IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON, STEEL-IRON, AND STEEL FROM CERTAIN WASTE PRODUCTS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN SUCH MANUFACTURE, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE REMELTING OF LARGE LUMPS OF IRON OR STEEL
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Hinton, of Oldbury, in the County of
Worcester, Furnaceman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF IRON, STEEL-IRON, AND STEEL FROM CERTAIN WASTE
PRODUCTS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN SUCH
MANUFACTURE, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE REMELTING
OF LARGE LUMPS OF IRON OR STEEL."
Sealed the 23rd April 1861, and dated the 3rd November 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Hinton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 3rd
November 1860.
I, GEORGE HINTON, of Oldbury, in the County of Worcester, Furnace-
5 man, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON, STEEL-IRON, AND STEEL FROM CERTAIN WASTE
PRODUCTS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN SUCH MANU-
FACTURE, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE REMELTING OF LARGE
LUMPS OF IRON OR STEEL," to be as follows, that is to say:-
My Invention consists, firstly, in manufacturing iron, steel-iron, and steel
from the "bears" or waste lumps thrown out from the blast furnaces, and in
the furnaces to be employed in remelting such lumps, which furnaces are also
applicable to the remelting of large lumps or masses of iron or steel. I con-
struct my furnace of fire-brick cased with iron plates, if necessary, and in the
; centre of this furnace I form a hearth of stone, by preference using a block of

page_text: Gornal stone of about two feet six inches
protected by a coating of composition formed of boulders burnt in a kiln, and
then ground up with fire-clay, so that the base of the hearth extends to a width
the hoops and also the stone block. Upon this hearth the bear or lump to be 5
of about seven feet, and forms a pyramidal hearth; this composition protects
melted is raised. I employ a single belt with two rows of tuyeres, one row of
» under the "bear," and the other down upon the top of it; this
effects the melting of the bear, from which a very large per-centage of pure
metal is obtained, which metal is readily convertible into steel-iron or steel by
which blows
up
any of the ordinary processes.
Large masses of iron which have hitherto required to be broken up can by
the use of this furnace be remelted without breaking.
Secondly, my improvements consist in the construction of an air furnace,
capable of producing three different kinds of iron at one and the same time.
This I effect by employing three separate charging doors, one immediately
under the chimney stack, one in the ordinary body of the furnace, and one
between the body of the furnace and the fire-grates; thus one fire feeds three
separate charges in one furnace. In the blast furnaces I use coke, and in
the air furnace coal.
The bears or lumps before named may be melted in an air furnace of the
description above named, by employing in the body of the furnace a charging
door of sufficient capacity.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Hinton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd May 1861.
2009 I
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HINTON, of Oldbury, in the County of Worcester, Furnaceman, send
greeting.
2
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George Hinton, Her special license that I, the said George Hinton,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Hinton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during

page_text: 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 THE
MANUFACTURE OF IRON, STEEL-IRON, AND STEEL FROM CERTAIN WASTE PRODUCTS,
5 AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN SUCH MANUFACTURE,
WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE REMELTING OF LARGE LUMPS
or IRON OR STEEL," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George
Hinton, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
10 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 George Hinton, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
5 formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
My Invention consists, firstly, in manufacturing iron, steel-iron, and steel
from the "bears" or waste lumps thrown out from the blast furnaces; and
0 secondly, in the furnaces to be employed in remelting such lumps, which
furnaces are also applicable to the remelting of large lumps or masses of iron
or steel. I construct my furnace of fire-brick (cased with iron plates if neces-
sary), and in the centre of this furnace I form a hearth of stone, by preference
using a block of Gornal stone, of about two feet six inches in diameter, hooped
5 with iron, and protected by a coating of composition formed of boulders burnt
in a kiln, and then ground up with fire-clay, so that the base of the hearth
extends to a width of about seven feet, and forms a pyramidal hearth; this
composition protects the hoops and also the stone block. Upon this hearth
the "bear" or lump to be melted is raised. I employ a single belt with two
0 rows of tuyeres, one row of which blows up under the "bear," and the other
upon the top of it. This effects the melting of the "bear," from which
a very large per-centage of pure metal is obtained, which metal is readily
convertible into steel-iron or steel by any of the ordinary processes.
down
Large masses of iron which have hitherto required to be broken up can by
5 the use of this furnace be remelted without breaking.
In the second part of my Provisional Specification I have included certai
improvements in the construction of air furnaces, which, by experience, I fin
to be impracticable; I have therefore omitted all further description of suc
air furnaces in this my Final Specification.

page_text: I will now proceed to describe more in detam
facturing iron, steel-iron, and steel from the "bears
99
or waste lumps formed
in blast furnaces. These lumps consist for the most part of pure metal
solidifying into an almost impenetrable mass, often of many tons weight, and
settling at the bottom of a blast furnace. As they attain a large size the 5
capacity of the furnace becomes reduced, and it is requisite to get out the
"bear," as it is technically termed, an operation attended with considerable
expense, and unproductive of any beneficial result, save in the clearing of the
furnace, as from the intractable nature of these large masses of metal their
remelting
extreme hardness and great weight, most attempts at reducing or
them have failed, and they are now usually buried in the earth, and much
valuable material thus wasted.
The annexed Drawings represent one of my improved furnaces for remelting
these "bears" or other large masses of metal that it may be desirable to reduce
without the labour of breaking.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the furnace; Figure 2, a side elevation;
and Figure 3 a plan, taken upon a line passing through the upper row of
tuyeres.
Referring to Figures (1 and 2), X is an outer casing of iron, having a
double air belt or chamber (y) furnished with a double row of tuyeres attached
to it; this casing entirely incloses the fire-brick walls (w) of the furnace;
(j) is the hearth upon which the "bear" or lump to be melted is to be placed.
This hearth, as before stated, consists of a block of Gornal or sandstone
hooped round with iron bands (i, i,) which, together with the stone, are
protected from the action of the fire by a coating of composition (k, k,) formed
of boulders, burnt pebbles or flintstones ground to powder, and mixed with
fire-clay to a proper consistency for use. This composition I also find useful
for lining my furnace. (a) is a pipe supplying air from the fan or blast
cylinder to the lower row of tuyeres (b, b,) the air passing from the pipe (a)
into the hollow belt or annular chamber (c), and thence to the tuyeres (b);
(d) is a second air pipe from the fan or blast cylinder supplying air to the
upper row of tuyeres (e), the blast being first received into the annular
chamber or belt (f), and thence distributed through the tuyeres (e). The
tuyeres (e) are laid horizontally, whilst the lower ones (6) are inclined
slightly downwards, as shewn. The supply of air to this furnace from the fan
or blast cylinder may be regulated or suspended by means of valves, as shewn
at (g and h), so that the blast may be moderated or entirely cut off from either
or both rows of tuyeres.

page_text: This description of furnace may be made either stationary or portable.
When of the latter construction the fire-brick lining may be carried upon
flanges
fixed to the outer casing, the blast in either case being supplied through
a belt fixed in any suitable position, which belt may have any requisite number
5 of horizontal divisions and rows of tuyeres, with sufficient supply pipes from
the mains conducting the blast from the fan or cylinder. The "bear" or
lump having been thoroughly melted the metal is run from the furnace at
suitable "tapping holes" in any desirable position at the lower part of the
be afterwards treated for steel-iron or steel, by any ordinary
furnace, and may
if it be desired to manufacture such classes of metal.
0 process,
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner
of carrying the same into effect, I do not confine myself to the precise details
herein exhibited, as the same will admit of considerable variation without
departing from the spirit of my Invention; but that which I claim and
5 desire to have secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is-
Firstly, the improvements described in the manufacture of iron, steel-iron,
and steel from the "bears" or waste lumps formed in blast furnaces.
Secondly, I claim the furnace or apparatus herein described and illustrated,
with a belt having one or more horizontal divisions, or any mere modification
of the same involving equivalent pneumatic, chemical, and mechanical
appliances, for the purpose of remelting or reducing the said "bears" or waste
lumps from blast furnaces, which furnace or apparatus is also applicable to the
remelting of other large masses of metal.
And, thirdly, I claim the composition of ground calcined boulders, pebbles,
or flint stones mixed with fire-clay, for coating or lining the parts of such
furnaces exposed to the action of the fire, in manner herein more fully set forth
and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Hinton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
GEORGE HINTON. (L.S.)