IMPROVEMENTS IN MOUNTING AND WORKING CONVERTERS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STEEL AND OTHER METALS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Webster, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MOUNTING AND WORKING CONVERTERS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
STEEL AND OTHER METALS."
Sealed the 2nd April 1874, and dated the 7th January 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Webster at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th January 1874. .
I, JAMES WEBSTER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MOUNTING AND WORKING CONVERTERS EMPLOYED IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF STEEL AND OTHER METALS," to be as follows, that is to say:-
My Invention refers to certain improvements upon a former Patent
granted to me and dated May 26th 1870; in the Specification of this
Patent is described an improved converter having a circular and flanged
belt, the trunnions being solid and the blast passing through a segmental
hollow jacket in which the flange or belt works air-tight, and in the belt

page_text: at the bottom of the converter is formed the tuyere box. By the Invention
as described I dispense with a fixed cover for the tuyere box, also the use
of hollow trunnions, and connecting pipe as in the "Bessemer con-
verters." I can also inspect and have access to the tuyeres at any time
without detaching any of the parts, and can empty the converter without
capsizing it. These advantages are more effectually attained by my
present Invention, but the improvements more particularly relate to the
construction and arrangement of a travelling carriage or mount for the
converter so as to obviate the employment of the circular and flanged
belt formed around the converter, as described in the Specification of my
former Patent.
The improved travelling carriage or mount consists of a holster or
framework having a grooved foot plate sliding to and from the con-
verter on tram rails and actuated by hand wheels attached to gear pinions
mounted in the holster or framework, the lower pinion working on a
toothed rack between the tram rails.
The end of the holster or frame nearest the converter is shaped as a
quadrant and consists of a segmental hollow jacket having flanged sides.
forming a rebate, and in the jacket is an ingress hole for the blast which
is brought in at the side of the holster or framework by a pipe con-
nected with a stuffing box; in the segmental hollow jacket is fitted a semi-
circular belt, which when the travelling carriage is up to the converter
passes around but does not touch the converter, the ends of the belt having
pegs fitting into recesses in lugs upon the sides of the converter. In
the centre of the semicircular belt is formed a hole and nozzle or hollow
plug which fits into the tuyere box of the converter when in position,
and through which the blast passes from the segmental hollow jacket
into the converter, the semicircular belt is kept in place in the rebate of
the segmental hollow jacket by means of a pin passing through the whole
thickness, and this pin is withdrawn when the travelling carriage or
mount is up to the converter and ready for work; so that the semi-
circular belt being against the lugs on the converter and the nozzle or
hollow plug in the tuyere hole, when the converter is actuated or
turned upon its axis, the semicircular belt will traverse with it sliding in
the rebate in the segmental hollow jacket, and to inspect the tuyeres a
the converter, and with it the belt, is turned sufficiently to expose the
plug hole beyond the top of the quadrant and framework when the
tuyeres may be readily seen, and to withdraw the travelling carriage from

page_text: the converter the through pin is inserted in place, and the hand
wheels are turned so as to move the travelling carriage on the tram rear-
ward when the open tuyere end of the converter will be accessible as
may be required for repairs, inspection, or otherwise.
I employ a suitable hinged stop piece and protector guard on the top
of the holster or frame to protect the workmen from dust and to stop
the progress of the converter when it has turned over sufficiently to
bring the tuyere end to the under side.
Although I have described my improvements as being applicable to
converters constructed according to the Specification of my former
Patent, the improved travelling carriage or mount may also be applied
to Bessemer's and other descriptions of converters.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Webster in the Great Seal Patent Office, on
the 7th July 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
WEBSTER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said James Webster, Her special
licence that I, the said James Webster, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Webster, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MOUNTING AND WORKING CONVERTORS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STEEL
AND OTHER METALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said James Webster, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should

page_text: 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 James Webster, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, that is to say :-
My Invention refers to certain improvements upon a former Patent
granted to me, and dated May 26th, 1870. In the Specification of this
Patent is described an improved converter having a circular and flanged
belt, the trunnions being solid and the blast passing through a segmental
hollow jacket in which the flange or belt works air-tight, and in the belt
at the bottom of the converter is formed the tuyere box. By the Invention
as described I dispense with a fixed cover for the tuyere box, also the use
of hollow trunnions and connecting pipe as in the "Bessemer con-
verters." I can also inspect and have access to the tuyeres at any time
without detaching any of the parts, and can empty the converter without
capsizing it. These advantages are more effectually attained by my
present Invention, but the improvements more particularly relate to the
construction and arrangement of a travelling carriage or mount for the
converter, so as to obviate the employment of the circular and flanged
belt, formed around the converter, as described in the Specification of my

page_text: The travelling carriage or mount consists of a holster or framework (a)
having a grooved foot plate (6) sliding to and from the converter on
tram rails (c), and actuated by hand wheels (d) attached to gear pinions
(e,) (e¹,) Fig. 1, mounted in the holster or framework (a), the lower
pinion (e) working on a toothed rack (f) between the tram rails (c); the
end of the holster or framework (a) nearest to the converter (g) is
shaped as a quadrant (h) and consists of a segmental hollow jacket (¹),
Fig. 1, having flanged sides forming a rebate; and in the jacket is an
ingress hole (i), Fig. 1, for the blast which is brought in at the side
of the holster or framework (a) by a pipe (k) connected with a stuffing
box. In the segmental hollow jacket (¹) is fitted a semicicular belt (7)
seen more clearly detached from the travelling carriage or mount in
Figs. 5 and 6. When the travelling carriage is up to the converter the
semicircular belt (7) passes around but does not touch the converter; the
ends of the belt (7) having pegs, as shewn, for fitting into recesses in
lugs (m) and (n) upon the sides of the converter.
In the centre of the semicircular belt (1) is formed a hole and nozzle or
hollow plug (o) fitting into the tuyere box (p) of the converter (9) when
the parts are in position, and through which the blast passes from the
segmental hollow jacket (h¹) into the converter (9). The semicircular belt
(1) is kept in place in the rebate of the segmental hollow jacket (h¹) by
means of a pin (2) passing through the thickness of the semicircular
belt and the sides of the segmental hollow jacket (h'); the pin (r) is
withdrawn when the travelling carriage or mount is up to the converter
(g) and ready for work, the semicircular belt (1) abutting against the
lugs (m) and (n) on the converter (9), and the nozzle or hollow plug (o)
being in the tuyere box (p). When the converter is actuated or turned
upon its axis the semicircular belt (1) will traverse with it, sliding in the
rebate in the segmental hollow jacket (¹), and to inspect the tuyerės
the converter (g) and with it the belt (7) is turned sufficiently to expose
the plug-hole (o) above the top of the quadrant (h) when the tuyeres
may be readily seen, and to withdraw the travelling carriage the through
pin (1) is inserted in place, and the hand wheels (d) are turned so as to
move the travelling carriage on the tram rails (f) rearward when the
5 open tuyere end (p) of the converter will be accessible as may be
required for repairs, inspection, or otherwise.
(8) is a hinged stop-piece and protector guard on the top of the holster
or framework to protect the workmen from dust, and to stop the con-

page_text: verter when it is turned over sufficiently, as in Fig. 2, to bring the
tuyere end (p) to the under side.
Although the improvements are herein described as being applicable
to converters constructed according to the former Invention, the
improved travelling carriage or mount may also be applied to Bes-
semer's and other descriptions of converters.
Having thus described the nature and object of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be carried into effect, I claim without
limiting myself to these precise details, the several improvements in
mounting and working converters employed in the manufacture of
steel and other metals, substantially in manner as herein more fully set
forth and specified.