IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR HEATING THE BLAST OF BLAST FURNACES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Browne, of the Firm of Browne and
Company, Patent Agents, of 5, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in
the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS
FOR HEATING THE BLAST OF BLAST FURNACES." -A communication from
abroad by the Foundries and Forges Company, l'Horme (Loire), in
the French Republic.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Browne at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 18th October 1873.
I, ALEXANDER BROWNE, of the Firm of Browne and Company, Patent
Agents, of 5, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for " IM-
PROVED APPARATUS FOR HEATING THE BLAST OF BLAST FURNACES," a communi-
cation from abroad by the Foundries and Forges Company, of l'Horme
(Loire), in the French Republic, to be as follows:―
This Invention consists in constructing an apparatus by means of
hink the nin on blast used in blast furnaces is heated in. sonerate or

page_text: This improved apparatus is so constructed that all the parts thereof
can be easily cleaned without loss of heat. The heat is produced either
by means of heated gases or from a fire made on large grates provided
for that purpose inside the apparatus, and further, the gases being made
to circulate freely and slowly through the apparatus, little or no pressure
I will be obtained.
'
The following is an example of constructing and operating with this
improved apparatus:-The apparatus is composed of two coupled
furnaces made to work alternately with gas or air, each furnace being
enclosed in a large sheet-iron cylindrical tower perfectly air-tight and
lined in the interior with fire-bricks. The said tower is divided into five
chambers by means of four partitions parallel and symmetrical to each
other. The central and two contiguous chambers are filled with trellissed
bricks. The chambers next to the circumference are each divided into
four parts by partition walls into which openings are provided.
:
The heating gases are conducted by means of pipes or mains into the
aforesaid apparatus, and are diffused therein by passing through
openings provided for that purpose. The air necessary for combustion
enters through registers, and is heated by passing through the said
openings in the aforesaid partition walls, and joins the main current of
gases. The air and gases combined divide into two currents and ascend
whilst burning into the aforesaid large chambers placed near the cir-
cumference, after which they descend thro' the aforesaid trellissed bricks
and ascend again through the bricks disposed in the centre and arrive
cool in the chimneys. When the furnace is sufficiently heated the afore-
said registers are closed, and the valves for the inlet and outlet of cold
and hot air opened. The blast is made to circulate first through the
cold chambers aforesaid until it arrives into the hot ones, heat being
thus gradually applied. Access to the chambers is obtained by means
of a series of plugs, and two series of doors placed at a certain distance
asunder and opposite to each other, and through which the different
parts of the apparatus can be cleaned without much delay. Small
apertures are also provided through which the inside of the said.
apparatus can be watched and examined. The registers for gas or hot

page_text: blast can be made so as to allow water to circulate into them, and two
grates placed inside the apparatus permit the use of coals or other fuel
when required.
Office on the 18th April 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
BROWNE, of the Firm of Browne and Company, Patent Agents, of 5,
Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-"
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Alexander Browne, Her
special licence that I, the said Alexander Browne, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander Browne,
my 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,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR HEATING THE BLAST OF BLAST FURNACES," a
communication from abroad by the Foundries and Forges Company, of
l'Horme (Loire), in the French Republic, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Alexander Browne, my executors or admini-
strators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, 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 Alexander Browne, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: The gases for heating the apparatus are conducted by the pipes A, A,
and are spreaded by means of the flues a, a. The air for the combustion
enters by the registers B, B, is heated in the flues b, b, and passes by the
said flues on to the gaseous mass. The mixture of gases and air separate
into two streams, ascend whilst burning in the large chambers placed on
the circumference, descend through the trellised bricks Q, Q, rise
through the central trellised bricks, and arrive cooled in the chimney C, C.
When the furnace is sufficiently heated the registers A, A, B, B, and C, C,
are closed, the register D opened to allow the inlet of cold blast, and the
registers E, E, also opened for the outlet of hot blast. The blast thus
circulates through the chambers in opposite directions and is gradually
heated. A series of plugs T which may be easily withdrawn, and two
series of doors P placed at a certain distance asunder and opposite to
each other allow free access for cleaning all the chambers of the furnace
without much delay; the inside working and condition of the apparatus

page_text: may be seen at any time through the small sight holes t, t. The
registers for gas and air may have a stream of water running through
them if necessary. Two grates G, G, are provided for the use of coal or
other fuel when required.
Having now described and set forth the nature and object of the said a
Invention for "Improved Apparatus for Heating the Blast of Blast
Furnaces," and the means by which it may be effected, I would remark
in conclusion that I do not intend to limit or confine myself to the
precise details or form of apparatus before described, but what I claim
as constituting this Invention, and desire to secure by the herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent is,―
Firstly. The method of dividing the heating gases into several equal
and distinct streams flowing from the circumference to the centre, thus
having but a short distance to travel, and large flues with great heating
surface, substantially as described and represented.
Secondly. The facility for cleaning all the parts of the furnace without
cooling the apparatus with the special mode of cleaning the chambers
(filled with trellised bricks) by means of the plugs, substantially as
described and represented.
Thirdly. The two large grates inside the furnaces for coal or other 2
fuel for heating the apparatus in case of accident to the blast furnaces,
substantially as described and represented.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Browne have hereunto
set my hands and seal, this Seventeenth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.