IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Richard Smyth, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL."
LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Richard Smyth, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL."
Sealed the 25th June 1878, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, and
dated the 19th December 1877
Sealed the 25th June 1878, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, and
dated the 19th December 1877
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Richard Smyth at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th December 1877.
SAMUEL RICHARD SMYTH, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Civil
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND
STEEL."
This Invention relates to further improvements in the construction of the metal
receiver described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to Samuel Richard
Smyth and Joseph Simpson, No. 3840, dated the 7th of November 1874, and in
the construction of the improved metal receiver described in the Specification of
Letters Patent granted to the said Samuel Richard Smyth, No. 1767, dated the
7th of May 1877.
The present further improvements relate to the construction of the metal receiver
by substituting for the domed top a hood of iron lined with refractory material,
which is bolted or otherwise fastened to the receiver, and is furnished with a blow-
off outlet with relief valve.
With reference to the chambers employed to receive and distribute the chemical
agents I alter their position from the side of the receiver to a position nearer to the
domed top, as close to the hood as the chambers can be practically placed, and make
the necessary alterations in the position and deflection of the channels constructed
through the refractory lining.
Chambers of a semicircular or semi-oval form may be in some instances usefully
substituted for chambers of the rectangular form. These chambers may in con-

page_text: struction be continued round the receiver so as to form a belt from front to front
thereof, with channels at intervals throughout the entire length for conveying and
distributing the chemical agents introduced into the molten metal. These openings
may be a series of small orifices made through the refractory material, the size of
which will be determined by the quantity of air and chemical agents necessary to
be admitted and the amount of pressure. I sometimes employ as a substitute
for the channels a continuous opening through the refractory material, co-
extensive with the chambers, so as to introduce the blast and agents in a sheet
of given thickness instead of in columnar sections. The angle of these openings
may be made to suit the pressure of the blast desired to be applied.
I furnish the improved metal receiver with an additional number of slagging
holes, so that the slag may be removed at any period of the treatment of the metal.
I also employ instead of an oblong receiver a receiver in a cylindrical form, with
a domed or with a hooded top, and with chambers formed as above described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Samuel Richard Smyth in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 25th June 1878.
SAMUEL RICHARD SMYTH, of Manchester, in the County Palatine of Lancaster,
Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON
AND STEEL."
My present improvements are founded on those described in the Specification to
the Letters Patent granted to me and Joseph Simpson, No. 3840, and dated the
Seventh November, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, and to the
Letters Patent granted to me, and numbered 1767, dated the Seventh May One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven, and refer to the construction of the metal
receiver described in the above Specification of the said Letters Patent, No. 3840,
in the year of our Lord 1874, and of the improved metal receiver described in the
Specification of the said Letters Patent, No. 1767, in the year of our Lord
1877.
The construction of the metal receiver is described in the Specification to the
said Letters Patent, No. 3840, in the year of our Lord 1874, by reference more
particularly to Drawing No. 3 referred to in the said Specification, and the con-
struction of the improved metal receiver is described in the Specification of the said
Letters Patent, No. 1767, in the year of our Lord 1877, by reference more par-
ticularly to Drawing No. 1 referred to in the said Specification.
The further improvements in the construction of the metal receiver relate to the
substitution of a hood or cap made of iron plates for the domed top. This hood or
cap is lined with suitable refractory material, and is bolted or otherwise fastened
hermetically to the receiver. This hood is furnished with a blow-off outlet for
waste gases, on to which is fixed a pressure relief valve or weighted lever. The
blast or volume of flame discharged through such outlet must be directed so as to

page_text: insure to the operator the means of correctly viewing the colours of such flame,
which act as a guide to him in ascertaining the condition of the molten metal under
treatment. The advantage of this alteration is that the amount of waste is
diminished owing to the mechanical resistance afforded by the roof of the hood to
the particles of metal which are driven by the force of the blast in the direction of
the outlet, and which instead of escaping through the aperture fixed immediately
above the metal are caught by the hood and thrown back into the receiver.
The orifices or channels leading to the interior of the receiver through the
refractory material from the chambers which convey the chemical compounds from
the apparatus described in the Specification to the said Letters Patent, No. 1767
of 1877, are placed in such a position as to direct the saturated blast passing
through the same out into the body of the metal. The position and height of the
chambers may be arranged to suit the depth of the metal under treatment in the
receiver. The chambers may also be placed at such height that the orifices or
channels will reach only to the surface of the metal in the metal receiver, but I
should only employ this method when air is alone introduced.
Chambers of a semicircular or semi-oval form may in some instances be usefully
substituted for chambers of a rectangular form. The chambers may if desired be
constructed round the metal receiver so as to form a belt from front to front thereof,
with channels at intervals throughout the entire length of the chambers; and I
sometimes employ as a substitute for the channels a series of continuous openings
through the refractory material co-extensive with the chambers so as to introduce
the saturated blast in sheets of given thickness instead of in columns. The angle
and size of these openings may be made to suit the pressure of the blast desired to
be applied.
By the adoption of the improved arrangements described herein my improved
metal receiver may be constructed so as to suit either high or low pressure
operations.
In order to obtain a greater depth of metal in the receiver without increasing
the quantity I alter the internal shape of the bottom of the receiver, which is now
somewhat flat, by making it narrower and more semicircular in form, and this I
do by increasing the thickness of the brickwork and refractory material at the
bottom of it.
I can also increase the number of slagging holes with which the metal receiver is
furnished, and these may or may not be placed at different levels, as may be
desired.
I can use all or any one or more of the improvements in connection with the
metal receiver described in the Specification of the said Letters Patent, No. 3840 of
1874, or in connection with the improved metal receiver described in the Speci-
fication of the said Letters Patent, No. 1767 of 1877.
For the more correct and better understanding of the above improvements I
will now proceed to describe the same by means of the Drawings which are
annexed to this Specification.
In Drawing No. 1 Figure 1 is an elevation with the box part in section, and
Figure 2 is a transverse section of the metal receiver, which may be made in two
parts, the hood being so constructed that it may be removed for lining or repairing.
In these Figures (H) is the hood; (A), the outlet for waste gases with the
pressure relief valve and weighted lever; (B) are the chambers or receptacles for
receiving and discharging the blast; (G) are the descending channels, through
which the impregnated blast passes; (R) is the refractory material.
Having now described the nature of my improvements I desire it to be understood
that I claim,
(1.) The construction of the improved metal receiver, substantially as described
herein, and by reference to the Drawing hereto annexed.
(2.) The employment of all or any one or more of the improvements described in
connection with the metal receiver, as described in the Specification to the said
Letters Patent, No. 3840, in the year of our Lord 1874, and in connection with

page_text: the improved metal receiver, as described in the Specification to the said Letters
Patent, No. 1767, in the year of our Lord 1877.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Richard Smyth, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
SAMUEL RICHARD SMYTH. (L.S.)