Improvements in the Manipulation and Treatment of Blast Furnace Slag and other Slag, and in the Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Jan., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 8th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 9th Nov., 1895
Improvements in the Manipulation and Treatment of Blast Furnace
Slag and other Slag, and in the Apparatus therefor.
I, THOMAS HYDES of 8 Quality Court, London, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the manipulation and treatment of blast furnace slag,
and other like slag for the purpose of preparing and adapting it for the manufacture
of cement, hydraulic mortar or "cementine," bricks, concrete for streets, drives,
buildings and the like, and in the apparatus therefor.
These slags being a rich silicate of lime and alumina containing iron, manganese,
magnesia, and other oxides are pre-eminently fit to be used as a base for cement,
hydraulic mortar and the like.
Hitherto its extreme tenacity and hardness, and the large size of the blocks in
which it is made, have rendered it too costly to disintegrate and prepare for such
purposes, although I am aware that it has been subjected to a process called "the
wet process
which requires it to be used almost immediately, a serious
disadvantage.
"
My invention refers to a simple, inexpensive and effective process, and an
apparatus to carry this into effect I propose to construct as follows, although it must
be understood that other forms of apparatus may be arranged to carry out my
principle and effect the same result.
A. sinal vessel of suitable form in its interior receives the molten slag from the
furnace.
It is made with an overhanging lip or brim either partially or completely round
Below this
it and so proportioned that the molten slag will flow equally over it.
lip I construct one or more deflecting plates that can be raised and lowered to any
desired height or angle and upon which the drops of molten slag will fall from the
lip of the vessel, and from which they will fall in solidified globules into or upon a
cooling apparatus.
This apparatus may consist of an inner and outer vessel, with a water space
between for the circulation of cold water, and the interior provided with inclined
descending passages, or paths upon which the slag globules or granulated slag will
fall and roll down by gravity and be discharged at the bottom into a receiver for
the purpose of being removed, such for example as a railway truck or the like.
For some purposes (such for example as the manufacture of cement) the
granulated slag is required to be very brittle or fragile, so as to be easily
pulverised, and this is obtained by rapid chilling in the cooling apparatus; but for
other purposes (such for example as making roads) it is required to be hard,
obdurate, and durable to resist wear, and this quality is obtained by allowing the
globule to cool gradually by either reducing or stopping altogether the supply of
cold water to the cooling apparatus and allowing it to become hot so as to retain
the latent heat, and in addition to this, I propose to make the truck or other
receiver into which the granulated slag is discharged with double walls and double
cover to retard the radiation of the beat which is requisite for annealing the
slag.
.
ROBT. F. DRURY, C.P.A.,
Bank Buildings, George Street, Sheffield, Agent for Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in the Manipulation and Treatment of Blast Furnace
Slag and other Slag, and in the Apparatus therefor.
I, THOMAS HYDES, of 8 Quality Court, London, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same has to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to the treatment and manipulation of blast furnace slag,
and other like slag, for the purpose of preparing and adapting it by disintegration
for the manufacture of cement, hydraulic mortar or 66 cementine" bricks, concrete
for street purposes, drives, buildings and the like, and also in the apparatus
therefor.
These slags being a rich silicate of lime and alumina containing iron, manganese,
magnesia, and other oxides, are pre-eminently fit to be used as a base for cement,
hydraulic mortar and the like.
Hitherto its extreme tenacity and hardness and the large size of the blocks in
which it is made have rendered it too costly to disintegrate and prepare for such
purposes, although I am aware that with this object it has been subjected to what
is called the wet process which requires it to be used almost immediately, which is
a serious disadvantage.
My improved process is simple, inexpensive and effective, and the apparatus
which I prefer to use, is illustrated in section in the annexed sheet of drawings, but
I wish it to be understood that I do not bind myself to this particular construction
of apparatus as many variations may be made without departing from the spirit of
the invention.
It consists, of a receiver A, adjustable deflectors B, interior cooling vessel C,
and exterior cooling vessel D.
The receiver A, which receives the molten slag conducted by the shoot S, from
the furnace, is made in the illustration with a surrounding overhanging lip A2, and
with a cone shaped centre A³, and between the base of the cone and the bottom of
the vessel is an annular opening or a number of openings A+, through which the
molten slag finds an exit, and if the supply from the shoot S, is too rapid and the
vessel is filled, it then runs over the lip A, L, is a link by which the parts attached
to it may be readily removed when necessary. Below the vessel A, 1 arrange a
number of deflectors or curved plates or flaps B, constructed to swivel at their top
edges so that they may be expanded or contracted as desired; after the manner of
an umbrella for example, this may be accomplished by means of a number of
rods B2, attached to the inside of the plates B, and to a ring E, capable of sliding
upon the supporting column F.
This ring E, can be raised and lowered by means of a connected cross bar G, to
which a chain H, or its equivalent is secured and brought to a convenient position
for operation.
Below the deflectors B, and carrying the column F, is what I call the inner
cooling vessel C; this is a vessel of a semi-spherical, or of a conical or other
equivalent form, which has its exterior surface inclining downwardly, similar to a
dome, and capable of being filled with water.
It is provided with an inlet pipe C2, and an outlet pipe C³, provided with stop
cucks and the like.
Partly surrounding this interior vessel C, is an outer vessel D, also constructed
to contain water, and having an opening D², and also provided with an inlet D³,
and overflow D¹.
The apparatus is intended to be fixed so that the molten slag can flow down the
shoot S, and after passing through the apparatus can drop through the opening D²,

page_text: into a truck or other receiver situated underneath the said opening by which it can
be removed to any other desired place.
When the molten slag is poured into the vessel A, it passes through the
openings A, and falls upon the deflectors B, from which it rolls in drops or globules
of larger or smaller size according to the angle at which the deflector plates are
fixed, then dropping upon the inner cooling vessel C, the globules are chilled while
passing by gravity down its cool surface, and then falling upon the concave surface
of the outer vessel D, finally pass through the bottom opening D², into the truck
or receiver before mentioned located underneath.
It will be understood that the chief or essential part of the operation is causing
the molten slag to granulate or become globular or of other analogous form, and
either brittle or tough as desired.
The degree of hardness is regulated by use of either hot or cold water admitted
into the tanks, and I find by experience that much depends upon the treatment of
slag in this respect, instant chilling producing extreme brittleness and a friable
material suitable for the manufacture of cement being easily pulverised, but which
is almost useless for many purposes, and on the other hand gradual or slow cooling
imparts to the product to a considerable extent, toughness, strength, suitable for
road making and the like.
By the use of my improved process, and the apparatus herein described or other
analogous forms of the apparatus I am enabled to produce either of the above
named results.
By altering the angle of the deflector flaps B, I can vary the size of the particles
or globules as before stated, thus when the deflectors are raised the streams of
molten slag are subdivided and produce small globules, and when they are lowered
the fall is shortened and larger globules are the result.
It will be readily understood that for chilling, the vessels would be supplied with
cold water, and when required for annealing or slow cooling, warm or even hot
water would be used.
The inlet and outlet pipes to the vessels C, and D, may be arranged to suit the
position of the apparatus, and that of the water supply, and the pipe C³, may be
divided at J, and one of the pipes carried down to form the long leg of a syphon
by which either of the vessels may be emptied when desired.
I may however dispense with certain parts of the apparatus herein described
when a cheaper apparatus is desired, such as the deflector flaps B, and allow the
molten slag to fall upon a vessel C, arranged nearer the receiver A, and other still
more simple forms for the purpose of reducing the prime cost, but having the same
invention.
of my
object in view, may be designed and come within the
scope
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inveu-
tion and in what manner the same may be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. The apparatus for the disintegration of slag, arranged and constructed as
herein before described and illustrated.
2. The apparatus for the disintegration of slag, constructed as herein before
described and shown, but with the deflector flaps B, omitted.
3. An apparatus for the disintegration of slag, having a receiver to catch the
molten slag from the runner S, and an inclined or convex surface or surfaces such
as C, arranged underneath (for the slag to fall upon and globulise,) either formed
as a water vessel or otherwise, in combination with a surrounding concave receiver
such as D, either formed to contain water or otherwise, as described.
4. An apparatus for the disintegration of slag, having a coned, dome shaped, or
other form of inclined surface or surfaces down which the molten slag shall be run
and become disintegrated or globulised, for the purpose specified.
5. The improved method of treating molten furnace slag for the purpose of
disintegration, and for either rendering it friable or tough as desired, as herein before
described.

page_text: 6. The improved method of treating molten furnace slag for the purpose of
disintegration, by causing it to run in small streams and globules down one or more
convex, concave, inclined, down shaped or conical, surface or surfaces as herein-
before described.
Dated the 7th day of October 1895.
ROBT. F. DRURY, C.P.A.,
Bank Buildings, George Street, Sheffield, Agent for Applicant.