IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES FOR SMELTING IRON STONES AND ORES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Strong, of Smethwick, in the
County of Stafford, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
Scaled the 11th February 1854, and dated the 12th August 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Strong
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 12th August 1853.
I, JAMES STRONG, of Smethwick, in the County of Stafford,
Engincer, do hereby déclare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES FOR SMELTING IRON STONES AND
ORES" to be as follows:-
The improvements consist of constructing the interior of the
form of the frustrum of a cone inverted, or of a frustum of a
pyramid inverted, or of any figure encreasing regularly in diameter
or area from the base or bottom of the hearth to the mouth or
charging place, or to any point below that.
Of constructing the interior with hearth and boshes as at
present in use, but with sides either rising perpendicularly or
SI

page_text: inclining outwards from that part commonly known as the boshes
to the mouth or charging, place, or with hearth as at present in
use; but with sides inclining outwards from the top of the hearth
to the mouth or charging place, or to any point below that.
Of enlarging the mouth or charging place of furnaces built in
the usual forms so that the square of the diameter of that
opening, in case it be circular, shall equal three times the-height of
the furnace in feet from the bottom of the hearth to the charging
place, and in case such opening be of any other than a circular
form that such opening shall contain at least two and a half times
the number of square feet in its area that the furnace is high in
lincal feet from the bottom of the hearth to the level of the
charging place.
Of introducing atmospheric air into such furnaces through a
number, of rifices or openings for that purpose at various
-altitudes in the body of the furnace...
Of the application of a fan blast for the purpose of driving or
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said James Strong in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 11th February 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME,
I, JAMES STRONG, of .Smethwick, in the County of Stafford,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by
Her Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of August, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three,
in the seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs
and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Janics Strong,
Her special licence that I, the said James Strong, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Strong, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, anil no others, from time to time and at all times

page_text: "
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully S
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdomr
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES FOR SMELTING
IRON STONES AND ORES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that T, the said James Strong, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and scal,, should, particularly 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 Scal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Strong, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof (that is to
say):
"
My Invention consists of improvements in the construction of
blast furnaces used in the smelting iron stone and orc. And in
order that my said Invention may be most fully understood, I will
proceed to describe the means pursued by me.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figures 1, and 2, show two vertical sections of a blast furnace
constructed according to my Invention. Figures 3, and 4, show
two horizontal sections of the furnace. It will be seen that the
furnace from the hearth up to the feeding holes inclines, outwards,
and grows larger and larger in diameter. I prefer that- furnaces
built according to my improvements should be circular in their
horizontal section at all parts, as is usually the case in con-
structing blast furnaces; but this is not essential; as other forms of
-furnace may be constructed according to my. improvements; but
-in all cases it is essential to my Invention that the upper part of
the furnace should be large in proportion to the height, and it is
jimportant that the tunnel head should be open and unimpeded, in
order that the gases and products may get freely away when they

page_text: have arrived above the filling places round the tunnel head.
The furnace shewn in the Drawing is about forty feet from the
hearth to the feeding places in the tunnel head, and the diameter
of the furnace at the feeding places is about eighteen feet; con-
sequently the square of the diameter of the top of the furnace in
feet is very nearly eight times the height of the furnace, and these
are the proportions I prefer; and I believe that a blast furnace
with inclined sides, such as result from the proportions above
mentioned, between the height and the diameter of the top of
furnace, will be found to be the most useful in practice. At the
same time I do not confine myself thereto, as a departure from
the present modes of constructing blast furnaces so as to encrease
the upper diameter as compared with the height will improve the
construction of blast furnaces; and I claim as of my Invention
the enlargement of the diameter or the sectional area of the upper
part of a blast furnace, so long as the square of the diameter (if
of a circular section) is at least three times the height from the
hearth to the feeding place of the furnace in fect, or that the
sectional area (if of other form than circular) in feet shall be at
least two and a half times the height in feet from the hearth to
the feeding places, the tunnel head being open above. I, however,
recommend the upper part of the furnace to be of a much larger
diameter or area, as before stated, and up to eight times, as above
described, or even more. Around the furnace is formed an iron
air chamber, as is shewn, into which the blast of air is first
pumped, and from which it flows by the various twyers, as shewn ;
and in place of having the twyers all at or near the same level,
I arrange twyers in addition to those near the hearth at a very
elevated position in the blast furnace, as shewn. In the Drawing
the air chamber is shewn to be uncovered, but if it be desired to
retain the largest quantity of heat in the air chamber the exterior
of the air chamber may be clothed with brick work or other non-
conducting materials.
-
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the
best manner of performing the same that I am acquainted wi h

page_text: I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the
details; but what I claim is, the combination or construction of
blast furnace, air chamber, and twyers, herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Janies Strong, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of February, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-four.
Witness,
S. CARPMAEL.
JAMES STRONG. (L.S.)