CERTAIN IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON, AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED FOR EPPECTING THE SAME
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Haden Richardson, of Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON, AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED FOR
EPPECTING THE SAME."
33-
Sealed the 14th May 1867, and dated the 4th December 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Haden Richardson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th December 1866.
I, WILLIAM HADEN RICHARDSON, of Glasgow, in. the County of Lanark,
North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON, AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED FOR
EPFECTING THE SAME," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention, which has for its essential object the diminution of the time
occupied for bringing a charge of iron "to nature" in the puddling furnace,
as well as for producing an improved quality of metal, consists as follows:--
In lieu of the ordinary rabble or paddle at present employed by the puddler
for turning over and working up the charge of metal, or in combination
therewith, under the present Invention a tubular rabble is used through which
atmospheric or other air, gas, steam, water, or other fluid or solid
matter in a pulverulent form is introduced under, into, or upon the charge of
molten metal in the puddling chamber for the purpose of facilitating the
process of puddling iron. The tubular rabble to be employed may be made

page_text: entirely of iron, or partly of iron and partly of fire-clay, or of iron and platina,
or platina alone, or of other metal or material either alone or coated with
refractory or fire-resisting material.
In carrying out this Invention the different airs, gases, or liquids, or solids
used are conducted from any convenient source to and through the tubular
rabble or otherwise.
Under this first application of the tubular rabble atmospheric air is intro-
duced either underneath into the body or into the top of the charge of molten
metal in the puddling chamber for the purpose of facilitating and reducing
the time ordinarily occupied for decarbonising the charge; in place, however,
of admitting air in the several ways above described it may be introduced
through a tube in any convenient manner.
Under the second application a combination of atmospheric air and steam
is introduced through the rabble or otherwise below, into, or above the charge
of molten metal in the puddling chamber.
1
Under the third application atmospheric air is introduced through the
rabble or otherwise to the bottom, the body, or surface of the charge of molten
metal in the puddling chamber, and with it, or at intervals, fine sprays or jets
of water are injected upon the molten metal.
Under the fourth application atmospheric air and carburetted hydrogen,
either combined or separately, are introduced through the rabble or otherwise
below, into, or above the charge of molten metal.
Under the fifth application oxygen and hydrogen gases are introduced
through the tubular rabble or otherwise, either in combination or separately,
below, into, or above the charge of molten metal.
Under the sixth application finely pulverized manganese or other substance
containing oxygen may be introduced through the tubular rabble or its
equivalent below, into, or above the charge of molten metal to facilitate the
process of puddling.
In lieu of employing a tubular rabble the ordinary rabble may be employed,
and the several gases and materials herein-before referred to may be admitted
at the proper time through a tubular passage situated in any convenient part
of the furnace; or an ordinary solid rabble as well as a tubular rabble may
both be employed, the tubular rabble being used for introducing the gases and
matters at the proper time, whilst the ordinary rabble is used for working and
balling up the charge.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Haden Richardson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 3rd June 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HADEN RICHARDSON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
seud greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year
of Iler reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said William Haden Richardson, Her special licence that I, the
said William Haden Richardson, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said William Haden Richardson, my executors,
administrators, or 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, usc, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
IRON, AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED FOR EFFECTING THE SAME," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Haden Richardson, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and scal, 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 Patcut.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Haden. Richardson, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is. to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to. the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention, which has for its essential object the diminution of time
occupied for bringing a charge of iron "to nature" in the puddling furnace, as
well as for producing an improved quality of metal, consists. as follows:-
In lieu of the ordinary rabble or paddle at present employed by the puddler
for turning over and working up the charge of metal, or in combination
therewith, under the present Invention a tubular rabble is used, through which
atmospheric or other air, gas, steam, water, or other liquid or fluid, or solid

page_text: matter in a pulverulent form is introduced under, into, or upon the charge of
molten metal in the puddling chamber for the purpose of facilitating the
process of puddling iron. The tubular rabble to be employed may be made
entirely of iron, or partly of iron and partly of fire-clay, or of iron and platina,
or platina alone, or of other metal or material either alone or coated with
refractory or fire-resisting material.
In carrying out this Invention, the different airs, gases, or liquids and
solids used are conducted from any convenient source to and through the
tubular rabble or otherwise.
Under the first application of the tubular rabble, atmospheric air is intro-
duced either underneath, into the body, or on to the top of the charge of
molten metal in the puddling chamber for the purpose of facilitating and
reducing the time ordinarily employed for decarbonizing the charge; in place,
however, of admitting air in the several ways above described, it may be intro-
duced through a tube in any convenient manner.
Under the second application a combination of atmospheric air and steam
is introduced through the rabble, or otherwise below, into, or above the charge
of molten metal in the puddling chamber.
Under the third application atmospheric air is introduced through the
rabble or otherwise to the bottom, the body, or surface of the charge of molten
metal in the puddling chamber, and with it or at intervals fine sprays or jets
of water are injected upon the molten metal.
Under the fourth application atmospheric air and carburetted hydrogen,
either combined or separately, are introduced through the rabble or otherwise
below, into, or above the charge of molten metal.
Under the fifth application oxygen and hydrogen gases are introduced
through the tubular rabble or otherwise, either in combination or separately,
below, into, or above the charge of molten metal.
Under the sixth application finely-pulverized manganese or other substance
or material containing oxygen may be introduced through the tubular rabble
or otherwise below, into, or above the charge of molten metal to facilitate the
process of puddling.
In lieu of employing a tubular rabble the ordinary rabble may be employed,
and the several gases and materials herein-before referred may be admitted
at the proper time through a tubular passage situated in any convenient part
of the furnace, or an ordinary solid rabble as well as a tubular rabble may
both be employed, the tubular rabble being used for introducing the gases and
matters at the proper time, whilst the ordinary rabble is used for working and
balling up the charge.

page_text: And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I now
proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner in or
under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into effect,
reference being had, for the sake of more complete elucidation, to the several
Figures upon the explanatory Sheet of Drawings which I have hereunto
appended, that is to say :-
In manufacturing iron under this Invention my object is to obtain it in a
purer and stronger state than that resulting from the ordinary process known
as puddling.
In carrying this Invention into effect it may be practised as follows:-A
charge of pig metal, or partly of pig metal and partly of refined or
plate metal
of the usual weight, is melted in the usual manner upon the puddling hearth,
and when completely melted I introduce a blast of air of a suitable pressure,
which may be of 4 lbs. to the square inch and upwards, into the body of the
molten metal in the puddling chamber.
The manner of introducing the blast which I prefer to employ is to use a
hollow rabble of the form shown in section at Figure 1 on the appended
Slicet of Drawings, in longitudinal elevation. at Figure 2, in end elevation
at Figure 3, in transverse section (on the line a, a, Figure 5) at Figure 4,
and in plan of the under side at Figure 5. The stem or handle of the rabble
is tubular, and the rabbling end has tubular passages a, a, formed in it
diverging from the hole through the tubular stem, as shown at Figures 1, 2,
3, and 4, so that the blast is in passing out of the several holes thoroughly
dispersed into the mass or body of the liquid metal in the puddling chamber.
The blast may be obtained from any convenient source, such as a blast engine
or air compressor, and it is conducted into and through the hollow rabble by
an clastic pipe d connected thereto by a coupling e.
When the air is blown into the body of the metal it has the effect of boiling
it in a shorter time and much more rapidly than by the ordinary boiling
process; at the same time the temperature of the puddling chamber is very
considerably increased so that many impurities and foreign substances are
driven off at the same time; the oxygen of the blast being commingled into
the mass or body of the metal the oxygen attacks the carbon deeply down in
the charge so that the iron is brought to nature more rapidly, the time
occupied in bringing it to the pasty or plastic state being also again diminished
partly on account of the intense and rapid ebullition which takes place,
exposing more of the metal to the action of the atmospheric oxygen above the
charge in the puddling chamber.
"
The length of time for blowing in the blast varies according to the degree
:

page_text: of purity or impurity of the metal operated upon, but for ordinary commercial
pig iron it will occupy about seven minutes; the time for blowing in will also
vary according to the pressure or density of the blast. After the blowing in
of the blast has been completed the hollow or tubular rabble is withdrawn and
the remainder of the process, that is, spreading about and balling up, is con-
tinued with the ordinary rabble by the puddler in the usual manner. As soon
as the charge is balled up the rabble is withdrawn and the balls are allowed
to remain in the puddling chamber for a short time to sweat out the slag,
cinder, phosphorus, and other liquescent impurities, after which they are with-
.drawn and treated under the shingling hammer and roughing rolls, and
worked up into plates or bars in the ordinary manner.
In using the hollow rabble, the puddler manipulates with it in the ordinary
manner, continually moving it about to different regions of the puddling
hearth so as to expose all parts of the charge to the agitating and purifying
influence of the blast.
I wish it to be here expressly understood what I consider to be the valuable
feature of this part of my Invention is, blowing a blast of air into the mass of
metal whilst it is in the puddling chamber for so long a time only as shall be
required to drive off the chief portion of the carbon and other impurities, thus
leaving the metal in a state capable of being finally worked up and finished
as ordinary puddled bar or malleable iron, and it may be further set forth
that I obtain by the process herein specified an improved quality of metal
which is exceedingly tough, fibrous, and pure, and in contradistinction to what
is known as Bessemer metal, it is capable of being as thoroughly welded as
the best brands of commercial iron.
In place of remelting a charge of pig iron in the puddling furnace, as is
ordinarily practised, with my Invention this is not necessary, as I sometimes
run the charge of crude metal as it is tapped from the blast furnace into the
chamber or hearth of a puddling furnace, where I treat it by blowing a blast
into its mass, and afterwards operate upon it in the same manner as hercin-
before specified in reference to a charge of metal remelted in the puddling
chamber, thus I obtain malleable iron of an improved quality in a direct
process from the blast furnace without allowing the metal to cool from the time
it leaves the blast furnace until it comes from the rolls as bar or plate iron.
In introducing steam into the mass of metal in combination with the blast
this may be effected in two ways, namely; by attaching a second tubular
opening to the rabble communicating to the same passage through which the
air passes, from which a flexible pipe extends to a steam boiler or other
reservoir of steam of the pressure necessary for the purposes of my Invention,

page_text: it being here explained that when the blast of air and steam are sent in
through one and the same rabble they must be both of nearly equal pressures.
In place however of introducing the steam and air through one and the
same rabble they may be introduced through a double rabble, or through two
rabbles, and in the case of large furnaces which have a door at cach side of
the puddling chamber the air may be introduced at one side and the steam
at the other, a puddler being placed to work cach rabble, so that both the
blast and air may be thoroughly distributed throughout the body or mass of
metal under treatment. I do not generally introduce steam together with the
blast, the latter being in general sufficient for the purposes of my Invention.
It is to be understood that the time during which the blast is continued to
be blown into the mass of the metal must be varied according to the quality
and degree of purity of the iron to be produced, and in the event of
exceedingly fine and pure iron being required the blast may be continued
until the carbon is nearly or completely oxidised out of the molten metal,
after which the charge is worked up in the usual manner as herein-before
described.
In place of introducing the blast or steam through the rabbles as herein-
before described, the furnace may be constructed with openings or passages
in the top, sides, or bottom of the puddling chamber, from which tubes, passages,
or their equivalent communicate to that part of the chamber on which the
metal is situated, so that the blast of air or steam may be diffused into the
mass of metal.
In introducing the pulverized oxide of manganese, or other substance
containing oxygen in combination, this may be effected in various ways, and
one mode consists in using the apparatus shown at Figures 6 and 7 of the
annexed Sheet of Drawings, which consists of a hollow metallic cup a provided
with a tight-fitting cap, lid, or cover b, its lower end being united to a pipe e,
from which a pipe or tube extends or is fitted to the hollow rabble, passage,
or opening through which the oxidizing compound is to be introduced into
the molten iron; the cup a is provided with a tap or cock, so that on being
opened the action of the blast or steam draws the pulverized compound out
from the cup, and it passes along with the blast into the charge; or in place of
the foregoing arrangement a tube may be placed to communicate from the
front part of the rabble to the upper end of the cup, so that the pressure of
the blast may force the pulverized compound out of the lower end of the cup
into the rabble, and thence into the molten metal. The rabble shown in the
annexed Sheet of Drawings is made of malleable iron, but the rabbles may be
constructed of other metal, fire-clay, or other fire-resisting material.

page_text: Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is or may be used or practically carried into effect,
would observe in conclusion that what I consider novel and original, and
therefore claim as the special Invention secured to me by the herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The process or processes of manufacturing or producing improved
malleable iron, as herein-before described, or any mere modification
thereof.
Second. The introduction of a blast or blasts of air, or air and steam, either
separately or combined, into the body or mass of metal in the puddling
chamber for the purpose of facilitating the manufacture and improving
the quality of iron (in contradistinction to blowing air or steam upon the
surface of the charge), as herein-before described, or any mere modification
thereof.
Third. The process of manufacturing iron by first introducing air or steam
into its mass in the puddling chamber and afterwards finishing it in the
manner of puddled iron, as herein-before described, or any mere modification
thereof.
Fourth. The use and construction of hollow rabbles, passages, or openings
for the purpose of introducing a blast or blasts of air or steam into the mass
of molten metal in the puddling chamber, as herein-before described, or
any mere modification thereof.
Fifth. The introduction of pulverized oxide of manganese (or other sub-
stance containing oxygen in combination) into the mass of molten metal
in the puddling chamber, as herein-before described, or any mere modification
thereof.
In witness whereof I, the said William Haden Richardson, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this First day of June, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-seven.
WILLIAM HADEN RICHARDSON. (L.S.)
Witness,
St. JOHN VINCENT DAY, C.E.,
Patent Office,
166, Buchanan St.,
Glasgow.