An Improvement in the Manufacture of Crucible Steel.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in the Manufacture of Crucible Steel.
I, ALLEYNE REYNOLDS, of Bolsover Hill, Sheffield, in the County of York,
Manager of Steel Works, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
--
In the manufacture of crucible steel as at present carried on, the steel is melted
in the crucible and afterwards allowed to stand for a time somewhat above the
melting temperature until it comes to condition. The crucibles having not only
to stand this high temperature after the melting but also to stand the heat and
chemical action during the melting, are quickly worn out, and the cost of replacing
them adds greatly to the expense of the manufacture.
The object of my invention is to save a considerable portion of this expense
which I effect by avoiding the melting of the steel in the crucible itself, and
charging the crucible with steel in a molten condition taken from a converter or
furnace.
It is preferable to employ mild steel and to add to it in the crucible the sub-
stances necessary to give it more carbon, manganese or other ingredients.
Doted this 9th day of November 1897.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
An Improvement in the Manufacture of Crucible Steel.
I, ALLEYNE REYNOLDS, of Bolsover Hill, Sheffield, in the County of York,
Manager of Steel Works, 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:-
In the manufacture of crucible steel, as at present carried on, the steel is melted
in the crucible and afterwards maintained for some time at a temperature above its
unelting point until it comes to condition; this latter portion of the process being
technically termed "killing" or dead melting."
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This is required in order to allow particles of oxides present as rust or scale in
the original charge to float to the surface of the molten metal, or to become reduced
by chemical action.
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The crucibles are cut" or chemically acted upon by these oxides of iron,
manganese, &c. and are rapidly worn out."
The object of my invention is to save a considerable portion of the expense of
the present mode of manufacture; which I effect by avoiding the melting of the

page_text: charge in the crucible itself and by charging the crucible with steel in a molten
condition taken from a converter or furnace.
This steel, owing to its very fluid condition, seldom contains injurious oxides,
and, if it does, these may be converted into oxides, neutral to the crucible, before
charging it, by adding substances such as aluminium, sodium or silicon.
It is preferable to employ mild steel taken from the converter or furnace, and
to add the required substances while the steel is run into the crucibles, as steel is
usually run from the ladle into ingot moulds.
When the crucibles are filled, a small quantity of suitable flux may be added
either ground or melted.
In cases where a large number of crucible charges of steel of the same quality
are desired, the ingredients may be added in the ladle by running in molten cast
iron, ferro-silicon &c. together with the mild steel; or the steel may be made
of the required analysis in the converter or furnace, but I prefer the other methods.
The steel is killed" or brought to condition in the usual manner; but in general
less time is required for this, and, as the crucibles are charged with molten
metal, their capacity is doubled.
The converter or furnace for the preliminary melting or smelting process may
be acid or basic, and the crucible furnace, may be of any suitable known
construction.
The crucibles may be charged in the furnace but generally it is more convenient
to remove the crucible from the furnace to charge it and then replace it in the
furnace.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
The herein described method of manufacturing crucible steel, by charging the
crucibles with steel already melted, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
Dated this 19th day of April 1898.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.