puddling (pudling)

[Verbal n. of pud dle1, v.] 1. In hydraul. eng in., the operation of working plastic clay behind piling in a cofferdam, the lining of a canal, or in other situation, to prevent the penetration of water; also, the clay or other material used in this operation. -2. The operation of transforming pig-iron into wrought-iron in a reverberatory furnace. The object of puddling is to remove the carbon in the pig-iron; and this is effected partly by the direct action of the oxygen of the air at the high temperature employed, and partly by the action of the cinder formed, or the oxidized compounds of iron added during the proce . After the iron "comes to nature" in the furnace, it is made up into balls for convenient handling; these are "shingled" by hammering or squeezing, and pa ed between rolls, by which the metal is made to a ddling: the desired form. There are two methods of puddling: the proce as originally performed is called dry puddling; that which is now most generally followed is known as wet puddling, but is oftener called pig - boiling. In the older proce only white or refined iron could be used; in the newer unrefined iron is employed, and this melts more perfectly and boils up more freely than is the case when refined iron is used, which remains in a more or le pasty condition during the proce ; hence the name pig - boiling. The puddling proce was invented in England by Henry Cort, about 1784, and he was also the inventor of the method of finishing iron by pa ing it through grooved rolls-proce es of immense importance as determining the long maintained supremacy of England in the iron-manufacturing busine . The invention of what is known as IMG:content-1267.png:[blocks in formation] Their little puddy fingers. Albert Smith . pudu (pö'dö), n. [S. Amer.] The venada, Cer vus pudu or Pudua humilis, a Chilian deer. pudworm (pud'wėrm), n. The piddock, Pholas dactylus. [Local, Eng.] puelt, n. An obsolete form of pew1 . pue2+ (pū), v . i . [Also pew ; an imitative word; cf. pule .] To chirp or cry like a bird; make a sound like this word. The birds likewise with chirps and puing . Sir P. Sidney. ( Richardson . )