Oxygen lance with a centrally located orifice

Claim 1

IN AN APPARATUS FOR ADMITTING GASES INTO STEEL FURNACES AND THE LIKE, A LANCE INCLUDING A SHAFT COMPRISING AT LEAST THREE CONCENTRIC PIPES INCLUDING AN OUTER PIPE, A MEDIAN PIPE AND A GAS CONVEYING INNER PIPE; AND A NOZZLE HAVING A PAIR OF CONCENTRIC ANNULAR PORTIONS SEALINGLY CONNECTED WITH THE ENDS OF SAID OUTER AND INNER PIPES BUT BEING SPACED FROM SAID MEDIAN PIPE SO THAT SAID PIPES DEFINE BETWEEN THEMSELVES A PAIR OF COMMUNICATING COOLANT-CONVEYING CHANNELS, A SAID NOZZLE INCLUDING A TIP HAVING AN OUTER SIDE PROVIED WITH A RECESS AND CENTRALLY LOCATED ORIFICE MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH THE SPACE SURROUNDED BY SAID INNER PIPE AND ARRANGED TO ADMIT INTO SAID RECESS A GAS WHICH IS CONVEYED THROUGH SAID SPACE, AT LEAST SAID TIP OF THE NOZZLE BEING A SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT WALL THICKNESS ALONG THE ENTIRE CROSS SECTION THEREOF AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF OUTWARDLY INCLINED ORIFICES SURROUNDING SAID RECESS AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID GAS CONVEYING INNER PIPE SO AS TO DISCHARGE GAS THEREFROM.