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THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



then turned with its body nearly horizontal, and the charge of 

 melted iron is run in at its mouth.* The vessel is next turned so 

 that its body becomes erect (as in Fig. 57), and, as soon as this turn- 

 ing commences, the blast is put on. An enormous discharge of 



particles of burning iron escapes 

 from the vessel's mouth as it moves 

 toward an erect position, and when 

 the turning ceases it is evident that 

 a most intense reaction is taking 

 place between the oxygen of the air 

 blown into the " converter " and the 

 silicon and carbon contained in the 



WPT 



Fig. 58. Pocking Steel from a Converter. 



iron. The mechanical action of the blast in throwing about the 

 liquid metal augments the internal tumult intense flame issues 

 with an angry roar from the converter's mouth, and the whole 

 apparatus trembles as though it was possessed of a devil that was 

 reluctant to be cast out. 



Pw"' ""'""" """'" >"'- - 



After the lapse of a certain time (varying with the character 

 and quantity of the metal being operated upon), the flame at the 

 mouth of the converter undergoes a great reduction in volume 

 and change in character, and it is by the appearance of this flame 



* The early " converters " had a capacity of from one to three tons, but we now hear of 

 " vessels " holding from fifteen to twenty tons. 



