Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Jan., 1887
Complete Left, 20th Oct., 1887
Complete Accepted, 22nd Nov., 1887
We, ALEXANDER EDWIN TUCKER of Holly Street, Smethwick and FRANK WILLIAM
HARBORD of Wellington Road Bilston both Analytical Chemists & Metallurgists do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of our Invention is to obtain a carbide of Iron by removing the Silicon,
Phosphorus, Sulphur and Manganese and leaving the carbon present in the pig iron
acted on, by treating the iron direct as it comes from the Blast Furnace, in a refinery
hearth lined with Thomas Gilchrist slag or similar material or by remelting in an
ordinary refinery hearth lined with the same materials. When a particularly pure
product is desired we find it may conveniently be obtained by remelting Hematite pig
iron in a Basic Siemens hearth. In both cases oxidizing bases such as oxide of iron,
oxide of Manganese etc. may be advantageously added. Having thus obtained this
carbide of iron, we find it may conveniently be used alone or in conjunction with
Tungsten or Chromium oxides or their alloys for the production of the respective
Steels in the ordinary way.
ALEX. E. TUCKER.
F. W. HARBORD.

page_text: We, ALEXANDER EDWIN TUCKER South Road Smethwick & FRANK WILLIAM
HARBORD of Wellington Road Bilston both Analytical Chemists & Metallurgists do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The object of this invention is 1st. to remove as far as possible the metalloids from
pig iron as it runs from the Blast Furnace, retaining as much of the carbon as possible
and 2nd. the manufacture of a carbide of iron and the alloys of this carbide with
Tungsten, chromium and other metals and further the manufacture of these alloys of
iron with chromium, Tungsten etc. without carbon.
In carrying out the first part of this invention, having previously placed either solid
or molten oxides of iron, manganese or other oxidizing bases with lime on the bottom
of the refinery, we run the molten iron from the Blast Furnace on to this bottom
which is formed of Basic or Thomas Gilchrist slag on one or both sides of the hearth
tuyers are arranged by means of which blast is forced either through or on to the
surface of the metal and the operation is continued untill the required degree of
purification is effected. To maintain the slag fluid, fluor spar may be added and in
certain cases it may be advisable to put breeze or small coal on the top to increase the
heat and to retain the carbon in the metal. When the operation is finished the metal
may either be tapped out into a ladle and taken to the converter or Siemens furnace
and there converted into steel or it may be run into moulds. The molten oxides
referred to may be advantageously run into the refinery simultaneously with the
metal, the cupola or apparatus in which they are melted should preferably be lined
with Basic slag or some other basic or neutral material. When desirable the metal
may be melted in a cupola or air furnace or in the refinery itself instead of being run
from the Blast furnace.
In carrying out the 2nd. part of our invention viz. the manufacture of alloys of iron
and carbon with chromium Tungsten etc. we charge Hematite iron on the hearth of a
basic Siemans furnace with the oxides of the metal with which we wish to alloy the
iron. The oxide of the metal is reduced by the Silicon carbon etc. in the pig iron and
the corresponding metal passes into the bath, & if the bath is tapped soon after it is
melted it will consist of a carbide of iron alloyed with the particular metal whose
oxide bas been used. Lime and small quantities of oxide of iron & manganese may
be added with the oxide of chromium Tungsten etc. especially when low percentage
alloys only are required.
When it is desired to make alloys of Iron & Chromium Tungsten etc. without
carbon it is not necessary to use Hematite iron but ordinary phosphoric pig may be
used, the oxides of Chrome Tungsten etc. being added with the oxides of iron either
alone when charging or when the metal is melted proferably the latter the metal being

page_text: retained in the furnace & more oxides added untill both the carbon & phosphorus
are practically removed. The amount of oxides added will naturally depend upon the
richness of the alloy required.
-
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is :-
1. The refining of molten iron either run direct from the Blast Furnace, or melted
in a cupola or in the refinery itself, by the addition of oxidizing basis & by an air
blast in a hearth or refinary lined with Basic or Thomas Gilchrist slag substantially as
herein described.
2. The manufacture of alloys of pure iron with carbon & Chromium Tungsten etc.
in a Basic Siemens Furnace under basic conditions using oxide of the required metal
as the oxidizing agent either entirely or in part instead of oxides of iron now generally
used substantially as herein described.