CERTAIN IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL AND IN THE MEANS OR
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Haden Richardson, of Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL AND IN THE MEANS OR
"
Sealed the 1st May 1868, and dated the 14th November 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Haden Richardson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th November 1867.
I, WILLIAM HADEN RICHARDSON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL AND IN THE
MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING THE SAME," to be as follows, that is to
say:-
This Invention, which relates to improved appliances to be used in the
manufacture of iron and steel, is based upon other Inventions for which Letters
Patent were granted to William Haden Richardson, bearing, date the 4th day
of December 1866, numbered 3189, and 3rd June 1867, numbered 1635,
and also the 29th June 1867, numbered 1905, respectively.
Under one arrangement one or more perforated tubes are laid in the charge
of molten metal on the puddling hearth, the perforated tube or tubes being
introduced through the stopper hole or other convenient opening in the sides
of the furnace, and being connected with a compressed air reservoir, steam

page_text: boiler, or gas holder. Air, steam, or other gases separately or combined is or
are blown into the charge, and at the same time the molten metal is stirred
about with the ordinary rabble, in place of using the hollow rabble for injecting
air, steam, or gas, separately or combined, as well as for working the iron
during the time of blowing in the gas or gases as under the Letters Patent
herein-before referred to; or instead of using the solid rabble a hollow rabble
may be employed to blow in additional gas or gases in combination with the
appliances comprised under the present Invention.
Under a second arrangement in place of using one or more perforated
tubes for injecting the separate or combined gas or gases a hollow perforated
vessel or lump of iron, fire-clay, or other refractory material placed on the
end of a blast pipe may be used for diffusing the gas or gases into or amongst
the charge of molten metal on the puddling hearth, this being introduced into
the furnace either through an opening in the roof, sides, or at one end, and whilst
so introduced the iron is worked by the ordinary rabble in the usual manner,
or by a hollow rabble or rabbles through which additional gas or gases may
be injected. To facilitate the diffusion of the gas or gases the holes through
which these escape into the charge may be placed at an angle, so as to produce
a rotation of the molten metal on the hearth; means similar to the pre-
ceeding may also be used for injecting air into iron in refineries in place of
blowing upon the molten metal as at present practised, it being explained
that it is not intended to claim the refining of iron by such means, except
when used for being finished in a puddling furnace as puddled iron or steel,
as under two of the Letters Patents herein-before mentioned.
To produce
different qualities of metal spiegel eisen, manganese, salt, charcoal, graphite,
plumbago, or carbon in other forms, together with scrap iron and iron ore
and other substances containing oxygen, may be added.
A third part of the present Invention consists in forming the rabble with
oblong parallel holes through which the air, gas, or gases escape in place of the
circular holes shown in the Drawings of rabbles appended to the Specification
of the Patent first herein-before referred to. The perforated lamp or vessel may
be constructed with arms or stirring bars projecting from it, so that by giving
a rotary or reciprocatory motion to the pipe to which it is united the action
of puddling may to a large extent be made mechanical, for so long a time at
least as the blast of the separate or combined air, gas, or steam is being blown
in.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Haden Richardson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 18th May 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HADEN RICHARDSON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Haden Richardson, Her special license that I, the
said William Haden Richardson, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said William Haden Richardson, my executors,
administrators, or assigns should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and 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 Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON
AND STEEL AND IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING THE SAME," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Haden Richardson,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 William Haden Richardson, 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 accompanying Drawings and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :—
My said Invention, which relates to improved appliances to be used in the
manufacture of iron and steel, is based upon other Inventions for which Letters
Patent were granted to me bearing date the 4th day of December 1866,
numbered 8189, and 3rd June 1867, numbered 1635, and also the 29th June
1867, numbered 1905.-
Under one arrangement one or more perforated tubes are laid in the charge
of molten metal on the puddling bearth, the perforated tube or tubes being

page_text: introduced through the stopper boles or other convenient opening in the sides
of the furnace and being connected with a compressed air reservoir, steam
boiler, or gas holder. Air, steam, or other gases, separately or combined, is or
are blown into the charge, and at the same time the molten metal is stirred
about with the rabble, in place of using the hollow rabble for injecting air,
steam, or gas, separately or combined, as well as for working the iron during
the time of blowing in the gas or gases, as under the Letters Patent herein-
before referred to; or instead of using the solid rabble a hollow rabble may be
employed to blow in additional gas or gases in combination with the appliances
comprised under the present Invention.
Under the second arrangement in place of using one or more perforated
tubes for injecting the combined gas or gases a hollow perforated vessel or
lump of iron, fire-clay, or other refractory material placed on the end of a bla-t
pipe may be used for diffusing the gas or gases into or amongst the charge of
molten metal on the puddling hearth, this being introduced into the furnace
either through an opening in the roof, sides, or at one end, and whilst so in-
troduced the iron is worked by the ordinary-rabble in the usual manner, or by a
hollow rabble or rabbles through which additional gas or gases may be injected.
To facilitate the diffusion of the gas or gases the holes through which these
escape into the charge may be placed at an angle, so as to produce. a .rotation
of the molten metal on the hearth; means similar to the preceding may also
be used for injecting air into iron in refineries in place of blowing upon the
molten metal as at present practised, it being explained that it is not
intended to claim the refining of iron by such means, except when used for
being finished in a puddling furnace, as puddled iron or steel as under two of
the Letters Patent herein-before mentioned, in which case the metal is not
allowed to solidify, but is taken direct from the refinery into the puddling
hearth in the liquid state in place of being cast into ingots and afterwards
remelted in the puddling hearth as hitherto. To produce different qualities
of metal spiegel eisen, manganese, salt, charcoal, graphite, plumbago, or
carbon in other forms, together with scrap iron and iron ores and other
substances containing oxygen may be.added.
A third part of the present. Invention consists in forming the rabbles with
oblong parallel holes through which the air, gas, or gases escape in place of the
circular holes shown in the Drawings of rabbles appended to the Specification
of the Letters Patent first herein-before referred to. The perforated lump or
vessel may be constructed with arms, stirring bars, or agitators projecting
from it, so that by giving a rotary or reciprocating motion to the pipe to which
it is united the action of puddling may to a large extent be made mechanical,

page_text: for so long a time at least as the blast of the separate or combined air, gas, or
steam is being blown in.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I now
proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner in or
under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into effect,
reference being had for the sake of more complete elucidation to the letters
and figures upon the explanatory Sheet of Drawings which I have hereunto
appended, that is to say :-
Figure 1 is a sectional plan of a puddling furnace. A is the puddling
hearth which contains the charge of molten metal into which the perforated
tubular tool B is introduced through the stopper hole C. The part of the
tool B which is laid in or stirred about in the molten metal by the puddler is
perforated on the side or under side, and the shank D which projects through
the side of the puddling furnace is connected by a flexible tube or by other
convenient means with a compressed air reservoir, steam boiler, or gas holder,
and air, steam, or other gases, separately or combined, is or are blown into the
charge, during which time the puddler continues puddling with the ordinary
rabble; or a hollow rabble may be employed to blow in additional air, steam,
or other gases according to the process for which Letters Patent were granted
to me, bearing date the 4th day of December 1866.
Figure 2 is a plan, and Figure 3 a side elevation; Figure 4 a plan, and
Figure 5 a corresponding side elevation of other forms of perforated pipes
which may be inserted into the puddling furnace,
Figure 6 is a plan, and Figure 7 a side elevation showing another mode of
injecting air, steam, or other gas or gases. F is a hollow vessel or block
having curved passages a formed in it by which the combined air, steam, gas,
or gases are supplied by the pipe G and injected into the molten metal in a
tangential direction so as to produce a rotation of the molten metal on the
hearth. The vessel may be made of iron, fire-clay, or other refractory
material and may be formed circular, as shown, oblong, or of other convenient
shape or configuration. While the gas is being injected by this method the
iron is worked by the ordinary rabble, or by a tubular rabble in the manner
herein-before described,
Figure 8 is a side elevation, and Figure 9 a plan showing a hollow vessel H
constructed with arms or agitators I projecting from it, a rotatory motion being
imparted to it by means of beyil wheels K, so that the action of puddling may
be made to a large extent mechanical. The air or other gases are conveyed to
the hollow vessel H through the hollow shaft L.
Figure 10 is a longitudinal vertical section of an improved hollow rabble;

page_text: Figure 11 is a transverse section of the stirring end, and Figure 12 a plan of
the under side of the mouth. In puddling with this rabble the puddler uses
it in the same manner as set forth in the Specification of the first-named
Letters Patent herein-before referred to.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
or under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into effect,
I would observe in conclusion that what I consider novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. Hollow tubular tools, either perforated or not, for the purpose of
introducing air, steam, or gas into molten metal in puddling furnaces or
refineries whilst the liquid metal is or is not also being stirred about by an
ordinary solid rabble constructed as herein-before set forth and shown in the
annexed Sheet of Drawings.
Second. The employment of a tubular tool or passage for injecting air,
steam, or other gas into puddling furnaces or refineries whilst the metal is
also being worked by an ordinary rabble or other solid tool.
Third. The arrangement and construction of the hollow revolving tool
shown at Figures 8 and 9 of my Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Haden Richardson, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of April, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
WILLIAM HADEN RICHARDSON. (L.s.)