US48918A - Improvement in annealing and polishing sheet-iron - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSIAH W. ELLS, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN ANNEALING AND POLISHING SHEET-IRON.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 48,91 S, dated July 25, 1865; antedated July 12, 1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JosIAH W. ELLs, of the city of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Method or Process ot' Annealing and Polishing Sheet-Iron; and I hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speciiication, and to thc letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in annealing and polishing sheets of iron by placing them looselyin a tight cast-iron box or muie with scales or oxide of iron, animal.- charcoal, coke, lime, or other `pdecagbomnaiaing and cutting/@'eigdimpating stifticient mtiontofthewlx or muffle while in the furnace to agitate the sheets of iron to such an extent as will polishvthem by the attrition of the annealing and cutting agencies during the operation of heating and cooling,whereby they are given the peculiar mottled and polished appearance of Russia sheet-iron.

To enable others to understand my improved method or process, I will proceed to describe the mode of operation by reference to the ac- 'companyingdrawiugs For this purposeI construct a reverberatory furnace of brick, and o which- Figure l represents a longitudinal vertical section. Fig. 2 represents a transverse longitudinal section.

This furnace resembles in shape and construction those of a similar character already in use; but in order to accomplish the purpose for which it is intended, in addition to the damper, grate,and other appendagesincident to such furnaces, I construct a large door, P, Fig. l, at the top, capable of being opened or closed, as the operation may require. Just beneath this door, immediately in the body of the furnace A, and transverse thereto, I have suspended on trunnions H H, Fig. 2, a large castiron box, B, resting in appropriate bearings F F, Fig. 2, and on which it can easily be turned. This box, during the working ofthe furnace, is closed by a tight-fitting lid, E, Fig. l, held iu place by any mechanical contrivance that will answer the end.

The operation is as follows: Sheets of iron of a good quality are cut somewhat smaller than the inside of the box, so as to allow of a little play; but before placing them in the box the bottom is to be covered to the dept-l1 of one inch or more with a composition formed by mixing one part of pulverized iron-ore with eight parts of lime and`ortrtwlfin:gil-cigar-n calprefere'iiee"beiggiie that iron ore wh'icllias'bncebeen used for*an'neli'n'gcastiron. One sheet is then laid flat on this mixture. Some of the mixture is then dustewdpver theupper face of the sheet to the deipt'l ofonefourth of an inch, and a second sheet laid in, and so on alternatelyr until the box is nearly full,when a coat of the mixture, entirely filling up the box, is placed over all. The lid E, Fig. l, is then to be fastened on. After this is done the door P, Fig. 1, at the top ofthe furnace A, is closed, a lire introduced and kept up until the sheets are heated to about 8000, or until the scale begins to loosen. A rotary or oscillating motion is then imparted tothe boxby requisite machinery attached to one ofthe trunnions outside of the furnace. This motion causes the sheets O, Fig. l, to slide one on the other, and loosen as well as rub ofthe heavy external scale, polishing at the same time the fine scale thatlies closest to the body of the iron, While the continual tumbling` and thumping of one sheet on the other as they turn over in the box produces those-slight inequalities on the surface of theiron somuch admired in the Russia sheet. This motion of the box is to be kept up for several hours, and at the same degree of heat, until the sheets are thoroughly polished,when the furnace is to be closed perfectly tight to exclude the air, the tire withdrawn, and the furnace allowed to gradually cool. The motion of the box, however, is carried on until the heat has diminished at least one-half. The box is then stopped, and all allowed to cool down together, which being ascertained, the box is opened, the sheets taken out, cleaned, and straightened, ready for use.

Fig. 3 represents a mere modification of the plan for operating the box. Instead of supporting the weight by the trunnions, the box N in this case is provided at each end with a flanged wheel, R, which enables the box to roll coke, lime, or other dccarbonizing and cutting agents, and imparting sufcient motion to the box or mufe While in the furnace to agitate the sheets of iron to such an extent as will polish them by the attrition of the annealing and cutting agencies during the operation of heating and cooling, whereby they are given the peculiar mottled and polished appearance of Rus-ia sheet-iron.

JOSIAH W. ELLS.

Witnesses:

EB. WILLIAMS, Jr., JOHN MCKENNA.

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