An Improved Metallic Flux for use in Refining Iron and Steel for Casting.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Nov., 1892-Accepted, 28th Jan., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Metallic Flux for use in Refining Iron and Steel for
Casting.
ROBERT LOUIS SENTINELLA Brass Moulder 2 North Street Kennington Road
London, England do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Cast iron or steel is heated in a crucible to a semi fluid state chloride of sodium
is then introduced and well stired into the same, the heat is then increased until
part of the chloride is decomposed forming a chloride of iron, the free sodium
alloying with the iron or steel and the chlorides being suspended in the same, the
resulting alloy or compound is then cast into suitable moulds.
For making castings in either iron or steel from 1 per cent. to 10 per cent. of the
compound is to be added to the metal used.
Dated this 23rd day of February 1892.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Metallic Flux for use in Refining Iron and Steel for
Casting.
I, ROBERT LOUIS SENTINELLA, of 2, North Street, Kennington Road, London,
in the County of London, Brassmoulder, 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 present invention relates to improvements in metallic fluxes for cast
iron or for cast steel, and the special object of it is to produce one being
an alloy of either metal with sodium in conjunction with sodium chloride and iron
chloride or chlorides suspended in it. This alloy is intended to be used as
a flux for iron or steel in either furnace or crucible, for the purpose of eliminating
the sulphur, phosphorus and silicon and producing a truly homogeneous, dense,
fine grained, soft, easily worked metal of superior electrical properties.
In carrying the invention into effect, the iron or steel which is intended to form
the base of the alloy is melted in a crucible till it is plastic as distinguished from
fluid. Chloride of sodium, either in lump or powder, is thoroughly stirred into the
metal so as to incorporate it with it, care being taken that the stirring in is effected
before the chloride is fused. The result is an intimate mixture of plastic metal and
chloride of sodium.
The exact proportion of chloride varies between 10 and 20 pounds to 1 cwt. of
metal.
The crucible is next covered and gradually and carefully subjected to a more
intense heat until the reaction between the metal and the chloride sets in. The
mixture of metal and chloride becomes ebullient under the rise in temperature, the
chloride is decomposed, ferric chloride is formed, and the free sodium alloys itself
with the metal. This reaction has gone far enough and affected the bulk of the
metal sufficiently by the time the sodium and the ferric chloride vapours are seen
to be burning upon the surface of the metal. At this stage the crucible is withdrawn
from the furnace and its contents well stirred, and poured as cool as practicable.
The cooling stops the chemical reaction. Less than half the sodium chloride has
been affected by the reaction. A convenient way of dealing with said contents is
to cast them into ingots of a convenient weight.
Pain Q11

page_text: It must be pointed out that it is absolutely necessary that the above process of
alloying be conducted in a crucible, for if it were attempted under circumstances
where as in a blast furnace-air is present, the chemical reaction above described
would be spoilt and the production of the alloy rendered impracticable.
The alloy itself may be used in either crucibles, blast furnaces or open hearths.
The proper proportion of alloy to use varies from 1 to 10 per cent. of the weight
of the metal to be run down. Much of course depends upon the quality of the
latter, and the relative quantities of scrap and new pig, but I have found that from
5 to 10 per cent. of alloy gives good results with ordinary scrap and a fair allowance
of new pig.
The alloy may be fed in with the metal to be run down or after the latter is in a
molten state. When it is melting, the same chemical reaction as above described is
established and the alloy penetrates the fused metal. The great heat due to the
presence of the ferric chloride perfects the fusion and the penetration too.
The thoroughness of the penetration of the alloy and of the union of the sodium
with the metal is demonstrated by the fact that the yellow sodium flame will still
shew, even after repeated remeltings, on the surface of molten metal which has been
purified by my improved alloy.
It is to be understood that it is the sodium in the alloy that is the active agent
in effecting the elimination of the sulphur, phosphorus and silicon in the form
of slag.
It is to be understood that I rely upon the presence of ferric chloride, and regard
that of ferrous chloride as accidental, or at any rate, as non-essential to the present
invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The hereinbefore described alloy adapted to be used as a flux for the purifi-
cation of iron or of steel and consisting of the metal, sodium, sodium chloride and
iron chloride or chlorides.
2. The hereinbefore described process for effecting the alloying of sodium with
iron or with steel.
3. The use of the alloy prepared as above described in fluxing or purifying iron
or steel.
Dated this 22nd day of November 1892.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
No. 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.