THE SIEMENS-MARTIN STEEL DEPARTMENT : 35-TON FURNACES.
capacity of the regenerators be counted. A wrought-iron
chimney, lined with firebricks, is provided for each furnace ;
its height is 40 metres (131 ft.), and the inside diameter at
the top 1 metre (39| in.).
It may be mentioned that the chimney belonging to
the 25-ton furnace, which happened to be in the way of
the overhead line of the travelling crânes, was shifted,
just as it stood (see Fig. 88) for a distance of 10 metres
(33 ft.) outside the shop, and that advantage was taken of
this opportunity to increase its height by 4 metres (13 ft.).
Controlling mechanism. The following are the dimensions
of the casting pits (see Fig. 86) perpendicular to the wall
of each furnace :
Length of pit
Width ,,
Depth ,,
Diameter of ladle
Height
18.400 m.
4.200 m.
2 m. and 2.500 m.
2.200 m.
2 m.
60 ft. 3 in.
13 ft. 9 in.
6 ft. 7 in. and
8 ft. 3 in.
7 ft. 3 in.
6 ft. 7 in.
- lleiaht, o f Chimney JO 000
35-Ton Siemens-Martin Steel Furnaces.
Casting Small Ingots. — The distribution of gas
and air is effected by means of wrought-iron mains with
hydraulic joints. Small ingots are cast from a ladle
carried on a double-sided bogie truck ; this runs on
tracks laid the whole length of the casting pit. Each
furnace is provided with its own laclle and casting appli-
ances. A 10-ton port<ible stcrim crane which runs on a
track parallel to the pit, hauls the ladle truck, and shifts it
longitudinally or transversely, with the help of a special
The travelling steam crane, above referred to, serves
also to lift and load the ingots into trucks, and to raise the
ladle which is heated before casting, by being turned
upside down over a coke fire, through which a biast of air
is directed.
Production of Gas.—Gas for the furnaces is produced
by a range of generators placecl outside the steel works,
and at a distance of about 100 metres (330 ft.) from the
furnaces (see Fig. 77, Plate XVIII.).