IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STEEL
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hermann Wedekind, of Great Tower Street, in
the City of London, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STEEL."-A com-
munication from abroad by Ludwig Witthöfft, of Bochum, in the
Empire of Germany.
Scaled the 26th November 1875, and dated the 20th August 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hermann Wedekind
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 20th August 1875.
I, HERMANN WEDEKIND, of Great Tower Strect, in the City of
London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STEEL,"
a communication to me from abroad by Ludwig Witthöfft, of Bochum;
in the Empire of Germany, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved fixed converter to be employed
for the manufacture of steel according to what is known as the Bessemer

page_text: E
process, and it consists of a circular iron vessel lined with ganister, fire-
bricks, or any suitable refractory or fire-resisting material, and provided
with a flat bottom, whilst the usual domed top terminates in a largo
opening similar to that employed in converters of the ordinary con-
struction, but provided with a hinged plate for closing the opening
after the blowing operation is completed, thus preventing unnecessary
cooling.
Around the converter there is placed a cast-iron pipe through which
the blast passes into any suitable number of vertical flues formed of fire-
resisting material, and thence into and through the tuyeres which are
placed a short distance above the floor in the side of the vessel and at a
slight angle to the centre of the same. These tuyeres have pro-
portionately large openings, and according to the size of converters vary
in numbers, say, from 2 to 8.
In the side of the vessel at a suitable distance above the floor there is
provided a suitable aperture for the passage of the molten metal to bo
operated upon, which aperture may be maintained air-tight during the
blowing operation by a weighted cover or other convenient means. A
tap hole or spout is provided level with the hearth in the side of the
vessel in order to allow the steel to pass from the converter into the
ladle. When the tap hole is closed in the ordinary manner a liability is
incurred of the closing plug being clogged in its aperture by reason of
the heat, and hence considerable difficulty is experienced in effecting its
removal. In order to obviate this defect I substitute for the entering
plug an external closer composed of fire-resisting material, and bearing
against and closing the outer end of the tap hole. This closer may
of a convex or other suitable form, the external surface of that portion
of the exterior of the vessel at which the tap hole is situate being made
to correspond, and it is carried by a rod or bar suitably supported and
balanced. As an advantage of the rapidity with which the tapping is
effected further decarbonization is prevented and the spiegel eisen may
be added to the molten metal in the ladle instead of passing through
the converter.
bc

page_text: The converters may also be constructed in 2 parts in order to facilitate
the removal of the shell of metal usually formed after a certain number
of castings without disturbing the lining.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Hermann Wedekind in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 18th February 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HERMANN
WEDEKIND, of Great Tower Street, in the City of London, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of August, in the year
of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Hermann Wedekind, Her special
license that I, the said Hermann Wedekind, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Hermann Wedekind,
my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein 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 APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STEEL,”
a communication to me from abroad by Ludwig Witthöfft, of Bochum,
in the Empire of Germany, upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Hermann Wedekind, my executors, or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Hermann Wedekind, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and

page_text: by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:
The said Invention relates to converters to be employed for the
manufacture of steel according to what is known as the Bessemer
process, and it consists of a fixed or stationary converter, constructed in
the manner herein-after described, and provided with blast flues of
refractory or fire-resisting material, and with tuyeres, arranged so as to
supply the blast in a minimum number of jets of a maximum volumn.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the
Figures..
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a vertical section.
of the improved fixed converter; Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the
same taken at about right angles to Figure 1; Figures 3 and 4 are
sectional plans; Figure 5 is an elevation and Figure 6 a vertical section
of one of those portions of the converter where the blast flues are
situate; and Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating a modification, to be
herein-after referred to.
The improved converter consists of a circular iron vessel A lined with
ganister, fire-brick, or any other suitable refractory or fire-resisting
material a, and provided with a flat bottom or hearth b, whilst the
usual domed top c terminates in a large opening a similar to that
employed in converters of the ordinary construction, but provided with
a hinged plate e lined with refractory material for closing the opening d
after the blowing operation is completed, thus preventing unnecessary
cooling, and with a guard d¹ for protecting the attendants from injury
or inconvenience by the emission of sparks.
Around the converter there is placed a cast-iron pipe B through
which the blast passes into any suitable number of vertical flues C, C,
formed of fire-resisting material, and thence into and through the
tuyeres D, D¹.
A minimum number of tuyeres (varying, say, for
example, from two to ten according to the size of the converter) are
employed, and they are constructed with proportionately large openings
so that the blast is introduced in a minimum number of jets of a

page_text: maximum volume, whereby a saving in the expenditure of power
requisite to supply the blast is effected. The tuyeres are placed in the-
side of the vessel at a short distance above the hearth band at a slight
angle thereto; they may be arranged either radially or, by preference,
as shewn in the Drawings, with their axes forming tangents to imaginary
circles struck from the centre of the vessel A.
.
In the side of the vessel at a suitable distance above the floor there is
formed an aperture f for the passage of the molten metal to be operated
upon, which aperture may be maintained air-tight during the blowing
operation by a weighted cover g or other convenient means. The
stage for the attendants is provided for the facility of serving the
apparatus; h is a tap hole fitted with a spout i for the discharge of the
steel from the converter into the ladle. When the tap hole is closed in
the ordinary manner a liability is incurred of the closing plug being
clogged in its aperture by reason of the heat, and hence considerable
difficulty is experienced in effecting its removal. In order to obviate
this defect there is substituted for the entering plug an external closer
composed of fire-resisting material, and bearing against and closing the
outer end of the tap hole. This closer may be either of a convex form,
as shewn, or of other suitable form, the external surface of that portion
of the exterior of the vessel at which the tap hole is situate being made
to correspond, and it is carried by a rod or bar supported by a bracket m
and suitably balanced.
The converter is also provided with side doors, two of which n, n¹,
are shewn in the Drawings, for the facility of cleaning and repairing the
floor and the removal of tuyeres when required, the door n being arranged
opposite the four tuyeres D, and the door n² opposite the four tuyeres D',
so as to enable cach set to be removed when required through its corre-
sponding door.
When the converter is intended to be used after the manner of a.
cupola, that is to say, to be maintained in operation until the lining is
completely destroyed and then repaired by the renewal of the lining, the
tuyeres may be arranged either radially or as shewn in the diagram,
Figure 7, with their axes D tangentially to a common imaginary circle o
struck from the centre of the vessel A, in which case a single door n for
affording access to the interior will be sufficient, such door being most
conveniently placed opposite the tap hole / is shewn in the diagram.

page_text: The converters may also be constructed in two parts, an upper and
a lower, in order to facilitate the removal-without-disturbing-the-lining
of the shell of metal usually formed after a certain number of castings.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, a fixed
converter provided with tuyeres for supplying the blast in a minimum
number of jets of a maximum volume, and with blast flues composed of
refractory or fire-resisting material, substantially as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Hermann Wedekind, have to
this my Specification set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth
day of February, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
HERMANN WEDEKIND. (L.S.)