IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN SUCH MANUFACTURE
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Gilbert Martien, of Ampthill Square, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN SUCH
MANUFACTURE."
Sealed the 19th April 1859, and dated the 12th November 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Gilbert Martien at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th November 1858.
I, JOSEPH GILBERT MARTIEN, of Ampthill Square, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON, AND IN THE APPARATUS
EMPLOYED IN SUCH MANUFACTURE," to be as follows:-
My Invention of improvements in the manufacture of iron relates to an
improved mode of manufacturing wrought iron direct from the ore, by com-
bining a convenient number of deoxidizing chambers with a puddling or
reverberatory furnace, from which the heat required to heat the deoxidizing
chambers will be obtained.
This object has been heretofore attempted to be effected, but without
success, owing to the defective nature or arrangement of the apparatus
employed for the purpose. The distinctive features of the apparatus whereby
I propose to attain the desired end are,-
First, a novel mode of constructing, arranging, and working the deoxidizing
chambers.
Second, a novel arrangement or construction of parts whereby the contents

page_text: of the deoxidizing chambers may be discharged with greater facility than
heretofore.
Third, an improved mode of supplying air to the combustible gases, whereby
the deoxiding chambers are heated; and also a mode of arranging and
operating the dampers in the flues, so that the heat in the apparatus may be
regulated with facility.
By means of the foregoing arrangements and modes of operation, I am
enabled to avoid the defects heretofore experienced in manufacturing wrought
iron direct from the ore, and the heat which escapes from the reverberatory
furnace is found amply sufficient to thoroughly deoxidize as much ore as can
be efficiently operated upon and balled in the puddling furnace, and no waste
either of ore or fuel will take place. Iron in any quantity can be also made
of uniform texture and quality, a result which could not be obtained by any
previous plan for making iron directly from the ore, and no difficulty is
experienced in discharging the ore from the deoxidizing tubes when it has
been thoroughly deoxidized, as has heretofore been the case. The deoxidizing
chambers are made of clay, or are built of bricks, and preferably in the form
of flat tubes, and are arranged in rows or sets, and placed vertically, or nearly
so, for the convenience of charging and discharging. These rows of chambers
or flat vertical tubes are arranged side by side, in such a manner as to leave
spaces or passages between them, so that the heated gases from the puddling
or reverberatory furnace with which the oxidizing apparatus is connected
may be made to enter between the flat vertical tubes or oxidizing chambers,
and circulate among them, and by communicating heat thereto the contents of
the chambers or flat tubes will become deoxidized. At the bottom of the
deoxidizing chambers or tubes are placed sliding plates or shutters, with
openings therein corresponding to the open ends of the tubes or chambers,
and so arranged that by moving these sliding plates or shutters in or out so as
to bring the holes or openings therein coincident with the open ends of the
tubes, the contents of the latter may be discharged. In order to facilitate this
operation, vertical rods are adapted to the deoxidizing chambers, and the ore
and other ingredients are filled in round these rods. When the deoxidation
of a charge has been effected, the bottom end of the chamber or tube is to be
opened by drawing back its sliding shutter or plate, and then the vertical rod
in the chamber is to be moved about therein, so as to loosen the charge or
mass, and cause it to fall through the open end into a hopper placed
below, whereby the deoxidized ore will be conveyed to the reverberatory
or puddling furnace, where it may be worked and balled up in the ordinary
manner.

page_text: When combining a large number of deoxidizing chambers in one apparatus,
it will sometimes be difficult to maintain them at a uniform temperature, so
as to enable the operations to be carried on with regularity. This arises from
an imperfect combustion of the gases supplied to the flues of the deoxidizing
tubes or chambers; and in order to correct this evil, I adapt to the bottom of the
flues horizontal tubular flues in which perforations are made, so that air may be
supplied in thin streams to the interior of the flues, and thus by commingling
with the gases promote their combustion. The heat may also be retained in
the apparatus by means of dampers placed between the reverberatory furnace
and the flues of the deoxidizing chambers and the latter and the exit flue or
stack.
.
It is important to mention that by means of these dampers the heat may
not only be regulated with facility, but that the dampers between the re-
verberatory furnace and the deoxidizing apparatus may be employed to retain
the heat in and around the deoxidizing chambers to prevent the access of cold
air to the flues of the deoxidizing apparatus when the puddling or reverberatory
furnace is not at work, or is undergoing repair.
It will be understood by practical men, that if the temperature in or around
the deoxidizing chambers be allowed to fall, and the contents of the chambers
be thereby chilled, the economy and regularity of the process will be materially
interfered with. This evil is, however, effectually guarded against by the use
of the combination of dampers in the way above mentioned.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Gilbert Martien in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 12th May 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPHI
GILBERT MARTIEN, of Ampthill Square, in the County of Middlesex, Gentle-
man, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Joseph Gilbert Martien, Her special license that I, the said Joseph Gilbert
Martien, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
Joseph Gilbert Martien, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times

page_text: 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN
SUCH MANUFACTURE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Joseph Gilbert Martien, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 Joseph Gilbert Martien, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
My Invention of improvements in the manufacture of iron relates to an
improved mode of manufacturing wrought iron direct from the ore, by com-
bining a convenient number of deoxidizing chambers with a puddling or
reverberatory furnace, from which the caloric required to heat the deoxidizing
chambers will be obtained.
The manufacture of wrought iron directly from the ore by combining a
deoxidizing apparatus with a puddling furnace has been heretofore attempted
to be effected but without success, owing to the defective nature or imperfect
arrangement of the apparatus employed for the purpose.
By close observation of the unsuccessful experiments made with various
plans for effecting the above object, I have discovered that the ore was not
thoroughly deoxidized before being discharged into the puddling furnace, and
that great wate of ore and of fuel was the result, because the ore being but
partially deprived of it oxygen, rendered the matter obstinate to work in the
puddling furnace. On the other hand when the requisite heat was applied so
as to cause a melting of the ore, the particles of deoxidized ore were found to
adhere together and weld into balls; the oxide also vitrified into cinders, and
the ore was thereby wasted. It appeared that the heat that escaped from the
puddling furnace was not able, as the apparatus was then arranged, to
thoroughly deoxidize an amount of ore sufficient in quantity to supply the
puddling part of the apparatus; hence it followed that the puddling operation
had frequently to be suspended to allow the required time for the completion
of the deoxidation of the ore before discharging it into the puddling furnace.
The consequence of this delay was great waste of fuel, as all the heat applied

page_text: or used in the puddling furnace without carrying on the operation of puddling
was a sacrifice of fuel to obtain the required amount of heat for deoxidizing the
ore, and the insufficiency of the heat escaping from the puddling furnace to
effect the proper deoxidation of the ore I found was due partly to the use of
too small a number of deoxidizing flues, and also to making the tubes
containing the ore of too large dimensions; and as the number, of deoxidizing.
tubes could not be increased beyond eight, owing to the want of some mode
of managing the delivery apertures of a greater number, an attempt was
made to remedy the defect by increasing the capacity of the several tubes, but
this too failed, as the heat applied to the outside of the tubes was not able to
penetrate so large or thick a mass of ore with the required intensity. Another.
and serious difficulty was encountered in the attempts to discharge the ore
from the deoxidizing tubes. So long as the ore was but partially deoxidized it
would only be necessary to simply open the lower end of the tube, and the ore
would run out without serious impediments, but when the ore became
thoroughly deoxidized, it was found very difficult and often impossible
to effect the discharge; the apparatus therefore became clogged up and
unmanageable.
The distinctive features of the improved apparatus whereby I am enabled to
overcome the above-mentioned difficulties, and to attain the desired end of
keeping the puddling furnace supplied with the required quantity of deoxidized
ore so as to maintain a continuous working in the puddling furnace are as
follows: First, I have devised a novel mode of constructing, arranging, and
working the deoxidizing chambers; second, a novel arrangement or con-
struction of parts, whereby the contents of the deoxidizing chambers may be
discharged with greater facility than heretofore; third, an improved mode of.
supplying air to the combustible gases evolved from the puddling furnace, and.
whereby the deoxidizing chambers are heated; and, fourth, a mode of arranging
nd operating the dampers in the flues so that the heat in the apparatus may
e regulated with facility, so as to retain it in contact with the deoxidizing
hambers when required, and prevent it from escaping when the puddling
urnace is not at work.
By means of the novel arrangements of parts and modes of operation above
eferred to, I am enabled to correct the defects and avoid the inconveniences
eretofore experienced in manufacturing wrought iron direct from the ore, and
he heat which escapes from the reverberatory or puddling furnace is found
mply sufficient to thoroughly deoxidize as much ore as can be efficiently
berated upon and balled up in the puddling furnace, and no waste either of
e or fuel will take place. Iron in any quantity can be also made of uniform.

page_text: texture and quality, a result which could not be obtained by any previous plan
for making iron directly from the ore, and no difficulty is experienced in
discharging the ore from the deoxidizing tubes when it has been thoroughly
deoxidized as has heretofore been the case.
The deoxidizing chambers may either be made of clay or built of bricks,
and preferably in the form of flat tubes, and each tube may, if desired, be so
arranged as not to touch any other tube laterally, thus leaving spaces for the
circulation of the heated gases all round the tubes. It will, however, be found
more convenient to arrange the tubes in rows in such a manner that all the
tubes of one row are ranged in a continuous row without any spaces between
them. The tubes are placed vertically or nearly so for the convenience of
charging them with ore and fuel, and discharging them of their contents when
the deoxidization of the ore has been effected. These rows or ranges of
chambers or flat vertical tubes are arranged side by side in such a manner
as to leave spaces or passages between them to form flues, so that the heated
gases from the puddling or reverberatory furnace with which the oxydizing
apparatus is connected, may be made to enter between the flat vertical tubes or
deoxidizing chambers and circulate among them, and by communicating heat
thereto, the contents of the chambers or flat tubes will become deoxidized.
At the bottom of the deoxidizing chambers or tubes are placed sliding plates or
shutters, with openings therein corresponding to the open ends of the tubes or
chambers, and so arranged that by moving these sliding plates or shutters in or
out so as to bring the holes or openings therein coincident with the open ends of
the tubes, the contents of the latter may be discharged into a hopper or channel,
which will convey or conduct the deoxidized ore to the puddling furnace.. In
order to facilitate the operation of discharging the tubes, vertical rods are adapted
at any desirable part of the deoxidizing tubes or chambers, and the crude ore and
fuel or other ingredients are filled in round these rods. When the deoxidation
of a charge has been effected, the bottom end of the deoxidizing chamber or
tube is to be opened by drawing back its sliding shutter or plate, and then the
vertical rod in the chamber is to be moved about therein so as to loosen the
materials, and also to form and keep open a passage way from the top to the
bottom of the tube, so that the charge of deoxidized ore may be caused to
fall through the open end of the tube into the hopper placed below, whereby
the deoxidized ore will be conveyed to the reverberatory or puddling furnace as
above mentioned, where it may be worked and balled up in the ordinary
When combining a large number of deoxidizing chambers in one
apparatus it will sometimes be difficult to maintain them at a uniform tempe-
rature so as to enable the operations to be carried on with regularity; this
manner.

page_text: arises in part from the want of perfect and proper combustion of the gases
supplied to the flues of the deoxidizing tubes or chambers, and the admission
of air at the proper points. In order to cause perfect combustion and the
equalization of the heat as much as possible throughout the entire deoxidizing
apparatus, I so arrange the admission of air that it may be supplied to the
flues and caused to unite with the combustible gases in the interior of the
several flues. The air is admitted to the flues at a suitable distance from
where the more intense heat and gaseous matters enter the deoxidizing
chamber. This object is effected preferably by means of horizontal tubular
flues or pipes in which perforations are made, so that air may be supplied in
thin streams. The heat also may be retained in the apparatus by means
of dampers placed between the reverberatory or puddling furnace, and the flues
of the deoxidizing chambers, and between the flues of the latter and the exit
flue or stack.
It is important to mention that by means of these dampers the heat may
not only be regulated with facility, but that the dampers between the rever-
beratory furnace and the deoxidizing apparatus, and also between the latter
and the chimney or stack, may be employed to retain the heat in and around
the deoxidizing chambers, and to prevent the access of cold air to the flues of
the deoxidizing apparatus when the puddling or reverberatory furnace is not
at work, or while it is undergoing repair. It will be understood by practical
men, that if the temperature in or around the deoxidizing chambers be allowed
to fall much, and the contents of the chambers be thereby chilled, the economy
and regularity of the process will be materially interfered with. This evil is,
however, effectually guarded against by the use of the combination of dampers
in the way above mentioned.
In order, however, that my Invention may be clearly understood, I have
shewn in the accompanying Drawings various views of a deoxidizing apparatus
constructed and arranged according to my improvements. Fig. 1 is a
sectional plan view; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section taken in the line
X, X, of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section taken in the line 1, 2,
of Figures 1 and 2, partly through the vertical flue which conducts the heated
vapours and gases from the puddling furnace to the deoxidizing chambers;
Fig. 4 is another transverse sectional view taken in the line 3, 4, of Fig. 2,
through the exit flue which leads to the stack, and also through the hopper
into which the deoxidizing chambers are discharged for the purpose of con-
ducting their contents to the puddling furnace; Fig. 5 is another transverse
sectional view taken in the line 5, 4, of Figures 1 and 2, and through the
deoxidizing chambers, and also the hopper which receives their contents.

page_text: The reverberatory or puddling furnace is seen at a, a, in Figures 2 and 4, and
is such as is usually employed for puddling iron. It is provided with an
escape flue b, (Figures 1, 2, and 3,) at the rear end, extending up into the
deoxidizing apparatus above, as seen in Fig. 2, and as this apparatus in its
horizontal section is much wider than the reverberatory or puddling furnace,
the flue spreads out laterally as it rises, so as to be of the entire width of the
deoxidizing apparatus where it enters the bottom thereof, as seen in Fig. 3.
The surrounding casing of masonry of the deoxidizing chamber should be
constructed with the view to prevent, as much as possible, the escape or waste
of heat by radiation. Within this surrounding casing c, and on the bottom d
thereof, I construct eight rows or ranges of deoxidizing tubes e, each row or
range consisting of seven of such tubes. The bottom of the deoxidizing
apparatus is formed of plates, supported by eight bars of iron d*, provided
with flanges to strengthen them, and also to serve as supports for the sliding
plates q, q, hereafter mentioned. The ends of the bars d*, d", are inserted
into the end of the walls f, f, and they are further supported at their middle
by a strong cast-iron beam or girder D, Fig. 2. The spaces g between the
several bars d correspond with the lower end of the ranges of vertical tubes
e, e. On these bars d are built the walls h, h, that form the several rows or
ranges of tubes e, e, and these several walls are built so as to leave a vertical
and longitudinal flue space i between the tubes or chambers e, e, as seen at
Figures 1 and 3. The tubes of each series or range are divided by vertical
partition walls j. The walls h, h, are constructed of self-binding or tongued
and grooved bricks, known to furnace builders, and in the said bricks I make
annular recesses for the reception of the ends of the stay bricks that strengthen
the walls h, h.
The flue spaces i are all closed at the top or roof k, and the deoxidizing
tubes e are open entirely through the roof, for the reception of the charges
of ore. The products of combustion from the reverberatory or puddling
furnace as they rise in the flue b, enter at the back of the deoxidizing
apparatus, and spread over the entire rear or part 6 of the deoxidizing
apparatus. This rear or part 6* forms along its entire width and height a
continuation of the flue b, and from thence the products of combustion pass
into and through all the flue spaces i between the rows of deoxidizing tubes
e, e, and also between the outside rows of tubes e, and the sides of the outer
casing c, which spaces also constitute flues like the other flues i. The gases
then pass into a front flue 1, extending the whole width and height of the
casing c, and from thence they escape through a horizontal flue m, (Figures
1 and 4,) in front and near the bottom to the chimney n. The exit flues m

page_text: leading to the chimney should be provided with regulating dampers,
(Figures 2 and 4,) for the purpose of controlling the heat and preventing it
from escaping. However, instead of using these dampers for controlling the
heat in time of working the furnace, a damper may be and is preferably used
5 at the top of the chimney, as in puddling pig iron, and the dampers z may be
used, and are essentially so for a purpose that will be herein-after explained.
In order to supply air to assist the combustion of the gases in the flues or
spaces i, i, between the ranges of deoxidizing chambers, apertures may be
made in the walls of the apparatus opposite to the ends of each of the flues or
spaces i, i. These apertures must be provided with dampers or moveable
bricks, whereby the supply of air may be regulated; I prefer, however, to
supply air through suitable pipes, extending along the bottom of the flues.
These pipes are connected at one end with an air main or large pipe set in the
brickwork of the wall.
This mode of supplying air is shewn by dots in Figures 1 and 2. O is the
large air main, and 0, 0, 0, are smaller pipes branching out from the pipe O,"
and extending along the bottoms of the flues or spaces i, i. As a supply of air
will not be required at the entrance to the flues i, i, these pipes o, o, are not
perforated except towards their extremities, as indicated in the plan view,
Fig. 1. It will of course be understood that the large main O or the smaller
pipes o, o, must be provided with valve cocks, or some other suitable adjust-
ment for regulating the admission of air. The contrivance for discharging
the contents of the deoxidizing tubes or chambers is shewn best at Figures 2
and 3. I would here remark that the valves may, if desirable, be arranged
for the opening and discharging of one tube at a time, but as the contents of
two tubes form a charge for the reverberatory furnace, the sliding plates or
valves are made to act upon two tubes simultaneously. It consists of a
number of sliding plates q, q, in each of which are made two holes or apertures
corresponding in size with the open ends of the deoxidizing tubes or chambers
Each of these sliding plates g is adapted to close the bottom of the two
tubes e, e.
There are two sets of these sliding plates adapted to each side of
the apparatus. One set of plates on each side is adapted to the two outermost
ranges of tubes, and the plates of the other set of plates on each side are each
adapted to two of the four central ranges of tubes. All the plates q, q, are
made to rest and work upon the projecting flanges of the supporting bars
*, d, and they are operated by means of rods s, s, which extend outwards
beyond the sides of the apparatus. These valves q, q, may be operated by
evers s, s, or any other suitable means.
e, e.
From the above description it will be understood that each of the sliding.

page_text: plates is capable of being moved independently of the other, so that any two
of the deoxidizing tubes or chambers may be discharged without interfering
with the others. The under part of the deoxidizing apparatus is provided
with a kind of hopper to receive the deoxidized ore from the tubes or
chambers e, e, in order to conduct it to an opening in the roof of the puddling
furnace, which is provided at this part with a damper for the purpose of
excluding any air that might interfere with the draught. For the working of
the process the ore is to be granulated in the usual manner, and by any
suitable means; and the kind of ore which I prefer to employ is that which is
most free from earthy matters.
The carbonaceous matter of any suitable kind, whether charcoal, coke,
anthracite, peat, or bituminous coal, is also granulated, and then mixed with
the pulverized ore in the usual proportions, and when thoroughly mixed is to-
be charged into the deoxidizing tubes through their open end, having first
closed the lower end of the tubes by the sliding plates 9 at the bottom, but
before charging the tubes a rod of iron is inserted in the centre of each
tube; this rod extends from above the top of the tube to the bottom, and the
mixed ore and carbonaceous matter is charged in all around it, and then the
top of the tubes may or may not be closed as desired. The tubes may be
charged before or after the fire has been started in the grate of the rever-
beratory or puddling furnace, but I prefer the latter. From the time of starting
and after the deoxidizing chambers have attained a proper temperature, I'
usually continue the heat in the deoxidizing apparatus about forty-eight to
sixty hours, at the end of which time the ore in the rear range of tubes
furthest from the chimney will be found to be thoroughly deoxidized, and as
the contents of two tubes is sufficient for one charge of the puddling furnace,
I discharge the tubes in about the following order :-I draw out one of the
sliding plates 9 of the range No. 1, and cause the ore to pass down the
incline bottom or hopper into the puddling bottom, and I work that charge in
the usual manner. While this is going on I recharge these two tubes, and as
soon as the first charge has been puddled and balled, I discharge two more
tubes from the same range, and then I recharge them again. I proceed in this
manner until the first range (No. 1) has been discharged, and then I in
like manner work the second range (No. 2), and so I proceed with the third,
fourth, fifth, and sixth ranges, and leave the seventh range or the one nearest
the chimney where the heat is less intense; I then return, beginning with the
first range (No. 1), and proceed to No. 5, leaving range No. 6, and take the
seventh range; I then commence again with the first range (No. 1), and
proceed to and include the sixth range, leaving the seventh as in the first

page_text: instance, jumping each time the sixth or seventh range. I discharge the
deoxydizing tubes in this order or nearly so, because it requires a longer time
to insure the deoxidation in the two ranges nearest the chimney than it does
in the others, and no injury will arise from leaving the ore in these two ranges
for more than double the length of time, and the time required for working
up the contents of all the ranges in continuous order is not sufficient to
thoroughly deoxidize the ore in the last two ranges.
When the tubes are to be discharged I open the bottom by sliding back
the plates at bottom, and then I loosen the central rod r by means of a short
bar passed through the loop or eye of the rod. The short bar is moved up
and down in the loop or eye, and when loosened I move the rod r up and
down, and shake it laterally so as to loosen the ore in the tube around and
about the rod, and thus I open and keep a passage way without taking out
the rod, and the mass is forced down by means of another rod or rods. I
would here state that the rod r acts favorably as a conductor of heat to the
centre of the granular mass. In the flue leading from the reverberatory or
puddling furnace to the deoxidizing apparatus, there is a sliding damper y, the
use of which is important in connection with the dampers z in the exit flue
leading from the deoxidizing chamber into the chimney.
When stopping the fire in the reverberatory or puddling furnace as on
Saturdays, it is important to have all the tubes charged with ore, and the two
dampers y and z closed, so as to shut in the heat and prevent any essential
loss of heat from the deoxidizing apparatus, and the retarding of the
deoxidization of the ore that may be charged into the tubes on Monday.
Having now .described my Invention of "Improvements in the Manu-
facture of Iron, and in the Apparatus employed in such Manufacture," and
having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, what I claim as
the Invention which I desire to secure by Letters Patent is, the production of
wrought iron directly from the ore by means of the improvements herein set
forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Gilbert Martien, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twelfth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
W. E. NEWTON.
J. G. MARTIEN. (L.S.)