443 
In order to enable the operator to cause the steam to act 
equally on all portions of the molten iron, the steam pipe 
is made with a flexible joint, so that the submerged 
orifice of the steam pipe may be moved about within the 
furnace, and the current of steam made to pass up through 
the molten iron at any part of the basin. Such, however, 
is the energetic action of the steam in agitating- the molten 
metal by its passage up through it, that a very gentle action 
of the steam pipe suffices to cause every particle of the iron 
to be subjected to the decarbonising and desulphurising 
action of the decomposed steam. 
Such is the extraordinary ease and rapidity with which we 
are enabled to decarbonise the cast iron by the introduction 
of a current of steam up through the molten iron, that in 
four to five minutes from the time of introducing the steam 
pipe beneath the surface of the molten cast iron, its conver- 
sion into malleable iron is effected ; thirty-five to forty 
minutes being required on the old system. 
No special alteration in the furnace is required, and about 
50s. will provide the requisite steam pipe. The submerged 
end of the steam pipe gets coated over with the cast iron, 
but the waste of it is very slight, and as it is only the 
submerged end that does waste, that part is made removable. 
Each end lasts fully eight to ten days, and only costs 9d 
each time it is removed. 
The introduction of steam with the puddling furnace has 
before been made the subject of patents ; but no success 
attended the application until I introduced the steam up 
through the molten iron by means of a submerged moveable 
pipe in the manner above described. 
Messrs. Rushton and Eccersley, of Bolton, have now 
twelve puddling furnaces in constant action by my steam 
system, and yielding first-rate iron. 
M M 
