IMPROVEMENTS IN .FURNACES FOR HEATING METALS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Davis, of Warrington, in the County
of Lancaster, Roll Turner, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
.FURNACES FOR HEATING METALS."
Scaled the 20th December 1872, and dated the 21st June 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Davis at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st June 1872.
I, THOMAS DAVIS, of Warrington, in the County of Lancaster, Roll
Turner, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN FURNACES FOR HEATING METALS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to furnaces used for heating metals, and consists
in employing in the interiors of the furnaces hollow cylinders or drums
connected to tables or plates fixed to shafts so that they can revolve.
The cylinders or drums are made of fire-clay or fire-brick, and their
interiors are supplied with cold water or air to prevent the cylinders from
burning, and the doors of the furnaces are each made in two halves
which can be opened and closed by handles. When these improved

page_text: furnaces are used in the manufacture of wire, hoop iron, or any other
description of rolled metal, the larger metal from which these articles
are to be made is charged upon the cylinders or drums, and as soon as it
is sufficiently heated the ends are drawn through openings in the walls
of the furnace and passed between a series of drawing rollers which
cause the cylinders to turn and give off the coils, the drawn wire being
at the same time wound or coiled on a drum or cut into lengths as
required; or I cause the cylinders or drums in the furnaces to be driven
by power. On the cylinders or drums there are several coiis heated
at the same time, each coil when heated being in connection with its
corresponding series of drawing rollers, and as fresh coils can be
rapidly placed on the cylinders when the furnace doors are opened,
or the metal coiled on the cylinder as they revolve, the manufacture
of smaller iron or steel from larger can be effected with great speed
and economy.
When desired the metal after passing between the first series of drawing
rollers can be wound on a revolving cylinder in another furnace, from
whence it passes between another series of rollers, and so on as often as
may be required in continuation of the process of rolling.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Davis in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 20th December 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
DAVIS, of Warrington, in the County of Lancaster, Roll Turner, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Thomas Davis, Her special licence that
I, the said Thomas Davis, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Thomas Davis, 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,

page_text: should and lawfully might make, use, exercisc, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES FOR HEATING
METALS," upon the condition, amongst others, that I, the said Thomas
Davis, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 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 Davis, 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, reference being had to the Figures on the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters of reference marked
thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention relates to furnaces used for heating metals, and consists
in employing in the interiors of the furnaces hollow cylinders or drums
connected to tables or plates fixed to shafts so that they can revolve, the
cylinders or drums being made of fire-clay or fire-brick. When these
improved furnaces are used in the manufacture of wire, hoop iron, or
any other description of rolled metal, the larger metal from which these
articles are to be made is charged upon the cylinders or drums, and as
soon as it is sufficiently heated the ends are drawn through openings in
the walls of the furnace and passed between a series of drawing rollers
which cause the cylinders to turn and give off the coils, the drawn iron
wire being at the same time wound or coiled on a drum or cut into
lengths as required, or I cause the cylinders or drums in the furnaces to
be driven by power. On the cylinders or drums there are several coils
heated at the same time, each coil when heated being in connection with
its corresponding series of drawing rollers, and as fresh coils can be
rapidly placed on the cylinders when the furnace doors are opened, or
the metal coiled on the cylinders as they revolve, the manufacture of
smaller iron or steel from larger can be effected with great speed and
econo

page_text: whence it passes between another series of rollers, and so on as often as
may be required in continuation of the process of rolling.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Figs. 1 and 2 are longitudinal
and transverse sections, and Fig. 3 a plan with part in section, of one
arrangement of my improvements applied to a double furnace, a repre-
senting the interior of the furnace; b, the fire-grates; c, the ash-pits;
d, the flue communicating with the chimney; e, the fire-doors; f, the
hollow cylinders or drums on which the coils of metal are placed; y, the
shafts to which the cylinders or drums are fixed; h, one of the openings
in a wall of the furunce through which the coils are placed to the
cylinders or drums; ³, the doors for closing the openings; %, passages
for the heated metal to pass over guide pulleys to the drawing rollers;
and the doors for closing the passages i.
It will be seen that only two cylinders or drums are shewn, but it is
evident that any convenient number can be used of suitable lengths and
diameters, the cylinders or drums being either conical or not, and turned
either by the tension of the metal or by bevil wheels n, o, on the shafts g
worked by power, and when desired the cylinders or druins can be fixed
and used on horizontal shafts.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be
understood that in furnaces for heating metals, I claim the cylinders or
drums fixed on vertical or horizontal shafts so that they can revolve with
coils of metal upon them in the interior of the furnace, and also the
passages for allowing the entrance and exit of the metal.
In witness whercof, I, the said Thomas Davis, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.