IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR ANNEALING IRON AND STEEL WIRE
Year: 1880

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by William Hewitt at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 26th October 1880.
WILLIAM HEWITT, of the City of Trenton, State of New Jersey, and United
States of America, Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS AND PROCESS
FOR ANNEALING IRON AND STEEL WIRE."
The object of my Invention is to provide a non-oxidizing medium for charging
annealing pots, by utilizing waste hydrogen evolved and hitherto lost in the
process of cleaning iron and steel wire, plates, &c.
In the processes incident to the manufacture of iron and steel wire, plates, and
kindred articles, it is well known that they under certain circumstances become
coated with scales of oxide of iron, which scales are generally in practice removed
by immersing the wire or plates in an open bath of dilute sulphuric, muriatic, or
other acid, with the result that the acid permeates the scales of oxide of iron and
attacks the iron or steel bencath, whereby the iron or steel is oxidized at the expense
of the water of hydration, quantities of hydrogen gas are liberated, and sulphate
of iron formed.
Heretofore the hydrogen gas above mentioned has been allowed to escape and
become lost for all useful purposes.
In Figure 1 of the Drawings is shown a central view partly in section and partly
in elevation of my apparatus, in which A is a cleaning tub or vessel formed of such
proper material as to withstand the action of acids, such as are above mentioned,
and, in the present instance, of such size and form as to receive coils of wire for
treatment with acid.
This vessel is provided with a cover B hinged at such distance horizontally from
the egde of the tub as to allow the cover to be turned up and away from the tub
sufficiently far to permit the coils of wire to be freely placed in and removed from
the same.
To the front part of the cover B is attached a cord or chain C, which is passed
over a pulley located on the upper end of the standard D; to this cord or chain is
attached a weight E sufficient to counterpoise the weight of the cover and hold it
in any desired open position.
The cover B is provided with a flange or extension F which fits downwardly
within the tub and extends into the body of the acid within the same, thereby
forming an air and gas tight joint between the tub and its cover.

page_text: The cover is provided with two openings or cocks G, H, the former of which is
for the purpose of allowing of the escape of air from the tub at the beginning of
the cleaning process, and the latter is for the escape of hydrogen gas.
The cover may be secured in place on the tub by means of a latch or other
suitable device.
I is a gas conduit leading from the cock HI and opening into the gas reservoir J,
which latter is of the usual construction.
In the Drawings Figure 2 is a vertical sectional elevation of a furnace and an
annealing pot, permanently located therein.
In the Drawing A' is the brick-work of a square furnace, longitudinally
throughout which runs a pier B¹ upon which rests a saucer C¹. D' is an annular
and conical space inclosed by the brick work A', and E', E', are the grates on
either side of the pier on which the fires are made.
F is a crown plate capping the brick work of the furnace, having a central
circular opening O, and provided with a circular seat in which the furnace cover G¹
rests, and is, when desired, made tight by luting.
The inner edge of the opening O forms a guard-ring to the brick work.
The saucer C is centrally perforated with an opening H¹ to which communication
is had with the fires by means of a flue I' traversing the pier and communicating
with the grates on either side.
L is a side draft flue opening in the manner shown through the backwall of
the furnace from the conical space thereof, said flue being provided with a damper M
to be opened only when the furnace is being charged and unloaded.
This flue serves to draw the flame away from contact with those employed in
manipulating the pots.
N is the top flue or ordinary exit for the gases of combustion which connects
with any suitable stack.
Z is the annealing pot provided with a cover K which rests upon the end of the
pot, and is held in proper position thereon by means of the annular ledge P.
When in operation the cover is hermetically secured in place on the pot by luting
or other suitable means.
Qis an orifice through the bottom of an annealing pot, to which is connected a
gas conduit R leading from the gas reservoir J; this conduit is provided with a
stop cock S.
The cover K is provided with an orifice T for the escape of atmospheric air from
the pot during the charging of the same with hydrogen gas by means of the
conduit R; this orifice after the pot has been charged with hydrogen and prior to
the annealing process is closed with fire clay luting, or in in any suitable manner.
It is thus seen that a non oxidizable medium is provided within the annealing
pots, and the hitherto waste hydrogen gas evolved in the process of cleaning wire
and such articles is utilized.
Having thus described my Invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters
Patent,
The mode of utilizing waste hydrogen gas generated in iron and steel cleaning
and like processes, which consists in collecting the same and charging annealing
pots therewith to provide a non oxidizing medium for annealing wire and kindred
articles, substantially as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Hewitt, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Second day of October, A. D. 1880.
WTTTTAN HEWITÄVA