IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VESSELS FOR ANNEALING IRON AND STEEL SHEETS AND OTHER PARTS OR ARTICLES OF METAL
Year: 1884

page_text: I, JOHN THOMPSON, of Highfield Engineering and Boiler Works, Ettingshall,
near Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for, IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VESSELS FOR
ANNEALING IRON AND STEEL SHEETS AND OTHER PARTS OR ARTICLES OF METAL,
to be as follows:-
This invention refers to vessels or pots whether made of cast or wrought iron or
steel, or having the covers of wrought iron or steel with the bottoms or pans of
cast iron, such vessels or pots being for the purpose of annealing iron or steel sheets
or other parts or articles of metal.
It is found that however strongly these vessels or pots are made, according to
the present modes of construction, they become rapidly distorted, cracked, and
generally rendered useless, by the intense heat to which they are subjected when
employed for annealing purposes.
The object of this invention is to greatly strengthen such vessels or pots against
the distorting action of the heat and therefore to make them much more durable
than at present.
To effect the above purpose, according to this invention, the sides and also the
top and bottom, or any of these parts as may be desired, have the metal thereof
corrugated or fluted. These corrugations or flutings may be varied considerably.
In the case of an ordinary annealing pot for annealing sheet iron longitudinal
corrugations may be formed around the ends and sides near the bottom thereof so
as to give longitudinal stiffness, and vertical corrugations be formed up the
remaining space of such ends and sides so as to give vertical stiffness. The top is
preferably arched across (as is usual) and corrugations are formed transversely of
the length so, as to curve over with the arched top and thus give transverse
stiffness. The bottom or pan (which is usually made in cast iron) may be corru-
gated in an analogous manner to the sides, two sets of longitudinal corrugations
being, however, formed, preferably, in this case, one set near each side with
transverse corrugations between the two sets.

page_text: In all cases where parts have to be welded or riveted together the corrugations
run out into the flat plate before reaching the edge to be welded or riveted, and
the transverse corrugations preferably run out into the flat plate rather than join
into any longitudinal corrugations upon the same surface.
In the case of round vessels or pots, corrugations are formed in rings around the
sides or as a spiral therearound, and may be formed in concentric circles on the top
and bottom, or in a spiral, or radiating from the centre, or simply transversely.
The corrugations or flutes may also be arranged diagonally, if desired, in any
case where the shape of the vessel or pot admits thereof.

page_text: I, JOHN THOMPSON, of Highfield Engineering and Boiler Works, Ettingshall
near Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for, IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VESSELS FOR
ANNEALING IRON AND STEEL SHEETS AND OTHER PARTS OR ARTICLES OF METAL,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the
accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon:-
This invention refers to vessels or pots, whether made of cast or wrought iron or
steel, or having the covers of wrought iron or steel with the bottoms or pans of
cast iron, or vice-versa, such vessels or pots being for the purpose of annealing iron
or steel sheets or other parts or articles of metal.
It is found that however strong these vessels or pots are made, according to the
present modes of construction, they become rapidly distorted, cracked, and generally
rendered useless, by the intense heat to which they are subjected when employed
for annealing purposes.
The object of this invention is to greatly strengthen such vessels or pots against
the distorting action of the heat, and therefore to make them much more durable
than at present.
To effect the above purpose, according to this invention, the sides and also the
top and bottom, or any of these parts as may be desired, have the metal thereof
corrugated or fluted. The corrugations or flutings may be varied considerably.
In the case of an ordinary annealing pot for annealing sheet iron, a longitudinal
corrugation may be formed upon the ends and sides near the bottom thereof so as
to give longitudinal stiffness, and vertical corrugations be formed up the remaining
space of such ends and sides so as to give vertical stiffness, and in addition thereto
a longitudinal corrugation may be formed near the top when the depth of the pot
admits thereof. The top is preferably arched across (as is usual) and corrugations
are formed transversely of the length so as to curve over with the arched top and
thus give transverse stiffness. The bottom or pan may be corrugated in an
analogous manner to the sides, a longitudinal corrugation being, however, formed,
preferably, in this case, near each side, with transverse corrugations between such
two longitudinal corrugations.
In all cases where parts have to be welded or riveted together, the corrugations
run out into the flat plate before reaching the edge to be welded or riveted, and
the transverse or vertical corrugations preferably run out into the flat plate rather
than join into any longitudinal corrugations upon the same surface.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vessel constructed according to this invention
for annealing metal. Figure 2 is a plan thereof, the left-hand half of the plan
being shewn as with the upper part or cover removed so as to shew the bottom or
pan only; and figure 3 is a transverse section through figure 1. The same letters
of reference occurring upon two or more of these views indicate corresponding

page_text: parts. AAA is the upper part or cover, and B the lower part or pan. The sides
and ends of the cover are stiffened by means of a longitudinal corrugation a a and
vertical corrugations b b etc. The top of the cover is arched, as shewn, and is
It will be seen that the corrugations
stiffened with transverse corrugations c c etc.
in all cases die out on to the flat surface of the plate so as to allow for the riveted
or welded joints of the plates, and the vertical corrugations preferably die out on
to the flat surface of the plate at their lower ends rather than join into the longi-
tudinal corrugation a a etc. The botton or pan is corrugated similarly to the
sides and ends, that is to say d d are longitudinal corrugations to give longitudinal
stiffness, and correspond to the longitudinal corrugation au ctc., and e e etc. are
transverse corrugations to give transverse stiffness, and correspond to the vertical
corrugations b b etc. CC are the usual grooves 'or channel-pieces under the pan
to lic upon the balls upon which the vessel is rolled into and out of the annealing
furnace.
Figure is a transverse section through a circular annealing vessel, of which
figure 5 is a plan. In this case a' a' are horizontal corrugations running around
the cover A¹, and 6' b₁ etc. vertical corrugations between such corrugations a¹ a
The top of the cover A' is shewn to be corrugated concentrically by the corru-
gations cc, and the pan B₁ is similarly corrugated by the corrugations d' d'.
Transverse or radiating corrugations may be formed upon the top of the cover
instead of the concentric corrugations, if preferred.
The annealing vessels illustrated are shewn to be made of wrought iron or steel
plates welded together (though they may of course be riveted), the edges of the
pans being strengthened with angle iron in the usual manner; but such vessels, or
the covers or pans only of such vessels, may be made of cast iron corrugated in an
analogous manner, as will be readily understood.
I do not of course limit myself to the form and arrangement of the flutes or
corrugations, as the same may be varie considerably without departing from the
nature of my invention.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of a pair of dies employed to form the corru-
gations upon the side of the pot illustrated by figures 1, 2 and 3; and figure 7 is a
transverse section on line x of figure 6. The bottom die D rests by means of the
cars or snugs EE within a pair of holsters or frames, and the upper die F is
capable of sliding vertically within such holsters by means of the snugs G G. This
latter die is raised and pressed down by means of the screws-H-H-screwed through
-such-die-or-through-boxes in the tops of the holsters. The holsters themselves are
not shewn, as their construction will be readily understood. The faces of the dies
are shaped so as to produce between them two of the vertical corrugations bb, and
a length of the corrugation a corresponding thereto, át each operation. The same
pair of dies may be employed to form the corrugations on the side of a pot of
greater depth than that illustrated and to form upon such side a horizontal corru-
gation near the top. When a plate has been corrugated between these dies, if such
plate is not of the full width of the dies one edge will have to be flattened down so
that the plate may be riveted or welded to the top plate; and in any case the
edges of the plate should be levelled down after the operation of the dies. This
pair of dies may be used both for the side and end plates and for the pan, providing
that the pan is of a suitable width for the purpose. The dies for forming the
corrugations in the arched top are analogous to those illustrated, but must of course
be themselves curved to suit the curvature of the top. The dies for a circular top
and bottom of the pct illustrated by figures 4 and 5 will be of an analogous
character to those illustrated, but of course circular in shape.
The plates should, of course, be highly heated for the operation of corrugating or
fluting. Hydraulic pressure may be employed, if desired, for the purpose of
corrugating or fluting the plates, in lieu of the screws described.
Pots constructed in the manner above-described are cheaper than those of the
ordinary construction, as the metal thereof is much lighter.

page_text: 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. Constructing vessels for annealing iron and steel sheets and other parts or
articles of metal, by fluting or corrugating the plates or metal of which they are
formed, substantially as and for the purpose herein described and shewn by the
drawings.
2. Constructing vessels for annealing iron and steel sheets and other parts or
articles of metal, by forming the same with longitudinal, or horizontal and vertical
or transverse (or vertical and transverse) flutes or corrugations, substantially as and
for the purpose herein described and shewn by the drawings.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Agent for the Applicant,
Wolverhampton.