IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF MAKING STEEL AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR to
Year: 1885

page_text: I, BRIERLEY DENHAM HEALEY, of 37 Victoria Street, Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF MAKING STEEL AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
to be as follows:-
This Invention has reference to what is known as the open hearth steel process
and has for its object the shortening of the time required for decarbonising the
inolten metal in the furnace or on its way to the furnace.
In carrying the Invention into practice it may be done according to any of the
following methods-
First Tuyeres may be passed through the roof or side walls of the furnace when
using furnaces of the type now commonly built, the said tuyeres being removed
after each blow or lifted clear of the molten metal. In using the said tuyeres for
forcing air through the molten metal in this manner I do not require so great a
pressure of blast as usual as the tuyeres are depressed into the molten metal to
any desired depth.
Second-Instead of using the present form of furnace, a cylindrical chamber may
be placed between each set of gas and air ports, provided with roller paths and rolls
and driven by any suitable gearing when desired so as to cause the chamber to
oscilate through say 100° of its circumference. In this arrangement the tuyeres
are placed in one or more rows along a short distance of the chamber and so that
when the chamber is turned say 50° the centre line of the tuyeres coincides with
the longitudinal centre of the furnace. Whilst the blast is on the chamber may be
moved slowly backwards and forwards so as to bring the blast in contact with all
the charge at various intervals.
Third In this arrangement I make a long circular chamber with roller paths
and gearing as described for the second method but I place this chamber about
5° from the horizontal line. The molten metal is passed into the upper end from a
cupola, ladle, or blast furnace, or refinery or other furnace, and as it gravitates the
blast is forced through it from tuyeres in the lower part of the chamber, which
tuyeres are brought clear of the molten metal whenever it may be desired to do so.
TD

page_text: The tuyeres are made after the form of ordinary multiple jet tuyeres, the
material being magnesite of the purest kind or any other highly refractory
substance. The chambers and bath of open hearth furnace I prefer to line-with
magnesite bricks, Dolonitic lime, or other material suitable for the metal which has
to be operated upon.
The tuyeres may be attached to one or more boxes which are in connection with
the blast main, telescopic or union or other suitable joints being used for connecting
same so as to provide for the rotative movement of the chambers.
In each of the arrangements herein named I move the tuyeres or turn the
chambers after blowing so as to be clear of the molten metal and slag and then
the blast is turned off, the blast being turned on again before the tuyeres are put
down for the following charge.

page_text: Apparatus therefor.
I, BRIERLEY DENHAM HEALEY of 37 Victoria Street Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF MAKING STEEL AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This Invention has reference to what is known as the open hearth steel process
and has for its object the shortening of the time required for decarbonising the
molten metal in the furnace.
In carrying the invention into practise it may be done according to either of the
following methods.
First Tuyeres may be passed through the roof or side walls of the furnace when
using furnaces of the type now commonly built, the said tuyeres being removed
after each blow or lifted clear of the molten metal. In using the said tuyeres for
forcing air through the molten metal in this manner I do not require so great a
pressure of blast as usual as the tuyeres are depressed into the molten metal to any
desired depth.
Second Instead of using the present form of furnace, a cylindrical chamber may
be placed between each set of gas and air ports, provided with roller paths and
rolls and driven by any suitable gearing when desired so as to cause the chamber
to oscillate through say 100° of its circumference. In this arrangement the tuyeres
are placed in one or more rows along a short distance of the chamber and so that
when the chamber is turned say 50° the centre line of the tuyeres coincides with
the longitudinal centre of the furnace. Whilst the blast is on the chamber may be
moved slowly backwards and forwards so as to bring the blast in contact with all
the charge at various intervals.
The tuyeres are made after the form of ordinary multiple jet tuyeres, the
material being magnesite of the purest kind or any other highly refractory
substance. The chambers and bath of open hearth furnace I prefer to line with
Magnesite Bricks, Dolomitic Lime, or other material suitable for the metal which
has to be operated upon.
The tuyeres may be attached to one or more boxes which are in connection with
the blast main, telescopic or union or other suitable joints being used for connecting
same so as to provide for the rotative movement of the chambers.
In each of the arrangements herein named I move the tuyeres or turn the
chambers after blowing so as to be clear of the molten metal or slag and then the
blast is turned off, the blast being turned on again before the tnyeres are put down
for the following charge.
And in order that my invention may be understood I have appended hereto
a drawing illustrative of the first method. The said drawing being a transverse
section of an open hearth steel furnace on the regenerative system,

page_text: In the illustration two tuyeres A are shewn dipping about 4 inches into the
bath of molten metal B. The tuyeres pass through the furnace roof C which has
suitable blocks with tapered holes to receive them.
Above the roof the tuyeres have collars D which are tapered or rounded off at
upper end of each to make joint with the tuyere boxes E to which the tuyeres
are bolted, slots being formed in collars D for heads of bolts. The tuyeres are
strengthened by a copper stay in centre of each which passes to within about nine
inches of the lower end.
The tuyere boxes have movable covers F so that the holes in tuyeres may be
cleared out without taking the tuyere out of the furnace. These boxes are
connected to the blast pipe G by side branches in which are stop valves H.
Any other method may be adopted of coupling the tuyere boxes to the blast
pipe, for instance the branch on blast pipe may turn upwards and have a conical
socket bored out to receive the end of tuyere box branch the latter being bent
downwards and turned to suit the socket, and the valve in this case may be formed
in the bend and it may be made self closing on the withdrawal of the tuyeres.
The illustration shews only two tuyeres, another pair are placed about 2 feet
from them as I prefer to have a pair on each side of the tap hole, and angled
somewhat as indicated on the drawing.
Various methods may be adopted for lifting the tuyeres clear of the bath of
metal but generally they may be lifted by short levers attached to shafts working
above the furnace buckstaves and operated by long levers at the end of said shafts,
in a manner well understood by engineers.
Before the blast is turned off the tuyeres are raised clear of the metal and slag in
the furnace, union and telescopic joints in blast pipe and branches being provided
of suitable form for the purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, although I do not
restrict myself to the precise details shewn on accompanying drawing, I declare
that what I claim is
1. The method of applying tuyeres to open hearth steel furnaces substantially
as herein shewn and described.
2. The use of an oscillating chamber fo ropen hearth steel furnaces substantially
as herein described.
3. The method of constructing the tuyeres and connecting the same for said
furnaces substantially as herein shewn and described.
Dated this Third day of July 1886.