IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL, AND OF FURNACES AND
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Frederick Cashin, Civil Engineer, of Sheffield,
in the County of York, and Joseph Felix Allender, Iron Works Manager,
of Park Gate, near Sheffield, aforesaid, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL, AND OF FURNACES AND
Sealed the 23rd March 1866, and dated the 26th September 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Frederick Cashin
and Joseph Felix Allender at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 26th September 1865.
We, THOMAS FREDERICK CASHIN, Civil Engineer, of Sheffield, in the County
of York, and JOSEPH FELIX ALLENDER, of Park Gate, near Sheffield, aforesaid,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL, AND OF FURNACES AND MACHINERY FOR PURIFY-
ING, PUDDLING, OR HEATING THE SAME," to be as follows:-
Our Invention comprehends a mode of purifying crude iron preparatory
to its being conveyed into crucibles or other receiving vessels for conversion
into steel, and a mode of applying the rabble or tool in furnaces of a par-
ticular form in such manner that the apparatus contemplated may be used

page_text: during the operation of puddling until the iron is in a fit state or nearly so for
balling.
In the machinery hitherto employed horizontal motion only has been given
to the rabble, we propose to add a vertical motion by which the tool or
rabble as it approaches the front or back of the furnace is lifted clear of the
iron, and dropt vertically into the bed of the furnace at the termination of
each forward or backward stroke. The iron is kept together by this move-
ment instead of being dispersed and driven from the middle of the furnace
as it is by other mechanical puddlers. On the top of the furnace we propose
to place a frame to carry a driving shaft, which imparts motion by means of
a crank or eccentric to a horizontal lever, this lever acts upon an oscillating
bar slung from an axle above and in front of the furnace. To the lower end
of this slung bar which obtains a pendulum motion the rabble is attached
and by it moved backward and forward. Intermittent vertical motion is com-
municated to the tool by cams attached to the driving shaft, which twice in
each revolution at the approaching termination of each stroke works into a
slot in a vertical lifting bar hung close to the furnace front, horizontal pro-
jections from this bar lift the tool with each stroke of the cam. When this
apparatus is applied to an old furnace, or a furnace of the ordinary construction,
a compound motion is given to the horizontal lever by a circular driving plate
worked from the shaft and a connecting rod. This will, communicate to the
slung bar to which the tool is attached a pendulum motion in the direction
of the length of the furnace, and cause the rabble to range over a considerable
radial surface, and to this range the form of the bed of the furnace must be
adapted.
In connection with this apparatus we propose and prefer to use a circular
rotary hollow, bottom, to the standard or axle on and with which the bottom
revolves, motion is communicated by a shaft in connection with the driving
shaft on top of the furnace. The standard consists of a central pipe surrounded
by another forming a concentric space between; water is admitted into the
iuterior of the hollow bottom through the central pipe, and carried off by
small tubes from the top or rim of the furnace bed into the concentric space,
whence it passes through spouts into a circular drain with an outlet, a
standard with inlet and outlet channels may be used in lieu of the standard:
above described.
For purifying crude iron preparatory to its conversion into steel by means
of the Bessemer process patented under date 10th November 1856, and as
now practised or other process, these furnaces may be made of considerable.
size and depth, and must be provided with outlets, so that at the proper

page_text: stage in the process when the fluxes shall have operated the bed may
be tapped, and the iron in a fluid state conveyed to the converting vessel
or crucible. By this mode of operation ores of an inferior quality may be
made available for conversion by the said Bessemer process, and the crude
5 iron may be run from the blast furnace into the purifying furnace, and thence
into the converting vessel successively. This furnace may also be used as a
heating furnace with cinder bottom.
For puddling the capacity of the furnace must be determined by the number
of balls which it may be found desirable to make. Furnaces of the ordinary
construction must be adapted in plan to the range of the rabble to which a
radial motion is imparted..
Another arrangement contemplates the subdivision of the bed of each
furnace in the direction of its length into two or more chambers, in this
case there must be an independent rabble for each chamber.
The inconvenience which results from the present mode of removing the
slagg or clinker which adheres to the furnace grate, and retards the operation
of puddling, we propose to remedy by substituting for the bars now in use,
bars let into socketed bearers, these bearers are in length only half the
width of the firing place. Each half of the furnace grate is independent
of the other, and is born nearly in equilibrio by a lever at each end, the
jaws of which hold a pivot in the middle of each bearer, the pivot at
the end of the grate next the outer wall of the furnace is formed with.
a square end, a barrel key applied to this end turns the grate when lowered
into a suitable position. The levers are attached on each side of the furnace
to an axis which is prolonged through the furnace wall to receive a balance
lever and weight sufficient to sustain the grate in its place and bear up the
fuel upon it. Instead of separate bars let into end bearers each half grate
may be cast in one pièce with a water channel running throughout it. When
it is desired to clear the grate from slagg or clinkers flat side bars are'
passed through an opening in the end of the furnace to support the fuel above
it on one half grate. The balance lever on that side is then raised sufficiently
to lower the grate clear of the slide bars, the grate is then turned upside down
by the application of the turn key to the end of the balance pivot. On lower-
ing the balance lever the grate is raised into position, the slagg falls or is
knocked off the under side, and the slide bars are withdrawn. The samne
operation is performed when requisite on the other side of the fire, the fire
can thus be effectually cleared of clinkers in a few minutes and the process of
puddling promoted.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Frederick Cashin and Joseph Felix Allender in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th March 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, THOMAS
FREDERICK CASHIN, Civil Engineer, of Sheffield, in the County of York, and
JOSEPH FELIX ALLENDER, Iron Works, Manager, of Park Gate, near Sheffield,
aforesaid, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said Thomas Frederick Cashin and Joseph Felix Allender, Her
special licence that we, the said Thomas Frederick Cashin and Joseph Felix
Allender, executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the
said Thomas Frederick Cashin and Joseph Felix Allender, executors, adminis-
trators, 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL, AND OF FUR-
NACES AND MACHINERY POR PURIFYING, PUDDLING, OR HEATING THE SAME," upon
the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Thomas Frederick Cashin
and Joseph Felix Allender, executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Frederick Cashin, on behalf of
myself and of the said Joseph Felix Allender, do hereby declare the nature of our
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our Invention comprehends a mode of purifying crude iron preparatory to
its being conveyed into crucibles or other receiving vessels for conversion into
steel, and a mode of applying the rabble or tool in furnaces of a particular
form in such manner that the apparatus contemplated may be used during the
operation of puddling until the iron is in a fit state, or nearly so, for balling.
In the machinery hitherto employed horizontal motion only has been given

page_text: to the rabble. We propose to add a vertical motion, by which the tool or
rabble as it approaches the front or back of the furnace is lifted clear of the
iron and dropped vertically into the bed of the furnace at the termination of
each forward or backward stroke. The iron is kept together by this move-
ment instead of being dispersed and driven from the middle of the furnace as
it is by other mechanical puddlers. On the top of the furnace we propose to
place a frame to carry a driving shaft, which imparts motion by means of a
crank or eccentric to a horizontal lever; this lever acts upon an oscillating
bar slung from an axle above and in front of the furnace. To the lower end
of the slung bar which obtains a pendulum motion the rabble is attached, and
by it moved backward and forward. Intermittent vertical motion is com-
municated to the tool by cams attached to the driving shaft, which twice in
each revolution at the approaching termination of each stroke works into a
slot in a vertical lifting bar bung close to the furnace front; horizontal
projections from this bar lift the tool with each stroke of the cam. When this
apparatus is applied to an old furnace or a furnace of the ordinary construction
a compound motion is given to the horizontal lever by a circular driving.
plate worked from the shaft and a connecting rod. This will communicate
to the slung bar to which the tool is attached a pendulum motion in the
direction of the length of the furnace, and cause the rabble to range over a
considerable radial surface, and to this range the form of the bed of the
furnace must be adapted. In connection with this apparatus we propose and
prefer to use a circular rotary hollow bottom. To the standard or axle on
and with which the bottom revolves motion is communicated by a shaft in
connection with the driving shaft on top of the furnace. The standard consists
of a central pipe surrounded by another forming a concentric space between,
water is admitted into the interior of the hollow bottom through the central
pipe, and carried off by small tubes from the top or rim of the furnaco bed
into the concentric space whence it passes through spouts into a circular drain
with an outlet. A standard with inlet and outlet channels may be used in
lieu of the standard above described.
For purifying crude iron preparatory to its conversion into steel by means
of the Bessemer or other process these furnaces may be made of considerable
size and depth, and must be provided with outlets, so that at the proper stage
in the process when the fluxes shall have operated the bed may be tapped, and
the iron in a fluid state conveyed to the converting vessel or crucible. By
this mode of operation ores of an inferior quality may be made available for
conversion by the Bessemer process patented under date 10th November 1856,
and as now practised, and the crude iron may be run from the blast furnace

page_text: into the purifying furnace, and thence into the converting vessel successively.
This furnace may also be used as a heating furnace.
For puddling the capacity of the furnace must be determined by the
number of balls which it may be found desirable to make. Furnaces of the
ordinary construction must be adapted in plan to the range of the rabble to
which a radial motion is imparted.
Another arrangement contemplates the subdivision of the bed of each
furnace in the direction of its length into two or more chambers; in this case
there must be an independent rabble for each chamber.
The inconvenience which results from the present mode of removing the
slag or clinker which adheres to the furnace grate and retards the operation
of puddling we propose to remedy by substituting for the bars now in use bars
let into socketed bearers; these bearers are in length only half the width of
the firing place. Each half of the furnace grate is independent of the other,
and is borne nearly in equilibrio by a lever at each end, the jaws of which
hold a pivot in the middle of each bearer.. The pivot at the end of the grate
next the outer wall of the furnace is formed with a square end, a barrel key.
applied to this end turns the grate when lowered into a suitable position.
The levers are attached on. each side of the furnace to an axis, which is
prolonged through the furnace wall to receive a balance lever and weight
sufficient to sustain the grate in its place, and bear up the fuel upon it.
Instead of separate bars let into end bearers, each half grate may be cast in
one piece with a water channel running through part of it. When it is desired
to clear the grate from slagg or clinkers flat side bars are passed through an
opening in the end of the furnace to support the fuel above it on one half
grate. The balance lever on that side is then raised sufficiently to lower the
grate clear of the slide bars; the grate is then turned upside down by the
application of the turn key to the end of the balance lever; the grate is
raised into position, the slag falls or is knocked off the under side, and the
slide bars are withdrawn. The same operation is performed when requisite
on the other side of the fire. The fire can thus be effectually cleared of
clinkers in a few minutes, and the process of puddling promoted.
In order that the several parts of our Invention may be more easily under-
stood and carried into effect, we will now proceed more particularly to
describe the best means we are acquainted with for carrying the same into
effect..
The Drawings annexed exhibit all the essential parts of the arrangement
proposed.
Figure 1 is a plan of the revolving furnace, and Fig. 2 a vertical section

page_text: thereof; Figure 3 is a plan, and Figure 4 a longitudinal section of a furnace
subdivided into chambers. The dotted lines on Fig. 4 show a plan of the furnace
adapted to the range of a rabble oscillating horizontally; and Figure 5 is an
end elevation of an ordinary furnace, showing the arrangement proposed for
clearing the slag from the fire-bars.
The machinery for working the rabble is shown by Fig. 2. On the top of
the furnace we place a frame a projecting beyond the front, the frame carries
a shaft 6, on which is mounted an excentric c, with a horizontal lever d, for
the eccentric a crank may be substituted. The horizontal lever grasps a
pivot on the driving bar e suspended from the overhanging frame a at f. To
the shaft ba cam g is also fixed, which works into the slotted bar fixed
close to the furnace door, this bar is provided with a projecting arm, which
underlies the rabble i, when working on the bottom of the furnace. When
motion is imparted to the shaft b the horizontal lever d causes the bar e to
oscillate and move the rabble i, attached by a pivot thereto backwards and
forwards. The size of the excentric c (or crank) and the distance from the
point fat which the lever is attached to the driving bar must be regulated by
the width of the, furnace or distance over which the rabble is required to
travel. As the rabble approaches the end of each stroke the cam on the
revolving shaft strikes into and lifts the slotted bar h, this also lifts the rabble
which is allowed again to drop as the cam frees itself from the slot at the
termination of the stroke. The object of this motion is to prevent the iron
from being scattered or drawn out of the furnace.
When this machinery is applied to a furnace subdivided as shown by
Fig. 4, or to a furnace with a single chamber, as shown by the dotted lines,
lateral motion must be imparted to the driving bar e by means of a worm on
the shaft b; this worm causes a toothed plate to which from a point near the
circumference must be connected with the lever d, in this case the lever must
be attached by pivots to the rim of the excentric. The furnace subdivided is
intended to assist the puddler in balling, and the single chamber for ordinary
puddling.
The rotary furnace shown by Figs. 1 and 2 is driven by the shaft b by
ordinary bands or gear, which causes the vertical shaft k to revolve, this turns
the hollow furnace bottom l, to which it is attached; the furnace bottom is
also sustained by a plate m, and runs on two or more rollers as a turntable;
cold water is admitted through the centre hole n between. the plates of the
furnace bottom, and flows out near the top through tubes and holes in the
vertical shaft, as shown by the arrows (Fig. 2).
This furnace, which we propose to substitute for the reverberatory furnace,

page_text: in which the pig iron is at present melted preparatory to conversion by the
Bessemer process, may be made of any required size, and rabbles used
opposite to each other. The crude iron is melted in this furnace and stirred
or partially puddled; and at proper intervals fluxes and other ingredients now
used in puddling for purifying the iron and freeing it from sulphur and
phosphorous are introduced; the revolution of the furnace and the working
of the rabble effectually agitates the liquid iron and brings the purifying
ingredients into mechanical contact with the impurities so as to combine
and operate chemically. Before the iron begins to granulate or "ball" it
is run into the "Bessemer" converting vessel, and subjected to that process.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in
which the same is or may be carried into effect, we declare that what we
claim and desire to have secured to us by the above in part recited Letters
Patent is,―
First, the partial puddling of crude iron preparatory to conversion by the
"Bessemer" process.
Second, the peculiar arrangement of rotary furnace.
Third, the driving and lifting motion applied to the rabble.
Fourth, the subdivision of the puddling furnace into chambers, and the
adaptation of a single chamber to the range of the rabble.
And, fifth, the mode of freeing the fire-bars of ordinary puddling furnaces
from slag, all substantially in the manner exhibited by the Drawings, and
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Frederick Cashin, on behalf of
myself and the said Joseph Felix Allender, have hereunto set my
hand and scal, this Twenty-sixth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.