BESSEMER, SIR HENRY

(1813-98); Eng. engineer and inventor; famous for his steel-manufacturing proce . hydraulic appliance to counteract effects of a rolling ship was unsucc semer converter, the ve el in which pig iron is transformed into high grade steel. was devised by Sir Henry Be emer in a succe ful attempt to produce a steel more suitable for the manufacsure of guns. Shaped somewhat like a bottle, it is heav’ly constructed of boiler plate or cast iron, with a refractory lining; and is provided with trunnions about which it may be rotated so as to dump the contents. In order that air may be continuously blown through the charge, one of the trunnions is collow, and connects with a blast box, from which ducts called tuyeres lead through the bottom lining Molten pig iron is run into the tilted converter while the air blast is on. The converter is righted, and as the air is forced through the charge, the impurities, namely, sulphur, silicon, phosphore ous, and carbon are oxidized. Twenty five minutes serve to complete this proce , at the end of which time manganese and carbon are added in sufficient amounts to give a steel of the desired hardne and ductility. The ckarge together with sufficient slag to cover the top, thereby preventing further oxidation, is then dumped and run into molds. Be emer converters have been adapted to the refining of copper.