Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-11-11
For he Egqui
THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON.

"lhe iron trade can. PERHAPS hardly bs s.it >. y
Sill IN lis infancy but We have certainly much r,,,
mnrh TO Itar4, before can boas, of apy:hj,,, H. .
complete knowledge OF its different proc.,..s ".
observe many 'ac's III n' OF which the most we cgn
say Is, that they are connected with, or csrs.l ~.
certain other accompanying tacts, though We ay- -,
iorabt hoT this coDneIiop exists often indeed 80.
knowledge does not extend go far
There ia hktis d0ub that tie time ,riN rom. vI NJ,
this material will be found much more vaiuab. H.
1t can now be considered; that when chem.
science has made further advances, a NOR ,r.,r.f
method nil be dsScorersd Of separating M, IN i..'.
which is known to exist in very large propor,cI s,
combined with so few impurities. We mus; b. cvu
tnh' no"ever, to proceed gradually - iyS
Sr0nyh3n s Library OF Entert0in,np kn0gl,i,r
Ihe manufacture of iron. from time mmelno:ai
mas beeo conducted with but little change IN u.r.
ana nay De divided INTO two great heads: Frs: tn.
production from the ore Of pig or cas-, ron bv mel.
ing, oy means OF b ast furnaces. Second the CONVEX
sion OF the pg IRON INTO Ina..eaSe state ia s!nni! ~
furnaces called r.fners ese in pudtl,., tur, n -
and the rolling il into bars.
In Inc hrst process, tue ore tan oxide of i,nnl i
de.oadlsed by being burnt with some carboua, ror
substance as charcoal, coke lanrrscite &c Ai!,r ,,
certain time two three hours) the ore in ,h .cr
mace IS wholly deprived. Of its oxygen ide.osidissfl
anu mas become pure, soft. or wrought iron; and
here that II desirable that The process shurd b., a.
rested. But, unfortunately the maierisls in ~. ar q
nary iurnances are shut up from :he view for fwrlv..
hours, and there no means OF ascerfsipiry . H. =,
this important result has been arrived a. .u, , ("
arrest II when found. Consequently, the metal u..!
lett IN contact with the coal, the same agent which
had freed II from its oxygen, commenc,s 10 ur,n
the work 1t had completed. The iron become lie
tcrioraied by the absorption OF carbon and i.
into carburet OF iron. Ur pig iron proGurs rn"s.
compact and portable, indeed than the Origiun .rufa
ore but still requiring the second expensive pIucrss
mentioned above. before it can become wr0uchi ur
merchsntable iron
ihe discovery or invention patented by Mr. VI. :
Salter, OF New jersey, for making iron dJtct I,"n.
thc ore III series OF open chambers supplies ;,s .
sderatum referred TO above, and enables the si1r.;
to arrest the nrst process 1t the very point wh.r tA,
de oxidation OF the ore has been completed and br.
tore the injurious absorption OF carbon has b,4iiu.
just as the skiilul cook removes her ros,iiur .
from the lre The moment is cooked aud pr"Srr's
being spoiled by being over done BY inis n,rloa
only one process is needed, aud wrou.h. ruu rl I.
pure quality is produced NJ the same cxprusr ., ,
iron; the later worth thirty dollars tho ton. IA. tn
eighty five to ninety.
The process of Mr.. Bessener. which has n.Cdn p.
great stir IN Great Britain and in INNING 0.sli, ,
every where, IN no respect nereYes with the u-.s.
Of Mr. Salier. The former is simply taccnrdln. ="
the London "Englneer q more economical naoGc r'
that Of Mr. Salter is RADICAL the blast furnace arG
pig iron being both entirely dispensed with.
The patent right secures to Mr. Sal'rr "the prors
OF manufacturing iron directly from the ore, il.
mace OF three combined chambers, Que above GH"''
er, all actuated by the same hre, whereof the urr.=
chamber ia used for heating aud de-oxdpg, rhe ml.
die chamber for huIing and working. aud til. o,,ut
chamber for reducing and finishing the iron 'Ina
specifications, with en illustrative wood cut, will ~.
pear in the New York Scientific American uf the 18Th
inst.
New YORK, Nov. 4, 1856.