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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
tuyeres .* Moreover, the Bessemer process can act with effect on irons of 
the first brand only. 
Coming now to the subject of this paper, Mr Heaton, by his process,, 
professes to manufacture steel of the best quality from any sort of iron, 
even the most sulphur and phosphorus charged brands, at one operation 
direct from the pig, a few minutes sufficing to produce the results which are 
said to be remarkable for their uniformity. The process being chemical 
and rapid, in place of mechanical and tedious, and the material dealt with 
of the cheapest, the elements for a minimum of cost are alleged to be- 
presented. 
Before describing the modus operandi , it will be well to explain that,. 
Heaton’s, like Bessemer’s system is a direct chemical re-action, and consists 
in the application to the molten metal of nitrate of soda, which developes 
the nascent oxygen (a far more powerful agent than heated air), on contact,, 
with an energy tempered to the requirements of the manufacture by means- 
of the apparatus invented for its management, which constitutes the essence 
of the patent. 
The process of conversion*!* is as follows :— 
The Heaton Converter is nearly a cylindrical cupola, lined with a d^-inch 
fire-brick, the shell of boiler plate, and is surmounted by a plate iron conical 
cap, and narrower cylindrical flue a few feet in height. The cupola may be 
supposed, cut in two, horizontally at about one diameter and a half in 
height, and the bottom part rendered movable and capable of being with¬ 
drawn on wheels without disturbance to the supports, &c. of the remaining 
upper portions of the converter. Means of temporary attachment by 
clamps and cotters, are provided to connect the two parts ; at one side of 
the cylindrical fixed part of the converter a hopper, with a loosely hinged 
iron plate cover, is provided, which communicates with the cavity within. 
The lower part, or converting pot, has a cylindrical cavity with a 
flat bottom, the sides near the top edge sloping inwards to a cone all 
round. 
The cavity up to the level of the lower edge of the cone is prepared to 
hold just the bulk of crude nitrate of soda, required for the volume of 
liquid iron to be operated upon and the latter when converted. The 
proportion of nitrate at present employed, being 2 cwt. to the ton of 
molten iron, a proportion which it is believed may be materially reduced, 
when the conditions for. the most favourable re-action shall be more 
completely understood. 
The converting pot is lined with fire-brick and refractory clay. When 
the crude nitrate is filled in up to the narrow part of the conical lining, a 
cast-iron perforated plate is laid upon its level surface, and worked round 
till its edges bed firmly into and upon the clay lining. In this state the 
converting pot is rolled in under the upper part of the converter and 
clamped to it, ready for work. 
* From an anonymous pamphlet.—Judd and Glass, Doctors’ Commons, 
f Extracted chiefly from “ Practical Mechanic’s Journal.”—Jan. 12, 1868. 
