IMPROVEMENTS IN PUDDLING AND ROLLING MILL FURNACES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Richardson, Foreman, and Joseph Watson,
Foreman, both of Gateshead-upon-Tync, in the County of Durham,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUDDLING AND ROLLING MILL
FURNACES."
Scaled the 22nd July 1873, and dated the 30th January 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Richardson and
Joseph Watson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 30th January 1873.
WC, JOHN RICHARDSON, Foreman, and JOSEPH WATSON, Forcmau,
both of Gateshead-upon-Tyne, in the County of Durham, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUDDLING
AND ROLLING MILL FURNACES," to be as follows:-
The object of our Invention of improvements in puddling and rolling
mill furnaces is to economize the fuel used in heating the same, and
saving repairs in the furnaces. To this end instead of making the fire-
place square or rectangular as heretofore, and the puddling floor or
heating chamber and the passage over the fire-bridge straight or
formed of straight lines I cut off the angles of the fire-place and

page_text: curve them. The passage over the fire-bridge is also curved, as arc
also the sides of the puddling or heating chamber. By this con-
struction of parts the fuel is more effectually and economically
consumed, less obstruction is given to the passage of the licated
gases, and the area of the fire-grate is reduced by dispensing with
those parts which were not useful.
In combination with these improvements a supplementary side fluc
or air hole is made near the flue bridge, and communicating between
the puddling hearth and the fluc. The result of these alterations in
the construction of the furnace is that a very considerable economy in
the consumption of fuel is obtained, as the ineffective parts of the
furnaces are removed, and there will also be a great saving in the repairs
required to the furnace.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Richardson and Joseph Watson in the Great
Scal Patent Office on the 30th July 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, JoHN
RICHARDSON, Foreman, and JOSEPH WATSON, Foreman, both of
Gateshead-upon-Tyne, in the County of Durham, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Hor
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said John Richardson and Joseph Watson, Her
special licence that we, the said John Richardson and Joseph Watson,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as wc, the said
John Richardson and Joseph Watson, our executors, administrators, and
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, usc, excrcise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUDDLING AND ROLLING
MILL FORNACES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
John Richardson and Joseph Watson, our exccutors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of their hands

page_text: and scals, 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 we, the said John Richardson and Josephi
Watson, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, 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
Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon
(that is to say):-
The object of our Invention of "Improvements in Puddling and Rolling
Mill Furnaces," is to economize the fuel used in heating the same, and
to save repairs in the furnaces. To this end, instead of making the firc.
place square or rectangular as heretofore, and the puddling floor or
heating chamber and the passage over the fire-bridge straight, or
formed of straight lines, I cut off the angles of the fire-place and curve
them. The passage over the fire-bridge is also curved, as are also the
sides of the puddling or heating chamber. By this construction of
parts the fuel is more effectually and economically consumed, less
obstruction is given to the passage of the heated gases, and the wear
of the fire-grate is reduced by dispensing with those parts which were
not useful, and which only serve to retain a mass of fuel which will give
off no useful heat.
In combination with these improvements a supplementary side fluc
or air hole is made near the fluc bridge, and communicates between the
puddling hearth and the flue.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn the manner in which
I propose to carry out my Invention.
Fig. 1 is a sectional plan view of a puddling furnace constructed
according to my Invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of
the same; Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section taken in the line A, B,
of Fig. 1, and looking towards the exit or flue end of the furnace.
The straight red lines in Fig. 1 represent the internal form of the
ordinary furnace, in which it will be seen that many of the walls are
rectangular, and consequently there are a number of corners which
only serve to hold fuel which can be of no service in the furnace.

page_text: The part colored blue in the plan shews my improved form of furnace
and fire-place in which the uscless corners are cut off and curves aro
introduced which will not interfere with the draught. The sides of the
furnace over the fire-bridge are also curved so as not to impede the
flame from the firc-place; B is the supplementary flue or air hole 5
above mentioned, which may if required be provided with a damper
so that it may be opened or closed as may be desired. The air
passages underneath the puddling furnace are indicated by dotted lines
in Fig. 1.
The result of theso alterations in the construction of the furnaces is 10
that a very considerable economy in the consumption of fuel is obtained,
as the ineffective parts of the furnace are removed, and there will also
be a great saving in the repairs required to the furnace.
Although in the Drawing I have only shewn my Invention as adapted
to a puddling furnace, it will be obvious that it is equally applicable to 15
rolling mill and re-heating furnaces, I therefore reservo to myself the
right of applying the same to such furnaces.
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in Puddling
and Rolling Mill Furnaces," and having explained the manner of carrying
the same into effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters 20
Patent as aforesaid, constructing puddling and other furnaces on curved
lincs (instead of straight lines as heretofore), as and for the purposes
herein set forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Richardson and Joseph
Watson, have hereunto set our hands and scals, the Twenty- 25
eighth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-three.
Witness,
JOHN SHARP,
Gateshead Iron Works,
on Tync.
JOHN RICHARDSON. (L.S.)
JOSEPH WATSON. (L.S.)