may be tipped or tilted.
A is the lower swinging and oscillating furnace, which can be moved after it has
been lifted by means of its trunnions from off its points of support. It encloses a
crucible surrounded with fuel, and the capacity of which may be of any convenient
amount as for instance from 60 to 500 kilogrammes. B is the small cupola of
dimensions proportionate to the furnace A with which it is combined and upon which
it rests...
For convenience of working, the cupola is charged through the top; and the
molten metal flows constantly from it as the melting progresses, through a hole in the
centre of the bottom of the cupola, and falls into the lower crucible.
A hollow pillar D serves both to support the cupola B and to convey the air blast into
'the annular space E through the valve V; this air blast enters the cupola through
the openings o o.
The lower portion of the pillar D is stationary; the upper portion is movable and
turns on the bearing F. It can be raised by means of the pivot screw a which is
operated from the outside by means of a hand wheel, when it is desired, after the
operation is finished, to raise the cupola. After the cupola is raised it can be turned
together with the movable portion of the pillar to expose the furnace A, which is then
able to rise and oscillate freely.
In order to bring the portable furnace A to a suitable height, so as to allow the
inner crucible to discharge into a ladle without the intervention of a crane, the
trunnions of this furnace are carried by the ends of two levers G G which form a
framing stayed or braced at its ends and capable of oscillation about the axis i j. This
framing is below the surface of the ground.
The furnace is nearly balanced by a counter-weight H hung at the opposite ends
of the said levers.
By means of a sector K keyed on the shaft i j and of a chain M wound on a
small windlass L situated at the side of the pillar D, the whole of the balanced lower
arrangement is capable of oscillating about the said axis i j and of bringing the
furnace A into the positions indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1.
The air blast is supplied from the conduit P, and is distributed either alternately
or simultaneously to the two superposed apparatus. By means of the damper Ŕ
it can be directed to the furnace, and by the valve or damper V to the cupola.
If instead of melting cast iron that must be charged into the cupola with coke
and a flux, it is desired only to heat and melt metal, then the cupola B itself serves as
a crucible into which metal to be melted is charged.

page_text: The hot gases of the lower furnace pass into the interior of the cupola, which
then forms a crucible, into the interior of which they enter by the holes oo that are
unstopped, and by the lower central orifice c, through which the molten metal flows
into the lower crucible.
If the hot gases rising from the furnace A should not be completely burned, a
small quantity of the air blast, supplied by the valve V will effect the combustion
of the same.
The cupola may be turned away from its place above the crucible and caused to
operate as a cupola independently, whilst in the top of the furnace A there can be
inserted a crucible X provided with a central hole Q (Fig. 5) and with lower. lateral
holes dd, through which the furnace gases pass into the interior of this crucible,
heating and melting the metal which flows into the crucible situated underneath.
In order that the cupola may be readily cleaned and be capable of discharging
into a ladle, when working independently, it is provided at a suitable height with
two opposite trunnions m-m each of which is provided with a roller adapted to roll
upon the upper portion, formed as a rail, of the cheeks or side-pieces S S, formed in
one piece with the rotating portion of the pillar B.
:
These two cheeks together with the other portion appertaining to the cupola,
form the chamber E.
When it is desired to cause the cupola to oscillate and to turn over, it is pushed
forward, causing it to roll on the top of the cheeks, up to a point such that its
bottom is able to rise without coming in contact with the head of the movable
portion of the pillar D.
In this manner the lower furnace and the cupola are capable of operating, either
together and in combination, or each separately.
Dated this 26th day of November 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Metallurgical Furnaces.
I, CHARLES ALBERT PIAT, of 15 Rue des Halles, Paris, France, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
This invention has reference to a metallurgical furnace, capable of being easily
operated, and in which it is possible to melt small quantities of cast iron or steel,
and also to make special mixtures in exact proportions and with great economy.
A furnace according to this invention comprises a lower crucible furnace capable
both of swinging and oscillating in combination with a small upper cupola, also
capable of oscillation, and operating as a cupola proper, or itself constituting a
movable crucible of special form.
Referring to the drawings filed with my provisional specification,
Fig. 1, is a vertical section partly in elevation of a furnace according to this
invention.
Fig. 2 is a plan, and
Fig. 3 a side elevation thereof.
Fig. 4 illustrates the cupola in the position into which it is moved in order that it
may be tipped or tilted.
Fig. 5 shews the cupola turned to the right in order that the crucible may be
tipped.
A is the lower swinging and oscillating furnace, which can be moved, after it has
been lifted, by means of its trunnions from off its points of support.
It encloses a crucible surrounded by fuel, and the capacity of which may be of any
'convenient amount as for instance from 60 to 500 kilogrammes. B is the small cupola

page_text: of dimensions proportionate to the furnace A with which it is combined and upon which
it rests.
For convenience of working, the cupola is charged through the top; and the molten
inetal flows constantly from it as the melting progresses, through a hole in the centre
of the bottom of the cupola, and falls into the crucible below. A hollow pillar D
serves both to support the cupola B and to convey the air blast into the annular
space E through the valve V; this air blast enters the cupola through the
openings o, o.
The lower portion of the pillar D is stationary; the upper portion is movable and
turns on the bearing F. It can be raised by means of the pivot screw a, which is
operated from the outside by means of a hand wheel, when it is desired, after the
operation is finished, to raise the cupola. After the cupola is raised it can be turned
together with the movable portion of the pillar to uncover and expose the furnace A,
which is then able to rise and oscillate freely:
'
In order to bring the portable furnace A to a suitable height, so as to allow the
inner crucible to discharge into a ladle without the intervention of a crane, the
trunnions of this furnace are carried by the ends of two levers G G which form a
beam or frame stayed or braced at its ends and capable of oscillation about the axis i,j.
This framing is below the surface of the ground. The furnace is nearly balanced by
a counterweight H hung at the opposite ends of the said levers.
By means of a sector K keyed on the shaft the axis of which is at i, j, and of a
chain M, wound on a small windlass L situated at the side of the pillar D, the whole
of the balanced lower arrangement is capable of being turned about the said axis i, j,
and of bringing the furnace A into the positions indicated in dotted lines in
Fig. 1.
The air blast is supplied from the conduit P, and is distributed either alternately
or simultaneously to the two superposed apparatus. By means of the damper R it
can be directed to the furnace, and by the valve or damper V to the cupola.
If the metal to be melted is not one that can be advantageously charged directly
into the cupola with coke, such as cast iron, but is one that is better melted in a
crucible, then the cupola B itself may serve as a preparatory crucible into which the
metal to be melted is charged. The hot gases of the lower furnace pass into
the interior of the cupola, which then forms a crucible, through the holes o¹ o¹ that
are unstopped, and through the lower central orifice c, through which the molten
metal flows into the lower crucible.
If the hot gases rising from the furnace A, should not be completely burned, a
small quantity of the air blast, supplied by the valve V will effect the complete
combustion of the same.
The cupola may be turned away from its place above the crucible and caused to
operate as a cupola independently, whilst in the top of the furnace A there can be
inserted a crucible X provided with a central hole Q (Fig. 5) and with lower lateral
holes at d, d, through which the furnace gases pass into the interior of this crucible,
heating and melting the metal therein which then flows into the crucible situated
underneath.
In order that the cupola may be readily cleaned and be capable of discharging into
a ladle, when working independently, the casing forming the air chamber E is
provided at a suitable height with two opposite trunnions m m, provided with anti-
friction rollers and arranged to work in slots formed in the two supporting cheeks
or side pieces S S, that are formed in one piece with the rotating portion of the
pillar D.
When it is desired to cause the cupola to oscillate and to turn over, it is pushed
forward, causing its trunnions to move in the slots in the cheeks or side pieces up to
a point such that its bottom is able to rise without coming in contact with the head of
the movable portion of the pillar D.
In this manner the lower furnace and the cupola are capable of operating, either
together and in combination, or each separately.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. For carrying and operating an oscillating furnace such as A, a rocking beam or
frame such as G G so counterweighted at one end as to nearly balance the oscillating
furnace, which rests on trunnions at the other end, the said rocking beam or frame,
which is situated below the level of the ground and is capable of oscillating about an
axis i, j, being provided with a sector such as K, operated by a chain and windlass,
the arrangement being such that the furnace A can be raised as set forth.
2. The cupola B, adapted to rotate about the hollow pivot or bearing F which
conveys the air blast thereto, the said cupola being capable of being either (a) placed
above the oscillating furnace A, in order to receive the hot gases therefrom, when it
operates either as a cupola proper or as a preparatory crucible, the metal melted
.therein flowing into the crucible underneath; or (b) of being turned out of this
position so as to work as a cupola in an independent manner, the said cupola being
in either case, capable of moving forward on roller trunnions sufficiently to swing
about the said trunnions and to discharge the fuel or molten metal, as the case may be,
remaining therein as set forth.
3. The use with an oscillating furnace such as A, of a crucible X inserted partly
within the upper part of the oscillating furnace after the cupola B has been turned
away from it, the said crucible being provided with a central hole Q and lateral holes
at d, d, through which the hot furnace gases pass into its interior containing the metal
to be heated and melted by such gases.