Improvements in Furnaces for Melting and other Purposes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 23rd May, 1890-Accepted, 28th June, 1890
Improvements in Furnaces for Melting and other Purposes.
I, FRANCIS RADCLIFFE, of 233 Burrage Road, Plumstead, in the County of Kent,
Forge Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
In the specification of a former Patent granted to me, dated 3 December 1884,
No. 15,880, there is described an open hearth furnace for the manufacture of steel and
other products in which, inter alia, there are combined with the furnace, gas producers,
and an air regenerator through which air is forced and heated on its way to the
melting chamber, the furnace being continuous in its action so as to dispense with a
duplicate air regenerator and the usual valve arrangements for periodically reversing
the direction of the air and waste gases through the regenerative chambers. Heated
air is also forced from another regenerator into the gas producer, but the gases
evolved from the producers are passed direct into the melting chamber (without
having their temperature sensibly raised) through short passages that traverse the
flues which conduct the waste gases around the gas producers.
Now my present invention relates to open hearth furnaces of the kind referred to..
whether the main air regenerator be arranged directly over the melting chamber as
shown in my said former specification or at the side of or beneath the furnace, and
has for object to superheat the combustible gas or vapour used, on its way to and
before it enters the melting chamber of the furnace. For this purpose I cause the
combustible gas or vapour on its way from the gas producer, or producers, or from a
liquid fuel injector to the melting chamber of the furnace, to pass through one or
more chambers or retorts, (hereinafter referred to as a chamber or chambers) con-
structed of some material that will not be destroyed by the action of the heat of the
waste gases, as for examples fire clay, cast or wrought iron, or cast or forged steel,
placed in any convenient position and arranged to afford ample heating surface and
to be heated by the hot waste gases or products of combustion. The chamber or
chambers is or are so applied as to form a continuation or continuations in any
convenient direction or directions, of the gas passage, or passages leading to the
melting chamber, in such a manner as to permit of the uninterrupted flow to the
melting chamber of gas, the flow of which, and of air, is not periodically stopped
or reversed as in ordinary regenerative furnaces constructed as is usual with air and
gas reversing valves.
+
A convenient arrangement in a furnace of the kind referred to of a superheating
chamber or chambers according to my present invention is as follows:-From the
gas producer or each of them, gas flows by a suitable passage into and through a
chamber having approximately a U form and which is heated by the hot waste gases
acting on the outer surface of the chamber which is of tubular form in horizontal
section. Or in lieu of a Ushaned chamber, pipes may be used that are open at
the ends and connected with each other by a passage or flue.
Provision may be
made for examining the chamber or pipes from above. For this purpose a removable
stopper or removable stoppers may be used.
The air supply to the melting chamber and to the gas producers can be heated by
passing through regenerators as in my former arrangement of furnace. In a modifi-
cation the regenerator for heating the air to be supplied direct to the melting chamber
is arranged below that chamber, or it may be at the side thereof.
By the use of my present invention a higher temperature can be obtained in the
melting chamber: an economy of fuel effected: melting operations can be effected

page_text: in less time; and the cost of maintenance and repairs be reduced, as compared with
the results in these respects obtained with a furnace of the kind referred to as hereto-
fore constructed.
Dated this 12th day of August 1889.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Furnaces for Melting and other Purposes.
I, FRANCIS RADCLIFFE, of 233 Burrage Road, Plumstead, in the County of Kent,
Forge Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
In the specification of a former Patent granted to me dated 3 December 1884.
No. 15,880, there is described an open hearth furnace for the manufacture of steel
and other products in which, inter alia there are combined with the furnace, gas
producers, and an air regenerator through which air is forced and heated on its
way to the melting chamber, the furnace being continuous in its action so as to
dispense with a duplicate air regenerator and the usual valve arrangements for
periodically reversing the direction of the air and waste gases through the regenerative
chambers. Heated air is also forced from another regenerator into the gas producers
but the gases evolved from the producers are passed direct into the melting chamber
(without having their temperature sensibly raised) through short passages that
traverse the flues which conduct the waste gases around the gas producers.
Now my present invention relates to open hearth furnaces of the kind referred to,
whether the main air regenerator be arranged directly over the melting chamber as
shewn in my said former specification or at the side of or beneath the furnace, and
has for object to superheat the combustible gas or vapour used, on its way to and
before it enters the melting chamber of the furnace. For this purpose I cause the
combustible gas or vapour-obtained as may be found most desirable from solid or
liquid or semi-liquid or solid fuel-to pass on its way to the melting chamber of the
furnace through one or more chambers or retorts, (hereinafter referred to as a chamber
or chambers) constructed of some material not easily affected by the action of the
heat of the waste gases, as for example fire-clay, cast or wrought iron, or cast or
forged steel, placed in any convenient position and arranged to afford ample heating
surface and to be heated by the hot waste gases or products of combustion. The
chamber or chambers is or are so applied as to form a continuation or continuations
in any convenient direction or directions, of the gas passage, or passages leading to
the melting chamber, in such a manner as to permit of the uninterrupted flow to the
melting chamber of gas, the flow of which, and of air, is not. periodically stopped or
reversed as in ordinary regenerative furnaces constructed as is usual with air and gas
reversing valves.
A convenient arrangement in a furnace of the kind referred to of a superheating
chamber or chambers according to my present invention is as follows: From the
gas producer or each of them, gas flows by a suitable passage into and through a
chamber having approximately a U form and which is heated by the hot waste gases
acting on the outer surface of the chamber which is of tubular form in horizontal
section. Or in lieu of a U shaped chamber pipes may be used that are open at the
ends and connected with each other by a passage or flue. Provision may be made for
examining the chamber or pipes from above. For this purpose a removable stopper
or removable stoppers may be used.
The air supply to the melting chamber and to the gas producers can be heated

page_text: In a
by passing through regenerators as in my former arrangement of furnace.
modification the regenerator for heating the air to be supplied direct to the melting
chamber is arranged below that chamber; or it may be at the side thereof. This
modified regenerator may be so arranged as to heat the air for the gas producers or
vaporisers in addition to the air for the furnace and thus allow of dispensing with the
separate regenerator for heating the air for the producers.
By the use of my present invention a higher temperature can be obtained in the
melting chamber; an economy of fuel effected; melting operations can be effected
in less time; and the cost of maintenance and repairs be reduced, as compared with
the results in these respects obtained with a furnace of the kind referred to as
heretofore constructed.
Referring to the accompanying sheets of drawings-
Fig. 1 is a horizontal section in line A, B, of Fig. 2 of a ten ton steel furnace
according to my invention.
Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same in line C. D. of Fig. 1.
Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical cross sections in lines E. F. and G. H. respectively
of Fig. 2.
.
1 is the melting chamber, 2, 2, the gas producers, 3, 3, the chambers or retorts
for heating the gas on its way to the furnace; 4 the regenerator for heating the
air which supports combustion in the furnace; 5, 5 the regenerators for heating
the air which is injected into the gas producers. In the arrangement here shewn
the regenerator which heats the air supplied to the furnace is situated over the
furnace being carried on girders 4", 4", supported by external pillars 4 (Fig. 4).
4* is a deflector in the regenerator 4.
The action of the furnace will be most readily understood by tracing the flow of air
and gas. Cold air under pressure enters at 6, 6, in two streams each stream passing
through a number of tubes 7, 7, by preference of metal set in boxes 8, 8. These tubes
and boxes are situated in a flue 9 through which the waste gases pass to the chimney,
as will be presently described, and a part of the heat of these gases is imparted to the
air through the tubes 7.
From the last box 8 each stream of heated air flows to the underside of the grate of
one of the gas producers 2, and passing up through the fuel therein becomes converted.
into combustible gas. This gas flows through a passage 10 into one of the chambers 3.
proceeding up one side and down the other to one of the gas ports 11 of the melting
chamber. Each chamber is kept at a high temperature by the circulation around
it of the waste gases from the furnace, as will be presently explained.
The air which supports combustion in the melting chamber enters by the conduit 12,
and flows backwards and forwards, first to the right and then to the left. through the
tubes 13, 13, of the regenerator 4. These tubes are of refractory material such as fire-
clay. On entering the lower set of tubes the heated air enters the melting chamber
through the small air ports 14, 14.
There having been thus described the production of the gas, its subsequent heating,
the heating of the air supply, and the introduction of both heated gas and air into the
melting chamber, there only remains to indicate the course of the waste gases. These
leave the furnace by the port 15 and the passage 16, circulate among the tubes in the
regenerator 4, descend by the passage 17 into the space 18 in which the chambers 3
are situated, and thence through the passage 18ª between the two producers to the
regenerator 5. From here the gases flow to the chimney.
Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of a 16 ton steel furnace according to this invention,
with the regenerator for supplying heated air for combustion in the melting chamber,
arranged below the said furnace. The section is taken in the line J. K. of Fig. 6.
Fig. 6 is a vertical section in the line L, M, of Fig. 5.
Fig. is a cross section.
1 is the furnace: 2. 2, the gas producers; 3, 3, the pipes for heating the gas on its
way to the melting chamber; the regenerator for heating the air which supports
combustion in the melting chamber: 5 the regenerator for heating the air which is

page_text: injected into the gas producers. The furnace is here carried on girders 4ª supported
on the side walls of the regenerator below it.
Air from the regenerator 5 is forced into the gas producers through openings 19.
The gases from each producer 2 pass first down and then up through the connected
pipes, 3, which are externally heated by the waste gases, and then enter the melting
chamber through the passages 11ª and ports 11. The air for supporting combustion
enters at 12, passes backwards and forwards through the tubes in the regenerator 4, 4,
and enters the melting chamber through the passage 14ª and ports 14. The waste
gases emerge from the melting chamber at 15, pass down and around the regenerator
tubes 13, 13, then round the pipes 3, 3, and away to the chimney through the
regenerator 5 in which the air for the producers is heated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
The construction of a furnace. of the kind hereinabove referred to for melting and
other purposes with a superheating chamber (or chambers) such as described, the
arrangement being such that the combustible gas or vapour flows through the same
in a continuous stream on its way to the melting chamber of the furnace and is
superheated in the said superheating chamber (or chambers) as set forth with reference
to the examples illustrated respectively in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive and in Figs. 5 to 7
inclusive of the drawings annexed.
00
1000
ՆԱ
F. RADCLIFFE.
W. Lloyd Wise,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.