IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COKE AND CHARCOAL TIN BARS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO FURNACES FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Davis, of Beaufort Tin Plate Works, Swansea,
in the County of Glamorgan, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FURNACES EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COKE AND CHARCOAL TIN
BARS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO FURNACES FOR OTHER
PURPOSES."
Sealed the 13th October 1877, and dated the 12th May 1877:
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Davis at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th May 1877.
DAVID DAVIS, of Beaufort Tin Plate Works, Swansea, in the County of
Glamorgan. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
COKE AND CHARCOAL TIN BARS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO
FURNACES FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
These improvements consist in substituting for the old fashioned "hollow fire" a
furnace to consume anthracite coal in lieu of coke, as used at present in the "hollow
fire."
The fire-grate or chamber of this furnace I make perfectly air-tight, provision
being made by means of suitable doors for cleaning the grate bars when necessary,
and blast is introduced into this grate.
The hammermen's staffs would be placed in at the side of the furnace through
suitable apertures, as in the present" hollow fires."
This furnace is fitted with a cast-iron bottom, whereby all the slag and iron
dropping from the iron whilst in a state of fusion would be saved, and then tapped
out, making a most superior fettling for puddling furnaces. A jet of steam is
introduced into the neck of the furnace to assist the blast. The waste heat from
the furnace can be utilised by attaching a boiler to the same.
The above improvements are also applicable to the balling furnace at present
in use.
By my Invention I obtain economy in fuel, consequent on the substitution of
anthracite coal for coke, also economy in wear and tear, as the duration of my
improved furnace is much greater than that of the "hollow fires" now in use, and
considerable saving in labour, as fewer men can perform the work now done by a
larger number.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said David Davis in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th November
1877.
DAVID DAVIS, of Beaufort Tin Plate Works, Swansea, in the County of
Glamorgan. " IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
COKE AND CHARCOAL TIN BARS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO
FURNACES FOR OTHER PURPOSES.".
These improvements consist in substituting for the old fashioned "hollow fire" a
furnace to consume anthracite or bituminous coal in lieu of coke, as used at present
in the "hollow fire."
The fire-grate or chamber of this furnace I make perfectly air-tight, provision
being made by means of suitable doors for cleaning the grate bars when necessary;
and blast is introduced into this grate.
The hammermen's staffs would be placed in at the side of the furnace, through
suitable apertures, as in the present "hollow fires."
This furnace is fitted with a cast-iron bottom, whereby all the slag and iron
dropping from the iron whilst in a state of fusion would be saved, and then tapped
out, making a most superior fettling for puddling furnaces. A jet of steam is
introduced into the neck of the furnace to assist the blast. The waste heat from
the furnace can be utilized by attaching a boiler to the same.
And in order that my said Invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawings, more fully
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a furnace constructed with my improvements
applied thereto; Figure 2 is a sectional plan on the line A, B, of Figure 1; Figure 3
is a longitudinal section on the line C, D, of Figure 2; and Figure 4 is an end
view.
.
a is the fire-grate or chamber of my improved furnace, which I make perfectly
air-tight; b, b, are doors, by means of which provision is made for cleaning the
grate bars when necessary; and c, c, are blast pipes, by means of which blast is
introduced into the grate when necessary; d is another blast pipe, extending from
the boiler and running up the side of furnace, and extending over roof, and pro-
vided with two branch pipes or nozzles d' running through the top of furnace.
This pipe d is to convey blast, in order to aid combustion of the gases on entering
the body of the furnace. A small cock d² is attached to each of the nozzles to.
enable the hammermen to control the heat. The blast pipe & has also suitable
connections, so that when desired steam can be used from the boiler, or blast from
the main blast pipe of works. e, e, are air-tight doors enclosing the ash-pit, and by
means of which the ash-pit can be cleaned out when necessary; a', a¹, are the stoke-
holes, and fis the fire bridge, which is made hollow, and is provided with a box f¹,
by which the same is prevented from becoming unduly heated; g is the body of
the furnace, and g' is the furnace bottom, which is formed of cast-iron, and is raised
somewhat higher at the centre than at the two sides, by which means all the slag
and iron dropping from the iron whilst in a state of fusion would be saved, and then
tapped out through the tapping holes g², making a most superior fettling for
puddling furnaces.
Doors will be applied to the stoke-holes, as shown, only when anthracite coal
is used.
A jet of steam is introduced into the neck of furnace to assist the blast.
93, 9, are apertures in the side of the furnace, through which the hammermen's
staffs are placed, and g, g, are doors by which the opening through such apertures
may be closed when required; g³, g³, are the furnace fore plates; go, go, are stoves

page_text: for annealing the stamps; g7, g', are the stove fore plates; and h is a box for cooling
sides of furnace.
The waste heat from the furnace can be utilized by attaching a boiler i to the
same, and causing the products of combustion to pass through the boiler, as shown
in the Drawings, in which I have represented the inner tube of boiler as lined with
fire-brick or other material to protect the same. The space under the body of the
furnace is left open for the circulation of cold air, and a stream of water is directed
under the same to keep the bottom of the furnace cool.
The above-described improvements are also applicable to the balling furnace.
suitable modifications being made, as will be well understood.
If desired, other numbers of apertures can be made in the sides of the furnace,
and the position thereof somewhat varied from those shown in the Drawings.
By the use of a furnace constructed according to my Invention, I obtain economy
in fuel consequent on the substitution of anthracite or bituminous coal for coke,
also economy in wear and tear, as the duration of any improved furnace is much
greater than that of the "hollow fires" now in use.
The slag and refuse obtained from this furnace are very valuable, as they contain
a great per-centage of iron, whereas in the present "hollow fires" the slag, pieces of
worn bricks, and other refuse are got out in one solid mass, and although of no value
necessitate a considerable expense in removal. "Morsels" were obtained also from
old fires, but were of very little value. A considerable saving in labour is also
obtained by the use of my improved furnace, as fewer men can perform the work
hitherto requiring a larger number.
The above-described improvements are also applicable to the balling furnace at
present in use.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the mode in
which I carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim
is the peculiar coustruction of furnace to consume anthracite or bituminous coal in
lieu of coke, consisting of an air-tight fire-grate, provided with blast and an iron
bottom, and suitable tapping holes to the furnace, substantially as and for the
purpose herein shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Davis, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
DAVID DAVIS. (L.S.)