IMPROVEMENTS IN CONVERTERS FOR THE BESSEMER PROCESS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Nelson, of Ramsden House, Barrow-
in-Furness, Lancashire, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CONVERTERS FOR THE BESSEMER PROCESS."-Partly the result of a commu-
nication from abroad by John E. Fry, of Johnstown, Pennsylvania,
in the Tnited States of Amoxine
Sealed the 6th August 1875, and dated the 9th June 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Nelson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th June 1875.
I, GEORGE NELSON, of Ramsden House, Barrow-in-Furness, Lan-
5 cashire, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CONVERTERS FOR THE BESSEMER PROCESS," partly my own Invention,
and partly the result of a communication to me from abroad by John
E. Fry, of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, in, the United States of America,
to be as follows:
-
The Invention has for its object improvements in converters for the
Bessemer process, whereby after the bottoms are worn out they can be
:

page_text: easily and speedily removed therefrom and others placed in their stead,
whilst they are also caused to last much longer than those heretofore
in use. For this purpose the bottom of the converter is made removeable
and is connected to the upper part or body by means of angle iron
and bolts and keys, the joint being preferably a flat or horizontal
joint.
easily and speedily removed therefrom and others placed in their stead,
whilst they are also caused to last much longer than those heretofore
in use. For this purpose the bottom of the converter is made removeable
and is connected to the upper part or body by means of angle iron
and bolts and keys, the joint being preferably a flat or horizontal
joint.
Other means of connection than those above described may however
be employed.
The removeable bottom may be lined with ganister as heretofore, or
with other refractory material; or it may according to the second part
of the present Invention be lined with fire-brick made of suitable shapes
to fit and fill in the spaces between the tuyeres and the ring of ganister
or other refractory material around it. By these means, when it is
desired to renew the bottom of a converter the old or worn out bottom
is first removed and a new one (kept in readiness) is fixed in its place,
whereby considerable saving of time is effected in the preparation of the
converter, whilst by the use of the brick lining herein described to the
bottom it is made to last much longer than those lined according to the
plans heretofore in use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Nelson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 9th December 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
NELSON, of Ramsden House, Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-.
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said George Nelson, Her special license that
I, the said George, Nelson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said George Nelson, my executors, administrators,

page_text: and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during 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 CONVERTERS FOR
THE BESSEMER PROCESS," partly my own Invention, and partly the result
of a communication to me from abroad by John E. Fry, of Johnstown,
Pennsylvania, in the United States of America," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said George Nelson, my executors or admi-
nistrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what 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 Nelson, do declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
The Invention has for its object improvements in converters for the
Bessemer process, whereby after the bottoms are worn out they can bo
easily and speedily removed therefrom and others placed in their stead,
whilst they are also caused to last much longer than those heretofore in
For this purpose the bottom of the converter is made removeable,
and is connected to the upper part or body by means of angle iron
and bolts and keys, the joint being preferably a flat or horizontal
joint.
use.
Other means of connection than those above described may however
be employed.
The removeable bottom may be lined with ganister as heretofore, or
with other refractory material; or it may according to the second part of
the present Invention be lined with fire-brick made of suitable shapes to
fit and fill in the spaces between the tuyeres and between the tuyeres and
the ring of ganister or other refractory material around them.
And in order that the said Invention may be more clearly understood
and readily carried into effect I will proceed, aided by the accompanying
Drawings, more fully to describe the same.

page_text: с
Figure 1 is a vertical section through a portion of the upper part and
"bottom" of a Bessemer converter having the present Invention
applied thereto; Figure2 is a plan on the line A, B, of the "bottom,"
represented in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a vertical section through a portion of the upper part and
bottom of a slightly modified form of converter, and Figure 4 is a
detail view of parts showing the means employed for securing the
tuyere plate in position.
In all the Figures like parts are marked with similar letters of
reference.
a, a, represent a portion of the upper part of a Bessemer converter,
and b, b, the bottom thereof, which instead of being permanently
attached together as heretofore, are according to the present Invention
made readily separable from each other, so as to facilitate the removal
of a worn out bottom and the ready substitution therefor of a new or
newly lined bottom. For this purpose the lower end of the upper part
a, a, of the converter is, according to the arrangements shown in the
Drawings, provided with angle iron a' fixed rigidly and permanently
thereto, and the upper part of the bottom b, b, has also fixed rigidly and
permanently thereto angle iron 6', 6'. The angle irons a', 6', fit together
and form a seat for each other, and they are connected together by
means of bolts and keys c, or by other suitable means.
'
In the form of converter shown at Figure 1, in order to obtain a flat
joint the angle iron a¹ employed is shown to be of an acute angle, and 2
the angle iron 6' of an obtuse angle; but in the form shown at Figure 3
the angle iron employed is of the ordinary right angled description.
The removeable bottom may be lined with ganister as heretofore or
with other refractory material; or it may according to the second part
of the present Invention be lined with fire-brick d, e, made of suitable
shapes, as shown in Figure 2, accurately to fit and fill in the spaces
between the tuyeres f and between the tuyeres f and the ring 9 of
ganister or other refractory máterial around them.
It will thus be seen that the spaces between the ring of ganister g
and the tuyeres f are filled with bricks of one shape, and the spaces 3

page_text: between the tuyeres fare filled with bricks of another shape, thus
enabling the spaces in the centre of the ring of ganister to be entirely
filled by means of bricks of two shapes only.
The tuyere plate is preferably held in position in the "bottom" of
the converter by the means shown at Figure 4, but other suitable means
may be employed.
The air conduit i to supply air to the tuyeres is also provided with
flanges, by which, aided by bolts and keys or by any suitable fastening
means, it may be readily connected and disconnected from the main air
conduit or passage when it is desired to apply or remove a new or newly
lined bottom to a converter.
"
The chamber is formed and connected to the bottom of the converter
in the manner shown in the Drawings or otherwise, to enable it to bo
readily taken apart and connected or disconnected with the " * bottom
when desired. By these means when it is desired to renew the bottom
of a converter the old or worn out bottom is first removed and a new or
newly lined one (kept in readiness) is fixed in its place, whereby con-
siderable saving of time is effected in the preparation of the converter,
whilst by the use of the brick lining herein described to the bottom
it is made to last much longer than those lined according to the plans
heretofore in use.
"
to
I would here remark that other modes of connecting the "bottom
the upper part of a converter to render the same readily removeable
may be employed without departing from the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and that other shaped bricks than those shown may be employed
to occupy the spaces between the ring of ganister or other refractory
material and the tuyeres f, and between the tuyeres f, without.
departing from the nature of the said Invention so long as such spaces
are filled with bricks made of suitable shapes to occupy such spaces.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and one
mode in which the same may be carried into effect, I would have it
understood that what I claim is,―
First. The improvements in the construction of converters for the
Bessemer process, whereby the bottoms thereof are made capable of
easy removal therefrom and of being readily connected thereto, in manner
and for the purpose substantially as herein shown and described.

page_text: And, Secondly. I claim lining the spaces between the ring of ganister
or other refractory material 9 and the tuyeres f, and between the
tuyeres f, with bricks made of suitable shapes to fit and fill such spaces,
in manner and for the purpose substantially as herein shown and
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Nelson, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Fourth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
GEORGE NELSON. (L.S.)