IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO METALLURGICAL FURNACES
Year: 1883

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to John Thomson King of Liverpool in the County of
Lancaster Patent Agent for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
APPLICABLE TO METALLURGICAL FURNACES communicated to him by Simeon
Bissell of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania one of the United States of America
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Thomson King at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th October 1883.
JOHN THOMSON KING, of Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, Patent Agent,
IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO METALLURGICAL FURNACES communicated
to him by Simeon Bissell of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania one of the United States of
America
The object of the invention is to provide a superior means whereby crude iron
may be rapidly melted, purified and converted into various grades of steel, or
fibrous wrought iron, and for the accomplishment of this purpose it is better that
the furnace should be so constructed as to obtain the greatest amount of heat from
a given quantity of fuel, and that such heat should be as free as possible from
matter that may act injuriously upon the iron.
To this end a furnace that is constructed to make and consume gaseous fuel is
preferred, and is provided with one or more "regenerators" applied to receive the
waste heat and subsequently communicate the same to the air supporting
combustion.
The invention relates among other things to a furnace provided with a suitable
chamber for producing gaseous fuel by a slow combustion or dry distillation of
carbonaceous matter, which gaseous fuel, on being eliminated, is conducted directly
into a melting or metal working chamber mingled with a requisite quantity of air
heated to a degree of temperature necessary for bringing about a perfect combustion,
and generating an intense flame. The superfluous heat or unused products of
combustion pass thence into and through a regenerator, or third chamber, filled
with openly arranged fire brick, or other refractory material eventually escaping by
way of the chimney.

page_text: Heretofore all such regenerators have been immovable requiring an intricate
system of flues, dampers, valves, and valve chests, to bring about a change in the
current of air from a cool regenerator to one containing greater heat, which transfer
reverses the direction of the current of air, so that it enters first at one side of the
furnace and then at the other, which for many purposes is disadvantageous and
inconvenient.
The first part consists of a stationary furnace in combination with a regenerator
having two or more chambers so constructed as to admit of being rotated the
requisite distance to bring its chambers into such positions that the air for
supporting combustion shall pass through one of the chambers on its way to the
furnace and the flame and heated products of combustion, escaping from the furnace,
shall go through another of the chambers before entering the chimney. It results
that when the latter chamber becomes sufficiently heated, the regenerator may be
turned or rotated till the chambers reciprocally change places with relation to the
furnace and the chimney so that the current of ingoing air is caused to traverse the
heated chamber and the flame the one through which the air previously passed,
and thus the chambers are alternately heated and impart their heat to the air
without requiring an alteration in the direction of the current.
The second part consists in a combination with the melting or working chamber
of a gas burning regenerative metallurgical furnace of one or more tuyeres, so
arranged with respect thereto that a powerful blast of air either by itself or mingled
with other matter may be forced upon and into a body of molten metal contained
within such chamber; which blast by means of suitable valves may be regulated,
controlled, and adapted to the requirements of making steel, or admitted with a
force sufficient to disturb and agitate the molten iron enough for reducing it to a 1
condition known as puddle ball, thus avoiding physical labour incident to the
making of fibrous wrought iron by the ordinary puddling process.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Thomson King in the Patent Office on the 9th April 1884.
JOHN THOMSON KING of 4 Clayton Square Liverpool in the County of Lancaster,
Patent Agent "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO METALLURGICAL FURNACES.'
communicated to him by Simeon Bissell of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania one of the
United States of America
"
The object of the invention is to provide a superior means whereby crude iron
may be rapidly melted, purified and converted into various grades of steel, or
fibrous wrought iron, and for the accomplishment of this purpose it is better that
the furnace should be so constructed as to obtain the greatest amount of heat from
a given quantity of fuel, and that such heat should be as free as possible from
matter that may act injuriously upon the iron. To this end a furnace that is
constructed to make and consume gaseous fuel is preferred, and is provided with
one or more "regenerators" applied to receive the waste heat and subsequently
communicate the same to the air supporting combustion.
The invention relates among other things to a furnace provided with a suitable
chamber for producing gaseous fuel by a slow combustion or dry distillation of
carbonaceous matter which gaseous fuel, on being eliminated, is conducted directly
into a melting or metal working chamber mingled with a requisite quantity of air
heated to a degree of temperature necessary for bringing about a perfect combustion,
and generating an intense flame. The superfluous heat or unused products of
combustion passes thence into and through a regenerator, or third chamber, filled
with openly arranged fire brick, or other refractory material, eventually excaping
by way of the Chimney.
Heretofore all such regenerators have been immovable, requiring an intricate
system of flues, dampers, valves, and valve chests, to bring about a change in the
current of air from a cool regenerator to one containing greater heat, which transfer
reverses the direction of the current of air, so that it enters first at one side of the
furnace and then at the other, which for many purposes is disadvantageous and
inconvenient.
The first part consists of a stationary furnace in combination with a regenerator
having two or more chambers, so constructed as to admit of being rotated the
requisite distance to bring its chambers into such positions that the air for supporting
combustion shall pass through one of the chambers on its way to the furnace, and
the flame and heated products of combustion, escaping from the furnace, shall go
through another of the chambers before entering the chimney. It results that
when the latter chamber becomes sufficiently heated the regenerator may be turned
or rotated till the chambers reciprocally change places with relation to the furnace
and the chimney, so that the current of ingoing air is caused to traverse the heated
chamber, and the flame the one through which the air previously passed, and thus
the chambers are alternately heated and impart their heat to the air without
requiring an alteration in the direction of the current.
The second part consists in a combination with the melting or working chamber
of a gas burning regenerative metallurgical furnace of one or more tuyeres, so
arranged with respect thereto that a powerful blast of air, either by itself or
mingled with other matter may be forced upon and into a body of molten metal
contained within such chamber; which blast by means of suitable valves may be
regulated, controlled, and adapted to the requirements of making steel, or admitted
with a force sufficient to disturb and agitate the molten iron enough for reducing

page_text: it to a condition known as puddle ball, thus avoiding physical labor incident to the
making of fibrous wrought iron by the ordinary puddling process.
To enable others to fully understand the invention I will proceed to describe it
by reference to the accompanying drawing wherein
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the improved metallurgical furnace.
Figure 2 a central longitudinal vertical section thereof
Figure 3 a top view, partly in horizontal section.
Figure 4 a transverse vertical section taken through the melting or working
chamber and one of its tuyeres.
Figure 5, an end view of the regenerator, its shell partly broken away to exhibit
the interior.
Figure 6 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the improved tayere.
The invention is applicable to a furnace burning solid fuel, but it is preferred to
apply it to one wherein a gaseous fuel is used, and to that end a gas producer a, of
suitable size and form is erected, and connected therewith is a furnace b, having a
circular bed c provided with the usual port or passage-way d for the gas, and
outlet e for the waste products of combustion, and in addition thereto with a
horizontal air-way f extending from the rear end of the furnace underneath the
bed c into a vertical flue g communicating through the bridge wall with the gas
inlet d. Between the bed c and the Chimney h is arranged the improved
regenerator, the shell of which is constructed of strong iron plates rivetted
together to form a large drum shaped vessel k through each head of which are two
or more oblong holes or ports m. m. This shell is lined with highly refractory
material and is provided with strong partition walls n extending from side to side
across its axis to form chambers p each filled with fire resisting blocks or pieces
arranged in broken and open order to form a number of sinuous and tortuous
passage ways throughout. The bricks are so arranged as to prevent displacement
by rotation of the regenerator. Around this drum shaped vessel k and near the
end thereof, is a stout iron band or circular tread s corresponding with the grooves
in four small anti-friction wheels tt upon which the vessel rests, moves and is
guided whilst being rotated; which rotation may be effected by suitable gearing,
or any other suitable means by which a partial or complete rotation may
be given.
This regenerator is to be arranged with relation to the furnace so that, when
working, one of the holes m, nearest its axis, shall coincide with the exit flue e of
the combustion chamber c and another with the air passage f underneath. One of
the holes m in the opposite end of the regenerator when brought to that point, will
correspond to the flue of the Chimney h, whilst the other hole will be open to the
atmosphere.
The regenerator having been constructed and combined with the furnace as
shown and set forth, and a fire built in the producer or gas retort a and its walls
brought to a proper heat fresh coal is to be introduced through the hopper w and
sufficient air admitted to sustain a slow combustion of the coal and thereby
generate the gases, which pass through the gas channel d and enter the combustion
chamber c at a low heat. While passing the bridge-wall d' the gases mingle with
the air entering by way of the vertical passage g and unite and burn in the bed c.
The heat and waste products of combustion pass out by the exit flue e into
that chamber of the regenerator which is in a position to receive it, and after
passing through the sinuous interstices between the bricks escape by way of the
chimney. As soon as these bricks become highly heated, the regenerator may be
revolved to change the relative position of its chambers whereby the ingoing air is
compelled to traverse the heated mass of brickwork and is heated thereby. When
the air so heated mingles with the inflammable gases, leaving the producer, it
causes a better combustion and produces an intense heat in the melting and
working chamber of the furnace. When the superfluous products of this violent
combustion pass through the regenerator, the second pile of bricks is in turn

page_text: heated, but to a greater degree, and sooner than the first; so that by the time the
first. chamber is somewhat cooled by the inflowing cold air, the second chamber
may again be brought into action.
The furnace is provided with a door leading into the bed which is preferably
circular and saucer shaped. On opposite sides are tuyeres i which are so placed as
to cause the blast therefrom to give a circular motion or swirl to the molten metal
in the furnace. The tuyere i has a tubular barrel which is provided with a
globular enlargement having holes or perforations 13, for the admission of the
blast. It also has an inner tube or nozzle i perforated at its rear end and is
provided with a coil of water pipe along its inner surface, having inlet and outlet
connections or pipes 20 and 17, which extend through the sides of the nozzle and
the end of the barrel i, passing through stuffing boxes in the latter. A screw
stem is also extends through a stuffing box in the end of the barrel, and screws in
a nut or threaded opening 1º in the rear end of the nozzle i, and is for the purpose
of adjusting the nozzle to its proper projection into the bed of the furnace-The
tuyere is placed with its globular enlargement it in a round seat formed partly by
a circularly flanged plate and partly by the wall which is formed correspondingly
as at j. The plate j is fastened to the wall by bolts or otherwise. Blast pipes y
are connected to the flange of the plate j opposite to the rows of holes or
perforations, so that the blast shall pass from pipes y in the barrel i¹ through
said holes, which are placed so that one or more shall always register with the
pipes. The wall 61 of the furnace is cut out interiorly at the tuyere openings into
à flaring form, so that the tuyere may be turned in its seat to discharge in any
desired direction. Thus a ball and socket joint is made between the tuyere and the
wall of the furnace. The pipes y are designed to supply air, steam, hydro-carbon
gas, pulverized lime, or other re agent. For this purpose one or more pipes mny
be used for the air blast alone and one or more for the other agents named.
By the use of this improved tuyere I am able to give it any desired angle of
inclination to the bed, and to reduce or increase the rapidity of the swirling motion
of the molten metal at will, without changing the force of the blast or quantity of
the reagents supplied therewith, and thus have the operations of the furnace more
completely under control. If desired the screw-stem 28 may be a tube fitted with
a suitable glass, so that the inner end of the tuyere may be inspected at will
therethrough to ascertain whether it is open and in working order.
In operation, the air or other fluid passes from the pipes y through the holes ³
into the barrel ¹, and thence through the perforations into the nozzle ** by which
it is discharged into the furnace.
The placing of the tuyeres so as to give a swirling or rotatory motion to the
molten metal in the furnace is of great advantage. It enables the slag and metal
to be brought into thorough and intimate contact and the entire charge to be
violently agitated on the bed without being brought into contact with the sides
and top of the chamber and thus prevents the cutting and wasting away of the
latter.
The supply of heated air through the passage f is controlled by means of a
sliding damper o, arranged at any convenient point between the regenerator and
the combustion chamber of the furnace.
"'
The several parts of the improved metallurgical furnace having been constructed
combined, and arranged with respect to each other other as shown and setforth,
and the melting or working chamber having attained the necessary degree of heat,
pig iron, or other character of ferruginous metal, to be operated on, is to be
introduced within the melting chamber in a quantity sufficient to make a "charge
consistent with the size of the furnace, which metal will soon be brought to a molten
condition so fluid as to be readily penetrated by a concentrated strong blast of air
directed upon its surface. When the metal is in this condition, if a sufficiently
strong blast of air be forced through the the tuyeres, it will not only penetrate the
molten mass, but owing to the peculiar arrangement of the tuyeres, will cause such

page_text: molten iron to circulate around the bed with a rapid agitated swirl, thereby so
disturbing and stirring it up that every particle of the iron will in a sort time be
brought under the influence of the flame. Such is the affinity of oxygen for highly
heated carbon that the full force of the blast cannot be continued very long before
most of the carbon and foreign matter contained within the iron is either dissipated
or converted into gaseous oxide that passes away, As this takes place, the metal
becomes finer by degrees, reduced as it were to a state of incoherent sand, when in
this condition if the blast be shut off or lessened and the heat augmented, the
particles of metal will begin to agglutinate, and nothing remains but to gather the
iron into balls which are subsequently removed and taken away to undergo the
usual operation of squeezing and rolling necessary to condense, shape, and fit it for
the market as fibrous wrought iron.
When low grade steel is to be the product, the fluid mass of molten metal may
be gently or violently stirred by means of either a hot or cold blast, and a small
jet of steam may be momentarily admitted either by itself or with the blast, which
on coming in contact with the molten iron will combine with the sulphur contained
therein and form sulphuretted hydrogen gas, which escapes on being disengaged.
When at any period of the process, a smoky or carbonizing flame is desirable, the
same may be had by closing the hot air passage leading from the regenerator to the
combustion chamber. As crude iron contains much more carbon than is found in
steel, the blast is principally employed to combine with and eliminate the excess.
But as no rule has been established for determining the precise period when the
amount of carbon has been removed from the molten iron to leave it with the
exact quantity suitable for steel, it becomes wholly a matter of test and experience,
varying greatly with the character and quality of iron, and for that reason cannot
be described or set down with any degree of certainty in this specification.
It is apparent that when natural gas or gas previously produced and stored in a
reservoir is used, the producer in connection with the working chamber may be
dispensed with. The purpose of revolving the generator is merely to change the
position of its chambers when the one through which the air passes becomes cool,
so as to effect a transfer of the same from one position to the other; and while the
construction shewn is preferred I claim broadly the combination by which this
result may be obtained.
Having now described and particularized the nature of the said improvements
in such manner that others will be enabled to carry my invention into effect
I claim -
1
In combination with a gas producer and the working chamber of a furnace,
a revolvable regenerator, and means of rotating the same substantially as
described.
2nd The combination in a metallurgic furnace, of a gas producer, a metal working
chamber provided with side tuyeres, and a revolvable regenerator connected with
the producer and working chamber, substantially as described.
3rd The combination of a gas producer, a metal working chamber provided
with side tuyeres, a regenerator and means for rotating it, and connections as
described.
4th The combination of the working chamber of a furnace provided with devices
for supplying gas thereto; with a movable regenerator and means for moving the
regenerator so that its chambers shall alternately afford passage for the outflowing
waste products of combustion and the inflowing air, substantially as and for the
purposes described.
5th The combination of the working chamber of a furnace with a movable
regenerator, substantially as and for the purposes described.
6th The combination of the working chamber of a furnace with tuyeres arranged
so as to give a rotatory or swirling motion to the molten charge, substantially as
and for the purposes described,

page_text: 7th The combination of the working chamber of a furnace with tuyeres so
mounted as to be capable of being turned in any desired direction, substantially as
and for the purposes described.
8th The construction of the improved tuyeres, substantially as describe.
In Witness Whereof I, the said John Thomson King, have hereunto set my
hand and seal this seventh day of April in the year of Our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty four.
J. T. KING (LS)