IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MALLEABLE IRON "
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Percy John Ogle of Yniscedwyn Swansea Valley South
Wales for an invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
MALLEABLE IRON
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Percy John Ogle at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th June 1882.
"
PERCY JOHN OGLE of Yniseedwyn Swansea Valley South Wales IMPROVE
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MALLEABLE IRON "
The Invention has reference to the obtaining of malleable iron direct from Iron
bearing materials and has more especial reference to the obtaining of the iron from
Forge Cinders or puddling and balling furnace slags which frequently contain as
much as 55% to 60% of metallic iron which is at present in great measure wasted
owing to the difficulty of obtaining good iron therefrom.
°
According to the present invention the iron bearing materials are first finely
ground and then there is taken a finely ground Carbonaceous material lime and
an Aluminous Compound and preferably a little salt to assist in extracting the
Sulphur
The proportions of these materials will vary in some degree with the constituents
of the iron bearing materials to be treated and of course if any of the constituents
be naturally present in the iron bearing materials to the necessary extent it will
be unnecessary to add such constituents or if any of them be naturally present
in an insufficient proportion the percentage necessary for the carrying out of
the process will be made up by adding an additional quantity of such constituents.
The first thing to do when the analysis of the forge Cinder or other iron
bearing materials is known is to calculate the amount and character of the fluxes
to be added to it in order to produce a fusible and fluid slag sufficiently basic to
carry off the Phosphorus of which the iron bearing material (if it be furnace slag).
will probably contain about 2 per cent.
It has been found best to get a slag which will be very fluid at a moderately
low temperature so that it may freely leave the mass whilst in the furnace. I have

page_text: Lime
Irish Aluminous Ore
Salt
دو
04
35
"
"
This will in effect be equivalent to a mixture of iron bearing materials con-
taining about 50 per cent of metallic Iron and 15 per Cent of. Silica =700 lbs,
a Carbonaceous material containing Carbon in the proportion of about 130 lbs for
the given weight of Cinder. An aluminous compound containing about 15 lbs of
Alumina for the given weight of Cinder and Lime as aforesaid 84 lbs and salt 3 lbs
for the given weight of Cinder. The materials which need it are as aforesaid finely
ground preferably to an impalpable powder and thoroughly mixed and incorporated
in a mill with if needed the addition of sufficient water or liquid to render it
capable of being moulded into such shapes as will present the largest possible
surface to the action of the heat of the furnace the said shapes having preferably
nowhere a greater thickness that 2 inches to 21 inches I have found tubes to
answer well of about 8 inches diameter and of sufficient length that when standing
on end in the furnace they leave a clearance between their tops and the furnace
roof. This with ordinary reverberatory furnaces would give a length of tube
about twice the measurement of the diameter The shapes thus moulded are then
to be thoroughly dried being preferably placed upon the roof of the furnace to
effect this drying by the otherwise waste heat of the furnace This drying enables
the shapes to maintain their form whilst under the furnace heat.
The shapes thus made are then placed in the furnace the said shape being so
arranged as to economize space as far as possible but at the same time to leave
proper space between for the due action of the heat
As soon as the furnace is charged the heat is brought up as quickly as possible
it being immaterial at this stage whether the flame is oxydising or not so long as
there is a good heat-In about an hour drops of slag will be seen running down
the sides of the shapes shewing that the formation of iron has commenced The
flame must now be regulated to be only a Carbonic Oxide one so as to prevent
as much as possible the Oxidizing of the newly formed particles of iron an inside
pressure being maintained so that the flame may completely envelope the shapes.
The outsides of the shapes are kept constantly covered by the slag running down
as fast as it is formed the said slag thus forming as it were an external flowing
sheet of protective slag which not only protects the outside but by its sheet like
enveloping of the shapes also prevents the action of the flame on the particles of
iron in the interior of the shapes. The slag will now continue to run freely and
in order to prevent a bath being formed on the bottom of the furnace the said slag
must be continually tapped off-In from 2 to 3 hours (according to the heat) the
iron will be sufficiently reduced-Any ordinary puddler can distinguish by the
look of the mass when this stage has been arrived at.
tr
Sufficient of these shapes are now collected together or
Balled" so as to
produce blooms of say froin one to two Cwt as may be required and after being
brought to a welding heat for a few minutes the said blooms are withdrawn
from the furnace and squeezed so as to expel the remaining slag after which
they are rolled out and treated in the same manner as ordinary puddled iron is
treated

page_text: The shapes thus moulded are then to be thoroughly dried which may be done
by means of the waste heat from the furnace This drying enables the shapes to
maintain their form whilst under the furnace heat
The shapes are then placed on their ends on the furnace bottom being so
arranged as to economize space as far as possible but at the same time so as to
leave sufficient space between each for the due action of the heat This furnace
may be an ordinary puddling or reheating furnace or the like preferably heated by
gas and say for example about 10 feet long by 7 feet wide.
As soon as the furnace is charged the heat is brought up as quickly as possible
it being immaterial at this stage whether the flame is oxidizing or not so long as
there is good heat Very soon drops of slag will be seen running down the outsides
of the shapes showing that the reduction has commenced The flame should now
be gradually regulated so as not to be a highly oxidising one which would
otherwise be liable to oxidize the newly formed particles of Iron an inside pressure
being maintained all along so that the flame may completely envelope the shapes-
The outside of the shapes will be kept constantly covered by the slag running
down as fast as it is formed thus forming as it were an external flowing sheet of
protecting slag which not only protects the outside but by its sheetlike enveloping
of the shapes also prevents the oxidizing action of the flaine on the particles of iron
in the interior of the shapes.
The slag will now continue to run freely and must be tapped off at intervals to
prevent too great a depth of it accumulating on the furnace bottom-In about two
hours (the time depending mainly on the amount of heat) the masses will be
sufficiently reduced and the Iron come to nature. Any ordinary puddler will be
able to distinguish when this stage has been reached.
"
Sufficient of these masses are now collected or "Balled so as to produce Blooms
of from one to two hundred weight as may be required and after being brought
to a welding heat the said balls are withdrawn from the furnace and squeezed
so as to expel the remaining slag after which they may be hammered or rolled out
and treated in the same manner as ordinary puddled iron is treated
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein before in part
recited Letters Patent is
The improvement in the manufacture of malleable iron consisting in conducting
the process for the obtainment of malleable iron direct from Forge Cinders or
Puddling and Balling Furnace Slags or other iron bearing materials substantially
as herein before described
In witness whereof I the said Percy John Ogle have to this my Specification
set my hand and seal this Second day of December One thousand eight
hundred and eighty two
PERCY JNO OGLE (L.S.)