IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES WITH A ROTARY INCLINED HEARTH OR PAN FOR THE PUDDLING OF IRON AND THE FUSION OF STEEL
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Christy, junior, of 155; Fenchurch
Street, in the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES WITH A ROTARY INCLINED HEARTH
OR PAN FOR THE PUDDLING OF IRON AND THE FUSION OF STEEL."-A commu-
nication from abroad by Charles Pernot, Engineer, of St. Chamond,
Loire. France.
3
Sealed the 12th November 1875, and dated the 8th September 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Christy at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 8th September 1875.
I, THOMAS CHRISTY, junior, of 155, Fenchurch Street, in the City of
London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES WITH A ROTARY INCLINED HEARTH OR
.PAN FOR THE PUDDLING OF IRON AND THE FUSION OF STEEL," a communication
to me from abroad, by Charles Pernot, Engineer, of St. Ohamond, Loire,
France, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of the

page_text: rotary inclined hearth or pan employed in furnaces constructed as
described in the Specification of former Letters Patent, dated respec-
tively 27th August 1873, No. 2819%; 31st December 1873, No. 4292;
10th April 1874, No. 1317; 9th June 1874, No. 1997, and used for the
puddling of iron or the fusion of steel, and to an improved form of rake
or hook for extracting puddle balls from furnaces.
It is well known that in rotary furnaces when the iron is liquid it is
turned over and worked by the rotation of the pan and ascends in an
inclined plane, falling again in a thin sheet which mixes the iron and
puddles it as it, is technically called. Nevertheless the puddlers are
obliged to assist this mixing of the iron by means of a hook or stirring
instrument, which is introduced into the middle of the furnace, and the
molten metal is agitated by a backwards and forwards movement given
to the hook or stirrer.. This operation continues until the iron is finished,
viz., until it begins to granulate on its surface.
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The system of operation adopted by M. Pernot, and carried on by
means of the Patented apparatus as described in the Specifications of the
Patents above referred to (which were obtained on behalf of M. Pernot,
by his agent in this country), obviates the necessity of the use of the old
hook, or rabble, or stirrer, worked by manual labour.
:
In order to carry out this present improvement one or more castings
or chambers of hollow cast iron are connected with the revolving hearth
or pan. These castings or chambers have an open space in the centre
and their extremity corresponds with the facing which surrounds the
pan. This extremity is open and water is made to circulate through
them, and being supplied-from-the tuyere flows out from them
during the revolution of the pan as, the latter is on an incline, and
flows-in again when passing by the tuyere. This moulding or mouldings
is lined like the pan itself, viz., with ore scraps or hammerings for
the puddling furnace and with fire-clay for the furnace for fusing
steel.
When the rotary movement is imparted to the pan or hearth the
molten mass of metal will rise and fall; striking against the surface of
the hollow cast-iron chambers and will then run into the central space
and back again into the lowest part of the hearth or pan. In this way
a continuous and complete mixture is obtained as the metal is always
exposed in a very thin sheet to the heat of the furnace which insures

page_text: decarburation sufficient for it to pass into the state of wrought iron, or
a condition suitable for being melted into steel.
When the iron has been sufficiently operated on in the operating pan
or hearth, and has been brought to nature, as it is technically called, the
workman introduces his hook or rabble into the furnace to divide the
iron into as many balls as may be required. These balls being divided
and formed they are withdrawn from the fire by means of an iron rako
of improved construction, being provided with a self-acting claw or
holding piece, and being suspended to a crane or a chain fixed to the
beam.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Christy in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 16th November 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
CHRISTY, junior, of 155, Fonchurch Street, in the City of London, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Thomas Christy, junior, Her special licence,
that I, the said Thomas Christy, junior, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Christy, junior, 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 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
THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNACES WITH A ROTARY INCLINED HEARTH OR PAN FOR THE
PUDDLING OF IRON AND THE FUSION OF STEEL," a communication to him from
abroad by Charles Pernot, Engineer, of St. Chamond, Loire, France,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Christy,
junior, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
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page_text: 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 Thomas-Christy,-junior,-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:—
In order that my Invention may be fully understood I will now
proceed to describe more particularly by the aid of Drawings.
Figures 1 and 2 show a section and plan of the pan, and v, v, v, are
three hollow mouldings fixed in the same. These mouldings leave an
open space in the centre of the pan a, c, d, and their extremities u, u, u,
correspond with the facing which surrounds it. This extremity is open
at o (Fig. 1) and the water from the tuyere is introduced at the orifice as
it rotates. The water flows out naturally during the revolution of the
pan as the latter is on an incline, and flows in again when passing by the
tuyere. The mouldings are lined exactly like the pan itself, viz., with ore
scraps or hammerings for the puddling furnace, and with fire-clay for the
steel melting furnace. In this way the rotary movement being imparted
to the pan the liquid mass contained in the lower compartment, No. 1,
will ascend in proportion as the apparatus revolves and will then
descend, striking against the surface a, b, of the moulding and will then
run into the central space a, c, d, falling again into the lowest compart-,
ment. In this manner a continuous and complete mixture is obtained
as the metal is always_exposed in a very thin sheet to the heat of the
furnace, which insures-decarburation-sufficient for it to pass into the

page_text: of the puddling furnace when combined with the crane, or suspended
to a chain fixed to the beams, substantially in the manner and for the
purpose as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Christy, junior, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Christy, junior, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.