The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-04-02
BETTER THAN EDISON s.
Bells Process for Making Armor Plate
With Tensile Strength of $4,000 lbs.

From the New York World.
Philadelphia new process for harden
ing steel has been discovered by Philadel-
phian. A company for the manufacture Of
steel plate is IN process of formation, and
1t Is expected that within year armor
plate will be manufactured by the concern
which can be sold at $3.50 ton, or even
less, which is just half the price set by con-
gress. The inventor is William j. Bell, an
old iron man, who for the past six years has
been making experiments with his new dis
covery with such satisfactory results that
he expects to place the product of his work
on the market before the expiration of the
present Year.
Unlike the present process of hardening
steel, the new discovery does not harden the
steel after it is made, but during the pro-
cess OF making. 1t is claimed that the ten
sle strength OF the steel will be increased
to $4,000 pounds to the square inch, which is
1900 pounds square inch over the present
hardened steel and 1900 pounds better than
that promised by Thomas A. Edison, Jr.
Under the new process the steel will be
equal in tensile strength and resistance to
the Muschet steel and superior to the Har-
veyized Bessemer or Krupp steel. The in
ventor is willing to make a government test
of his invention and is willing to abide Ly
the result. He claims that he can take any
stock that is iron, even scrap iron, and
make it into armor plate at cost of about
$3.50 a ton for the raw material, the tensile
strength of which will be equal or go be-
yond any that has even been produced
through a cupola or blast furnace up to the
present time. The new steel will not rust or
corrode, and consequently will be practi-
cally indestructible
The secret of the new invention is f1ux,
which is changed in the furnace the same
as coal or coke or any other fuel. F'lux is
a mineral which was discovered in large
quantities at Wheelersburg, Soto county,
Iowa. 1t quickly reduces all foreign matter
and produces pure. clear, unalloyed steel.
which for durability and strength cannot be
equaled. The flux used can be delivered to
any of the eastern ports al $3.50 ton.
In discussing his new invention Mr.. Bell
says: "The process by which [ produce a
high grade seel exceedingly simple. I'm
like the manufacturer of steel at present,
do not use any nickel, aluminium other
substance to increase the tensile strength
have given many practical demonstra-
tons of the discovery, all of which have
proved eminently satisfactory. By tho use
of flux 1 eliminate all foreign substances In
the steel. 1t does matter if the ore is
charged with sulphur, PHOSPHORUS, copper,
tin, lead anthony, or any other foreign
substance. The f1ux quickly reduces all for
eign matters and leaves nothing but pure
steel. The claim made by the steel manu-
facturers that they cannot produce steel for
armor plating purposes at $500 ton may be
true with the process used by them. but
shall be able to place it on the market at Mt
least one-half of that price. I can manu-
facture high grade steel under my process
at less cost than low grade iron can now
be made for"