IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF STEEL INGOTS BEFORE ROLLING AND IN APPARATUS FOR THAT. PURPOSE
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Howard John Kennard of No 20 Hyde Park Terrace in
the County of Middlesex for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
TREATMENT OF STEEL INGOTS BEFORE ROLLING AND IN APPARATUS FOR THAT.
PURPOSE."
(Void by reason of the Patentee having neglected to file a Specification in
pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent.)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Howard John Kennard at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th October 1882.
"
HOWARD JOHN KENNARD of N° 20 Hyde Park Terrace in the County of
Middlesex IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF STEEL INGOTS BEFORE ROLLING
AND IN APPARATUS FOR THAT PURPOSE,"
My Invention relates to an improved treatment of steel ingots between the
time of casting and rolling whereby they are prevented from losing their initial
heat, and have such heat more or less uniformly distributed throughout their mass
before being subjected to the rolling operation. For this purpose, according to one
arrangement I place over the ingot immediately after removal of the ingot mould
and while it is still standing on the base on which it was cast, a cover or casing of
metal lined with refractory material which has been previously heated to a
sufficient degree, either by having been used previously with other ingots, or by
the combustion therein of gaseous fuel and air led in through pipes or otherwise,
so that little or no heat shall be taken up from the ingot by the casing. The ingot
having been enclosed in this manner, I then remove it to any convenient place
where it is allowed to remain covered a sufficient length of time to allow the greater
heat contained in the interior thereof to be conveyed by conduction to the cooler
outer surface thereof, so that the initial heat shall be more or less uniformly
distributed throughout the mass. This condition having been attained the ingot
is ready for rolling, and the cover being removed, is then at once used for enclosing
another ingot.
.

page_text: In order to enable the ingot to be lifted with the cover as above described, the
bottom on which it is cast is made removable, and is provided with hooks or other
devices, by which chains or other attachments can be secured thereto after the
cover has been put on, so as to enable the bottom together with the ingot and cover
resting thereon to be removed by means of a crane or otherwise, to the place where
it is required to stand.
By the above described means I prevent the loss of heat that even occurs in the
process described in John Gjiers Specification No 1080 of 1882, where the ingot,
after removal of the mould is conveyed in an uncovered condition to a soaking pit
or chamber.
The above described cover inay be provided with apertures through which nozzles
may be introduced for blowing in air and gas in order by the combustion thereof to
increase or maintain the temperature within the cover while the ingot is being
allowed to soak.
According to another arrangement I provide a truck having a bed formed of
refractory material, and a removable cover also having a refractory lining, and I
place the ingot immediately upon the removal of the mould upon the bed of the
truck and enclose it with the cover, the bed and cover having been previously
heated to a sufficient degree either by previous use with other ingots, or by the
combustion of gaseous fuel and air within the cover, which is for this purpose
provided with small apertures through which nozzles for the gas and air supply are
temporarily inserted. Such trucks may be used for treating the ingots either singly
or two or more at a time. By preference I arrange them to receive four ingots
which I place close together, two below and two above, and I arrange them so that
the thin and consequently cooler end of one ingot shall lie against the thicker,
hotter end of another ingot, whereby a portion of the heat will be transferred from
the latter to the former, and thus the temperature of the whole of the ingots be
rendered more or less-uniform, the ingots being retained in the truck until this has
been accomplished, after which they are removed and at once subjected to the
rolling process. If necessary additional heat may be imparted to the space within
the cover during this time to make good any loss by radiation, by the combustion
of
gaseous fuel within the cover introduced as before described. As the thin upper
end of an ingot is most subject to loss of heat while solidifying, I prevent such loss
to a great extent by placing on the top of the upper end of the ingot immediately
after casting, a block of fireclay or other suitable refractory material which has been
previously heated to a white heat, and which, resting upon the surface of the metal
will sink with the same as it contracts in solidifying, and will thus in a great
measure prevent loss of heat at the top surface.