IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO PUDDLING FURNACES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Shepherd Williamson, of. Congleton, in the
County of Chester, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE
TO PUDDLING FURNACES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Shepherd Williamson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the, 11th November 1880.
WILLIAM SHEPHERD WILLIAMSON,, of Congleton, in the County of Chester.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO PUDDLING FURNACES."
My Invention relates to the puddling furnaces employed in the manufacture of
iron and steel, and has for its object to control the temperature of parts of such
furnaces, and otherwise to improve the working of the same. During the ordinary
working of the puddling furnace, the plates at the bottom and sides of the hearth
are liable to become excessively heated, whereby an excessivo consumption of
fettling is entailed, and also the said plates deteriorate rapidly, and in some cases
the bottom of the.hearth gives way in consequence of this excessive heat. Hitherto
it has been customary to leave an open space extending below the fire bars and the
hearth bottom, the outer air being allowed free access to the said bottom, but this
formation whilst not preventing the said excessive heating, has exposed the operator
to the sulphurous fumes from the fire place. To remedy these defects I shut off
the space below the hearth from the space below the grate, and I enclose the first
named space, and I inject air into it by means of a jet or of jets of steam. The
current of air is injected through a pipe or opening which extends into the space
below the hearth, and curving upwards widens out so as to have a trumpci-shaped
delivery mouth which directs the air and steam towards the hearth bottom.
Behind the jamb plates at each corner of the hearth I form air passages which
communicate with pipes or flues through which the air and steam escape from the
furnace. In some or in all cases I may lead the said pipes or flues along the back
of the jamb plates, and so distribute the air and steam as to cool the sides as well
as the bottom of the furnace.. The mixture of air and steam having to flow towards
the several exit passages, is brought into proximity with all parts of the hearth

page_text: bottom, and a suitably regular cooling effect is obtained. The amount of cooling
effect can be readily regulated by increasing or decreasing the intensity of the
steam blast, or if the furnace be provided with more than one steam blast, then the
effect may be regulated or partly regulated by varying the number of the blasts
in action. The arrangements for admitting the air and steam, and the number of
exit openings may be varied to some extent. By means of my Invention I am
enabled to prevent overheating of the hearth, and thereby effect an economy in
fettling, and an increase in the durability of parts of the furnace, and obtain a more
regular action of the furnace. In some or in all cases I may also enclose the space
below the grate, and employ high-pressure steam to inject the supply of air for the
fire into the space so enclosed, in order that I may more effectually control the
working of the furnace.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Shepherd Williamson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 11th May 1881.
"
2
WILLIAM SHEPHERD WILLIAMSON, of Congleton, in the County of Chester.
IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO PUDDLING FURNACES."
My Invention relates to the puddling furnaces employed in the manufacture of
iron and steel, and has for its object to control the temperature of parts of such
furnaces, and otherwise to improve the working of the same. During the ordinary
working of the puddling furnace, the plates at the bottom and sides of the hearth
are liable to become excessively heated, whereby an excessive consumption of
fettling" is entailed, and also the said plates deteriorate rapidly, and in some
cases the bottom of the hearth gives way in consequence of this excessive heat.
Hitherto it has been customary to leave an open space extending below the fire-
bars and the hearth bottom, the outer air being allowed free access to the said
bottom, but this formation, whilst not preventing the said excessive heating, has
exposed the operator to the sulphurous fumes from the fire-place. To remedy these
defects I shut-off the space below the hearth from the space below the grate, and I
enclose the first named space, and I inject air into it by means of a jet or of jets of
steam. I form air passages which communicate with pipes or flues through which
the air and steam escape from the furnace. In some or in all cases I may also
enclose the space below the grate, and employ high-pressure steam to inject the
supply of air for the fire into the space so enclosed, in order that I may more
effectually control the working of the furnace.
To the end that the following description of my Invention may be fully under-
stood, I have attached hereunto a Sheet of Drawings made to a scale of about one
inch to the foot, and marked with letters of reference. Referring to the said
Drawings, Fig. 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section, and Fig. 2, a sectional

page_text: plan of a puddling furnace constructed in accordance with my Invention. In the
said Figs. A is the space below the hearth, and B is the space below the fire bars.
The said spaces are separated by means of a wall c, and the space B is shut off
from the outer atmosphere by means of sliding doors d, or by means of any
suitable arrangement of doors which can be opened when required, in order
to give access to the fire or to the said space. The space A is entirely enclosed
by the wall c, and the two side walls and the back end wall of the furnace.
In order that access may be conveniently had to the space A, an opening
fitted with a door or with doors may be formed in one, or in more than
one, of the said walls if considered to be advisable. The hearth bottom c and
the supports therefor may be of any ordinary or suitable construction, but in the
said bottom or in the walls of the furnace are formed holes or passages which lead
upwards. In the example there are three such holes f, f', f, which are darkly
line-shaded in Fig. 2, and are supposed to be formed in the bottom plates. These
holes open into passages g, g', g³, which are seen in section in Fig. 1, and are
indicated by the lighter line shading or hatching in Fig. 2. These passages are
formed behind the jamb-plates h, which form the walls of the said passages on the
sides which are towards the hearth. The said passages communicate with flues i, i²,
which are formed in the brickwork in the hearth corners, and which lead upwards
through the furnace crown. In the example these flues are continued upwards by
means of metal exit pipes, k, but this is not absolutely necessary. Into the
space A a current of air is induced to flow through a pipe 7 by the action of a jet
of steam which is conveyed by means of a steam pipe m which is furnished with a
suitable tap or valve in order that the amount of air forced into the said space can
be readily regulated. The delivery end of the pipe is by preference bell-mouthed
as in the Drawing. The air issuing upwards comes into contact with the under-
side of the plates of the hearth bottom, and by abstracting heat therefrom has the
desired cooling effect upon the plates. As no other outlet for the air is provided
excepting the holes f, the air flows upwards through the said holes into the passages.
behind the jamb plates, the air passing through flowing through the passage g to
the exit flue i, thereby cooling the bridge to some extent. The air from the hole f¹
flows through the passage to the exit flue 2, and the air from the hole f
divides and flows through the passage g² in opposite directions to both of the exit
flues, as indicated by the arrows. It will be seen that the currents of air have
contact with all the jamb plates surrounding the hearth, and that as a consequence
the said plates are prevented from becoming heated to the same extent as in the
ordinary puddling furnace, whereby an economy in fitting and a great increase in
the durability of parts of the furnace are obtained. I will also be seen that as the
air issuing from the pipe has to flow in different directions towards the holes f
all parts of the hearth bottom which are exposed to its influence are subjected to
the cooling effect of the air. I do not confine myself to the number of the holes f,
nor of the exit flues i, nor to their positions, nor to the form of the pipe l, nor to
the forms of the jamb plates and passages so long as the air forced into the space A
and acting upon the hearth bottom plates shall flow upwards and through passages
behind the jamb plates to suitable exit openings, and if preferred air may be
conveyed from a blowing apparatus to the spaces A and B.
In some cases I have provided two separate exit flues for the passage g2, thus
providing four exit flues in the place of the two represented in the Drawings, and
in some cases I have provided other two exit flues above the holes fand f', so
that when desirable a portion of the air could escape without flowing through the
passages g, g, or the last named flues could be closed, as considered to be most
suitable.
The provision of a greater number of exit flues than two gives me a little greater
command over the working of the furnace, as the quantity of air flowing through
any single passage can be increased or diminished by restricting or increasing the
flow through certain of the exit flues, which may be fitted with dampers or be
closed or restricted by means of plates placed on the tops of the exit pipes k. The

page_text: inlet end of the pipe in the example is horizontal for convenience of representation,
and as being a simple arrangement, but in practice I have connected the said end
by means of a bend with a vertical pipe having the inlet a few feet above the
ground, the jet discharging the steam downwards into the pipo, as indicated by
Fig. 3.
This or any other suitable form and arrangement may be adopted if
preferred for any reason to the indication in the Drawings. Air to supply the fire
is forced in a similar manner into the space B through a pipe n, which is supplied
with a blast of steam, as in the case of the pipe 7.
The amount of cooling effect can be readily regulated by increasing or decreasing
the intensity of the steam blast which inducts air into the pipe l, and the intensity
of the fire can be governed in the same manner by regulating the intensity of the
blast into the pipe n, so that the operator can control the working of the furnace
irrespective of the state of the atmosphere or of other disturbing influences. If
preferred the air may be conveyed into the space A or the space b through moro than
one pipe, or may issue thereinto through more than one opening, and more than one
steam blast may be used to force air into either of the said spaces. By the term
"jamb-plates," as used herein, I include all the plates surrounding the hearth, such,
for example, as the so termed bridge plates, jamb plates, and wall plates.
Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which it is and may be carried into effect, I would have it to be
understood in conclusion that I claim,-
First. The puddling furnace and the arrangements in connection therewith,
substantially as set forth and indicated hereinbefore and in and by the accompanying
Drawings.
Secondly. Enclosing the spaces below the fire bars and below the hearth bottom,
and forcing air into such separated spaces, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth and indicated.
Thirdly. Conveying air which has been forced into the space below the hearth
through passages formed behind the "jamb-plates," substantially as and for the
purpose set forth and indicated.
Fourthly. The air holes f,f¹, and f, the air passages 9, g³, and g³ leading behind
the "jamb plates" to exit flues, substantially as and for the purpose set forth and
indicated.
And, Lastly. The pipe having an upward curving bell-mouthed delivery
directing air forced thereinto upwards towards the bottom plates, substantially as
set forth and indicated.
In witness whoreof, I, the said William Shepherd Williamson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty-one.
WILLIAM SHEPHERD WILLIAMSON. (L.S.)