Improvements in Refining Iron.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Apr., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 19th Jan., 1893-Accepted, 1st Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Refining Iron.
I, HEINRICH HÖFER of Hagen, Westfalia, Germany, Manufacturer do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In order to reduce the pig iron coming from the blast furnace direct into foundry
iron, steel of different quality or into wrought iron, into "refined iron," that is to
say into a product containing more or less carbon and being therefore suit for
different purposes and manufactures I proceed as follows:
The fluid metal coming from the blast furnace is carried direct in a channel into
a refining furnace specially built to suit the refining process invented by me; in
this furnace I lead the metal in a thin stream, which extends over the whole width
of the furnace, upon slightly inclined steps arranged in zigzag, one below the
other, so as to leave alternately a passage on one side and then on the other and
forming on the whole a serpentlike channel with continuous falls or cataracts, in
consequence of which the flow of the metal is retarded a little upon each step and
turned up until it is gathered in hearth or crucible at the bottom.
In opposite direction to the stream of the fluid metal I let pass a stream of gas
which, depending upon the quality of iron to be produced and also upon the
composition of the pig iron, is made to contain more or less carbon or oxygen.
In consequence of the regular change of flow and of the fall from step to step of
the fluid metal stream, being crossed by the stream of gas, I attain a repeated und
an intimate mixing of the iron and the gas, and the iron is freed from impure
substances and is refined. An oxydizing and a reducing reaction taking place
which can be regulated at will.
At certain intervals of the zigzag channel I arrange openings in the furnace in
order to be able to introduce flux with the object of regulating and varying the
quality of the refined product.
The reducing and oxydizing gases and the required hot air are produced in a
separate generator and heated in a furnace of any suitable design for the purpose.
A regenerative furnace is recommended. The gas and air enter into the furnace at
the opposite side of the hearth where the refined iron is let off so, that they flow
over the metal and cross it also here and they enter then in a separate channel.
from the bottom into the zigzag channel which they travers from bottom to top,
always crossing the stream of metal, as said before, and leaving the furnace at the
top, where the fluid iron coming from the blast or an other smelting furnace enters
the refining furnace.
The furnace I have designed for the purpose is shown on the accompanying
drawing, it will serve to explain the process described above still more.
Figure 1 is a vertical section along line I-I of Figure 3;
Figure 2 is a section along line II-11 of Fig. 1;
Figure 3 is a plan partly in section;
Figure 4 is a horizontal section along line 111-III of Fig. 1.
The furnace consists of the upright part A, which I call the cataract, from this
at its top, a feeding channel B leads to the smelting furnace for the pig iron and
conducts the fluid metal thence into the refining furnace, where it falls over the
dented
L

page_text: arrange openings H, which may be closed by suitable doors and through which I
am enabled to introduce flux.
The gases are produced in a generator 1, arranged before the hearth. Froni
this generator the gas is led into the mixing chamber K and over the bridge 1.
into the hearth. In the mixing chamber an air channel M is arranged, through
which heated air can be blown in, so as to provide the gases with oxygen, as may
be required and to regulate the ratio of oxygen to carbon in the gas.
In the hearth the gases flow over the iron coming from G and they enter into
the cataract by a separate channel N into the pyramidal part E and thence they
go up through the zigzag channel up to the top where they escape by an outlet
channel Q.
A damper may be placed in the gas outlet channel for regulating the current of
the gas.
The refined product is let out of the hearth by an outlet channel R at the
bottom.
KARL J. MAYER,
Agent for Heinrich Höfer.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Refining Iron.
I, HEINRICH HÖFER of Hagen, Westfalia, Germany Manufacturer 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 order to reduce the pig iron coming from the blast furnace direct into foundry
iron, steel of different quality or into wrought iron, into "refined iron," that is
to say into a product containing more or less carbon and being therefor suited for
different purposes and manufactures, I proceed as follows:
The fluid metal coming from the blast furnace is carried direct in a channel into
a refining furnace specially built to suit the refining process invented by
me, in this furnace I lead the metal in a thin stream, which extends over the
whole width of the furnace, upon slightly inclined steps arranged in zigzag, one
below the other, so as to leave alternately a passage on one side and then on the
other and forming on the whole a serpentlike channel with continuous falls or
cataracts, in consequence of which the flow of the metal is retarded a little upon
each step and turned up until it is gathered in a hearth or crucible at the
bottom.
In opposite direction to the stream of the fluid metal I let pass a stream of gas
which, depending upon the quality of iron to be produced and also upon the
composition of the pig iron, is made to contain more or less carbon or oxygen.
In consequence of the regular change of the flow and of the fall from step to
step of the fluid metal stream, being crossed by the stream of gas, I attain a
repeated and an intimate mixing of the iron and the gas, and the iron is freed
from impure substances and is refined. An oxydizing and a reducing reaction
taking place, which can be regulated at will.
At certain intervals of the zigzag channel I arrange openings in the furnace in
order to be able to introduce flux with the object of regulating and varying the
quality of the refined product.
The reducing and oxydizing gases and the required hot air are produced in a
separate generator and heated in a furnace of any suitable design for the purpose.
A regenerative furnace is recommended. The gas and air enter into the furnace
at the opposite side of the hearth where the refined iron is let off so that they flow
over the metal and cross it also here and they enter then in a separate channel
from the bottom into the zigzag channel which they traverse from bottom to top,

page_text: always crossing the stream of metal, as said before, and leaving the furnace at
the top, where the fluid iron coming from the blast or an other smelting furnace-
enters the refining furnace.
The furnace I have designed for the purpose is schown on the drawing, left with
the Provisional Specification and it will serve to explain the process described.
above more particularly.
Figure 1 is a vertical section along line I-I of Figure 3 ;
Figure 2 is a section along line II-II of Fig. 1.
Figure 3 is a plan partly in section,
Figure 4 is a horizontal section along line III-III of Fig. 1.
The furnace consists of the upright part A, which I call the cataract, from this.
at its top, a feeding channel B leads to the smelting furnace for the pig iron and
conducts the fluid metal thence into the refining furnace, where it falls over the
dentated upper edge, in order to be spread and distributed over the whole width
of the furnace, in a thin broad stream and then its falls from step to step C along
the passages D, D forming a zigzag channel between the steps and between their
edges and the surrounding walls. At the bottom E forming an inverted cone or
pyramid it is led by several channels G into the hearth F. At one or more
places I arrange openings H, which may be closed by suitable doors and through
which I am enabled to introduce flux.
The gases are produced in a generator, I, arranged before the hearth. From.
this generator the gas is led into the mixing chamber K and over the bridge L
into the hearth. In the mixing chamber an air channel M is arranged, through
which heated air can be blown in, so as to provide the gases with oxygen, as may
be required and to regulate the ratio of oxygen to carbon in the gas.
In the hearth the gases flow over the iron coming from G and they enter into.
the cataract by a separate channel N into the pyramidal part E and thence they
go up through the zigzag channel up to the top where they escape by an outlet.
channel Q.
A damper may be placed in the gas outlet channel for regulating the current of
the gas.
The refined product is let out of the hearth by an outlet channel R at the
bottom.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven--
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :
1.) In refining iron the process which consists in leading the fluid metal in a thin
stream through a zigzag channel forming cataracts and in causing the reducing
and heating gases to pass also through the said channel in opposite direction along
and through the metal stream.
2.) The furnace required in the said process consisting of a vertical part A
having a feeding channel B, alternately arranged steps C and passages D between
their open edge and the corresponding wall of the furnace, the metal channels G
and the gas channel N and a hearth F in combination with a gas generator, I, all.
substantially as described.
Dated this 12th day of January 1893.
1
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