IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STEEL OR MALLEABLE IRON, AND APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1874

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Perceval Moses Parsons at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th March 1874.
.
I, PERCEVAL MOSES PARSONS, of Melbourne House, Blackheath, in
the County of Kent, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STEEL OR
MALLEABLE IRON, AND APPARATUS THEREFOR," to be as follows :—
My Invention relates to the manufacture of steel or malleable iron by
what is known as the "Bessemer process," in which steel or malleable
iron is produced from pig iron decarbonized by forcing into the fluid.
metal air or other gascous fluid or matter capable of evolving sufficient
oxygen to cause the combustion of the carbon contained in the pig
iron.
In carrying out this process it is usual to melt the pig iron in a
cupola or other furnace and to run it into a converting vessel mounted
on trunnions and provided with tuyeres through which tlie decarbonising
blast is forced, the melting furnace being separate from and disconnected
with the converting vessel.
1

page_text: In carrying my Invention into effect I also employ a converting
vessel of light kind, but I use it either by itself or in connection with a
separate chamber for the purpose of fusing as well as converting the
metal in the following manner:-I blow into the converting vessel
through its tuyeres a quantity of powdered carbonaceous material such
as charcoal, coke, or coal, along with the air necessary for its combustion,
and ignite the mixture in the converting vessel whereby intense heat is
produced.
The pig iron to be operated on is either charged into the con-
verting vessel itself and becomes fused therein, or it is charged into a
separate melting chamber, the throat of which is. put temporarily in
connection with the mouth of the converting vessel, so that the flame
issuing from the latter passes through the said chamber and fuses the
metal therein. This melting chamber is arranged in such a position
relatively to the converting vessel that the metal when fused in the
former shall run into the latter. After the metal in the converting
vessel is fused, or after the converting vessel has received its charge of
fused metal from the melting chamber, I stop the supply of the
carbonaceous powder and canting up the converting vessel I effect the
decarbonization by the blast of air in the ordinary way.
.
In some cases however I continue to blow in with the air a small
quantity of the carbonaceous powder for the purpose of obtaining a
higher intensity of heat during conversion, when the metal treated is
of such a character that it is not sufficiently fluid during the ordinary
converting process, and this mode of treatment is applicable whether
the fusion be effected by the means which I have described above or by
the ordinary méans.
Although I have described the introduction of the carbonaceous blast
through the ordinary tuycres of the converting vessel, it may be readily
understood that the vessel may be provided with separate tuyeres for
that
purpose. Also that the carbonaceous blast for the melting chamber,
when such chamber is used, may be sent thereinto directly without
passing through the converting vessel. I prefer however to pass the
carbonaceous blast as I have described through the converting vessel as
it is thus heated preparatory to receiving its charge for conversion.
In order to utilise a large portion of the heat evolved while the
process of conversion is going on, and which is now usually wasted, I

page_text: direct the flame which issues from the mouth of the converting vessel
into a chamber charged with pig iron which it is intended afterwards to
operate on. The iron thereby becoming heated is moved into the
melting chamber or into the converting vessel or into any suitable
furnace for melting it before being charged into the converting vessel;
or it may be melted in the said chamber either by means of the
carbonaceous blast applied as I have above described after discharging
the converting vessel, or by a carbonaceous blast or gas or other flame
applied directly to the chamber, and when so melted can be run by a
spout into the converting vessel.