'818 Transactions of the American Institute. 



times, wliicli is about four times the service obtained from a mold 

 of the old form. 



The Wilson Fuknace. 

 The novelty in the furnace patented by Edward B. "Wilson, of Eng- 

 land, relates to the fuel chamber, which is constructed in such a man- 

 ner that, when fresh fuel is supplied, as usual, on the top of the fuel 

 already igwited, the gases generated therefrom are made to pass down- 

 ward through the hot fuel, in lieu, as heretofore, of ascending through 

 the fresh fuel, and air is also supplied at such points and in such quan- 

 tity as will be suitable for combustion. The introduction of this fur- 

 nace involved a series of battles with the puddlers, who opposed 4lie 

 innovation. It has, however, been in successful operation for some 

 time at the Thornby Iron Works. The Dunham coal used at these 

 works having the quality of coking, and being more bituminous than 

 coal of other districts, the conditions of ignition were wholly dissimilar. 

 The furnace was specially adapted to these conditions. By the action 

 of a damper, only air enough was admitted to burn the gases properly, 

 while a. large generator provided a constant supply of gas. No otiier 

 furnace would work with the damper in the same position, owing to 

 the difference in the size of tiie fire-grate and damper. The returns 

 of Thornby Iron Works sliow that fifteen tons of puddled bars were 

 manufactured per week of fifty-nine heats at seventeen and a half hun- 

 dred weight of rough small coals per ton. Mr. Thomas Whitman, in 

 .a paper on this furnace, read before the Cleveland Institution of Engi- 

 neers, claimed for it these advantages : 1. It would make more pud- 

 dled bars out of a given quantity of metal than any other furnace. 

 2. It would make a better quality than other furnaces, as it never burned 

 the iron, and never worked " rash." 3. It would, under proper treat- 

 ment, consume all its own smoke. * 4. That it would not use more 

 fettling than other furnaces ; the cost of repairs could not be great, for, 

 in the Wilson furnace, a less quantity of fuel being burned, there was 

 less cutting action on the brickwork. 



After some discussion. of these items, the association adjourned. 



