Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Mar., 1886.
Complete Left, 28th Dec., 1886.
- Complete Accepted, 28th Jan., 1887.
EMIL SERVAIS of Weilerbacher Hütte near Weilerbach, Luxemburg, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention refers to improvements in converters, which have the form of a
round or ellipsoidal drum and the mantle or sides of which are provided with one or
more tap holes with a peculiar tapping mechanism or which may be closed with a
plug. In case several tap holes are provided, they are arranged in different heights
in the converter and the other tap-holes serve, in one or different positions of the
converter, to entirely extract the slag, while the converter is being slowly turned,
while the lower tap-holes which are situated a little above the molten metal serve for
If
the direct founding into movable moulds without the intermediate use of a shank.
only one taphole is provided the slag can be extracted through this and then the iron
run direct into the moulds. Further the costly nozzles for the blast can be dispensed
with, because of the arrangement of the converter and the blast can be introduced
through holes bored through the mantle and lining of the converter, which holes can
be altered during the working.
The converter has the form of a round drum the edges of which are either sharp or
rounded; the converter can however also have the form of an ellipsoid and without
deviating from the spirit of the invention it may have a cone shaped neck or a flat
bottom.
The converter which may consist of two parts for easier repairing or of one piece
can be revolved round a horizontal axis one arm of which is hollow for the introduction
of the blast which passes into the converter through a pipe and a blast-chamber which
either partly or wholly covers the underside of the converter. From the blast chamber
the wind passes directly into the converter through holes bored direct from the
chamber through the side of the mantle of the converter and may be provided with
nozzles. It is however preferable to dispense with the costly nozzles, as the blast
holes can be shifted easily by plugging up the existing holes and boring fresh ones.
The blast may also be introduced into the converter and the metal through the bottom
of the converter. To avoid the introduction of cold blast through the uncovered holes
during the tilting a plate can be rigidly fixed to the frame of the apparatus so as to
slide into the blast chamber when the converter is tilted and cover the blast holes
which now are above the level of the metal. As in the drum converter if tilted or not
the surface of the metal is always or nearly the same the slag can be extracted from
the iron or the steel by the tapping mechanism without the intermediate use of a shank
or a second converter, by extracting the slag or the iron through the one hole; or if

page_text: lower one.
there are two by extracting the slag through the upper one and the iron through the
These tapholes can either be closed with the plug and tapped in the usual
manner or they can be closed or opened by a plug operated by a lever or screw from
the inside or from the outside. In the first case an opening is provided above the plug
through which opening passes a rod one arm of a lever which is jointed to the plug
the other arm being jointed to the stud which serves as a fulcrum; the lever opens
and closes the tap-hole by its upward or downward movement. The parts of this
mechanism inside the converter inust be covered with some flameresisting material.
If the plug is to be moved from the outside the following arrangement may be
adopted. The tapping form consists here of a ring with a borehole which is conical on
one side. This hole is closed by a plug of a cylindrical section, provided on one
side with a groove. If after tilting the converter the plug is pressed inwards into
the converter by means of a rod and a lever the iron or steel will run out through the
groove. A tapping mechanism thus arranged further permits the extraction of the
slag after the oxidation of the phosphorus and the carbonisation of tho dephosphorised
iron with spiegeliron (or crystalline pig) in the manufacture of hard steel from
phosphorus pig-iron, without fear of reducing the phosphorus. If the converter is
provided with two tap-holes in its flat side then the slag can be divided from the iron
without much loss through the open upper tap-hole by slowly tilting the converter, the
tap-hole being horizontal in all positions of the converter.
This form of the converter and the tapping mechanism permit (in opposition to
the "Harmet" process with its two converters) of the whole work being done in one
apparatus, and the adding of spiegeliron (or crystalline pig) is not restricted to the
end of the refining process as the entire removal of the silicic slag in the middle of
the process and of the phosphoric slag at the end of the process is effected without
any loss of heat or iron. The tap-hole may also be situated on a level with the bottom
of the converter which would enable the iron to be run into the moulds without tilting
the apparatus.
The converter is either placed close under a dome or direct under a chimney hood.
To introduce the molten pig iron into the neck of the apparatus the latter is tilted so
far that the openings are above the level of the inflowing metal.
After the converter
is righted again the blast is blown in and the process begins. When the steel is
good or the iron refined the converter is slowly tilted until the tap-hole reaches
the lowest point and the tapping begins as described above.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Converters.
I, EMIL SERVAIS of Weilerbacher Hütte near Weilerbach Luxemburg, Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be 4
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention refers to improvements in converters which have the form of a round
or ellipsoidal drum and the mantle or sides of which are provided with one or more

page_text: tap holes with a peculiar tapping mechanism or which may be closed with a plug.
In case several tap holes are provided they are arranged in different heights in the
converter and the upper tap holes serve, in one or different positions of the converter
to entirely extract the slag while the converter is being slowly turned while the lower
tap holes which are situated a little above the molten metal serve for the direct
founding into movable moulds without the intermediate use of a shank. If only one
tap-hole is provided the slag can be extracted through this and then the iron run direct
into the moulds. Further the costly nozzles for the blast can be dispensed with
because of the arrangement of the converter and the blast can be introduced through
holes bored through the mantle and lining of the converter, which holes can be altered
during the working.
In the accompanying drawings:-
-
Figures 1 and 2 represent a round and Figures 3 and 4 an ellipsoidal drum
converter in front and side view.
Figures 5 and 6 a modification of the first in vertical and cross section.
Figures 7 and 8 represent the arrangement of two tap holes in the side of a round
converter and the position of the tap holes is in Figure 7 as before and in Figure 8 as
after the tilting.
Figures 9, 10 and 11 are details of two forms of tapping mechanism.
Figure 12 lastly represents an automatic closing device for the blast openings.
As will be seen from Figures 1, 2, 7 and 8 the converter has the form of a round
drum the edges of which are either sharp or rounded; the converter can however also
have the form of an ellipsoid (see Figures 3 and 4) and without deviating from the
spirit of the invention it may have a cone shaped neck or a flat bottom (see Figures 5
and 6).
The converter which can consist of two parts for easier repairing (Figures 1 and 2)
or of one piece (Figures 5 and 6) can be revolved round a horizontal axis B one arm of
which is hollow for the introduction of the blast which passes into the converter
through a pipe V and a blast chamber W which either partly (Figures 5 and 6) or
wholly (Figures 3 and 4) covers the underside of the converter. From the blast
chamber the wind passes directly into the converter through holes bored direct from
the chamber through the side of the mantle of the converter and may be provided with
nozzles. It is however preferable to dispense with the costly nozzles as the blast holes
can then be shifted easily by plugging up the existing holes and boring fresh ones.
The blast may also be introduced into the converter and the metal through the bottom
of the converter (Figures 1 and 2) by means of tubular trunnions B connecting
pipe Vair chamber W₁ and tuyeres X³. To avoid the introduction of cold blast.
through the uncovered holes during the tilting a plate P (Figure 12) can be rigidly
fixed to the frame of the apparatus so as to slide into the blast chamber when the
converter is tilted and cover the blast holes which now are above the level of the
metal. As in the drum converter if tilted or not the surface of the metal is always or
nearly the same the slag can be extracted from the iron or the steel by the tapping
mechanism without the intermediate use of a shank or a second converter by
extracting the slag or the iron through the one hole e Figures 1-6; or if there are
two by extracting the slag through the upper one and the iron through the lower
one (Figures 7 and 8). These tap holes can either be closed with the plug and
tapped in the usual manner or they can be closed or opened by a plug operated by a
lever or screw from the inside (Figure 9) or from the outside (Figure 10). In the
first case an opening is provided above the plug a through which opening passes a
rod d connected on its one end with the plug a and on the other end with a lever b
this lever being jointed to the stud c, which serves as a fulcrum opens and closes the
tap hole by its upward or downward movement. The parts of this mechanism inside
the converter must be covered with some flame resisting material. If the plug is to
be moved from the outside the following arrangement Figures 10 and 11 may be
adopted-The tapping form el consists here of a ring with a bore hole which is
conical on one side. This hole is closed by a plug a' of a cylindrical section provided
on one side with a groove f. If after tilting the converter the plug is pressed inwards

page_text: into the converter by means of a rod d¹ and a lever the iron or steel will run out
through the groove f. A tapping mechanism thus arranged further permits the
extraction of the slag through opening e (Figures 1 to 6) after the oxidation of the
phosphorus and the carbonisation of the dephosphorised iron with spiegeliron (or
crystalline pig) in the manufacture of hard steel from phosphorus pig iron without
fear of reducing the phosphorus. If the converter is provided with two tap holes in
its flat side (e² and e³ Figures 7 and 8) then the slag can be divided from the
iron without much loss through the open upper tap hole by slowly tilting the
converter the tap hole being horizontal in all positions of the converter.
This form of the converter and the tapping mechanism permit (in opposition to the
"Harmet" process with its two converters) of the whole work being done in one
apparatus, and the adding of the spiegel iron (or crystalline pig) is not restricted to
the end of the refining process as the entiro removal of the silicic slag in the middle of
the process and of the phosphoric slag at the end of the process is effected without any
loss of heat or iron. The tap hole e' Figures 3 and 4 may also be situated on a level
with the bottom of the converter which would onable the iron to be run into the
moulds without tilting the apparatus.
The converter is either placed close under a domo H Figure 1 or direct under a
chimney hood. To introduce the molten pig iron into the neck of the apparatus the
latter is tilted so far that the openings are above the level of the inflowing metal.
After the converter is righted again the blast is blown in and the process begins.
When the steel is good or the iron refined the converter is slowly tilted until the tap
hole reaches the lowest point and the tapping begins as described above.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A converter adapted to turn round a horizontal axis having the form of a drum
the basis of which is round or slightly elliptic and the sides of which are flat or only
slightly arched substantially as specified.
2. A drum converter adapted to turn round a horizontal axis, the bottom of which
forms a horizontal plane, substantially as specified.
3. A drum converter adapted to turn round a horizontal axis with horizontal base
and conical neck substantially as specified.
4. In a drum converter the combination with the drum of tapholes in the round or
slightly elliptic side for the withdrawal of the molten metal or the slag substantially as
specified.
5. In a drum converter the combination with the drum of tap holes in the flat or
slightly arched side for the withdrawal of the slag through one opening while the
converter is being turned and for the running of the metal through the same or
another opening when it is brought to its lowest position substantially as and for the
purpose specified.