US290075A - And oxidizing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 3 sheets-.sheet 2.

GJLEVEQUE. -Y Y PORTABLE RBFINING AND OXIDIZI'NG APPARATUS. 110.290,075. l -Patenteanem 11, 1883.."

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PORTABLE REFINING AND1ox|orz|Ne APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 290,075-, dated December 11, 1853.

Application filed February 13` 1883. (No model.) Patented in. France May 13, 1882, No.149,270; in Belgium October 31, 1882, `No. 59,428 in Luxemburg. November 4, 1882, No. 232; lin Austria-Hungary November 4, 1882, No. 37,736 and No. 253 5 in England November 6,1882, No. 5,288; inSpain November 6,1882, No. 2,827; in Germany November 8, 1882, No. 22,410, andin Sweden November 7, 1882.

To a/ZZ whom it may concern/ Be 'itrknown that I, CAMILLE LVQUE, a citizen of the-French Republic, and-a resident of Pouzin, in Vthe French Republic, have invented'a certain new-and-useful Improvement in Portable Refining and Oxidiz'in g Apparatus; and I dohereby declare-that the V-following is a full, clear, and exact'description ofthe in-` vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. VMy invention relates to a novel construction of portable apparatus or furnacefor refining` iron bythe Bessemer process, substantially as hereinafter fully described, and as shown in .the accompanying three sheets of drawings,

Figure l shows vmy improved apparatus in elevation and of annular form. Figa-2 is a sec-f tional plan View, and Fig. 3 a vertical transverse section, thereof. Figs. 4 and 5 are side and end elevations; and Figs. 6, 7, and 8, aV

plan view, a horizontal longitudinal and a vertical transverse section, respectively, of a furnace'of rectangular formv embodying my invention. ,Figs. 9 and 10 show by a'sectional plan and elevation the `connection of the apparatus with a smelting or blast furnace and the means for its' 'removal and replacement by another.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts wherever such may occur in the above figures of drawings.

`When, in the Bessemer process, the actionl of the blast is limited to the period or point of scorification of the molten mass, a white pigiron is obtained similar to that formerly obtained in rening-furnaces. The erecting of a Bessemer plant with a view to manufacturing steel is, however, very costly, which accounts 'for the fact that such plants are not generally used in the manufacture of refined metal, for the reason that the expense inherent to the working of such a plant cannot be supported by the profits derived any more than could the expenses inherent to the old Styrian semer plan by means of an apparatus of com- 1 paratively small prime cost, easy of repair, and adapted to be worked by means of airblast derived from any ordinary blowing-engine.

The apparatus consists of a sheet-metal casing. C, mounted upon wheels W, and adapted to rotate upon a horizontal axis, A, or wheelaxles proximate to its center of gravity, and is prevented from tilting by a supporting pulley or wheel, W.

The apparatus may be of annular form, as shown in Figs.- l, 2, and 3, or of rectangular form, as shown in Figs. 5,' 6, 7, and 8.

The apparatus is divided into three chambers or compartments, C C2 O3. The central compartment, C, constituting the oxidizing or rening furnace or chamber proper, is

formed by lining the sheet-metal walls w w of the air-chamber with fire-brick, and has a sole, s, and arched roof r,.of like or any other suitable iire-proof material, as shown in-Figs. 2 and 3. This central compartment or chamber, G2, is in communication with the chambers @'03 by means of a series of blastopenings or tuyeres, T. The chamber C is provided on its Figs. l, 2, 5, and 6.) The molten metal enters the furnace C2 by pipe or channel P2, and the gases escape from said furnace-.chamber through a series of short chimneys or stacks, S,which gases may be collected by a hood, D, and conducted to the main or other stack of the foundry S', as shown in Fig. 10. The

arched roof o of the furnace-chamber C2 is made removable, it being composed of a series of segments or sections, (shown in Figs. l, 2, 3, i, 5, 6, and 8,) whereby ready access may be had to any part of the chamber C2 for anypurpose. Of course it will be understood that the roof r need not necessarily be made of a series of iiidependently-removable sections, though I prefer this to removing the entire roof each time it becomes necessary to gain access to any one particular part of the refining or oxidizing chamber.

The apparatus, being mounted on wheels, is readily removed when worn and replaced by another one, whereby the work of rening may go on uiiiiiterriiptedly.

The forni and peculiar construction of the apparatus adapt it for use with compressed air obtained from the usual blowing-machines ofthe blast-furnace.

The fact of being able to use blowers of low pressure, together with the simplicity of' construction and manipulation, as well as the low cost of the apparatus, renders it available in such establishments where a Bessemer plant could not be profitably employed, and, in fact, renders it available in all establishments that produce or may produce the fine grades of iron or steel, whether by the acid or basic processes for Bessemer steel, and for all products requiringpig-iron free from sulphur and containing but little silicium.

In practice it will be vfound convenient to have a number of these apparatuses ready for use, such number depending upon the capacity of the works; and in Figs. 10 and 1l I have shown a convenient plant and arrangement for connecting the apparatus directly with the blast-furnace F, the contents of which are preferably delivered through a channel, I, to a receiver, R, called the measurer,7 and thence by channels Pand I)2 to the oxidizingchamber C2. The refined metal is run out by pipe or channel I)5 and channels I)T into receivers It. As shown, the portable refiningfurnace is located in the casting or blast-furnace room, from which suitable tracks are laid to an adjoining room, in which the furnaces.

are or may be stored. Then one of the apparatuses is to be replaced by another, it is uncoupled from the blast-pipe l, and then ruii along the track t into the adjacent room and another one run out by means of the truck t, Fig. l0, and coupled for operation. The refined metal is removed by ruiming the receivers It out on the track 15".

The operation of refining may be briefly described as follows: rlhe molten metal, after reaching the furnace-chamber C2, is subjected to the action of a blast of air (by opening the valve V) forced through the metal from opposite sides in a series of `jets, when the oxidation of the silicium and other metals at once begins. Gerbs of sparks escape with the gases from the stacks S from the moment the air is forced through the metal to the end of the process, which is characterized by an increased velocity in the current of the gases by finer sparks, by scoriiied globules carried along by the air and gas current, and accom panied generally by a voluminous reddish smoke, which would be succeeded by a flame becoming more and more white were not at this time the discharge-passage I)5 opened and the metal run into the receivers It 1t through the branched channel PT, in which receivers the metal is chilled or suddenly cooled by contact with water. If the metal is to be used in the unrefined form, it is simply allowed to run into casting-ladles or pockets or molds from the oxidizing-chamber C2.

In order to entirely empty the oxidizingchamber, the apparatus is tipped over by means of the levers L Il, which operation can be performed without arresting the blast, as the apparatus is coupled to the main blast-pipe I by means of a flexible section of pipe, p. \Vhen emptied, the blast is continued for a few minutes, when the apparatus is righted andthe tuyeres are inspected, and if everything is in proper condition the dischargegate is closed and the feed-gate opened, and the apparatus is ready for another charge. If there is a considerable lapse oftime between each operation, it will be found of advantage to heat the apparatus before running iii the metal, either by means of any suitable fuel or by means of the gases from the blast-furnace. Ordinarily, however, the time that elapses between eacli charge is sufficiently short to keep the apparatus at a proper temperature, and

` the heating thereof is dispensed with.

The time required for each operation depends naturally upon the nature of the metal treated. Ametal poor in silicious constituents is refined in two or three minutes, while iron rich in silicates and graphite requires from fifteen to twenty minutes, and sometimes more.

In an apparatus of the kind described from five to six tons of metal maybe refined at each operation, and even more, if a sufficient volume of air is attainable.

Of coui'sc it will be understood that the ineasuring-vessel or receiver R may be dispensed with, and the refining or oxidizing furnace connected directly with the blast or smelting furnace.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is* 1. A rening or oxidizing apparatus divided iiito three chambers, the central chainber constituting the refining or oxidizing furnace, and the chambers on opposite sides thereof constituting air passages or chambers, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. A refining or oxidizing apparatus composed of two air passages or chambers, an intermediate furnace-chamber in communication. with said air-chambers by means of a series of air-passages or tuyeres, and an outer casing of sheet metal, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. An apparatus ofthe class described, com- IOO IIO

ter of gravity of the apparatus, as described.

4. An apparatus of the class described, composed of a central rening chamber or furnace, air passages or chambers on opposite sides thereof, an arched roof for said refiningchamber, composed of removable sections, all formed of sheet metal, the inclosing-walls of the-rening-chamber being lined with suita-- ble fire-proof material, and provided with means for the eduction of the gases, the whole being adapted for oscillation upon a horizontal axis proximate to the center of gravity of the apparatus, as described, for the purpose specified.

' 5. The combination, with the refining or oxidizing chamber G2, of the air-chambers C C3, surrounding said chamber C2, a series of air-passages or tuyeres, T, and suitable appliances for connecting the air-chambers with a blast apparatus, and for feeding themolten metal to and discharging it from the oxidizing-chamber C2, substantially as and for the purpose speciied.

6. The combination, with the chamber C', having its inclosing-walls lined with nre-proof material, of a roof, 1', composed of a series of 290,075 v l `e independently-removablesections, lined likewise with fire-proof material, some of said sections being provided With a sheet-metal stack,

S, removable therewith, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. The combination, with the rening or oxidizing apparatus,constructed as described, and adapted for oscillation upon a horizontal axis proximate to its centerof gravity, of the wheel W and the levers L L, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

8. The combination, with the rening or Y oxidizing apparatus constructed to oscillate upon a horizontal axis proximate to its center of gravity, and a delivery-pipe for delivering y tus, and detachable connections for connecting the refining apparatus with the measuringvessel, the receiver, and blast apparatus, substantially as and for the purposes specied.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of Witnesses x BoUsGRANIER, Roomse-Unir,

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