IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE SAID MANUFACTURE
Year: 1867

page_text: Umce, No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN
THE SAID MANUFACTURE."-A communication from abroad by Virgil
Warren Blanchard, of Bridport, Vermont, United States of America.
Sealed the 15th October 1867, and dated the 23rd August 1867.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration on the 23rd August 1867, pursuant to the 9th Section of the
Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International. Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE SAID
MANUFACTURE," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same,
and have made solemn Declaration that it has been communicated to me
and have made
from abroad by Virgil Warren Blanchard, of Bridport, Vermont, United States
of America.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby declare
that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal, fully
describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings forming a part of
this Specification :-
My Invention consists in decarbonizing molten iron or otherwise purifying
it, thereby converting it into steel or malleable iron, or otherwise improving its
quality by the forcible dispersion of a stream of the melted metal into globules,
particles, or atomis by a jet or jets of steam, air, or a mixture of the two, or
any other gaseous element or elements adapted by their affinities for the
purpose within a vessel, within which each globule, atom, or particle of the
melted metal is brought into free and immediate contact with the gaseous
element or elements contained within the vessel, whereby the elimination of
the impurities which it may contain is effected.
The Drawing shows a perspective view of the apparatus employed in
practising my Invention.
A represents the furnace in which the iron ore is melted preparatory to
being converted into steel or malleable iron. Leading from the hearth of
this furnace is the trough B through which the melted ore passes to the bath D;
this trough is. provided with a gate Ci for the purpose of; regulating the, flow
of surplus metal; at the end of the trough there is a second gate, so as to
control the flow of the metal into the bath and to prevent the flames from
coming out; leading off from the main channel B just above the gate C there
is a second trough E which is much shallower than the main one B. The
molten metal pours from the heurth of the furnace A into the main channel B
and flows down to the gate, where if the gate is closed it will accumulate and
run off through, the shallow channel E. In practice this accumulation is
allowed to take place so. that a sufficient stream will flow through this channel
to carry-off the." scoria" or."slag.". After the accumulation of the melted.
metal has taken place the gate. is. partly. raised when, the heaviest part. flows.
under the gate into the bath, while the lighter or refuse part runs off through
the channel E. These troughs should be slightly inclined downwards, so that
when the stream. of metal: bas become.started it. will, be steady and continuous:
Frepresents an ordinary steam, boiler in which the steam, to, be used in my
process is generated. Immediately under the boiler F is, the receiver G ;
this receiver. is simply an air chamber which contains. the, compressed air
necessary.to.give uniformity. to, the blast. Leading from both the air chamber G
and boiler F to the bath are the two pipes H and I which are provided with

page_text: At a
suitable stop-cocks, so that the currents of air or steam, or the mixture of the
two can be regulated at pleasure. These pipes are made to pass through the
secondary furnace K on their way to the bath where the steam, or air, or a
mixture of the two can be heated to a degree approaching to decomposition
before coming into contact with the stream of melted ore in the bath.
convenient distance above the secondary furnace the air and steam pipes-are
connected with each other by a short pipe, which is provided with a suitable
valve, so that the air and steam can be mixed at pleasure. The waste heat
of the furnace may be so utilized as to impart the required degree of heat to
these pipes, and in that case will be equivalent to the secondary furnace.
Before these two pipes pass into the bath they unite so as to form but one,
and the contents can only escape into the bath through the small openings in
the end of the trough B over which the melted inetal passes. D represents
the bath in which the melted ore is converted into steel or malleable iron;
this bath may be constructed in the form shown in the accompanying
Drawing, or in any other form that may be convenient. Inside of the bath
is placed the inclined plane L (as shown by dotted lines) against which the
metal is made to strike with the force imparted to it by the jet or jets of
steam, or air, or a mixture of the two, for the purpose of more effectually
reducing it to globules, atoms, or particles. As the stream of melted ore is
started from the furnace a jet of steam, or air, or a mixture of the two
moving with greater or less velocity is brought into contact with it inside of
the bath. The force of the current of air; or steam, or a mixture of the two,
reduces the molten metal to globules, particles, or atoms, while the heat of
the latter décomposes the steam or air into gaseous elements, thereby bringing
each globule, particle, or atom of the melted metal into contact with thein.
Oxygen, bydrogen, or any gaseous element, or any mixture of gaseous
or volatile elements may be used instead of steam, or air, or a' mixture of the
two, according to the impurities required to be eliminated from the melted
metal:
. I do not restrict myself to the use of steam or air, but claim the use of any,
gaseous or volatile element or elements that the nature of the metal may
require to effect the desired conversion or transformation. It will be par
ticularly observed that it is: by globularizing or atomizing the melted ore
that a homogeneous product is obtained. By reducing the melted metal to.
globules; atoms, or particles the whole'mass is brought into free and immediate
contact with the gaseous'elements contained within the bath, and it-is by this
process only that homogenity in the product is obtained. By means of the
gate in the trough leading from the hearth of the furnace to the bath, and the

page_text: .
stop-cocks in the pipes leading through the secondary furnace, the size of the
stream of melted ore and the volume of the jet or jets of steam, or air, or a
mixture of the two may be regulated at pleasure. Thus not only the amount
of metal in the bath may be regulated but the volume of gaseous element or
elements in the same, by means of which the elimination of the impurities
contained in the metal takes place. Hence by increasing or diminishing the
size of the stream of melted metal with a given volume to the jet or jets of
gaseous element or elements, or with a given size to the jet or jets of gaseous
element or elements with a variable volume of melted metal, a greater or less
proportion of carbon, sulphur, or phosphorus, or any other impurity in the metal
for which a gaseous element within the bath may have an affinity may be
removed from the molten metal at pleasure. As the melted metal flows into
the bath it is thrown against the inclined plane in the form of globules of a
greater or less size by the force of the jet or jets of gaseous element or
elements, and becomes reduced to atoms or particles which are reflected
through the gaseous element or elements contained in the bath. In the
journey which the atoms take through the gaseous element or elements
coming into free and immediate contact with them the impurities which the
metal contains are eliminated or driven off by chemical affinity, leaving the
desired product. By means of the pipe M which is connected with the other
two (H and I) a secondary. jet or jets of air, or steam, or a mixture of the
two, is introduced into the molten iron after it has been globularized. The
force of this jet or jets aided by the sudden expansion of the gaseous element
or elements contained in them consequent upon the heat of the molten iron,
completes the globularizing and atomizing of the melted metal. As soon as
this process is accomplished the melted metal converted into the desired product
is then run out through the channel N into railroad rails, gearing, or in any
other form desired. . Some. ores require air. alone or steam alone to best
effect the required conversion.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by
my foriegn correspondent, and shown how the same may be advantageously
carried into practice, I wish it understood that I do not claim ebulition or
boiling, neither do I claim the injection of the gaseous element or elements
into or through a stream of molten iron, allowing such stream to preserve its
continuity as a stream, but I claim,
First. Dispersing or reducing the molten metal to an atomic condition in the
presence of the gaseous element or elements contained in the bath, substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
Second. The forcible dispersion of a stream of molten metal into a

page_text: globular or atomic condition when it comes in contact with a jet or jets
of a gaseous element or elements, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
Third. The introduction of a secondary jet or jets of a gaseous element or
elements into the bath above, below, or beyond the primary one, substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
Fourth. The use of an inclined plane or its equivalent within the bath in
combination with the said bath, as and for the purpose specified.
Fifth. A gate or valve in the main trough or channel in combination with
the said trough and the shallow channel and bath, substantially as and for
the purpose specified.
Sixth. The secondary furnace or its equivalent for the purpose of heating
the gaseous elements, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Seventh. The employment or use of the necessary valves in the pipes
leading from the boiler and receiver to the bath for the purpose of regulating
the flow of gaseous element or elements into the said bath, substantially as
and for the purpose specified.
Eighth. The use of any gaseous element or elements beside those contained
in air or steam, used and applied substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)