IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PIG IRON, AND IN FURNACES, AND APPARATUS USED THEREIN
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF PIG IRON, AND IN FURNACES, AND APPARATUS USED
THEREIN.' A communication from abroad by Charles Himrod, of Youngstown,
in the County of Mahoning, State of Ohio, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th March 1876.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Midde-
sex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PIG IRON, AND IN
FURNACES, AND APPARATUS USED THEREIN."
"
This Invention relates to such improvements in blast furnaces, and the manufac-
ture of pig iron, that by charging the ore and fuel in separate compartments to the
furnace a more perfect and economical reduction of the ore is produced, as the
carbonic oxyd is converted into carbonic acid in the ore compartments, and its
reconversion into carbonic oxyd prevented.
The Invention consists in constructing the furnace with a series of charging com-
partments or tubes through which the fuel and ore are supplied to the shaft of the
furnace so arranged that the gas generated in the furnace can be forced through or
be prevented from passing through any one or more of them as desired.
The furnace, which is of the usual approved dimensions and general construction,
has its shaft built to some distance from the belly or widest part of the furnace
with dividing cross walls and partitions resting on arches spanning across the shaft
of the furnace. The cross walls and partitions form compartments, which may
however be also formed by arranging the shaft with a series of tubes entering the
mouth of the furnace.
The object of the compartiments and tubes is the same, namely, to convey the
charging material in separate bodies to the lower part of the furnace. The fuel and
ore are charged into separate compartments, which may alternate with each other
or not as desired, the compartments or tubes containing the ore being connected by
radial flues with a connecting top flue, and by downward descending tubes with
other parts of the furnace buildings, for the purpose of conveying the escaping gas
to the place of utilization in the usual and known manner.
Din 11

page_text: The separate charging of the fuel and ore in the compartments or tubes, and
the connection of the ore chambers with flues that may be partially opened and
closed admits the forcing of the combustible carbonic oxyd gas through one or more
ore compartments in greater or lesser quantity, according to the nature of the ore
to be reduced. The supply of carbonic oxyd gas may thereby be fully regulated,
and the ore partially or wholly reduced without the presence of fuel by the com-
bustion of the carbonic oxyd gas, and the prevention of the reconversion of the
same into carbonic oxyd, which effects a considerable saving in the use of fuel.
The charges of fuel and ore are introduced into the compartments or tubes in
regulated quantities by a bucket with hinged bottom drop door that is operated by
a windlass and chain at the top part of the furnace. The fuel and ore are thereby
supplied to the compartments, and from the same to the shaft in uniform proportion,
to be there exposed under the most favorable circumstances, producing the complete
reduction of the ore, and accelerating the working of the blast furnace, and the
advantageous manufacture of iron.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th August 1876.
"
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middle-
sex, Patent Agent. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PIG IRON, AND IN
FURNACES, AND APPARATUS USED THEREIN." A communication from abroad by
Charles Himrod, of Youngstown, in the County of Mahoning, State of Ohio, United
States of America.
This Invention relates to such improvements in blast furnaces, and the manufac-
ture of pig iron that by charging the ore and fuel in separate compartments to the
furnace a more perfect and economical reduction of the ore is produced, as the car-
bonic oxyd is converted into carbonic acid in the ore compartments, and its
reconversion into carbonic oxyd prevented.
The Invention consists in constructing the furnace with a series of charging com-
partments or tubes through which the fuel and ore are supplied to the shaft of the
furnace, so arranged that the gas generated in the furnace can be forced through or
be prevented from passing through any one or more of them as desired.
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 represents a vertical central section of
the improved blast furnace on line c, c, Figures 2; Figure 2 is a top view of the
same; Figures 3 and 4 are a central section and top view of a modified form of the
same; Figure 5 is a section of the upper part of the furnace, showing bucket to
charge the same.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different Figures.
In the Drawing A represents a blast furnace of the usual approved dimensions
and general construction, whose shaft is built to some distance from the belly or
widest part of the furnace with dividing cross walls and partitions B, resting on
arches spanning across the shaft of the furnace. The cross walls and partitions B
form compartments C, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, which may however be also
formed by arranging the shaft with a series of tubes C entering the mouth of the
furnace, as shown in Figures 3 and 4.
The object of the compartments and tubes is the same, namely, to convey the
charging material in separate bodies to the lower part of the furnace. The fuel and
ore are charged into separate compartments, which may alternate with each other
or not as desired, the compartments or tubes containing the ore being connected by
radial flues with a connecting top flue D, and by downward descending tubes with
other parts of the furnace buildings for the purpose of conveying the escaping gas
to the place of utilization in the usual and known manner.

page_text: The separate charging of the fuel and ore in the compartments or tubes, and the
connection of the ore chambers with flues that may be partially opened and closed,
admits the forcing of the combustible carbonic oxyd gas through one or more ore
compartments in greater or lesser quantity, according to the nature of the ore to be
reduced. The supply of carbonic oxyd gas may thereby be fully regulated, and
the ore partially or wholly reduced without the presence of fuel by the combustion
of the carbonic oxyd gas, and the prevention of the reconversion of the same into
carbonic oxyd, which effects a considerable saving in the use of fuel.
The charges of fuel and ore are introduced into the compartments or tubes in
regulated quantities by a bucket D¹ with hinged bottom drop door that is operated
by a windlass and chain at the top part of the furnace, as shown in Figure 5. The
fuel and ore are thereby supplied to the compartments, and from the same to the
shaft in uniformn proportion, to be there exposed under the most favorable circum-
stances, producing the complete reduction of the ore, and accelerating the working
of the blast furnace, and the advantageous manufacture of iron.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. The process of manufacturing pig iron by charging the ore and fuel in com-
partments to the furnace, and forcing the carbonic oxyd gas through one or more
compartments while wholly or partially preventing its escape through one or more
compartments, or by passing it alternately through the same, substantially in the
manner and for the purpose set forth.
2nd. A charging bucket for uniformly charging the compartment furnace, having
a hinged drop bottom opened and closed by suitable mechanism, substantially as
described.
3rd. A blast furnace provided with a series of compartments or tubes for charging
the fuel and ores in separate bodies and producing a partial or complete reduction
of the ore while not in the presence of the fuel, substantially as set forth.
4th. The combination of the ore compartments or tubes with a connecting regu-
lating top flue, and conveying tubes to draw the carbonic oxyd gas through the orc
compartments, and convey the carbonic acid gas for utilization, substantially as
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)