IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES OR APPA- RATUS FOR HEATING AND MELTING BRASS AND OTHER FUSIBLE SUBSTANCES."
Year: 1879

page_text: 25
LETTERS PATENT to William Lloyd Wise, of 7, Whitehall Place, in the City of
Westminster, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES OR APPA-
RATUS FOR HEATING AND MELTING BRASS AND OTHER FUSIBLE SUBSTANCES."
A communication from abroad by Albert Piat, of Paris, France.
Sealed the 18th July 1879, and dated the 12th May 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Lloyd Wise at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th May 1879.
WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of 7, Whitehall Place, in the City of Westminster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES OR APPARATUS FOR HEATING AND MELTING BRASS
AND OTHER FUSIBLE SUBSTANCES." (A communication from abroad by Albert Piat,
of Paris, France.)
This Invention has for its object improvements in furnaces or apparatus for
heating and melting brass and other fusible substances.
One part of the Invention has reference to an arrangement of portable apparatus
in which the furnace containing a crucible is supported by a frame mounted on a
platform which in turn is carried by a carriage able to travel on suitable rails. A
hand wheel and bevil gear are provided for causing the carriage to travel along the
rails, and by a lever arrangement having a toothed wheel or segment in gear with a
suitable rack the platform may be moved laterally on the carriage, on which it
travels between anti-friction rollers or wheels.
At the lower part of the furnace is a chamber through which air passes to the
furnace.
The furnace is provided with a grate composed of removeable bars supported by
round bearers. These bars support a slab or block on which rests a crucible, which
is held securely in position by a seating of refractory material, the top of which is
level with the lip of the crucible.
The furnace is provided with two sets of pivots or trunnions, one set being cen-
tral and serving as supports when the furnace is not tilted, and the other set being
to one side.
The frame already mentioned carries a windlass arrangement, which by a chain
attached to the furnace at its lower part enables the furnace with its contained

page_text: crucible to be easily tilted for pouring out the fused contents of the crucible. When
the furnace is used independently of its carriage the central pivots or trunnions
serve for lifting and tilting.
The improved apparatus above referred to is so arranged as to enable the furnace
with its contained crucible to be moved either simultaneously or successively up-
ward, longitudinally, and transversely, thus enabling the position of the point of
discharge from the crucible to be readily adjusted in relation to a mould, or the
position of the crucible adjusted for charging.
According to another part of the Invention a furnace with pivots or trunnions
and contained crucible similar to the foregoing, but without the carriage, is arranged
in connection with an improved apparatus, the inventor calls a recuperator, and
which has for its object to utilise the heat of the gases escaping from the furnace for
heating air to supply the furnace. The recuperator, which is arranged in suitable
masonry, brickwork, or setting, is constructed of cast iron in two parts joined
together, and formed with straight passages for the descent of the gases escaping
from the furnace, and which pass to the said passages through a suitable chamber
The recupe-
in connection with the upper part of the furnace or crucible chamber.
rator also contains passages for air, which enters at the lower part, and is caused to
traverse the recuperator several times in its upward passage. The air to be heated
travels by tortuous passages in a contrary direction to the escaping gases whose
heat is to be thus utilised. The heated air having reached the upper part of the
recuperator, descends thence and passes to the furnace or crucible chamber.
walls or divisions of the recuperator are thin cast iron. The inventor regards the
above described cast iron recuperator as an important feature, having found in
practice that recuperators of refractory earth with thick walls do not transmit heat
so readily as is desirable where successive fusions are required at short intervals.
The object of the improved recuperator, as will be readily understood, is the rapid
conduction of heat from the escaping gases to the entering air travelling in a con-
trary direction during the working of the apparatus, as distinguished from the
storing of heat during stoppage, hence the necessity of constructing the recuperator
as described, so that the expansion and contraction may be free, regular, and uniform,
and such as not to injure the apparatus.
The
Another part of the Invention relates to the arrangement, in combination or con-
junction, of two or more crucible furnaces or chambers of similar construction to the
foregoing (provided with tuyères) in such manner that the heated gases escaping
from one furnace or crucible chamber shall pass into another already charged with
material to be fused, and which last mentioned furnace or crucible chamber will
then serve in a sense as what the inventor terms a recuperator. The furnaces or
crucible chambers have pivots or trunnions, and are supported in suitable frames
provided with hoisting apparatus for tilting the furnaces or crucible chambers. Each
furnace or crucible chamber has below its grate a chamber through which passes or
pass the air drawn' or forced, or the products of combustion from the adjoining
furnace, as the case may be. Each furnace is provided with a wind chest or chamber
for supplying the tuyères, and through which products of combustion from the
adjoining furnace may escape.
The masonry for supporting the furnace frames, and in which air passages are
constructed, is arranged behind the furnaces or crucible chambers, leaving them free
to be tilted forward by the apparatus provided for that purpose, so as to pour the
fused material direct into moulds arranged close to the furnaces.
Several of the above described improvements may be used together, or some
without the others.

page_text: f.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Lloyd Wise in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th November 1879.
WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of 7, Whitehall Place, in the City of Westminster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES OR APPARATUS FOR HEATING AND MELTING BRASS
AND OTHER FUSIBLE SUBSTANCES." (A communication from abroad by Albert Piat,
of Paris, France.)
This Invention has for its object improvements in furnaces or apparatus for
heating and melting brass and other fusible substances.
I. One part of the Invention has reference to an arrangement of portable appa-
ratus in which the furnace containing a crucible is supported by a frame mounted
on a platform which in turn is carried by a carriage able to travel on suitable rails.
A hand wheel and bevil gear are provided for causing the carriage to travel along
the rails, and by a lever arrangement having a toothed wheel or segment in gear
with a suitable rack the platform may be moved laterally on the carriage on which
it travels between anti-friction rollers or wheels.
At the lower part of the furnace is a chamber through which air passes to the
furnace. The furnace is provided with a grate composed of removeable bars sup-
ported by round bearers. These bars support a slab or block on which rests a
crucible, which is held securely in position by a seating of refractory material, the
top of which is level with the lip of the crucible.
The furnace is provided with two sets of pivots or trunnions, one set being cen-
tral and serving as supports when the furnace is not tilted, and the other set being
to one side.
The frame already mentioned carries a windlass arrangement, which by a chain
attached to the furnace at its lower part enables the furnace with its contained
crucible to be easily tilted for pouring out the fused contents of this crucible. When
the furnace is used independently of its carriage the central pivots or trunnions
serve for lifting and tilting. The improved apparatus above referred to is so
arranged as to enable the furnace with its contained crucible to be moved either
simultaneously or successively upward, longitudinally, and transversely, thus
enabling the position of the point of discharge from the crucible to be readily
adjusted in relation to a mould, or the position of the crucible adjusted for
charging.
II. According to another part of the Invention a furnace with pivots or trunnions
and contained crucible similar to the foregoing, but without the carriage, is arranged
in connection with an improved apparatus, my foreign correspondent calls a recupe-
rator, and which has for object to utilise the heat of the gases escaping from the
furnace for heating air to supply the furnace. The recuperator, which is arranged
in suitable masonry, brickwork, or setting, is constructed of cast iron in two parts
joined together, and formed with straight passages for the descent of the gases
escaping from the furnace, and which pass to the said passages through a suitable
chamber in connection with the upper part of the furnace or crucible chamber. The
recuperator also contains passages for air which enters at the lower part, and is
caused to traverse the recuperator several times in its upward passage. The air to
be heated travels by tortuous passages in a contrary direction to the escaping gases
whose heat is to be thus utilised.
The heated air having reached the upper part of the recuperator, descends thence
and passes to the furnace or crucible chamber. The walls or divisions of the recu-
perator are thin cast iron. My foreign correspondent regards the above described
cast iron recuperator as an important feature, having found in practice that recupe-
rators of refractory earth with thick walls do not transmit heat so readily as is
desirable where successive fusions are required at short intervals.
The object of the improved recuperator, as will be readily understood, is the rapid

page_text: conduction of heat from the escaping gases to the entering air travelling in a con-
trary direction during the working of the apparatus, as distinguished from the
storing of heat during stoppage, hence the necessity of constructing the recuperator
as described, so that the expansion and contraction may be free, regular, and uniform,
and such as not to injure the apparatus.
III. Another part of the Invention relates to the arrangement, in combination or
conjunction, of two or more crucible furnaces or chambers of similar construction to
the foregoing (provided with tuyères) in such manner that the heated gases escaping
from one furnace or crucible chamber shall pass into another already charged with
material to be fused, and which last mentioned furnace or crucible chamber will then
serve in a sense as what my foreign correspondent terms a recuperator. The furnaces
or crucible chambers have pivots or trunnions, and are supported in suitable frames
provided with hoisting apparatus for tilting the furnaces or crucible chambers. Each
furnace or crucible chamber has below its grate a chamber through which passes the
air drawn or forced, or the products of combustion from the adjoining furnace, as
the case may be.
Each furnace is provided with a wind chest or chamber for supplying the
tuyères, and through which products of combustion from the adjoining furnace may
escape.
The masonry for supporting the furnace frames, and in which air passages are
constructed, is arranged behind the furnaces or crucible chambers, leaving them free
to be tilted forward by the apparatus provided for that purpose, so as to pour the
fused material directly into moulds arranged close to the furnaces.
Several of the above described improvements may be used together, or some
without the others.
Referring to the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings,-
Fig. 1 is a vertical section (through the centre of the crucible in the plane of its
oscillation) of an apparatus such as described under head I.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section in a plane at right angles to that of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section of an apparatus with a cast iron recuperator con-
structed in accordance with that part of the Invention herein before described under
head II.
Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken in a plane above the said recuperator.
Fig. 5 is a vertical section (through the centre of and in the plane of oscillation
of one of the crucibles) of an apparatus such as hereinbefore described under
head III.
Fig. 6 is a vertical section in a plane at right angles to that of Fig. 5, shewing
the two tilting or oscillating furnaces side by side.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, A is a four wheeled carriage made to run on rails.
The short forward travel necessary for regulating the pouring is effected by
means of the wheel and pinion mechanism a, b. B is a platform, the two outer
edges of which at right angles to the line of rails are carried by and move between
anti-friction rollers, thus enabling the platform, and with it the furnace which it
carries, to be easily moved in a direction at right angles to the line of rails, and
allowing the point of pouring to be precisely adjusted and varied as required. C is
a lever in connection with the rod and segment c, by which the transverse move-
ment of the platform B is effected. D is a vessel placed on the platform B, and pro-
vided with a pipe d for the passage of air. E, E¹, are frames firmly secured to the
platform B, and stayed together at the back of the furnace; one of them (E) stops
short at the height of the point of oscillation, the other (E¹) is carried upward
sufficiently high to allow of the application of a windlass or hoisting mechanism
within reach of the hand, as represented in the Drawing. On the fusion being
effected the furnace raised by means of the windlass or hoisting mechanism: acting
on the chain e attached to the bottom of the furnace at f, thus causing the furnace
to oscillate or turn on the lateral trunnion g, the central trunnions being in this case
merely points of support. In all cases where the furnace, instead of being placed
on a carriage, is removed by hand or by a crane, after detachment from the chain,

page_text: and with or without the ingot mould; this removal and also the subsequent tilting
or oscillation may be effected by the central trunnions.
In Fig. 1 is shewn in dotted lines the position to which the furnace is raised in
order to completely empty the crucible.
Fis the crucible furnace, against the mouth of which the upper part of the
crucible is firmly wedged by the fire clay wedge h. i is a crucible stand, which
rests directly on a grate composed of moveable bars of iron, carried on round
bearers.
Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, A is a furnace arranged in a similar manner to the
one herein before described in so far as concerns the method of holding and sup-
porting the crucible and the arrangement of the grate, except that in this case the
apparatus is simply set down so as to be removeable by hand or any suitable
hoisting apparatus. B is a passage for the escape of the products of combustion. C
is a chamber occupying a position between the passage B and the recuperator,
hereinafter described. D, masonry or brickwork setting of the recuperator. E,
upper hot air collecting pipe, through which the hot air again descends towards the
grate. F is a cast iron recuperator in two parts joined together, and composed of
the pipes a, a, for the escape of the heated gases, and passages b, b, in which circu-
lates the cold air coming from the pipe or passage A¹. The cold air enters the
recuperator at the lower part, rising zigzag and in a contrary direction to the hot
gases of combustion. By this means the cold air becomes heated on its arrival at
the upper hot air collecting pipe E, whence it descends to the flue G, from which
when the damper c is raised it passes underneath the grate.
Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, A, A¹, represent a pair of stationary crucible furnaces
arranged similarly to those previously described, except that they are provided each
at the lower part of one of its sides with an exterior tuyère chest for the purpose of
furnishing a blast at the bottom of the furnace at any time when it may be required
to accelerate combustion. These furnaces are also conjugated so that the gases of
combustion from the one crucible pass through the contiguous furnace, already
charged with metal to be melted, thereby heating this charge, so that when such
contiguous furnace is lighted (after completion of the fusion in the other and now
recharged furnace) the combustion in the same is more rapid and economical; thus
each furnace acts as a recuperator for itself and in connection with the contiguous
furnace. B, B1, B¹¹, are frames or uprights between which are placed the conjugated
furnaces, these being arranged in greater number when requisite. C, C', air chambers
hermetically closed formed between the ingot mould (lingotière) and grate of each
furnace, underneath which the drawn or forced air is conveyed, and through which
the products of combustion of the contiguous furnace also pass. D, D¹, are tuyère
chests through which the forced air passes, and through which the products of com-
bustion of the adjoining furnace may escape. E, E', passages through which the
forced air is conveyed to the furnaces, or by which the products of combustion pass
away. F, F, openings regulated by dampers, through which also the drawn or
forced air passes, or the products of combustion pass away.
In the combination I have just described the backs of the furnaces bear against
masonry up to a certain height, they being quite open at the front, so as to allow of
the moulds being arranged quite near to them in order that the pouring may be
effected by the simple operation of lifting by means of the chain a or a' being wound
over the hoisting drum b or b¹.
The horizontal position of the furnace shewn in dotted lines in Fig. 5 is that
which corresponds to the complete emptying of the crucible.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and explained in what
manner the same is to be or may be carried into practical effect, as communicated
to me as aforesaid, I hereby declare that what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as secured to me under the Letters Patent hereinbefore in part
recited is,-
1. The improved crucible furnace proper, substantially as hereinbefore described
with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings.

page_text: 2. Constructing and arranging portable apparatus for heating and melting brass
and other fusible substances, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference
to Figs. 1 and 2 of the Drawings.
3. The improved recuperator constructed of cast iron in two parts, arranged sub-
stantially as herein before described.
4. The arrangement of apparatus for heating and melting brass and other fusible
substances, substantially as herein before described with reference to Figs. 3 and 4 of
the accompanying Drawings.
5. The method, substantially as hereinbefore described, of combining or conju-
gating and working two or more oscillating crucible furnaces with connecting
passages.
6. The combination of parts constituting the improved apparatus for heating and
melting brass and other fusible substances, constructed, arranged, and operating
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 5 and 6 of the accom-
panying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Lloyd Wise, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
W. LLOYD WISE. (L.S.)