IMPROVEMENTS " IN REGENERATIVE FURNACES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Spence of 8 Quality Court Chancery Lane in
the County of Middlesex Patent Agent for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
"
IN REGENERATIVE FURNACES communicated to him from abroad by
Gottfried Stumpf of Berlin in the Empire of Germany Engineer
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Spence at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th June 1883.
WILLIAM SPENCE of 8 Quality Court [Chancery Lane] in the County of
Middlesex Patent Agent "IMPROVEMENTS IN REGENERATIVE FURNACES "
(a com-
munication to me from abroad by Gottfried Stumpf of Berlin in the Empire of
Germany Engineer.)
In this invention there is a central vessel or receptacle for molten material
having at each end of it a receiving hearth on to which the material is fed such.
hearths being respectively separated from the central vessel by means of a bridge
over which alone the material can pass into such central vessel in a molten state.
The heated gases pass from the heat generator through suitable flues to the hearths
and the blast is supplied through main pipes and nozzles to or on to the hearths
thereby mixing with the heated gases and raising the temperature so as to increase
the effect produced on the material supplied to the hearths and causing it to
become molten and ready to pass over the bridge into the central vessel or
receptacle. The gas flues and the blast apparatus are arranged so as to admit of
the furnace being worked from either end alternately by the heated gases from the
generator being caused to pass through the said flues and over the central vessel
or receptacle to the hearth the blast pipes or nozzles being closed at the end
opposite to that at which the heated gases are admitted.
When the central vessel or receptacle is formed with hollow or double walls the
blast may be introduced into a space between the two walls thence passing
through small pipes into larger or main pipes by which arrangement the cold or
unheated blast of air by passing along the heated walls of the central vessel or
receptacle will become heated while at the same time it serves to cool the said

page_text: walls and such heated air may be either passed directly or through the intervention
of hot air flues and communicating pipes.
These hot air flues may be divided by a horizontal diaphragm into two chambers
into one of which the air from the walls of the central vessel or from the blower
will pass returning by the other chamber.
The arrangement of double walls is or may be also applied to the well of the
hearths and the bridges for the purpose of heating the blast and cooling the walls
but the walls may be cooled by other means
The heating gas is obtained from a generator of any known construction in
combination with which is used an apparatus for changing the course of the gases
as required. This apparatus is provided with U shaped connecting pipes capable-
of being raised lowered and turned so as alternately to connect the respective gas
flues as required the admission of gas to the flues also being regulated by means of
suitable valves
There is also an arrangement for introducing a further supply of oxygen directly
to the molten material in the central vessel or receptacle through pipes in com-
munication with the hot air conduits. Or superheated steam may be used for the
purpose instead of hot air.
This invention also includes a modification of the furnace for treating ores or
minerals in which the melting may be effected either by gas from a generator or by
a blast or blasts or by the direct flame of the reverberatory system.
The gas from the generator and the heated air to be mixed therewith are caused
to pass into a flue where they become intimately mixed by a blast of air injected
through nozzles thence acting on the mineral fed into the furnace either at the top
or through side apertures directly with concentrated heat and melting it or the
nozzles may be arranged so as to act directly upon the mixture of gas and air just
on its entering the hearth.
The molten material will pass over a bridge into a refining chamber where it
will be again subjected to the action of the gas from the generator and the
blast from the nozzles. There is another lower bridge over which the material
passes therefrom into a collecting chamber or this and the refining chamber may
be united.
The hoppers for admitting the mineral at the top of the furnace are covered at
the top by a lid and have at the bottom a hinged trap closed by a balance weight
such trap on being opened allowing the charge to drop into the furnace, the lid at
top being kept closed while the charge is being fed.
The waste gases are drawn off and utilized in any suitable manner. The wall
which separates the gas flue from the air flue may be cooled, by preference, by
constructing such wall with a channel through which a blast of cold air is passed
and which blast becoming heated is conveyed to the nozzles as a heated blast.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Spence in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th December 1883.
WILLIAM SPENCE of 8 Quality Court Chancery Lane in the County of
Middlesex Patent Agent "IMPROVEMENTS IN REGENERATIVE FURNACES" (a com-
munication to me from abroad by Gottfried Stumpf of Berlin in the Empire of
Germany Engineer)
In this Invention there is a central vessel or receptacle for molten material
having at each end of it a receiving hearth on to which the material is fed such
hearths being respectively separated from the central vessel by means of a bridge
over which alone the material can pass into such central vessel in a molten state
The heated gases pass from the heat generator through suitable flues to the hearths
and the blast is supplied through main pipes and nozzles or on to the hearths
thereby mixing with the heated gases and raising the temperature so as to increase
the effect produced on the material supplied to the hearths and causing it to become
molten and ready to pass over the bridge into the central vessel or receptacle
The gas flues and the blast apparatus are arranged so as to admit of the furnace
being worked from either end alternately by the heated gases from the generator
being caused to pass through the said flues and over the central vessel or receptacle
to the hearth the blast pipes or nozzles being closed at the end opposite to that at
which the heated gases are admitted
When the central vessel or receptacle is formed with hollow or double walls the
blast may be introduced into a space between the two walls thence passing through
small pipes into larger or main pipes by which arrangement the cold or unheated
blast of air by passing along the heated walls of the central vessel or receptacle
will become heated while at the same time it serves to cool the said walls and such
heated air may be either passed directly through the said main pipes to the hearths.
or through the intervention of hot air flues and communicating pipes.
These hot air flues may be divided by a horizontal diaphragm into two chambers
into one of which the air from the walls of the central vessel or from the blower
will pass returning by the other chamber.
The arrangement of double walls is or may be also applied to the well of the
hearths and the bridges for the purpose of heating the blast and cooling the walls
but the walls may be cooled by, other means.
The heating gas is obtained from a generator of any known construction in
combination with which is used an apparatus for changing the course of the gases
as required-This apparatus is provided with U shaped connecting pipes capable
of being raised lowered and turned so as alternately to connect the respective gas
flues as required, the admission of gas to the flues also being regulated by means
of suitable valves
There is also an arrangement for introducing a further supply of oxygen directly
to the molten material in the central vessel or receptacle through pipes in commu-
nication with the hot air conduits or superheated steam may be used for the
purpose instead of hot air
This invention also includes a modification of the furnace for treating ores or
minerals in which the melting may be effected either by gas from a generator or
by a blast or blasts by the direct flame of the reverberatory system,
The gas from the generator and the heated air to be mixed therewith are caused
to pass into a flue where they become intimately mixed by a blast of air injected
through nozzles thence acting on the mineral fed into the furnace either at tlie top

page_text: or through the side apertures directly with concentrated heat and melting it or
the nozzles may be arranged so as to act directly upon the mixture of gas and air
just on its entering the hearth.
The molten material will pass over a bridge into a refining chamber where it will
be again subjected to the action of the gas from the generator and the blast from
the nozzles There is another lower bridge over which the material passes there-
from into a collecting chamber or this and the refining chamber may be united.
The hoppers for admitting the mineral at the top of the furnace are covered at
the top by a lid and have at the bottom a hinged trap closed by a balance weight
such trap on being opened allowing the charge to drop into the furnace the lid at
top being kept closed while the charge is being fed.
The waste gases are drawn off and utilized in any suitable manner-The wall
which separates the Gas flue from the air flue may be cooled by preference, by
constructing such wall with a channel through which a blast of cold air is passed
and which blast becoming heated is conveyed to the nozzles as a heated blast.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention I will proceed to describe it
more particularly by the aid of the accompanying drawings in which are represented
the parts of apparatus above referred to
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings A A' are the flues through which the heated gas
from the generator alternately passes and enters into the hearth G-In the centre
of the furnace the main or collecting reservoir N is arranged consisting of one or
more metal cuvettes which may be portable or stationary under the vault-The
walls of the said cuvettes may be made either solid or hollow and the inside may
be lined or not with an insulating lining of basic stones or fire bricks Between
the hearth G and the reservoir N the bridges M are arranged and through the
vault above the hearth G suitable openings lead down for the purpose of feeding
the material to be melted-In the drawings the feeding funnels H are arranged to
lead upon an elevated stage above the hearth and the said funnels may be closed
by any suitable cover sliding door or other convenient means
In the vaults above the hearths G collecting pipes F or channels or flues are
arranged which serve to introduce into the hearth at convenient places compressed
air from a blower the said air being fed through adjustable slots or nozzles placed
in suitable openings of the vaults
By means of this arrangement the smelting-material may be fed through the
funnels F and from the stage to the hearth G without any addition of fuel and
upon the hearth it will be subject on every side, to the melting heat of the gas of
the generator, entering through the flue A and passing in the usual manner
below the vault of the hearth G above the latter and the cuvette N-Through the
collecting pipes Farranged in convenient places of the vault and through adjustable
slots or nozzles a blast of heated or unheated air is introduced and by its mixing
with the gas from the generator a strong stream of flame will be produced by
which the charge will be rapidly caused to melt down
The molten mass will pass over the bridge M in a thin couch and where it may
be desirable for instance with glass-furnaces another fresh blast of air may be
introduced in this place to mix with the flow of gas and thereby the glass will at
once be refined The gases which have not been burnt in the stream of flame will be
consumed in the state of reducing flame above the main or collecting reservoir N
where they serve to keep heated the molten mass to be worked from the cuvettes
thence the waste heat passes alternately through the flues A A' and connecting pipes
to the chimney-By this waste heat the walls of the flues through which it passes
become heated and on changing the feeding flue the said walls will give off the
waste heat in a manner to make it useful in aid of the melting process
Supposing the melting process to be working on the left side of the furnace the
gas from the generator passes through the flue A from the left to the right over the

page_text: cuvette and escapes through the flue A' the blast pipe or nozzles in this case will
be closed on the right hand side and no blast will enter through the flues F¹ into
the hearth G
On changing the direction of the gas the blast pipes F on the left hand will be
stopped in their turn
In case that cuvettes with hollow or double walls be used, the blast may be
introduced into the space between the two walls at B Fig 1 thence passing through
the pipes i or through any other convenient channels to the collecting pipes C-
By this arrangement the blast of unheated air passing along the heated walls of
the cuvette N will become heated while at the same time it will serve to cool the
said walls The heated air coming forth may then directly serve as a blast fed
through the collecting pipes C or it may first be conducted through the flues D
arranged between the gas and air flues A A¹ where it will be additionally heated
and thence be conducted through the pipes E to the blast pipes or nozzles F.
As indicated in Fig: 4 the hot air flues D may be divided by a horizontal
diaphragm into two flues into the lower one of which the air coming forth from
the hollow walls of the cuvette or from the blower enters for the purpose of being
heated returning through the upper division or vice versa
The same arrangement of hollow or double walls as applied to the cuvettes for
the purpose of heating the blast and of cooling the walls while passing between the
same may also be utilized in combination with the well of the hearth G and the
bridge M. By constructing the said well and bridge with double walls and leading
the blast through the hollow space between the same the same effect of heating
the blast and of cooling the walls will be obtained. But it is not necessary that
the well of the hearth G and the bridge M be cooled by the blast the cooling may
be effected by a flow of water or a current of steam or air as shewn in Fig: 1
(left hand) the water steam or air being conducted by suitable pipes and entering
through a perforated plate or sieve or rose heads as shewn on the right side of
Fig: 1
If the molten minerals or materials are to be refined the refining process may
be effected in a very simple and convenient manner by shutting off the blast for
a suitable length of time and heating only with gas and air from the flues
The heating gas is obtained from a generator of any known construction and
in combination with the said generator a changer is applied of which Fig: 5 is a
vertical section and Fig: 6 a plan g is the channel through which the gas passes
from the generator into the changer from which latter apparatus it is fed alter-
nately through one of the flues h h¹ up to the cuvette the waste gases being
exhausted through the flue i and escaping through either of the Blues H H¹ to
the chimney. The flues g h as also the flues i h₁ Figures 5. 6 opening into the
changer are brought into communication with each other by an arrangement of
U shaped pipes a a which are coupled and may be lifted or lowered as desired by
a convenient mechanism of levers or rollers chains and weights. The said pipes
are formed so as to rest upon the openings of the flues in communication and they
are luted with sand or water to avoid any escape of gas. The admission of gas
into the flues may be further varied as desired by means of throttle valves arranged
within the pipes.
If the direction of the gas from the generator is to be changed to the effect that
the flue g will communicate with h¹ and i with h the coupled pipes a are lifted
from the openings of the flues upon which they rested the vertical shaft w
commanding the said pipes is turned a quarter turn and then the pipes are lowered
again to rest upon the respective openings As the said U shaped pipes are cooled
by the surrounding free air they are sufficiently prevented from being injured by
the hot gas and they do not require another cooling agent
It has been found by experience that it will be advisable to introduce oxygen
into the nolten [sic] material in order to cause a more direct combination with the
same. For this purpose it is preferred to arrange pipes a a in communication

page_text: The
with the hot air conduits the said pipes immerging into the molten mass.
air enters through these pipes in a highly heated state and its contents of oxygen
will be intimately mixed with the material thereby promoting the process of
oxydation
It will be obvious that the said pipes will be so arranged as to be easily removed
from the cuvette in case that no blast is required
Instead of air superheated steam may be introduced through the same pipes
into the melting material the oxygen of the, steam in decomposing will act in the
same manner as with the air blast and the hydrogen may be otherwise made
useful. In the same manner steam may be usefully employed at convenience in
the melting chambers
It has been further found by way of experience that by introducing a certain
quantity of air with accelerated velocity through a number of small openings an
increased abstraction of warmth will be obtained
For this reason it is desired to reserve the right of introducing the air entering
through the outside wall through an increased number of nozzles
And finally it is desired to reserve the right of constructing and using melting
furnaces of the kind above described and an arrangement in combination with a
grating to allow the furnace to be worked at convenience at a reverberating
furnace as also the sole use of gas from the generators for working the devices as
described:
In Figures 8. 9. 10 and 11 are represented the parts of a melting furnace for
ores or minerals in which the melting may be effected either by the gas of a
generator or generators as indicated or by a blast or blasts or it may also be done
by the direct flame of the reverberatory system
In this furnace the hearth is arranged separately and the minerals are fed or
charged either through the funnels a leading from the top to a stage or through
lateral apertures b Fig: 10
From the said stage or aperture the minerals are fed to the hearth e where they
become molten by the direct action of the gas from the generator or by the
reverberatory flame and the blast
The gas from the generator and the heated air to be mixed with the gas may
be conducted in such a manner that both will be caused to enter into a flue f
where they will become intimately mixed by the blast of air from the nozzles g
thence streaming directly upon the mineral which will rapidly melt down
under the concentrated heat or the nozzles g may be arranged to act directly
upon the mixture of gas and air at the place where the said mixture is entering
the hearth
The molten materials will run over the bridge and enter into the refining
chamber d where they are once more subjected to the action of the gas from the
generator and the blast from the nozzles g
Another bridge i inferior in height to the bridge his arranged to allow the
molten materials to pass from the chamber d into the collecting chamber
In certain circumstances it may be preferable to unite the refining chamber d
and the collecting chamber into one. In this case the wall of the furnace
may have a tapping hole at i to run off the molteu materials which may be
conducted by a suitable channel to the mould or receptacle they are required
to fill.
Upon the funnels a hoppers may be arranged as shewn in Fig: 4. The upper
aperture of the said hoppers is provided with a cover or lid the lower opening is
closed by a trap or plate balanced by a counterweight. The inside room of the
hopper between the cover and the trap is required to contain the amount of the
next charge to be fed for melting. On lifting or removing the trap the charge
will fall through the funnel upon the hearth While the charge is thus being fed
the upper cover or lid of the hopper is kept closed to prevent the cold external
air from entering into the furnace and also to prevent the mixture of heating gas.

page_text: and air or the gas at the top of the furnace from being carried outside by the
blast
The hopper also serves to control the quantity of the charge
The waste gases developed in the upper couches of the charge may be drawn
off by suitable arrangements and in suitable places and be further utilized in any
suitable manner
The wall which separates the gas flue from the air flue may be cooled off
For this purpose it is preferred to construct the said wall so as to form a channel
and through the said channel a blast of cold air is passed from the blower. The
blast becomes heated by the hot wall of the gas flue and at the same time the
said wall becomes cooled the heated blast may then be conducted up to the
nozzles
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed (communicated to me from abroad as aforesaid I hereby
declare that what I claim as of the said Invention is :-
First: The general combination and arrangement of the parts represented in
Figures 1, 2, and 3 and described consisting of a central receptacle or vessel with
a hearth at each end on to which the material is fed such hearths being separated
from the central vessel by a bridge over which the material has to pass in a
molten state into the central vessel the material under operation being acted upon
by heated gases and a blast in order to raise the temperature and increase the
effect substantially in the manner described.
Secondly The arrangement of flues for the passage of heated gases from the
heat generator to the hearths and the combination therewith of pipes and nozzles
and apparatus for introducing the blast substantially as described :
Thirdly: The arrangement of the gas flues and blast apparatus so as to admit
of the furnace being worked from either end alternately in the manner substantially
as described.
Fourthly: The alaptation of the blast apparatus for its introduction into a
space between the double walls of the central vessel as and for the purpose or
purposes substantially as described.
:
Fifthly The combination of parts forming the heat generator represented in
Figures 5. 6, and 7 substantially as described.
And lastly: The modification of the furnace adapted for treating ores or minerals
either by gas from a generator or by a blast or blasts by the direct flame of
the reverberatory system as represented in Figures 8, 9, 10 and 11 and substantially
as described.
In witness whereof I the said William Spence have hereunto set my hand and
seal the sixth day of December in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and eighty three.
Witness
WH. SPENCE
8 Quality Court
Chancery Lane
WILLIAM SPENCE (L.s.)