IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING IRON AND IN REGENERATIVE' HEATING ARRANGEMENTS OR APPARATUS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHERWISE APPLYING HIGH TEMPERATURES." PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Bromilow, Manager of Steel Furnaces, Newton, in
the County of Lanark, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PURIFYING IRON AND IN REGENERATIVE' HEATING ARRANGEMENTS OR
APPARATUS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHERWISE APPLYING HIGH TEMPERATURES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jolin Bromilow at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th March 1877.
JOHN BROMILOW, Manager of Steel Furnaces, Newton, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING IRON AND IN REGENERATIVE
HEATING ARRANGEMENTS OR APPARATUS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHERWISE APPLYING
HIGH TEMPERATURES."
This Invention relates partly to the purifying of iron by treating it with certain
gaseous or pulverised matters in a heated state, as herein-after explained, and partly
to improvements designed to render more effective and durable apparatus working
on what is known as the "regenerative" system for heating the gaseous or other
currents to be employed in the purifying process and otherwise when applying high
temperatures.
The first part of the Invention relates to a simple arrangement of flue valves for
reversing the currents of gases and directing them through flue passages or regen-
erative chambers. In this arrangement there are two pairs of valve seats, formed
by iron rings or circular holes in iron plates set in the brickwork of the flues; and
a single double conical valve acts for each pair of seats, closing against the bottom
one when lowered and against the top one when raised. The two valves are of
iron, protected by fire-brick, and are suspended by chains passing over pulleys to a
single-weighted lever, so that they balance each other when being moved. .The
lever is weighted so as to close the higher of the two valves against its seat, whilst
a little slack in the chain insures the lower ones resting on its seat. The flues com-
municating with the furnace proceed from between the valve seats. The space
above the upper seats communicates with the gas or air inlet, whilst the space below
the lower seats communicates with the chimney.
The second part of the Invention relates to what are known as regenerative

page_text: chambers, containing chequered brick-work for absorbing the waste heat from a
furnace, and consists in leading the flues between such chambers and the furnace in
as direct a manner as possible to the bottoms of the chambers, in order that the
heated gases may pass in an upward direction through the chequered brick-work
instead of downwards. In existing arrangements the waste heat is directed upon
the top of the chequered brick-work, which causes it to melt and choke up the
spaces, and consequently necessitate heavy repairs. With the improved arrange-
ment the heated gases will have longer flues to traverse before reaching the
chequered brick-work, and if they then cause any melting the melted materials will
fall away from the chequered brick-work instead of choking it. Easy access can be
arranged for clearing away the slag from the bottom of the chambers, or pockets can
be forined to receive it, so that it may accumulate for a length of time without the
chambers requiring to be cooled down.
The third part of the Invention comprises an improved construction and arrange-
ment of stoves for heating combustible gases or atmospheric air in tubes or pipes
under
pressure, which
may be applied to the blast furnace for smelting ores or any
similar purpose with advantage and economy.
The gas to be heated is forced through the tubes at the pressure required, the
pipes being made of materials suitable for the special purpose in each case. For
very high temperatures a compound of silica, clay, and other materials will be used
so as to make them as strong as possible, and to prevent them cracking when
cooling down; and to add to the strength, a lining tube of malleable iron can be
placed inside the fire-clay pipes which will prevent any leakage of the gas while
under pressure and being heated. For very high pressures, cast-iron pipes can be
used and the gases forced through and treated in a similar manner. The pipes are
supported in horizontal positions by transverse vertical walls in a brick-work cham-
ber, the chamber being divided by a longitudinal vertical wall, having communi-
cation through it at the bottom only. This chamber is worked on the regenerative
system by means of the valves and flues herein-before described, and the gases are
ignited at the top of the pipes along one side of the chamber by means of a row of
ports, the gas and air being led separately from the reversing valves through flues
to the ports, near which they are ignited. The ignited gases pass down one com-
partment of the chamber and up the other, and the exhausted gas passes down the
opposite ports and through the flues to the chimney. The currents of gases and
air can be reversed at pleasure by means of the valves, and any temperature
obtained that may be required. The stove may be constructed with the chamber
and compartments horizontal, and the pipes or tubes vertical, as may be found most
expedient in each case.
The arrangement can be appplied to a process for removing phosphorus and other
impurities from iron, the object of which is to render the iron suitable for conver-
sion into steel. The materials to be used are bituminous coal in a powder, or
hydrocarbon gas forced through one set of pipes and heated in the chamber herein-
before described, whilst atmospheric air is forced through the other set of pipes and
heated in the same manner. The heated materials are to be conducted separately to
a chamber for the purpose of developing their combustion, and then forced through
the metal while in a state of fusion.
With such arrangements, an atmosphere of the kind best adapted for the process
can be formed in the developing chamber. The valves admitting the gases through
the heating stove are adjusted to regulate the air for the combustion of the other
elements and so as to form a neutral, reducing, or oxydising atmosphere in an ignited
state.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said John Bromilow in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th September
1877.
'
JOHN BROMILOW, Manager of Steel Furnaces, Newton, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING IRON AND IN REGENERATIVE'
HEATING ARRANGEMENTS OR APPARATUS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHERWISE APPLYING
HIGH TEMPERATURES."
My said Invention relates partly to purifying of iron by treating it with certain
gaseous or pulverised mattors in a heated state, as herein-after explained; and
partly to improvements designed to render more effective and durable apparatus
working on what is known as the "regenerative” system for heating the gaseous or
other currents to be employed in the purifying process, and otherwise when apply-
ing high temperatures.
The first part of my Invention relates to a simple arrangement of flue valves for
reversing the currents of gases and directing them through flues, passages, or re-
generative chambers. In this arrangement there are in the case of each set of four
passages, two pairs of valve seats, and a single duplex, conical, or spherical valve
acts for each pair of seats, closing downwards against the bottom valve seat when
lowered, and upwards against the top one when raised. The flues communicating
with the furnace proceed from between the valve seats. The space above the upper
seats communicates with the gas or air inlet, whilst the space below the lower seats
communicates with the chimney.
The second part of my Invention relates to what are known as regenerative
chambers containing chequered brickwork for absorbing the waste heat from a
furnace, and consists in leading the flues between such chambers and the furnace in
as direct a manner as possible to the bottoms of the chambers instead of the tops as
heretofore.
The third part of my Invention comprises an improved construction and arrange-
ment of stoves for heating combustible gases or atmospheric air, in tubes or pipes
under pressure, which may be applied to the blast furnace for smelting ores, or for
purifying iron, or any similar purpose with advantage and economy.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood, I hereunto append three Sheets of explanatory
Drawings, to be herein-after referred to, and representing modifications of my im-
proved arrangements and apparatus; in these Drawings the same reference
numerals are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
Figures 1 and 2 on Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings are vertical sections,
as at right angles to each other, of one modification of my improved arrangement of
flue valves for reversing or interchanging the currents of air, combustible gas, and
products of combustion in connection with any kind of furnace worked on the
regenerative system.
These Figures show one set of the valves for dealing with the combustible gas,
and a similar set near those shown is provided for dealing with the air, whilst the
products of combustion pass by both sets of valves. A horizontal flue 1 by which
the combustible gas proceeds from the gas producers, has connected to it a branch
pipe 2, having in it a conical or spherical valve 3 for regulating the proportion of
gas, and which is adjusted by means of an external lever 4. The gas passing the
valve 3 enters a box 5 formed of iron plates, and having a bottom plate 6 formed
with two holes in which are fixed two iron rings or valve seats 7. The space
immediately below the valve seats 7 is divided by a brickwork partition 8 at the
middle, and there is a lower plate 9 having fixed in it two lower rings or valve
seats 10, beneath which lower valve seats 10 a space 11 is constructed in the brick-
work and communicates by a flue 12 with the chimney. The spaces between the
upper and lower valve seats 7 and 10 communicate with flues 13 leading to the
regenerative chambers of the furnace. The two valves 14 are between the upper

page_text: and lower valve seats 7, 10, and consist each of a hollow casting, having two conical
or spherical zones and a closed top. The valves 14 are connected by chains to the
opposite ends of a two-armed lever 15 which is by preference made as shown, with
grooved ares 16 at its ends to cause the valves to move vertically when being raised
or lowered. The lever 15 is fixed on a rocking shaft 17 which has fast on it, out-
side of the box 5, a lever 18, connected by links 19 to a conveniently situated hand
lever. The lever 18 is weighted so as to keep whichever valve 14 is raised close up
against the upper valve seat 7, whilst that valve 14 that is lowered rests by its own
weight on the lower valve seat 10, the chain connecting it to the lever 15 being
long enough to allow it to do so freely. The positions of the valves 14 determine
into which of the flues 13 the gas passes, the products of combustion always passing
from the other one through the corresponding lower valve seat 10 into the flue 12
leading to the chimney; and the valves are reversed by turning over the lever 18
so as to cause an interchange of the currents as required in working under the
regenerative system. The valves 14 and their seats 7, 10, are of an extremely
simple construction and not liable to got easily or soon out of order. If however it
is ever found necessary, any valve or seat can be taken out and replaced by a new
one through convenient doors in the valve box 5, during any short available
interval, such as when the furnace is being recharged, thus without any appreciable
loss of time rendering the whole apparatus again as complete and good as new.
This at all times insures the complete closing of the valves against their seats, and
thereby prevents any escape of gas directly to the chimney, or any admixture of
waste gas with the fresh gas, thus avoiding what has caused much waste of fuel in
previous arrangements.
It is also a practical advantage of my improved valve arrangement that proper
areas of passage through the valves can be obtained for the different gaseous
currents more conveniently than in provious arrangements. In particular the
passages for the waste gases are not contracted, and a better draft through the
furnace is obtained, causing a more complete combustion of a smaller proportion of
gas and thus saving fuel.
A slightly modified arrangement of my valves is herein-after described in con-
nection with the third part of my Invention.
Figures 4 and 5, on Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings, are horizontal and
vertical sections of the regenerative chambers and flues connected with a steel-
making furnace, and show the improvements comprised in the second part of my
Invention. Figure 5 shows the hearth or bed 20 of the reverberatory chamber or
furnace with the regenerative chambers 21, 22, 23, 24, below, there being a pair of
these chambers towards each cud of the furnace, and one of each pair being for gas
and the other for air, as is well understood. The furnace communicates with the
regenerative chambers 21, 22, 23, 24, respectively by flues 25, 26, 27, 28, which pro-
ceed down to the bottoms of those chambers, and the gases when descending enter
through lateral openings and get beneath the chequered brickwork so as to pass
upwards through such brickwork instead of downwards.
In existing arrangements the waste heat is directed upon the top of the chequered
brickwork, which causes it to melt and choke up the spaces, and consequently
necessitate frequent heavy repairs. With my improved arrangement the heated
gases have longer flues to traverse before reaching the chequered brickwork, and if
they then cause any melting the melted materials will fall away from the chequered
brick work instead of choking it. Easy access can be arranged for clearing away
the slag from the bottom of the chambers, or pockets can be formed to receive it, so
that it may accumulate for a length of time without the chambers requiring to be
cooled down.
The improved air or gas heating stove, constituting the third part of my Inven-
tion, is shown on Sheets 2 and 3 of the accompanying Drawings, Figure 6 being a
horizontal section as taken through the lower part of a heating chamber; Figure 7, a
vertical longitudinal section; Figure 8, a horizontal section, as taken through the
upper part of one compartment of the heating chamber; Figure 9, a vertical section

page_text: as taken through one pair of the valves; and Figure 10, a transverse vertical section
as taken through the heating chamber. These Drawings are so complete as to
render very little explanation necessary.
In this stove the gas to be heated is forced through tubes or pipes 31 at the
pressure required, the pipes being made of materials suitable for the special purposo
in each case. For very high temperatures a compound of silica, clay, or other
materials will be used, so as to make them as strong as possible, and to prevent
them cracking when cooling down; and to add to the strength a lining tube of
malleable iron can be placed inside the fire-clay pipes, which will prevent any
For very high
leakage of the gas while under pressure and being heated.
pressures cast-iron pipes can be used, and the gases forced through and heated
in a similar manner. The pipes 31 are supported in horizontal positions by
This chamber is divided
transverse vertical walls 32 in a brickwork chamber.
into two compartments by a longitudinal vertical wall 33 having communica-
tions through it at the bottom only. The stove is worked on the regenerative
system by means of valves and flues constructed and arranged substantially as
herein-before described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawings. The
modification of valves shown in Figure 9 differs from the other modification merely
in the chains 34, by which the valves 14 are suspended, being led over pulleys 35
both to a single armed lever 15. The gases are ignited at the top of the chainber,
above the pipes 31, where they enter by a row of ports 36, the gas and air
being led separately from the reversing valves through flues 37, 38, to the
ports 36. The ignited gases pass down one compartment of the chamber, and
crossing through the dividing wall 33 rise up the other compartment, and the
exhausted gasos pass off by a second row of ports 39 and down flues 40, 41,
to the reversing valves 14, and thence to the chimney. The ports 36, 39, and
the flues 37, 38, 40, 41, on opposite sides of the chamber are alike, and the currents
of gases can be reversed at pleasure by means of the valves 14, and any temperature
obtained that may be required. The stove may be constructed with the chamber
and compartments horizontal, and the pipes or tubes vertical, if found more expedient
in any case.
"
Regenerative chambers with chequered brickwork may be arranged in connection
with the flues 37, 38, 40, 41, but will not be required in many cases, the flues them-
selves serving sufficiently for the "regeneration or absorption and restoration of
the heat. I expect that the heat will be most intense at the bottoms of the two
compartments of the chamber, and any extra heat will be partly taken up by the
surfaces of the tubes in the upper part of that compartment in which for the time
the gases ascend, which heat will be restored to the entering gas and air on the
currents being reversed.
'
My improved gas or air heating stoves can be advantageously applied to processes
for removing phosphorus and other impurities from iron so as to render the iron
suitable for conversion into steel. The materials to be used are bituminous coal in
a powder, or hydrocarbon gas, and the powder suspended in sufficient gas to carry
it along; or the hydrocarbon gas alone is forced through one set of pipes 31, and
heated in the chamber herein-before described, whilst atmospheric air is forced
The heated
through another set of the pipes, and is heated in the same manner.
inaterials are to be conducted separately to a chamber for the purpose of developing
some combustion, and then forced through the metal whilst in a state of fusion.
With such arrangements an atmosphere or mixture of gases best adapted for the
process in view can be formed in the developing chamber. The valves admitting
the gas and air through the heating stove are adjusted to regulate the proportion of
the air for the combustion of a greater or less portion of the other elements and so as
to form a neutral, roducing, or oxidising atmosphere in an ignited state.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention and the manner of perform-
ing the same, I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise details herein
described or delineated, but that what I believe to be novel and original, and

page_text: claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,-
1. The constructing and arranging or combining together of the parts of flue-
valve apparatus for reversing or interchanging gascous currents, substantially in the
improved manner herein-before described."
2. The application of a duplex conical or spherical valve working between two
valve seats, substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-before
described.
3. The constructing of the heat absorbing and restoring chambers of regene-
rative furnaces and their flues, so that the gases from the furnaces pass upwards
through the chequered brick work, and substantially as herein-before described.
4. The constructing of stoves for heating air or gases passing under pressure
through pipes, substantially in the improved manner herein-before described with
reference to Sheets 2 and 3 of the accompanying Drawings.
5. The removing of phosphorus or other impurities from melted iron by injecting
into it gaseous mixtures, comprising hydrocarbons or powdered coal, or both, and
strongly heated by stoves, substantially such as are herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Bromilow, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
J. BROMILOW. (L.S.)