In- PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MALLEABLE IRON AND STEEL, AND IN FURNACES AND APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Brierley Denham Healey, of Swansea, in the
County of Glamorgan, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "In-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MALLEABLE IRON AND STEEL, AND IN
FURNACES AND APPARATUS THEREFOR.”
"
Scaled the 9th July 1872, and dated the 11th January 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Brierley Denham Healey
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 11th January 1872.
I, BRIERLEY DENHAM HEALEY, of Swansea, in the County of
Glamorgan, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MALLEABLE IRON AND
STEEL, AND IN FURNACES AND APPARATUS THEREFOR," to be as follows:-
"
"
This Invention has special reference to the process generally known
as open hearth" or
ore process," which consists in melting pig
iron in a cupola or other furnace and adding malleable iron or iron ore
in a heated state in such proportions as will reduce the quantity of
A

page_text: carbon in the whole to a fractional part, after which spiegleisen of a
known per-centage of carbon and manganese is added to the bath of
molten metal. The metal thus produced is then tapped into a ladle
and run into moulds, which form ingots of any required size and
shape.
I am aware that there are Patents bearing upon the production of
such mixed metals, especially that granted to Josiah Marshall Heath in
the year 1845, those granted to Charles William Siemens in the years
1867 and 1871 respectively, and that granted to Thomas Callander
Hinde in the year 1870, and consider the improvements herein-after
described to be applicable partly or wholly to any of the said methods or
Patents.
The various operations which are carried on in succession in the
process before named require the several parts of the apparatus to be so
placed with reference to each other and of such construction as will
ensure expeditious working, while at the same time the apparatus works
with safety and certainty; and with a view to effect this object I apply
in several ways hydrostatic power for the purpose of lifting minerals,
iron ingots, moulds and ladles, and debris or cinder; and group the
apparatus in such a way that the molten metal is not exposed to unne-
cessary radiation, and that the heated ore may fall into a chamber very
convenient to the stccl furnace, whereby there is a great saving of
labour, and more work can be done in a given time than is done
according to the present method of working the said process.
I will now describe the manner in which I carry these improvements
into practical effect, which description will also comprise the nature of
the improvements in the regenerative gas furnaces when such furnaces
are used.
In every application of the hydraulic machinery herein-after described
I prefer to place the steel furnaces in pairs in line or facing each
other, so that one hydraulic ram can be connected so as to lift the
ladle from before the tap hole of either furnace at separate times, and
that one ingot crane can be placed in such a position as to command two
ingot tables; but it is equally convenient to place the ingot crane to
work to four ingot tables.
When using the regenerative gas furnace, as patented by Charles
William Siemens, I improve it by arranging the air chambers under the

page_text: furnace and below the floor line, and the gas chambers at the end of the
furnace and mostly above the floor line, but partly below each chamber,
being so placed with reference to the parts that no slag or other debris
can fall into the regenerators. The valves for regulating the supply of
gas and air and the escape of the gases to the chimney are constructed
entirely of mushroom valves, which set on independent seats, two being
required for each chamber. These valves are so regulated as to act for
regulating the amount of chimney draught, and the flues leading from
them are so built as to prevent the escaping gas and air (which is set
free on reversing the valves) mixing till they arrive in the chimney.
In order to expedite the process I use air under pressure and arrange
the air and gas ports in such a way that the air causes an inducing
current of gas, in doing which the usual syphon tubes which convey the
gascous fuel from the gas generators are dispensed with. The generators
I construct of conical form inverted, their roofs being a part of a sphere.
It is obvious however that the conical form of the generators may
partake of the form of a polygon in plan.
The steel furnace I prefer to use in a continuous regenerative gas
furnace, which has two chambers under the floor near the furnace con-
taining fire-clay pipes, which are laid horizontally and joined in brick
walls. The heated gases from the furnace pass through these pipes to the
chimney, and the gas and air on their way to the furnace impinge
several times upon them, the walls supporting the pipes being so
arranged as to cause the gas and air to flow in a zig-zag direction. In
this case I place the ore shaft over the regenerators, and convey part of
the heated gases from the furnace under the bottom of the shaft; and
when using malleable scrap I build a chamber at the flue end of the steel
furnace.
In working the furnaces and gas generators I construct an over-
head railway, from which the ore is delivered to the top of the ore
shafts, the pig iron to the cupola, and the coals or other fuel to the
generators. The waggons are elevated by means of an hydraulic lift of
any known form, and either lowered by the same lift or by means of
lowering apparatus commonly used now in connection with blast furnace
mineral depots, or where the nature of the ground is available the
railway may be formed at once at the desired height above the general
Joan lovel

page_text: Each furnace is provided with a separate chimney, which is also con-
nected to the ore shaft, but two furnaces may be worked to any chimney
if desired, and the ore shafts may have independent chimneys. For the
ore shaft I take a portion of heat from the steel furnace and use gaseous
fuel and heated air from the lower part of the regenerator chambers, or
collect heated air from the steel furnace ventilating flues in such pro-
portions as may be required for heating the ore previous to its entering
the steel furnace. This shaft is inclined at such an angle that the ore
will come down by gravity when heated, and is provided with poking
and sight holes.
and
Another part of my Invention consists in arranging in front of euchr
furnace an ingot table, which revolves and so allows each of the moulds
which are placed thereon in a concentric circle to come under the nozzle
of the ladle; but the moulds may be placed in any well-known way,
if desired fed from the bottom, several moulds being supplied from a
central feeder. The ingots when solidified are removed from the table by
an hydraulic crane. The ingot table may also be actuated by hydrostatic
pressure, so as to permit of casting ingots of various lengths, and may
have gearing for the purposes of causing it to revolve, or may be moved
on its axis by means on handspikes; and in some instances a railway
may be placed over the ingot tables, which however must be moved
during casting. The railways throughout I prefer to have of the type
known as narrow guage..
When the metal has been tapped into the ladle the slag from the
furnace is allowed to fall into a mould or receptacle in the ladle pit, and
is lifted to the floor level or on to a waggon and sent out of the melting
house, the usual method of loading by manual labour being superceded
by the hydraulic ram used also for lifting the ladle.
In connection with the lifting of the ladle a steelyard may be fixed at

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Brierley Denham Healey in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 11th July 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BRIERLEY
DENHAM HEALEY, of Swansea, in the County of Glamorgan, Civil
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Brierley Denham Healcy, Her special
licence that I, the said Brierley Denham Healey, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Brierley Denham Healey,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term thercin 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 THE MANUFACTURE OF MALLEABLE IRON AND STEEL, AND
IN FURNACES AND APPARATUS THEREFOR," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Brierley Denham Healey, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, 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.
23
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Brierley Denham Healey, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
My said Invention has special reference to the process generally
known as the " open hearth" or "ore process," which consists of
melting pig iron in a suitable furnace and adding malleable iron or iron
ore in a licated state in such proportions as will reduce the quantity of

page_text: I will now refer to the manner in which I carry these improvements
into practical effect, which description will also comprise the nature of
my improvements in regenerative gas furnaces.
In every application of the hydraulic machinery herein-after described
I place the steel furnaces in pairs in line or in pairs facing each other,
and fix an hydraulic lift or lifts so as to raise the ladle from before the
tap hole of either furnace at separate times, and that one ingot crane can
be placed in such a position as to command two ingot tables, but it is
equally convenient to place the ingot crane to work to four ingot
toblos

page_text: When using the regenerative gas furnace as patented by Charles
William Siemens I improve it by arranging the air chamber under the
furnace and below the floor line and the gas chambers at the end of the
furnace and partly below the floor linc, each chamber being so placed
with reference to the ports that no slag or other debris can fall into the
regenerators. The valves for regulating the supply of gas and air and
the escape of the gases to the chimney are constructed entirely of
mushroom valves, which sit on independent seats, two of these valves
being required for each chamber. They are so constructed as to act for
regulating the amount of chimney draught and reverse the currents,
and the flues leading from them are so built as to prevent the escaping
gas and air (which is set free on reversing the valves) mixing till they
arrive at the chimney.
In order to expedite the process in my improved furnaces I use air
under pressure and arrange the air and gas ports in such a way that the
air causes an induced current of gas, in doing which the usual syphon
tubes which convey the gascous fuel from the gas generators are
dispensed with. The gas generators I construct of conical form
inverted, their roofs being a part of a sphere. It is obvious however
that the conical form of the generators may partake of the form of a
polygon in plan. The steel furnace I use is a continuous regenera-
tive gas furnace, which has two chambers under the floor near the
furnace containing fire-clay tubes or ducts, which are laid horizontally
and joined in brick walls. The heated gases from the furnace pass
through these tubes or ducts to the chimney, while the gas and air on
their way to the furnace impinge several times upon them, and the walls
which support them are so arranged as to cause the gas and air to flow
in wave-like currents. In this case I place the ore shaft over the
regenerators and convey part of the heated gas from the furnace through
flues in the bottom of the shaft, and when using malleable scrap I build
a chamber at the flue end of the steel furnace.
Another important feature connected with this furnace is that the
heat on arriving at the chimney flue is sufficient to be utilized for
generating steam.
In working furnaces and gas generators in the process before named
for making steel or iron I construct an overhead railway, from which the
ore is delivered to the top of the ore shaft, the pig iron to the furnace,
and the coals or other fuel to the gas generators. The wagons are

page_text: elevated by means of an hydraulic lift of any known form, and either
lowered by the same lift or by means of lowering apparatus now
commonly used in connection with blast furnaces, mineral depots, or
where the nature of the ground is available the railway may be formed
at once at the desired height above the general floor level. Each
furnace is provided with a separate chimney, which is also connected to
the ore shaft, but two furnaces may be worked to one chimney if desired,
and the ore shafts may have independent chimneys. The ore shaft is
inclined at such an angle that the orc can be easily pushed down when
heated by bars passed through the doors which are provided for that
purpose.
Another part of my Invention consists in arranging in front of the
furnaces ingot turntables, which revolve, and so as to allow cach of the
moulds to come under the nozzle of the ladle, which moulds may be
placed in any well-known way, and if desired fed from the bottom,
several moulds being supplied from a central feeder. The ingots when
solidified are removed from the table by a hydraulic crane. The
ingot table may also be actuated by hydrostatic pressure so as to permit
of casting ingots of various lengths, and may have gearing for the
purpose of causing it to revolve, or may be moved on its axis by means
of handspikes; and in some instances a railway may be placed over the
ingot turntables; this however when used must be moved during casting.
The railways throughout I prefer to have of the type known as narrow
guage, but any other guage may be adopted. When the metal has been
tapped into the ladle the slag from the furnace is allowed to fall into a
mould or receptacle in the ladle pit, and is lifted to the floor level or on
to a waggon and sent out of the melting house, the usual method of
loading by manual labour being superseded by the hydraulic ram, which
is also used for lifting the ladle. In connection with the lifting of the
ladle a stcelyard may be fixed to the hydraulic platform or table on
which the ladle carriage rests when lifted, that the weight of metal
tapped into the ladle may be known.
In commencing the process a quantity of pig iron is melted in the
furnace, while at the same time iron ore is being dried and heated in the
ore shaft, or wrought-iron scrap is being heated in the hot chamber,
and when the iron is melted portions of iron ore or wrought-iron scrap
are added to the charge in the furnace, which is acted upon by the heat
of the flame, and occasionally stirred by rabbles until the per-centage of

page_text: carbon in the whole is reduced to a fractional part. Spiegeleisn is then
added in such quantities as will leave the metal suitable for rails, tyres,
axles, castings, or the like. The metal in this state is tapped into a ladle
and either run into ingot moulds or moulds for castings as required.
The addition of a small quantity of alluminous orc produces a good
fusible slag and protects the charge in the furnace, and should there be
a small excess of oxide in the bath it is reduced by the manganese in
the speigel eisen which is added to complete the melting process.
I do not claim the idea of producing steel by the mixtures of the
metals before described as any part of my Invention.
And in order that this Invention may be better understood, I will
now proceed to describe it with reference to the three Sheets of Drawings
which I have hereunto annexed, and the manner I carry the sume into
effect, the reference numbers where repeated in the several Figures
refer to the same parts so numbered.
Figure 1 shows a general plan of my improved arrangement for
manufacturing steel on the "open hearth," and Figure 2 a sectional
clevation of Figure 1.
The gas generators 1, 1, are shown immediately in rear of the
arrangement, but may be placed at any convenient distance therefrom,
the gas being conducted through tubes into the flue 4 which leads to
the furnaces. In the plan as shewn by Figures 1 and 2, the gas tube 2
has two branches leading right and left from the generators, which
branches are provided with shutting-off slides 3, 3. The ore shafts 6
adjoining the chimneys 10, 10, are charged from the gallery 7 and the
coal bunkers 9, 9, from the siding 8, which is used for conveying other
materials required in connection with the process. In front of the
furnaces 11, 11, are placed hydraulic ladle lifts, 12, 12, adjoining the
tapping pits 13, 13 (in which are placed the slag moulds), and in
front of these are casting stages 14, 14, with the valves for working the
ladle lifts fixed at the side thereof as indicated by 12ª, 12°. The ingot
tables 15, 15, are within range of the hydraulic ingot crane 16, the
valves for working the crane being fixed in any convenient place ad-
joining same. The siding 17 is used chiefly as a slag siding and the
siding 18 as an ingot siding. The ladles are lined within range of the
ingot crane, which is also used for lifting the ladles from and on to their
carriages before and after lining. The mode of casting differs very

page_text: materially from the plan now adopted. The ladles on their carriages are
brought into position in the tapping pits 13, and when the metal has
been tapped into them they are moved on to the ladle lifts 12 and raised
to the level of the casting stages 14, and then put into position for
casting, as shewn on Figure 2, which shews a ladle on its carriage 19,
the tap hole or nozzle of the ladle being over a mould 19ª, or over a
feeder for moulds if the moulds are in groups and fed from the bottom.
The sectional elevation of Figure 2 shews the casting shop floor on
two different levels, but for some situations I make the floor level,
uniform throughout, and lengthen the rams of the ladle lifts.
In casting ingots by the ordinary method of pouring from the top I
place the moulds in circles on the table and charge every alternate
mould so as to distribute the weight on the table more equally during
casting.
When casting ingots in groups I place the moulds on bottom plates,
in which moveable runners are bedded in grooves of a form somewhat
as shewn by Fig. 21, which shews in plan onc-half of a table on which
are two beds, one bed being for 6 ingots and a feeder 19ª, the other
for two ingots and 3 ingots respectively on each half with a feeder 19*
cach. The latter I term make-up moulds, for the reason that towards
the end of the cast it is not advisable to pour into a full group of six
as through an insufficiency of metal the ingots of the whole group of
six would be under the intended weight. When the first ingot mould
or first group of moulds are filled the table is caused to rotate so as to
bring the next mould or feeder under the stopper of the ladle, and the
mould or moulds previously charged arc at once stoppered. The tables
may be of any well-known design and actuated by bevil gearing or
caused to rotate by means of handspikes only, but I use a form of tablo
somewhat similar to the ordinary eleven feet railway turntable in its
general construction. If ingots of various lengths are required the
turntables may be made to rise and fall by means of an hydraulic ram;
but the most economical plan is to place the tables near enough to the
hydraulic ladle lifts to allow of the ladle carriages remaining on the
latter while the casting is being proceeded with, making the rams of
ladle lifts long enough to suit such a modification.
The advantages arising from using a hydraulic ingot crane placed
as shown at 16 are very great, as it is not only commands the ingot tables

page_text: but also the ladle lifts, for which it is useful during repairs of same,
and it also commands the space taken up by the ladles; and by fixing
the general floor level at about two feet below top of ingot moulds, the
work of the ingot cranc is reduced to a minimum. The ladle lifts may
be of any well-known construction of table mounted on the head of a
hydraulic ram. The table I use is about six feet square, but the area
of the ram varies according to the pressure of water used. The ingot
crane I prefer to use is of similar construction to those used in con-
nection with Bessemer's plant, the jib of which swings entirely round
the head of a hydraulic ram. When the slag siding 17 is in use the
ladle lifts require to be raised to that level, but at other times they
remain in a state of rest at the lower or tapping pit level. After the
completion of cach cast the ingots may be removed on trucks on the
siding 18 cither to the rolling mills direct or to the hammers.
Fig. 3 shews a plan of the application of part of my improvements to
the Bessemer process, and Fig. 4 a sectional elevation of same. The
melting furnaces 11, 11, are placed near to the converters 20, 20, and
in front of each converter I place a ladle lift 12 and speigel cupola 5,
and in connection with the ladle lifts I place ingot tables 15 and casting
stages 14 in the manner shewn (with valves at 12" for working the ladle
lifts or in the usual way in valve boxes), and a slag siding 17 leading
from the centre of the converter pit in a tunnel under the furnace
floor level.
The manner of casting is carried on in a similar way to that described
for the open hearth process.
Figs. 29, 30, 31, 32, and 33 shew my hydraulic arrangements, in which
I construct the pressure and waste mains of equal strength, so that by
reversing the action of the valves sudden stoppages caused by the
bursting of a pipe may be prevented.
Fig. 29 shews a plan of the main valves near the accumulator, and
Fig. 30 a sectional elevation of Fig. 29. Fig. 31 a plan of the valves
at a branch for a crane or ram, and Fig. 32 a sectional elevation of
Figure 31, Fig. 33 being an enlarged section of the working part of one
of the valves.
When the valves 64 & 66 are open the water under pressure enters at
68 and runs along the main 74 and the waste water from the main 73 makes
its exit through the pipe 69 into the tank. In this case the valve 70.

page_text: would have to be opened to raise the ram and the valve 71 opened to lower
it, and should a pipe burst in the pressure main the valves 64 & 66
would have to be closed and the valves 65 & 67 opened so that the
currents would be reversed, in which case the valve 71 would have to be
opened for pressure and the valve 70 for waste in working the rams.
The valves indicated by Fig. 33 is regulated by means of a screwed
spindle and plug 86, which is acted upon by the nut 85, the latter
having a projection SS which works in the guide 87 and receives the
force or strain caused by opening or shutting of the valves.
Fig. 5 shews & section of one end of a Siemens' furnace with vertical 1
regenerators, and Fig. 6 a section of Fig. 5 through the port 21, shewing
my improvements to same. The arches over the chambers spring from
front to back, the air ports 21 and gas ports 22 having pockets into
which cinder or debris can fall, and are so arranged as to prevent said
cinder or debris from getting into the regenerators except by negligence 1
in keeping the pockets cleaned; and this exception only so far as
concerns the air chamber 23, it being impossible for the gas chamber 24
to get choked except by fusion of the regenerator bricks. The cinder
from the air port pocket is cleaned out from the man-hole 25, but the
gas port pockets may be cleaned at the floor level at the front or back of 2
furnace.
Fig. 7 shews a section of my improved regulating and reversing
valves, which I use when using the Siemens' furnace, whether for heating
or melting purposes; and Fig. 8 is a plan of same below the valve scats.
The mushroom and flue 26 are in connection with the gas or air and the 2
mushroom and fluc 27 with the fluc leading to the chimney fluc, the
flue 28 leading to the gas or air chamber.
Figs. 9 & 10 show the regulator used in connection with the mush-
room valves. The chain 29 is coupled by means of one or more
intermediate pulleys to the valve 26 and the opposite chain 30 is coupled 3
in a similar way to the valve 27, so that when the handle 32 is fixed the
valve 26 will be opened when the handle 31 is lifted. These gas and
air valves are worked in a similar way, therefore the explanation of one
of the gas valves may be taken as also explaining the air valves. The
valves when closed rest in the position shewn on Figs. 7 and 8, two 3
locking bars being inserted in the slots shewn towards the ends of the
arms and lever on Fig. 10. The reversing lever is carried by the screwed

page_text: spindle 33, which is provided with a regulating wheel and screw at the
top. Before opening the valves one of the locking bars must be
removed, say the one over the chain 29, the regulator is then turned on
the spindle 33 and for every inch it rises the chain 29 rises two inches,
the valve 26 opening a similar distance and admitting gas to the furnace
fluc 28 which communicates with the gas regenerator chamber. When
the interval for reversing the direction of the currents expires the
locking bar over the chain 30 is removed, the handle 31 pressed down,
and the other locking bar inserted over the chain 29; the contents of the
gas regenerator chamber then escape through the valve 27 to the flue
underneath which leads to the chimney fluc. Thus the valves act both
for regulating the supply and reversing the direction of the currents,
while at the same time each chamber has a proportionate amount of
draught due to the proportion of gas or air admitted, unless for any
special reason more draught is required, which can be obtained at
pleasure by raising the regulator after reversing the valves. From their
simplicity of construction they are readily cleaned without emptying
the gas fluc, and their several parts being small they are very easily
removed for repairs.
Figs. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 shew one of my continuous
regenerative gas furnaces with horizontal regenerators, in which I use
carbonic oxide gas, which gas may be generated in chambers similar to
those shewn on the Sheet illustrating my Patent, No. 2748, A.D. 1870,
or in other improved apparatus, or in the generators shewn in the
Drawings accompanying this Specification. Fig. 11 is a plan of said
gas furnace on line 1, 1, Fig. 13; Fig. 12 is a plan of the ore shaft
on line 2, 2; Fig. 13 is a longitudinal section through the centre
of the furnace or shaft, central flues of regenerators, and chimney;
Fig. 14 is a plan of the foundations and regenerators on line 3, 3, Fig. 13;
Fig. 15 is a transverse section through the lower end of the ore shaft
and the furnace end of the regenerator chambers on line 4, 4, Fig. 13;
and Fig. 16 is a transverse section through the down flues and tapping
end of the furnace on line 5, 5, Fig. 13.
In starting the furnace a fire is lighted on the bed 11 and kept up
until the regenerator tubes are heated at the farthest end from the
furnace, gas is then admitted to the chamber 34 by means of the valve 35
through the conductor 36, while air is admitted to the chamber 37
through the valve 39 and flue 40; thence they pass on in a zig-zag

page_text: direction impunging upon the several tiers of tubes; finally they arrive
at the port end of the chambers both in a slightly heated state. The gas
then passes up the ports 41, 41, and the air up the ports 42, 42, meeting
at the mixture 43, where they ignite and produce the heat due to their
chemical action added to that taken up from the regenerator tubes. The
flame pases along the furnace 11 and into the down flues 43, 43ª, from
which the waste heat passes into the side flues 44, 44, and thence
through a part of the regenerator tubes and the central flues 45, 45, into
the side flues 46, 46, returning again through another portion of the
tubes to the central flues 47, 47, after which it passes through the last
portion of tubes to the chimney flues 48, 48, and on to the chimney 10,
where its exit is regulated by the dampers 49, 49. The valve 38 is
opened when the furnace is stopped, so that the gas can escape from the
chamber 34, and the cave 50 gives access to the chambers and down flues
for the purpose of repairs.
Referring to the mixture 43, shewn on Fig. 13. In building this I use
hollow blocks of silica, the perforations being made at such angles as will
direct the flame to any desired point in front of the ports, and the blocks of
such varied lengths as will give the desired length of flame which may
be oxidizing or reducing; and referring to the mixture on Fig. 18 in
section, which is adaptable where blowers are not used for obtaining air
under pressure, I build the ports at a greater height above the bed of the
furnace, the flame in such cases falling on the bed of the furnace with
greater force; and in every modification of the ports or mixtures I place
the gas ports in front of the air ports. The outlet valves 38 and 3S", as
well as the chimney dampers shewn on several of the Figs., require to be
opened during furnace repairs to cause a draught through the ports and
down flues of the furnace to the chimney. The ventilation of the
furnace bottoms is indicated by the arrows 61, 61, and 63.
Fig. 24 indicates a tar well built beneath the gas valve.
The arrangement of regulating valves described in connection with my
furnace is such that they can be cleaned without the necessity of
emptying the gas flues leading thereto. The mushroom valves therefor
have spherical surfaces and rest upon seats 82, which are fitted into
separate bed plates 83, as shewn on Fig. 34, which indicates part of a
valve seat and bed plate in section. The seats thus formed are circular
rings of the section shewn faced at 84, and of a convenient size to be

page_text: turned in an ordinary lathe, the bed plates for which may be open sand
castings. The action of this furnace may be described as that of a
current of heated gases passing continually from the furnace towards
the chimney, while two currents, one gas the other air, pass in a
contrary direction towards the furnace and take up the otherwise waste
heat which is passing through the regenerator tubes; the heat that can
be produced being limited only by the refractory power of the material
of which the furnace and regenerators are built.
Another modification of my horizontal regenerators is shewn by
Figs. 22, 23, and 24, in which the application of the boiler is indicated.
The spare heat instead of going direct to the chimney 10 is conducted
past the damper 49° to the boiler tubes 62, the draught being regulated
by the damper 49', and when all the spare heat is not required for the
boiler a portion thereof may pass by the damper 49 up the chimney.
In utilizing the spare heat from the regenerators for generating steam,
as indicated on Figs. 22 and 23, I build boilers of the type known as the
Birmingham wrought-iron sectional boiler, but any other suitable boiler
may be used.
Fig. 25 is a longitudinal section, and Figure 26 a plan of Fig. 25
shewing my vertical arrangements of regenerators. The heat from the
furnace passes from the down flues 43", 43ª, and through the regenerator
tubes in the gas chamber 34 and air chamber 37 to the chimney flue 48,
whilst the gas enters through the valve 35 and the air through the
valve 39, these valves being connected to their respective chambers by
side flues. The regenerator chambers 34 and 37 are arched over from
front to back, so that the regenerator tubes may be replaced or repaired
without taking down the ports of the furnace, and a pocket is formed
under the down flues 43ª for cinder or melted bricks. The gas and air rise
through the spaces between the regenerator tubes and passing up their
respective ports 41 and 42 ignite at 43. The flue area in this modification
is the maximum that can be procured from a given number of tubes.
The valves shown on Figures 22, 23, and 24 may be applied
to the vertical form, and the chimney and boiler seating may also be
connected in a similar way. The body of the furnace for the modification
shown by Figure 22 is the same as that shown in section on Figure 13;
and the plan of the furnace shewn by Figure 17 is adaptable to the
modification shewn in section on Figure 25.

page_text: From experiments I have found the form of regenerative tubes suown
by Figure 2S to be the most economical in construction and to give the
best results in the regenerators. I am aware that circular and square
tubes have been used before for restoring heat; square tubes however
often crack at the corners whilst burning in the kilns, and the circular
tubes require special shaped bricks for building them in the walls; but.
the tubes I use are built in the walls with ordinary sized bricks, and arc
stronger in their manufacture than square ones.
I do not claim the idea of regenerating the waste heat of furnaces as
any part of my Invention.
In building these furnaces I use silica bricks for the furnace and
down flues of a superior quality, and a quality equal to Stourbridge for
the side flues, and about one-half of the regenerators with a second quality
for the remaining parts. The bottom of the furnace may be made in
any well-known manner, using silica sand chiefly with a small quantity
of fusible sand at the top in order to bind it together. The ore shaft 6 is
provided with a charging door 51, side doors 52, 52, and a sliding slab 53,
which latter when drawn allows the ore to fall into the hot chamber 53*
formed between the ports of the furnace. The heat required for drying
and heating the ore is conducted from the side flues 44, 44, through the
flues 54, 54, into the flues formed under the ore shaft bottom, the
quantity of heat thus used being regulated by small dampers, which aro
shown about 3 feet above the gallery 7 on Figure 13.
Figure 17 shews a modification of the furnace with the tapping hole
on one side and a chamber 43 for heating malleable scrap between the
down flues 43, 43. The plans Figs. 14 and 23 being adaptable also
for this modification.
It is
Figure 18 shows a form of mixture used when air is not required
under pressure, as for instance in applying the principle of heating
furnaces and furnaces for rcheating. Figure 19 shows a section of the
gas generator, and Figure 20 a plan looking down upon same.
obvious however that this form of generator may be used for any other
gas furnaces. The rings or courses of bricks which form the lining 59
of the generator casing are self-supporting, and not liable to fall down.
In starting the gas generators a fire is lighted on the floor 56, the doors
55, 55, being open a quantity of fuel is added to the fire, and when it is
well lighted the generator is then charged with other fuel through the

page_text: hopper 57, which on falling on the bell 58 is distributed on the back of
the brick cone 59, forming when fully charged a configuration somewhat
as shown in section on Fig. 19. The doors or casings 55, 55, are only
used when the generators are supplied with air under pressure, which air
may be supplied from blowers of any well-known construction.
The blowers I use are constructed as shewn by Figure 27%; the steam
from the main 75 passes thro' the stop valve 76, and is divided into
2 currents in the tec 77 leading to the jets 78, 78. The jets of steam
79, 79, causing induced currents of air indicated by the arrows 80, 80,
to pass into the ducts 81, 81, and whether air is used under pressure or
not I fix a water pipe to each generator, with one or more jets which
play on the embers, the water from which is evaporated and on rising
through the incandescent fuel in the generator is decomposed, forming
hydrocarbon and carbonic oxide gasses, which being free from nitrogen
form a valuable addition to the other volatile gases.
The general chemical action of the generators is well known, but may be
described as follows:-Each atom of carbonic acid from the incandescent
fuel as it rises takes up an equivalent of carbon and forms carbonic oxide,
which together with certain vareable quantities of hydrocarbons form
the gaseous fuel used in the gas furnaces previously described. In
order to keep the fire solid and prevent the gas burning in the generator
poking bars are inserted through the holes 60, 60, in the crown or roof.
The gas escapes into the tube 2, passing the shutting-off slide 3 in the
branch, and thence to the flue 4. The continuation of the tube 2 and
the second pair of branches show how a group of 4 generators may be
connected to one main tube.
I do not claim the idea of producing such gascous fuel as I have
described herein as any part of my Invention.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or put
in practice, I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise
details herein described or delineated, but what I believe to be
novel and original and claim as my Invention is the herein-described
Invention of " Improvements in the Manufacture of Malleable Iron
and Steel, and in Furnaces and Apparatus therefor," in regard to such
Invention, comprising,-
2D
133

page_text: 4444
wherein part of the heat of the continuous furnace is used for heating
the ore or scrap iron, before they are put into the steel furnace, in the
manner herein-before described.
Thirteenth. The construction of gas generators as shewn by Figs.
19 & 20, in the manner herein-before described.
Fourteenth. The improved form of steam boilers shewn on Figure 27
for obtaining induced currents of air in the manner herein-before
described.
Fifteenth. The application of my improved continuous regenerative
gas furnace for heating iron ore and steel, puddling iron, and for other
metallurgical purposes for which it is suitable.
Sixteenth. The improved method of building the ports and chambers
of the Siemens' furnace, with vertical regenerators in the manner shewn
on Figs. 5 & 6, as herein-before described.
Seventeenth. Constructing the valves and regulators for Siemens' and
other furnaces in the manner shewn on Figs. 7, 8, 9, & 10, as
herein-before described.
Lastly. Applying the plant arrangement shewn by Figs. 3 & 4 to
the Bessemer process in manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Brierley Denham Healey, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Eighth day of July, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
tvo
Witness,
JAMES NOBLE,
Gower Road,
Nr. Swansea.
B. D. HEALEY. (L.S.)