IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF STEEL INGOTS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, JOHN GJERS, of Middlesbrough-on-Tees in the County of York, Ironmaster,
do hereby declare the nature of said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR
APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF STEEL INGOTS" and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement
The present invention relates to further developments of the mode or process of
treating steel ingots in soaking pits for which I obtained Letters patent under date
the 7th day of March 1882 N° 1089.
As is well known, the invention forming the subject of that patent is usually
carried out in practice in the following manner.
The ingot as soon as it is stripped is with the least possible delay placed upright
within a previously heated upright "soaking" pit which is constructed of a cross
section only slightly larger than that of the ingot and of a depth deeper than the
length of the ingot, and then this soaking pit is immediately covered over with a
cover or lid such as will practically exclude the air. In this pit thus covered the
ingot is allowed to stand and "soak" (as I call it) until it assumes throughout a
suitable temperature for being rolled or otherwise pressed into a bloom or other
shaped article. An experienced workman as is well known can judge from the
appearance of the ingot when it is in a fit state to be rolled. When starting
the cold pit is first subjected to a preliminary heating which is usually effected by
introducing into the pit in the first instance hot ingots which after imparting the
requisite heat are withdrawn and require to be reheated before they are rolled.
It has been found that the operation as just above described is perfectly
successful if the Works have been adapted from the beginning for such treatment
and if charges of recently cast ingots pass through the soaking pits with sufficient:
regularity and rapidity. But, in works where the casting of the ingots takes place
at some distance from the rolling mill, or where the ingots produced are either of
very small size, or are cast at long intervals, it becomes somewhat difficult to
preserve such a surplus of beat in the soaking pit as is necessary for the attainment
throughout the ingots of a sufficient temperature for rolling.

page_text: To supply additional heat to the walls of the soaking pits and also to ensure the
retention by them of the temperature to which they have been raised, so that they
may always be hot enough to receive a new charge of ingots, an arrangement of
apparatus has been described in the specification of an application for Letters Patent
dated 6 August 1884 N° 10971 by James Riley.
According thereto the soaking pits are provided with means for imparting heat
to their walls from solid or other fuel in such a manner that the flame wherely the
walls of the soaking pits are heated is not permitted to act directly upon the
ingots themselves. He forms passages or flues in the walls of the soaking pits and
passes the ignited gases through these passages or flues so as to maintain the walls
of the pits at such a temperature that heat will not be injuriously radiated from
the ingots.
Now according to my present invention the heat is applied either internally or
externally or both internally and externally as I will hereinafter more clearly
explain. The internal heating is effected whilst there are no ingots in the soaking
pits. The external heating may be effected either simultaneously with the internal
heating or alone and may be continued whilst ingots are under treatment in the
soaking pits.
The soaking pits or chambers thus become capable of supplying to the ingots a
certain amount of auxiliary heat sufficient with that already contained in the steel
to bring the whole to the proper temperature for rolling. The soaking pits or
chambers may be heated either by solid fuel or by gas from a producer or by the
use of liquid fuel or natural gas where available. The heat of the escaping gases
may be used for generating steam.
Referring to the annexed drawings, Fig 1 Sheet 1 shows in vertical section along
the lines a. b and c. d respectively of Fig 2 an arrangement of soaking pits heated
internally by the products of combustion from solid fuel. Fig 2 Sheet 1 represents
partly a horizontal section along the line e. f. of Fig 3 and partly a plan view of
the arrangement, the covering plates p being removed.
Fig 3 Sheet 1 represents a transverse section along the line g. h of Fig 2.
a. a. a show eight soaking pits or chambers formed in refractory brickwork and
arranged in two series; between the inner walls m. m two fire grates r. r are
situated; fuel is introduced from the top through small openings closed by plugs p.
Beneath the fire grates . r terminates a pipe L through which by means of a steam
jet air is blown in to urge the fire. The pipe L is fitted with a shut off valve L'.
The requisite quantity of air for combustion is introduced through horizontal
air-flues c. c and becomes heated in its passage through or in contact with the hot
walls before entering through laterally arranged openings c³. c³ into the space above
the fire grates.
The gases of combustion arising from the fuel pass through the flues c. c. of the
inner walls m. m. enter into the soaking pits a. a. a and pass downwards
surrounding and heating the inner surfaces of the walls and escape through the
side channels c. c¹ into the chimney by flues C. C. each fitted with a damper.
Fig 1 Sheet II represents in transverse section Fig 2 Sheet II in longitudinal
section and Fig 3 in sectional plan, an arrangement in which the soaking pits a are
in the form of vertical fire-clay retorts set in a combustion chamber c and the
heating of the soaking pits is effected only from the outside by means of the gases
burning in the combustion chamber c. The products of combustion pass away
through the flue d to the chimney e. The gas enters by the valve f and passes
along the flue g, the air enters by the valve h and passes along the flue k, both
uniting and burning through the openings in the brickwork at 7. The gas and air
in passing through these flues and k take up the heat that passes through the
brickwork m so that the heat going away at the outside is always being brought
back to the combustion chamber c. Bricks may be built in at intervals across the
gas heating flue as also across the air heating flue for the purpose of affording
additional heating surface, besides strengthening the walls of the flues.

page_text: Fig 1 Sheet III represents in a transverse section, Fig 2 Sheet III in a
longitudinal section and Fig 3 in a sectional plan an arrangement in which the
brickwork a of the soaking pits can be heated not only from the outside by means
of burning gas or products of combustion in the Blues b but also from the inside by
opening the dampers c closing the damper d. and drawing gas from the outside
flues through the openings e through the interiors of the soaking pits and
through the openings into the chimney flues y which communicate with the main
chimney flue h.
The gas enters by the valve and passes along the flue 7. The air enters by the
valve m and passes along the flue n; the two unite and burn at the openings in
the brickwork o, so that the heat passing through the walls p is always being
brought back into the flues b and into the soaking pits.
It will be evident either of the modifications described can be adapted to
work either with solid or liquid fuel or with producer or natural gas. It is. to bo
understood that with the arrangements shown on Sheets I and III the internal
heating is to take place only at times when the soaking pits do not contain ingots,
the object being to charge the walls of the soaking pits with heat according to the
principle of my original invention (as set forth in my former specification N° 1089
A.D. 1882 above referred to) without subjecting the ingots to the oxidizing effect
of actual contact with flame.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
As respects apparatus for heating steel ingots to equalize their temperature before
rolling wherein soaking pits are provided with means for imparting heat to their
walls from solid or other fuel in such a manner that the flame whereby the said
walls are heated is not permitted to act directly upon the ingots themselves.
1. The arrangement and working of the apparatus in such manner that the
soaking pit walls are heated by flame caused to enter the pits themselves when
there are no ingots therein, substantially as described.
2. Constructing the soaking pits in the form of vertical fire-clay retorts set in a
combustion chamber, substantially as described.
3. The combination or use in conjunction with vertical soaking pits or chambers
of surrounding flues or combustion chambers and dampers by means of which the
flames or products of combustion in the said flues or combustion chambers can be
directed upon the internal as well as the external surfaces of the walls of the
soaking pits or chambers substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
4. For treating steel ingots to equalize their temperature before rolling the
apparatus constructed arranged, and operating as shewn in and described with
reference respectively to Sheet I, Sheet II, and Sheet III of the drawings.
Dated thin both d
f100-
W. LLOYD WISE,
Applicant's Agent.