IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MALLEABLE METAL OF A STEELY QUALITY PARTLY FROM BESSEMER SCRAP' OR OTHER BESSEMER METAL
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Stanhope Perkins, of Gorton, near Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, Engineer, and William Smellie, of the same
Place, Forge Manager, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF MALLEABLE METAL OF A STEELY QUALITY PARTLY FROM
BESSEMER SCRAP' OR OTHER BESSEMER METAL."
Sealed the 2nd June 1868, and dated the 5th December 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Stanhope Perkins and
William Smellie, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 5th December 1867.
We, STANHOPE PERKINS, of Gorton, near Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, and WILLIAM SMELLIE, of the same Place, Forge Manager,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF MALLEABLE METAL OF A STEELY QUALITY PARTLY PROM BESSEMER
SCRAP' OR OTHER BESSEMER METAL," to be as follows:-
The main object of our Invention is to utilize Bessemer scrap (which has
been hitherto of little value) and to reconvert it into a malleable steely
homogeneous metal applicable to many if not all the purposes for which
Bessemer steel is used.
Our Invention consists in mixing Bessemer metal with about an equal
quantity of common pig iron, and in melting this mixture down in an ordinary

page_text: cupola furnace and then taking it while in a molten state to a common puddling
furnace, where it is subjected to the well-known puddling process, the metal
thereby produced being homogeneous and malleable, and applicable to many if
not all the purposes for which Bessemer steel has been hitherto used. It is
not essential that the mixed metal shall be melted in a cupola furnace if it is
completely melted before being subjected to the puddling operation.
:
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Stanhope Perkins and William Smellie in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 2nd June 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, STANHOPE
PERKINS, of Gorton, near Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer,
and WILLIAM SMELLIE, of the same Place, Forge Manager, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Stanhope Perkins and William Smellie, Her special license that we, the
said Stanhope Perkins and William Smellie, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Stanhope Perkins and William Smellie,
our exccutors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
o others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
MALLEABLE METAL OF A STEELY QUALITY, PARTLY FROM BESSEMER SCRAP OR OTHER
BESSEMER METAL," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
Stanhope Perkins and William Smellic, an instrument in writing under our
hands and seals, or under the band or seal of one of us, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said lavention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Stanhope Perkins and William
Smellie, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement, that is to say

page_text: The main object of our Invention is to produce a malleable metal of steely
quality, and to utilize Bessemer and other steel "scrap" (which has been
hitherto of little value) and reconvert it along with other metal into a malleable
steely homogeneous metal applicable to many if not all the purposes for which
Bessemer steel is used.
Our Invention consists in mixing about three parts (by weight) of Bessemer
metal, or scrap steel, or other steel, or steely metal with about one part (by
weight) of the common pig iron of commerce, and in melting this mixture
down in an ordinary cupola furnace or other similar suitable melting furnace,
this mixture being taken from the cupola or melting furnace in a molten state;
or it may be run into pig or slab, and taken in a cold state to an ordinary
puddling furnace where to one part (by weight) of the mixed metal three
parts by weight of common pig iron are added, and the latter mixture is then
subjected to the well-known puddling process, the metal thereby produced
being homogeneous and malleable and steely in quality and applicable for
permanent way rails, tyres, and many other purposes for which Bessemer steel
has been hitherto used. We have stated that about three parts of the steel
or steely metal are melted with about one part of common pig iron in the cupola
or other melting furnace, but we do not confine ourselves to these proportions
as some qualities of steel or steely metal may be melted down without or with
only a small proportion of pig iron. We have also stated that the mixed
metal may be taken from the cupola or melting furnace to the puddling furnace
in a molten state, but we prefer to run it into slabs or pigs and break it and
take it to the puddling furnace in a cold state. We do not confine ourselves
to the proportions between the metal obtained from the cupola and the common
pig iron in the puddling furnace as these proportions may be varied, depending
upon the quality of the cupola mixture, but we find that we can produce a
very good steely metal suitable for rails, tyres, and other purposes from the
proportions given, using those qualities of common pig iron known to commerce
as Nos. 1, 2, and 3 brands, which are softer qualities of pig iron than those
commonly used for puddling purposes. We may also state that we use in the
puddling furnace for each charge of four hundred and forty-eight pounds, five
pounds of common salt and two pounds of soda, being such chemicals as are
commonly used in puddling iron. The metal produced by our process may be
rendered of softer quality by being piled and worked once or twice.
We have now particularly described the nature of our Invention, and the
mode of carrying it into effect, and claim as our Invention, the manufacturo
of metal having a steely quality by melting scrap or other steel with common
pig iron in a cupola or other melting furnace, and adding to the mixture thus

page_text: produced more common pig iron and puddling the same in a puddling furnace,
substantially as herein-before described.:
In witness whereof, we, the said Stanhope Perkins and William Smellie
- have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-ninth day of May,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.