Improvements in Furnaces and Appliances Connected therewith for Smelting, Puddling, Refining, Heating, or otherwise Treating Minerals. Metals and the like Substances
Year: 1885

page_text: Improvements in Furnaces and Appliances Connected therewith
for Smelting, Puddling, Refining, Heating, or otherwise
Treating Minerals. Metals and the like Substances Quoh
We LLEWELLYN ROBERTS, Moor Iron Works, Stockton on Tees, in the County
of Durham, Iron Works Manager, DAVID ROBERTS, of the Sheepbridge Iron
Works, near Chesterfield, in the County of Derby, Forge and Mill Manager, and
JAMES COLQUHOUN, also of the Sheepbridge Iron Works, near Chesterfield, in the
County of Derby, Iron Works Manager, do hereby declare the nature of our
Invention, for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES AND APPLIANCES CONNECTED THERE-
WITH, FOR SMELTING, PUDDLING, REFINING, HEATING OR OTHERWISE TREATING
MINERALS, METALS AND THE LIKE SUBSTANCES, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING
LIKEWISE APPLICABLE TO OTHER CLASSES OF FURNACES," to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists of an improved method of applying a steam or air jet or
jets, to, and in conjunction with a particular construction of Furnace, by the com-
bination of which, the supply of air required for combustion may be regulated and
likewise heated, before it enters the combustion chamber or fire grate of the
Furnace.
We are aware that the employment of a steam jet or jets, as an auxilliary to the
natural draught of a Furnace, is not novel, neither is there any novelty in the con-
struction of the Furnace we employ so far as its general plan or arrangement is
concerned, but it is in the position in which we place and use the steam or air jet,
or jets, as applied to Furnaces of this particular class and construction, which con-
stitutes the essential feature of our Invention.
The Furnace we employ is constructed with a closed fire grate and ash pit,
fitted with suitable doors or slides which can be opened when required for the
removal of ashes or clinkers, or for the adjustment of the grate bars, or ordinary
repairs of the Furnace; at all other times when the Furnace is working on our
improved method, these doors or slides are kept close shut.-The Furnace we
employ is also constructed with what is known in Iron Works phraseology, as a
"Hollow bottom," id est; The bottom or hearth is carried on bearers or supports,

page_text: so as to leave the underside open and uncovered, by this means a space or chamber
is formed under the bottom or hearth of the Furnace, extending from the fire grate
to the underside of the flue bridge, this space will hereinafter be referred to as the
Hot Air Chamber.
At or near the neck of the Furnace and immediately underneath the flue bridge
or near thereto, one or more air pipes may be forined or inserted horizontally or
otherwise through the brickwork into the hot air chamber. The outer ends of
such air pipes being bell mouthed or of other convenient form, and one or more
being placed on either or both sides of, or underneath the Flue.-The nozzle or
nozzles of the pipe or pipes which convey the steam or air to each of these air
pipes, is fixed a few inches outside and back from, rather than into the orifice, (as
is usually the practice where steam jets are employed as air injectors,) by thus
placing the steam or air jet or jets, some distance outside and from the orifices of the
air inlets to the hot air chamber, a larger and more diffused volume of air may be
injected into the Furnace.
The air thus injected in passing over the exposed surface of the under side of
the bottom or hearth, towards which it may be diverted, and also in passing over
the surfaces of the side walls and bottom of the hot air chamber, becomes heated,
and at the same time those parts of the Furnace with which the air comes in
contact, are cooled in a corresponding degree. The air thus injected and heated,
passes through the grate bars into the fire place or combustion chamber, and
part thereof may pass through suitable openings or ports, provided above the
grate-bars.
By closing the air inlets or by reducing the steam or air jets, the supply and
velocity of the air may be regulated according to the conditions under which the
Furnace may be required to work.
Some of the advantages to be obtained by the use of our improved method and
appliances are as follows:-
:-
(1.) An inferior class and quality of fuel may be used, likewise an economy in
the consumption of fuel.
(2.) More perfect combustion may be obtained and a consequent increase in
the heat and efficiency of the Furnace, especially when the Furnace is employed in
the production of steel.
(3.) A saving in fettling and a decreased wear and tear of the Furnace.
(4.) Existing Furnaces may be easily adapted to our method without entailing
great cost in alterations.
(5.) Furnaces having been so altered can in the event of accident or suspension
of the steam or air jets, be worked without the jets, and by simply opening the ash
pit doors or slides, the Furnace can be worked on the ordinary plan as though the
alteration had never been made.
Dated this 20th day of April 1885

page_text: Improvements in Furnaces and Appliances Connected therewith
for Smelting, Puddling, Refining, Heating, or otherwise
Treating Minerals, Metals, and the like Substances, such
Improvements being likewise Applicable to other Classes of
Furnaces.
We LLEWELLYN ROBERTS, Moor Iron Works, Stockton-on-Tees, in the County
of Durham, Iron Works Manager, DAVID ROBERTS, of the Sheepbridge Iron
Works, near Chesterfield, in the County of Derby, Forge and Mill Manager, and
JAMES COLQUHOUN, also of the Sheepbridge Iron Works, near Chesterfield, in the
County of Derby, Iron Works Manager, do hereby declare the nature of our
Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNACES AND APPLIANCES CONNECTED THERE-
WITH, FOR SMELTING, PUDDLING, REFINING, HEATING OR OTHERWISE TREATING
MINERALS METALS AND THE LIKE SUBSTANCES SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING LIKE-
WISE APPLICABLE TO OTHER CLASSES OF FURNACES," and in what manner the same
is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :―
Our Invention consists of an improved method of applying a steam or air jet or
jets to, and in conjunction with, a particular construction of Furnace, by the com-
bination of which the supply of air required for combustion may be regulated and
likewise heated before it enters the combustion chamber or fire grate of the
Furnace.
We are aware that the employment of a steam jet or jets as an auxilliary to the
natural draught of a Furnace is not novel, neither is there any novelty in the con-
struction of the Furnace we employ so far as its general plan or arrangement is
concerned, but it is in the position in which we place and use the steam or air jet
or jets as applied to Furnaces of this particular class and construction, which
constitutes the essential feature of our Invention.
The Furnace we employ is constructed with a closed fire grate and ash pit,
fitted with suitable doors or slides which can be opened when required for the
removal of ashes, or clinkers, or for the adjustment of the grate-bars, or ordinary
repairs of the Furnace, at all other times when the Furnace is working on our
improved method, these doors or slides are kept close shut-The Furnace we
employ is also constructed with what is known in Iron Works phraseology, as a
"Hollow bottom," id est; The bottom or hearth is carried on bearers or supports,
so as to leave the underside open and uncovered, by this means a space or chamber
is formed under the bottom or hearth of the Furnace, extending from the fire grate
to the underside of the flue bridge, this space will hereinafter be referred to as the
Hot Air Chamber.
At. or near the neck of the Furnace and immediately underneath the flue bridge
or near thereto, one or more air pipes may be formed or inserted horizontally or
otherwise through the brickwork into the hot air chamber. The outer ends of
such air pipes being bell mouthed or of other convenient form, and one or more
being placed on either or both sides of, or underneath the Flue.

page_text: The nozzle or nozzles of the pipe or pipes which convey the steam or air to each
of these air pipes, is or are fixed a few inches outside and back from, rather than
into the orifice (as is usually the practice where steam jets are employed as air
injectors) by thus placing the steam or air jet or jets some distance outside and
from the orifices of the air inlets to the hot. air chamber, a larger and more diffused
volume of air may be injected into the Furnace.
The air thus injected in passing over the exposed surface of the under side of
the bottom or hearth, towards which it may be directed, and also in passing over
the surfaces of the side walls and bottom of the hot air chamber, becomes heated,
and at the same time those parts of the Furnace with which the air comes in
contact are cooled in a corresponding degree. The air thus injected and heated,
passes through the grate bars into the fire place or combustion chamber, and
part thereof may pass through suitable openings or ports provided above the
grate bars.
By closing the air inlets, or by reducing the steam or air jets, the supply and
velocity of the air may be regulated according to the conditions under which the
Furnace, may be required to work.
Some of the advantages to be obtained by the use of our improved method and
appliances are as follows:-
(1). An inferior class and quality of fuel may be used, likewise an economy in
the consumption of fuel.
(2) More perfect combustion may be obtained and a consequent increase in the
heat and efficiency of the Furnace, especially when the Furnace is employed in the
production of steel.
(3) A saving in fettling and a decreased wear and tear of the Furnace:
(4) Existing Furnaces may be easily adapted to our method without entailing
great cost in alterations.
(5) Furnaces having been so altered can in the event of accident or suspension
of the steam or air jets be worked without the jets, and by simply opening the ash
pit doors or slides, the Furnace can be worked on the ordinary plan as though the
alteration had never been.made.
Although by preference we employ a "Hollow bottom" furnace that portion of
our Invention which relates to the position in which we place and use the steam or
air jet or jets is equalably applicable to other classes of furnaces by a slight altera-
tion in the furnace to which it should be applied, For example.
Certain existing classes of furnaces such as puddling and heating furnaces which
are not constructed with "Hollow Bottoms," like those herein previously described
may be adapted for the purpose, and fitted with the steam or air jets.
Such furnaces however would require air passages making through the brick-
work extending in a longitudinal' direction immediately under the bottom of the
furnace extending from the end at or near the neck Blue to the ash pit, such
passages being made either in brick work, or Iron pipes may be inserted or built in,
or, the trumpet mouthed pipes may be made long enough for this purpose, thus the
position of the steam or air jet or jets may be similarly placed to those on the
furnaces herein previously described.
As a modification our improved method of applying the steam or air jet or jets
may be carried out in combination with a furnace specially constructed and
adapted to the purpose.
The principal feature in the improved construction of the furnace would consist
in making the metal bottom with ribs extending in a longitudinal direction under-
neath the bottom so as to increase the heating surface, along which the air has to
pass, and at the same time dividing the currents of air on their passage to the fire
grate.
The distance between the under side of the metal bottom of such a furnace and
the bottom of the air chamber or air passage may be varied; the bottom of this
chamber may be covered with a metal plate or plates or otherwise.

page_text: As a further modification the metal bottom of the furnace instead of being maile
with ribs only as that last described, may be made cellular or tubulous.
The nature of my invention will be better understood on reference to the two
accompanying sheets of Drawings in which Sheet 1, is an illustration of our Inven-
tion as applied to a Puddling furnace, and Sheet 2 is an illustration of our
Invention as applied to an air furnace.
The same figures represent similar views of the Furnaces illustrated on each of
the Sheets of Drawings herein referred to, thus
Fig. 1, is a longitudinal sectional elevation.
Fig. 2, is a plan of the same also in section.
Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line A. B.
Fig. 4, is an end elevation looking at the fire grate end of the furnace and,
Fig. 5, is a longitudinal external elevation.
The same letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views on both
sheets of Drawings :
A, is the fire place or combustion chamber of the furnace.
B, is the Hearth.
C, is the neck flue.
D, is the chimney stack or flue.
E is the ash pit.
F is the hot air chamber under the hollow bottom.
:
G is the hollow Bottom.
H, H, are the bearers for the same.
I, I, are the grate Bars.
J, J, are. the sliding doors to close the ash pit.
K, K, are the bell mouthed air pipes.
L, L, are the nozzles or pipes for conveying the steam to the same.
M, is the flue bridge.
N, is the fire bridge of the furnace.
The small arrows indicate the direction of the air when supplied by a steam jet
placed as herein described and illustrated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
(1.) An improved method of applying a steam or air jet or jets, or steam and
air jet or jets combined and apparatus connected therewith in conjunction with a
particular construction of Furnace called a "Hollow bottom Furnace" by placing
at or near the neck of the said Furnace and immediately under the flue bridge or
near thereto, one or more air pipes or orifices in combination with a steam or air
jet or jets, in such a manner that the current of air injected into the furnace, passes
through a space under the bottom of the Furnace called the hot air chamber, by
which means it is heated on its way to the fire grate or combustion chamber, where
it is used for the purpose of combustion, substantially as herein set forth and
described in the accompanying Drawings.
(2.) An improved method of applying a steam or air jet or jets or steam and air
jet or jets combined and apparatus connected therewith in conjunction with certain
existing classes of furnaces other than those called "hollow bottom" furnaces by
placing at or near the neck of the said Furnace, and immediately under the flue bridge
or near thereto one or more air pipes or orifices in combination with a steam or air
jet or jets in such a manner that the current of air injected into the furnace may
pass through an air pipe passage or port or through air pipes, passages or ports
inserted or built in the brickwork under the bottom of the furnace so that it may
be to some degree heated on its way to the fire grate or combustion chamber where
it is used for the purpose of combustion substantially as herein described and set
forth in the accompanying Drawings.

page_text: (3.) Improvements in Furnaces and appliances connected therewith for Smelting
puddling Refining, Heating or otherwise treating minerals, metals, and the like
substances such improvements being likewise applicable to other classes of
Furnaces as set forth in claims 1 and 2 hereof and substantially as herein described
and illustrated.