AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MALLEABLE IRON AND STEEL
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Brown Wilson, of Number 5, Parliament
Street, Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS USED
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MALLEABLE IRON AND STEEL."
Sealed the 24th October 1862, and dated the 5th May 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Brown Wilson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 5th May 1862.
I, EDWARD BROWN WILSON, of Number 5, Parliament Street, Westminster,
in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS USED
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MALLEABLE IRON AND STEEL," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the vessel in which the molten metal is treated
during its conversion into malleable metal or steel, and consists in providing
such vessel with a central or nearly central exit for the gases, such exit or
escape passage dipping at its lower lip into the molten metal, and extending
to within a short distance from the bottom of the vessel at the centre thereof.
A space is left all round the gas exit passage between its exterior sides and
the inner sides of the vessel, with the exception of a portion which is left to
form an outlet for emptying the vessel; provision is also made for hanging the
vessel on centres or pivots at each side thereof. The molten metal having
been run into the vessel, air is blown therein at one or more points of or

page_text: entirely round the top space, which air, after permeating, the molten metal,
escapes with the gases up the central outlet. The tuyere or tuyeres may be
made to descend into the metal; or the air may be simply blown down on to
the surface of the metal, an air space being left between the surface of the
metal and the mouth of the blast pipe. The vessel itself may be of any
suitable shape, whether round, square, or oval, and is composed of cast-iron
steel plates, or wrought-iron plates, and is lined throughout with any good
fire-resisting material.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Brown Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 5th November 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
BROWN WILSON, of Number 5, Parliament Street, Westminster, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Edward Brown Wilson, Her special license that I, the said Edward
Brown Wilson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Edward Brown Wilson, my executors, administrators, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
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 "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS USED IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF MALLEABLE IRON AND STEEL," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Edward Brown Wilson, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, or under the hand and seal of
one of them, 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 Edward Brown Wilson, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to

page_text: 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 relates to the vessel in which the molten metal is
treated during its conversion into malleable metal or steel, and consists in
providing such vessel with a central or nearly central exit for the gases, such
exit or escape passage dipping at its lower lip into the molten metal, and
extending to within a short distance from the bottom of the vessel at or near
the centre thereof. A space is left round the gas exit passage, between its
exterior sides and the inner sides of the vessel, with the exception of a portion
on one side, which is left to form a convenient outlet for emptying the vessel.
Provision is also made for hanging the vessel on centres or pivots at each side
thereof. The molten metal having been run into the vessel, air is blown
therein at one or more separate points of or entirely round the top space,
which air, after passing under the lip, permeates the molten metal, and escapes
with the gases up the outlet. The tuyere or tuyeres may be made to descend
into the metal, or the air may be simply blown down on to the surface of the
metal, an air space being left between the surface of the metal and the mouth
of the blast pipe. The vessel itself may be of any suitable shape, whether
round, square, or oval, and is composed of cast-iron steel plates or wrought
iron plates, and is lined throughout with any good fire-resisting material.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the
Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawings represents a vertical section of my improved
converting vessel made of a circular form; Figure 2 is a corresponding plan
of the same; and Figure 3 is a sectional plan of a slightly modified form of
vessel.
A is the vessel, which is of a circular or other form, composed of an outer
skin a of metal, with a thick lining 6 of gannister or other good fire-resisting
material. From this vessel, towards one side thereof, rises a vertical passage
or exit B for the gases, which is provided at its upper end with a convenient
pouring lip C, for emptying the vessel when turned on its supporting axes or
trunnions D, D, for that purpose. The lower portion of one side of the exit
passage B descends at c to near the bottom of the converting vessel, and dips
into the molten metal contained therein, as shewn in the Drawing, the two
parts A and B forming together a species of inverted syphon. One or more

page_text: blast pipes E, E, are fitted into the closed top of the vessel, which surrounds
or partially surrounds the exit passage B, the nozzles of these pipes being
made either to dip into the metal, or to terminate some distance above the
surface of the molten metal, so as to be entirely out of contact therewith.
The blast is directed down upon the surface of the metal contained in the
space d, and the pressure causes the level to descend, forcing the main bulk
of the metal inside the part B, when the air will pass in the form of a thin
sheet through the curved clongated aperture under the lip c, and rise, as
shewn by the arrows, in the form of bubbles through the main mass of molten
metal contained in the part B, the gases and products of combustion escaping
by the orifice or open mouth at C. When the blast has been continued long
enough, the vessel is tilted on its trunnions, and its contents poured out.
In the modified form of vessel shewn at Figure 3 the air space d is made on
one side only of the exit passage B, in lieu of nearly all round the same.
The air is blown in through one or more blast pipes E, of any desired section,
and enters the main body of the metal through a straight longitudinal opening
left between the lip c, Figure 1, or lowest portion of the back wall of the exit
passage and the bottom of the vessel.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is, the general constructions of converting
vessels, and the mode of disposing or arranging the tuyeres, as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Brown Wilson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this First day of November, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-two.
TAND
EDW. B. WILSON. (L.S.)