IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS. OF PREPARING. IRON ORE FOR SMELTING, AND IN FURNACES THEREFOR
Year: 1868

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Edward Newton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 17th March 1868.-A communication from abroad by Alois
Thoma, of New York City, New York State, United States of
America.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents; 66, Chancery.
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare.
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS.
OF PREPARING. IRON ORE FOR SMELTING, AND IN FURNACES THEREFOR," to be
as follows:-
This Invention relates to a new process of roasting, reducing, and
smelting iron ore, and to new furnaces for holding the ore while it is:
submitted to the above treatment.
The object of the Invention is, first, to reduce the expence of the
roasting process and to so arrange the roasting kiln that the roasting
may be done with brown coal, wood, or even peat, while heretofore only
the expensive anthracite and charcoal could be used for the purpose..

page_text: The object of the Invention is also to discharge the oxide from the
ore after the same has been roasted to reduce it in a red hot state to
metallic iron.
The object of the Invention is, finally, to prepare the roasted and
reduced ore for use, and to separate the metal contained therein from
the earthy and foreign substances by the smelting process.
The Invention consists, first, in roasting the ore by means of the
heated gases or products of combustion which are discharged from the
smelting furnace, or which are otherwise produced. These gases are
mixed with atmospheric air and are ignited within the kiln, thereby
more fully and completely roasting the ore than could be done by any
process now in use. The ore is desulphurized by the application of
hydrogen gas created by the evaporation of water through the roasting
kiln. No direct fuel is used for the roasting process. Provision is made
that the supply of air as well as of the combustible gas can be regulated
at will.
The Invention consists, second, in effecting the desired result without
bringing the ore in direct contact with the solid fuel, but only with the
burning gases arising from the same. The reducing process is based
upon the fact that oxide of iron when red hot is casily reduced to metallic
iron by the application of carbonic oxide, carburetted hydrogen, or
hydrogen gas.
The Invention, finally, consists in so arranging the smelting furnace
that the ore can be drawn off on two sides, so that it can from one sido
be carried to a suitable furnace for further immediate treatment, while
on the other side it can be cast into ordinary pig iron. The carbonic
oxide escaping from the fuel and ore is retained in a chamber and united
with the nitrogen of the blast, thus forming a combustible gas which
may be retained for further use, so that the gas thus produced may be
employed for the roasting process.
Channels or passages are made in the masonry of the kiln around the
lower part of the roasting chamber for the purpose of conducting gas
and air to the ore. A perforated pipe is arranged in the lower part of
the roasting kiln in combination with a channel or tube for the purpose
of conducting steam or water to the roasting chamber. The roasting
of the ore is effected by means of waste gases obtained or discharged
from distant fires of any kind of fuel. The ore is desulphurized while
being roasted by conducting water into the pipe, whereby the use of a

page_text: steam boiler is dispensed with. The steam produced from the water may
also be combined with atmospheric air.
An important feature of the Invention consists in reducing iron ore
by means of gases produced from fires, the fuel of which is not in
contact with the ore. In the reducing furnace the roasting chamber
and the fire-place are connected by means of vertical and horizontal
channels provided with openings for the air blast which is forced into
them. In the lower part of the reducing furnace there is a sliding
grate or plate and a removeable or sliding bottom for supporting the
The heated gases which arise from the smelting furnaces are
arrested, so that they may be used for the roasting or some other
process. The smelting furnace is provided with two discharge channels
at its lower end where there are suitable dam stones to prevent the
metal from running out, except when required, and over which the
melted slag is allowed to run. Channels are arranged in the smelting
furnace to retain and carry off the heated gases, so that they may be
employed in the roasting or other process. A projecting shoulder is
formed in the charge chamber of the smelting furnace for the purpose
of stopping the gases and diverting them into the channels in the upper
part of the furnace.